Theories of architecture and urbanism Synopsis

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC61303) SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (APRIL 2019)

Name: Cheong Yen Sin

ID No.: 0328050

Lecturer: Mr. Nicholas Ng

Tutorial Time: 10 a.m.

Reader/Text Title: A Global Sense of Place

Synopsis No: 1a Author: Doreen Massey

In this reader, A Global Sense of Place, the author, Doreen Massey make a clear understanding of its players and followers. Massey asserts that it is not only related to the geographical location, but the mxture of influence from the revolution of technology such as social networks and relations.

As the time-space compression is caused by the speeding up or spreading out movement of the world, the world become more connected with the advance technology that make people or things to be easily connected or travelled.

But Massey argued that the time-space compression does not happen as a whole that everyone had the access to, it is happened in a various social group that it needs differentiating socially. Yet the factors of people get eliminated from time-space compressing might because of races, genders, education, socio-economic status or even location. As the one that is included are usually able to access and relies on the new forms of technology, it means that people that are placed within it are extremely varied and highly complicated.

Massey also call this as the ‘power of geometry’ of time-space compression. This theory is related to the power in relation to the movement and flows within the process. It categorizes people with their decision power whether they are helping the movement and flows of time-space compression that can be differentiated by mobility. Especially for the people that in charge of time-space compression, they can turn their interest into advantage that their power and influence will be increase. For example, the jet-setters, or people that get to contact with social activities that is varied from ordinary people, or even people that get to control the news, or even manipulating public opinion, those are the people that stand at the top of time-space compression. In contrast, there are also people who is more on the receivingend of the process or people who is effectively imprisoned by it, they will permanently be affected by the process with a limit mobility.

In conclusion, I think that this reader can really make people to think clearly who they want to be, as I believed that everyone is given an equal chance and it is all really depending on what you going to do with your life. But time-space compression does contribute inequality not because of certain social groups are not improving but the better groups are moving faster and thus benefit more. I also think that new advance technology is supposed to make the world unite not separating it.

Word Count: 418

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BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC61303) SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (APRIL 2019)

Name: Cheong Yen Sin

ID No.: 0328050

Lecturer: Mr. Nicholas Ng

Tutorial Time: 10 a.m.

Reader/Text Title: Learning From Las Vegas: The

Synopsis No: 2a

Forgotten Symbolism of Architectural Form

Author: Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown and Steven Izenour

In this reader, Learning From Las Vegas: The Forgotten Symbolism of Architectural Form, the authors, Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown and Steven Izenour begin with ‘Learning from the existing landscape is a way of being revolutionary for an architect’ (p.3.). They also discussed about how modern architect easily dissatisfied with the existing environment and changed it instead of enhancing what is there. The authors disclaim that architect should ‘learned from looking backward at the history and tradition to go forwards, and with holding judgement may be used as a tool to make later judgements more sensitive, this is a way of learning from everything’ (p.3.).

Then they go further and discussed about how modern architecture get obsessed by one element of Italian landscape, the piazza that makes them think that enclosed space is the easiest to handle. It makes them to forget and abandoned the tradition iconology that contains messages behind the ornamentation which supposed to combine with architecture.

And they will only put necessary sign with necessary message because this old and tradition iconology has become unacceptable as they think that space is sacred.

So, the authors make their argument to the above statement with their studies in Las Vegas. They prove their point of view that symbol dominates space, as the spatial relationship are made by symbol in space rather than form (p.13.) with the example of the Las Vegas Strip. That big, eye catching signage of one shop has become the communication of architecture with the users that not only direct and guide them, it also become a phenomenon for the shops to identify their importance and enhance the ambience of the streets. A small tiny shop with big signage, or a shop itself is the sign are easily seen in Las Vegas. This is also implied in highways that get to attract the driver attention and also become a guide for the drivers when they are in vast spaces and high speed. Signage is also used in a bigger scale and more complex combinations programs of interior space.

In conclusion, I do agree with the authors saying that symbol dominates the space, but I feel that it is only applicable based on the background and landscape of the place, like Las Vegas Strip because of the landscape, it produced this unique architecture style and become the identity of it that can also be defined as their sense of place. Besides, I do think that the tradition of iconology is presences because of a reason, modern architecture should have study more in depth of it and implied it into the design.

Word Count: 434

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BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC61303) SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (APRIL 2019)

Name: Cheong Yen Sin

ID No.: 0328050

Lecturer: Mr. Nicholas Ng

Tutorial Time: 10 a.m.

Reader/Text

Title:

The

Eyes of

Architecture and The Senses

The

Skin:

Synopsis No: 3a Author: Juhani Pallasmaa

In this reader, The Eyes of The Skin: Architecture and The Senses, the author, Pallasmaa mentioned how the sense of sight being limited and restricted by the negative development, he then argued that the importance of collaboration of senses in spatial experience. He also mentioned that how architecture affect our multi-sensory experiences.

First, Pallasmaa used the philosophy of Merleau-Ponty to state that human body is the centre of the experiential world (p.40). As our sensory is closely related to the environment that we dwelling today that make us to develop different images of world by our own mode of being. I do agree with his point of view, but I also think that no matter environment, sensory or human mode of being, they are all closely affecting each other.

Then, Pallasmaa has made an argument for the above statement that sense of sight has been isolated with other senses. He said that with the collaboration of eyes and other senses, ‘one’s senses of reality is strengthened and articulated by this constant interaction’ (p.41). With the collaboration of vision and touch, people get to sense the whole image of a space. For example, people would not get to perceive things overall by just looking at, with touching people get to feel the materiality, depth and shape. But these senses have to work with haptic memory also to recall or save the memory when we touch something.

Pallasmaa discuss about architecture is an important role of affecting our multi-sensory experiences as he said that ‘architecture is essentially an extension of nature into the man-made realm that allow us to experience and understand the world’ (p.41). As we use five senses all at once to experience a space, we get to feel and appreciate the impact of world that architect bring through a space for us. Of course, a good architect will consider these senses in their design to triggered the mental and physical experience of people for them to remember it through their bodies which is the nervous system and brain.

In conclusion, this reader emphasizes how human sensory get affected by the living environment or get triggered by the architecture that make people to become different from each other. In my opinion, I do agree with the author, but seems like in this modern era, people are getting too rely on their electronic devices and choose to close up their senses to experience the environment or space, that makes them not aware and sensitive to the environment anymore.

Word Count: 417

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