Coming Full Circle

COMMUNITY: a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage; a locality inhabited by such a group

Community is a major consideration in architecture and design. Why? Because usually a firm builds or designs for a group of people, whether it’s for a family or an entire town. Depending on the community, there will be limitations that are set on how a design is created. These limitations often reference style, context, time period, etc. An example of the importance of community is seen in the time of critical regionalism. “One of the notable aspects of critical regionalist reactions to imported Euro-American Modernism was the reaffirmation of community, of creating environments for groups of people, living and working together in ancestral traditional ways” (Roth, 607). This idea of designing for a community coexists with the concept of creating a community within a design. “What makes housing complexes successful are two essential factors: a consistent design that results in a related family of forms and an appropriateness of scale and an organization of spaces that arise from the ethos of those who will live there” (Roth, 607). Communities are particularly influential in the 21st century due to the fact that populations are growing and there is more need for things such as communal housing and villages. This raises another complication: Mass Construction while respecting the rise of sustainability. Sustainability is becoming a huge idea within architecture due to stewardship towards the environment and a concern about decreasing global warming.

STEWARDSHIP (steward): One who is actively concerned with the direction of the affairs of an organization

With sustainability, we have stewardship, or lack thereof. If Global warming wasn’t an issue, I’m not so sure that sustainable design would even exist. Global warming rose with lack of concern about our earth. We were ignorant of the harm we were causing, allowing the problems to increase in severity, and now there are threats that the world will come to an end. Right there, is the lack of stewardship. However, stewardship is rising in architecture and design firms, with new restrictions and alternate ideas. “The overriding issue is that of sustainability, which has grown in importance on a global level, and for the field of design generally. As awareness about issues such as scarce resources and global warming is raised, so government policy in the developed world calls for a more responsible use of precious materials and energy” (Massey, 219). This responsible use refers to the awareness of toxicity of materials as well as the lifecycle of these materials and how much energy is inputted into particular building technologies. This type of stewardship is the only way to go about design these days. For the most part, the more earth-friendly you are, the more chance you have of scoring a client, especially in commercial design. There are many ways designers go about sustainability. However, two specific ways involve renovation and deconstruction.


AUTHENTICITY: being genuine or real

The idea of authenticity in design refers to how a building came to be, whether it was constructed from scratch, renovated into a new building, or taken apart to be something more simple. One major design movement that involves authenticity is deconstructionism. During the deconstruction movement, designers were all about “composing an interior which looks as if it might fall apart, a loose collection of different technological and structural elements” (Massey, 216). This idea of structural element involves the exposure of systems as part of the design. A good example of this exposure is seen in Herzog and de Meuron’s Turbine Hall. Instead of disguising the systems, “they exploited the might of the vast Turbine Hall as the key public space of the building. Industrial materials are laid bare” (Massey, 228). Renovation is also a major part of authentic versus artificial. Preservation and recycling of existing buildings was a major part of a step towards sustainability in both hotel design and commercial building. This consistent presence of architecture, regardless of change, is supported by Eisenman “… there is always some being-in as opposed to the condition of being-as. It is the being in that architecture that is questioned” (Massey, 602).

INNOVATION: the introduction of something new; a new idea, method or device

Sustainable design is an innovation in itself. As far back as Egypt goes, people have never been worrying about how their use of products would impact the future. Sure, there have been considerations about how long materials would last, and how the buildings would be used in the future, but as far as consideration of the environment goes, sustainable concern is at an extreme. Like I said above, sustainability has caused many new considerations and limitations in design, causing designers to come up with new ways to approach building projects. For example, Ken Yeang came up with a new building type appropriate for the sustainable movement. “By the early 1980’s, Yeang had begun to define a new building type, the tropical skyscraper, exploiting strategies for reducing the need for energy consumption (especially for ventilation and cooling), for incorporating elevated masses of landscaping, and for facilitating neighborhoods or communities of people in the high-rise building” (Roth, 609). The computer also became a major part of design work. Technologies were growing and it became easier to develop ideas with computer programs. “The computer now makes possible the virtual creation of building projects that were never executed as well as the ability to recover buildings and environments of antiquity that no longer survive” (Roth, 611).

I know that there is usually a summary at the end of these, but I am going to take the last paragraph of Roth and analyze it and relate it to all four words above.

“Architecture is the art we cannot escape; it is over, under, around us virtually every second of our lives. An architecture of substance is more than simply a benevolent, protective umbrella; at its best, it interacts with us on our behalf, informing our memory, allowing us to become more human.” [Interaction has to do with community in that architecture is built for a specific group of people. This interaction is also an example of stewardship, in that community is a concern of the designer or firm]. “It is far more than shelter, more than a commodity for speculation, more than an expedient package, more than a capricious, artistic gambol. It is the built record of how we have ordered our cultural priorities, of who and what we are, and what we believe in.” [This idea of who we are and what we believe in has to do with authenticity, and someone following their genuine beliefs. These beliefs then create an authentic design that is not only real, but also original. Different from the others]. “The many contemporary expressions of modernism, how they reflect regional desires and needs, and how they respond to divergent theories on the role of architecture coupled with the emerging changes in how buildings are conceived and designed, make it impossible to say how architecture around the globe will develop in the century now opening- except to say that it will be ever changing and stimulating.” [This everchanging architecture is constantly raising new ideas and concepts for design. This is an example of innovation]

[pair]ing down

Meditation/Celebration

Meditation: Contemplation; pondering; musing over

Celebration: Honoring something; observing a notable occasion

^This was a sketch of my primary idea for a meditation space. I wanted to use the sense of audio to engage my client. I wanted he or she to be able to enjoy the space, relaxing and listening to the water fall.

Meditation and Celebration are not entirely different. One can be a component of the other, but they can also have separate effects. United, meditation and celebration emphasize the importance of something, honoring or musing over that thing, or event, or person. Separate from one another, a meditation could be a quiet and private act, while a celebration could be more public, and noisy or loud. Architecture in itself portrays both qualities. Architecture, most often, meditates history, as it looks for things that are most important to revive or work off of. It then creates a new style that celebrates history, or the important aspects of it. One example of a meditation and celebration of design is that during Pop Culture. The type of architecture that arises during this time period meditates the influential aspects of the time period, and then celebrates that context through form. “The need ofr young people to dissociate themselves from the older generation and communicate fun and transience explains the diverse inspirations for Pop. The aim was not to replicate past styles but incorporate them into a new, young look” (Massey , 175). The focus for the second half of the semester in our studio class has been about meditation and/or celebration of light. It has caused me to meditate how the two could be unified as one, or how they could be used to directly contrast one another. We have explored these similarities and differences through multiple compositions. My final project consists of two spaces: one of meditation, and one of celebration. We were asked to combine these acts with the thought of public versus private space. My meditation space will be that of a private experience, while my public space will be more about the celebration of presence. Light and shadow are extremely important in order to convey these two experiences.

 

Light/Shadow

Light: something that makes vision possible; the sensation aroused by stimulation of the visual sense organs.

Shadow: partial darkness in a space from which light rays are cut off; shade cast upon a surface by something intercepting rays from a light.

^ These two photos show how light and shadow is emphasized in my two spaces during different times of day. The top photo is of my meditation space in the morning, and the bottom of my celebration space midday.

How Light and Shadow is incorporated into a design is extremely important. Why? Because light and shadow have everything in the world to do with how a space is experienced. I am going to relate light and shadow to day and night for a second. Celebration is not always about light. Sure, people celebrate things all day, such as a cup of coffee, or lunch, or a meeting, etc. But then people also celebrate during the nighttime when they go out dancing, or go out to eat. Meditation is the opposite. Meditation can happen when one is sitting outside, soaking up the sun. However, meditation can also happen inside, in a dark area, where light is minimal, allowing one to think about nothing but what’s going on at that exact time. So the point im trying to make is that light cannot strictly be associated with celebration, and shadow with meditation. This idea is inaccurate. So how do light and shadow affect an experience? Well light could energize a space through a reflection of color, forming a celebration, but it could also calm a space if it’s used in a room of all white, or all black, forming a meditation. Shadow could create a sense of meditation, due to a “winding down” effect that it has, but shadow could also create a celebration space for personal events. Light and shadow is constantly being considered in the development of spaces. For example, during the Modernism era, Alexander Girard paid close attention to how light would integrate his interior and exterior. “The Rieveschel house has […] The ‘Natural’ element is introduced with fur rugs on the floors, indoor plants, and the use of natural light wherever possible” (Massey, 150).  Light and Shadow can be used in emphasizing a space of meditation or celebration through sequence (transposition or juxtaposition).

 

Transpose/Juxtapose

Transpose: to change the position or sequence of

Juxtapose: to place side by side

^ Above is an example of the way I decided to juxtapose my two spaces. By choosing to put the door where I did, I was able to transpose the sequence of circulation through the space.

Transposition and Juxtaposition of space (s) is crucial to design, particularly because one must meditate how a space will be laid out before it can be built that way. Depending on what kind of experiences on which a designer wants to focus, spaces will be transposed or juxtaposed accordingly. In studio, we are working on the transposition and juxtaposition of spaces in order to specify two qualities (celebration and meditation) while still obtaining unity between the two. Personally, I have found this to be a great challenge, because I am placing one space next to another, with an implied wall between the two, trying to make them different enough so that they emphasize different qualities, but still concentrating on one or two aspects that can tie the two together. For my design, this uniting aspect is seen in the auditory sense, as well as the color scheme and materials used. My grad student will walk up to the room, and see and hear water. The grad student then enters the room, seeing walnut wood, aluminum, brick and pale walls, and then circulates through the public space into the private, to return to water. By juxtaposing these two spaces, rather than keeping them as one space, I have specified what kind of experience I want to impose on my graduate student, and by transposing these two spaces, I have created a unique circulation path. Juxtaposition is a major aspect of the development of Postmodernism in history. Until the late 20^th century, Architects were focused on styles that reflected specific types of design. Postmodernism, however, is extremely different. Postmodernism borrows from all different eras, from Ancient Egypt, to the Renaissance, to Industrialism and back again. What is so special about this era is its ability to take multiple styles throughout history and combine them to create a unified design. Nigel Coates displays this in the design of his flat in London. He shows a developed collection of objects and forms suggesting architectural structure. “His flat in London was an essay in architectural metaphor, juxtaposing different period-styles and an artful decay like a self-conscious and deliberate stage set” (Massey, 212). 

 

Literal/Abstract

Literal: adhering to fact or to the ordinary or usual meaning of something

Abstract: considered apart from a particular instance; expressing a quality apart from an object; having only intrinsic form with little or no pictorial representation

^Above is one of the throw up sheets I did to speculate about this project. I came up with several ideas, many of which were more literal than abstract. One of the crucial parts of abstraction is extreme process of thought.

While Meditation and celebration have been key concepts for only half a semester, we have been focusing on literal and abstract all year now, not only in studio but in our history class and our visual design classes. While all the rest of the words above can interrelate, abstract and literal are antonyms to the death of it. However, design can have qualities of both. Abstract and Literal fit together with the three goals of design: commodity, firmness and delight. Commodity, or how a building fits a function, can be literal in that it is built for a specific function, but also abstract in the way that it chooses to accommodate that function. Firmness is literal in that it is unavoidable; a building must be firm in order to function. Big whoop. However, as we approach reactions to modern design, we are finding that firmness is becoming abstract in the hi-tech and de-constructivist eras. Both eras take technology, and expose that technology through their design. The systems that make up a structure actually act as the decoration for a certain design. “The Hi-tech movement celebrated the aesthetic of industrial production […] Here all the apparatus for servicing the building is boldly displayed on the exterior of the cultural center. The Interior is less inventive […]” (Massey, 195). Though this quote refers to the Pompidou centre by Piano and Rogers, it can be applied to a majority of architecture during this movement. Delight is literal in that it is self-explanitory (doing things to the interior to delight people), but the way in which delight is achieved can be rather abstract in a broad range. In our studio class we have been asked to look away from the literal (or more generic) uses of light to convey celebration and meditation and focus more on our interpretation of how light should be used to create these two effects. I won’t lie. It is extremely difficult not to create a dark room and call it meditation. But not only is that too easy to do, but it’s also too literal. Good design is derived from abstraction of meaning and ideas. Good designers take a concept and abstract it to the fullest, while still keeping in mind commodity, firmness and delight.

 

Monologue/Dialogue

Monologue: a long speech monopolizing conversation

Dialogue: a conversation between two or more parties

^ This presentation board is the example of dialogue. Without having these drawings spaced out and carefully placed, each drawing would have its own monologue. However, my layout was created so that there would be dialogue between each aspect, communicating a more legible idea.

Like Literal and Abstract, these words, too, are antonyms. Ironically, however, I think they coincide quite well with celebration and meditation. Sometimes, when someone wants to meditate, he or she will go sit, alone, in order to think for themselves, without any distraction or interference. This person is involved in a monologue, conversing with herself in order to come up with some type of idea. On the other hand, a celebration may involve people coming together to honor something for which they share interest or commonalities, whether it’s only two people or a bunch of people gathering.  This then creates a dialogue, whether it’s dialogue between two people or dialogue among many. Monologue and Dialogue are important to consider in effect, but they are also important to consider in context and history. Does the building that is being designed share a dialogue with its context? Does it relate to the time period? Do the spaces create dialogues among eachother to form a whole? Massey explores dialogue in her exploration of post-modernism, where different styles throughout history hold a dialogue with eachother to form unity in a design. “Stylistic heterogeneity continued to be the prevalent trend in the late twentieth century with an inexhaustible range of styles available to reflect individual identities” (Massey, 218). So dialogue between styles takes individual taste and combines it with historic elements in order to create what is seen as “good design”.

Action Verbs

Speculate: To think or wonder about a subject;

^ The 20 word list I came up with to describe the interaction I want my space to convey, and some pictures of inspiration cut from magazines.

Speculation is the first step in the design process. In order for a designer to create a concept, he or she must first speculate the many possibilities. Of course, these possibilities will differ with the task. However, it is impossible to choose one concept without exploring the possibilities, and this need for exploration is a constant emphasis in our design classes. It is the reason that we make multiple iterations, use multiple medias and line weights, and read about multiple time periods in history. Speculation must consider both the elements of design as well as the context of the environment around where the design will be located, and how the design will relate to a certain time period or movement. For example, Le Corbusier believed in an architecture that matched its context. “He praised the new functional industrial design and proclaimed that ‘Modern decorative art is not decorated’. […] he dismissed past styles irrelevant to the 1920’s…” (Massey, 83). Modernism focuses on the industrial age, and how a machine can be interrelated with architecture. This connection between design and time period is obvious. Speculation not only defines present connections, but it also allows for precedent analysis. One speculates a building and considers how it relates or opposes other buildings from either the same or a different time period, which is something we’re learning to do with each step of our analysis.

Shape: To form ; to design

^ The beginning idea which will shape the process to my final piece

Speculation is a prerequisite to the shaping of a design. In order for shaping to occur, one must have speculated the possibilities and chosen one concept to stick to. After choosing a concept, a designer begins to contemplate the many parts of a design, such as placement, scale, proportion, colorway, etc. Shaping a design requires much thought process as to what’s logical and what’s not. But then it is also important to consider rules and regulations in a design. There are many things that affect the way a design is shaped: style, client, time period, context, etc. Context was what shaped Modernism: “Modernism was closely linked to economic and social modernization, and it can hardly be held wholly accountable for the sins of property speculators and government bureaucracies who employed third-rate architects to cover our cities with cheap hand-me-down versions of Modernist design.

Stretch: To spread or reach out; to draw out in length or breadth; to make tense

^ My window installation stretches the boundaries by using materials other than those specified in the assignment

Stretching is extremely important in design. No, I do not mean that a designer needs to do hamstring and arm stretches before they can come up with a good design. By stretching, I mean knowing when it’s appropriate or necessary to go beyond limitations in order to reach a certain goal or pull a design together into a whole. In studio, interior architecture students have been stretching the boundaries all year. This is because sometimes a design just doesn’t work with a linear element, or paper is not strong enough to emphasize a certain point. Part of the reason why design is so personal is because it is flexible. Sure, there are rules and regulations that MUST be followed in order to pass inspections, and these cannot be ignored or broken. However, design is flexible in that there is such a wide variety in terms of building materials, technologies, and styles, that it’s okay to push the boundaries in order to make a design successful. Frank Lloyd Wright not only stretched the boundaries of the Modernist era, but he ignored all restrictions. “Frank Lloyd Wright and other American designers could not accept the restrictions of the Modern Movement, rejecting its characteristic use of pilotis and regular blocks. In the 1930’s, Wright continued to develop his own personal style which he considered more expressive of American values” (Massey, 85). Wright ignores entirely the traditions of modernism, and incorporates his own organic style, focusing on natural values, which he sees to be more important.

Compose: To form by putting together; to produce by composition

^ My Composite Drawing for Fallingwater

Once a design is shaped, whether it’s on paper or in the designer’s head, it is then necessary to compose it, or bring everything together to form the final product. As we have been learning all year, composition is crucial in design. Without composition, the parts are more like random ingredients; there is no unity. A composition is a composition when all aspects of anything, whether it’s a building, a drawing or a presentation board, come together to create a whole. It is also easier for a designer to influence a client or audience when his or her presentation is composed in a way that makes sense. With the composition of a piece of architecture, it is important that the design incorporates some, if not all, of the elements of design. These include the common elements throughout history such as light, positive and negative space, rhythm etc. Le Corbusier creates his own composition in his buildings. He uses the common elements, but also adds elements of his own. “These stipulated that the building should be supported above ground-level by pilotis; the interior should use a free plan; there should be a roof-terrace; the windows should be large, and form a continuous element of the exterior wall and the façade should consist of one smooth surface” (Massey, 80). These “Five Points of Architecture” are crucial for Corbusier in Modernism.

Energize: To give energy to [something]

^ This concept of levels is given energy through the use of color

Once a design has been composed, a designer can then add energy to her design. This can be done through choice of color, use of natural versus artificial light, shape of furniture, etc. The energy level of a room usually depends on the interaction that a designer wishes to create between her space and the person who is experiencing it. For example, a room with multiple windows that allow light in is more likely to be energetic than one that has less windows. A room with red or yellow paint is going to be more energetic than one with green or blue paint. Energy in design can also be reached through the exterior. For example, a skyscraper such as the Chrysler Building or the Empire State Building has energy in that it reaches to the sky. These buildings are about speed, and speed is an important concept in the Modernist era. This had to do with the rise of the automobile, along with other machines during the industrial revolution. Le Corbusier adds energy to his machine age structures through “’the masterly, correct and magnificent play of volumes brought together in light’” (Weston, 3) through architectural promenades. This energy is made to create an experience as if one is walking through a space.

In case you haven’t already realized, I took the words on the list and switched the order. Their chronology is significant in that one comes after the other in the design process. These action verbs are five major steps to a successful design, and it’s important to follow them in order. Mistakes or “fails”, without a doubt, affect this process. One could get to the composition stages, thinking that his or her idea or design was flawless, and then make a model and realize it doesn’t work. Then, the designer needs to either go back to shaping and figure out how the design can be modified, or start all over again with speculation of new ideas. Though it may seem like these faults are hurting the process, it actually helps in the long run in the same way of “learning from one’s mistakes”. It can also make the second run through of the process a lot quicker. This theme of chronology has definitely produced an overall theme for the semester in that projects have been spread out over time in steps quite similar to those described above. Knowing these steps and taking them is crucial in order for a design to be a well-thought-out and sensible product.

Road Trip

Roots: the fundamental or essential part; the source or origin of a thing

Roots can be interpreted in design two different ways. First, roots can be general fundamentals, or the essential considerations in the design process. There are specific rules that are set for design, such as measurements for pathways, or how far doors can push out or in, or how much space is needed to accommodate someone in a wheelchair. These roots are universal, as all must follow them. Also, the elements of design act as roots for the progression of a design. 

Depending on where the focus is (color, positive/negative space, proximity, etc), the design will progress from that one idea, through a concept. Second, though, they can be roots that provide for the unique taste of a designer. These roots that will make a design special most often derive from location or culture, and sometimes, personal taste. This idea of locality can be seen in America’s wishes to incorporate styles different from those in Europe. Our nation wanted to use a style that would identify America; this style would be identified as typical of America. “ The American Moderne grew out of a need to express the new dynamism of American life. It combined the sleek surfaces of Art Deco, the French Moderne preference for new materials, and an optimistic view of machinery inspired by the Italian Futurist movement and America’s own Stuart Davis, who rendered the excitement of American mass culture in paint” (Massey, 110).

Congruence: the quality or state of agreement or correspondence

Congruence is obvious in the term “interior architecture”. Through interior architecture, the exterior and the interior of a building are in agreement with each other, through both design and architecture. This congruence between the two is what creates a sense of unity. This unity in a design can be achieved using duality, whether it is a duality of contrasting or comparing ideas. This idea of interior architecture is easily found in the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, as he designs the space, as well as the furniture he will use in it. He makes the furniture to create a composition with the space. This idea of congruence in Frank Lloyd Wright’s work is something that he is recognized for. Congruence with time period is also a major part of architecture, while it is crucial to design buildings in relation to context. “This design idiom drew from the architectural traditions of each particular nation or region t create a style that a building’s users would have immediately recognized as belonging uniquely to them” (Roth, 470).

Concept: An idea of something formed by mentally combining all its characteristics or particulars

Concept initiates design. It is the first step of the design process. When a designer receives a task, she will first brainstorm multiple possibilities to go about completing it. However, when she reviews these ideas, she picks one that she likes the most and goes with it. This preferred idea becomes her concept. Without a concept, it is impossible to reach a desired end. There is a concept behind every structure that has ever been built, regardless of its time period. This concept can relate to religion, location, culture and function. During modernism in the nineteenth century, eclecticism, or revival of previous architectures, became a common concept for building and designing. “This associationalism became an underlying concept in the stylistic eclecticism that pervaded the nineteenth century and the later rise of historicist Postmodernism” (Roth, 469).

Materiality: Material nature/quality

The availability and abundance of material has a great impact on design. The vast range of materials available for architecture provides many possibilities for ideas. In fact, material is so crucial in design that it has the ability to illuminate the design. Materials go hand in hand with concept and style. The amount of possible materials has increased greatly since the beginning of history, giving designers today many opportunities. Material is particularly important today as architects are paying more attention to sustainability and reusable building materials, both inside and out. In the beginning of the eighteenth century, glass and iron were introduced as new materials. These two materials gave way to new building technologies, such as the creation of the train stations and greenhouses. “Paxton made full use of all that the British has learned of iron building technology in the construction of train stations and greenhouses in the preceding decades, but his innovations produced a giant leap in the building scale, in the prefabrication of standardized building parts of factories across England, and in methodical organization of the building process” (Roth, 487). The introduction of glass and iron was a turning point in architecture. Not only did it write the path for train station and factory construction, but it was also crucial in the late 19th and early 20th century during the rise of skyscrapers.

Compression:Release

Compression: being pressed together; forced into less space; to cause to become a solid mass; to condense, shorten or abbreviate

Release: To free from confinement; to let go

Compression and Release are two opposite concepts. Compression might be represented by a space that is very compact, with minimal lighting and circulation space. Release, however, could be implied in a space that is very open, with much circulation and moderate to high lighting. This space of “release” might even be sub-divided without an interior wall. In other words, the space could function in more than one way. Compression and release have an incredible impact on the way a person experiences a space. If a space is compressed, a person might feel extremely uncomfortable and overwhelmed, while a space that is “released” could be a lot more calming, and probably more functional as well. In the Gamble House at Pasadena, California, the Greene brothers create a house of “seamlessness”. All levels are integrated through the use of horizontal and vertical lines. The Greene brothers focused on nature as an inspiration, using wood as their main material. This material gave them the ability to design a room within a room, creating a feeling of release within the space. This release is also achieved in this building through the fully composed series of parts to create a whole. While I’m speaking about material, I will go ahead and say that glass and iron also made it easier to enforce compression or release of light. Walter Gropius does this in his Fagus factory. Mirroring the function of the building by using iron and glass, he allows much light inside. “The building appears to be reduced to sheets of glass (with the window panes at the floor lines replaced by opaque metal panels), but here, significantly, the corners are not solid masses but the merging of transparent glass planes” (Roth, 522).

To summarize this week's opus, concept is the main theme. A concept can be created through roots (location, culture, society, etc) or it can be created through congruence (the need or want to agree with a set of rules or traditions). From roots and congruence comes materiality, which is dictated by the roots of a time period or historicism, and also dictated by what the building is agreeing with, whether it is commodity, firmness or delight, though I hope it is following all three. Roots and congruence also control compression/release, determining whether or not it is appropriate for a certain type of design. Compression or release can also be achieved through materiality, depending on what type of material is used in construction of a building.

[re]actions

Rotation: (rotate)- to turn or cause to turn about an axis or a center; to alternate in a series
Rotation and cycle coexist. The design cycle is not one large cycle, but a series of smaller ones. Different styles rotate in transition from one style, to the next, and then back to the beginning style. This rotation mocks the rotation in a design process. The designer starts with a main concept, and then out of that, gets multiple possibilities for a product, and then chooses one possibility that is the best representation of the beginning concept. A new element was added into this rotation during the Aesthetic movement: japonisme. This new style in design would permanently modify interior design in both England and America. “The naturalistic forms of Morris’s surface patterns and japonisme were among the inspirations of the first great design style of the twentieth century, Art Nouveau” (Massey, 29). Art Nouveau was the beginning of a new development in architecture. On a more literal level, rotation affects the way people see a design. Depending on which way a person is looking at something, or which way that thing is rotated, there is a different perspective. This literal concept also connects back to the “whole” concept of rotation.

Movement: the act or process of moving; a series of organized activities working towards an objective

Movement is a major element of composition. Movement makes a design dynamic. Even in a 2-dimensional plane, if a decoration creates movement, a new dimension is added. Movement is constantly being emphasized in both our design and drawing classes. In studio, our most recent project was about the celebration of light. I believe that this celebration is most successful through movement or direction. In my artifact, I created direction for light, so that the movement through negative space was clear. Movement can also be made in a 2-d drawing through the use of light and shadow, contrasting the two. Movement is also seen in many designs throughout history. Directing the eye is important in architecture, because it is usually used to put emphasis on the most important parts of a building. For example, in Bernini’s Baldacchino, the eye is drawn upward and downward with the spiral. This movement is also symbolic in that the eye moves from the earths to the heavens in a sacred place. Movement can also be created through choice of shape.

Reflection: (reflect)- to bend or cast back (as light, heat or sound); to give back a likeness or image of as a mirror does; to bring as a result

Reflection allows for improvement in design. When a designer is going through the process to come up with a product, he or she must constantly be reflecting on the previous ideas in order for further development. The designer must have the ability to recognize what mistakes have been made, what paths to avoid, what materials would work best, etc. He or she must be asking questions such as “How can I make this better? What other ways might have more effective 

results? What if I did this?”…And so on and so forth. This all has to do with reflection, or reference to what has previously been successful or unsuccessful. I stumbled upon reflection many times during the creation of my 3rd skin. I made multiple models before I reached one that worked. Each iteration was based on successes, or lack thereof, of the previous model. Reflection has made itself obvious through history of design. The designers are constantly looking back in time and recalling which designs were successful and which weren’t. For example, in the Crystal Palace of New York, designers decided to use a dome roof. However, recalling that there were some issues building the dome on the Pantheon out of concrete, the dome of the Crystal Palace was constructed from glass and iron, much sturdier products. In the nineteenth century, people reflected on the works of Morris and his followers for influence. “American interior design was profoundly influenced by the reforming ethics and naturalistic style of Morris and his followers […] “ (Massey, 19). Reflection is important in order to reach success- not only in design, but also in most careers. It is important for people to reflect on their education, as well as life experiences, and apply those to their work.

Source: origin, beginning; a supplier of information

Sources are crucial to the development of design. A source could be something as literal as a precedent, a book, or a magazine, but it could also be something that involves more thought, like an item from nature, or a specific material, or a particular color. Sources provide inspiration as a first step in the design process. For our 3rd skin project in environmental design, we were asked to write a story about a celebration that was important to us, and then we were asked to find a natural artifact that was inspiring. We were to take these two sources and create an artifact that celebrated a light source. This process of taking something as small as a twig and creating an elaborate design from it has been routine since the beginning of the history of design. We see it as early as the Renaissance, where artists, sculptors and architects are taking previous pieces as precedents, and developing on them to create new ideas. This idea continues up to the nineteenth century. In the first chapter, Massey emphasizes the importance of writings on interior design. “ John Ruskin, who influenced taste in interior design through his writings on art in The Times newspaper and his books, such as The Seven Lamps of Architecture and The Stones of Venice” (Massey, 10). Ruskin was just one of many who wrote pieces to influence architecture. “Baillie Scott’s influential article for The Studio of January 1985 entitled ‘An Ideal Suburban House’ included plans for an adventurous layout” (Massey, 17). Still today, many buildings that are designed resemble others, and this is most likely because one acts as a source of inspiration for the other.

Illuminate: to supply or brighten with light, light up; to make clear; to decorate with designs or pictures in gold or colors

Illumination can be looked at in two different ways. The first definition is “to brighten with light”. This pertains to our studio and drawing projects. First, in studio, our artifact should be illuminated by or further illuminate light. In drawing, we are also asked to look at light and use it to illuminate light and emphasize shadow to enforce depth in perspectives. However, this meaning of illuminate is actually extremely literal. To make clear is a deeper definition. Illumination is crucial in design because in order for a designer to be understood, he or she must be able to illuminate, or make clear, the important aspects of a design. This is particularly important when speaking to a client who, most of the time, does not have any design experience. Illumination of key points will help the client understand where the designers idea is coming from, and how the designer plans to incorporate different elements of design (i.e. Gestalt Principles) within a space. This illumination has been a major part of history, as it is a part of the architecture parlent found in the transition from style to style. Each style refers back to the previous; illuminating what has been taken from that style to make a new. This illumination has been spoken about through each time period (Egypt, Greece, Rome, Renaissance, Baroque, etc.) This illumination of a previous era is clear in the nineteenth century goal to revive gothic architecture into daily secular buildings. “For Pugin, Gothic was an expression of a just and Christian society in contrast to nineteenth-century industrial society with its social ills” (Massey, 9). To this day, we are building churches with precedents and ideas in mind, and most of the time, our results will illuminate the important aspects of those previous designs.

The projects that we did this week, both in studio and drawing/drafting, all involve these five words. The 3rd skin project in studio took a source of light, and used that light to illuminate an artifact. This artifact would either reflect, or allow for the translation of light, in a space. During the critique, Stoel would often pick up the artifacts, bring them to the wall under the light track, and rotate them to explore the different shadows it would cast. Depending on the angle that a person looked at this artifact, the movement of light would be different. For example, if the artifact were below the light, the light would move from above through the artifact, but if the artifact were adjacent to the light, it would move from side to side. This project was a process that also involved the words above, in the ways that I explained. The drawing/drafting project was another process that used all five words. We were to create a space with furniture that illuminated our own styles. We were to pay attention to light source, which would influence how we rendered our perspectives. Depending on where there were reflections and illuminations, we were asked to use light and shadow. This light and shadow created movement within the interaction of pieces in the space. The perspectives were detailed enough so that one could rotate it in their head and know where each piece of furniture was in multiple views. This, too, was a process of design, which generally involves all five of the above. As I have stated multiple times, all five of these words apply both specifically and generally to history. This is due to the constant cycle of past, present, future and the development of new ideas.

Grammar: Syntax

[re]vision:

revise: to look over something written in order to correct or improve; to make a new version of
vision: a vivid picture created by the imagination

^ [Re]vision: Borrowing from a natural artifact to create abstract patterns

Believe it or not, architecture is ABOUT revision. From the Ancient World up to the 20th century, bits and pieces of architecture were constantly being revised. For example, the Egyptians revised the artificial mountain in Mesopotamia to become the pyramid. The Romans revised the Greek Orders to create what are called pilasters. In fact, the word “Renaissance” means rebirth. The people of the Renaissance took parts of Ancient Architecture and revised it to the revival of gothic and classical architecture. The conformity to these rules during the Renaissance led to the transition into the Baroque Era. Baroque architecture took the Renaissance rules and pushed these boundaries, revising the rules yet again. The excessively decorative Baroque style eventually calmed down to accommodate the theme of the Rococco era, which consisted of more pale colors, and less ornament. These three architectures (Classical, Baroque, Roccoco) were then combined with antiquity to form the Neoclassical architecture. “Generally, plans were less complicated […] reflecting the influence of the Roman baths of antiquity” (Blakemore 286). Neoclassical architecture is the beginning of the Reflections unit because it writes an entirely new book of rules for reflecting both Ancient and Renaissance tactics in its architecture. Without a doubt, revising to reach the highest potential possible, while still maintaining a language with the borrowed culture, is a main goal in architecture. We are learning about revision and more revision as we build multiple iterations and draw and revise drawings. Revision is what has brought us the variety of architecture we see today, and styles will continue to be revised throughout the future. Maybe some day we’ll revise architecture to build skyscrapers to the moon?



audience: an opportunity of being heard; an assembly of listeners or spectators

^The designer thinks about his audience as he works to create a concept

Audience is an incredibly important aspect to consider in design. Who are you designing for? The client(s) influences many decisions you make, such as what type of diagram to show and what type of style to choose. It is important that a designer gets to know their audience. This way, he or she will be able to design accordingly. The designer will know what colors to use, what style of furniture to use, what their space will be used for, etc. Society has always played a huge role in design, because architects take into consideration what time period they are designing for. This is what makes each era so different from the next. For example, during the Gothic period, excess attention was paid to churches due to the increasing importance of Christianity. During the Georgian Baroque, and into the neoclassical era, power and hierarchy was a main societal focus, which led to the building of palaces, complemented by luxurious gardens. The Neoclassical era aimed for classicism and antiquity at one time. “To begin with, on the one hand, the classical traditionalists looked longingly to the arts of the Grand Siecle as their source of inspiration, and, on the other hand, the antiquarians sought to rely on the firsthand knowledge of the ancients through the study of archaeological remains” (Blakemore,283). Nowadays, architects are beginning to build based on a growing need for sustainability. Because of Global Warming, it is important that architects are doing whatever possible to build “green”. Also important to consider is the concept of function. How will this building be used? Not only is it crucial to consider the present use, but also the future use. This idea of looking to the future is called universal design. If a building is universal, it can accommodate many different functions and people.

character: a symbol of representation; a distinguishing feature;

^The unique design of this chandelier to resemble an artichoke gives it its character

The character of a design develops from the three necessities: commodity, firmness and delight. Most of the time, a design is made to fit all three of these aspects. This means that a design will accommodate a time period or audience, be structurally stable to withstand disaster, and be aesthetically pleasing. Different features are usually dependent on time period. For example, the use of the oval in spatial planning marks the beginning of the Baroque era. “One of the primary characteristics of the Baroque period was a sense of movement, and one way to achieve this was to use oval spaces rather than round” (Blakemore, 156). The repetition of facades to create a palace from townhouses is characteristic of the French enlightenment. Pale colors and the use of gold décor is a character during the Roccoco era. Features also depend on the wishes of the client. Usually, a client will tell you what he or she likes or doesn’t like, and as a designer, you work from there to figure out how you should design the space. The features of this design will be different from those of another because the clients are different, and probably have different ideas of what they want.

transition:a passage from one state, place, stage or subject to another

Transition shapes the history of design. As I already stated above, transitions from one style to another have been about revision, or one era borrowing from the previous and elaborating on that style. In the beginning of the semester, we spoke about the cycle of architecture, and the constant overlap of one style with the next. This overlap is the result of many different aspects; the most important one (in my opinion) is the passage of time. When an era of new architecture begins, it develops in one area, and then spreads to many others. So, as an example, while France was moving on from the Baroque era into Neoclassicism, Baroque was still lingering in England (Georgian Baroque). “The tendency on the part of traditionalists such as Gabriel to look to the period of Louis XIV as their source of inspiration was also transitional. Although the design derivation is evident, the execution was more disciplined” (Blakemore, 290). The passing of time assists transition, but transitions have a tendency to be simultaneous, which seems incredibly contradictory to the organized timeline of architecture. Transition goes hand in hand with the constant development of new ideas. Overlap also occurs because most new ideas have some relation to previous ones, in that the new ideas piggyback off of the old, or use bits and pieces. This idea of one idea leading to another is also obvious in the process of design. In order for a designer to reach a final product, he or she must transition from what is usually an extremely broad idea, and specify the idea more and more as the process goes on.

datum: a single piece of data

^This sofa has a datum that could be considered unclear. Does this look like a sofa to you? It also refuses to rotate: another datum issue.

Architecture usually has a datum, or one single piece of “data” that tells its story. However, I look at the word “datum” as being more of a statement of purpose than a piece of data. For example, the datum in the Pantheon is the oculus. The oculus makes obvious the intention to connect heaven and earth. A datum is important because it provides information beyond the exterior. It’s a useful way to create a transition from one space to another, incorporating hierarchy of one space over the next. For example, in the Georgian Baroque, more attention was paid to public activities in spatial planning. “A new approach to space planning typified the residences of te period from about 1720 to 1770. Versatility in planning to accommodate social events was the motivating force for this change” (Blakemore, 250). This way of organizing space based on hierarchy has been used from the get go. In the pyramids, the most important space (the tomb) was usually set in the very back, under the ground, so that the journey became more personal the deeper into the pyramid. The same remains in the tripartite system of porch, court, hearth. The porch is the most public and the hearth is the most private. In fact, this spatial planning still exists today. Usually, one walks through the main entrance of a home into a foyer, where people gather, and then there is the dining/living area and the kitchen, which are also areas for entertainment. Then, whether its on the second floor or branching off into a hallway, are the bedrooms and bathrooms, or more private spaces.

All 5 of these words create a language, or an “architecture parlent”. A design is created from a transition (moving from one to the other) between styles, leading to [re]vision (or borrowing and recreating) of previous eras. This design is then communicated to an audience (whether a client or people of a time period) through character (distinguishing features) and a datum (an obvious statement of purpose). This architecture parlent is crucial for the communication of design. If architecture did not have a language, it would be impossible to connect buildings to everyday life. It would be impossible to relate the interior of a building to an exterior. When we spoke about Architecture Parlent on Monday, we spoke of all the things that played roles in understanding a language. A major part of this concept is syntax, or sentence structure. Perhaps in English it is about sentence structure, but as far as architecture goes, syntax has to do with the organization of process as well as interrelation. 

P Week

Periphery: The external boundary of any surface or area; the edge of outskirts

^ Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome

^ A peripheral vision of my dorm room; my roommate probably wanted to hurt me.

When I hear the word periphery, I think of peripheral vision, or rather, the limited amount of space that can be seen at one time. For example, in the above drawing, this is all one sees when in my room: a big mess. This thought collides with the actual definition of the word “periphery”. More than once have we seen boundaries within architecture. In fact, the word “boundary” has been an opus word. Considering that I have already talked about boundaries, I will not repeat myself. I will, however, talk about figurative boundaries and how they apply to the process of design. As we have learned about this constant transition from era to era, I have noticed how different limitations have been placed on opportunities. For example, the Renaissance aimed for rebirth. They wanted to leave gothic architecture behind and create new forms based on classicism. The Renaissance was all about humanism. This practice of humanism only allowed for architecture that supported its theory: “Humanism was a philosophical view that emphasized the importance of human values, achievement, and endeavors as distinct from received religious dogma” (Roth 356). After the Renaissance, there was the Baroque period, during which sculpture, painting and architecture were combined. Baroque architecture is about “heavy embellished architecture, with its corkscrew columns and bent entablatures- as much a deviation from proper architectural norms as a twisted pearl that deviated from the spherical norm” (Roth, 398). This architecture pushed the limits of those before it, by switching from clarity to ambiguity, variety instead of uniformity, plasticity instead of planar (Roth, 398). The transition from Baroque to Roccoco was also a drastic one. Suddenly “Baroque architecture moved away from the heavy architectural decorative elements and deep colors of the early seventeenth century in favor of more slender decorative features and a much lighter palate of colors” (Roth, 429). This idea of periphery will continue to apply to the way styles change and develop. New limits are put on styles, whether it’s due to government control, social trend or religious beliefs. This is why it is so emphasized in our classes to go beyond the boundaries. In all of our projects we are asked to go above and beyond, because this is the way that we will be able to explore different possibilities. The more ideas that we are exposed to, the more trends and styles that will be available. This variety is also important so that if we are meeting with a client, we can offer many different possibilities, Instead of just one.

Portfolio: a set of pieces of creative work collected to be shown to potential customers or employers; "the artist had put together a portfolio of his work"; "every actor has a portfolio of photographs"

As designers, we are required to have a portfolio available at the blink of an eye. A designer’s portfolio contains all of her work throughout her “explorations” as a designer. This includes work from her first year as an undergraduate student up to her work in grad school and outside of school in the real world. This opus blog that I am writing on serves as an electronic portfolio for many architecture students at UNCG. Our sketchbooks also serve as a portfolio of our work, not only in drawing, but also in history. Sure, it’s not entirely professional, since we are just beginning our years as interior architecture students, but it does contain a good chunk of the work we have already done. I know that as we climb the professional ladder in college, we will develop more professional blogs which will serve the purpose of showcasing our final projects, as well as solid observations and critiques that occur.
Beginning with the Renaissance, we read about many architects who wrote treatises. These treatises act, in a way, like a portfolio because they explain the way designs came about and what principles were followed, etc. For example, “Sir Henry Wotton espoused his ideas in a publication of 1624 entitled Elements of Architecture. This was not a pattern book but a down-to-earth building guide” (Blakemore, 130). The suggestions in this book influenced much of the English Renaissance.
For midterms in drafting, we are asked to put together a portfolio with all the work we have done throughout the semester. These pieces include both drafts and finish products of projects. Why include drafts? Drafts show process and difference between the draft and the final project. It is important to note what has been changed or corrected in order for the teachers to acknowledge that the student is progressing. It is even more important to have a portfolio when you work with a firm or other design business because a portfolio shows style. When you get a client, it is important that you show them your portfolio. This way, they can decide whether or not your style is what they’re looking for. By seeing your previous work, clients can judge whether or not they want to work with you. Hopefully, your portfolio is enough to reel them in.

^ An anonymous peer in the PROCESS of creating her opus PORTFOLIO

Process: a series of actions directed towards a desired result

“The end must direct the operation.” This saying is true for design. When a designer is given a project, he or she takes the prompt and must come up with a concept for the end product. This is the first step. Only after creating a concept and image of the desired product can a designer find the process it will take to get there.
Last semester I participated in the 7 to 7 Salvation Army Charette, and in order for us to begin, we first had to create a solid idea of what we wanted the end product to look like and how we wanted it to function. We decided that we wanted it to be organized into different sections for categories of merchandise. We wanted the customers to feel calm and invited by this store. Most of all, we wanted to create significant interactions between the customer and the space itself. After coming up with all these goals, we were able to start designing graphics, laying out the space, and organizing the products. After twelve hours of process, we finally finished and met our goals in our design. Process takes much effort and extensive thought, but it’s all about being able to make connections between important aspects of design.
The first half of second semester in environmental design was a process. This process had some order to it, though. It began with something as small and “unimportant-seeming” as a fairytale. I would never have guessed that something as simple as a fairytale could develop into something as complex as a portal. The process was so extraordinary in that each project took a little bit of the previous. Our artifact came from our fairytale, and our passageway from our artifact, and then a door from our passageway. This is what leads me to the conclusion that almost anything can be linked in one way or another, not only in design, but in life.
History of Design is also a process: the process of a constant change in design. Design periods overlap with one another, allowing for much mixture between two or more styles. So far we have learned about process in the foundations unit. This process was the passing on of architecture from one culture to the next through trade and proximity of countries. In the alternatives unit, we're learning about the process of expansion. Architecture in different regions are reflective of one another, and though their goals (rebirth, baroque, roccoco) are the same, the outcomes are different. We will soon be learning about how this spread of architecture influences present day architecture, and how architecture will continue to develop in the future.

Perspective: The science of painting and drawing so that objects represented have an apparent depth and distance

^ Church of Saint Ignazio

Perspective was used frequently, beginning during the Italian Renaissance when frescoes became a popular wall decoration. Artists painted perspectives on the walls or ceiling to extend the space, or make it seem larger. This illusion is called “trompe l’oeil” (mistake of the eye). Though the transitions from Renaissance to Baroque to Rococco were all in hopes of changing architecture, the use of illusionism did not. “In Baroque architecture, the line between three-dimensional reality and mystical illusion was increasingly blurred” (Roth 404). In the church of Saint Ignazio in Rome, “the vaults were painted by Padre Andrea Pozzo in 1691-1694 and show the glory of Saint Ignatious, in an illusion of architectural elements extending into the open sky, with clouds and angelic figures accompanying the figure of Saint Ignatius” (Roth, 404). Pietro de Cortona, originally a painter, was known for the frescoes he painted for the Barberini family. “For their palace, he painted the Allegory of Divine Providence and Barberini Power. This, his most famous painting, is a triumph of Illusionism for the centre of the ceiling appears open to the sky and the figures seen from below appear to come down into the room as well as soar out of it” (Blakemore, 154). This use of fresco in wall décor actually decreased as architecture moved into Rococco, and I am predicting that it will fade to be very rare and eventually disappear.
In drafting, we are beginning to learn about perspective and how to make a perspective sketch without using drafting tools. The concept is very complex but interesting at the same time. Depending on the type of perspective being drawn, all lines go back to one vanishing point, or two, or three, etc. Perspectives can be drawn in many different ways. They can be drawn professionally using drafting tools, drawn as a conceptual sketch with sensible lines, or drawn as a regular sketch, guessing where the lines go to and in what directions they go. In the first semester, we created perspective drawings using our drafting tools and pictures of buildings. In A few weeks ago we were asked to draw perspectives of our selected buildings; however, these drawings were freehand. Perspectives aren’t only used to draw the insides of buildings, but also the exteriors. They don’t just make an outline, they also touch on the details such as windows and doors. Everything is connected through lines, which fascinates me.

Professional: of, relating to, or characteristic of a profession

The word “professional” is thrown around. Some people believe that in order for someone to be a “professional” he or she must obtain a degree from college and be working in the field for which they got that degree. However, others might believe that if someone has spent a certain length of time doing one thing, he can be a professional, despite whether or not he has a degree. Some people became professional during the Baroque period through training, whether it was by apprenticing or education. Others just felt that their ideas were fit for architecture. “Borromini felt his training as an architect was appropriate for his commissions, while Bernini (with no training in architecture) considered his knowledge of sculpture and painting equally fitting for architectural work” (Blakemore, 155). This ability for Bernini to switch over to architecture was do to the new theme of the Baroque Era: “The autonomy of architecture is here eliminated, becoming now an armature for sculpture and painting meant to impress upon the viewer a mystical experience. Architecture as an independent, rational, structural frame is transformed into a unity or fusion of the visual arts as propoganda. Architecture has become but one constituent part in what was ‘a total work of art’” (Roth, 404). During the Baroque period, architecture, sculpture and painting were combined into one form of art.
The interior architecture program is designed to give us a unique education that will make it easier for us to become professionals. When we graduate, there’s a high possibility that we will not only have a higher knowledge of interior designs, but also building structures. This will help us get more successful jobs with major architecture firms, rather than small design companies. This is why it is important for us to keep all of our work. When we graduate, we will be able to bring our portfolios to job interviews. This way, the interviewers will look at our work, and instantly be able to see the knowledge that we have developed throughout our education at UNCG.

All five of these words pertain to the outside world, or post-graduation. Periphery pertains in that we will have new limits to our design that will be created either by the firm we work with, the client, or the task at hand. Like I have already said, in order to get jobs, we will need to have a portfolio at hand, ready to be shown. A process is important because it shows progression towards the desired goal. As I wrote in my essay comparing design to a story, the process of design means multiple attempts, multiple critiques, and alot of the time, multiple mistakes. Perspective is incorporated in design in that it is required that the designer has a correct perspective of what needs to be done. The perspective of the client is also important when a designer is coming up with a concept. A design needs to accommodate the client, and his or her needs. Finally, professional comes into part in that someone who is professional in design is more likely to get a job over someone who is not. In other words, being that we, as interior architecture students, will graduate with a degree in interior architecture, we will be at an advantage over those who come into the field through other degrees.