MACRO:MICRO

Porch/Court/Hearth

Beginning with the early Greeks, a new wave in the design cycle arose, creating a new theory in architecture and interiors that began to shape the design world and influence every building structure from that time forward. The porch, court, hearth theory suggests that every building, city, or structure has a specific space that fits the commodity of a porch, a court, and a hearth. The porch, would be defined as the “entryway” or the beginning. It can be a literal porch, as on a residential home, or a figurative porch, as in the Acropolis in Athens. The court, or the meeting area, is where people congregate to interact with each other and entertain company. The Hearth is the more private section of the space, where only certain groups of people are to enter.  These structures, or sections, of a home or building are a “tripartite arrangement [that] begins with the reception spaces and is followed by the great hall and a private section.” (Blakemore 6) Blakemore shows how this arrangement unifies the design and how a building cannot be complete without one of the three. It defines the space and the sections within it, allowing its users to move comfortably through the space and using it effectively.

Composition

A composition includes arranging things in a way that makes it an easily coherent and well-designed structure or image. In our studio critiques, there are always several comments made about the compositions as a whole, but I feel as though something cannot be a composition unless it is well designed in a way that makes it easily comprehensible. If a design considers the basic principles of design, such as commodity, firmness, and delight, then it can effectively be considered a composition. 

Impression

Impression can be defined as the first and immediate effect of an experience or perception upon the mind. It evokes a certain sensation in a person, causing them to experience a space in a unique way. For example, the Salisbury Cathedral we discussed in History this week gives off a certain impression when you are standing beside it. “The Gothic cathedral was yet another byproduct of the Crusades, for when the first crusades saw Constantinople on their way to the Holy Land, they marveled at the size and wealth of the city and the vast scale and splendor…” (Roth 328) It is such a majestic building and awes the viewer, giving off a distinct impression. 

Another example of a structure that evokes a certain impression, is Stonehenge. The majestic quality of the structure itself presents a great impression on the person experiencing it. The magnitude of the structure evokes a sense of inferiority in a person. The studio project from this week required us to create a portal, drawing influence and aspects of a certain precedent building or structure. I was assigned Stonehenge. I felt as though the most important part of Stonehenge was the mystery of its construction and the magnitude of the structure. This gives off a certain impression to the viewer, making them experience the impact of the greatness of the structure and leaving them with an everlasting sensation.

Detail

Details enable a designer to zoom in and really concentrate on the smaller aspects of a building or structure. Many times, it is human nature to just take in the magnitude of a composition as a whole and ignore the more miniscule aspects. The details, sometimes give more of an impression than the composition as a whole. This week, Suzanne had us continue on our building project, and instead of zooming out and capturing a moment, we were to zoom in and concentrate on the details of the space. I feel as though it really helped me actually consider the smaller aspects of a building or structure that are just as important to its composition as the building itself. 

Diagram

A diagram is helpful in drawing out different aspects of a building, space, or city. It aids in the comprehension of how people interact with the space in terms of traffic, fixed elements, circulation spaces, and the visual aspects of a building. There are several types of diagrams that can be helpful when defining various aspects of the space: Analytical Diagrams, Zoning Diagrams, Matrix Diagrams, Bubble Diagrams, and many more. In Suzanne’s class, we have continued even further on our building projects, and have progressed to diagramming the space within our group. We are covering several different important things, such as circulation, context, function, hierarchy, and gesture. Hailey Sudderth and I worked together to diagram the circulation space of the Ferguson building. We highlighted the central locations where people congregate and the human traffic flow throughout the building.