week 7 blogg

Week 7 Video Blog 1. Prairie Style¬ Frank Lloyd Wright challenged Americans to come out of their boxy houses and live wide open. One of the most important things to remember is that even though he did create some noteworthy large scale buildings Frank Lloyd Wright was a designer of houses for the ordinary man. His basic concepts of time, place and landscape evolved into the Prairie style of architecture, as it reflects the prairies of the Midwest, which continues to have influence in the world of architecture today. Wright’s designs incorporate a seamless integration of outdoor landscape with indoor living space. His houses were designed to follow the sun and with floor to ceiling windows to create unity between home and the natural landscape. His homes grew out of the surrounding landscape. Initially the homes may look unusual on the outside for his style was to not center the front door. Upon entering a guest may feel claustrophobic because his ceiling were low (6” 4”) but after ascending a few stairs one is greeted with a flowing open space design. Two things I found interesting were that his reasoning for the low ceilings was to force the occupants to look outside and he often built in furniture so that others could not change his design. One of the other significant ideas Wright built into his homes was that he put the fireplace in the middle of the house to signify that it was the hearth of the home. In creating his “organic” relationship to the natural environment it is no wonder that architectural historians have called him one of the greatest architects of all time. His style led to the design of houses called bungalows. This video added a greater depth of understanding of Frank Lloyd Wright beyond what I read in the textbook. Living in Buffalo I have never had the urge to visit the house he designed in the city and now I do. 2. Architecture: The Science of Design I never thought about it but it makes sense that architecture is not just an art but also a science. With the advent of the use of steel and concrete and the limited space, especially in large cities, came the skyscraper. These buildings must stand up to gravity, wind, precipitation and earthquakes and it was interesting to watch and learn more how architects meet this challenge. One fact that was very interesting was that skyscrapers do in fact sway in high winds. The trick is to design a building that sways but within the international guidelines that are established. It was also a point of interest that skyscrapers also create wind speeds at ground level because of their size. The use of concrete in building structures that can be poured, molded, prefabricated and now comes in colors directly influenced the building of these massive structures. A skyscraper actually has two structures, the superstructure that is above ground level and the substructure that is below ground level, which must support both the dead and living weight of the building. Two interesting facts I learned is that reinforced concrete never breaks abruptly and that the ideal condition for hardening concrete is underwater. The intelligent home was something else and I would like to see one that exists outside of the movies. The smart apartment, that is voice controlled, by a computer was also interesting. I think about all the items that are available for preprogramming that exist and it only makes sense to have it all centralized. I thought this video was interesting and added depth to the knowledge I read in the textbook. 3. Classical Architecture I have to start off saying that the quality of this video was very poor and that made it difficult to follow and focus on. If I hadn’t watched the two videos prior to this and tried it on different computers I would blame it on my computer. That said I like classical architecture and I felt that this video added to my knowledge and understanding of it beyond the textbook. I do have to note that I am glad I read the textbook first so that I had a basic understanding of the vocabulary and concepts that were discussed in the video. The characteristics of Greek and Roman architecture are harmony, proportion, balance and simplicity. The three Greek orders include the three different styles of columns the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. All three are comprised of a pedestal, column and emblature. The simplest of the three is the Doric and the most decorative is the Corinthian which has leaves at the top. The Greek and Roman built great buildings to reflect importance and greatness and this is still true in today’s world. This video was geared to tracing classical architecture in England however many of the concepts hold true in America. Most roads lead back to the classics and architects using new technologies create buildings to reflect history in modern ways. 4. ¬Imperial Rome, Osita, and Portus: Ancient Architecture and Technology I chose this video for two reasons, first my interest and attraction to classical architecture, and second because my cousin just visited Italy and that is all he talks about. I have to say I was amazed at how many concepts that exist in our world were parts of the world in ancient times. The use of concrete construction, thermal windows, aqueducts, and heating systems (for baths) was very interesting. I was disappointed to learn, because of my heritage, that while the Romans were not technological inventors, they were great developers of technology, and possessed the imagination and the ability to organize ideas on a large scale. The world can thank the Greeks and the many other worlds the Romans conquered for many of the concepts were rely on in everyday life. One of the most interesting parts of this video was the mosaic work that allows to gain knowledge into how the people lived. The work outside the warehouses depicted the measurement and storage of grain where as the work in the port was of ships and how the grain was actually delivered. The mosaics further demonstrated how the Romans conquered other lands in that the stones used in the mosaics were from Sparta, Egypt and northern Africa. One very interesting thing I learned is that the Pantheon that exists today is actually the third to be built as the first two were destroyed by fire. The Pantheon is the most famous imperial temple. It is a temple to honor “all the gods.” I never before realized that the actual worship was to take place outside of the temple and that the building itself was intended as a home for the gods. One of the biggest blocks of marble that is known to exist in the portico of the Pantheon. One of the well known features of the Pantheon is the ocular or eye at the center of the top of the dome which gives an eye into heaven. I am glad I chose this video it was interesting and gave me insight into the ancient world and the impact it has on modern life today.