IAR 222: Point-Explorations

For me, the most influential and the era that made the biggest impression on me was the Gothic era. It seemed as though architects and designers were venturing through many explorations of design. I feel as though they took ideas from many past designs, such as creating the element of power by making the visitor feel small when walking through the space, much like the Hypostyle Hall in Egypt. One could also say that the Gothic Cathedrals borrowed the idea of axial progression from the hypostyle because

http://homepages.udayton.edu/~schuerwc/Interior_Spaces_of_Gothic_Cathedral.jpg

of the long similar floor plan. Typically at one end of the building is the entrance and exit doors, while the "destination area" or alter usually is at the other end, to supports the idea of a journey through the space which gives everyone an incredible and amazing experience. Architects of this era also created huge detailed with ornament arches, featuring clerestory windows. The exploration of columns put in basically every possible place added to the feeling of being small and in an enormous place. It seems as though there was an extensive amount of architectural elements put into the Gothic Cathedrals, such as flying buttresses, vaults, and arches. You could say that it is alike to the Baroque style in that way by cramming many different and alike elements into one space. I personally think that the Gothic era does so in a tasteful way though, and it is pleasing to the eye because all of the elements are somewhat related and look alike.

IAR 222: Reading Comprehension 7

The collection I was assigned to and analyzed was “In the Studio”. Overall, all of the works were related in some way. I noticed that all of them were either drawn in a form of pencil or pen, which gave them all a very personal feel, as if you drew them. All of the drawings were very intriguing because of the relaxed feel they set off. The work I chose to analyze was “Dancer With Red Headband” by Paul Cadmus. This particular piece of work was completed in crayon, which to me feels very personal and satisfying. I enjoy when a drawing isn’t just extravagant and complicated, but simple and touching, which I believe is the most effective. The drawing included a lot of hatching and cross-hatching. “There are four degrees of integration…four degrees of relief, and four strengths of shadow” (The Essentials of Classicism, Summerson). I feel that this picture uses all of those rules and applies them well, by the way the dancer is laying, from the hatching being the shadows, to the relief the picture gives you by looking at it, in more literal terms. The reason I chose to draw my diagram in this way is because it mimics the way the dancer is laying. He is relaxed, and looking like he is brainstorming, but the way he is laying shows his grace and poise. Even his pose contains fluidity, which is the main goal of a dancer, is to be fluid and have every motion flow into the next. This piece of work caught my eye the most out of the other drawings because it is like a moment frozen in time. I feel that everyone can relate to this feeling and emotion the dancer is having. He could be overcome by exhaustion, creative intake, or just day dreaming. I like to think it is all three because the drawing is so beautiful I feel it captures every essence of each of those things. I feel as though all of the drawings tie together in a way that, yes, they do lok like they were a start of a new idea in a studio, something the artist thought up and had to put down on paper so that the idea would not be lost.

Reading Comprehension 6: IAR 222

1.) Art Nouveau was seen widely across many countries, mainly throughout bigger cities. This form of architecture was specifically influenced by the fine arts of that time which was around the 1880's. Art Nouveau was seen in Spain during this time, specifically in Barcelona because this area was an industrial center. This style of architecture sports the line, whether curving or straight. The lines in Art Nouveau create dynamic movement throughout the inside and outside of a space, depending on where the main focus is. The buildings that showcase Art Nouveau in Barcelona so well are the buildings that include a lot of decoration on the outside by making the surface of that building interesting to look at, which makes you want to go inside.

http://www.spain-holiday.com/luxuryapartments-barcelona.html

http://www.universpain.com/Spanish/Barcelona.php

Another country that displays Art Nouveau well is Belgium. This style came about in Brussels because King Leopold wanted to change the city's

http://artnouveau.pagesperso-orange.fr/en/villes/brussels.htm

appearance with something fresh and new, but at the same time elegant. The main design goal I have noticed with this era of architecture is that it all seems to be integrated from the outside in to the lines all being cohesive with each other. Iron work also became very popular in Belgium on railings and just simply as decoration.

2.) Modern, to me, is clean simple lines, with little decoration, and the bare minimum needed for functionality. The idea of "machine for loving" is a great annotation for modernism, because many architects started designing buildings and homes with the idea of modernism. No evidence of historical style is typically present in modernism. Flexibility is also a key feature of modernism. When I think of modernism a specific chair comes to mind, which is the ZigZag chair. It shows how one material can be

http://www.mediabistro.com/unbeige/design-dealer-claims-rietveld-chairs-at-the-corcorans-modernism-show-were-knock-offs_b3673

used to make a useful and functional item, with only four lines needed. This is one of the best examples of "less is more" and form follows function.

3.) http://www.channel4.com/4homes/architecture/our-favourite-buildings/george-clarke-s-five-favourite-buildings-08-10-22_p_5.html

This interior was designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. This is a spitting image of how our first thought of a modern interior consists of mostly black and white. Although it is appealing to the eye it does not look very livable but only by the most minimalists standards. The dividing wall is also a key aspect I think of when I think of a modern interior.

Reflections Summary

I absolutely love how to Anna, the reflections unit is all about bringing in a new style, overusing it, and then "eatting it" by this she means wanting it gone. This is true for many things in the world, such as fashion, dance, and hobbies. In this unit she explains that by architecture looking back to the older styles and then re-using them in a whole new way is how the world reflectd back to its roots and where the first forms of architecture took place. It may be something even as little as re0using the idea of the building and not only appearance elements, but the idea behind it, such as axial progression.

Kara focuses strongly on the American revolution and how we looked back at the classical styles, just as Anna said. The Americans looked back at what they already knew, and put a twist on it according to opinions. If the architect liked French design but already had a basis of English architecture, it is very obvious to see those elements in the plan and in the interior, such as Monticello. Kara provides good quotes just as Anna did. She challenges " Should we look forward, or look back?".

Jenni elaborates on the fact that the Americans used what they had, meaning they looked back at their roots and went from there to create their styles or architecture and design, with still having that presence of English Architecture, which is especially still noticeable in northern states till this day. Jenni sheds light on the fact that what was going on in America in past centuries is completely reflected in American architecture as well. I like her point that when women's rights were activated architecture seemed to start softening as if there was a woman's opinion present.

Alternatives Summary

In the alternatives section Michelle did a great job at explaining how during the Renaissance the horizontal aspect of a building was thriving. This is very true because everything about man being the main focus was centered around everything, and in this case architecture. She touched on the ideas of "having a presence, scaling to human size, and controlling the view" which all explain what a horizontal layout of a building does. Her alternatives summary is all about breaking rules and defining new possibilities, which is, in my opinion, what happened during the Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque eras.

As for Nikki, her alternatives summary is also about rules and why we need them, or why we don't. She explains that the reason we have some of the most amazing buildings we have today is mostly because the designers of these buildings did not follow rules, but imagined and designed a space they felt would impress and make an impression, which they did. She explains that without breaking the rules we would not move forward, but would be stuck in a rut. I like idea about the Baroque period and how she feels that it was all based on classical and then "turned upside down". If you look at a building such as Amelianburg, this is very true because the structure itself has classical elements, but then is exaggerated to the extreme, but still in order. She says that Baroque is all about the movement and being in the presence of that movement while it is happening and classicism is about being symmetrical and somewhat of a still picture.

Dajana clarifies that this unit is rebellious, just like Michelle and Nikki do. She explains that Baroque was more rebellious than the Renaissance styler period by Baroque going beyond the limits and borders with no rules and appearing to be never ending. It brings the outside in by unifying nature with an interior of a building. She explains that the Renaissance has an overall idea of how to be perceived and breaks the rules of the classicism but still plays it safe. The Gothic period is whole other story because it is very obvious if a building was built during that time, by all of them keeping the idea of shooting towards the heavens and giving you a feeling of strength and power when you walk in. These buildings make you feel inferior and overwhelmed.

IAR 222 Reflections: Point

In this section we focused a lot on the aspect of revolution. When I think of the word revolution I think of the American Revolution, which has a great deal to do with the revolution after all the classical styles. The was to get away from all the ideas that had already been used, and create a new way of looking at things, a lot like the Americans did to create their own nation away from the British. Architecture portrays many things that are going on in the world at that time. His can be explained by the way people dress, for example, in the end of the eighteenth through the early nineteenth century, women wore very full skirts and dresses, so chairs were made armless and the sofa was typically used for only one person. To me, this created the revolution of armless chairs that are still used and popular today.

A house that created a revolution for its time was Monticello, designed by Thomas Jefferson. This house is the definition of beauty and function to me personally. Jefferson combined so many different styles into one house to create a revolution of his own. He took elements similar to Palladio to create his own “temple on a hill”. Jefferson also created a revolution when he designed the University of Virginia. The way we learn is translated through his design. The dome on campus is similar to the brain, while the lawn space is where graduation is still held. The residential areas are located on the perimeter of the courtyard. All the staff and students would stay in close quarters to stimulate learning. Now, many newer college campuses are designed similarly with the courtyards in the center and residential halls surrounding it.

There are many design movements that followed one another in the everlasting revolution such as the English Free Architecture Movement, also known as the Arts and Crafts movement. In this era a de-cluttered interior was the ideal space and to only have what was “appropriate” and actually needed in a space. Designers wanted to remove the excess and come back to the rules. The next movement within the Arts and Crafts period was the Aesthetic Movement. The philosophers of this movement believed that if you surrounded yourself with beautiful things, you would be beautiful. I feel as though this idea is still in use today in interior design. The Aesthetic movement believed that every surface in the space should be decorated, which also correlates with the Victorian period. This brings up the argument of surface versus substance. Is it more important to be around beautiful things, or have the “idea” of being surrounded by beautiful things in the sense that the atmosphere of the space is inviting and decorative? How you perceive yourself in a space was one of the main questions of that time. An example of this would be The Paris Opera building in Paris, France. The interior of the building is a show in itself, leaving you to question is the performance the opera singer? Or is the actual visual of the audience in this romantic space the performance alone? Or maybe even the fact of the people just circulating and using the space is an even bigger show. When you are in a space you act the way you feel you should in that space because of the atmosphere and the people surrounding you.

IAR 222: Reading Comprehension 5

Question [1.]

The object I have chosen to represent revolution is the Barcelona Chair designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. To me, this chair represents revolution because it goes outside of the box from all previous chairs. It has similarities to a couch and fools my eye to make me think more than one person could fit on this chair, although typically chairs are for one person. The chair is armless which adds to the "more than one person can sit here" feel. The bubbly texture and leather fabric adds to an interesting appearance, which now is not unusual to see. The reason this style of chair is not unusual to see if because I feel as though this chair revolutionized the idea of having a larger chair that is armless to contribute to the idea of endless possibilities.

Question [2.]

Place:

Granada is a city in Spain that reeks of Middle Eastern influence. The city itself has a closeness about it that resembles many Middle Eastern cities, in the sense that everything has a spot and is supposed to be there, nothing was just thrown into an area. Buildings may not match but somehow it all works together to unite as one. There is a lot of work with bricks in the buildings in Granada, as well as archways and the element of asymmetry. There is a lot of architecture including sculptures of animals, and the idea of screens being portrayed, meaning there is a criss cross pattern on a lot of buildings exteriors that render something similar to a fence. There is an ordered repetition about the buildings, and the same horseshoe arch seen in a lot of the other forms I have already discussed above.

Building:

This building, or palazzo, is called the Ca’ d’Oro which is located in Venice on the Grand Canal.It apes Middle Eastern design by the arches over the windows and the arches being held up by the colonnades. There are also repeating elements on the exterior of this building such as the stonework, the irregular, but regular geometric minarets lining the top of the building. The vaults on the lowest level also add to the eastern feel.

Artifact:

This is a Japanese inspired ceramic vase that speaks loud inspirations from the Eastern world. It has curved elements that balance out the contrasting and statement making design.The black and white colors attract your eye to the vase more than I think it would to a colorful vase. The curved lined mimic the curved and horseshoe shaped arches typically seen in Middle Eastern architecture. The two patterns alternate between the triangle shapes and then the curved lines, which is also a common element in Middle Eastern design, such as there are usually geometric shapes that are interwoven or interlocking in sequences on tiles or colonnades.

Space:

This is Arab Hall located in Lord Leighton’s home in Kensington, England. This is a great example of how the Western world is inspired by Eastern design. This hall is somewhat of a gathering space or ballroom. It sports many geometric tiles, motifs on the arches, sculptures on the columns, a big breezy room, and a color palette if red, blue, and gold. These are all elements of Middle Eastern design. The room itself is symmetrical and the tile work and paintings on the walls almost fool your eye to make you think it looks like wall sculptures. The hall was meant to display the tile work on the wall, which it does all too well, by alternating the different patterns on each wall which leads your eye around the room, and doesn’t make the space feel cluttered like it could if all the walls were the same. The furniture is kept to a minimum in the room because the decoration says it all, like in most extravagant Middle Eastern homes.

Alternatives: IAR 222

For this project I decided to use the option of word to convey the building I chose also, which was the Palazzo Medici. The word I chose was division because of the obvious three floors in the building. The floors are visible from the outside that they are most likely different on the inside as well. It gradually becomes more symmetrical and the craftsmanship becomes better as your eye looks upwards. As you compare the different levels, each section takes an element from the previous one starting at the bottom. The first floor is not symmetrical by any means and has uneven stones to make the exterior walls. There are smaller stones that outline the tops of the archways over the doors an windows. On the second floor the windows are divided into twos but the same stones are used to outline the tops of them. The stones on this level are smaller than the ones on the first floor but not perfectly lined up. Finally, the top floor takes the two-window element from the second floor, but subtracts the idea of the arched stones over the windows completely. The stones forming the exterior walls on this level are completely smooth and lined up to a "T".

Compass: IAR 222

In the compass unit, I decided to go ahead and complete my paragraph and write about an artifact, which in fact was the arch. I printed out a picture of a well worn arch in Rome because I wanted to show that even though the rest of the structure around it had fell, the arch was still remaining, which shows how strong and important arches are in architecture. I then printed out the paragraph on a piece of vellum and took spray adhesive and pasted over top of the picture to make your eye focus on the words more, but still keep that image of an arch in the viewers head.

Point: Alternatives IAR 222

In this section for point we covered many eras and aspects of architecture such as: Gothic Cathedrals, Villas, Furniture in the Renaissance, and Baroque. This point is specifically called alternatives, which relates all of these styles and aspects together by their different views and changes of design by finding new ways to represent ideas and symbolism.

First, Gothic cathedrals are a very captivating and elegant form of architecture. To elaborate, the Cologne Cathedral perceives the image that you would picture when you about the word cathedral.

http://www.xahlee.org/dinju/cologne_cathedral.html

This particular cathedral seems to be never ending because of the huge scale. The upward lifting sequence of the structure transports you to infinity, because you feel as though you could never possibly touch the ceiling.

http://www.dennisrhollowayarchitect.com/EuropeanSketchbook.html

There are many geometric squares in the cathedral that tie all the other shapes together. This creates the idea of a new reality in repetition, meaning this wasn’t seen as much before in previous architecture. As for Gothic cathedrals in general, many of them are based on the Bascilica plan that includes axial progression in the shape of a cross. They also house the idea and appearance of verticality, which is contributed by the towers, clerestory windows, interior columns and arches, and high up light sources. The next aspect would be Villas. We covered villas to a good extent, focusing a lot on the plan views. Villas, in themselves, were so captivating that they inspired many other impressive buildings centuries later such as Monticello. The main idea behind Villas is the very simple layout using circles and squares. The whole theory is that the individual is the measure, and basically that man is the center of the universe. Squares were typically the most important geometric shape in the design of the plan because it is the outline of most of the villas, creating the exterior walls, and a square has four corners, which represents the four corners of the Earth at that time. Villas were meant to be impressive and show everything off, again with the idea that you are the axis.

As for Renaissance, furniture during this time started taking a turn as the world of architecture entered this era. Furniture became somewhat bulkier and heavy. Different designs came together from previous periods, but the visual boundaries were still controlling these ideas, such as borders being places around a tabletop. The furniture was very decorative and hard to miss, thus making it the unavoidable art, such as a chest of drawers. It was still storage, but was covered in decoration and sometimes resembled the appearance of something else, giving it depth. This is something I feel like we still are using today in design, even when picking out items for our homes. Function and form a very important to us. In the Renaissance, textiles n the home became even more common and it was more about comfort than just looks, so no longer was comfort being overlooked in design. Just like in the Gothic period, the repetition of elements was still commonly used.

http://bdml.stanford.edu/twiki/bin/view/Brunelleschi/JaymiesNotebook

Finally, we also touched on the Baroque style period. With Baroque, I personally picture very overdone and I see similarities between it and the Victorian period, but not as random. Baroque was extremely elegant in a new way without being busy, but also having a harmony in the way that everything flowed together.

http://www.sirclisto.com/cavalier/fr_baroque.html

There was a lot of contrast and detail, meaning there was more emphasis on the detail and decoration. There were many organic lines in this period and was considered more ornamental than functional, which is very easy to see.

Reading Comprehension 4-222

[1.] The term “Palladian” is derived from the meaning of the style that Palladio developed himself. There are many forms of symmetry in this style of architecture. The desk/bookcase with Chinoiserie typically has a fair amount of ornamentation and is extremely symmestrical throughout the design. The Holkham Hall Saloon has a tremendous amount of symmetry even in the whole floorplan, and not just on the front façade. As well as the Chiswick House, the symmetry is the first thing you notice from the front. If you look at a plan view of the landscaping of the house, it is symmetrical as well. The house is in the form of a square, which adds to the feeling of symmetry in the inside as well.

On the other hand American Georgian typically has minimal roof overhang, and is typically symmetrical in appearance just like the Palladian style is. The windows are mainly all the same size, which I personally think adds to creating a bigger and wider look to the structure.Homes of this era were typically two to three stories. The WIndsor Chair has a definite amount of symmetry because every post on the back of the chair is the exact distance apart from the other one at the base. There is also a definite line typically on the back of the chair that splits the back in half, which also resembles the separating line on the facade of houses of the American Georgian style. The stair hall at Gunston Hall also has a dividing line going about half way up the left wall as you are walking up the stairs. This also adds to the element of making the staircase appear larger than it really is. Dayton Hall also shares a similar dividing line on the front of the house. The main one I see at first glance is the think line of molding separating the two balconies. This gives it a more elegant look and also separates the line between the pubic part of the house and the private area.

Louis XVI/French Provincial architecture takes a more baroque style turn, completely different from the previous styles. There are many curved lines and symmetrical feel that gives this particular style a mystical appearance. But, don't be fooled by the name Baroque, it is a little more subdued and refines than traditional Baroque. In the Martin Carlin clock there is a significant amount of symmetry, but it maintains that spontaneous feel at the top of the clock where the two angels aren't doing the exact same thing. The decoration on the clock isn't over the top, and still remains elegant and interesting. The Fountainbleau is also symmetrical, but to a certain point. The ends of the building is not symmetrical with the other side, but it has balance.

[2.]

[3.]

[4.]

IAR 222 Foundations: Point

In this past section we have covered foundations, in the sense that Egypt, Greece, and Rome were all major starting points and important bases for the rest of the world's influence in architecture. For example, a major influence for women becoming architects may have been cause by the Hatsheput Temple which was designed by the Queen of Egypt, Queen Hatshepsut. This may have caused many inspirations around the world to different women, including me even now to go into design. Since she designed and built her temple, it shows how different countries respected and treated the idea of gender differences.

In the foundations unit, we also covered Greek architecture an

d design which focused on the idea of real: ideal. I take this statement as portraying the world in a realistic way, but also somewhat "sugarcoating" it by making things look more excellent than they may have been. For example, the columns on the end of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece are smaller than the rest because of the angle at which you are looking at it creates an optical illusion and makes you eye think all of the columns are the exact same size. This creates an idea in my mind: making the imperfect look perfect, or the other way around the perfect look imperfect, which is what I think the Greeks may have settled their whole idea of architecture around. Greece was also a water-oriented culture. My first thought when I hear the word "Greece" is white buildings with blue roofs. I think their purpose in doing this was to contrast the blueness of the sea by painting the buildings white, but then bringing back the blue with the roof top color. What I gained from this unit was that the Greek's wanted to perceive themselves as more glorious and powerful than they maybe even were.

Another foundation for architecture would be the city of Rome. Rome created an extravagant pleasure within their modern city. The Romans were very intrigued by the Greek's, which is another reason why Greek architecture is a foundation for other country's inspirations for architecture. The Romans created a foundation for the rest of the world through their technological breakthroughs. The Romans created the aqueduct, villa, dome, road, arch, and mosaic. All of these things back up how the Romans use assimilation and adaption for their basis of design. Their way of designing is typically using a large scale that orders for space and diverse building types. Because of all of these methods they came up with, the Romans had the longest lasting empire in the world and because of their intuitiveness and productivity they were able to accomplish many aspects that changed architecture for the rest of the world. The foundations unit explained many standpoints of where certain ideas of architecture came from and how they affect the world we now know. Even though some buildings may be new now, almost all of the ideas may date back to the foundations of Egypt, Greece, and Rome.

Reading Comprehension 3-222

Natalie Neill

IAR 222

Reading Comp. 3

Part 1 Gothic Cathedrals

1. 1.Cologne/Salisbury: Light

In the dark ages, lighting in these cathedrals was very important.

Both cathedrals have clerestory windows that illuminate the statues and handmade details all throughout the interior during the daylight. This natural light highlights the most exquisite details inside both cathedrals. There are also candles inside both cathedrals, which is artificial light. This helps set the atmosphere in the interior of the building. The illumination from the light of these buildings tells the story of power and importance. Both of these cathedrals are great in size and have share a large presence in the cities they are located in. Each cathedral somewhat exudes what the city itself would want the world to think of their cathedral as. Light is a pretty basic element of the gothic era because light itself has somewhat of a mystery to it. Light may cast on an object, but it doesn’t shine on all parts of the object, and leaves you wondering about those spots that are not illuminated with the light. This is what I feel was trying to be portrayed in the Gothic era was mystery and curiousness, but at the same time elegance in a very detailed manner. Light itself is important because it makes it easier to navigate a space and also plays a huge role in how you perceive a space and what feeling one gets when entering that area.

2. 2. Cologne/Amiens: Structure

A one-tower cathedral symbolizes that it is from somewhere else than a two-tower cathedral. A one-tower cathedral might symbolize importance, or the center of the cathedral, while a two-tower cathedral might symbolize the entrance to the building, which leads you in to the rest of the interior. I do believe that these regional differences exist because it is ultimately the region’s preference. But, both buildings have a similar overall shape to them which somewhat resembles a cross. Both cathedrals also have a massive amount of detail visible on the outside, which gives an almost over-the-top look in an articulate way. Since both cathedrals have two towers, it does show some similarity between regions since Cologne is located in Germany while Amiens is located in France. Both regions obviously show through their cathedrals that they are powerful and extravagant and also want to lead you in through the impressive cathedral.

3. 3.Cologne/Florence

The crossings at both of these cathedrals are somewhat different. The crossings at Cologne are created within the church, which means there is a huge infusion of light that takes place where two Gothic vaults collide. At the Duomo, the crossings take place at the center of the dome. Going on further with the dome, it takes somewhat of a turn from Gothic to Renaissance because it goes back to Ancient Rome and the technicality of the dome. The dome in the cathedral may symbolize how everything is revolved around human life and the center of the earth, and “equality”. Since the architect decided to create a dome for the cathedral in Florence, it can only make one think that they were going back to their roots and old traditions of Roman architecture. It may have been a way for the people to stay grounded with their own values and traditions, and not look so much outside of the box.

Part 2

In the image, the medieval woman is doing some sort of work. Everything in the picture looks heavy and has a lot of mass to it. Medieval walls in interiors of homes were typically very thick, which is exactly the opposite to the lightness of the Gothic era. The houses of this time were very fat and tall, typically in a rectangular or square shape. There were also very narrow windows, letting minimal amount of natural light in, as seen below:

Most homes were originally built of wood and later of brick. There would be different levels throughout the house, which would help define and create new spaces to add to the complexity of the space.

IAR 222:Reading Comprehension 2

Natalie Neill

IARC 222

September 15, 2010

1. 1. Based on the reading by Hersey, Greek architecture has many hidden meanings it seems that have relations to sacrifice. After a sacrifice the victim’s bones and the tools used to kill the victim would be decorated on groups of trees. An example of the way the Greeks put these traditions to use is shown in Vase paintings because many of the paintings had weapons and “sacrificial paraphernalia in them. Fruit is commonly used in Greek architecture, along with teeth and garlands, which all goes right back to Greek sacrifice. Since sacrifice was a Greek tradition and may still remain today, it played a huge part in the way they designed and their inspirations for decorations.

2. 2. The lesson of mis-interpreting evidence is that many people believe anything they read. If it’s on paper or just simply in print people believe that it s true, because we like to think that if someone takes the time to write something that seems to be backed up by facts, then it can be trusted. Just like with the story by Macaulay, I started believing it when I first started reading, and then after you think deeper into the story, you start recognizing things and realize it is a joke. If something is on the Internet, readers will most likely believe the stories a gossip mainly because it is written down and seems true.

3. 3. The temple designed by Queen Hatshepsut was low to the ground and looked very strong and was hidden in the hills, which kind of made it a force to be reckoned with. It has a lot of decoration, which also shows that she had her input in the design of the building. The entrance is very extravagant and leads you in while the Pyramids designed by the Pharaoh’s of Ancient Egypt are obviously executing power and strength.

4. 4. In Egypt, the Hypostyle Hall is a temple that is all about axial progression and being led down to the kind at the end of the hall. The space elucidates mystery and wonder. The gigantic columns make you feel small and powerless. The Greece, the Parthenon is huge and completely made up of columns. It is built up on steps and the Greeks used the natural hills in the terrain to place the Parthenon on top to create a sense of importance. This building also has axial progression by making you want to go inside from the front and see what is inside. They are both temples, but the Hypostyle Hall is about being mysterious more so, where as the Parthenon is about clearly showing importance.

5. 5. I think Egyptian furniture typically tends to be lightweight because of the hot climate and when a person of importance is sitting on, say a chair, the person is more emphasized than the chair is. Also, the materials that are assessible to their climate might be lighter woods. For example, Egypt does not have huge Oak trees everywhere to make furniture out of. Also, if the Pharoahs take their furniture with them, they cannot be lugging around heavy furniture with them to the afterlife. This might have been a possible theory of the Egyptians, to make their king’s afterlife as easy as possible. The Pyramids of Giza are very heavy and massive because that is the Pharaohs tomb and protects and holds everything the king will need in the afterlife.

6. 6. The vase on the left is very obvious that is a “female vase” or was designed by a female. It shows that a man is giving a woman a weapon and she is holding a shield to show her power. To me, this vase depicts equality between men and women. The vase on the right however shows women serving a man. The women are formally dressed, most likely because they are his servants and are there to impress onlookers.

IAR 222: point-Theories

IAR 222

Point: Theories

Wednesday 8, 2010

Natalie Neill

This first section of History and Theory of Design seemed to be somewhat about origins and why architecture, and/or design is so important. Nature affects the way things are built and why they are in that location. For example, Stonehenge was a major topic in this section because there is so much curiosity as to why they are and how they got there. Many think it was for worship or a place of gathering. This unknowing principle has caused me to think deeper into the facts of design and why things such as chairs are formed the way they are and all have an average width. It also has crossed into my thoughts as to better quality furniture hits your body parts at precise and specific spots while cheaper and lower quality furniture is typically not as comfortable and not quite to scale to fit your body.

We have also touched on why the Western world seems to try and make everything bigger and better while the Eastern world keeps things to tradition and architecture has not changed as much as it has in the West. For example, in the US buildings are constantly changing and either becoming bigger or more extravagant. Even houses now are almost double the size they were a few decades ago. Our perception of how big a space needs to be is always increasing because we are always buying things and compiling more things.

Reading Comprehension 222

Reading Comprehension

Part 1

IAR 222

Natalie Neill

1. The building of my choice that I feel fits the definitions of commodity, firmness, and delight is Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's home. To me it has defines commodity because it is useful in many ways. One room that particularly comes to mind is the room directed near the front of the house which was used for a classroom for his children. There was a library making your way to the back of the house and slaves quarters that overlooked the areas they worked. As for firmness the house had many different themes, but it was all influenced by places Jefferson had traveled. Even though there were many influences it all seemed to flow together to create a calming home to live in. Lastly, the delight, to me, is in the beautiful gardens and courtyard that is in the back of the house. The side wrap around porch is beautiful and is very useful for entertaining.

2. The first textile fabric has many influences from the eastern part of the world such as the natural colors that are used, the repetitive pattern used to unify the print as one. Nothing in the textile, I feel, is random, all of the shapes fit together cohesively and have a specific spot. Many eastern motifs include symbols and certain number of things that have a background meaning. Animals are common in motifs, and so are flowers.

3. Different cultures have different special needs and wants or attitudes, mainly because every culture’s way of life is different. The cultural, economic, and ethnic differences all play a part in why we have separate views of personal space. U.S. citizens generally want big spaces to interact in because our “personal space bubble” is typically bigger. In the 222 Classroom we are located in, the classroom is completely oversized for the amount of it that we are actually using. You would expect that we would all sit with one seat in between everyone. Since I am a U.S. citizen the amount of space between people, personally, is not enough and a little too close for my liking, but I feel as though it will feel normal as the semester goes on.

4. I feel as though there is architecture of happiness. Objects that are designed aren’t always JUST all about functions. There is always pleasure that comes from an object, which I think would be the main goal when designing anything. You want to enjoy something and gain an experience from it no matter what. “We seem divided between an urge to override our senses and numb ourselves to our settings and a contradictory impulse to acknowledge the extent to which our identities are indelibly connected to, and will shift along with, our locations.” This quote basically explains that we, as people, are constantly trying to find the next biggest and best thing without actually thinking about form following function, or things that will enhance our way of living in a happy way. This is a shelving system I found a picture of that really inspires me and is interesting to look at, but at the same time has a purpose and is made of a sustainable material.

Autonomous Project

Crazy Car! Pimp My Ride Clue!

This is a rough sketch of a Scion tC. This helped me get the outline of the car figured out so I could go in with details later on.
The Mood Car! This is the mood car. Just like a mood ring, it changes when you get in! As of now, my mood is purple, which means calm and collected. :)

Random Inspiration...

Patters from a water bottle and a light fixture

These are several patterns I discovered from a water bottle and light fixture. From water droplets, to the grid pattern on the bottle.

Quick faces

Carlos informed our class that when he was in India he sketched people really quickly and found that quick strokes made for interesting faces! I like this technique, besides the fact that everyone in the class seemed to be possessed that day? ;)

Furniture Renderings

Here we were asked to render different pieces of furniture. I chose to post these two on my blog because they were visually interesting and colorful. They both had a fair amount of shadows on them at the time when they were drawn. I really enjoy the couch because it has the most creases and folds which make for good shadows when it comes to drawing. I did change the color from beige to green because, who doesn't love a green couch??

Exploring new media

I explored different medias to draw outdoor spaces and buildings in. The one below is in pencil, and the one below that is in watercolor. These buildings are both located downtown Mebane, which is my hometown here in North Carolina. The first is the old White Furniture Company building that is not being used for anything at the moment, but there has been speculation that it might turn into shopping! The next building is the row of buildings directly next door to my dance studio, that consist of a bakery and a deli.

New Chartpak Markers!

So, as you can tell I have Chartpak markers now, and went a little crazy with them! Why Lady Gaga came to mind, I don't know! But, I wanted to experiment with bold colors and shapes. I looove all the colors that came in the pack. I got the Artistic Director set? It's the best.

Afternoon Exercise

Thumbnails of the EUC

These are several thumbnails I drew of the EUC and the important spaces inside the bookstore. These were mainly for me to look back on when I was drawing my final drawings of these spaces. They really helped and made me remember main details that I wouldn't have noticed in a picture.

interior details

These are some interior details from houses I have been in, including my own. I especially enjoyed drawing and painting the arches. They are visually interesting and require a little more shading, I feel, because they have depth.

Afternoon Exercise

Simple afternoon exercise. We picked a haiti relief shelter to draw that the 2nd years made. I picked this one because to me, it was the most visually interesting from the outside. I loves the curles in the paper and the fact that all of them were made out of materials that the students COULD NOT buy.

figure drawing

These are few practice figure drawings the class did earlier in the semester. They are quick and the poses are supposed to be crazy! This actually really helps to understand the human body better and can also help you decide on a styler you want to do your scale figures in. We had probably about 30 seconds to do each drawing. As you can tell I didn't focus much on faces :)

Goodbye Administrative Office, Hello Studio Apartment!

I entitled my project "Versatility". Since my project was being designed for a jewelry maker I wanted parts of my design to be interchangeable and have possibly two different ways to use them.
This is the model of the administrative office with my changes in mind. It is made of white foam board.
This is the complete board.
Here and below are some different explorations I took tried with several color schemes. This would be split complementary.