by lsmith21 | May 3, 2023
The main point of this week’s reading of Peter Jones’ Building the Empire of the Gaze: The Modern Movement and the Surveillance Society, is that the overuse of glass in Modern design equates to an over-visible and overly surveilled society. This excessive use of transparency and overly distant sightlines created panoptic culture with no privacy. The ocularcentricity of Modern design had undertones of power and oversight under the guise of open sightlines.
In Modernism, glass was used on a revolutionary array of surfaces, from stairwells to tabletops. On the one hand, it was a new and exciting building material with innumerable uses. While on the other hand, everything became so visible there was no longer room for even a shadow to hide. Modern architects emphasized the natural light and views of the outdoors, their desire for large windows also blurred the boundaries between public and private. Under the guise of a utopian society removed from wars and secrets, everything became exposed until privacy no longer existed. The transparency of glass meant that nothing could be hidden from view.
Where nothing can be hidden, everything can be watched. Modernists pushed this transparency too far into the world of panopticism. Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoy is a perfect example where the house is like a watchtower keeping an eye on the yard. There all visitors are seen coming and going, whether they want to be watched or not. Another example is the revolutionary open office, where managers can watch their employees like fish in a fishbowl with nowhere to hide.
That is the message of Jones’ article, but I do not agree with his overly antagonistic tone toward the Modern movement. Modern architecture is much more than surveillance and the oppressive thumb of some power. Open design and the free plan can mean visibility, light, airiness, and freedom. Transparency’s sightlines also equate to ease in wayfinding and less confusion. The open floor plan gives comfort for a mother to watch her children in the adjacent space. Safety in being able to see around a heavily trafficked corner. Openness can be good.
Open and expansive spaces are not the only way to design, however. We have all felt the coziness of a reading nook or sought walls for a private conversation. Sleep is usually more restful in a quiet, sound-dampened room with encased walls. Jones’s argument that sightlines in design equate to oppressive power also suggests that reduced sightlines, or the addition of opaque walls, is the key to freedom. This is too restrictive and polarized of an argument to be reasonable. Researchers have well documented that humans seek both refuge and prospect.
An example of positive sightlines is in the Fat Shack. With the full-height panes of glass facing the street, the cashier can see if someone is about to enter the store. Without a sound barrier between the point of sale and seating upstairs, the employee can hear excessive noise. Yes, that employee is scanning the ground floor seating and supervising the drink station with the goal of surveillance, but not all surveillance is bad; not all surveillance is panoptic. When the public visits the Fat Shack, it is expected that drinks are purchased and that the patrons are keeping their voices to a tolerable level out of respect for the other diners. The employee is not oppressing people’s right to eat while chatting and laughing with their friends.
To my earlier point about refuge and prospect, restaurants offer a variety of seating locations. If a visitor feels overly exposed and seen, that person can choose a table in the back and near a wall. There is an equal benefit to the sightlines and daylight provided by the double-height entrance glazing as there is to the privacy and reduced glare provided by fully opaque walls and recessed seating. Transparency does not equate to oppression.
The ground floor of Phat Shack has a fully glazed facade to the north. The cashiers have full view of of street-level activities while the upstairs provides privacy.
by kperrone | May 3, 2023
Reading Summary:
In Peter Jones’ article, “Building the Empire of The Gaze: The Modern Movement and the Surveillance Society,” he speaks about modernist architects and their ideals surrounding surveillance and visibility within architecture and the Modern Movement. The article talks about how sight is utilized as means of gaining knowledge and control, which was an idea from the Enlightenment that influenced the Modern Movement. The Modern Movement incorporates this idea of surveillance, meaning that in society we are constantly being watched. This is expressed throughout the movement and Michal Foucault’s work as modernist architecture focuses on the uses of glass and open plans. During the Modern Movement, it was believed that providing more visibility within buildings would give more emphasis on light, and overall better society through increased ‘surveillance’. Walter Benjamin believed that the uses of glass would achieve this through transparency, and provided a Utopian feel within society. Another common theme throughout modernism during the Modern Movement was this idea that surveillance within architecture coincided with discipline, meaning from visibility power is gained. Overall, throughout the Modern Movement, modernists developed this idea of surveillance and discipline within architecture as a way to strive for a better society through more effective spaces, layouts, and use of transparency.
Building Interpretation:
T4 is a boba store in Eugene, Oregon, located close to campus, and acts as a common study/work spot for students and professors. The interior space offers an order/pick-up station as well as seating space with a variety of seating options. In the seating space, there is a large wall that is almost completely covered with glazing which relates directly to Peter Jones’ article. These windows provide lots of natural light in the space and open right to the sidewalk/street. This offers surveillance within society from both ends, as the people inside have direct access to what is going on right outside of the store, and the people passing by the store from the outside have direct access into what is going on within the store. Hence the idea that you are always being watched. In our modern world, many stores and restaurants have large amounts of glazing on the facade, providing people with the option to look inside and outside. This idea was developed from the Modern Movement and is expressed throughout T4, reemphasizing the idea that you are being watched at all time. ‘People watching’ is a very common term used in today’s world, which directly relates to this concept. T4’s design allows people to sit inside and enjoy their boba while watching people outside the window pass by. Overall, T4 is a great modern example of how buildings are designed to incorporate surveillance within society.
This image shows the large wall of glazing within T4.
by rwyman | May 3, 2023
Parking lot view of Whole Foods in Eugene
Summary:
The article “Building the Empire of The Gaze: The Modern Movement and the Surveillance Society” talks about the connection between the modern movement and the rise of a surveillance society. The article explores the ways in which the modern movement, which is defined by its focus on efficiency, functionality, and the rationalization of space, played a role in the growth of surveillance practices and the decline of privacy. The author believes that modern architecture, with its emphasis on open spaces, transparent facades, and the blurring of boundaries separating the private from the public realm, has unintentionally helped in the development of the surveillance society we currently reside. The article gives cases of famous modernist structures that represent these ideas, including glass-walled skyscrapers and open-plan offices which allow ongoing monitoring. The article also analyzes the effects of technological advances on the surveillance society, including the rise of surveillance cameras, facial recognition technology, and data monitoring tools. These technologies, which are frequently easily integrated into the built environment, reinforced a culture of ongoing control and surveillance. In addition to the loss of personal privacy, the normalizing of monitoring as a social norm, and the possibility of abuse and discrimination, the article also examines the effects of the surveillance society. The necessity for ethical considerations in the design and use of surveillance technology, as well as the delicate balance between security and privacy, are all raised by this.
Building interpretation:
One theme that can be examined when analyzing Whole Foods Market in Eugene in relation to the article “Building the Empire of The Gaze: The Modern Movement and the Surveillance Society” is the impact of surveillance measures within commercial settings. As a major supermarket chain, Whole Foods Market follows corporate standards that are consistent with those of the modern movement. Its stores often feature open layouts, wide windows, and glass facades to let in natural light. These design features subconsciously support the surveillance society, though. The use of surveillance devices is common at Whole Foods Markets. To keep an eye on customer behavior, prevent theft, and ensure safety, security cameras are placed strategically throughout the store. This ongoing monitoring aligns with the panoptic nature discussed in the article, where people feel like they are constantly being watched. While the purpose of surveillance in public places like Whole Foods Market is to improve security and protect both customers and employees, it also raises privacy issues and the possibility of abuse. Even though the goal is security, customers may feel uneasy or like they have no privacy when their behaviors are continuously monitored. The article’s analysis of this issue allows serious thought on the compromises between security and privacy in business settings. It raises concerns over moral implications of surveillance methods, the requirement for openness and consent in data collecting, and the possibility of wrongful use of surveillance tools.
by pbb | May 3, 2023
Part 1 – Summary
In “Building the Empire of the Glaze: The Modern Movement and the Surveillance Society.” the author dissects the idea of the surveillance society that erupted during the modernism movement of the early to mid 20th century. By severely decreasing the design of privacy in spaces, allowing people to see through walls and into private spaces with the use of glass among other modern industrial and mass-produced materials gained a philosophy that communicated a more open and democratic society. This idea hypothesized that the use of transparency within design would encourage people to be more connected to each other and to the world around them. In this context, glass represented a kind of visual transparency that could help to break down the boundaries between art and life, and between the individual and the collective. Le Corbusier certainly emulted this philosophy with his famous quote, “the house is a machine for living in,” as it can be read as a call for a new kind of domestic architecture that is optimized for the production of visible and surveilled subjects. The Modernist house, with its open plan, glass walls, and lack of ornamentation, is designed to enhance visibility and awareness.
Part 2 – Meracki Coffee CO.
Meracki coffee exudes trendy modern interior design with it transparent glass facade open to gaze into from passers on the sidewalk. Another modern feature, glass garage doors that open up to outdoor seating is a trendy solution to bring people in from the outside. The interior has a minimalist open floor plan of just a few couches and seating areas, low to the floor with no privacy. This type of layout definitely works for cafes as a place to socialize. On the other hand, not everyone appreciates such an open floorplan without any private nooks for a cafe setting. Personally, I need some form of privacy to get work done, so if this was the activity Meracki was aiming for their customers to engage in, more private stations could be beneficial to the layout. This would allow customers to choose the type of seating that best suits their needs, whether it be a social gathering or a quiet work session.
by ethacker | May 3, 2023
READING SUMMARY:
Michel Foucault makes a strong point that as people in society, we are in a state of constant surveillance. Being able to see others but not be seen or to be seen by everyone if chosen, has always been associated with power. Along with surveillance and power going hand in hand, discipline is tied to them. An example of this is how in battles, the group or person that has the high ground has the advantage. Another example is how a king’s castle is the tallest in the surrounding area. These may be out of date examples, but the same thought process can be applied to working-class housing and modernist architecture.
Going back to Foucault’s idea of a surveillance society, this is derived from people’s desire for total visibility. This desire can be traced back to the Enlightenment values of reason, knowledge, and progress. All of these connections gave way to modern movement which praises machine-like forms and seeks clarity and openness in architecture. In addition to embracing light, the movement rejects ornamentation. In modernist architecture, one way visibility is achieved is through glass. Walter Benjamin is a great example of a modernist who viewed glass as a signifier of transparency and utopia. Surveillance being so sought out is what led to the shift in architecture where a glass house with an open-plan interior was seen as an almost perfect building and challenged architects to create functional interiors while still maintaining a high level of visibility.
BUILDING INTERPRETATION:
Tailored Coffee Roasters is a large coffee shop located on the edge of University of Oregon’s campus. One of the most prominent attributes of Tailored is the large glass facade that extends into the roofing of the shop. This glass is perfectly clear from the inside looking out, while being tinted so a person walking past would have trouble making out what is happening behind the glass on the inside. There is a large bar with chairs spanning from one end of the building to the other end, along the glass. Sitting at this bar is the perfect place for people watching, with a perfect view of everything going on outside. Many customers choose to sit at the bar over the other seating provided in the space. One reason for this besides people watching is to be in the sunlight while having the comfort of being inside. This user interaction is the perfect way to integrate surveillance and openness through transparency, relating back to the goals of modernist architecture. The glass facade provides clarity to the users of the space.
Tailored has a relatively open-plan interior which was another characteristic sought out by the modern movement. The interior is functional while maintaining openness by providing different forms of seating around the edges of the space, with the exception of one large table with benches in the center. The coffee shop hits all of the characteristics to be called a great example of modernist architecture.
An interior look of Tailored’s glass facade.
by lechengw | May 3, 2023
In the article “Building the Empire of The Gaze: The Modern Movement and the Surveillance Society,” Peter Jones, the author, explores the complex relationship between architecture and surveillance in the context of the modernist movement. Jones argues that the modernist emphasis on transparency and visibility in architecture was part of a more significant societal trend toward increased surveillance and control.
The author provides a historical overview of the sense of “watch” in architecture, with the panopticon prison design of Jeremy Bentham as the example, then move on to the modernist vision of the “glass box” building. He argues that modernist architects relate transparency and visibility to promote social harmony and efficiency. On the other hand, the design features he mentioned in the article reinforce social hierarchies and increase surveillance.
Throughout the article, Jones provides various examples to describe how modernist architecture was utilized as a way of controlling and regulating human behaviors. He mentions that hospitals, schools, and other institutions were designed to maximize visibility, look toward the outside view, and minimize privacy, be seen from the outside. That windows and mirrors were strategically placed in public spaces to enable surveillance. Jones argues that the modernist vision of the “ideal” city was one in which every aspect of daily life was subject to supervision and control.
In Jones’ article “Building the Empire of The Gaze: The Modern Movement and the Surveillance Society,” the author effectively argues that modernist architecture was closely tied to the rise of a surveillance society. While Jones acknowledges the negative aspects of modernist architecture regarding surveillance and control, he does not give much attention to the positive aspects of transparency and visibility in architecture. For example, modernist architects aimed to promote social harmony and efficiency through design techniques such as open floor plans and large openings, allowing natural light access and better air ventilation. These elements are crucial in the design field, heavily increasing the quality of residential and commercial spaces. On the other hand, these features also enabled surveillance and control; they also had the potential to promote social interaction and well-being.
Moreover, the transparency of an urban, city, or architecture should not be limited to a specific purpose or explanation, surveillance, and control. The object observed could be a human, vegetation, or landscape. For instance, in the traditional Chinese garden, the whole design relates to the idea of seeing and being seen. Numerous frame windows at different locations in the garden lead people to explore various view angles. The “observation” in the garden is meant to lure people into exploring, appreciating, and feeling mother nature.
View from the main exit of Whole Food Market, next to the cashiers, toward the dining area.
The design at Whole Foods Market has an extensive glazed system as the storefront. I believe that one factor of this design is similar to the article mentioned, surveillance and control. The visibility in a commercial space is heavily based on the safety concern, which is a power of control. However, the glazing system in the store is not only based on this specific factor but also concerns the importance of positive influences on human behavior. Having natural light access in a commercial space has been proven can increase the sales rate and make products more natural and healthful looking. Moreover, the dining area is located close to the window, which creates a scene toward outside people, pedestrians, that can attract potential customers into the space. The activity of seeing and being seen can create positive bonds between people inside and outside, triggering interesting relationships and activities.
