BP for Feb. 28

Architecture in Happiness

I think that an architecture of happiness is an abstract idea which many architects try and nail and few do.  For everyone, architecture of happiness will be different and people will interpret different buildings and spaces in different ways.  For me architecture of happiness is somewhere where I feel safe, secure, alive, free, and a sense of harmony with my environment.  Architecture of happiness has to be not only visually appealing but also functional, and purposeful--it can't just look pretty.  Although, even simple spaces, at least for me, are in my division of architecture of happiness few do so well.  

Rules of Architecture

1.) Maintain Continuity with the past

2.) Harmony and Order

3.) Layer groves and stacks

4.) Celebrate surface and materiality

5.) Follow the rules--modular systems

6.) Place community needs before your own

7.) Strive for position through patronage

8.) Emphasize spiritual not just religious connections

9.) Sustain systems of representation

10.) Expand your inner world

These rules on architecture and design were presented in class this past week.  I believe that happiness can connect and intertwine with these rules through architecture.  For instance, one place(off-campus) I enjoy is the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center of Charlotte, NC.   This place maintains continuity with the past because it is a theatre and theatres are historically very significant.  Also, historical(classical, boroque, romantic, neo classical) music is performed here which also continues with the past.  Inside the Blumenthal( Here ) there are several examples of layering of stacking and groves.  The most evident is the seating and lighting.  Community needs are also brought to the forefront here, trying to keep music and drama alive in NC!  Also, notice the ceiling.  It has a sense of pulling towards the sky, with perhaps stars?  Possibly a connection with space or even spiritual ideas.

My favorite place AND space on campus is the tree located next to the Faust building(the one with pink on it to the left).  You can actually go inside this tree, there is even a tire swing in it!  Even though this place/space is so simple, it rocks my world!  It is evident that this space has been around for a very long time, the tire swing shows its age.  The surface here is so simple, nature, yet so beautiful at the same time.  This tree is located in a communal area, a park area in front of the Faust building.  When I am in this space I feel like I am somewhere safe away from the rest of the world and somewhere secluded where I can think clearly and just be one with nature per say.  Mother Nature is also a religious connection here, more so a connection with god's world.  Even though this tree is so close to the path next to it, it feels as if you are miles away from people, and you just feel happy!  You should go there sometime and check it out! Bring a lawn chair though!  Trees are one of the most sustainable things on Earth, especially trees protected by the government(this one is).   So this place won't be going anywhere anytime soon. 

RR6- Amiens Cathedral and Gothic Style

For this reading response I am going to focus on the Amiens Cathedral.  The Amiens cathedral is one of the most remarkable buildings of the 13th century.  There are several important aspects of this cathedral to notice;
1. This gothic style that developed is far from linear.
2. The flying buttresses had to be added to later in construction because of the buckling of the cathedral.
3. Follows the model of Chartres
4. The columns created several diagonals throughout the building which is what was used for construction.
5. The main designer of this cathedral changed several times and structural errors were run into because of this.

Add caption

Here are three pictures of the Amiens Cathedral.
1. Notice all of the diagonals in the floor plan and the general t shape with the dome on top.
2. Notice the two massive towers, traditional in French cathedrals.  Also notice the stained glass.
3. Notice the unique pattern in the ceiling, as well as the columns.  these columns have colonettes attached to them for a more gothic look.  These were referred to as columnar bundles, these are what would seem to be squares rotated 45 degrees therefore creating the diagonals.

Supplemental Writing
Click this link.  Here is a supplemental writing on the Amiens cathedral.  It is from Columbia University.  This website/project provides a great look at the Amiens cathedral.  It does this through several pictures of the cathedral, as well as drawings both by hand and cad.  It also contains movies and writings on the cathedral! Its a great place to learn a few things about the cathedral.

BP6

The cathedrals we discussed in lass today can be described in terms of region.  Although different regions have similar cathedrals, there ares still enough differences inbetween the two.  Some of the "lofty" ideas in these cathedrals is there effort to reach good.  They are built very tall with a hope that they will be closer to god.  Also, in just the size of the cathedrals there is an effort of it trying to be god like.  In the Amiens cathedral, there were several errors made.  Through different generations of designers and workers, the plans were changed, and preventative efforts had to be made to preserve the integrity of the cathedral.  For instance the flying supports at the top had to have a second one added in order to prevent it from buckling.  Also, the inside of it had to have a chain added to support the columns from falling.

Cognitive Map

Design-----Time----New Design-----Errors----Preventative----Rough Foundation-----Difficulties-----Real vs Ideal-----God-------Dedication-----Community-----Life

RR 4

Something that stood out to me in this weeks readings is circles.  Not only circles, but how circles connect to the sun and how they represent life and light.  In the Domus Aurea there is an oculous in the roof, letting in light.  This light lit up the whole room and was a sacred room, dedicated to just the sun.  This can also be seen in the Pantheon in Rome.  There is a large opening at the top of the ceiling for light.  These places were very important to the Romans.  This can also be seen, in a much larger scale, at the Flavian Ampitheater.  It is a huge theater with a circular opening at the top for light.  All of these places, holy and social, are very important to these people.  The circles connect the people with nature, light.  It lets them use their natural resource---environment affects architecture here. 

1.) http://www.crystalinks.com/colosseumtop.jpg
Here is the ampitheatre.  Notice the stacking of circles, makes a sphere.  This is a place where many social events would go on, and it is open to the elements.  Even when the romans would put their "tarp" over it, it still had a large circular opening at the top.
2.) http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/domus_aurea/ac991416.jpg
Here is the domus aurea.  This place was very important to the Romans.  This design took advantage of the landscape and of nature. 
3.) http://www.crystalinks.com/romepantheon.jpg
This is the Pantheon.  Possibly the most important building to the Romans seeing as it was a temple for all of their gods.  Notice the large sphere, and the circle at the top for sunlight.  The Romans really took advantage of the landscape here. 

Today, these influences can be seen at such places as the EUC and the School of Music.  These designs have been modernized but are still here to stay.  The importance of circles has slightly changed over time, with more social identities rather than spiritual and social.
Here is a very complex and interesting unit review on circles in architecture I found;
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~matc/math5.geometry/unit9/unit9.html
This goes much more in depth, but shows how important circles were to these earlier civilizations, and their importance in religion.

Monday Feb. 7th 2011

I believe that commodity, firmness, and delight are at their highest at the EUC.  The EUC has several examples of circles; right when you walk in the circular lobby area, and the circular opening on the ceiling.  The building obviously has a high commodity score because it is always being used.  It serves as a place to socialize and get coffee, eat full meals, shop at a market, get a spartancard problem fixed, meditate at the meditation room, dance in the ballroom, learn in the classrooms and even do banking!  This building is relatively new, and has undergone several renovations, but I believe the firmness to be good as well(hopefully not speaking too soon!).  The EUC does mark a significant place for us, and it is ALWAYS crowded because of this.  The delight at the EUC is also relatively high considering its a school building.  It has unique architecture, and is designed nicely on the inside as well.  The windows let in a  lot of light which is also nice, and it has a sort of grand feeling to it, especially when walking up the massive staircases. 

Blog Post Monday, Jan 31

http://www.williammangum.com/university-series/img/universities-190px/UNCG-Foust.jpg

This is the Faust Building.  Notice the power and size of this building. On the UNCG campus there are several examples of precident, order, size, surface,  technology, scale, experience, power, space, and principles.  Order matters, notice the school of musics location on campus as well as the Fergusson building.  The surface of most of these buildings are brick.  Notice the size of the dining hall and EUC, very large.  Notice the technology used at the entrance of the dining hall, the self supporting style.  Notice the ornamentation on the Faust building, found in the link above.  Notice the principles of the library.  All of these examples can be found throughout campus, and in more than one place.

This diagram should help with locating the buildings
http://www.uncg.edu/mat/sermon/images/uncg-campus-map.png

CC 11-20 Response Jan. 28

The Importance/Significance of Columns

1.) Columns are a very important part of design.  Not only in structural support, but as well as symbolic meaning.

2.) Columns are part of the repetition factor.  Especially in the cases of Acropolis and Xianyang.

3.) Columns can make a building appear bigger than it is, and at certain angels(such as the Parthenon) attempt to make it look perfect.

4.) The columns also represent hierarchy.  They are towering over many things, and therefore show that.  

5.) Columns can also be highly decorated, and they usually are, which shows their significance.

6.) The repetition found in columns also represents power and authority.

7.) Columns can give even a small building a good impression.  Made to look better than actuality.

8.) Akropolis as well as the Xianyang palace have several rows of columns.

Image 1

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LbB5_n--9rqHaxj6LB87Cw

In this link of the Xianyang palace model, notice the importance of the columns.  They make the palace look more substantial, as well as showing the power.

Image 2

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Athen_Baustelle_Akropolis_20020809-262.jpg

In this link, notice how much of the physical Parthenon is columns.  The columns are very important to the Greeks, notice the detail, and how well they have been kept together til now.

Image 3

http://www.history-book.net/?e=1113

In this link, notice the Temple at Erida's columns and the repetition on top of the layers of steps.

This supplemental website http://www.columns.net/      has tons of information on columns throughout history and their importance.  It points out that we take columns for granted today, and that the meaning now is more simplistic than ever.  

Today columns are used as structural support and as decoration.  Most columns don't have symbolic or divine meanings anymore, which is showing how are cultures are becoming less and less religious and more fundamental.

Monday Jan. 24, 2011 Circles, Groups, Stacks, People.

1.)  Circles-The sun and the moon, sacred spots.
     There is a large circle on the floor of the front entrance to the EUC as well as a sun on the floor.  There is also an oculous on the EUC ceiling.
A picture of the circluar part of the building as well as the oculous can be found here; http://www.uncg.edu/euc/maps/. 
Circles are directly connected to sacred spots.  The EUC is considered one of those sacred spots for students on campus, and in ritual students go there all the time to enjoy themselves, as well as eat.
2.) Groups-The music building on campus had several examples of groups.  A picture of the music building can be found here; http://www.uncg.edu/mus/about.html.  There was a large grouping of the windows as well as the rocks and trees around the pond.
Groups are connections with people and the trees and rocks around the pond also had several groups of benches as well.  Since the environment here is so nice, our ritual is to come and sit here and relax by the pond.
3.)Stacks-The library, found here; http://web.uncg.edu/adm/image/steps/0910/library.jpg  is the best example of stacking I could find.  The stacking is evident floor by floor, although basic, it is still stacking none the less. 
4.) People-The best example of this I could find on campus was the dining hall found here; http://www.uncg.edu/ipg/enewsworthy/IFest1.jpg
I thought this was a good example because the entry way is similar to a human skeleton.  It looks like it may fall at any moment, but is in fact self supporting with no skin, just like a human skeleton.  This is somewhere where we go often, our ritual here is eating so of course we would have a neat entrance here.

CC 1-10 Response Jan. 21 2011

The Yellow River

1.) The discovery of the Yellow River(Hwang Ho), was one of the most important discoveries for China's early civilizations. 

2.) Through the Yellow River, cultures such as the Hongshan Culture(4700-2900 BCE), Yangshao Culture(5000-3000 BCE), and later the Longshan Culture(3000-200 BCE) could sustain life through the most basic necessity; water.

3.) Through these combined areas, several thousands of small states could be seen by 3000 BCE.

4.) This river is so important to the Chinese, that it is dubbed their "Queen River" and "the Cradle of Chinese Civilization"

5.) The river stretches across nine provinces of China(a substantial amount).

6.) Through mud blockage in the 1100's several civilizations died out, due to lack of sustainability.

7.) The river is also very important to the Chinese because of the silt(nutrients in the water) that it carries, and will make the surrounding soil very nutrient rich to grow food in.

8.) Buildings were designed around the Yellow River, but were often recessed from the shoreline

        -Too close to the shoreline, their homes would be flooded.

9.) Unfortunately, there is concern for the pollution of the river, and conservency efforts have been made.

10.) The rivers mud was also used by locals as a building material.

Images

1.) http://hua.huh.harvard.edu/china/images/bruce14.jpg

     -This is the upper region of the Yellow River, notice the village to the left of the river and their      crops.

2.) http://www.chinauniquetour.com/seradmin/htmledit/UploadFile/20071110225138828.jpg

     -Notice the yellow color of the river due to the abnormal amount of loess(sediments-silt, sand, and clay)

3.) http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20090521/000cf1a48b7f0b7f565744.jpg

     -Notice all of the produce(mostly rice fields).  Also notice how low it lays-flooding.  Erosion has also been a very large concern.

Supplemental Writing

Here are two supplemental writings that I found helpful in my research, and that helped to clarify the importance of the Yellow River;

1.) http://www.chinahighlights.com/yellowriver/

2.) http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_travel/2003-09/24/content_34109.htm

How it Affects us Today

The early civilizations of the Yellow River had to deal with the devestating effects of the Yellow River.

Through these effects, these civilizations grew in their design/architecture/building fields.  Villages would move from the shoreline, more inland, but still keeping the Yellow River easily accesible.  Also, some of the first levies were used on this river, a modern marvel.  This river also brought things such as power, nutrients, and building materials to these civilizations.  The river was even used as a weapon against the Japanese(water warfare) through the removal of specific levies.