Roots: Shaping the world around us are the roots of the past; where every concept has grown from. The roots of the Arts and Crafts movement has been narrowed down to three main locations who remained in constant competition with one another; New York, Chicago, and California. This “competition” between these locations led for the race of height among buildings. Turning to particular styles Art Deco was one that was accepted greatly by America because it paved the way for Americans to conceive a style of its own. “The American Moderne grew out of a need to express the new dynamism of American life. It combined the sleek surfaces of Art Deco, the French Moderne preference for new materials, and an optimistic view of machinery inspired by the Italian Futurist movement and America’s own Stuart Davis, who rendered the excitement of American mass culture in paint,” (Massey 110).
Congruence: When two or more items correspond well with one another a congruency is created. The Robie House constructed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1901, is a good example of congruency because not only did Wright design the home itself, he continued his design into the furnishing of its interior while keeping both exterior and interior in congruence with the earth. The interior furnishings that were made by Wright were coherent with the design of the home, although it went against the taste of the people that inhabited the space. In his design process, “Wright exaggerated the horizontal lines to integrate his houses with their praire settings, creating a strong connection with the earth,” (Roth 498).
Concept: A concept is an idea that contains a solid purpose. The design behind the Home Insurance Building in Chicago, constructed by William Lebaron Jenny from 1883 to 1885 was one in which concept was key. This serves as a good example because, the concept featured in this structure was one that not only influenced its design, but it continued to influence the design methods of other architects. This concept was a self-supporting facade in which the structure contained on the inside has a metal grid that provides interior support. “…Jenny decided to use an iron skeletal frame, not only on the inside but in the exterior walls as well,” (Roth 406). “Within five years, Chicago architects had almost completely changed over to metal frames, composed of every form of iron available – cast-iron columns, wrought iron beams, with some parts of steel – for this technique solved two troublesome problems,” (Roth 507). The purpose that a good concept contains is the ability to problem solve. This concept allowed the removal of thick supporting walls and removed 50% or greater of the weight office blocks which were to be used before this concept was applied to this structure.
Materiality: Materiality is the quality of an element or elements that make a composition. The Wright home and studio in Oak Park, IL was constructed in 1889 to 1909 by Wright himself. The home showcases the usage of the term materiality in how the shingles are used as a decorative element along which a stretching ban of windows that makes a composition that exhibits the term unity.
Compression: Release:
“…history evolves as the result of an inner spiritual necessity,” (Roth 519).
Serving as a mere opposite of one another, compression is the act of pressing together and release is the act of freeing; letting go. Looking to the 19th century as a whole, there was compression and release within society in which affected the outcome of 19th century buildings. Some of the social and economic “compression: release” factors were:
- The need for a change and meaning within a compressed society
- The release from a Romantic design past
- The release of scientific developments from a compressed state of knowledge
- The release of new materials affecting the compressed style of current spatial interiors
Looking at society of the time, I feel that Roth describes it best when he says, “…it was up to the architects at the end of the nineteenth century to express the character of their time…” (Roth 519). Which I feel that in the 19th century design was about making your our way by determining your future.
Synopsis: Relating the title “Road Trip” to this week’s OPUS is a good example of the “Road Trip” that America has taken to create a place for itself in design. Going against the congruency of Europe, design in America has traveled a long way since design roots were first implemented in society. I believe that this partially due to the compression and release in society that tends to causes changes were they are rapid or slow. Over time these changes created explorations of the materiality of new materials and new concepts to be created and explored.
This thumbnail is the "root" inspiration for my future window design in Environmental Design II
Congruence: When two or more items correspond well with one another a congruency is created. The Robie House constructed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1901, is a good example of congruency because not only did Wright design the home itself, he continued his design into the furnishing of its interior while keeping both exterior and interior in congruence with the earth. The interior furnishings that were made by Wright were coherent with the design of the home, although it went against the taste of the people that inhabited the space. In his design process, “Wright exaggerated the horizontal lines to integrate his houses with their praire settings, creating a strong connection with the earth,” (Roth 498).
Concept: A concept is an idea that contains a solid purpose. The design behind the Home Insurance Building in Chicago, constructed by William Lebaron Jenny from 1883 to 1885 was one in which concept was key. This serves as a good example because, the concept featured in this structure was one that not only influenced its design, but it continued to influence the design methods of other architects. This concept was a self-supporting facade in which the structure contained on the inside has a metal grid that provides interior support. “…Jenny decided to use an iron skeletal frame, not only on the inside but in the exterior walls as well,” (Roth 406). “Within five years, Chicago architects had almost completely changed over to metal frames, composed of every form of iron available – cast-iron columns, wrought iron beams, with some parts of steel – for this technique solved two troublesome problems,” (Roth 507). The purpose that a good concept contains is the ability to problem solve. This concept allowed the removal of thick supporting walls and removed 50% or greater of the weight office blocks which were to be used before this concept was applied to this structure.
Materiality: Materiality is the quality of an element or elements that make a composition. The Wright home and studio in Oak Park, IL was constructed in 1889 to 1909 by Wright himself. The home showcases the usage of the term materiality in how the shingles are used as a decorative element along which a stretching ban of windows that makes a composition that exhibits the term unity.
An exploration of materiality and concepts, By: Mies Van Der Rohe
“The Farnsworth House”
“The Farnsworth House”
Compression: Release:
“…history evolves as the result of an inner spiritual necessity,” (Roth 519).
Serving as a mere opposite of one another, compression is the act of pressing together and release is the act of freeing; letting go. Looking to the 19th century as a whole, there was compression and release within society in which affected the outcome of 19th century buildings. Some of the social and economic “compression: release” factors were:
- The need for a change and meaning within a compressed society
- The release from a Romantic design past
- The release of scientific developments from a compressed state of knowledge
- The release of new materials affecting the compressed style of current spatial interiors
Looking at society of the time, I feel that Roth describes it best when he says, “…it was up to the architects at the end of the nineteenth century to express the character of their time…” (Roth 519). Which I feel that in the 19th century design was about making your our way by determining your future.
Synopsis: Relating the title “Road Trip” to this week’s OPUS is a good example of the “Road Trip” that America has taken to create a place for itself in design. Going against the congruency of Europe, design in America has traveled a long way since design roots were first implemented in society. I believe that this partially due to the compression and release in society that tends to causes changes were they are rapid or slow. Over time these changes created explorations of the materiality of new materials and new concepts to be created and explored.
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