Reading Response 12: De Stijl The art of geometry

The de Stijl movement was born at a time when the world was recovering from World War I. The artists and architects of the de Stijl strived for a utopian, universal human identity as opposed to the many national identities that helped to fuel World War I. The goal of the movement was to achieve harmony through perfection by utilizing geometric shapes and by reducing unnecessary clutter and decoration. While color was a very important aspect of the de Stijl, pallets were limited to primary colors and shades of grey. In de Stijl architecture, function followed form as architects were more interested in perfecting the most harmonious environment with little regard for its actual purpose. The Schroder House in Holland is the most recognizable architecture of the movement.

Schroder House~Gerrit Rietveld~Utrect, Holland

Built by Gerrit Rietveld in 1924, the Schroder House embodies the de Stijl philosophy of form, color, minimalism, etc; in fact, the house looks like a Piet Mondrian painting in three dimension. The house was built in a mundane, suburban environment attached to the end of a line of row houses. It has two stories, the second of which has no defined rooms but is a large room that consists of movable partitions and windows that open completely, so the space can be specifically defined and redefined to suit its residents. The first floor consists of five rooms and a hall, the plan of this floor was only laid out in this manner to fit with building codes of the time. Both floors are centered around a central staircase.

Interior of Schroder House~2nd Floor~Red-Blue Chair

2nd Floor Plan~Schroder House

1st Floor Plan~Schroder House

The exterior of the home appears as a grouping of rectangular floating planes (Mondrian in 3-D). Most of the house is painted in white and shades of grey, accented with black trim and with blocks of red, blue and yellow around its entirety. The influence of Frank Lloyd Wright can be seen in the Schroder House's cantilevered roof and the grouping of the windows. Additionally, I would argue, one can see the influence of the Schroder House on the future works by Le Corbusier. Le Corbusier's  residential designs seem directly influenced by the use of glass walls, central staircase design and multi-functional interior spaces of the Schroder House.

Schroder House attached to Row Houses~Floating Planes~Cantilever Roof~Color Accents

Frank Lloyd Wright~Falling Water~Example of Wright's Cantilever Roof

Le Corbusier~Villa Savoye~Poissy, France~ 1929-1931

Like many architects, Rietveld designed furniture for use in his residential plans. One of Rietveld's iconic chairs, the Red-Blue Chair, was designed for the Schroder House. Again, the chair appears to be a three dimensional embodiment of a Mondrian. The chair clearly indicates the function follows form aspect of the de Stijl, as the chair does not appear to be very comfortable or inviting (but it does have a "cool factor").

Gerrit Rietveld~Red-Blue Chair

The de Stijl movement may have faded from the consciousness of style makers throughout the twentieth century, but, I think, it has been sub-consciously ingrained in our collective memories, as we still see architecture and design that visually has the de Stijl aesthetic.

Rubik's Cube

Lego Schroder House

Contemporary Architecture~de Stijl Influence

http://www.lankaart.org/article-piet-mondrian-54834628.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rietveld_Schr%C3%B6der_House

http://openbuildings.com/buildings/rietveld-schr-der-house-profile-7269

http://www.kunstpedia.com/blogs/rietveld-schroder-house.html

http://www.modernfurnitureidea.com/red-blue-chair-by-gerrir-rietveld/

http://www.wright-house.com/frank-lloyd-wright/

http://uk.ask.com/wiki/International_style_(architecture)

http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/16514

http://www.bmlisieux.blogspot.com/2011/01/piet-mondrian.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/uitdragerij/3128169089

http://hotairbrand.com/blog/?attachment_id=1359

Design Autobiography 3

When I completed the painting project that I have used as my well-designed object, I instantly thought the pattern would work well in a contemporary carpet design or, size decreased and pattern repeated, as an interesting interior textile. The image next to my original is a contemporary medallion carpet that I think illustrates how my design could be manufactured.

Unit Summary 2: Reverberations

It is impossible to design a structure without considering the architecture of the past, reacting to it, and interpreting the reaction. How we utilize and express our reaction, by embracing or breaking known rules, is architectural reverberation. There are only a few architectural forms on which all architecture is based (circles, groves, stacks), so all architecture is a reaction to that of the past.


When it became clear that Christianity had a stronghold, mostly in western Europe, it was important for the church to communicate a uniform message to its, mostly illiterate, congregations. Emerging from the Dark Ages, this was done in the basic building forms and decorations of the Gothic Cathedral. To unify various Christian sects, visual literacy in the form of physical, readable symbolism was employed in churches throughout Europe. The Gothic Cathedral was based on the basilica form but the absolute limits of dimension, scale, technology, and materials was pushed. Their size and expanse expressed a boundless universe from the inside and their community dominance from the outside. These cathedrals were built to be enormous and could be seen from great distances above their city's skyline; they were used as a geographical and spiritual marker, imploring people to always look to the church.

Cologne Cathedral~Example of Gothic Cathedral~Size

http://www.tourismnewsinfo.com/cologne-cathedral-roman-catholic-church-with-gothic-style-architecture-germany/

 

The Renaissance movement viewed Gothic as inappropriate design and it jumped back to classical architecture. The essence of the Renaissance was to achieve precision, balance, and symmetry, while emphasizing the importance of the individual and expressing serenity and control. It was during this period that the rules of architecture were first recorded. The philosophy of the Renaissance was that of enlightenment and reached across many cultural and scientific disciplines.

Palazzo Medici~Example of Renaissance Precision
http://www.world66.com/europe/italy/tuscany/florence/sights/palazzomediciriccardi

The Baroque is a reaction to the rules of precision in the Renaissance. During the Baroque lines became curvy; theatricality and excess was the rule. As many monarchs and aristocrats enjoyed great wealth, the architectural language of the period became more frivolous. The frivolity of the Baroque ignored the Renaissance ideals of simplicity and precision and created a style that is boisterous. The French Chateau is born during the Baroque and comes to epitomize the style, however, the decorative arts, fashion, food, etc, reflect the opulence of this period as well. The Baroque met its demise in the revolutions of Europe. The style symbolized the disproportionate wealth and resources of the aristocracy, and as Europeans demanded reform, architecture returned to classical roots throughout Europe and into the New World.

 

Palace of Versailles~Hall of Mirrors~Epitome of Opulence
http://www.dudziak.com/picture.php/hall_of_mirrors3419

Colonialism expanded accepted European architecture throughout the world. In the United States, the architectural language was that of England, neo classical, and colonial America turned to the architectural lists and rules of the Renaissance as evidenced in homes, civic structures, and churches of the original thirteen colonies. After the American Revolution, the federal government adopted Roman architecture while most states adopted Greek architecture in government buildings. Greek architectural language helped establish states' governments by reinforcing the ideas of rationality, balance, and control.

Villa Designed by Palladio~Inspiration for Drayton Hall in South Carolina


 

 

Drayton Hall, Charleston, SC~Classical Design~Replica of Palladio

http://www.draytonhall.org/research/architecture/

 

The independent development of the United States left a void in original American architectural language and style. But in the 19th century, American architects began to express themselves by innovative methodology and technology. Chicago became a hotbed of architectural ingenuity, mostly due to the Great Fire, which presented an opportunity for new city planning, design, and construction. During this period the skyscraper was born. New technologies using steel-frame construction contributed to the new heights of buildings, which utilized physical acreage to its greatest extent. Steel frames allowed facades to be less structural and more decorative. As they were seen as "skins" of buildings, they became a place to express designers' ideas about proportion and decoration, which led to and established an American style.

US Capitol Building~Roman Revival Architecture

http://architecture.about.com/od/usa/ig/Washington-DC/US-Capitol-Building.htm

NC Capitol Building~Greek Revival Architecture

http://ncmuseumofhistory.org/fko/booklet/index.htm



Reading Response 11: The American Architectural Voice

American architecture began making its mark during the 19th century, particularly in Chicago. After the Great Fire of Chicago, the city had to be rebuilt, that coupled with new technologies of the modern age presented an opportunity to plan Chicago and utilize its acreage to the fullest extent by building upward. From this age, American architecture was born.

American architect, H. H. Richardson made a huge impression and set the precedent of American architectural design in Chicago by designing the Marshall Field Wholesale Store. The building Richardson designed spanned the entire city block. When designing the Marshall Field building, Richardson clearly took architectural cues from the past but changed them to make them recognizable as his style and as a clear American style of architecture. The lack of ornamentation on the exterior facade helped define his aesthetic and the American architectural movement.

We easily recognize the lines and form of the Marshall Field building in the Medici Palace designed by Bartolomeo in the 15th century. As with the Medici Palace, the medieval structure style is improved upon by the new technologies of the day. The Marshall Field building was designed to be an attractive, yet unfussy, utilitarian space employing and improving on design details of the past.

New technologies and materials were used in the design and construction of the Marshall Field building that, while innovative for the time, set the standard for building American skyscrapers. This building did not depend on any of the masonry that is visible from the outside as its load-bearing structure. The building was built using a steel and wood frame and the exterior masonry was added around the skeleton of the building.

The facade was constructed of rough red granite and red sandstone. The use of materials and the roughness of them helped to emphasize the size and importance of the building. The rows of stone were set in courses that give the illusion of a four-story building. The Marshall Field building had, in fact, eight floors including the basement. Because the facade was a skin wrapped around the building, the windows seemed deeper and took on more visual significance. While there was very little ornamentation on the building, there were small details around the course just below the roof line that were almost undetectable but would be noticeably missed if not there.

Again, this detail reminds us of design elements of the past only more streamlined and not structural.

The materials, technologies, and size were all integral pieces to form this modern, American building and they set the stage for American architects to be forward thinkers while embracing the architectural bones of the past.

Photo Credits

http://www.greatbuildings.com/cgi_bin/gbc-drawing.cgi/Marshall_Field_Store.html/cid_1138861595_250071v.html

http://www.world66.com/europe/italy/tuscany/florence/sights/palazzomediciriccardi

http://www.greatbuildings.com/cgi_bin/gbc-drawing.cgi/Marshall_Field_Plan.jpg

http://www.greatbuildings.com/cgi-bin/gbc-drawing.cgi/Marshall_Field_Detail.jpg

Reading Response 9: Classic Forms Made Modern

St Paul's Cathedral:London

Old St Paul's Cathedral~Gothic

The current St Paul's Cathedral in London was designed by Christopher Wren after the Great Fire in London, 1666. Wren was tasked to design a protestant cathedral that would rival St Peters in Rome, on the site of the Old St Paul's Cathedral. The area around St Paul's was developed and populated which meant that the English model of church building was inadequate and great care would need to be used while the building was under construction.

Bird's eye view of St Paul's Cathedral

Bird's Eye~Development around Cathedral

Wren's original design for St Paul's was unlike anything built in England to that point but he faced strict opposition to his design from the bishops in the church. They wanted the Cathedral to be built in the Gothic style that it had been before but Wren wanted to employ the latest design and technology from Europe. An agreement was reached between Wren and the clergy; the cathedral became a Latin Cross plan and the church agreed to a "modern exterior but insisted on a Medieval-style section, with low side aisles and a tall nave (Ching 570)."

Front Facade of St Paul's Cathedral~2nd Story

Using neo-classic styles, Wren designed St Paul's with precision and care. To visually balance the enormity of the dome, Wren designed a false second story. The second story gives visual mass to the structure of the building, maintaining proportion between the dome and the structure. The facade of the cathedral bares neo-classical motifs in a modern way for 18th century England. Wren paired a series of Corinthian columns on both stories, emulating Bernini's use of columns at the Louvre in Paris. Additionally, Wren borrowed aspects of Mansart's dome at Invalides by dividing it into three courses. It is interesting to note that the towers on either side of the front facade were an addition, by Wren, when the cathedral was close to completion.

St Paul's dome in section

The dome rests on a course of buttresses that appear to be columns. There is a conical shaft between the interior and exterior walls of the dome that allows light from various angles to shine through the occulus. The light enters the shaft via eight light wells in the exterior wall of the dome. 

Cornice over the main entrance of St Paul's Cathedral

The interior is well lighted, considering its massive size; a great deal of light comes in through the dome. The ornamentation and decor in the cathedral is grand and rich but not overstated, as we see in examples of French Baroque.

Interior view~from south side looking toward altar

Looking directly into dome

Looking east toward the altar and choir

The building of St Paul's Cathedral was funded by a tax levied on sea coal. During this time in history, we witness buildings commissioned and funded by the government instead of wealthy, private patrons.

The dome of St Paul's from the east side of the Thames~Millennium Bridge

The dome as an architectural feature was not new in the design and building of St Paul's Cathedral, nor is it today. But as with St Paul's, the form is used, even today, and given modern twists as technologies change. The dome can still be found in contemporary structures throughout the world and conveys that we look to the past for ideas and ways to discuss our culture through architecture while always seeking innovative ways to create the "ideal."

Modern dome made from cable and canvas

Modern dome in mosque

 Modern dome on stadium

Photo Credits:

http://www.a-london-tourist-guide.com/st-pauls-cathedral-london.html

http://www.aeroengland.co.uk/londonaerial.html

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/england/london-st-pauls-cathedral

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/england/st-pauls-cathedral-pictures/slides/plan-dome-ca.htm

http://www.best-london-attractions.co.uk/st-pauls-cathedral-london.html

http://www.e-architect.co.uk/london/st_pauls_cathedral_building.htm

http://www.architectoo.com/architecture/dome-design-colors-on-mosque-building/attachment/dome-structure-building/

http://www.preservationnation.org/magazine/2008/todays-news/threatened-pittsburgh.html

http://hoogrrl2.blogspot.com/2007_06_01_archive.html

Reading Response 8:French Flair

The Palace of Versailles

The Baroque period marked the change of rules in art and architecture from those of the Renaissance by using massive scale, elaborate decorations, "taming" the landscape, and by transforming surfaces, space, and form into grandiose theatricality. The Palace of Versailles may be the best example of the French Baroque, with the sprawling chateau and extensive, elaborately controlled gardens that not only contain vegetation, but also feature statuary and water features as theater.

fountain~gardens~reflecting pool

fountain at night~reflective light

"room" in the garden

The gardens and parks of Versailles are so strictly designed that they become extensions of the architecture of the palace. Each space carved out of the parks and gardens is treated similarly to an interior room. Like the palace, the grounds are laid out on an east/west axis that indicates the path of the sun. The reiteration of the sun's path helps to enforce Louis IVX's persona as the Sun King. The layout and containment of the gardens is meant to display his power and control over nature.

intricately patterned gardens confined to their borders

The Palace of Versailles exemplifies the Baroque ideal of "spare no expense" in the opulence of the decoration of the interior. One of the best known spaces within the palace is the Hall of Mirrors. The Hall of Mirrors is flanked by the Salon of War and the Salon of Peace. At the time of its design and construction, full length mirrors were rare and very costly, but the hall in Versailles is covered with them.

notice the floor-to-ceiling mirrors

The Hall of Mirrors reflects the gardens of Versailles, but more importantly reflects the sun, which further reinforces the theme of the Sun King. Additionally, enormous chandeliers with crystal prisms and the reflective gilt used in the room all coordinate the process of reflection.

sunlight pours into the hall

crystal chandelier~gilt work~elaborate ceiling painting

The opulence in and around the Palace of Versailles reinforce the ideas of the wealth and power of the French monarchy.

...Baroque done with French flair...

Photo sources:

http://palace-of-versailles.landmarkss.co.uk/palace-of-versailles-architecture

http://www.fotografiamag.com/2010/04/palace-of-versailles-garden/

http://www.fotopedia.com/items/gary91-PI_TDgcNfjM

http://thefrenchprovincialfurniture.com/the-interior-french-furniture-of-versailles

http://www.tenorama.com/fr/node/34

http://www.dudziak.com/picture.php/hall_of_mirrors3419

http://blog.cityshopingpoint.com/travelers-guide/palace-de-versailles-paris

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hall_of_Mirrors,_Palace_of_Versailles_chandelier.JPG

http://keenanevans.com/2009/12/01/marie-antoinette-versailles-dazzle/



Orthographic coffee cup

These are orthographic views of a coffee cup that I use on a daily basis. My cup is called a tankard. It is very large and much fatter in the middle than at the top or bottom. The first view on my drawing is from the top, the second view is actually the inside section, and the third view is from the outside.