Update on Blog Postings

I have decided to continue my writings on my WordPress.  Below is the link to my other blog.

WordPress Blog

Sorry for the inconvenience.

NEXT Competition - Phase 1: Group Research

Last Wednesday, we were placed into research groups for the NEXT Competition.  The group I'm in include Alex, Becca, and Emily.  Out of the topics to research we were assigned 'LEED & Sustainability'.  Although, I hadn't fully gone down the list of research topics, I must say that I was very happy with the result.  After taking Travis' Intro to Sustainability, it really opened my eyes to a lot, regarding sustainability in general, as well as organizations and methods/options.

With LEED being part of our research topic, it seemed to me that we could add other sustainable organizations or certifications.  Two that I learned about in Travis' class were SEED (Social Economic Environmental Design) and LBC (Living Building Challenge).  SEED is geared more towards the social aspect of design, and not as much emphasis on the building itself but on how it affects everything else.  LBC is the closest, that I have learned, to an ideal for designing a sustainable structure.  Its intent is for any structure to be completely Net Zero or self-sustainable/sufficient.  I was happy that my group mates were open to other sustainable certifications and organizations.  However, we decided to emphasize LEED due to its popularity and feasibility.  After discussing SEED, we decided to mention it but not go into depth since our focus for the competition is on the interior.  Thanks to Emily, we were able to find another organization which focuses more in Virginia that we can include as another sustainable organization/certification.

It was been great working on this with my group mates so far!  They seem to be quite interested and invested in the research.  Now we're in the midst of working on sections of our presentation for a first draft with the intent on fine tuning this Friday.  Hopefully, there won't be too many adjustments needed!

IAR 301 (Studio): First Day of Class

Last Monday was the first day of class....

The day didn't start off so great since I went to bed late and then had to get up early for work before my class.  As I got to studio I was getting more and more nervous/excited about what was to come.  It was nice seeing classmates that I hadn't seen since the semester ended in April.  There was the usual welcome back from the instructors and an update on what has changed.

It was great to know that we would be in one big studio but part of me was a little disappointed because I was looking forward to working in a smaller group studio to know some of my classmates a little better.  I do believe things happen for a reason so to find out, while going through our syllabus that we would be entering a competition hosted by Steelcase certainly made up for my disappointment!  However, I was shocked to know that most of my classmates hadn't heard of Steelcase!!

Although, I'm excited to be participating in a competition, I am extremely nervous.

IAR 333 Graders

Tina and TAs,

Please go to my new blog.  I have had some issues with loading pictures so my Sketch Series, aside from the first one is on WordPress now.  Thank you.

Individual Contributions

During our group discussions, we are still narrowing down our decisions for the proposal.  As for what I contributed, Katrina and I collaborated in a layout that created a path in a shape of a star using folding walls, benches for visitors, and the suggestion of how to avoid having visitors go around the wrong way.  My ideas for a sign have been three color choices (a brown, a rust orange, and pale yellow) with three possible font options:  Asenine, Feena Casual, or Steiner.  All of which will have Calibri for smaller print such as the information.  The posters that will be near the pieces will include name of piece, name of artist/designer, location, and time period.  The colors will be in the posters but probably in an opposite way compared to the banners.

IAR 333: R.L Vanstory Lighting Company

This morning my Methods, Materials, and Technologies class (IAR 333) went to visit R.L. Vanstory Lighting Company.  We were briefed by the types of lighting they focused on - which included cove, interior and flood lighting - and a more in depth presentation on LEDs.  To be honest, I was surprised at the size of the company, especially for what they do - I was expecting it to be bigger. 

During the introduction of the company by the owner himself, Robert Vanstory, I was surprised at how many manufactures (domestic and international) the company represented - it was about 60 - here in Greensboro.  I learned about when to use cove lighting and its purposes, as well as requirements for the types of lighting covered - including wall washing.  The other presentation, which focused on products they represent, taught us three categories that lights normally fall under, such as general purpose, specification, and architectural.  Aside from learning more about lights, specifically about LEDs, it was a pleasant tour.  We got to walk around and look at different lights around the office.  We also learned about being careful regarding what lights to purchase since not all manufactures sell quality lights - and, as designers, we always want to have the best quality in all aspects of our design.

Although, I enjoyed the tour overall, I did wish we were able to see more types of light set within spaces.  For example, there were lights at the entrance of the office but some weren't working so it was a little disappointing.  There were also the different products shown to us and, although they were there and turned on for us to observe - LED lights can be extremely bright!! - it would have been nice to see what kind of effects they could have in different spaces.

Impact of Light in Health and Welfare

            After reading the article Influence on Architectural Lighting on Health, I realized how much consideration should go into lighting.  Light can be so impactful to people, from it affecting their physiology and their psychology.  The eyes receive interpretations that allow people to transition from wakefulness into sleepiness through the change in the day – from day to night.  This transition includes a level of hormones called melatonin which promotes sleep and increases in darkness.  There are other physiological effects such as the immune and cardiac system.  As for psychological effects, the lack of daylight can affect emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses.  The fact that light can affect so much on a mind and body is a very serious matter. 

            Daylight has such an importance in people’s lives, it is strange to me that Influence on Architectural Lighting on Health seems to be implying that there is still a continual struggle to focus more energy or effort on lighting in places such as hospitals, where the physiological and psychological are intertwined.  However, it is not only in hospitals but in work places, as well, that we should make a stronger effort and really consider light and its effects on people.  Why do is there so much focus on light in a residential world but not enough in the commercial world?  My mistake was assuming daylight has a big importance in our lives without being aware how detrimental the lack of daylight can be to our health.  It is something I will definitely keep in my thoughts.

Light Zones in Studio

Light Revealing Experiences

            When people think about lighting, although we are aware of the importance of natural light, we often , although we may subconsciously think about natural light – in this case, the sun – our first active thought goes to artificial lighting.  According to the article Light Revealing Experience, humans experienced many types of light.  Over the course of our lives, we will experience natural lighting such as daylight, moonlight, starlight, and firelight.  Millet’s main ideas including light and place, light and nature, light and climate, light and time, and light and task are a good basis for how we perceive light and how all types of lighting affect us.

            Millet’s first topic of light and place establishes light is natural – that it comes from the sun.  From this article I learned the effect of light in a location is based not only on sunlight but on nature and its surroundings.  The biggest reason     for this      effect is the material, whether it is solid, translucent, or anywhere in between.  After reading the article I felt I had not experienced, while growing up, the effect light has on a natural environment, such as by a lake throughout the seasons.  Growing up in New York City, I was not surrounding by nature much.  There were plants in my mom’s house and there were trees dotted along the street.  Every summer we could go to Flushing Meadows Park, which was a more open and smaller version of Central Park.  I have never considered how light interacted with brick buildings or if light was even a factor when these buildings were built.  I believe light had a stronger role to play when building skyscrapers, but I do not know more than that.  Another topic discussed in the article was the effect of light depends heavily on the cultures, which are both affected by location.  Although, I continue to think and compare my experience with light growing up, I cannot help but wonder about the architecture of the city and how its culture influences our interaction with natural light.  

            In addition to light and place, light and nature is discussed in Light Revealing Experience.  My understanding from the article is that although we want to be protected from harsh weather we do not want to be disconnected from the outside.  One way that continually connects us to nature is to manipulate light so that it is symbolically represented – to tie the outside with the in by connecting them so there is a seamless border between the two.  One example includes the representation of a forest.  This is done through grilles that symbolize tree trunks, colored shutters which filter light and symbolize leaves, but also cast a green hue.  Another example is representation of a starry sky through the stringing of fairy lights to a ceiling.  An additional example is creating the illusion of water from a mountain stream through a stone screen like in Hagia Sofia and water in general by daylight filtering through colored glass based on a glazed pattern and coloration.

            Light and climate, although similar to the previous topics further discusses light in a different manner. The main focus is that because climate affects people, their habits, and their rituals we need to keep in mind that there are many ways to overcome harsh weather.  The importance is to overcome but still be able to celebrate and use light to our advantage without completely shunning it.  In the discussion about light and time, it seems that there is again a subconscious awareness.  It also seems this awareness that at one point might have been more consciously apparent, has become ignored.  The other day I took my dog out on a walk after class and I made a conscious effort to look at the sky – to take notice of what the sunset looked like during this time of the day and season.  I am not an expert I was able to notice the difference between a sunset in the middle of summer, with its oranges and reds, and a sunset that is near the end of summer, which looked cooler in pale blues and purples. 

            The last topic discussed in this article was light and task.  My impression before reading was that light and task was solely focused on artificial lighting – this is not the case.  It is the opposite of what I would normally think of regarding light and task.  Instead of it being about artificial lighting it is about combining natural light with artificial light for the best result needed for a specific task, such as reading in a library.  The library needs light to allow people to comfortably enjoy reading.  This resulted aspiration for a shadow less environment where a person can choose any spot in the library to read without discomfort.

The most interesting thing about my experience with natural light is that I did not have the opportunity to truly experience moonlight until I was in another country.  I learned a lot of things throughout this article.  The biggest thing was that the climate and the culture of a location affect our interaction with natural light, as well as natural light affects the climate which in turn affects the culture. In the end, light is manipulated to satisfy and bring comfort to people.

Point 5: Exploration - Never Ending Cycles

According to dictionary.com, exploration is defined as an act of exploring or investigating. I would normally lean more towards exploring than investigating. However, based on what we have covered in class, investigating seems more accurate. It appears cycles of style have always been present throughout time but they come in revolutions. Revolutions repeat themselves over time, specifically the idea of completely going against the previous style – usually to make a point – such is the case in the Arts and Crafts Movement.


The Industrial Revolution started in the 18th century and Arts and Crafts followed through a movement that considered the Industrial Revolution as having dehumanized society. In other words, the Industrial Revolution took away the human qualities in design and replaced them with machine which was thought to have led to immorality. The reaction against the Industrial Revolution and the ‘immoral society’ it created, which became known as Arts and Crafts, was to bring back morality through craftsmanship. Just like the Industrial Revolution and Arts & Crafts, there have been many ¬¬¬¬cycles of revolution. There are many other examples throughout time. Some of been in the past, such as Gothic against Classical style, the Renaissance against Gothic, Neoclassic against Rococo, and so forth. A couple of examples of more recent ones have been Art Deco against Beaux Arts, Bauhaus against Art Deco, and Post-modernism against Modernism.

Exploring is based on having something to go either against or further expand on. In the case of design, it is never ending. We will always look back at design that will always be our starting point. The next step is to explore it through doing the complete opposite or continuing to develop it and turn it into something else. Below is a graph that I believe best represents how styles continue on through time.





Ideal cycle of design styles



Reading Comprehension 7 - Greensboro Collection @ the Witherspoon Museum

The Witherspoon Museum

Reading comprehension 6

1.
The Arts & Crafts movement started in England around the 1860s with William Morris. According to John Ruskin, he knew what it was “to live in a cottage with a deal floor and roof, and a hearth of mica; and [he knew] it to be in many respects healthier and happier than living between a Turkey carpet and gilded ceiling, beside a steel grate and polished fender” (Massey 10). In other words, the idea behind Arts & Crafts was to move away from the Victorian style period, with its abundance in objects and decoration, and the Industrial Revolution, with its dependence and continual use of the machine. Arts & Crafts was all about simple hand-making of wood and other natural materials to incorporate into the interiors. Although, Arts & Crafts started in England it soon spread throughout Europe – such as Belgium, Austria, and, especially, Germany – and, eventually, the United States.

The Industrial Revolution was considered to have dehumanized society and Arts & Crafts’ was thought to be the way to bring back morality. According to Leland M. Roth, these “ideals of English Arts and Crafts architecture, particularly the insistences on excellence in design and extreme care in craftsmanship, were carried to Germany and Austria by writers such as Hermann Muthesius” (Understanding Architecture 494). To bring morality and appreciation back into society through craftsmanship became popular not only in England but spread throughout Europe, especially in Germany, through interaction with the founders of this movement. The Arts & Crafts movement not only spread through Europe but its influence spread to the United States. However, the spread of Arts & Crafts was a little different from the original Arts & Crafts in England. The American Arts and Crafts Movement followed the ‘principles and tenets’ of English Arts & Crafts but “interprets them in a more individualistic way and integrates more diverse influences” by promoting “similar ideals and social transformation to a wealthy elite as well as an expanding middle class” (Harwood 449). Although, the American Arts & Crafts movement followed suit from the English Arts & Crafts regarding their main ideals, but did not have set rules to follow from. This led to individual interpretations of those ideals.

Harleshausen Villa by Hermann Muthesius

Grove Park Inn, Asheville, NC (Harwood 455)

2.
The Bauhaus style movement originated in Germany and, although the ideals of modernism had already started to arise, Bauhaus became a catapult for modernism.  Bauhaus, also known as the International Style, was similar to Arts & Crafts in they both believed in simplicity in architecture.  However, that is where their similarities end.  Unlike Arts & Crafts, Bauhaus did not turn its back on machines but embraced them and tried to blend fine arts with the machine and industry.  The result, according to Harwood, was “emphasis upon function, mass production, geometric form, an absence of applied ornament, and the use of new materials and methods of construction” (590).  This focus on function, the use of the machine, geometric forms, simplicity, and the explorations of new materials created products that epitomized the dictum “less is more”.  Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye is the perfect example of this dictum.  Le Corbusier simplifies this house by building only the necessary with an artist’s eye.  He uses big windows to take advantage of natural light.  He has open spaces to appreciate the freedom in the space, as well as creates the opportunity to bring as much as the outside in without feeling exposed.  His decorations come in the forms of geometric shapes, such as the winding staircase and rectilinear furniture.  Le Corbusier creates a walkway throughout the house so that the walker can truly experience the entire house in its full beauty.



Villa Savoye by Le Corbusier (Harwood 631)

3.


Alternatives Summary

Charles Carr:



Bernini's David

The Renaissance with its design ideas and Baroque going against static Renaissance design with movement and embellishments is his main idea.  Unfortunately, his ideas are not organized well.  It is structured well enough that you can follow what is being said but without a flow.  This leads to a definite separateness in his composition.  Charles first begins with the Renaissance and a brief describes what it was about in terms of design and its rules, along with two wonderful examples of that time.  However, he goes into further detail with Michelangeleo than with Palladio.  Then he leads into Baroque and briefly describes what it was about in terms of design.  His conclusion is not bad but I believe it would be a stronger ending if he was particular about his idea – he could have mentioned how the Renaissance was more static and confined while Baroque was trying to break free from that.  Then he could have included how in Palladio’s case, the rules were broken by making a building design that was public into a private home.  As well as Bernini and his work, especially in David, which broke the rule and went "outside the box".  This would have helped support his conclusion and tie in the alternatives theme.

Ebony Goode:

Valerio Cioli's The Bacchino in the Boboli Gardens

Ebony does a wonderful job in organizing her thoughts and in her composition.  She starts off chronologically with the Middle Ages and then moves to the Renaissance and Baroque.  Ebony does a good job tying in all style periods together.  She made a wonderful choice with Giovanni Pico’s quote but should not have ended her essay with a quote.  It would have been great to have her interpretation of that quote.  There is also the issue with not including why she chose her image as a representation of alternatives.

Caitlyn Lyle:

Cenotaph for Isaac Newton

Although, Caitlyn did repeat a rule on her list (separation of spaces), she did a good job in organizing her ideas and the structure of her composition.  She tied the Renaissance and Baroque together by using artists/architects/designers.  She used Michelangelo and Bernini as her examples in design.  Caitlyn mentions Rococo in her conclusion but it seems unnecessary since she did not mention this style previously.  She could have also said a little more about the Cenotaph to strengthen her essay.

Reflections Summary

Dajana Nedic:

Daniel Salgado:

Blakeni Walls:

Point 4: Reflections

The beginning of design/architecture started in the ancient world in Egypt, Greece and then later in Rome. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Middle Ages arose. During the Middle Ages, design previous to that was referred to as Classical and society during that time wanted to move away from those ideals. After the Middle Ages, the Renaissance arose. During the Renaissance, design in the Middle Ages was referred to as Romanesque and Gothic. Not long into the Renaissance, the city of Pompeii was discovered. This discovery led to a new trend in design. It was no longer trying to change and be different from the past. Instead it was about looking back into the past and bringing it to the present. This idea of bringing a past style back into the present is also known as a revival.

During the Renaissance, the current classicism derived from a current interpretation of the past and not a direct representation, which is why it was not considered a true revival but a new style of design/architecture. Classical design was used in new ways and it continued on into an embellished Baroque and Rococo. After these design periods came Neoclassicism, which also looked into the past for inspiration but with more accuracy – the beginnings of revivals. The rise of Neoclassicism was not only about looking into ancient world of classicism and its ideals but it also included other styles previous to Rococo. The biggest influence of Neoclassicism was Andrea Palladio and his villas and its most devoted disciple was Indigo Jones. An example of Jones’ work is The Queens House in England which has a strong Palladian floor plan. Although, Indigo Jones followed Palladio very closely and brought classicism back into the current trend, he was not the only one. Samuel McIntire and Christopher Wren also brought back classicism. John Vanbrough’s Castle Howard, in England, brought back with Gothic and Baroque styles. The idea behind these revivals was to go against the embellishments of Rococo and go back to a simpler more intellectual time with no excess.

The Supreme Court Building in Washington is a wonderful example of Neoclassicism and the revival of classic architecture. Its inspiration is more Roman than Greek which is more suitable based on the purpose of the building – government.  Its entrance has a statue on each side of the stairs leading up to the portico.  The portico has two rows of Corinthian columns holding an entablature with swags and a pediment with statues within it.  Upon arriving at the main door there are a set of Corinthian pilasters that fall in line with the columns.  Except for the title sign on the entablature, which states ‘Equal Justice Under Law, all the exterior details of the Supreme Court Building are from Roman architecture – including the purpose of the building.



Reading Comp. 5

1.  The drawing below is of an Austrian armchair made circa 1825 on page 62 in Architecture and Interior Design from the 19^th Century by Buie Harwood.  I believe this artifact represents revolution in design because during the time Germany, including Austria and Prussia had recently come out of a war against France.  The revival they chose to follow was Greek revival, which in their case was called Biedermeier because they believed their spirit embodied Greek architecture.  Biedermeier attempted to construct seating that looked comfortable and inviting with curves and overstuffed seats.  The curves under the arms of the chair are similar to wave motifs from Greece and thick legs are similar to the thick Doric columns.

2. 

ARTIFACT


During the 19th century, people needed storage space for the many things they owned. This large chest was built in the 19th century and its decorations are Indian influenced. It is seen through the bold colors and lotus flower motif. It was also directly inspired by double ikat (a type of weaving) textile pattern from India.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/files/images/up%20p22-a_0.jpg

SPACE

The Long Gallery at the Royal Pavilion is an example of an interior space in Britain influenced by China. The soft palette on the wall and reed motifs, along with the gilding and Asian inspired objects and furniture demonstrate how China and other eastern countries became so popular that it influenced European design.

http://www.asianartnewspaper.com/article/chinese-whispers:-chinoiserie-in-britain-1650%E2%80%931930

BUILDING

Fredrick the Great had this garden pavilion, the Chinese House, built by Johnn Gottfried Büring to beautify his flower and vegetable garden. The Chinese House has an exterior Roccoco and Chinoiserie style. Most of the motifs that demonstrate oriental influence through Chinese figures surrounding the pavilion.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Chinesisches_Haus_Sanssouci.jpg

Point 3: Alternatives

When we think about alternatives we think about choices and possibilities. That is exactly what the architecture of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance were about. The Middle Ages, specifically in Gothic architecture, was about choosing new possibilities instead of following tradition by taking details from Classicism, revamping them and creating new forms. After the Roman Empire collapsed and split into two empires, east and west. The eastern empire was fairing better than the west. Many invasions occurred and traveling became unsafe. Since traveling was so unsafe, the towns and cities became self-reliant. Based on these unstable times, society began to emerge itself into religion and the rise of many religious orders. This new attitude led to the style of Gothic architecture, which consisted mainly on the construction of cathedrals and castles. Gothic architecture was followed by the Renaissance, which was about choosing tradition and creating new forms with them. After the discovery of Pompeii, the focus changed – it was no longer on religion but on the Ancient World. Classical language had emerged.

During the Middle Ages, there were two main architectural styles that emerged, Romanesque and Gothic. Romanesque style still had strong Roman influences because it was after the fall of the empire and was a precursor to Gothic architecture. Some details of Romanesque architecture are rounded arches directly came from Roman architecture, the thick walls were adapted as support for the structure, and barreled vaults came from thick walls that could support the vaults. Romanesque was followed by Gothic architecture, where its main influence was religion. During this time of the Middle Ages, there were many outside invasions. These invasions led to dangers in traveling which caused towns and cities to become self-dependent. Unstable times and self-dependency pushed people to seek answers in religion. Religion became very important to the point that many orders of religion, especially Christianity, arose and Gothic architecture demonstrates this influence. Cathedrals and castles were made during this time, although most of the focus was on cathedrals. Cathedrals demonstrate how important religion became to society. These ideals were illustrated through architectural characteristics and details. Some examples of the architectural characteristics used were cruciform plans, height, vertical emphasis, and light. Some of the details which helped the architectural characteristics are pointed ribbed vaults, flying buttresses, pointed arches, and clerestory windows. Cruciform plans in cathedrals were created through a long nave and transepts which symbolizes the cross of Jesus’ crucifixion. Height, in the cathedrals, was used to support the cathedrals vertical emphasis through towers and spires. Vertical emphasis, or verticality, was used to emphasize spirituality by guiding the viewer’s eye up and was illustrated through pointed vaults with help from pointed arches and flying buttresses. Light was also a way to support the emphasis of spirituality and was expressed through clerestory windows that were made possible because of pointed vaults.

Reading comprehension 4

1. Egypt, Rome and Greece are considered the foundation of architecture. They were the beginning and set the standard for everything else that followed. Gothic architecture sets the stage for how during the same time period there can be many differences with minor shared qualities. However, once Renaissance architecture came to along that changed. Although, there were still differences among one another, due to location and the time it took for this wave of new ideas to arrive. During the Renaissance, there was a combination of differences and commonalities based on the revival of the classics – Egypt, Rome and Greece, especially Rome – because of the discovery of Pompeii. Baroque architecture followed the Renaissance, which was then followed by Rococo and Neoclassicism. These design periods – Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassicism – were inspired by the Renaissance, which were inspired by Greece and Rome. Although, they are different time periods, they have common design languages. These common design languages can be seen through different scales, from an artifact to a place, focusing on Rococo and Early Neoclassicism.
   
   Starting off with the smallest scale are artifacts. Examples of these artifacts are the Neo-Palladian/Georgian desk/bookcase with chinoiserie decoration; American Georgian Windsor chair; French Provincial tall clock by Martin Carlin; late English Georgian state bed in Osterely Park; and American Federal Sheraton side chair; they all share wood as a material and classical decorative details. Throughout these artifacts repetition is the strongest design principle seen through its use of wood and its decorative detailing, like swags and gilding as well as egg and dart. The next scale up would be space, seen through Holkham Hall saloon, Gunston Hall stair hall, Marie Antoinette's bedroom in Fountainbleau, Saltram House saloon, Gardner-Pingree House parlor. The common design, within these spaces, is high vaulted ceilings and balance. Balance is seen through floor plan/placement of other essential items and bordering.

Point 2: The Fathers of Architecture

There are many meanings and definitions to the word foundation. However let us focus on two definitions found on dictionary.com, “the basis or groundwork of anything” and “the act of founding, setting up, establishing, etc.” In the case of foundations, the time periods covered were Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The reason this section covers these eras are because of its significance as founders, or ancestors, to the rest of architecture. It starts off in Egypt, then on to Greece who inherits certain styles and details from them, and lastly to Rome who does the same with Greece. Throughout these times, certain themes surface and design movements occur.


Although Mesopotamia and Sumeria were the first settlements, their main influence to architecture deals with stacking which the Egyptians took for themselves. Life in Egypt of continual certainty was vastly different from Mesopotamia and Sumeria’s continual uncertainty, who were constantly at war with invaders. The Egyptians had a more peaceful life because of their location which did not allow easy accessibility to outside intrusion. The Nile River had an endless cycle which allowed for continuous farming; and this continuous farming led the Egyptians to belief in an afterlife. Egyptians were influenced by Mesopotamia’s and Sumeria’s architectural stacking and created mastabas, which were burial sites for priests made out of mud-brick or stone. The building of mastabas led to the building of pyramids, which were tombs for pharaohs and the royal family. The most commonly known pyramids are the Pyramids of Giza. However, pyramids were not only inspired by mastabas but they became structures with their own implications. Its biggest implication dealt with competition in a masculine way by out doing each other in grandeur. Most pharaohs were men but there were occasionally women who ruled Egyptian, sparingly. Out of the few female pharaohs, Queen Hatschepsut was an example of a pharaoh who did not compete with the other male pharaohs by building a pyramid. Instead, she built a temple that closely emulated mastabas. Her temple was only two stories high, closer to the ground than a pyramid, and had many openings that allowed her people to feel welcomed when they came to worship – that might have been partially due to her peaceful nature and joining of Upper and Lower Egypt during her reign. Another place for worship similar in significance as a precedent for Ancient Greece is the Hypostyle Hall at the Temple of Karnak. The Hypostyle Hall was part of the Karnak temple that contains columns and hieroglyphics, which influenced Greek architecture greatly.

Similar to Mesopotamia and Sumeria and unlike Ancient Egypt, Greece was not as secluded from the rest of the ancient world. Since Greece was mostly surrounded by water and full of mountainous terrain, it was more susceptible to invaders. That vulnerability influenced some of its architecture which included walled cities especially those along the coast. Greece had easy access to the water, which allowed them to sail frequently around the Mediterranean Sea. While visiting new places, such as Egypt, these discoveries influenced the development of Greek culture. The developments encouraged individuality which led a more philosophical and logic state of mind. As previously mentioned, the most influential details the Greeks incorporated into their architecture from the Egyptians were columns and hieroglyphics. In the Egyptian’s case, their columns were inspired by plant materials – for example the lotus bud, stem, flower, and papyrus blossom – and had hieroglyphics carved into them. The Greeks took the idea of columns and put their own touch to them which later introduced three of the ‘Five Orders’ – Tuscan, Doric, and Ionic. Egyptian hieroglyphics became friezes and carved statues in the Greek world inspired by plants and patterns. The encouragement of individual development led to concepts of idealism and perfection which were attempted in its architecture but never truly achieved. The best example of this endeavor is the Parthenon at the Acropolis in Athens. It was meant to be the most ideal building; however it has imperfections, like different sized columns to give an optical illusion of proportion. These architectural details continue to pass along into a new era, Ancient Rome.

The next most influential era that came after Greece was Rome. Greece influenced Rome’s architecture greatly by becoming its revival, as well as a melting pot for different cultures. Unlike Greek civilization with its city-states, Roman culture spread much farther, becoming a collective and leading into an empire. Based on this Greek influence, Rome assimilated its architecture and then adapted to their ideas and concepts. In Ancient Greece, columns were fundamental parts of a building – they had a structural function – but in Rome they became a decorative element to a building, which introduced the Corinthian Order. The friezes and statues from Greece remained during Roman times but frescoes and trompe l’oeil decorations were also added to its decorative element. However, Rome’s architectural forms where not constant throughout the entire empire because of its extensive borders. Instead the farther away from the center of Rome – Athens – you were, the more the original forms were altered to accommodate the smaller cultures on the outskirts of the empire. These alterations influenced other parts of the world and the cycle continued.

Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome are considered foundations for elements in architecture. Ancient Egypt can be considered the prototype, the beginning model that the Greeks used for their own building. While the Greeks can be seen as the archetypes, an improved model which the Romans continued to improve upon. And Rome, as the hybrid of both with Corinthian columns that are closely related to Egyptian columns in appearance with lotus capitals; and frescoes inspired from Greek friezes. The Colosseum, in Rome, is a great example of Roman architecture as a hybrid. It has Doric columns on the lower floor, followed by Ionic and Corinthian columns, and ending with Corinthian pilasters – as shown in the image below.



Colosseum
http://www.citypictures.net/r-europe-148-italy-222-rome-220-the-colosseum-rome-italy-2569.htm



Reading Comprehension 3

My drawing of the Salisbury Cathedral

Salisbury Cathedral was built in England during the Middle Ages (1220 and 1258). The building of cathedrals was very popular during that time. Part of that was due to the time. Unlike Greek and Roman times where it was more of a big community, the Middle Ages were of smaller communities – there was no empire. Because of the fact that the community during the Middle Ages was much smaller, there were different influences throughout the land. Although, all the cathedrals have similarities because of its function, there were also differences. Some of the examples that are different from Salisbury are Cologne Cathedral, Notre-Dame de Amiens Cathedral, and Florence Duomo Cathedral.

When looking at the interiors between both cathedrals, it can be difficult to distinguish Cologne from Salisbury. Both have a strong sense of verticality and gothic arches. The differences are noticeable but not very apparent. Both interiors are lightly colored the impression of a long nave. However, Salisbury’s nave is narrower than Cologne’s nave. I believe that the reason both interiors are so similar, even though they were built in different areas and different times is because of its Catholic influence. On the contrary, their exteriors are vastly different. Cologne has a harsher appearance on the outside, mirroring the tight urban setting of Germany that it is placed in. Salisbury has a lighter outward appearance that reflects the Romanesque time period of the light and airy architecture of England. Another apparent difference between these two cathedrals would be that Cologne has two spires at the entrance, whereas Salisbury only has one. This further emphasizes the upward and uptight urban setting and the emphasis of verticality that Cologne has.

In the case of Amiens and Salisbury, their biggest difference is based on the time frame in which it was built. Both cathedrals began construction at the same time, in 1220. However, Amiens took longer in building – Salisbury was completed in 1258, while Amiens was completed in 1410. Salisbury has a Romanesque influence with a flatter façade and repetitive ornamentation throughout its levels, while Amiens has the beginnings of Renaissance in being more decorative which can be seen in its clerestory and stained glass – because of this different in completion, there are visible differences. Based on these differences, Amiens seems to have a longer story due to the different generations who built it. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is a coherent story.

Lastly, Duomo is different from Salisbury based on its patronage. In the case of Duomo, the patrons donated money for the construction of the cathedral, unlike Salisbury which was completely governed by the clergy – monetary-wise. Although, it does not necessarily seem to matter who is paying the bill as long as the building remains in tact as a whole, design-wise, some issues may arise. One big issue is on whoever pays will affect the way the structure is arranged, as far as size of space. Unfortunately, the question can arises on whether it is appropriate for a patron to undermine the cost of a building campaign at the expense of using that money for more socially conscious purposes. My belief is that it does not because during that time cathedrals were considered social works for the community. I also believe that the patronage helps to understand the underpinnings of the design profession as one of collaboration and working together because of the monetary help they give. It is important to the churches because collaboration and working together was important to the churches of the Middle Ages because community and religious beliefs were very strong during this time.