History of Modern Architecture ARC4010
Andrew Saunders 17115951
Digital Booklet
Contents Bibliography Task1 - What is Modernism? Task 2 - The Bauhaus Movement Task 3/4 - Le Corbusier and Unite d’Habitation Task 5 - Avant Garde and Manifesto Task 6 - Essay Planning Task 7 - Healthy Body Culture Task 8 - Essay Preparation Task 9 - Bibliography and References
Task: 1 What Is Modernism?
Task: 2
The Bauhaus Movement
Furniture: The Wassily Chair
The ‘Wassily Chair’ is an iconic piece of furniture designed by Marcel Breuer. It is inspired by the key themes of the Bauhaus movement in that it values the artistic integrity and its form over function and focus on ergonomics. The use of materials are conventional but rather chooses an almost skeletal form, only leaving that key forms of support for the user, embracing the different approach Bauhaus takes. It’s use of leather strips over creating one solid form is much more efficient and focuses better on the essential components needed when used.
Architecture: The Fagus Factory
The ‘Fagus Factory’ was Walter Gropius’ first project and highlights the aim of the Bauhaus movement. The use of glass instead of solid mass like concrete or brick is a good way of changing what many at the time expected form a factory building. There is extensive use of glass to introduce a lot more light into what would have been a large, dark warehouse, deprived of daylight. Additionally the exterior dimensions almost mislead the viewer; the geometry portrays a continuation of the glass and protrudes out further than the stone walls.
Art Pieces and Style: De Stijl
A good piece that meets the ethos of Bauhaus was a creation of De Stijl, “The Style”; which, in itself was a stem from the Bauhaus with a more utopian premise. Piet Mondrian’s ‘Composition with Large Red Plane, Yellow, Black, Grey, and Blue’ highlights a more simplistic, minimalist style rarely ventured. His use of primary colours, so vibrant and restrained by black the geometric squares and rectangles is eye catching and shows his expression with a combination of mathematical precision. It almost gives the impression that the demands of efficient creativity to appeal to the masses does not hinder his ability to be free — ”art rises above all methods”.
Task: 3 and 4
Le Corbusier
Based in the outskirts of Marseilles, Unite D’habitation re-defined high-density housing, because Le Corbusier aimed for a building which could function as a mini society, not just a place where the residents live in. The Unite D’habitation represents the birth of brutalism in architecture where repeated modular elements are used to form masses representing different functional zones. The Unite d’Habitation was created during early post war years (1952) and served as a response to the housing shortage after Marseille’s destruction - the high rise apartment block was aimed at those who were displaced during the war and was to provide them with high quality spacious homes. Brutalist architecture allowed for low cost design methods and inexpensive construction costs which meant that the Unite d’habitation was perfect in terms of providing high quality living spaces, meaning low costsfor hit client, the state.
Task: 5
Creating a Manifesto
Responsive Art Piece
Avant Garde Cr isis Ma nif est o
Everyone has the ri ght to choose
on m m Co
Out
of th e
dg an ts es ter in
colle
ctive
but sti
ll to
geth e
r
d un ro
This sculpture was to match our manifesto, created as one of our tasks. We chose Brexit as a concerning event because it effects a collective and is one of the most recent (still on going) internal topic of concern. From the title the 3 main points of our manifecto is shown. These were meant to refect how the conflict of the situation, severing a few connections to some, shouldn’t be seen as a step in the wrong direction but to enlighten the notion that even though we’ve decided to leave we have other partners and we can take control of these other opportunities.
The hand symbolizes the collective hand of the people holding this cuboidal shape in their hand. Its tall and tower-like form is to relate to Big Ben and the capital government, and is to show a democratic establishment that was originally widely chosen - The geometric form ressembling order and presice calculation
On the hand there is a finger with a missing section to represent the appendage that was our connection to one of our main markets, but the clasp onto Big Ben shows that we still have the control to change using our common interests. As for materials the hand would be polised concrete to reflect the industry and solid history, further enforcing this with a steel base. The stone of the cuboid mirrors the stone of the Parliament building and Big Ben, just to further show the relation.
Task: 6 Academic Essay - Essay Preparation Referencing and Bibliography
Task: 7
Healthy Body Culture - ‘Modernism: Designing a New World’, Chapter 7
Task: 8 Academic Essay - Essay Planning
Le Corbusier: Briefly(?) who he was and contribution to Modernism
BODY PART 1 Pilotis Free Facade Free Floor Plan Windows Roof Garden
Describe What They Are, and There Presence in the Modern Setting. Why have These Been Chosen and How Do They Work
Le Corbusier’s 5
INTRODUCTIO
Suggestion of main t explaination and jus
QUESTION
“Describe Unite d’Ha or whether it addresse embodies Le Corbusi
CONCLUSION
Summarise application of 5 po ‘It Does work with eth contex for all social features? - conclu What it mean for modernist m for brutalism?
5 points
Unite Context - History and what was needed
ON
themes with brief stification
abitation and explain how es its social context and ier’s phyolosophies”
t ia n e t Po
ph) a r g ara P ( y l bod
Describe How These Points Have been Applied and Presented. How, or Have These Helped Accomodate For Its Context’s Key Issue
N
oints xt’ but was it completely successful ude on bad points movement. What was this mena
BODY PART 2
Pilotis Free Facade Free Floor Plan Windows Roof Garden
Initial Essay Topic Le Corbusier is often cited as one of the most influential architects in the early part of the Modernist movement; however his career spanned sixty years. Describe one of his post-war projects either in Europe or beyond. Consider how his work relates to its context and how it embodies the ideas that had driven him through his career.
Examples: Potential
Key Words for Prompts: “Influential in the early Modernist movement” “Post-war project” in “relation to its context” How does it “embody his ideas” that drove him through his career
Unite d’Habitation (1952) / Villa Savoye (1929-31) / Chandigarh, Capitol Buildings (1955-7) / Chapelle Notre-Dame du Haut, Ronchamp (1955 )
Revised Essay Question How has one of Le Corbusier’s post-war projects embodied his principles, allowing for its context to be suited and give influence to the early Modernist movement?
Introduction: -Le Corbusier - Born Charles Edarard Jeanneret -French Modernist but Swiss born (Chaux-de-Fonds) -His most known principles and what they meant to the Modernist movement -Intro into discussion - Unite and how it shaped community high rise buildings and brutalism - did unite embody his principles and did it entirely suit its context
Part1: -Who was Le Corbusier? - depth into his influence (5 points) and where it came from -exploration with reinforced concrete (Auguste, Perret), free plan and flow of people within the home, PIlotis and domino form (Acropolis, Rome), etc Part2: -Marseille’s context -WWII and its effect on the city + the Battle of Marseille -What drew Le Corbusier to France, moreso Marseille? -What was the need of the people Part3: -How has the 5 been applied to Unite? ->each point drawn upon and addressed where and how it is advantageous ->what did unite embody? Benefit to Marseille’s community ->was the project completely successful and howso? - not entirely, due to difference in aesthetic opinion
Conclusion: -The building was a success in the most part amd met its context by creating this community living within the high rise but failed to conisder the range of public opinion towards the, not yet fully established, Brutalist ideas
Bibliography Frearson,A (2014) Brutalist Buildings:Unite d’Habitation, Marseille by Le Corbusier https://www.dezeen.com/2014/09/15/le-corbusier-unite-d-habitation-cite-radieuse-marseille-brutalist-architecture/ Wilk, C (2008) The Healthy Body Culture page 254-255 Modernism: Designing a New World: 1914 - 1949 Victoria and Albert Museum, London CURTIS, W. (1996) Chapter 23 Form & Meaning in the late works of Le Corbusier Modern Architecture since 1900, (3rd ed. ) London, Phaidon Corbusier’s Comments on Unite and Inspirations http://www.fondationlecorbusier.fr/corbuweb/morpheus.aspx?sysId=13&IrisObjectId=5234&sysLanguage=en-en&itemPos=58&itemCount=78&sysParentId=64&sysParentName=home https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=X_igJKO7y5kC&pg=PA156&lpg=PA156&dq=le+corbusier+unite+d%27habitation+cornerstone&source=bl&ots=RCxrmtGRCG&sig=z0mOhiozmOqNsif3YHVNeQF5pZ0&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi3oML2gMHYAhWF0RQKHSE1CEoQ6AEIWDAK#v=onepage&q=le%20corbusier%20unite%20d’habitation%20cornerstone&f=false Davis, M (2015) How World War II Shaped Modern France http://www.euronews.com/2015/05/05/how-world-war-ii-shaped-modern-france “Bauhaus Manifesto and Program” (1919) Available at: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/b/bauhaus Framton K, Page 224 https://doubleoperative.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/kenneth-frampton_modern-architecture.pdf Wilk, C (2008) Modernism:Designing a New World: 1914 - 1949, Victoria and Albert Museum, London Le Corbusier Presentation: http://www.fondationlecorbusier.fr/corbuweb/morpheus.aspx?sysId=13&IrisObjectId=5234&sysLanguage=en-en&itemPos=58&itemCount=78&sysParentId=64&sysParentName=home