Video 1. Architecture: The Science of Design
1. For this video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.
The most popular and most versatile material in architecture is concrete. Concrete was first used in antiquity and can be seen in structures that are still standing. The ancient Roman aqueduct, the Pont du Gard, in Southern France and was built sometime between 40-60 AD. Another example is the Pantheon in Rome, Italy, which was constructed in concrete between 113–125 AD. The concrete used during the Roman Empire consisted of sand, pebbles, broken stone and cement.
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| Pont du Gard, Roman aqueduct built in France between 40-60 AD |
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| Pantheon, built between113-125 AD in Rome, Italy |
Today, as the world's population continues to increase and living space (particularly in large cities) decreases, architects are starting to build up. When new materials were discovered in the 20th century, such as reinforced concrete and steel, architects began to build upwards in the form of skyscrapers. To design a base for a secure skyscraper, either a deep substructure, some which go almost 200 feet below ground, is created. Or, a big platform base is made. For each skyscraper built, the architect needs to keep both the dead weight (i.e. steel) and living weight (people, furniture) into consideration, and there are strict guidelines for how much 'sway' or movement is allowed to happen to the building.
2. How does this video relate to the readings in the text?
The video mentions early concrete structures that I've pictured above, the Pont du Gard aqueduct in Southern France and the Pantheon in Italy. The text, however, includes more examples, details, and line diagrams. A diagram pictured next to a photo of the interior or exterior of a building helps one understand how the architects were able to bring their designs to life. It is incredible to see the finished interior and exterior of important architectural spaces. When you see the cross-section of a buildings frame in black and white, you have a deeper understanding of the science and mathematics that were required to make these works that have stood the test of time. Today, architects are able to use computer aided design and computer aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) to help them create a building that meets all of the structural needs of their clients. And with the development of even more sophisticated building materials, such as reinforced and pre-stressed concrete, buildings are becoming lighter and architects are able to create even more daring forms.
3. What is your opinion of the film? How does it add depth to the understanding of Architecture?
The video was a bit dated, for instance the end focused on the advent of 'smart apartments'. The 'smart apartment' has a computer that controls everything in the house. You are able to either pre-program different sections of your home, or sensors are triggered as you move through your home; for instance a light will turn on when you enter a room, or the vacuum will automatically turn off when the phone rings. The problem, however, according to the video, was how expensive this sort of system would be for the average home-owner. Smart homes are actually becoming more and more affordable. For example, it is possible to set up cameras throughout your home and monitor it from your smartphone or the internet, and you can remotely control your door locks and garage door. I live in an older home, but even I have a programmable thermostat to control the temperature in my living space.
4. Why did you choose the film that you watched?
I chose this film because I assumed, correctly, that it would give me a good, general introduction to architecture and the science behind it. It was interesting to see how architects used models of buildings in wind tunnels to simulate a real-life setting, they were able to test how sturdy their designs would be before they began construction. I found the information about Portland cement interesting. Discovered in 1824, this revolutionary cement formula was made by mixing limestone, silica, aluminate, and iron, which created clinker. The clinker was then ground with gypsum and resulted in an even stronger cement mixture.
Video 2. Frank Gehry: Architecture as Art
1. For this video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.
I learned that Frank Gehry is a modern architect who interested in designing innovative structures. He states that he doesn't like to repeat himself, and therefore responds differently to each situation. He is "(F)ascinated by the idea of movement in architecture." He studied art and architecture at the University of Southern California, and upon receiving his degree he began residencies with several prominent architects in Southern California. Gehry strives to create buildings that have feeling, he wants people to have an emotional response when they see one of his structures. He also takes advantage of digital technology and fabrication, which helps bring the complex curving shapes he sketches to life. All of his buildings have an artistic aesthetic, the structures are not only work or living spaces, the are also art and sculpture. Frank Gehry has broken with the past, yet his amazing buildings would not be able to stand if the past hadn't developed lighter, stronger, and more flexible materials. The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, in Bilbao, Spain, is one the highlights of his career. His aesthetic is fully realized in Bilbao; there is a lot of natural light, he willingly experimented with new materials, and he created a harmony between the building with the people who visit. Sadly, Gehry claims that in the post 9-11 world, there is no room for the skyscrapers that dominated the skylines of the 20th century.
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| Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Bilbao, Spain. 1997 |
2. How does this video relate to the readings in the text?
The text has a number of paragraphs about Frank Gehry under the heading 'Digital Design and Fabrication.' He was one of the first architects to take advantage of digital design and manufacturing. After developing an interest in complex curving forms which he would first sketch out, he had a hard time translating his sketches to something the contractors could understand. While these ideas were in the film, there was no mention of CATIA, the three dimensional modeling program used by the aerospace engineers in France. Gehry was able to use this program to scan his designs and then translate them into a three dimensional model. The text gives Gehry's work even more depth when you read about the architects and buildings that came before him; his work would not exist without the knowledge, materials and designs of architecure from the past.
3. What is your opinion of the film? How does it add depth to the understanding of
Architecture?
Like the film Architecture: The Science of Design, the Frank Gehry film is dated. His most famous building, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao was designed 20 years ago. Yet it was still interesting and informative; there were many interviews from his contemporaries, as well as many interviews with Gehry himself. A great number of the artists or architects we study are no longer living, so it is refreshing to actually hear Gehry, in his own words, describe his aesthetics, ideas, dreams, and inspirations.
4. Why did you choose the film that you watched?
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| Cleveland Clinic Las Vegas, Nevada. 2010 |
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