BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC61303) SYNOPSIS (SET A): REACTION PAPER (AUGUST 2018)
NAME: CHIFUNDO SAPUWA
STUDENT ID: 0327378
TUTOR: MR. NICHOLAS NG
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC61303) SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (AUGUST 2018)
Name: Chifundo Sapuwa
ID No.: 0327378
Lecturer: Mr. Nicholas Ng
Tutorial Time: 11am
Reader/Text Title: A Global Sense of Place
Synopsis No: 1a Author: Doreen Massey
Doreen Massey argues about how the changes in the new era of technology, changes and influences of “timespace compression” on the sense of place. she gives four points on the argument. The first point was a place should be considered as a process the same way as capital is. As it is a string of movements in time-space compression where people can travel from one place or another or enjoy good and services from other countries in their own street. That it is all about communications that happens around the world and the time-space compression can differ according to different race, place and gender. This causes a “the power geometry of time-space compression” how different people affect the sense of time-space compression. It is broken into four fragments to reference of mobility. Those who are right in the action of timespace compression and oversee it and others at are moving but are not in charge of it. Then there are the one that are at receiver end of it and those who have given to it but not in control of it. Secondly, that a place should not be represented with physical boundaries. People should define a place by the way they move through it and how they connect with the place and the world. For example, the way I connect with Malaysia and go through it is different from a local would go through Malaysia, but I still consider Malaysia as a “sense of place” this blurs the lines of boundaries as I am from Malawi but take Malaysia as place. As I link it as place, I can walk down Kuala Lumpur and find a restaurant selling African food or logon my phone and still get news from Malawi. Third point is that place cannot have one single identity. Malaysia is a good example as it considers itself as a multiracial country. As there are three major races and they will say Malaysia will identify differently to all. This is because of history for each race and how they have built to the present and their experiences, and their identity will be in conflict. Although this will still be a “sense of place” for all. Lastly, a places uniqueness should not only come from its history, culture or economic but in the way, people have social relations and linkage at loci or it is communications within local place or on a world scale for it to be consider unique and homogeneous. All these points are to justify why “sense of place” does not work in this era of technology. Explaining it through time-space compression that if someone somewhere does something it will affect someone else somewhere else. Simply it is like the butterfly effect that when things change there is change everywhere. therefore “ a global sense of place” fits better in this era of technology. As we seek movement, communication not only in our local place but globally
Word Count: 491
Mark:
Grade:
Assessed by:
Date:
Page No.: 2
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC61303) SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (AUGUST 2018)
Name: Chifundo Sapuwa
ID No.: 0327378
Lecturer: Mr. Nicholas Ng
Tutorial Time: 11am
Reader/Text Title: Learning From Las Vegas
Synopsis No: 2a Author: Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown Steven Izenour
The reader is about the impact of how notable modernist architects changed architecture in the twentieth century, promising ease quick development and a Utopian future after war torn era. In this case, modernism is reprimanded as being harsh and prejudiced. They are revolutionary however uncaring and ignoring local cultural context. Where the authors argue about advancement of architecture through the reference of Las Vegas. Modernism makes massive carbuncles that could fit anyplace on this planet, promoted to be exquisite and immortal. To be ground-breaking, architects gained from existing landscape. After exhaustive investigation, the authors reasoned that modernism desensitizes us of the implanted humanity inside building that display a site’s particular social qualities and cultural characteristics. Along these lines, postmodernism emerges to counter this disgraceful and weak phenomenon. The authors contended that history must be studied to advance us forward. For example, “What is Paris without Gothic and renaissance style architecture?” identity is indispensable in architecture. In account of Las Vegas, architects are given freedom in configuration to make restoration of the city. Accordingly, it turned into a play area for postmodernists to try out new forms of architecture. Casinos and hotels showing different restorations of more established architectural styles mushroomed along main roads. Modernist architects isolated architecture from sculpture and painting. Hence, buildings in Las Vegas recombined them, constructing unique buildings that catch people's' attention. Las Vegas architecture was contrasted with Italian architecture, one being very marketed while the latter spotlights on picturesque imagery. Whereas Las Vegas is a communication system. Its urban environment is a scenery where communication overpowers space. Appealing billboards and straightforward indications induce drivers to enter the spaces behind each phony facade. The front became more important than the back as competitors fight for attention. Therefore, upcoming architects ought to gain from vernacular architecture as they react well to their site climatically, culturally and socially. Fundamental principles of celebrated architects ought to be addressed and questioned and not pursued indiscriminately. This article is exceedingly prescribed to upcoming architects as it is a fine case of revolutionary movement that basically reacted to existing urban environment. Therefore, upcoming architects should learn to balance all principles of architecture so that spaces are not overpowered a specific element and learn to use picturesque imagery correctly and usefully within their designs.
Word Count: 381
Mark:
Grade:
Assessed by:
Date: 24/10/2018
Page No.: 3
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC61303) SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (AUGUST 2018)
Name: Chifundo Sapuwa
ID No.: 0327378
Lecturer: Mr. Nicholas Ng
Tutorial Time: 11am
Reader/Text Title: The Eye of Skin: Architecture and
Synopsis No: 3a
Senses
Author: Juhani Pallasmaa
The author Juhani Pallasmaa investigates the capacity of sense in individuals that bridges connection with the world we exist in. Sight is one of sense that was broadly used in the main divert in encountering prevailing exposures. The author builds up the significance of senses past sight, which are similarly fundamental in enhancing our comprehension and encounters with the world. As an individual, we tend to disregard alternate senses, contributing the ailing in communication and association with our surroundings. This establishing homogeneous recognitions and encounters. Nature shapes an individual prosperity. Living conditions amplifies and hoists our senses, empowering humans to obtain and distinguish frequencies, that encourages in elucidations and discernments, interfacing pieces of pictures and comprehension into encounters. The author made reference to a view about the detachments of the dialogue between 3 principle components: one's physical presence, the ecological conditions and the boundless creative abilities. Every component assumes a critical part in advancing our encounters, setting up shared impact as well having individual relationship with the given conditions. Knowing the basics and abilities of our sense, architecture comes into the image in shaping, infusing and cementing our intangible encounters. The senses are the strongest apparatuses in guiding us in the comprehension of ourselves and any environmental elements. At the point when senses entwine with each other, a person's encounters heighten. We're ready able to understand depths, weight, opposition, texture, visually and kinesthetics. This enable our encounters to be caught into types of recollections of memories, that enable us to resonate and ruminate with a specific encounter. Our creative energies and perceptions contribute in hoisting our senses and comprehension of our encounters. The author makes reference to the significance of tactile encounters and furthermore how honest and genuine physical experience could be envisioned when ideated sensations are recreated. Hence, architecture is the channel between our body and the truth with a dash of creative impulses. Architecture not only gives physical tactile, but as well as the sensory that can shape memory with our encounters, that exceeds human physically, mentally and emotionally. In conclusion the reader acts as an eye opener for young architects as it breaks down architecture into specific aspects of senses. As well as the intangible possibilities of architecture in one creating spaces for people. Hence this gives young architects an ability to create architectural spaces that speak for themselves.
Word Count: 392
Mark:
Grade:
Assessed by:
Date: 24/10/2018
Page No.: 4