" Why Architecture Matters " by Paul Goldberger

First, Goldberger continued to talk about the Pantheon and how buildings have a common shape and its' common shape was circles. You can see it in the sphere and collums. Then, Goldberger mentioned the glass pyramid at the Louvre Museum in Paris. The pyramid was a modern introduction to the modern space. It was a more industrialized design than the royal palace. As the criticizers began to slash Pei, he argued that the shape was one of the oldest shapes and only the materials were modern : glass and metal. Pei was right and Goldberger states that "the pyramid creates an elegant punctuation mark in the middle of the courtyard". The pyramid is able to function well because of its' size. It's big enough to hold its' own and serve as an entrance to the museum yet small enough not to overpower the museum surrounding it. So, overall Goldberger is trying to say that the glass pyramid is beautiful based on its' function, firmness, and beauty.

 Goldberger next talked about the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas. The notion of the design was to create a casino hotel with a pyramid theme. The pyramid was bigger and fit everything in it. It states simple shapes can be a procrustean bed for architecture. I concluded that the glass pyramid is more elegant and full of beauty than the Luxor Hotel.

San Jose Architecture

On my field trip to the 2 billion populated city of San Jose I observed multiple buildings from the San Jose City Hall to the Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose. First, we walked through the cold city streets to the San Jose City Hall. As we approached the city hall my first observation was that it was way different from other city halls I have seen. The city hall was tall and glass and said business building not city hall. Also, there was a circular, dome building in front of the city hall that had no particular purpose. It was just there and present. Overall, I thought the building itself was beautiful but not for a city hall.


 As we continued down the windy streets we visited the M.L.K. Jr. Library. I really loved the glass entrance that shot out like an arrow in shape of an triangle. This is what I visioned for the entrance of my school project. I love how transparent it is and brings light inside the library.

"La Maison de Verre": The house of glass by Pierre Chareau

 This house was designed for a newly wed couple and it is made of steel, glass, and glass block. The house is very transparent and industrial. The glass walls allow the person to feel like they are outside and inside at the same time. The not so clear glass allows you to be open and have privacy. The steel beams, rubber floors, and heavy light fixtures show how the home is industrial. Inside the house there are removable sliding doors that the Japanese use. A mechanical component is the overhead trolley from the kitchen to living room. Since the owner was a doctor in his program he included a ground floor medical suite for patients, but of course he hid it from his private areas inside the home. The owner Dr. Dalsace was a French Communist and often this house was the hangout spot for marxist and intellectuals like the Walter Benjamin, who said was inspired/fasginated by the building.

Satolas TGV : Santiago Calatrava

The TGV is a railway station attached to an airport in France. It was really expensive to build and opened in the year of 1994.  The building is mostly made of steel and concrete. I think the concept was a enormous bird with stretched out wings. The building consists of multiple arches and beams that hold the structure to gether. The architect, Santiago Calatrava is a sculptor too and is an excellent one too.

Thermal Baths Vals by Peter Zumthor (Switzerland)

 The Therm Vals was designed by Peter Zumthor in 1996 as part of a hotel. It is built over the only thermal springs in Graubunden Canton, Switzerland.The idea was to create a cave like experience that was comforting and relaxing. As you can see the bath vals are built under a bed of grass. It is buried into the hillside right below the hotel.

The bath vals were created to make the visitor feel luxurious and look at bathing through another perspective. The open and enclosed, light and dark spaces make you have a great, relaxed experience at the baths. The enclosed,internal space make the person have peace and quiet. Also, it allows the guest to explore the different rooms and temperatures in the space. The outdoor space allows you to also find peace and relax while bathing. The cool thing about the baths is in or out you can have light or dark in both areas and temperatures.


When asked by the hotel owner to add a clock in the baths, Zumthor refused to insert a clock. When asked why, Zumthor answered by saying that he did not want the visitors to be in a rush to leave instead he wanted them to relax without worrying about time or where they needed to be in 20 minutes. As always the boss gets what ever they want ,so Zumthor designed a medium sized skinny clock in the baths. It was not exactly what the owner wanted ,but it was a clock.

Site Planning*

The first thing you do when  you have a client is you develop a site plan.In order to develop a site plan the first thing you need is a program. The program is basically a list of things the client wants. For example, if a client wanted you to design a home then you would ask : What is the program? And they would answer with a list of things they want like balconies, a hidden library, or a swimming pool. A program is basically a list of  specific aspects the client needs/wants in their building. This stage is also when the architect starts to seek problems with the project. Then, you start designing the building. This is always the hardest part for an architect because the number one thing architects hate is staring at an empty paper. Once you have a quick sketch, you start to develop a concept and then your design is finished. Also, during the designing process  you start to solve problems from the program. Also, keep in mind while developing a site plan is to keep in mind the site environment, the user, and the program. These things will help you to accomplish a site plan for your client or self.

Wagenfeld.

This lamp represents simplicity. Wagenfeld designed this lamp for the Bauhaus and it became famous everywhere. He was only 24 years old when he first designed the lamp for an assignment at the Bauhaus. His pieces were simple and industrial. Although the lamp is his most famous piece, he also made teapots, plates and etc.

I especially love the simple design and how modern it looks. Even though Wagenfeld's pieces look fragile and artsy, they are reliable and their design makes them work.

Stanford Architecture

After our trip to Stanford, I look at things differently now. First I loved the church. The stain glass allowed the light to enter and add color to the church inside and out. The arches on the outside of the church makes you feel welcome to the church. Also, the beautiful detail on the arches create even more beauty. When you enter you see a huge dome in the middle of the ceiling that makes the building feel huge and it allows more light to enter. The detail on the walls and ceiling make you feel like this place is important and sacred. The stain glass windows tell a story of Christ and adds light and beauty.

Monuments: Beaty & Memorial (MLK Day)

Monuments are usually buildings to do in remembrance of a person or significant event that has become significant to society or a social group and is part of history because of how beautiful and how it represents a beautiful sensational part of our history.Personally I love monuments and everything they represent. Some in particular I love is the MLK memorial. The memorial commemorates the year that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 became a law.
The first thing you see is a huge statue of Martin Luther King Jr. And on the side is a quote that caused a lot of controversy : " I was a drum major for justice, peace, and rightousness".  In the back of the statue is a hill split into two. You walk in between the split hill and there is a semi-circle wall filled with quotes by MLK.

"The Michaelangelo of the 20th Century"

Le Corbusier. . .  is the best architect of the 20th century. He was born in Switzerland but became a French citizen. He was not only a famous architect because he was also an artist and writer. He was known as an pioneer for Modern Architecture. His work spands from Europe.India, and America. Centre Le Corbusier is a art museum dedicated to him.  

The Villa La Roche is my favorite building by Le Corbusier. He designed it for a Swiss banker/art collector. The whole house is like an art gallery or architectural promenade. Le Corbusier was inspired by his trip to Acropolis in 1911. When you walk in there is blues, whites, and reds that provide color. The modern yet simple shapes in the house make it timeless and amazing. La Roches art hangs all over his home.

 

-->Utililitas/Firmitas/Venustas<--

What is Architecture? This is the question we ask ourselves when we think of the meaning. When you think of Architecture you might picture a nice building or any building. When I think of Architecture I picture the Bauhaus or the Washington Monument. But, I didn't really have a definition or meaning for Architecture. I do know three ideas that relate to architecture that come from the "Ten Books on Architecture" by Vitruvius. This was the first Architecture ever written. The first  ideas  was Utililitas which translated to utilities. This means that a building is defective relating to the usage of the building. For example, a hospital has light colors and is comfortable so the patient and family feels comfort and wants to stay in order to be healthy. The second idea is Firmitas and translated means firmness or stability. Firmitas means that not only the building can stand up, but it can also can survive through weather conditions. The last one is Venustas and translates to beaty or attractiveness. Venustas shows the artistic creativity in a building that makes it attractive.

The !BAUHAUS!

The Bauhaus was a school of craft and fine arts that was located in Germany. The genius architect behind this modern architecture was Walter Gropius. Gropius was also the director of the school or founder. Bauhaus literally means " School of Building" in German. Besides the literal name the Bauhaus became the most influential building in Modern Architecture and Design. The Bauhaus was simple yet modern and the fact that no one had never seen anything like the Bauhaus before made it a success and influence to the world of architecture and design.

An interesting fact about the Bauhaus was that it became the most filmed and photographed building in Europe! Literally everyone wanted a look at the Bauhaus and its modern design. Students could easily communicate from their balconies that were specifically designed for this reason. But, one problem remained: Where would the Masters and Gropius stay? The simple solution Gropius thought of was to build a housing building a few yards away. The Bauhaus was filled with students and staff learning of art and design. The Bauhaus today is still as famous as it was in the 1920's because of its' modernized design and architecture.