Exercise 1.1a
- Geometric vs. Algebraic Combination
Classical architecture is formed as a whole through the combination of geometric systems. The ratio of elements in these systems and relationship between elements is what creates a larger whole. In The Great Mosque of Cordoba, individual parts contribute to the overall success of the mosque. For example, the forecourt, minaret tower, covered area for worship, columns, and arches only make sense once combined into a field. These geometric shapes, made up of lines, planes, and solids, create relationships between each other within the field. Using what we know combining numerical units to create understanding in algebraic combination, the same must be true for geometric combination.
2. Walking out of Cubism
Barnett Newman left the cubist era and began using more simple sequences such as: plane-line-plane. More complicated combinations of planes coming from European artists no longer were ideal for larger projects. This is how minimalism started. The purpose of minimalism was to simplify art to instead focus on structure and the more architectural content. According to the article, “Minimalism develops in sequences, but rarely in fields.” Post-minimalism became popular to bring back more aspects of a design to be formed into a field. Using a multitude of materials in a project is what differentiates minimalism and post-minimalism.
3. Thick 2D: Moires, Mats
Fields are two-dimensional compositions that contain diverse parts that work together as one. The moire effect is a set of lines or dots that differ slightly so that it appears there is movement or hierarchy within a field. When talking about fields in the urban context, the field is three-dimensional and created by combining thicker and intensified portions. These portions indicate intensity or power and should stand out over other parts of the field. 3D obviously allows the viewer to see the difference in height and range of certain areas, so in the 2D world the moire effect is what helps us differentiate those differences.
4. Flocks, Schools, Swarms, Crowds
Field conditions allows the possibility for architects to be able to study and understand the dynamics and behaviors of crowds. Architects can’t control every element of a project because how it is used in the real world isn’t predictable. The study of flocks and crowds helps architects start to understand these uncontrollable factors. Craig Reynolds computer program to monitor flock behavior informs us that groups are, “defined by precise and simple local conditions.” Their movement is based on the space available and their connection to other birds. They don’t group together automatically, but the space available is what flocks them together oftentimes. The same goes with people. Architects have to think about the space they are creating and how it interacts with the people using it.
5. Distributed Institutions
As society shifts and new times come with new expectations, architecture and field conditions must shift with society. A library thirty years ago had a much different use than it does now. Technology provides access to media. We no longer search out knowledge that exists within a library or museum. Because of that, architects have to think differently when designing those types of buildings to not only be relevant and useful now, but also in the future. Fields also have new definitions of parts to create a whole. Fields and spaces have to loosely fit the purpose of a design in order to stay relevant and necessary.
Lauren Preston
1. Yes, in order words how they arranged the minerete is simply the matter of following the corner of the square. The rule is the square hence geometrical, it is a system but rather simplistic one admisdt many other systems that they could have used. Now the system is no longer just geometrical, it could be the density of pedestrian or the way in which people walk. The drawing could be more effective if you show this geometrical construction line typical in classical architecture.
2. This structure is another way of talking about the system – Like the artwork “comedian” you don’t receive a banana, you receive the instruction on how to install the banana – taping it frankly with duct tap to the wall in a diagonal fashion. The banana as a unit is less important than the instruction. You can tape basically anything else with the same instruction and the meaning will change. The meaning can be understood as the new field – in this sense a field of effect or atmosphere, to which you may be puzzled instead of laughing at it – so the fields includes both the viewer and the art work. This is very similar to how meme function.
3. the moires effect is another example of the system and the unit. The unit is dot and line. The system is overlaying then slowing shift the 2 layers – movement is generated by this difference. This one I argue would be more effective showing as a video.
4. the unit is the bird and the distance the non collapsing is the system – the field is the changing form of the mass of bird. Similar to what I mentioned above architecture can use a different system to follow the example mention social factor. For example the unit is chair the rule is the social distancing bubble of 6 feet radius — in this case the design of the system is the study of that specific number of 6 feet to presevent spreading. The design of the system focus on health and even more specific health in a pandemic situation. This drawing is less effective because it only act as a representation of the paragraph rather diagraming its structure.
5.Again the idea that architecture must adapt new system and design new system to develop from. design is not about the object but about the circumstance or the system. Like how character development in a story could never happen if there is no event that forces the character to adapt. The event is thus can be thought as a system and the design is the intention of how one want the character to develop. Like how a villan can be written with a tragic past (system) so his/her development is to gain emphathy from the viewer. If one want the audience to despite such character even more we would design the tragic past into a priviledged past to show how the villan is historically insulated from the real world. The design of architecture is thus a design of system. This drawing is very clear in that there are 3 different situations (the system) that organize the unit.