Alternatives Summary

Blakeni in her alternatives post defines alternatives by saying that it’s “a choice between mutually exclusive possibilities.” She then goes on to talk about the Gothic period that was one of enlightenment, scale, span, light. She describes the Gothic period so vividly making it feel so massive and powerful just like the crafts people wanted you feel in that very space. They wanted you to feel overwhelmed and feel exactly what that structure was for, you knew in that very space that there was something higher than yourself.

The next style we arrive at is the Renaissance, where Leslie says our very principles of design are created. It’s where rules are broken and where we finally see rise to some beautiful makings. She says that moving away from the Gothic style we get a chance for boundaries to be crossed, it’s where people start designing for themselves and finding themselves through the structures. 

And lastly in the alternatives unit we have Cassie that talks about how the Renaissance led to the next style, which is that of Baroque and later Rococo. She specifically talks about Bernini’s Cornano Chapel and the complexity of things happening inside it. She characterizes Baroque as having heavy architectural elements and being excessive, but she says Rococo was a response to that heaviness. Elements that incorporated in the Rococo narrower sways, shells, and other nature-inspired ornamentation.