Unit Summary-Explorations

White Water Rafting

[taking risks and exploring the world in new ways]

Hundertwasser House, Austria

[creating unique pieces that express yourself]

Weisman Museum, Minnesota 

[innovative design that inspires]

Trajan Market

[creating usable space for a community]

National Museum of the American Indian, D.C.

[a relation to the past through modern architecture]

S. Carlo Alle Quatro Fontane

[fluid lines and flowing shapes]

Jackson Hole, Whyoming

[the beauty in simplicity and the world around]

Nature

[beauty in natural things]

Austin, Texas

[a style that meets my own and draws from memories]

Unit Summary-Reflections

             The 18th and 19th century’s focused on opening up the world, yet still reflecting on architecture and design history. The world was in a transition stage politically, socially, and artistically. The alternative forms of architecture of the past were now being subdued and really focused on to lead way to more exploration of the arts. This unit can be best represented by the three words expansion, revolution, and exploration.
             With the foundations and alternatives units over the design world was just beginning to look back and see what they have done in the past. Recreation of past styles became popular, and reviving what had already been done was the norm. Greek, Roman, renaissance, and gothic are only a few of the styles that kept appearing in newer work. The Houses of Parliament, for example, built down and when it was rebuilt could only be done so in the original gothic style to keep its authenticity. For a time, there was only horizontal expansion and no new designs were reaching vertical. Imitations of the past were becoming too monotonous and a change was needed. The industrial revolution was right around the corner though and a whole new style was beginning to form from such.
               Revolution means reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving, and that is exactly what happened during the industrial revolution. Cities began to form and people moved inward to capitalize on the accessibility and technology that began to flourish. Developments were being made in many fields, that all helped to further the design world. Scientific developments were made in the factories to speed up work, in the textile industry to produce more, and in technology to be able to mass-produce items and materials. There were also advances in communication that made it possible for information to travel faster and farther. Word was spreading more frequently and more styles began to spread outwards. For example, the Bauhaus style began in Germany but over time it continued to grow and spread. In America we welcomed the design and called it the International style, and in other countries it was also adapted as well. With the industrial revolution a call to hand-made work was also discussed. The arts and crafts movement rejected or questioned the use of the machine and its effectiveness. Charles Asbee said that “we do not reject the machine, we welcome it but we desire to see it mastered.” The discussion about industry versus hand-made was readily debated throughout the 19th century. Revolutions were being made not only in the industrial world but elsewhere that helped to shape the way for exploration and discovery.
               With so much new technology and growth it was only natural that people began to explore new ways to do things and new things to do them with. The search for new things led people outwards to explore the goods of other countries. Trade routes, such as the Silk Road, let goods and ideas travel globally. Work from the east and west began to comingle and collide. Another way that ideas were spread was through world fairs. Many countries brought together their work so that other countries could gain knowledge through their designs. One of the most famous fairs was held in the Crystal Palace built by Paxton specifically for the fair. Not only was the inside full of new designs, but the building itself was an exploration of new material. The whole structure was made of glass and iron, which were just beginning to be used. Not only were they cheaper, but they also increased the speed of building as well. With this new material knowledge came exploration in styles and design of buildings, such as the skyscraper. Things that never could be attempted before were now beginning to be made and constructed. This exploration continued throughout the century and beyond.
             In conclusion, the 18th and 19th centuries served as a transition between the past and what was still yet to be explored. Expansion, revolution, and exploration summarize what this unit is really about and how the design world went through a change from replication to discovery.

The Reliance Building is a key example of this unit because it shows the progress that was made throughout the 19th century.

PA:First Draft

        “The ultimate aim of all visual arts is the complete building” states Walter Gropius.[1] When choosing a building for the precedent analysis project I wanted to pick one that worked as a whole both internally and externally. I chose the Bauhaus at Desseau because it worked with the design world, as well as with the cultural world. It is located in Desseau, Germany, and was built by Walter Gropius in 1925. This analysis will help to explore he Bauhaus serving as a symbol of both the international style of design and the country as a whole.

     The Bauhaus is much more than just a building, it is a complete design movement. The style was founded in 1919 in Weimer, Germany and it is a return to simple classical lines. It combined both art and technology to create pieces that were ornament free, classical, and pure. This style wanted to create functional and practical work that was pleasing aesthetically and technically. The best pieces were ones in which commodity and delight comingled. The Bauhaus style was also important because it drew design away from the 19th century work that focused on recreating the past. This new style lead to the creation of the Bauhaus school which taught about both arts and crafts and the warehouse. The school also taught about different art styles, but ironically didn’t teach architecture, which was Gropius’ specialty. The teachings tried to lead deign to a more modernistic industrial world. The school was started in 1925 and lasted until 1932, when it was shut down by the Nazis. Over the years it operated it produced a plethora of talented designers and helped to spread the Bauhaus style outwards. In America it was known as the international style and influenced office buildings and skyscrapers alike.

     The Bauhaus also had cultural reasons for being built. The Bauhaus style arose right after WWI ended, and it was an escape from the violence. Gropius believed that the school would lead Germany in a social, economic, and cultural renewal. Bringing together the arts showed and encouraged economic rise and social unity throughout the country, but not limited to the arts. Before the war the school didn’t have precedents to be built, but after such economic and social hard times the need for change was there. The new school was what the country needed to save itself from the destruction the war brought with it.

       The Bauhaus itself is the perfect example of the style it teaches. Both the exterior and the interior are reflections, and this is exactly as Gropius had intended. The building itself is in a propeller shape to emphasize the presence of machinery. Machinery both in the way work was produced in the workshops, and as a reference back to the war. Many casualties were lost in the war so the school was used to show the way that machines helped to save lives, and also to give a defensive appearance. The building also uses clean lines and flat planes to emphasize the style. The exterior is also very unique because of the use of the curtain wall and the transparent effect it has on the whole building. The glass “curtains” made it so that the buildings façade was supporting only itself, and then the curtain walls attached to such. The Bauhaus was one of the first buildings to use such a technological design. Another notable feature of the building are the materials used. Glass and iron were the two obvious framing materials, but concrete and other unadorned materials were also used. Altogether, the Bauhaus was a perfect learning environment because the designers were encompassed by their own teachings and design.

     The Bauhaus not only served as an impressive piece of architecture that resembled the style of the time, but also spoke to the cultural hardships of Germany. It helped to promote the use of technology alongside the arts, and showed how the two could effectively work together. It fostered a new design style that got architecture out of the monotonous recreations of the past, and produced forward thinking. The Bauhaus also stood as a symbol of strength and defense for the country, seeing that WWI had just ended and before this the country was in both economic and social despair. In conclusion, the Bauhaus moved the country from its lowest point to a time of prosperity socially, economically, and artistically.

[1] Roth, Leland. Understanding Architecture. Boulder, Colorado, 2007.

-James-Chakraborty, Kathleen. Bauhaus Culture: From Weimar to the Cold War. Minnesota,2006.
-http://www.bauhaus-dessau.de/index.php?bauhaus_building_history_of_use
-http://www.bozzle.com/perBauhaus.html
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtain_wall

Unit Summary-Alternatives

          This unit was focused on the changing and growing world. After a primary set of building rules had been set in place, it was only natural that people would try to change and add to it. Changes occurred not only in function but also in method and style. No longer was the main goal to build a religious structure, but inst ead the focus of building was about people.

               One of the first changes that took place was a mass building of churches and cathedrals. However, these churches served more than just a religious purpose. They were a gathering spot of the city, and they showed what type of people lived in that city. Amiens Cathedral for example shows regionalism, and how the church was what set one region apart from the other in either method or style . One of the greatest examples of the time was the Florence Cathedral, the duomo. This cathedral was all about appearance both on the exterior and the interior. Image was often disregarded in the 13th centuries, but alternatively it was a main reason for building in the 14th and 15th.It was built to serve as the central point of the city, and It projected a voice of transformation and strength. The reason these cathedrals are so impressive was because they showed such strength in building techniques. No longer was the city run by the clergy of the church , but by the merchants who built them. Building and symbolism was the new alternative of religion, and the new function of architecture.

The method of building also found alternative ways to be done. During the Renaissance that same merchant class began to rise higher, and there control of the city was broader. The new form of the city were palazzos and villas that were built for some of the most predominant merchant families and patrons of the city. However they were unlike any houses that had been built before. They were separated into three levels that showed what kept the family alive. The bottom level was the workshop which symbolizes their wealth, the second level was for entertaining which symbolizes networking and friends, and the third level was sleeping quarters which was about family. What capped off these pallazos was a large cornice at the top. This cornice brought all three of the levels together as a unified home. Buildings themselves were showing alternative ways of building, but in a grander scale cities were as well. The city of Venice was built on a swampy marsh showing that architecture can arise anywhere. The city celebrated water and what it did for the region, and also what it did for commerce abroad. Alternative ways of building and locations where such was done arose more in the Renaissance. People began to think out of the box in new and successful ways.
While all these changes were taking place, alternative styles of architecture also arose. One of the most notable styles was that of Baroque. It was characterized by its theatrical appearance and curved lines. Pieces seemed to be way overdone yet beautiful at the same time. Just like in the Sistine Chapel, the walls seemed to blend with the ceilings and floors. The S. Carlo Alle Quatro Fontane shows the way that curved pieces were used together so that the eye never rests and is moving constantly in all directions. This period was much more about emotion raher than trying to achieve the ideal.
In conclusion, this unit showed how alternative functions, methods, and styles arose after the foundation was set. People began to try new things and experiment with design. The buildings also were a representation of the people and their views on life and society at the time.

St. Peters Cathedral

I think that St Peters Cathedral is the Perfect Example of the Alternatives unit because it had alternative functions, methods, and styles. Over time the cathedral was added onto to fit what was happening in the world of design.

PA:Deliverables

[VISUALS]

-plan view:bond with vellum overlay with bond showing the building and the vellum showing                        context around.use of pen and chartpak.

-3 interior perspectives

-classroom:bond with use of pen and graytones

-locker bay:bond with use of pen 

-front entrance and stairs:bond with use of pen and color

-3 exterior perspectives

-front entrance:bond with use of pen and color

-student housing wall:bond with use of pen 

-indoor bridge:bond and chartpak

-2 detail drawings

-curtain wall:bond or vellum with use of pen and chartpak

-open windows:bond or vellum with use of pen and chartpak

-aerial view: bond or vellum with ink and chartpak

[OUTLINE]

I. Introduction

A. Location: Dessau, Germany

B. Designer: Walter Gropius

C. Date Built: 1925

II.BackGround

A. Purpose of Being Built

i. Bauhaus/International style

ii. Art School

iii. Relief from war

B. Cultural Significance

C. Design

i. Bauhaus style influences

ii. Machinery

a. Propeller design

b. WWI

c. Defensive appearance

III. Exterior

A. Windows vs. wall

B. Appearance

C. Transparency 

IV. Interiors

A. Curtain Wall

B. Classrooms vs. Living

C. Workshops

D. Materials

V. Effects

A. Cultural 

B. Design

i. New style

Vi. Summary

A. Why important

B. Why successful

C. Importance to today

[QUESTIONS]

-Can I get feedback on this outline before I start my paper?

-Since the building is fairly old how can I find plans?

Unit Summary-Foundations

"In architecture, as in all operative arts, the end must direct the operation. The end is to build well. Well building hath three conditions: Commodity, Firmness and delight."(Sir Henry Wotton, Elements of Architecture) Wotton describes the foundation unit perfectly. When architecture was first being built what people really wanted was to create something that satisfied at least one of those three conditions. Stonehenge for example was a marking of the earth for religious purposes. Stonehenge shows: commodity because it functions as a gathering spot and marker, firmness with its lasting presence, and finally it shows delight with its interesting and massive design. This concept relates to todays architecture because we still have the same goals in mind. The foundation civilizations have given us the basic requirements and designs and it has been up to preceding civilizations to build upon them. 

In the foundation unit there were six principle themes that are the basis for later civilizations. The first of which is the relation between time and passage. Egyptian architecture exemplifies this with its lift towards the heavens. The Pyramids at Giza are both a passage for people, light, and to their belief souls. The pyramids also show that architecture is a symbol of continuity throughout all history. The pyramids still stand today as a proclamation of the building and advancement of the Egyptian society. Today, lasting architecture and design that provides a direction or passage is more successful than that which doesn't. The pyramids also show the relation between male and female, and how they are represented through architecture. The largest of the pyramids belongs to Khufu, the male pharaoh, and the three smallest belong to his wives and mother. Khufu's is taller which symbolizes that it is closer to the gods. Another Egyptian tomb is that of Hatshepsut. In relation to the pyramids it is horizontal showing that it is farther from the gods and thus females are lower in society than males. Another way sex is shown is by the use of the wu-wu and arches. The wu-wu is the ultimate symbol of masculinity and strength in Rome, whereas the arch symbolizes a female form thats more delicate. Modern architecture is about finding the middle between male and female to create a unified piece.

The foundation unit also shows the relation between the real and the ideal. Greek society focused on perfection and creating an ideal civilization. The Colosseum is an example of when the real is short of the ideal. The outside is highly decorated and beautiful with many arches showing a feminine and delicate facade. However what really goes on inside is death battles and "food and circus". Opposite of this is the Parthenon which is one of the greatest symbols of Greek architecture. It achieves the ideal with its perfect symmetry, political and religious importance, and perfection of Greek building. Today it is important to balance what can be done with what really is done without exceeding reality. Greek columns also show a relation between archetype, prototype, and hybrid. Over time new columns began to be used feeding off of previous designs. The tuscan is the prototype, ionic a prototype, and the composite is the hybrid. The composite is the most put together and pulls from the others. This is also true with design. Blakemore states, "Extensively used by the Romans, their version was the prototype used in the Renaissance".(Blakemore, 30) This shows how the foundation unit has been a prototype to alternative building styles which is the next unit. As design advances today it is important to draw inspiration from previous work to better our own.

Moving into Roman architecture, the relation between architecture and civic life is examined. As cities started to grow it was more important for architecture to accommodate the needs of the civilian. The Baths of the Diocletain is a perfect example of this relation. They were very functional in the sense that they served as a place to wash, but they went far beyond that. The baths were a civic space for all of Rome, and they brought together people of all class. The baths also showed civility through the frescos on the wall. These frescos brought architecture and art together, as well as the civilians. Design today should also serve a dual purpose with being both functional and serve a civic purpose. 

Altogether, the foundation civilizations served as a basis for proceeding architecture and design because they focused on the basic needs and requirements that are needed for successful  pieces. They set up a "foundation" of sorts that serves as a model for today.

The Parthenon is the one building that I believe best describes the foundation unit because it represents all six of the principle themes of the unit.

Amiens Cathedral Precedent Analysis

This is the precedent analysis of Amiens Cathedral that my group did. We compared it to three other cathedrals (Cologne, Duomo, and Salisbury) to show the differences and similarities of the time period. We had to include three hand-drawn pictures that captured the building.

PA:building selection+justification

Bauhaus

[NAME]-Bauhaus

[DATE]-1925-1926

[DESIGNER]- Walter Gropius

[LOCATION]-Dessau

For the precedent analysis project I am choosing to research the Bauhaus building in Dessau. I learned about this building last semester in Art History and I was really interested in it. Not only is it a remarkable piece of architecture, but it also has rich history and cultural significance. Bauhaus is a school for the arts in Germany during the early 1900's. Bauhaus style, also known as international style, was a very modernized architecture style that focused on function rather than decoration. A predominant feature of my building is that it used glass curtain walls which were just starting to be made popular. The use of such walls were a leap in design at the time, and many buildings can still be seen today with them. All of these reasons are why the Bauhaus is important to design, but the Bauhaus was also a symbol of the country. The Bauhaus was constructed after WWI, and the country was going through hard times. Gropius decided to build the Bauhaus with a facade that resembled machinery. He did this because Germany lost so many in the war that he wanted to give off the impression of indestructibility and strength. He also designed the building in the shape of a propeller to also emphasize this. The mixture of design and culture is the reason that I want to do the Bauhaus for my precedent analysis project.

View Today

Arial View

Timeline Project 750 AD and 750 BC

750 Ad

[Institutions]

55 foot statue of Buddha completed in Japan

Teotihuacan in Mexico is destroyed

Beginning of the medieval period

Science flourished in the Arab world in the city of Baghdad

[Technology]

Viking Tangelgada Picture Stone created

The heavy plow helped to increase farm yields

[Governance]

Ghana Empire beginsin Africe

Te Pala Empire establised in Northern and Eastern India and ruled by Gopala

British struggle with the french in the French and Indian War

Pepin the Short founds the Carolingian Empire

Baghdad elected and built to be the capital of the Abbasid dynasty

[Commerce]

The capital of the Caliphete is moved from Damascus to Baghdad, this will prove to be a huge event for Baghdad, which then turns into a center of international trade

750 BC

[Institutions]

The Phoenician alphabet is adapted to the Greek Alphabet

The abacus used b the Babylonians for arithmetic

Age of colonisation begins

Homer wrote The Illiad and The Odyssey

Development of Brahmi, which was the ancestor of modern Indian writing systems

The Iron Age begins in Eastern India

Begginging of the Greek Archaic period

[Technology]

The Romans first celebrated scent with the coming of Spring, later this celebration called May Day

[Governance]

The Roman Kingdom is founded, and the city of Rome is built in 753

Tiglath-Pileser III succeeded in Assyria and he conquers Syria, PAlastine, Israel, and Babylon in 744

Aeschylus, the King of Athens, dies after a reign of 23 ears and Alcmaeon follows him

First tyrants take their seats

Piye, the king of the kush empire conquered Egypt

Athenian nobles, merchants, and manufacturers take over the government of Athens

Spartnas conquer Amyclae and unite Laconia under their control

The Athenians reunite Attica politically

[Commerce]

Ships carried win from the Mediterranean to Lebanon

Italian commerce sparked and the link between the Mediterranean and Carthage was formed

Long distance trade between India and Southeast Asia occurs

[Citations]

www.wikipedia.com

www.infoplease.org

www.infoplease.com

www.ehistory.osu.org

www.highbeam.com

ssdi.di.fct.unl.pt/seminf/docs/aula01/selected_timeline.htm

medieval-art.suite101.com/article.fm/decorative_world_art

rahar-technology.blogspot.com/2008/04/romasn-first-celebrated-scent-in-750-bc.html

wiki.answers.com/Q/King_of_the_kush_empire_who_conquered_egypt_in_750_bc

www.smithlifescience//SSGreeceTimeLine.htm

www.tulane.edu

www.lituraturecollection.com

www.mywikibiz.com

www.telegraphindia.com