Coming Full Circle

Authenticity

Authenticity can be defined as genuineness and anything that is uncorrupted. It shows that something is pure and undisturbed.

 

Stewardship

Stewardship usually contains a person who is appointed to supervise the affairs of that group and designate certain functions they are to undertake. In design, a specific element of the design and space can often dictate and designate emphasis or functions to another part of the design. For example, in our Sacred Space project, many people took certain elements of their design and allowed them to take on required functions. As in my space, the focal point was centered on the glass block window covering and that essentially paved the way for the rest of the design. The forms were mirrored for different functions and the stewardship was made eminent through that.

 

Innovation

A creation or experimentation of something new is known as an innovation. An innovative design is something that introduces a new technique or design feature to the world of design and its surroundings and environment.

 

Community

A community is a social group of any size whose members resides in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage. 

[pair]ing Down

Meditation/celebration

The duality between meditation and celebration can be defined clearly through differences as well as similarities that unify the two words. Meditation deals more with creating a calm, serene atmosphere, whilst celebration “meditates” on a certain aspect of the design. For example, my “sacred space” project for studio is theoretically divided into two spaces, one that is a more relaxing and meditative space created by the clean, quiet, atmosphere while the other induces a certain feeling of chaos in its visitor. It is a more celebratory section in that it celebrates the overlapping of squares and the feeling it creates by displaying a reoccurring theme throughout the entire portion of the room.

 

Light/Shadow

Light and the absence of light is another duality discussed largely through the world of design. Light is an important aspect of a design and can basically “make or break” a project. Light enhances an object, structure, or space, and allows it to come alive by being illuminated in that light. The manipulation of light starts to add in the thought of shadow as well. For example, my studio window project consisted of a series of various sized squares that were arranged in a way that celebrated the light. It also enhanced the absence of light by elevating some squares on others that created a shadow around that square and allowed it, too, to be illuminated through the absence of light.

 

Transpose/Juxtapose

A building’s central theme or essence allows us as designers to truly see the transposition and juxtaposition throughout the design. Translating an idea or a concept through a building is its motif. It is our job as a designer to reflect that concept in a coherent way without transposing and juxtaposing it too much. For example, the Sydney Opera house mirrors and reflects the concept of sails on the horizon. It creates a certain rhythm and allows the theme of sails and boats to be transposed to fit the building while keeping the juxtaposition of the building in tact.

 

 

Monologue/Dialogue

In terms of speaking and writing, a monologue is a story told by one person where as a dialogue is a conversation between two bodies. This can be translated easily to design. A building or space can be conversing with a neighboring structure or telling its story alone.

 

Literal/Abstract

Literal and Abstract take on the same themes as transposing and juxtaposing in that it takes an idea and converts it to fit the building or space without literally using the precedent. 

Action - Verbs

Speculate
To speculate is to indulge in conjectural thought and to engage in a reflection or meditation. Oftentimes designers have to speculate on the materials, space, or constrictions they have to work with to create a design. Contemplating a space and its features is an important part of the design process and is required to develop a design and conform it to fit the “speculations” of that space. Designers also speculate about the original intent of a building and its use and presence within its environment. Roth explains how “a building also has a symbolic function and makes a visual statement about its use.” (Roth 16) It is our job as designers to analyze that presence and speculate about its intent to draw inspiration and influence from it to move forward in the cycle of design.

Compose
Composing means to make or form something by combining things and parts or elements. It allows for inspirations to be combined to create a composition that is well designed and thought out. Composing also relates to music in that it is how a piece of music is produced and developed to create a well-structured piece of music. This is not unlike the design world. The composition should speak for itself if it is well designed. Roth talks about how “architecture is frozen music.” (Roth 103)

Energize
Energize means to rejuvenate something and give it “energy” to make it jump out at you. To energize something requires giving it “life.” Many parts of the design cycle are energized when a new wave of design is introduced to the world of design. Corbusier was a prime example of this. He brought energy to his designs and declared that “a new beginning through a re-formulation of the roots of architecture” was occurring. (Weston 94)

ROAD TRIP (opus 11)

Roots

Root refers to the origins of something or someone’s home or environment.  Roots plat new beginnings and designate the origin of that influence. For example, the medieval and baroque periods heavily influenced the post design eras. As the root of a tree grows and strengths the tree itself, design concepts and time periods do the same. Without that underlying foundation, new innovations in design would fail because there wouldn’t be the provided stability that influences all the present and future designs to come. 

Congruence

Congruence relates to symmetry in a great and eminent way. It is the quality or state of agreeing or corresponding to something to create a unified and cohesive composition. Congruence represents harmony and conformity.

Concept

A concept is compiling ideas together to suggest a general notion or idea formed by characteristics or particulars from a precedent. The concept allows a designer to develop ideas and create a unique composition by looking at the work of others and gaining inspiration from other things. In studio, for example, we are making a window details that captures and manipulates light to make the building a “glittering gem” in the distance. As a studio we decided to work of the concept of a “gem” and a “Tiffany lamp” and how they both create different facets and colors while they manipulate the light. 

Materiality

Materiality is largely dependent on the materials being used and the methods and techniques in which they are manipulated to create a structure. Frank Lloyd Wright was very mindful about the materials he used and the manner in which he used them. “Wright adapted a design of horizontals and verticals and the use of natural materials to create a uniquely American style of expression.” (Massey 51) Massey shows how he combines his design techniques and the materials he has to work with. “Built on a rocky hillside, the concrete structure cantilevers over a waterfall. The emphasis is on the organic, with rock-masonry walls, North Carolina walnut furniture and fittings, and huge windows creating a harmony between the natural beauty of the setting and the interior living space.” (Massey 85)

Compression : Release

Fallingwater demonstrates a prime example of the compression versus release theory. Wright designed the home to be a retreat and a relaxing residential space. He practically forced the residents to be comfortable by working off the thought of compressions and releases. In some of his rooms, the ceilings are lowered to just above the head, emitting a feeling of closeness.  It makes you want to sit and relax at the same time drawing you into the natural beauty of the location. While it compresses in some places, it releases in others that aren’t meant to be “relaxed” in quite as much. The ceiling opens some along with the space between the walls, allowing for more movement rather than a constricted and compressed illusion. 

Between Silence + Light (Opus 10)

Craft

Craft represents a number of things in design relating to the construction of the space or structure. A well-crafted design incorporates firmness and a timeless and everlasting appeal to it. Craft can also include experimenting with new techniques and styles to create an innovative method. Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Falling Water” takes on a new approach by combining concrete and steel to strengthen it as well as adding steel supports to prevent glass breaking. It took a large amount of skill and craft to create the cantilever over the waterfall.

 

Public/Private

In a home or other industrial building, there are some parts that are supposed to be kept private whilst others remain public and communal. To distinguish between the two, certain design techniques and methods can be used. For example, Falling Water makes use of darkening hallways that lead to more private sections of the home, creating a privileged and disclosed area. This designates where a guest or visitor is supposed to enter and where he is not.

 

Technique

Techniques are used mostly to define the way something is made or used to create or evoke a certain feeling. For example, Falling Water was meant to be a restful retreat, and the home literally forces you to relax. This is achieved by using the technique of lowering some parts of the ceiling, forcing you to sit and be tuned in with the nature surrounding and incorporating the home. Another example of a technique is formed through the use of the natural elements of Monticello in its design. For example, Acorns were painted white and wedged between recessed spaces around the fireplace to create an interesting and unique detail. This technique effectively encompasses all aspects of the nature around the home in the home itself.

Virtual

Virtual applies to the things that seem to be in existent but aren't actually there. It deals with something that appears to be temporarily simulated and doesn't fulfill anything but the essence. FallingWater demonstrates a perfect example of this. The exterior staircase leading to the guest home is supported by beams only on the left side. As you move through the passageway, they are turned slightly so that when you arrive at the top, they are "virtually" invisible. 

Language

Language is the way an architect or artists incorporates his own style and "voice" within a piece. It displays a certain feel and emotion that can only be achieved by the creator. Language is a way to communicate ideas, individual techniques and personalized styles through the designs easily and effectively. 

[Re]Actions (Opus 9)

Rotation

A rotation is the act or process of turning around a center or axis in a uniform and precise pattern. Rotation often helps in the movement or rhythm of a design, allowing things to be changed in their position and viewed in different ways to gain better knowledge of the thing or space. As it turns, many times on an axis, it is uniform in its pattern of movement but may not follow the same visual prototype.

Movement

Movement in terms of design is the suggestion of motion in a work of art, either represented by gestures in figurative paintings and sculptures, or by the relationship of structural elements in a design or composition. The movement dictates the level of energy in a piece, and allows it to come alive or retain a sense of firm stiffness. Movement can also apply to the changes in the design cycle over time. Anne Massey demonstrates this as she speaks on the subject of the aesthetic movement. “The Aesthetic Movement lacked the moral concerns of the arts and Crafts movement. Its object was to create less ponderous and healthier ‘artistic’ interiors for the Victorian middle classes, whose tastes had now matured.” (Massey 26) Massey shows how the arts and crafts “movement” turned into more of a healthier “artistic” regime known as the Aesthetic Movement. 

Reflection

Reflection in terms of design is similar to movement in that it has a dual meaning. It could be a literal reflection, where something is reflected on an axis or origin and is flipped and displayed on the opposite side. As in Versailles, water is used excessively to make the region appear longer by reflecting its length and width through water. Reflection can also be representative of something. If a certain genre of design “reflects” a time era, then it is taking on the qualities and characteristics of that time period, relating to the social behaviors of the people. When Massey introduces the Arts and Crafts Movement, she shows how design reflects different aspects of the environmental and governmental influences. “This was a conservative style, inspired by French Classical architecture of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and in interior decoration was marked by lavish use of carving, gilding, rich marble, and extravagant lighting, well suited to provide an atmosphere of  grandeur for large hotels, department stores, opera houses, and the ostentatious houses of the wealthy…” (Massey 31) Massey shows how the French classical architecture influenced the interior decorating aspect of design. She also elaborates on how the “Paris Opera and the Beaux-arts style in general influenced interiors of Opera houses, department stores, hotels, municipal buildings, and private houses all over the world,” particularly in America. (Massey 31)

Source

Source is much like reflection in that it stands as a resource and influence of the origins of designs. Many designs gain this influence from past examples in history or from pre-standing structures. “For the Grander type of interior the prevalent style was the Beaux-Arts, so called because of its source was in the teaching of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris.” (Massey 31) Source also considers the source of a material such as water, color, or light. In studio, we were considering the sources of natural light and building a structure to capture and manipulate that light from the source. 

Illumination

Illumination is taking an object or an aspect of design and highlighting it in a certain media such as color, light, shadows, etc. It celebrates the characteristic and allows it to shine through and be “illuminated” within the design. The resplendent quality of an object or design is important in the design when creating a hierarchy or an illustrious focal point.  

Grammar:Syntax

Audience

Audience is a very important part of design and must be considered heavily when creating a new design, space, or piece of architecture. Like with writing stories, the audience is who is receiving the information or using the design. A children’s storybook would not be written with a high amount of legal jargon, as would a college textbook use elementary language. A design is much the same in this aspect. A design must be considered for who is using the space and how it is to be perceived and utilized. A building constructed for medical purposes would not be designed without wheelchair or disability access! Instead, it would be designed to accommodate its users and inhabitants to make the space more comfortable and useful for them. This goes with interiors as well. Certain types of furniture are placed in a room for a specific purpose and works well with its surroundings. 

Character

Character represents a person in a story or narrative as well as the nature of a story or design. In design, the character of a building describes the overall feel and uniqueness of the space and allows for it to eminent a certain presence. A mistake, many times, can be a blessing, in that it gives a design character and eventually becomes one of the most important features of that project. A designer has character in himself and that character influences his designs in turn, encouraging him as a designer and enhancing his design skills. The drawings of my nature display a certain character in each piece of nature that I collected. I experimented here with exaggerating those special characteristics and making them really exhibit their own character. 

Transition

Transition pertains to the way things change in a design. “the way it transitions into something else.” The rhythm of a design often dictates the transitions that happen throughout a piece. As one portion of a design moves and changes into another a transition is created. As designers we strive to create a smooth and delicate transition to where the entire piece is unified in itself and creates a sense of conversion from one thought to the next without breaking that rhythm and defining its limitations. 

Revisions

Revisions in design are imperative to their development and the overall discovery of new ideas. It acts as constructive criticism in a way and allows a designer to see the flaws in the design so that he can change and develop it to create new concepts and make it more useful for its users. Without revisions, a designer could make a mistake that could potentially be detrimental to the design and cause it to be less effective in its commodity, firmness, and delight. 

Datum

A datum is a point, line, or surface used as a reference, as in surveying, mapping, or geology. It helps to determine where things are to be positioned and allow for a visual effect as well in designs and presentations. The Datum line represents a visual separation in a sense and allows for a smoother transition through the design. In the presentation board for Suzanne, my group decided to create a cardboard arch with a strip of brown paper behind it, extending all the way across the board to act as a datum line for the presentation. 

P - WEEK (opus #7)

Professional

When speaking about professional, there are many approaches one could take. You could take the route and understanding that a professional is one that follows an occupation as a means of livelihood or for gain. This person tends to be an expert in that occupation and earns their living by means of this “profession.” Professional could also suggest the manner in which something or someone is presented. If it, or they, were presented in an unprofessional manner, one would suggest that they lack the necessary ways to communicate an idea in an orderly and appropriate fashion in regards to the audience. Someone who shows up to work dressed in inappropriate attire can be viewed as unprofessional. A presentation given in an informal, unorganized and incoherent manner is viewed as unprofessional and is frowned upon. For a presentation, or presentation board, to be professional, it must be simple, coherent, and organized to convey a sense of order.

Process

A process describes the journey a designer takes throughout his career or throughout a project. This process displays the different steps it takes to reach a final goal or design. It ranges from the brainstorming and idea-creating portion to a segment of organizing many ideas and simplifying them to create a more conceptual abstractness. From this point, a designer moves through the process and develops his designs, working to recreate them and enhance them to be a better designed final product.

Periphery

A periphery is the essential outskirts or restrictions of a city or urban place. It is similar to a boundary in that it defines and surrounds the external limitations of a space. It delineates a certain space or district and places emphasis on that boundary and its importance in the space or design. As with the Greek city of Athens, the Acropolis was designed in a way that has paths leading out to farms and more flat landed areas with homes and other public buildings. “At the base of Akropolis, paths leading out to the surrounding farms eventually became streets and along one of these, northwest of the mass of the Akropolis a roughly triangular, open space was set aside as the agora, whose boundaries were defined by surrounding houses and public buildings.” (Roth 222) Roth shoes how the boundaries of the Akropolis are designed around the space and are emphasized in that Periphery. 

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Portfolio

A portfolio is a compilation of works by an artist, designer, or architect that is usually carried and contained in a flat, portable case. This collection of works is usually what people show and present to a client or employer to illustrate the quality and examples of their work and ability. Organization is an imperative part of the portfolio as a whole. It makes things easy to find and read, making it easier to communicate one’s work and designs. Organization and coherency boosts the professionalism of the portfolio, allowing clients to view your quality and skills as a professional designer. 

Perspective

Perspective is helpful when visualizing a space from a certain point of view. It is a picture that employs a technique of locating vanishing points to recreate the space in a certain point of view, capturing it in the state in which it exists before the human eye. The way we perceive the building or space changes from the point of view. One can view the space front a frontal position, where a single vanishing point exists. One can also view the space from a different angle in which more than one vanishing point might occur. These vanishing points and perspectives aid in making a drawing proportionate to the way we would visualize it by the human eye. 

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. 

VOICES

 

Metric

The Metric system is the most widely used system of measurement known to human kind. It provides a universal tool to gauge and assess the size and proportions of any physical quantity in a single unit. As designers, a metric unit is very important in defining distance or space as well as the functionality or commodity, of that particular space. As Christianity spread across Europe, the medieval architecture began to reflect the different uses of scale and proportion in the designs of the buildings such as the cathedrals and churches. Roth demonstrates how this scale and system of measurements was imperative to the designs when he discusses the development of the church of Saint Pierre. “The external buttresses were too small to resist the forces created by wind loads, the buttresses gradually bent and cracked.” (Roth 336) The mistakes made in the construction and design of these buttresses shows the importance of exact measurements and metrics. To help with the flaws of the scales and proportions, the systems changed. “As functional and social needs shifted over the course of the Middle Ages, So did the placement and measurements of the structures.” (Blakemore 71) The metric system allows for a universal measuring arrangement that helps reduce the amount of design mistakes when regarding scale and proportion. As in Stoel’s drafting assignment of the critique room, the impact of a metric mistake can make quite a difference. The position in which I placed the columns is incorrect due to a flaw in my measuring. Because of this, the structure itself may be less structurally sound and the integrity of it is weakened.

Precedent

Many times, designers create their own stylistic work by drawing influence by what is known as a precedent. A precedent is essentially an inspiration to aid in the thought process of creating something new. Often, too, designers will pull certain stylistic details from another designer or artist to create their own distinct style or techniques. Suzanne’s group “building” project has enabled us to really consider the option of drawing inspiration from other’s ideas, concepts, and techniques to create our own style. The 8 ½ X 11 drawings we did of our buildings were to be drawn utilizing a certain style from an artist we found interesting. These drawings serve as a prime example of how we can turn to a precedent to enhance and develop our own work. We gain a level of understanding about our own work by looking at the different techniques, medias, and materials from other artists and applying them to our own work to make a composition that is truly unique. “Although there is a paucity of actual pieces of furniture available for study, documentary evidence from literary sources, reliefs, wall paintings, sarcophagi, and marble and bronze parts extend our knowledge about characteristics of Roman furniture. From sources it is clear that the Romans relied on Greek prototypes of the Hellenistic period for their inspiration.” (Blakemore 61) Blakemore suggests here that the Romans drew their inspirations from the influence that the prototypes of Greece had on their architecture and furniture. A prototype is another excellent word to describe a “precedent.” By drawing inspiration from the influences of the prototypes, we as designers can make more headway to the hybrids of our designs.

Presence

The presence a building emanates can be a very important aspect of its purpose and stature. The effect of the structure can be a very strong one by simply examining the grandeur of the composition. The overwhelming complexity of a building can make quite an impact by its presence by simply existing against a less celebrated structure. It establishes a sense of Hierarchy by celebrating the “moment” or the overall feeling it projects.  Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture began to change the thought that complex architecture was the only kind that established a certain presence on earth and through history. “Those external qualities of architecture that had appealed to a cultivated visual sensibility gradually were replaced by an architecture of simpler elements, fostering a sense of mysticism.” (Roth 275)

Moment

A moment to me is to capture a particular segment of time and space that seems to be a powerful and important occurrence. It celebrates a certain part and aspect of a design or a composition in a way that makes it an important “moment” of that space. This leads into Hierarchy in a way, by showing the importance of a certain aspect of the design. Roman architecture stands as a prime example of compositions that have important moments. The churches and cathedrals were very important buildings in the society of the Romans, but the appearance aided that importance. The façade, being the most important, visual and decorated side of the building, contained a “rose window” that casts light upon the altar, highlighting that certain aspect of the design. “Between the towers and admitting light to the extension of the old church nave was a great, round window, the first of the rose windows that so distinguished later gothic churches.” (Roth 330) It captures a special instant of a composition and celebrates its uniqueness. 

Duality

Duality is interpreted as something that is multifunctional or contains more than one central meaning. Many times a structure may have one side that defines it in a certain way, but when reevaluated, can be interpreted with a different feeling. A duality can be created by utilizing opposite or contrasting colors, angles, or even décor and textures. 

Parts:Whole (Opus #4)

 

Archetype/prototype/hybrid

Archetype/Prototype/Hybrid represents certain pieces in the history of architecture that influence the changes in the design cycle. An archetype stands as an ideal, or the perfection wished to be achieved. The prototype is “what gets you there”, or helps you achieve the archetype, and the Hybrid is what comes next. A prime example of this phrase would be the coliseum in Rome, Italy. It consists of four levels built in a semi circle on a foundation ring of concrete. Each level displays a different column order, representing the archetype, prototype, and hybrid. The column order, starting with Doric, and then ranging through Ionic, and Corinthian, is demonstrated throughout the entire composition of the coliseum on each level. “As in the Theater of Marcellus, the stone arcades incorporated engaged columns – unfluted Doric on the ground floor, then Ionic, Corinthian, and finally Corinthian pilasters on the uppermost, fourth story” (Roth 267) Roth further explains this organization and use of all the column orders in one building. It effectively shows how one archetype, or ideal, is sought, and how each iteration stands as a prototype for the next, which soon becomes the Hybrid. 

Source

There are many different versions of sources - light sources, influential/historical sources, water sources, etc. Water sources played a large role in the lives of the people of Egypt, as well as the Greeks and the Romans. The Egyptians relied on the Nile River as a source for trade and clean water, just as the Greeks relied on the seas and waterways that surrounded their general location and as the Romans relied on their invention of the aqueducts. “As in Egypt, where the river and desert encouraged a particularly static culture, so too in Greece a specific geography and climate influenced culture…” (Roth 215) Not only does the geography of a place act as a source for water and trade, but light can act as a very important source in drawings, sketches, and other visual elements. As in Suzanne’s class over the last week or so, we’ve been working to improve our watercolor skills. To aid our attempts, she suggested trying to locate a light source and work off the shadows and illumination of an object or space. “The light illuminating that environment is critical for the information we receive.” (Roth 85) It is a powerful element that helps an image become more active and vibrant, whilst enhancing our perception of the space.

Order

Order represents civility and organization within a composition or society. Order also demonstrates some sort of progression, advancement, or evolution. The order of the Greek columns is a perfect example of such a progression and evolution. “The role of orders was significant in defining spaces of the Greek interior; not only did they divide spaces horizontally, but they were also instrumental in creating visual interest by the attention drawn to them vertically through decorative detail in the capitals and in the entablature. The classical orders consist of the column with its base, shaft, capital, and entablature, and are classified by the capital as Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, or Composite.” (Blakemore 28) Blakemore shows how this order was an important part of Greek Architecture and how it organizes the progression over time.

Hierarchy

Hierarchy is a series in which each element is graded or ranked. Hierarchy usually exalts one element over the rest of the composition, making it superior to another part of the whole. For example, in Athens, Greece, the Acropolis is designed in a way that effectively displays the differences in superiority throughout the city. Some buildings are made more prominent, creating the Hierarchy of that space. For example, the Parthenon was constructed as a temple for the Goddess Athena, and placed in a manner that it is clearly viewable as the most important structure on the Acropolis. Next in the order of hierarchy comes the Erechtheion. It is positioned to direct the eye to the Parthenon yet still bring glory to its uniqueness as well. This continues on with each building on the Acropolis, establishing an explicit hierarchy through the entire space. 

Another example of Hierarchy that I’ve encountered this week is in my studio class. We were given three words and certain restrictions on materials but had to construct a 3D model conveying those words. One of the words I was assigned was hierarchy and I was able to effectively portray this by celebrating the smaller square in a manner that elevated it and yet still unified the composition together.

 

As I talked to a fourth year student about my three models, she suggested that another one of my models could also effectively portray this theme. The image below shows the progression of light to darkness well, whilst still drawing the eye upward to an important moment where my forms meet my linear object. 

Entourage

An entourage as we’ve seen over the last week is the background or environment of a person or thing. They are often found in vignettes, helping to frame or enhance a focal point of a scene. Places and things are often defined by their location or surroundings, or in this case, entourage. Rome is an example of such a place shaped by its entourage. “Foremost among these influences were geographic position, conquests, technology, priorities in social life, and religion.” (Blakemore 45) The Romans basically ignored nature, and were it in their way, they acted as though they controlled it and that it wasn’t a hindrance. By shaping their environment to fit them, they are defining their own entourage and designing around the natural elements. Entourages also occurred in the thumbnails of our assigned buildings for Suzanne. We were to sketch the building, paying close attention to the surroundings as well as details in the focal point.

Opus Entry #2 2.4.09

Illuminate

Throughout the course of the week, several of these terms were mentioned and expounded upon in a way that helped me dive deeper into their meanings and understand more about them than I what I previously knew. I was able to associate illuminate most through Suzanne’s lessons with watercolor. Watercolor allows for some items to be highlighted more than others by adding a simple dash of color. It really makes them pop and seem more on display than its environment and/or neighboring objects. Another example discussed this week pertaining to illumination would be the Egyptians’ pyramids.  Firstly, the Egyptians built their structures from light colored sandstone but placed a gold tip at the top of the pyramid, playing with color to illuminate that one aspect. Secondly, The Egyptians had a thorough and deep believe in the Sun God Ra, making their afterlife belief even more pronounced. The way in which they built their tombs and temples (pyramids), was designed around the thought that the soul of the deceased kings would be closer to Ra. “Each of the great masses is perfectly aligned toward the North Star and the perpendicular axis of the sun.” (Roth 196) Roth also shows how Spell 523 relates that “’Heaven hath strengthened for thee the rays of the sun in order that thou mayest lift thyself to heaven as the eye of Ra.’ In other words, the pyramid was the kind’s launching place, the mountain whose gilded summit would catch the first rays of the sun from which the soul of the pharaoh would rise to greet Ra in his eternal endeavor…” (Roth 201) This shows how the Egyptians buried their deceased pharaohs to be exalted even in their death and after life by illuminating their resting places. 

Idiom

This week brought quite a bit of confusion and debate on the accurate definition or example of an idiom. One definition reads “an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements, or from the general grammatical rules of language.” Some examples of simple phrases or clichés were tossed up for interpretation this week; phrases that involved things that could be in different ways or contain different meanings or uses. Instead of a literary idiom, I have chosen to illuminate and describe this term with a structure that has sparked much controversy over the last few hundred years. Stonehenge stands as a perfect example of such a thing that can be categorized as an idiom. There has been much debate over the essential use and intentions of Stonehenge. It has been suggested that it served as a way to monitor the sun that rose directly ahead during summer solstice.  Another astronomical suggestion was that it “might have been used to mark phases and eclipses of the moon and other astronomical phenomena.” (173) Another suggestion of its intended use was for religion or some other ritual. “…the manifestation of a social covenant, a symbol of communal purpose.” It has been thought that the Stonehenge was used for a religious ritual pertaining to the dead – despite the fact that no bodies have been found anywhere near the area. These many different interpretations of the intended use of Stonehenge stands as an example of an idiom and how different things can be perceived in different ways for different people. 

http://michael-balter.blogspot.com/2008/06/early-stonehenge-pilgrims-came-from.html

Material

The material utilized to create buildings and structures has a great impact on the overall composition of the entity. It affects the visual appeal, texture, “commodity, firmness, and Delight.” One example I’ve discovered from this week would be the early Mesopotamian civilization. Their architecture seems quite simple, but its actually one of the first versions of building techniques and materials that are repeated and used even in structures today. “An architecture of mud bricks reinforced with straw emerged. Coated with a hard plaster, this material was sufficiently durable in a climate with little rain and some of these structures have been in use for four thousand years.” (Roth 193) The Mesopotamian people were forced to advance in their architecture and use of the materials around them because they were limited in what they could use. They found ways to manipulate what may seem simple and trivial materials to construct a structure that actually satisfied the power of three (commodity, firmness, and delight) but that also has been able to be expounded upon and perfected to be used even today. Below is an image of the Ziggurat of Ur, providing an excellent example of their materials used. 

http://www.dl.ket.org/humanities/arch/ur.htm

Commodity

As one of the three main components of design, commodity plays a large part in the process of creating a well-designed space or structure. It can be defined as something of use, advantage, or value. My personal thoughts on Commodity is a space that effectively utilizes the space in a way that maximizes its area and space, as well as utilizing as many parts of it as possible. One example from this week I found helpful when defining commodity was the Village at El Kahun in Egypt. Each residential home was connected to its neighbor, compacting the living area and utilizing less material, making it a sustainable design. In most cases, a residential structure shared a right, left, and back wall with it’s neighbors. “As a study of the Egyptian temple reveals, it is a linear, axial architecture, turned at right angles to the axis of the river. And those two axes of river and sun form the basis of the orthogonal grid of Egyptian fields and cities, exemplified by the city built by the Twelfth Dynasty pharaoh, Sesostris II…at what is now El Kahun…” (Roth 190) This quote describes the design and overall construction of the village of El Kahun. The image below also shows how each individual space is connected to its neighbors, making use of every bit of space whilst still maximizing its space. 

http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/towns.htm

Firmness

Firmness simply means, long lasting and securely fixed in place. A well designed structure considers what its future is to be like; whether it will be weathered a century later, what its condition will be, its future usage and changes, and simply whether it will be in existence in future years. The Egyptians considered firmness quite a bit in the pyramids at Giza. These three main structures have withstood the test of time and are still in good condition. The Egyptians also considered its intended use years later. Their strong belief in the afterlife contributed to this. They needed a structure to bury their dead that would allow all their possessions to be safe and secure for them until they returned in their after life. 

Delight

Delight in terms of architecture satisfies the beauty needs and expectations of the eye. Not only does a well-designed structure satisfy both the needs of commodity and firmness, but it must also be visually appealing. It must be delightful to the eye and to its intended use. An example would be my version of “Pats Chair” in Stoel’s drafting class. I have attempted to design it to satisfy the three main points of a well-designed piece of architecture: commodity, firmness, and delight. It is firm, withstanding for its use (commodity), and is also visually appealing and delightful. We as designers must strive for such creations. To effectively create a place and enhance its function, sustainability, and aesthetics, we must consider commodity, firmness, and delight.