Counterpoints

Final Point

First I would like to start with by saying this unit really helped me understand the different concepts of modernism, such as deconstructionism. It really helps explain the time of when these certain places were built. Everything is so linear and simple. They most prominent idea of modernism is that form is all that matters, not function. An example of this would be the sydney opera house. Yes, it is visually pleasing but the acoustics do not work. It has been fixed, but it still does not truly do operas their full justice. Another example is the college life insurance company. It has firmness and delight, but zero commodity.

Another characteristic modernism struggles with is warmth. People dislike modern design because it feels cold. The rise of interior design changes this. It helps interiors feel warm and also makes the clients happy.

Today, people try to combine modernism and classism and it rarely seems to work. There is no longer any language, but more so a conjunction of different ones. People fail to build and incorporate things from history to make them better then they once were. Design has become more disposable now. It has been degraded in such entertainment as HGTV. These 'designers' believe a room can be designed in an hour. True designers such as Charles and Ray Eames design in a holistic way of thought and consideration. We, as interior architecture students, have been taught things such as process. People need to follow Boullee's concept of just simply having an idea. He built a cenotaph for Newton and realized during that time it was impossible to build. Designers need to learn that the first idea isn't always the right one, and they can be simply left alone.

When we talked about these places working like machines, I thought to myself, that that could have never been put more perfectly. I like all of the different relationships of machines. The fact that technology is constantly coming up with new, advanced ideas for machines, and architecture is ever evolving, the two just go hand in hand. The Villa Savoy was my favorite example of being a machine. The car that had been invented during that time was one of the main inspirations for the Villa Savoy. It's radius created the actual shape of the building. I find that so inventive and it truly expresses what is happening in society at the time.

One thing I wanted to also touch on is what I learned as a whole from this semester. This class was taught so differently then any other class I've ever taken. I loved listening to the discussions because they were so interactive. I was taught in such a creative way that I have learned so many new concepts that I can apply through out my career. I look at architecture (and chairs) so different now and I feel like I can truly understand it. I love the fact that I can walk into a present day building and know what inspired certain things. The other day, I was walking with a friend to the EUC and she commented on the design of the library, and I knew exactly what to say. I like watching movies with my family and knowing the chairs that come on the screen. After taking this, I feel so much more rounded as a designer. I feel I have grown this semester more then any other, mainly because of this class. I hope to be a teacher assistant one year so I can listen to it all over again. Thanks for such an eye-opening semester :)

Reading Comp No. 7

My group, the black sea, was chosen to chose a piece from the collection called "In the Studio". This collection was very captivating to me, and laid the idea of studio out. A studio is where people create their own identity, and show it through art. the ideas and perceptions they have of themselves are expressed by contour lines and movement. All of the pieces used the media of pen or pencil and other everyday art utensils, which somehow related back to being a student. We all start off with the easy materials, then work our way into using better quality ones after having some experience. I feel this related to the audience and I on a personal level. The piece that I wanted to study most was Paul Cadmus', "Dancer with the red hairband". The simplicity of the drawing combined with the title itself is what creates the story in this piece of art. It makes your mind wonder. This type of art is what I enjoy looking at; simple, yet touching. The style used in the piece was cross hatching. Cadmus used it for shadowing. The fluid lines make the drawing feel like this moment was a pause in the time of business and that this part of action, was crucial to put onto paper. Again, making the mind wonder of what this dancer could be thinking about. All of the pieces in the studio collection remind me of the beginnings of ideas. Like they are trying to find inspiration for their projects, or just inspiration for themselves. Creating an identity is something that will last a lifetime. Massey said that the accent is placed on process rather then form (pg 216), and I believe this statement fits well into this idea of going through a process to create an identity rather then focusing on the exact form of your work.

My diagram showed the idea of the possible future outline that the dancer will make. I did this because this is how the drawing made me personally feel when I analyzed it. I used simple, swift lines to show movement and dance.