Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Opus Week One

A large theme in the book Understanding Architecture (Roth) is the idea of commodity, firmness, and delight in architecture. Firmness refers the structure and many architects like to play with the idea of buildings being firm, or the opposite of that. Curving undulating walls, glass boxed buildings, and many other tricks in architecture try to create an image of a building that is not simply four heavy walls and an entrance. Also architects and artists alike enjoy playing with the idea that a piece of the structure is just barely holding on or about to fall off the side. This can be better explained visually with looking at Paulsen and Gardner's Shapero Hall Pharmacy on the campus of Wayne State University. The "heavier" and larger elements are on top of the smaller structure and visually this makes us wonder how the top elements are held up by the smallest component. Strucurally architects can do this up to a certain point when built correctly.

My second image on this page is referring to Roth's discussion of delight in architecture. I drew the image of Notre Dame de Chartes from the book. I could look at this piece of architecture for hours because it is so complex and as Sir Henry Wotten calls it, delightful! I love how the two towers carry similar elements such as the bottom half of the towers have similar openings. However the top of each tower is drastically different and this makes the building much more interesting and I think beautiful.



The idea that architecture is not architecture unless is delights is based on people's personal opinions. What makes the delight of St. Basil's Cathedral any different from the color murals on dirty city streets? I'm sure that St. Basil's would amaze me if I saw it in person more than a simple mural would but a mother who's child helped paint this mural may find more delight in the more meek piece of architecture than the grand cathedral.






The reading from Roth also talks about proximity and negative and positive space. Positive space is one that takes up a space that was negative or bare beforehand. Negative space can be compared to hollowing out a cave for a dwelling. It takes an already existing solid and hollows it out. I am not in any studio courses so I am able to relate this part of the class to my sociology class when speaking about personal space. Architects and urban planners must always keep in mind how much personal space people need and cater to that need when planning a specific building. When on a crowded subway car many people are fine with being quite close to one another because it is the cultural norm. However, if one goes to the opera and pays a nice amount of money for the tickets he or she would not want to sit as close to the person next to them as they might on a subway car. It's all about the environment in which you are at the time that determines whether you will be comfortable being close to someone.

Finally tying back to where we started in class with the Golden section/nautilus shell I see there are many layers to architecture as a whole that we can pick apart and look at individually. We can look at the social and psychological implications, the artistic and visual aspects, or the structural and functional aspects. Some people might see a very plain building by Le Corbusier as the ideal form of architecture while others might view the Amiens Cathedral as the best. We are all entitled to our personal opinions because there are far to many layers to architecture for us all to agree upon.

Timeline of Ancient Events and Technology

This timeline is for my design history class. By looking at the events of a certain time period we are able to see what is influencing the architecture of the time. Furthermore, by looking at two different time periods we can see where we were at one point in history and architecture and look to see where the world progressed (or did not progress for that matter)

1250 AD


I N S T I T U T I O N S

University of Valladolid founded in Spain
Meeting called in part to elect Mongke Khan, which would make up the Mongol Empire
Firestations and Firefighters in China
Printing of paper money in many countries
Welayta state in present day Ethiopia is established
End of Notre Dame School of Polyphony
Kingdom of Ghana becomes part of the Mali empire
Marinid dynasty takes over in Morocco
Kingdom of Tiemcen (Algeria) founded
Cuzco, Puru founded


G O V E R N A N C E

Egyptian captors release King Louis IX after receiving a ransom and the city of Damietta.
7th Crusade conducted when Louis IX is first captured
Expansion of Chim state
Mongols attempt to invade Japan, unsuccessful.
Battle of Ayn Jalut
Edward I King of England
Llywellyn the Prince of Wales dies in battle with Edward I
Alexander III King of Scottland
Wales divided between free states and “Anglo-Norman lordships”
Sweden Conquers Finland after almost 100 years of war
Mongols invade Poland, Hungary, and Russia. Russia under Mongol rule
Coradin Holy Roman Emperor
Treaty of Paris, France gives up territory to England
The Teutonic Knights invade Novgorod and Pope Gregory IX promotes the Christianization of the Baltic region


C O M M E R C E

First known image of a sawmill meaning sawmills were intact in 1250
Private trade grows in China. Expansion of commercial areas shows to be be prosperous
Sea trade abroad takes place between China, Islam, Africa, and many countries and provinces
Smaller trade takes place along Grand Canal and Yangzi River in China
Demand for luxury items coming from the East Indies
Ship building and crew become great sources for employment, allowing some people to gain enough income to purchase a boat for trading overseas
Early Chinese Industry develops. Can possibly be coined with term Industrial Revolution
Countries taxed on foreign goods from 10% to 40%

T E C H N O L O G Y

Vincent of Beauvais publishes The Greater Mirror, a “proto-encyclopedic work”
Albertus Magnus isolates the element arsenic
Irrigation schemes in the valleys begin in Hawaii
Religious practice constitutes the building of religious centers of significant architecture in Polynesian Islands and all over the world
Easter Island stones produced
Arabic decimal system used
Spices such as cinnamon, coriander, cumin, ginger, and nutmeg are used for medical purposes


1250BC

I N S T I T U T I O N S

Hallstatt culture emerges from Austrailia
Lapita Culture arrives at Fiji
Philistines established 5 city states in the coastal plain that is present-day Israel. (Ashdod, Ashquelon, Ekron, Gath, and Gaza)
Egypt struggles with “people of the sea” or displaced homeless people.
Famine occurs in Anatolia forcing nations to move south in order to find new land.
Olmec civiliztion emerges in Mesoamerica
The Torah is completed


G O V E R N A N C E

Destruction of Troy by Mycenaeans, end of Trojan War.
Shortly after Collapse of Mycenaean Civilization
Menestheus becomes King of Athens
Agamemnon is king of Mycenae
Death of King Rameses II
Egyptian King Merneptah wins battle over invading Libyans. Around 10,000 Libyans displaced are helped by the “peoples of the sea.”
Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt
Wu Ding becomes emperor of Shang Dynasty


C O M M E R C E

Small states such as Israel and Damascus emerge to play considerable roles in trade do to the fall of many great empires such as the Hittite kingdom
Karasuk culture noted for their iron work with bronze and their art thrives in trade
Phoenicians are strong in their trade and production of many items including writing materials. The English word for book is from the word biblion which comes from the Phoenician city of Byblos.
Walls of Troy VII and Wilusa are constructed




T E C H N O L O G Y

Rice cultivation introduced in Korea
More types of jars, bowls, and course wares developed for domestic use in the British Isles
Simple plough developed in Europe
Farming reaches Southern India
Chinese astronomers make the first recording of an eclipse of the sun
Transmission of the European Alphabet allowed for communication between different cultures. A universal language in some sort.
Chariots used in China

References
www.wikipedia.com
http://www.worldtimelines.org.uk

Chronology of World History in the Reference section at the UNCG Library
The Timetables of History also in the Reference section