Sayre BP8 IAR 221

Reaching Across the Globe


Movement across the earth to establish colonies can be expressed by the people that moved and the architecture they brought with them in their minds. Psychologically the presence of structures which hail from ones motherland provide a feeling of comfort in a colonial setting on the frontier of their known world.


Colonies were developed mostly at first in a very crude manner, undoubtedly focusing on simple and functional buildings. I would argue that until a strong foothold is established within colonies architecture of buildings is extremely simplistic due to lack of materials, allotted building time due to the energy put into providing the means to live in a colony as well as native attacks and ignorance to the types of weather received. Thats mostly besides the point however and even simple functional, architecture represents in some shape or form that of the pioneers origins.

Looking at colonial structures in American being a firmly established colony of Britain, Ching notes several building types. King George I rule would influence a very "simple and understated" form of architecture seen in Georgian homes such as Stratford Hall Plantation

Stratford Hall Plantation, Original hall center, with additional homes.
Here

The power of the King is expanded not only in force with his army, or taxes but also in the building his citizens live in. Now thats power. Elements from the country of origin in architecture, such as horizontal power over the landscape shown here, can represent the power of the Kings, or Britain's, reach to its expansions.

After declaring, and winning Independence Colonization by the United States is a strange thing due to the land under question to be gained. Manifest destiny aside I would like to focus on the colonization of the Philippines. Some interesting mixes of architecture which have a slightly more Spanish than American resonances due to the Philippines being a prior colony of Spain.

Public building  during US occupancy

These buildings are both in the Philippines, in or near the now capital city of Manila. The bottom structure, The Church of St. Augustine was built during Spanish occupation the top during occupancy. The top building is a example of a public space which was built for entertainment as well as meetings between public figures of both countries. These buildings were built under different circumstances which is why i am interested in their use. The much older Church building was constructed in order to influence Filipino religion and change it to Catholicism from its predominately pagan as well as Buddhist ways. The Church was created in order to dominate the land and to control, while the US occupancy and following structures were used differently.  In this light, i feel that the US building was constructed in order to make peace and conform with the country and its people. This imposes order in a different fashion, while having control, not lording it over the populace.

Iglesia de San Augustine.

This leads me to conclude that colonialism is at the control and purpose of the origin in question. The purpose of expansion determines what type of building is constructed and how it reacts with the people foreign as well as native.