Week 1 Reading Notes

Reading A:

Curtis, W. J. R. (1996). Introduction. In Modern Architecture since 1900 (3rd ed.). pp11-17. Oxford: Phaidon

• modern is a term which all eras have used and therefore lacks true meaning
• modern architecture is often based on new technologies or construction methods
• history involves constant reinterpretation
• histographers tend to isolate a style and concentrate on its uniqueness without reference or comparison to other arhitectural developments parallel to them.
• fresh start architecture is often based on a reinterpretation of an older style and is therefore steeped in tradition despite being advertised as being untainted by predecessors
• modern architecture emerged against major social and cultural transformation
• 'the right balance is needed between the internal logical of the discipline, the influence of cultural forces and the social and personal dimensions of the indvidiual invention'.
• a tradition or style is often ruled by dominant forms and governing principles but may also contain diverse strands and regional emphasis
• 1920's - HEROIC PERIOD - through architects such as Le Corbusier, Mies Van Der Rohe, Walter Gropius

Question Posed: Digital Technology - Does it make modern buildings or is it just a trend?

In my opinion, digital technologies and 3D drafting programs have allows for the successful design of some modern buildings which may not have come to fruition without such technological aid. The ease of creating complex shapes without technical and time consuming mathematical caculations is the greatest advantage of computer based design. Allowing computers to do the calculations speeds up the process and allows more time to be spent on the actual design of the building. Designing in a 3D virtual world creates 'real time' models which can be edited and changed easily without the need to change every drawing by hand every time a change is made. Based on this, I believe that digital technologies are not just a trend but a useful tool in the modern age of architectural design based mainly on the efficeiency of time and the ability to create complex shapes and surfaces.

Having said this, I believe that hand drawing and manual 3d modelling still have their place in architectural design. This allows for designers to create their own recognisable style and traits. To maximise success, I believe that these methods should be collated to create the most successful designs.

Reading 2:

Bure, G. 2008. Paris/ La Villette. In Bernard Tschumi. ed. G. Bure, 47-73. Birkhauser: Basel

• Information folie, cafe folie, ticket folie, music folie, belvedere folie, observatory folie, stair folie, clock folie
• OCCUPY SPACE -> GENERATE MOVEMENT -> AMPLIFY ACTION
• La Villette - layers of lines, points and planes
• Folies = French name
• 26 folies in La Villette by B Tschumi
• 36x36 foot red cubes articulated according to program and requirements
• Multi functional, non functional, collide with and respond to other facilities
• Folies change according to their assemblage and topographic position

Key Ideas Gained - Folies should be:

• ACTIVATORS OF SPACE rather than scultural objects
• BECAME A SIGN FOR LA VILLETTE - immediately recognisable and linkable to the park
• SYMBOLLICALLY EXCEED THEIR RESPECTIVE FUNCTIONS