Mock, US 3

Unit three was about explorations in design from culture to culture. Each designer sought out to create the top modern building, they each tried to go above and beyond and do something different. The design was more about pleasure and enjoyment, one quote in particular describes this unit best—“ The right question to ask, respecting all ornament, is simple this: was it done with enjoyment?” by Ruskin.

The world’s fairs were about competing to be the best. Each country thought they had the best designers and the best buildings. The fairs were about festivities, exhibits, expositions, and expos. Their purpose was to be commemorative, commercial, collaborative, and celebrate modernism. They celebrated relationships between art and culture, big business, industry, design, social interests, inventions, and change. The buildings were made to be temporary, which translates to this day and age, objects now have a purposeful short life span because new innovations are always coming along. As innovations came along, materials changed—they used to be glass and iron, but overtime the exterior had a classical style, while the interior was traditional. These designs translated into many designs, many designers began to mix materials. They would have traditional designs mixed with modern objects to balance each other out. The Guaranty Building in New York is an example of mixed styles. It had the modern geometry on the structural part, but for the decorations it mixed classical design it had motifs of nature incorporated on the border.

The Ward-Willets home by Frank Lloyd Wright was a prairie style home; it used a fluid and open plan. It also had the chimney in the middle rather than on the side of the house. His style was all about is original, totality, and pen floor plans. Other houses by Wright, such as the Robie House, had interesting floor plans. The Robie house was narrow and skinny, but it was also in the Prairie style. It was built to fit the landscape, instead of building the landscape around the house. The sides of the house hid the front door. It was all about horizontal and parallel lines.

Technology, history, and locality all influenced modernism. The new innovations that came about shaped design through the years, but the history still played an important role in the fundamental basics of design. Modernism depended on regionalism however. An example of modernism challenging history is the pyramid at the Louvre. The pyramids were obviously meant to contrast with the beautiful building, it was meant for a gathering space. It completely takes away from the courtyards at the Louver.  Modernism can be seen as something original and common, as each designer seeks to be both original and modern. However, modernism can contrast with classical and fundamental design.

Mock, BP 14, 221 IAR

 I love old television sets, this object is simple and sleek for the time period it was in. The design is simple-- a square and circles, stacked on legs or a stand. It was the new modern thing and I think that even this day and age, it still looks modern. I love the idea of incorporating antique styles in with the moder to balance things out. I think that it would fit nicely in any modern or old school home. 















My top place is most definitely a library. Library designs have the potential to be very creative, with all the stacking going on. The layers show depth and wonder, a interesting library design can the books look mysterious and appealing. The books inspire creativity in people, that make it possible to design today. 


















As far as buildings go, I am fascinated with earth homes. An example of one is the Earth House Estate Lattenstrasse located in Dietikon, Switzerland. These houses are built partially underground and are naturally protected from wind, rain, temperatures, etc. They are usually built out of sustainable materials and not to mention they look like something out of a fairytale! 
















My favorite place is Rome, I think they created the fundamental concepts of design and city layout. Their ideas are still considered today, all architecture is built on top of their theories. 

Mock, Extra Credit Assignment

Some people may think that interior design is just plain creativity and that school is not important, but it is important to learn the history of the designers before you, their thoughts, and the foundation of designs. After you have learned the framework of design is when you express your personal beliefs into your design space. School helps you earn your credentials as a designer, which is essential to get further in your career and allows you to have more cliental and create bigger design spaces. It is also a good idea to take a holistic approach to design, if you stick with one subject matter and one material, you cannot grow and learn through experience as a designer. I also think that one cannot just go to school and suddenly become a designer like the media wants to portray, there has to be some sort of motivation, experience, and passion behind what you are creating, if not then you would just be a designer on your graduation certificate. The media over exaggerates a designers life, they make it look fabulous and easy, but in reality it is stressful and requires much thought and knowledge. The media also makes it look affordable; the stuff on HGTV usually looks cheap and craft-like, not artistic. The Eames thought of what design really is includes—simplicity, functionality, and thoughtful. Anyone cannot just throw something together and call themselves a designer, it requires skill and motivation.

Mock, Blog Post 13, IAR 221

Scandinavian architecture has influenced the rest of the modernism movement incredibly. For example, Aalto's Villa Mairea. "Aalto's understanding of space is more Cubist... in the asymmetrical tensions that exist in the plan between solid and void and between the implied square of the garden and the house, which in clamped in one corner... the house appears to be growing and expanding over time," (Ching ,743). I think that quotes sums up modernism nicely... "growing and expanding over time." In the Villa Mariea, wood and rustic wooden nails were used, but offset by steel railings for the interior. The use of mixed materials is interesting in this movement, some designers think it's outrageous to use such different materials, but in Aaltos and other Scandinavians, it works. The eclectic style breaks the modernist mold into something different, it sets apart, but also flows with the landscape that is sits on.


http://www.rampub.com/architecture/978-952-5371-31-4

Mock, Reading Response 13, IAR 221

http://www.sustainy.com/?p=675

http://trooperworld.wikidot.com/dymaxion-homes

http://users.design.ucla.edu/~djvmc/24/bucky/house.html

Mock, BP 12, Iar 221

Whether it be made from wood or clay, a bowl is a universal design. Bowls are functional in every society, for collecting food, eating, or just holding objects. It's a good design for all because it meets top functionality score and it can also be delightful, depending on what material is used in which society. However different materials could raise the delight score and lower the functionality score, like wire or fabric. The bowl has been around since the beginning of civilization and the circular form is a universal shape.

Mock, Reading Response 12, iar221

Fluidity and Delight 

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/aa/dd/04/isaac-bell-house.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60978-d105958-Reviews-Isaac_Bell_House-Newport_Rhode_Island.html&usg=__u_7PxvD7LyNIzIxT9OZws_bBNkY=&h=365&w=550&sz=41&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=r6RoI_AizAz6qM:&tbnh=124&tbnw=166&ei=YxGhTa_0GZSTtweE5OX0Ag&prev=/images%3Fq%3Disaac%2Bbell%2Bhouse%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1C1SKPL_enUS409US409%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D709%26tbm%3Disch0%2C304&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=323&vpy=252&dur=391&hovh=182&hovw=275&tx=187&ty=95&oei=YxGhTa_0GZSTtweE5OX0Ag&page=1&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:19,s:0&biw=1280&bih=709

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTw8UsFhRpfW6_CNzDrpFkVdktfY78l28L931b5czITtQQlANAX

Mock, Unit Summary 2, IAR 221

Reverberations in Architecture are all about expressions of faith and culture. The term “Dark Ages” is a misnomer when it comes to the architecture of the time, it was actually quite extravagate and beautiful, it also extremely influential. Religion and celebration of faith are two key elements of architecture in this unit. The three major religions—Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam are on the rise, which in turn concludes that empire and architecture are on the rise.

            The early churches are transforming during this unit, it evolved to have a cross shape, with a circle in the middle, creating a sacred space.  The Hagia Sophia is a great example of a church; it is located in Istanbul, Turkey. Light danced around the building, making the mosaics sparkle. In Gothic Architecture, mosaics, light, and windows are three important elements. They show icons of the church and tell stories for those who cannot read, letting everyone worship in these churches. A quote by Thomas Fuller ties up Gothic Architecture beautifully, “Light, God’s eldest daughter, is a principle beauty in a building.” These churches were about letting the eye dance around while catching the universe inside the church to create a sacred space.

            Buildings were not only used to tell stories, but also to create maps, used to create a mental image of the world and the universe, which is what religion is—a view of the universe from a certain perspective. Gothic cathedrals stretched vertically, pointing upwards towards the heavens. They were made of glass to reflect and draw in the light from the heavens. Ste. Madeline in France is a great example of a Gothic cathedral. It was a pilgrim church, with much visual language so that even the uneducated could learn the stories.

            Breaking the rules and shifting links is also important in this unit. As exploration becomes popular, different architectural styles come to the surface and we see a shift or breaking of the rules. The Chateau de Chambord breaks the rules in an obvious way. It combines gothic and renaissance styles in one building. The top is crazy and ridiculous, while the bottom represents the renaissance quietly.

            As a quest for change, rule breakage, and faith, sweep throughout Europe and influence the Architecture of the time, we cannot for get about Versailles. The king wants to be the most important person, showing his power and wealth; therefore he shows his control of the landscape through this building. It was all about material and power, he was “the sun king.”

            To sum up this unit—a nautical shell ties it all together. As time goes by the shell gets a little bit bigger, as the styles of architecture changes. We start with the dark ages and the Gothic cathedrals where music and mosaics are important. Then we go along to other churches that are more spread out and create maps. Then we go to the breaking of the rules and exploration to find the most modern thing of its time. Then, for the king and the people who wanted to be like the king, wealth and materials were important. It is important to realize that as each building came about, they were trying to be the most modern building out there.

Mock, BP 11, iar221

My understanding o f modernism is that is is creating something new and update, it's usually thought to be trendy, but it is important to note that it is almost always copying an old style or model. A modern building that captures my attention is right here in Greensboro, the Proximity hotel. It is a "modern" building, that uses the up to date trends, but incorporates sustainable practices into the building in many ways. A few examples are: it uses geothermal energy, a green rooftop, and solar panels. 
As you see above it has a sleek appearance on the outside, the windows are repeated throughout the entire building, but the windows at the top have a simple design. The entrance is well defined. The movement throughout the outside of the building tends to a be straight, proportional lines.

Above, the colors are very bright, but still bold. The linear lines are offset by the winding stair cases.

From my own experience, many modern buildings (and most throughout history) incorporate the natural world in some way. Proximity has a natural space with plants and open light. Many modern buildings also incorporate sustainable practices, as it seems to a trend throughout out the 21 century. The use of solar panels and recycled materials are becoming more popular. Modernism is all about what is popular and what is trendy.

Mock Reading Response 11 Theory iar 221

Nature v. Architecture

http://www.gothereguide.com/casa+mila+barcelona-place/

http://www.havetravelfun.com/spain/barcelonhttp://www.allposters.com/-sp/Casa-Mila-Gaudi-s-Last-Work-of-Civic-Architecture-Posters_i3576890_.htma/2001/barcelona-011125.htm