Opus 11, Road Trip

PROMPTS

ROOTS

Roots, a term even a kid is familiar with but when I think of it now days... not much has changed. I'd say just my definition of the word has somewhat expanded and I have different views on how I think of roots. I think that architecture creates new roots for its own good, but also it branches out along previous roots and creates new roots with similar qualities. "Classical inspiration, the use of smooth surfaces to envelop the three-dimensional form, love of the exotic, sumptuous materials and repeated geometric motifs characterize the Art Deco style.” (Massey 91) The Art Deco style is somewhat a new root, it branches off of previous roots to further create new and innovative roots for itself. 

My 1st attempt at using Chart Pak's, not so sure...

CONGRUENCE

Math and my middle/high school years is probably what comes to mind first when I think of congruence. I think it is an agreement of the space and nothing conflicts or has any problems it is at harmony with it’s entirety. Roth states that “the ultimate aim of all visual arts is the complete building... Together let us desire, conceive, and create the new structure of the future...” (Roth 523) I think this is what the word congruence is all about, creating unity within a structure and everything eventually working itself out and being a unified piece in the end. 

I feel like the HSB Turning Torso is a perfect example of congruency. 

CONCEPT

Everything in architecture, drafting, art really all has a concept to it. Almost anything I can think of starts with just a simple concept even if it’s in the head, it’s still a concept to some extent. Just what you choose to do with that is up to you, that’s certainly the beauty of it. A quote I stumbled upon in Roth was about Walter Gropius that says, “Behren’s conception of the architect as the shaper of form and taste, as exemplified in his buildings for the AEG, attracted a number of young architects to his Berlin office.” (Roth 521) Concepts are very important especially if you intend on creating also a prototype, archetype, and eventually a hybrid. 

This was my initial concept for my drawing, beginning stages. 

MATERIALITY

Materials are definitely one of the key components to any design, because the material within itself can be viewed as a single part of the structure. And in my mind, it’s sometimes what makes or breaks a design for me, because I look for something different then your typical materials, or a new exciting way to use those materials. I know that when I start my studio classes in the Fall that I will get to experiment with various materials that I’ve never had the chance to work with before and quite honestly I’ve never gotten a chance to work with many materials at all, so I am looking forward to it for sure. “The lavish Hall of Mirrors and Palm Court have ornamental metalwork balustrades in the style of Edgar Brandt, with exquisite glass and metal lamps.” (Massey 109) 

I tried creating a woody, grainy looking material using Chart Pak's.

COMPRESSION : RELEASE

I think this term is pretty tricky actually, because I can think of compressing as compressing a drawing to a new smaller scale to accommodate a smaller piece of paper. Or I can think of it like a computer does and compresses all the vital information like when installing a new OS or something along those lines, it compresses all that vital info because it will rarely be used by the person who physically uses the computer. But release is where I have trouble relating, I think possibly release refers very much onto the modern era were now when talking about releasing to the world really, idea’s that we Americans have for our new modern cities and what there going to be about and stand for in our world. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe said “I see industrialization the central problem of building in our time. If we succeed in carrying out this industrialization, the social, economic, technical, and also artistic problems will be readily solved.” (Roth 527)

REFLECTION

So all I can really think to say in this reflection is I SO WISH I GOT TO VISIT FALLING WATER!

CITATIONS

Understanding Architecture Its Elements, History, and Meaning

Leland M. Roth

Interior Design Since 1900

Anne Massey