MACRO TO MICRO
COMPOSITION- the act of combining parts or elements to form a whole (dictionary.com)
I am currently taking Intro to Art taught by Professor Perrill and composition is something very important throughout that class thus far. But I believe composition is very vital to virtually anything we see in life. From art to a landscape to food to anything that comes to mind. “In contrast to Greek architecture, which can be described as sculptural masses set in balanced contrast to the landscape, Roman architecture, as Heinz Kahler has noted, is an architecture of space, enclosed internal space and outdoor space, on a grand scale.” (Roth 247) Now this might not be the best quotation to pull from the reading but I believe it can be related to composition because these ancient cities had such a gorgeous composition. All the way on a satellite scale, to the composition of the very interiors. The locations of the buildings seemed to be composed perfectly, like so much planning went into there very place where they would eventually be built. Composition in my mind, is almost what makes these places so memorable because I know one day Patrick gave us a lecture of Apollo and the whole city basically, and the way it was composed was how I know it now. From the entrance all the way to Pantheon, it paints really such a vivid picture.
PORCH: COURT: HEARTH- three very important fundamentals that usually are present in the smallest of designs to the grandest of them
I think this theory was first introduced to me when we began our discussion of ancient Greece, before then I was not familiar with this idea. I actually think this is very true, and it is embedded in almost every piece of architecture to date. We were stating how even your very own house encompasses these things, such as the porch would be the entry way into the house or court. The court would be like the foyer or place when you first walk into the room, and lastly the hearth would basically be the heart of the structure, which in a suburban household would typically be the living room or probably the kitchen. What amazes me about this idea of everything having this within it, is that it actually is true in my mind. My house that I live in I consider to have all three of these vital parts and structures on a more massive scale have these included also such as the Pantheon in ancient Rome.
DIAGRAM- a figure, usually consisting of a line drawing, made to accompany and illustrate a geometrical theorem, mathematical demonstration, etc. (dictionary.com)
Drafting really is the one word that comes to my mind first when thinking of diagram, because drafting is many different types of drawing or diagrams. There are section views, two point perspectives or three point ones, elevation views, actual renderings, floor plans, and every single drawing is basically a diagram to aid the builder in constructing it accurately. A diagram is used though however in many different subject, commonly in math and statistics and communications and almost everything uses diagrams from time to time. Albert Einstein said, “concern for man and his fate must always form the chief interest of all technical endeavors. Never forget this in the midst of your diagrams and equations.” I think this quote means that even in the beginning stages of a design, the diagrams/drawings you want to keep in mind what you want and desire your final product to come out like and to help you strive for that.
IMPRESSION- the first and immediate effect of an experience or perception upon the mind; sensation (dictionary.com)
“Like the Egyptians and the Greeks, the Romans were significantly shaped by the geography in which they happened to arise and by the impact of the almost incessant warfare that this geography seemed to make almost usual.” (Roth 247) Even though the Romans did borrow on previous societies to some extent, they made it their own style. They took ideas from the Grecian ways and added on to it, and built on to it with their own designs which allowed for many different and new designs f structures that the world had not yet seen before. That is one thing we talked about last week in Patricks class was how can we tell when it’s okay to borrow from ideas to make it something new, rather then just merely copying a design and making something that’s already been done before. But I think what the Roman society did was genius, they created a lasting impression really for the world from that time on... Even now when we see this place, we are shocked of its scale... at least I am because using really just two new materials which would be concrete and mortar we are graced by such beautiful and innovative designs which have yet to be seen by the world up until this period.
DETAILS- particulars considered individually and in relation to a whole (dictionary.com)
This is just an excerpt from a quote by Leland Roth that says, “perhaps no other single building so sums up Roman building achievement as does the Pantheon. It exploits concrete building technology to it’s fullest; it defines simply yet powerfully a clear geometry that assumes universal and cosmic significance, at a scale that never fails to evoke awe.” (Roth 259) I believe this quote is made true purely to the scale of this structure and the detail within the pantheon. It borrows on previous designs such as the front facade has incorporated in it, columns and it adds on new styles such as the dome at the rear of the structure. And at the peak of the dome is an opening called the oculus. This amazing structure has such intricate detail throughout it, beginning at the front in the columns working, and working into the concrete walls and the sunken panels within called coffers. This building really tells just in it, what Rome is all about; you could like at this single building just by itself as a manifesto for what lied ahead for the great and powerful Roman society.
REFLECTION
As Christianity was finally growing and expanding rapidly the architecture was becoming much more involved and more meaningful, and within it served as a major function. No longer were structures being built only for one head figure, buildings were being designed for all types of people, and commoners were starting to design and we were getting much more easy to relate to architecture. “We sometimes speak of “the fall of the Roman Empire,” as though, on a particular day, there was a sudden collapse. In fact, it was more a gradual transformation, occurring over more than a century, marking the change from a pagan empire to a Christian empire.” (Roth 275) Throughout this week we finally finished up on our first unit, that being Foundations and I feel like I’ve learned quite a bit thus far and I am looking forward to covering the future civilizations and their architecture. I am stressing about it already because we will be moving more deeply into our presidential analysis, and all the drawings and the scale model are somewhat intimidating at this point, but hopefully in the end I’m sure I’ll be fine.
Citations
Understanding Architecture It's Elements, History, and Meaning
Leland M. Roth
No comments:
Post a Comment