Opus 5, Voices

PROMPTS

VOICES

PRESENCE- the state or fact of being present, as with others or in a place (dictionary.com)

Last week we finished up looking at Rome and then moved into Pompeii, and I think relating the present to Rome at least is somewhat easy. I believe that Rome was concerned as a society about the presence and their future also. They along with so many other cultures around this time were focused on making structures that would be there for the world to awe at hundreds and hundreds of years later, which thankfully most of them are still standing. Rome was innovativeness, and gorgeous designers, the totality of Rome was really what was amazing to me. With their society now having the materials of concrete and vaulting to work with allowed for them to just really create and build a solid structure; anything they could think of, they basically did. “Roman life focused on temporal comforts and pleasures, as the Roman bath well illustrates. The bath was designed to serve the needs of the body in its pools and exercise gardens, to feed the mind in its libraries, and to reward the eyes in its vast molded spaces lined in multicolored marble brought from the far corners of the Roman Empire.” (Roth 275)

PRECEDENT- any act, decision, or case that serves as a guide or justification for subsequent situations (dictionary.com)

The US, the foundations of this very country and almost every country around the globe is based upon precedents their government decides upon. I think of this term as a big bold word I guess, something that usually affects more then one person, usually pertaining to a group of beings. Something that has to have meaning behind it, it has authority and reasoning and law, it also it many times a common thing. In the architecture and design sense, I’m not sure how to connect this. I keep coming back to the fact of the many, new designs Rome gave us such as the baths and basilicas and that they were a big part of that time period, it was common for them to attend these places of importance and such as the basilicas, it was a law place, where the higher powers would gather and discuss their current issues.

MOMENTS- a particular period of importance, influence, or significance in a series of events or developments (dictionary.com)

“Miracles come in moments. Be ready and willing.” This is a quote I found by Wayne Dyer and just kind of stumbled upon and liked quite a bit actually. We don’t remember everything in our life time, that’s for sure. But what we do remember, the stuff that really sticks is the moments we experience as a human being; the moments that were a big impact to either my life, or someone else’s God willing. Moments in architecture that are really inspiring are almost miracles I think of them as, we are blessed that such beautiful ideas were drawn, and then constructed; otherwise it could have just as well remained a idea in a designers head and the world could have never glanced upon such beautiful structures. “We sometimes speak of “the fall of the Roman Empire,” as though, on a particular day, there was a sudden collapse.” (Roth 275) Leland states that some people think of the empire becoming a Christian one almost overnight and that is not the case. It was moments and time that slowly transformed the popular empire and led to the Christian revolution because before strict, devout Christians had to meet in those underground catacomb structures.

Photo taken by me at beach

DUALITY- a dual state or quality (dictionary.com)

In Patrick’s class the other day we talked about how over time, it started with the baths then eventually they started to become basilicas and then in the end being integrated to full Christian churches. Duality means something can be put into two classes, and the baths of Rome can be put into the general Roman society of the time and also be categorized into the new Christian scene arising. Many of today’s cultures even within them hold duality, such as the white house. It stands to many other cultures to the place where our president resides and does the majority of his work. But to us, well at least me I think of it as the place where we mostly are given speeches from our president because it is such a huge piece of history and a beautiful building, and it is the place that comes to somehow bring together millions of people. “Europe was transformed socially during the late Middle Ages by two forces that reinforced each other-the reemergence of cities and the growth of trade.” (Roth 326) Europe has duality within its society; the cities and the growth of trade represent duality that Europe had at the time.

http://geniusandco.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/duality.jpg

METRIC- pertaining to the meter or to the metric system (dictionary.com)

The metric system was originated from France during the late 1700’s but that really is the only way I can think of the term metric, but I feel like it must have another use it can be applied to. I feel like it almost can be applied to the baths throughout the Roman Empire because they were built so precise, they definitely required the use of measurement, probably not the metric system, but still they incorporated some sense of measurement. But I feel like the building as a whole can be looked at as metric, because it was built to house so many different functions throughout it and it almost in its entirety can be looked at as displaying metrics throughout the structure.

REFLECTION

“As the Roman Empire was transformed into a Christian empire, churches and other religious buildings emerged as the preeminent architecture.” (Roth 298) This is basically where we are in the class right now, Christianity is growing and churches are now being constructed, beautiful cathedrals with such detail and enormity. Devout Christians no longer were forced to gather down in the catacombs, it was now acceptable and the churches were there new meeting place, and so they were being built throughout. This is what you would call the early Renaissance phase and later develops its own category as Gothic architecture, which in this time period was churches, abbeys, and vast cathedrals being erected throughout Europe. “Gothic architecture was also the physical expression of a new, assertive, and positive outlook on life here and now, as contrasted to the emphatic focus of the Romanesque period on a life in the hereafter.” (Roth 324) This week I am actually quite enjoying the cathedrals, I find them so amazing, and intricate in its detail and craftsmanship. Just the materials that were present at that time are really helping towards the overall aesthetics of the structure, and the designers and builders really made the materials work in their favor and I just find the cathedrals to be really inspiring as a whole.

Citations

1. Understanding Architecture It's Elements, History, and Meaning

Leland M. Roth

Burj Al Arab

Burj Al Arab designed by Tom Wright with much help from the Atkins Firm
Construction began in 1993, completed by 1999
Located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

When Tom Wright first had met with the people to begin the design, they wanted to create a building that was an icon for Dubai, a building that would become synonymous with the place, as Sydney has its opera house and Paris the Eiffel Tower so Dubai was to have the Burj Al Arab. And I believe this building is amazing, in it's design incorporated in the exteriors and also the interiors. Not to mention even the ground that the structure rest upon is artificial! It is used to facilitate a luxury hotel, second largest in the world next to the Rose Tower which is also in Dubai. The unfinished Ryugyong Hotel in North Korea is approximately nine meters taller, and it's estimated it'll be complete around 2012. The building is constructed in the shape of a sail of a dhow, which is an Arabian vessel. The only way to reach the hotel is a private curving bridge from the mainland. The height of this structure is 1,090 feet, and the atrium within is 590 feet tall, the Burj Al Arab holds within it only 28 double-story floors. The design of this unique structure does rely heavily on both the exterior and interior.An interesting fact I found when researching online was that if a single man was to build this himself, it would take around 8,000 years to finish.

Citations

http://www.tomwrightdesign.com/

Opus 4, Parts:Whole

PROMPTS

PARTS: WHOLE

SOURCE- any thing or place from which something comes, arises, or is obtained (dictionary.com)

Over the course of this week I believed we have covered quite a bit, we finished up in Greece and then moved into Rome and the other day began in Pompeii. But relating source to these subjects feels fairly easy, considering I believe that Greece was a very significant source to the way architecture was for many years to come. Even considering modern architecture, it encompasses so many ideas relating to ancient Greece. But Rome, the major architecture civilization that appeared after Greece, had many of the same basic structures throughout as the same to Greece. The use of columns was popular in Rome and the hierarchical system played a huge role in both Rome and Greece, many of the structures were built to honor the God’s. Also there is a quote in Roth that states that, “the most important political contribution of Greek civilization was the invention of democracy in the polis of Athens, spread with particular fervor by Athenians to the cities over which Athens had influence.” (Roth 221) So I would also consider that as a source being that democracy arose from Greece in the Acropolis area, even though are modern way of democracy is completely different, still they gave us the basic structure for our political system we still carry with us till this day.

ARCHETYPE: PROTOTYPE: HYBRID- a three part process, archetype being the first stages even before a prototype maybe even just the initial idea, prototype is now where you actually construct a rough version of what you are eventually hoping to create, and hybrid being your perfect product, the one that you were striving for

“The Greeks were proud of their public and sacred architecture, and even in antiquity, the white marble Parthenon atop the Acropolis hill in Athens was recognized as a special achievement.” (Roth 215) When we started our Demos: Empire lecture this was one of the first phrases introduced, and I think that was purely because we learned that Greece created some of the first orders used ever. The archetype order they created was known as the Tuscan order. Then over time, cities that appeared especially in Rome at the coliseum, the facade or the exterior of that massive structure held within it essentially all five different orders just on the outside. At the Apollo in Beissa this is where the Ionic order was thought to be perfected which would be the hybrid because they have now perfected the order. I think in my mind, that this is truly how all things began starting with the archetype or either prototype stage. And you eventually want to be able to create that perfect idea you had being the hybrid, it completely suiting you and just you being happy in your final piece.

ENTOURAGE- a group of attendants or associates, as of a person of rank or importance (dictionary.com)

Basilica would honestly be the first thing that pops into my head when I think of the term entourage. The reason being is because when we got into Rome this is where they first appeared and we learned that basilicas were mostly used for the officials and law makers to congregate and discuss their issues. I also tend to think of the “hearth” as Patrick calls it, and that being the center piece of the entire city, usually where the most important thing. And when I think of the hearth it brings to mind of entourages surrounding the head of that structure, protecting basically.

http://www.jackbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/entourage.jpg

HIERARCHY- any system of persons or things ranked one above another (dictionary.com)

So I am currently taking intro to art, taught by Professor Perrill as she prefers, but something we learned in our last section was how important in late civilizations the use of hierarchical scale was used to depict things in a socially correct way at the time. In the architecture sense this is used quite often to, not so much in today’s society that I am aware of. But in Greece such as the Parthenon in Acropolis the figures in the top of the structure that span across the whole vaulting are probably bigger than real life people, just to let you know that whoever is up there served as a major role to that time period. And in Leland’s book he states that, “by far the most important Greek building was the temple” (Roth 229), reason being is it arouses a hierarchical sense that Athena is the ruler and that she is a God and is a massive figure and the temple is there just to serve as a place to her.

ORDER- a condition in which each thing is properly disposed with reference to other things and to its purpose; methodical or harmonious arrangement (dictionary.com)

“The activity we call building creates the physical order of the world, constantly, unendingly, day after day. In the last five millennia, human beings have created millions upon millions of cubic yards of building, and millions of buildings, houses, roads, and cities-entire worlds. Our world is dominated by the order we create.” (Alexander 1) Christopher Alexander a theorist who touches on many different subjects in his book one of four, The Nature of Order, he also heavily discusses life, and how do we distinguish what life is. But I think the same goes for order, how does something allow it to have order throughout. Is it order or is it chaos that makes that structure successful? It is a phenomenon we do still not currently understand, but somehow we relate some beautiful architecture that has been created throughout the world’s existence to having a certain amount of order being embedded in it. I believe Alexander’s book is a very different book and so far allows me to kind of think in a way I usually do not think, allowing me to focus on different things from different perspectives.

http://wikipedia.com/

REFLECTION

“Roman architecture shapes spaces” (Roth 247), this I do believe to be complete fact because the great, powerful Rome provided us with so many different new and innovative architecture structures that were yet to be created by any one civilization. These structures being bathes first created the market/forum, basilica, coliseum, arches, and temples. Some of these yes were already present in Greece but they are widely used throughout Rome thanks to the use of concrete and vaulting being created and being able to use a mortar for the concrete. In the last week I feel like I’ve learned two of the most vital cities in the architecture aspect, these are the places where innovativeness and new ideas were tested and structures were created on such a grand massive scale seeming to loom over you and just provide an awing sense. Knowing that that can be accomplished such a long time ago, makes me honestly feel like we today granted the technology we have, can create and design anything our minds can possibly think of.

http://api.ning.com/files/64CLWHsiVTYKrAfj1wQgnRlx7jbOdRahlO8L0551IEjx-HJkVhJ-6S4W4JE-QYFb22NZtRQaaErf0RFnZ-OJelUFmAd9Gt5Q/rome.jpg

CITATIONS

1. Understanding Architecture: Its Elements, History, and Meaning

Leland M. Roth

2. The Nature of Order Book One

Christopher Alexander

The Opus Project Entry 3

PROMPTS

SCALE- a proportion used in determining the dimensional relationship of a representation to that which it represents (dictionary.com)

"Proportion and correcting optical illusions were major considerations of the Greek architects." (Blakemore 30) Monday is Patricks class we talked about how the Parthenon's columns are off at the ends, they are closer to the other columns. And that was to create an illusion so when you came out into the courtyard you see the Parthenon to the right and that all the columns seem in balance because the way you are viewing it. Proportion I do believe is a very important part of scale, because proportions make up the scale you use. When we discussed Egypt, there was the hierarchical scale that was used commonly throughout the history. In one case at the temple of Amon in Karnak there are these guard like figures outside kind of towering over you, intimidating you in fact. They were there to show power and show fear and to me at least, I didn't feel welcomed because of the size the land held.

http://junomain.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/balance_scale.jpg

UNITY- a whole or totality as combining all its parts into one (dictionary.com)

Baha'ullah or also the messenger of God said, "so powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth." In the architecture sense I think this is pretty genius because in a structure you definitely need unity for it to be successful, and people in general such as countries UNITE when they struggle in a crisis and it brings them closer together as beings. In Stoels class we are reading Christopher Alexander's The Nature of Order Book 1 of 4. But in my latest reading he believes that life in today's society in missing all together or just less present then in the past. And I do believe that today's architecture is just your usual everyday design you see, especially in the suburbs. But I think certain areas unity is certainly present, and that piece of architecture shines in its own way and has life radiate from it.

BOUNDARIES- something that indicates bounds or limits; a limiting or bounding line (dictionary.com)

For the Parthenon in ancient Greece, the boundary or limit was the sky not to the human eye though. Because it was made for the Greek goddess herself Athena and also Patrick told us how if you were to draw the already curving columns upward towards the sky, that they'd eventually meet about a mile and half above the ground. All architecture has boundaries because well there is only so far you can built or gain the rights to built within technically. But the sky literally is the limit when designing something new and unique, if you are a designer and have the knowledge you can certainly come up with anything new or exciting to experiment with. Kind of goes hand in hand with that old saying, that if you can think it, you can do it. Which to some extent I for sure know as fact.

http://mossavi.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/crossing-a-line.gif

SECTION- a distinct part or subdivision of anything (dictionary.com)

Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Tuscan, and composite were all different column designs used throughout Greece and other ancient cities. But all these are to me, is a section of the structure which in time leads to another section and so on, until you eventually have your design as a whole and it's now come to life. That's all I really consider some designs in the beginning to be, is just sections of the bigger picture. To help you get an idea down you usually start with just something in particular you know you want, and then over time you continue to add on to your design until you feel like you have something good going on in it. For example a section view of a house, all it shows is your structure from the very soil to it's highest point being the roof or whatever it may be. And it illustrates all the materials needed throughout that whole section and is pretty elaborate and detailed so that it helps to really guide whoever need be.

VIGNETTE- some form of adding decor to a piece

Me personally being involved in photography, whenever I see this term I tend to think of it dealing with photography. And when you have a vignette photo it generally is black around the edges and kind of just centers your subject in your photo and guides you right to your object where as it doesn't distract you from what the picture really is trying to convey. When dealing with architecture, I'm not so sure I know what this means I would think it is basically adding your own mark to your design and giving it something special but not making it so overwhelming where you can't even focus on the building as a whole.

Photo taken by me using fisheye lens

REFLECTION

"The history of architecture is primarily a history of man shaping space." (Roth 55) This week we covered Egypt and that eventually lead into Greece, and every week I continue to really get a feel for how VITAL architecture really is, societies thrive off of it. Whether it is for just a generation it impacts or the truly remarkable, astounding pieces such as ancient Egypt's Giza pyramids that weren't meant just for one lifetime to reflect on, but for a whole country to praise forever and to just really shock the world knowing that something can basically stand the test of time. The quote though I understand and it makes sense because architecture is a humans design. We shape the world and what it will look like for years to come. And to think that all starts with just an idea of a design and eventually will lead to something so historic and that can serve as an iconic structure for centuries to come. "Architecture is shelter, but it is also symbol and a form of communication." Architecture is the way we say what were about, whether it implements morals or just something to glorify. It has life, true architecture does it has life and a whole history that goes behind that life it illustrates a symbol to what were all about. A testament for people all around the world that this world is yours and you can shape it however you'd like, leave your mark in life. Christopher Alexander said this, "we may feel the same in a person. One person may be glowing with life, which transmits to everyone around. Another person is drooping, half dead." (Alexander 33) Buildings have there own sort of life behind them, one may possess more life then another certainly if I think of a building in downtown Greensboro as compared to the Cathedral of Pisa which includes the famous leaning tower in Italy. Even a person who isn't a appreciator of architecture would probably associate the cathedral with having more life because it is a beautiful place and you feel that your seeing something that has been seen by the world and it just holds so much history within it. This concludes my OPUS entry for week 3, man I hope I do better!

Citations

1. The Nature of Order, The Phenomenon of Life

Christopher Alexander

2. History of Interior Design and Furniture

Robbie G. Blakemore

3. Understanding Architecture It's Elements, History, and Meaning

Leland M. Roth

The Opus Project Entry 2

This now being my second entry into my Opus, I am going to attempt to produce a more successful blog. Today is Patricks class we talked about what are Opus's kind of need to meet requirement wise and we were shown some good examples of our fellow students blog. Me being a non-major right now, it's hard to weave all this information we get from IARC 221 into my daily life, where as everyone has somewhat on advantage because there studio classes can relate to their blog but sketches for me are just kind of well... random! But hopefully this week will turn out better and I can get a feel for this Opus project.

PROMPTS

ILLUMINATE- to provide or brighten with light (dictionary.com)

Today is Patricks class we talked out Egypt and all it's architectural history there, and the pyramids in Giza make me think of this word. He said that the perfected versions of these pyraminds when they were created were a gorgeous clean limestone and at the tip of the pyramind was a gold beacon. And this point was always glimmering because of how the climate is there, always sunny and hot. And this illuminated the pyramids from even the distance I'm sure, with a huge emphasis directed towards them in particular. "Once a building is built, it becomes as much a part of the environment as a tree or rock." (Roth 137) This makes complete sense when applied to the term illuminate because the lighting is constant in a structure at least somewhere throughout it. And it becomes a part of the structure and is always in different places throughout the day.

http://www.ponyespresso.com/sunlight.jpg

IDIOM- an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements (dictionary.com)

When future generations of designers rise up and start creating new age architecture, they might incorporate older techniques. But they might use them in a new way, which to us could be very misleading or confusing but it's a new innovative way to building and design as a whole. It can be very confusing I suppose to people who do things one way, and then see it done another. They are not used to that, because that is not the way they prefer to do it. It is usually something that can be interpreted many different ways from different cultures or different perspectives such as architecture in general. Because a variation of cultures have different meanings they think a structure can symbolize and that can be a positive thing and open up new idea's.

http://humanities.byu.edu/ELC/student/idioms/idioms/images/be_broke.jpg

COMMODITY : FIRMNESS : DELIGHT- a wholeness as one, one relying on the other two, to survive

Man this term, I honestly am starting to think of it is like the law or something. A ton of stuff in my class constantly comes right back to this. Which makes sense because it is something every piece of architecture thrives on. "It is possible to deliberately avoid looking at paints, sculpture, drawings, or any other visual art, but architecture constantly touches us, shapes our behavior, and conditions our psychological mood." (Roth 3) Architecture relies on these three concepts to really survive and reach it's intended purpose. Architecture is all around us, and the successful pieces we do see in everyday life, most of them have these three things demonstrated thoughout, they have to suit the function they were meant for. And also be able to stand for good time and support themselves alone in the world and most important to non-designers I'd say would be delight and just being pleasing to the eye and not being a nusance in the environment. The power of three's was something we talked about last week in class, being that so many things in the world come in three's and one of our assignments was to make a list of whatever came to mind that had three in it, and here is mine.

MATERIAL- the substance or substances of which a thing is made or composed (dictionary.com)

Material, this word is like the the icing on a cake. What the whole piece is gonna be constructed with and the material that will be incorporated in this piece of architecture. Material I'm sure is one of the first thoughts that go into a design because for the environment and climate it is going to be situated in, is very vital and what it is built with determines it's life span and how well it stand up against obstabacles. "We should remember, too, that architecture, besides providing shelter, is symbolic expression." (Roth 6) The material is very much a time consuming process and choosing just the right one can take some time but in the end, it can have a much bigger meaning including all the details and man labor that went into this piece of architecture, making it truly unique.

http://www.dtmtile.com/images/gif/floors.jpg

REFLECTION

Well the only other IARC class I have, is Design and Perspectives taught by Stoel and that class so far is pretty strickly taught by a book by architect and designer/theorist Christopher Alexander. His book Nature of Order which we have yet not received in class but we have read selections from it, and he covers many things. He somehow makes the connection to how so many things relate to design and helps clarify any gray areas that you may have as a future designer. And we talked about the theory of complexity, and how to a certain extend so many things are complex meaning to figure things out about them will require some level of complex thinking. We also discussed order, and what we thought such a broad word as that could mean in the architecture perspective. Leland stated on page 7 that, "architecture is the science and the art of building. To understand more clearly the art of architecture and it's symbolic discourse, we are best served by first gaining an understanding of the science of architectural construction." Which makes complete sense, to understand and fully grasp it's beauty and be an appreciator of design and architecture. You have to know the science that went into it's construction and then you can gain an insight of what kind of effort went into it's design. I'd say that in this week in just the two IARC classes I have is somewhat similar to this quote, "architecture is the unavoidable art. Every moment, awake or asleep, we are in buildings, around buildings, in spaces defined by buildings, or in landscapes shaped by human artifice." (Roth 3) Architecture and it's history and present are here to stay, some have stood the test of time like the Giza pyraminds and some will continue to disappear. But whether some people disagree, or try to take them down. They will stand and continue to rise as long as people are willing to put there knowledge to good use and make something that really will be appreciated by the human people. It's the past, present and will always be in the future.