Community Engagement (Neighborhood)

Does the piece of architecture invite the community around it to use it, and does it benefit them? Specifically for public architecture, I think a successful work should be inviting, easy to use, and approachable for all members of the community.

In Japan after natural disasters, to solve the issue of no shared spaces in temporary housing, Homes For All built three small buildings as an area for children to play inside the temporary communities. These small buildings became active community centers for families because they were inviting and beneficial for the community. Based on the reading Radically Public Spaces.

Purpose and Function (Building)

Is the building being used for the purpose for which it was designed? Is a building successful if it isn’t being used as what it was designed for? I think that for a building to be a success, it has to not just be beautiful, but also serve its purpose.

An example of a building that I think is beautiful but does not serve its intended purpose is the Robie House by Frank Lloyd Wright in Chicago. It has had several owners, and was not used as a home for very long. It is now owned by the University of Chicago as a museum.

Feeling of the Interior (Space)

How does the interior space make you feel? Does it feel inviting, open, claustrophobic, warm, cold? How does this feeling fit with the purpose of the building? I think the feeling of a building’s interior space should fit the intended purpose of that building.

An example of a style of interior that doesn’t quite fit its intended purpose is the modern interior. The cold and stark feeling of the interiors don’t fit the purpose of being a home, somewhere the users should feel totally comfortable. An example of this is the interior of Mies van der Rohe’s Lake Shore Drive apartment, which is modern and stark, and uninviting and uncomfortable. Based on the reading Leaving Traces

Cultural Significance

What impact does the building have on the general culture around it? This is not just about the impact on the community that is physically close to the building, but more about the significance that a building might have on the culture at large, maybe for a whole city, or region. Does the design indicate that the cultural impact was taken into account?

An example of a building that has a large cultural significance and serves that role well is the Jewish Museum in Berlin. Given the history of the region and the people the impact of this building is obvious. The design of the building can feel slightly disorienting and is very much about the experience of actually being there and interacting with it.

History of a Place

How does the building interact with the history of the location where it is built? Does it take the history of the location into account in its design? Does it mimic the historical design, or stray away from it? A building should sensitively take into account the history of its place, and the voices of the community in its design. Based on the reading The Israeli Place in East Jerusalem.

An example of a whole built environment taking history into account in its design, but in an oppressive way is most of Israel. Israel took the style of Palestinian houses and buildings and used them for their own built environment to establish a sense of belonging and security for themselves at the expense of Palestine.

Space as Movement (Space)

Does the use of space encourage movement throughout the building? Does the use of space create a sense of openness in the building? How defined are the different areas of the building? What does the sense of space offer for the overall design of the building? Base on the reading Space.

An example of a building that uses space as a continuum, and doesn’t strictly define specific spaces is the Barcelona Pavilion by Mies van der Rohe. This building has a very open feel and it isn’t clear where one room ends and another starts. Space is used to create a sense of movement or flow throughout the building.

Creating a National Identity

Does a building have a relationship with the identity of a nation? Is the building trying to say something about a nation? A nation may try to use architecture as a means of displaying a strong sense of national identity to either its own citizens or to foreigners. Based on my research reading by Zhu, Jianfei, and Ke Song. “The Architectural Influence of the United States in Mao’s China (1949-1976).”

An example of a building that tries to put forward a sense of national identity is The International Club (1972) in China. This building was at a time when there was little communication between China and the west. However this building takes a more modern approach with its asymmetrical composition, but has a traditional facade. This was used to create a modern image of China.

Political Tool

If a building is commissioned by the state, what purpose does it serve? Is it a show of strength or power? Is it inviting to the public? If it is an embassy not in the original country, what is it saying to the public in that nation?  Often times political buildings serve multiple purposes, and can have multiple effects on the public.

An example of buildings that were used to show political strength were the “Ten Great Buildings” in communist China. These buildings were built to honor the first ten years of communism in china and were to be a show of force and strength to Chinese Citizens. While these buildings were large and imposing, they actually were poorly built in just 1-2 years. From our research reading by Li, Jie, and Enhua Zhang, eds. Red Legacies in China : Cultural Afterlives of the Communist Revolution.

Interaction with Users

How does a building take into account the opinions of those who will be using the space? Can the design of a building adopt and adapt the opinions of the users? I think that a well designed building should be able to survey the users and take into account their design ideas and opinions.

An example of this in the readings is the design of modern kitchens taking into account the women (at the time) that would be using them. Soon kitchens would open up to the living room for the woman to watch over her children. Also the inclusion of a dining room, or an island, in the kitchen is now the norm. Based on the reading Home Planning and Gender in Mandatory Palestine.

Revised Guidelines (my guidelines from week 3 are mostly for analyzing readings):

Originals:

• What is the background of the author – where, when, what fields do they work in?
• What impact has western modern aesthetic style had here?
• What impact has western culture had on cultural events here?
• How does socio-political advancement differ from western modernism?
• Is this text giving appropriate credit to local architects?
• Does this text seem to hold biases? – does it give proper arguments for criticisms?
• Would a layperson be able to comprehend the reading? Is it too high-level
• Is the text taking a stance one way or another on certain events? – clue to biases

Additions: I would simply add all of my above frames as guidelines to analyze buildings.