Design Autobiography 3:
I combined my funky painting with Patrick's classic clock. Using the colors and shapes from my painting and the lines of his clock, I created a contemporary clock from a clean, classic design.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
Reading Response 13: The Design is in the Details
The German Pavillion at the International Expo in Barcelona (1929) was designed by German architect, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Mies was commissioned to build the pavillion to highlight German architectural innovation. The building itself is not particularly innovative but Mies's "less is more" philosophy is demonstrated in a masterful manifestation of precision and intricately artful simplicity.
With the exception of a statue in a shallow pool, the space is void of added decoration. The design of the pavillion was in the details and highlighted the richness of materials, such as onyx, Tinian marble, and stainless steel.
The pavillion was designed as an open structure, both to the outside and within. The functionality of the space was ambiguous, and thus could be multifunctional. Mies artfully demostrated his meticulous eye for detail and the precision of his design in the materials he chose and the craft with which the structure was assembled.
Mies designed the, now iconic, Barcelona Chair specifically for the German Pavillion in Barcelona. The chair embodies the modern aesthetic of functionality and considers comfort as part of its function. The chair is made from a stainless steel frame. The legs of the frame create a curved x that extend to support the back of the chair and the seats are box cushions that are upholstered in rich leather. The chairs echo the "less is more" ideal, simplicity, and precision of the pavillion in which they were housed.
The German Pavillion, and Barcelona Chair, both designed in 1929, seem so contemporary in design and scope of functionality that it is hard to imagine them coming out of the early 20th century. Architects and designers have emulated Mies's work so much that open spaces, both in residential and commercial, have become the expected norm in contemporary American architecture.
:http://www.ecomanta.com/2011/02/fashion-week-1929-barcelona-pavilion-by.html
http://www.barcelona-life.net/2010/03/06/mies-barcelona-pavilion/
:http://www.greenarchitecture.com.au/pavillion.php
:http://www.arkitectrue.com/architecture-%e2%80%93-spanish-style-4/
http://kitors.com/barcelona-pavilion-g6.htm
:http://daraparker.com/2011/01/12/barcelona-chairs-please-dont-sit/
http://modular4kc.com/2011/06/24/design-friday-ludwig-mies-van-der-rohes-barcelona-chair/
:http://www.ecomanta.com/2011/02/fashion-week-1929-barcelona-pavilion-by.html
http://www.barcelona-life.net/2010/03/06/mies-barcelona-pavilion/
:http://www.greenarchitecture.com.au/pavillion.php
:http://www.arkitectrue.com/architecture-%e2%80%93-spanish-style-4/
http://kitors.com/barcelona-pavilion-g6.htm
:http://daraparker.com/2011/01/12/barcelona-chairs-please-dont-sit/
http://modular4kc.com/2011/06/24/design-friday-ludwig-mies-van-der-rohes-barcelona-chair/
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
BP 12: Good Design for All
Good Design For All
Emeco's new Navy 111 chair represents an object that embodies good design for all. The chair was originally commissioned by the US Navy in 1944 with the main requirement being that it could withstand a torpedo blast while on a ship. Originally made from aluminum, it was designed to be functional and comfortable and comply with the Navy's requirement of durability; in fact many of the original chairs are still around and in very good condition.
The Navy 111 in aluminum
The chair is in current production,in collaboration with the Coca Cola company, made from recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate, or plastic bottles. Changing the production material from aluminium to recycled bottles is definitely good design for all, as new technologies were required to develop and manufacture this chair and that development had an economic trickle-down effect. Extensive technology had to be developed and tested to insure the project's success. Additionally, retooling was required for the plants in which these chairs are manufactured which led to new people being hired and trained to use the new equipment. Best of all, manufacturing the chairs from rPET could potentially re-purpose up to 3 million plastic bottles per year!
Collaboration between Emeco and Coca Cola~rPET
The chairs are visually attractive and contemporary, and maintain their original functionality. The chairs are available in a variety of vibrant colors and can be used outdoors as well as indoors. The property of good design for all of these chairs goes way beyond their appearance and functionality; the economic and environmental impacts of this design prove just how good the design is for all. The good design for all aspect of this chair is so strong that people who may not even know the chair exists are positively impacted by its creation, in job growth and reduction in recyclable material in landfills.
Plastic bottles
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.
Lego Schroder House
Rubik's Cube
Lego Schroder House
Contemporary Architecture~de Stijl Influence
Monday, April 9, 2012
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.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
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
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
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
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
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
NC Capitol Building~Greek Revival Architecture
Monday, April 2, 2012
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
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