book review by Elinord Books

RE - VIEW. BOOK REVIEWS BY UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON STUDENTS

Sadek Ahmed, Samrita Murdher, Ben Spong, Elnord Bukuso, Katie Lam, Jet Dela Cruz, Aliya Yerkaliyeva

Introduction Architecture, a term that could spark conversation for hours as to regards to what it means and its relationship to the wider world. It could be found that architecture is best understood as a singularity, subject from outside influence, being juxtaposed by others who would say that it can only be understood in relationship to society, culture, demographics, history and even politics. Architecture has changed hugely over time from the vernacular to the ultra modern, over which time certain architecture pioneers have led different movements as they strive to prove that their concept of architecture is superior. This book is a collection of reviews that are based around books written by these pioneers. The reviews themselves are arguments against or for the topic of the book, they analyze the writing of the author and even the works of the author if they are an architect. In doing so, this mirrors the previous argument of what architecture actually is. Each book reviewed is one personsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; take on a particular movement or concept in architecture that others may or may not agree with. Nevertheless, it is still just as important. In a way, each review helps you view the world of architecture from a different angle. A world that must be viewed in its entirety to begin to develop your own thesis or argument of what architecture actually is. As you read further into the book, you begin to see how the views of the reviewer and the views of the author conflict or conform. You will also start to see relationships between the books reviewed themselves and whether they conflict or conform. This contrast of ideas will be further extended when you, as the reader, begin to form your own opinions on the view of the author and the view of the reviewer. This difference in opinions and manifestations between the authors of the books, the reviewers and you as the reader make this book a compelling read.

BRIGHTON NO 12

CONTENT PAGE

OCTOBER.DECEMBER 12

CONTENT BRIGHTON NO 12 OCTOBER.DECEMBER 12

02 04 06

LESSONS FOR STUDENTS IN ARCHITECTURE ELNORD BUKUSO

the thinking hand

SAMRITA MUDHER

COLLAGE CITY SADEK AHMED

08 10 12 14

COMPLEXITY+CONTRADICT ARCHITECTURE BEN SPONG

invisible cities JET DELA CRUZ

TOWARDS A NEW ARCHITECTURE WAI KA KATIE LAM

the price of shadows ALIYA

“

…more usefu applicable more purpos -Herman Hertzberger

ul, more and seful…

“

020

Hertzberger.H.(1991)Lessons for Student in Architect. Netherlands Hertzberger.H.(1991)Lessons for Student in Architect. Netherlands P.12 Hertzberger.H.(1991)Lessons for Student in Architect. Netherlands P.12 Hertzberger.H.(1991)Lessons for Student in Architect. Netherlands P.41 Hertzberger.H.(1991)Lessons for Student in Architect. Netherlands P.57

Hertzberger’s book named Lessons for Students in Architecture’s first copyright date and publication date was in 19911. The genre of this book is informative reflecting the materials discussed in his lectures on architecture at Delft Technical University from 1973 and contains elaborated versions of the lecture notes in his previous publicized novels. Through out the book it has black and white images that demonstrate some design aspects of how spaces interacted between public and private spaces. Besides images Hertzberger includes other special features such as diagrams of floor plans, elevations, site plans and detailed landscape drawings. Hertzberger’s purpose of writing this book was to convey his ‘lessons’ and to stimulate students to evoke in them an architectural frame of mind that will enable them to do their own work’. His intended audience was to students. In my opinion, I think he particularly chose to cover the aspect of how people segregate spaces from public to private spaces. To express the importance of understanding the idea of acceptance and wanting to belong as referred like so ‘ All behavior in society at large is indeed role-‐included, in which the personality of each individual is affirmed by what others see in him’.

Hertzberger was trying to convey his interpretations of lectures as a informative manner explaining his ideas and conception of building analysis. Hence the fact the title clearing states ‘Lessons for Students in Architecture’, the general subject matter relates to ‘collective’ and ‘individual’ terms using a space to claim ones responsibility. As this phrase supports ‘In our world we experience a polarization between exaggerated individuality on the other hand and exaggerated collectivity on the other’.3 The idea of ‘polarization’ shows that everyone wants to fight for better things. Public spaces are being incorporated as part of a pavement space, not exactly identifying sufficient private claims. Therefore, ‘It is here that every inhabitant plats the roles that express what sort of person he wants to be, and therefore how he wants others to see him, Here, too, it is decided what individual and collective have to offer each other’.4 Such sample connotes that individuals express their needs by how they use space emotionally being selfish. Hertzberger’s gathered many of his information from relative names with in the architectural field, names like, ‘Le Corbusier’, Bramante’, ‘Van de Vogt’, ‘Rieteld’, ‘Horta’ and many others to describe and argue out the same topic but in each of these architects studies. For instance, E. May changed the social houses into something exciting through making a distinction between the ‘orientation and proportion....of the surroundings’5 mean whilst, Alekei had organized many projects to unite the community together. The narrative behind this book is that it questions

Hertzberger.H.(1991)Lessons for Student in Architect. Netherlands P.19 Hertzberger.H.(1991)Lessons for Student in Architect. Netherlands P.79 Hertzberger.H.(1991)Lessons for Student in Architect. Netherlands P125 Hertzberger.H.(1991)Lessons for Student in Architect. Netherlands ‘Flexibility and Polyvalency’, Ekistics no.8, 1963, pp.239-2393 [excerpt from Forum, no.3, 1962] Hertzberger.H.(1991)Lessons for Student in Architect. Netherlands P151

Throughout this book Hertzberger tries to discuss his ideas alongside others to show variety and how spaces worked in conception to individuals and as collectives dwelling on the status of superiority. So many questions were rhetorical in the light of wanting to solve problems ‘...concerning diversity...’ and ‘accessibity’.6 Presenting the ideas that each architect or designer faced to come up with ideas which would contemplate the space they were working with allowing it to be ‘suitable’. Le Corbusier used high raised pillars in his buildings in a ‘free form...so that you don’t have to walk around the...’7 entire building. Exposing ideas like so identifies the possibilities of making something function. Hertzberger describes the method of construction as a grid. Forming rows and columns, which align to make a street or a road path. ‘As far as its economy of means is concerned it is very like a chessboard – and who can think of a wider range of possibities arising from such simple and straightforward rules than that of a chess player?’8 In other words, the grid method had been a successful and hand operated idea, which helps to plot the layout of the urban space. Furthermore, Hertzberger goes on to discuss the significance of function, flexibility and polyvalence. That the significance

of functionality enables the inhabitants to stimulate the way they eat, sleep, relax and work in a particular space out of their own desire, to accomplish their needs and to demonstrate a form of flexibility. So ‘what we need is a diversity of space in which the different functions can be sublimated to become archetypal forms, which make individual interpretation of the communal living pattern possible by virtue of the ability to accommodate and absorb, and indeed to induce every desired function and alteration thereof ’. 9 Besides such thought what I personally think Hertzberger is trying to address to students is that when creating or designing a space students should encounter a formula in which function, flexibility and polyvalence equip one another and bond. Moreover, how function and flexibility works in equation to the polyvalence of nature ‘it should be better geared to doing what is expected of it, by different people in different situations and at different times’.10 Alternatively we should not only perform its use but also serve its purpose in order to multiply its function. This will help each user to respond in their own way and be able to relate to the space and familiarize themselves with the room. The space of form dictates the shift of movement from relationship between form and uses.

The use of trees being used in co-‐operation to market places providing a grid or rows and columns for market stalls yet when used as a mini-‐ park at the Vredenburg Square. ‘-‐The principle of multi- ‐purpose design that, as far as we are concerned, should underlie everything we do to the urban environment’11 Alternatively, leaving space ‘unfinished’ gives ‘users the opportunity of finishing’ the space ‘to their particular needs and preferences’12 The skeleton house idea used on the ‘Diargon Dwellings’ which help moderate a variety of functions to suit ones desires according to ‘where they want to sleep, where to eat...’13 This idea showed a product of how thoughtful making space could be efficient for ‘each member of the family’. Nonetheless, this chapis conveying forms of intentional spaces to leave or make, in other words keep or remove. Making space could in addition create an extra capacity and accommodate room for storage or if appropriate have a different significance to a individual. For instance, ‘small rooms, tower rooms, attics, cellars, and windows’.14 Consequently architects should consider whenever making space or leaving space it should compose itself to ‘how the occupants respond individually’.

15Hence, the fact most ‘Housing is still designed according to what local government bodies, investors, sociologists and architects think people want’.16 Yet, question ourselves ‘what do we really know about everyone’s individual wishes, and how should we set out to discover what they are?’17 in relationship to this chapter and form a investigation to the pro’s and con’s of making changes in the right manner of its proportion and balance. Both Centraal Beheer office building and De Drie Hoven increased its purpose ‘to accommodate adjoin walls’ through the columns designed. The equation ‘incentive + association = interpretation’ is a formula which aligns the knowledge of ones languages and how they speak as quoted ‘.... re-‐formulation between ‘langue’ and ‘parole’...’18, introduced by Chomsky a conceptual interpretation of structure as mentioned in the ‘incentives’ chapter. From my understanding I comprehend the matter of forming an emotional bond with space. For instance, ‘A musical instrument essentially contains as many possibilities of usage as uses to which it is put’19 therefore, it must be played. Thus the alliance that both the product (instrument) and user (player) communicate to each other in simply their abilities to work together in respect of their limits.

Hertzberger.H.(1991)Lessons for Student in Architect. Netherlands P.156 Hertzberger.H.(1991)Lessons for Student in Architect. Netherlands P.157 Hertzberger.H.(1991)Lessons for Student in Architect. Netherlands P.157 Hertzberger.H.(1991)Lessons for Student in Architect. Netherlands P.162 Hertzberger.H.(1991)Lessons for Student in Architect. Netherlands P.158 Hertzberger.H.(1991)Lessons for Student in Architect. Netherlands P.158 Hertzberger.H.(1991)Lessons for Student in Architect. Netherlands P.158 Hertzberger.H.(1991)Lessons for Student in Architect. Netherlands P. 93 Hertzberger.H.(1991)Lessons for Student in Architect. Netherlands P.170 Education vol.39 no.4, (1969) PP. 58-67

environment’11 Alternatively, leaving space ‘unfinished’ gives ‘users the opportunity of finishing’ the space ‘to their particular needs and preferences’12 The skeleton house idea used on the ‘Diargon Dwellings’ which help moderate a variety of functions to suit ones desires according to ‘where they want to sleep, where to eat...’13 This idea showed a product of how thoughtful making space could be efficient for ‘each member of the family’.

Nonetheless, this chapter is conveying forms of intentional spaces to leave or make, in other words keep or remove. Making space could in addition create an extra capacity and accommodate room for storage or if appropriate have a different significance to a individual. For instance, ‘small rooms, tower rooms, attics, cellars, and windows’.14

Consequently architects should consider whenever making space or leaving space it should compose itself to ‘how the occupants respond individually’. 15Hence, the fact most ‘Housing is still designed according to what local government bodies, investors, sociologists and architects think people want’.16

Yet, question ourselves ‘what do we really know about everyone’s individual wishes, and how should we set out to discover what they are?’17 in relationship to this chapter and form a investigation to the pro’s and con’s of making changes in the right manner of its proportion and balance. Both Centraal Beheer office building and De Drie Hoven increased its purpose ‘to accommodate adjoin walls’ through the columns designed. The equation ‘incentive + association = interpretation’ is a formula which aligns the knowledge of ones languages and how they speak as quoted ‘.... re-‐formulation between ‘langue’ and ‘parole’...’18, introduced by Chomsky a conceptual interpretation of structure as mentioned in the ‘incentives’ chapter. From my understanding I comprehend the matter of forming an emotional bond with space. For instance, ‘A musical instrument essentially contains as many possibilities of usage as uses to which it is put’19 therefore, it must be played. Thus the alliance that both the product (instrument) and user (player) communicate to each other in simply their abilities to work together in respect of their limits. Henceforward, such thought the book ‘Identity’ also serves a similar aspect. It architecturally describes how ‘each place, each component, have to be attuned to the programme in its totality, i.e. to all the expected programmed.’20

Hertzberger.H.(1991)Lessons for Student in Architect. Netherlands P174 Hertzberger.H.(1991)Lessons for Student in Architect. Netherlands P174

Moreover, in part C, inviting form defines its meaning as a welcoming format ‘sympathy for people’21 Hertzberger is trying to convey is that when designing space although architects are to show relationship between how people occupy space and how they use it architects, should also sympathize with people. Architecture ‘... must not only be accommodating but also stimulating...’ 22 As in the previous context, ‘Making space, Leaving space’ we learnt that idea of an ‘...instrument is not a apparatus...’ and we should now expand and make it ‘...more useful, more applicable and more purposeful...’ than it already is or were.

Overall in part C, Hertzberger explores the importance of place and articulation in depth of its dimensions. How we read the buildings by what’s faced in front of us, our personal point of view can also lead us to articulate and circulate around space. The book covers a huge analytical knowledge of how architects think and respond to public and private spaces both widely used by individuals and collective people. Moreover, to the way people arrange space to suit their needs and the effect it has on the architect having to sympathies with the people’s flexibility.

“

CAN A PERSONS OUTPUT EVER BE GREATER THAN THE INPUT?

“

HERMANN HERTZBERGER

Mean whilst, amending space to work in a adventurous way. I would highly recommend this book to other students who wish or are thinking or taking a creative yet academic subject like architecture and would like to expand their understanding of space and its usage, the purpose of involving others and manipulating proportion. I personally enjoyed how the layout flows throughout the book keeping the presentational devices clean and eligible to read. The size of font and font type helped identify the writer, for instance, the dark bold text was initially Hertzberger himself trying to give an objective or whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to be covered or a summary of what the previous chapters have mentioned. Whereas, the light texted capitalized references are samples of work that reflect on the topic discussed. In my opinion, I found the book usefully and opened me into a way of being more inquisitive about my thoughts on space and the history behind how other architects have dealt with similar situations other architects face today. For example, having to make space and create a more emotional connection with people.

040

Pallasmaa, Juhani. The Thinking Hand, Britain: John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2009 Kant, Immanuel. As quoted in Richard Sennett, The Craftsman, 2008 p149 Pallasmaa, Juhani. The Thinking Hand, Britain: John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2009, p031 Ibid, p030 Pallasmaa, Juhani. The Eyes of the Skin, Britain: John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2005 Pallasmaa, Juhani. The Thinking Hand, Britain: John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2009, p048

A wider view of the role of embodiment in human existential reactions, experiences and expressions as well as the process of making and thinking is the main proposal articulated in The Thinking Hand. Juhani Pallasmaa is one of Finland’s renowned architects and architectural thinkers, lecturer and author. Pallasmaa has written various essays and books on cultural philosophy, environmental psychology and theories or architecture and the arts. He is a prolific writer and a very influential architect. Pallasmaa manages to show the astounding promise of the human hand and the multi-sensory approach to architecture in The Thinking Hand. He highlights how the “tool used in the hand becomes the bridge between the imagining mind and the emerging image”. The Thinking Hand is a metaphor that conveys characteristics, independence and independent activity of all our senses as they constantly scan the physical world. The Thinking Hand is the third title in the AD Primer series from John Wiley & Sons published in 2009. It is a theoretical book that consists of seven essays explaining the theory that human consciousness is an embodied consciousness. It draws on ideas developed in many of Pallasmaa’s previous lectures. In the beginning, the first essay The Mysterious Hand explores how the hand co-ordinates as an equal to the eye and the brain.

“The hand is the window on to the mind”. Pallasmaa believes that the “hand is fundamentally beyond definability”. By illustrating the hand in many different ways such as a symbol, language and hand gestures Pallasmaa states how important hands are as well as the intelligence of the hand. He believes that we use the word “hand” too “carelessly and without thought”. By comparing the hand with sign language Pallasmaa has further emphasised that the human hand is a lot more versatile than the mouth and should be highly respected. However, Pallasmaa is opposed to the idea of the separation of senses. Theories argue that there are twelve sensory systems but Pallasmaa believes that there are five categories and that the body as a whole has lost much of the beauty when the five senses were not integrated together. Furthermore, in The Eyes of the Skin also written by Pallasmaa, Pallasmaa begins on focusing on the way senses interact with each other as well as the space they inhabit or objects they encounter. He constructs an idea in that the skin is the oldest sense and that every other sense developed after this. There is a firm connection between the senses through the skin. Pallasmaa’s “perception is [therefore] not a sum of visual, tactile and audible givens perceived in a total way with [his] whole being”. The second essay, ‘The Working Hand’, highlights the similarities of the hand and the

tool. Pallasmaa questions whether the hand is a tool or not – “like the human hand, the tool is generic and specific at the same time”. He never completely answers the question. Pallasmaa believes that “[the hand] is taken hold of the hammer, it is the hammer itself, it is no longer a hammer”. Yet, many tools are different in various cultures. The craftsman “needs to embody the tool or instrument, internalise the nature of the material, and eventually turn him/herself into his/her own product, either material or immaterial”. Here the existential questions of how the body and its process of making relate to the existential connections of the world and mankind are emphasised by Pallasmaa. By demonstrating the physical likeness or resonance between the artist/maker and his/her work through the artist Alberto Giacometti, Pallasmaa enables this concept to develop further. The “lean and melancholic figure[s]” that Giacometti produces shows how an artist’s work can represent the artists themselves. This is an apparent theme throughout the second essay, where the hand of the craftsman corresponds with the work produced Chapter three, ‘Eye-Hand-Mind Fusion’, highlights the multi-sensory approach that Pallasmaa believes is fundamental in creating an architectural drawing. “Intention, perception and the work of the hand do not exist as separate entities” further strengthens his theory, concept and view of the multi-sen

sory approach. Pallasmaa believes that “the seamless and unconscious collaboration of the eye, hand and mind is crucial” for an artist. Experimentation and the art of play is a key theme described in this essay along with skill and boredom. Here Pallasmaa suggests, “the masterpiece’s succeed in re-creating.” Highlighting that repetition is key in creating a masterpiece. In addition to this, the fourth essay on ‘The Drawing Hand’ refers to the drawing and the self, the tactility of drawing, the computerised hand, the primary of touch and the unconscious touch in artistic experience. In this chapter, Pallasmaa argues the high power of the hand as a tool compared to a computer. He suggests that the tool is a “solely beneficial invention” and that the “computer imaging tends to flatten our magnificent multi-sensory and synchronic capacity of imagination by turning the design process into a passive visual manipulation, of retinal survey.” Drawing by hand enables outlines and shapes of patterns to be followed freely, whereas drawing by mouse and computer the hand will use the select lines from a given set symbols along with shapes. This is where Pallasmaa’s theory of the hand being the most valuable sense is defined. Pallasmaa then develops his next essay, ‘Embodied Thinking’, philosophically. This essay extends into: creative fusion, the work of thinking: the value of uncertainty, embodied memory and thought and existential knowledge. Pallasmaa considers that “existential knowledge arises from the way the person experiences and express

Ibid, p048 Pallasmaa, Juhani. The Thinking Hand, Britain: John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2009, p053 Ibid, p053 Ibid, p084 Ibid, p082 Ibid, p086 Ibid, p097 Ibid, p096 Ibid, p119 Ibld, p117

his/her existence” . By doing this a wider view of the role of embodiment in human existential reactions, experiences and expression is exposed. Also, Pallasmaa refers to buildings as “extensions and shelters of our bodies, memories, identities and minds” . This proves that architecture to Pallasmaa “arises from existentially true confrontations, experiences, recollections and aspirations.” In addition to this, Pallasmaa refers to the most famous building Falling water by Frank Lloyd Wright creating a sense of importance to this essay. He states “architecture is a means of philosophising about the world and human existence through the embodied material act of constructing.” By referring to this powerful architect and his work, Pallasmaa shows how influential different architects are to him. Both chapter six (Body Self and Mind) and chapter seven (Emotion and Imagination) highlight architectural melancholy. Pallasmaa believes that “a great building enhances and articulates our understanding of gravity and materiality, horizontally and vertically, the dimensions of above and below, as well as the eternal enigmas of existence, light and silence.” He does this by comparing this effectively to Michelanngelo Buonarroti and Bartolomeo Ammannati Laurentian Library stairs. The grand scale of this highlights the understanding of gravity and materiality. ‘Body Self and Mind’ goes into the areas such as ‘The World and the Self ’ along with ‘

The World and the Mind’ and ‘Existential Space in Art’. Here Pallasmaa states how architecture has become humanised due to the fact that we know where we belong through the buildings in our cities. In his final chapter, Pallasmaa talks about ‘Theory and Life’ and he refers to the opposition of theory and making. Here Pallasmaa brings into context architecture as an image of life. “Architecture provides our most important existential icons by which we can understand both our culture and ourselves”. This is the main section of the book where architecture is highlighted and defended by Pallasmaa. He states that “architecture must defend us against excessive exposure, noise and communication… and finally, the task of architecture is to maintain and defend silence”. Thus presenting the duty of architecture that opens up and widens the boundaries of the world we live in. What has been created effectively in the book are the use of photographs and digital images of drawings and works of art. Each produced by a different artist or architect. This helps convey Pallasmaa’s thoughts and themes effectively. By using images the reader gains a bit of respite whilst reading, making the book more interactive. Yet, Pallasmaa’s thoughts and inspiration come from a lot of quotes from well-known historians. Not his own ideas and views. The book to me has a direct connection with drawing as a whole but does not refer to architecture on a regular basis until the final chapter. Pallasmaa refers to artists more often than referring to various different architects.

Ibid, p117 Pallasmaa, Juhani. The Thinking Hand, Britain: John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2009, p114 Ibid, p138 Ibid, p147 Ibid, p150

“The hand is the window on to the mind”. -

JUHANI PALLASMAA

060

Colin Rowe and Fred Koetter; Collage City; Massachusettes; MIT Press; 1978; pg. 2 ibid. pg. 3 ibid. pg. 4 ibid. pg. 4

In this book Colin Rowe and Fred Koetter explore the escalation of urbanism and planning of modern architecture throughout the past century, observing the arrival and fall of the modern city. By exploring the role of the architect using quotes from philosophers and artists and by referring to doctrines of architecture the ideal of a utopian city is expanded on. Throughout the book the notion of utopia is discredited as being just an idea and cannot progress any further than conceptual planning, as seen in Superstudio’s Continuous Monument. The book refers to drawings such as Le Corbusier’s Plan Voisin as well as apostolic views. In addition the authors make their opinions clear in the introduction about the city of modern architecture’s likeliness of being built in the future. They says that “it has remained either a project or an abortion” giving us a clue that this book will touch on the past ideas of the modern city. Modern architecture is being beaten down here, it is said to be “too contradictory”… “too feebly unsophisticated to allow for any but the most minor productive results” and the notion of it has been left at the field of planning, and in a way that is true. There is only speak of this ideal world but the ideas have not been developed any further than ideas, because of obstacles including economy, resources or physically not possible.

The authors have tried to explain how modern architecture has been attempted and has fallen, it should be seen as a myth and nothing more. They then go on to explain how it is a difficult area to undertake and what the problems are which make it almost impossible. We now go into what this myth was intended to be. “Young”, “self-renewing” and “it was never to be wearied by age” are how Rowe and Koetter describe it, a city that is timeless and eliminates restoration. They also add, “above all-the new architecture meant the end to deception” , hence bringing along an ideal world. This gives us an idea of their take on what modern architecture means and is the mind-set of many architects nowadays. Rowe and Koetter reference le Corbusier quite a bit, including his visions of utopian city, giving images of his plans of a modern city and relating them to others where he has influenced future planning. For example we have together Le Corbusier’s Plan Voisin, 1925, and a photograph of public housing in lower Manhattan. Thus showing the similarities between layout and design of

ibid. pg. 4 Cassirer, Ernst; The Philosophy of Symbolic Forms; Yale University Press; Yale; 1953 pg. 61/Colin Rowe and Fred Koetter; Collage City; Massachusetts; MIT Press; 1978; pg. 9 Colin Rowe and Fred Koetter; Collage City; Massachusetts; MIT Press; 1978; pg. 11 ibid. pg. 11 ibid. pg. 11 ibid. pg. 31

buildings, which was inspired by the Corbusian era of building a utopia, and was possibly an attempt to reach it. The modern city is described here to be a ridiculous idea using the analogy of “World War I as a war to end war” , hinting that it won’t give us what we plan to achieve and it’s just a wild goose chase. In the next chapter we further look into Utopia, Rowe and Koetter decide to look at the decline and fall of the concept and move through the decades to show how it manifested itself to become the Promised Land for architects. Starting with a quote in the opening of this chapter by Ernst Cassirer, who gives his definition of utopia, “where we do not reflect on myth but truly live in it…” , this is a well rounded starting basis for when thinking about what the ideal world is but also presents itself some issues. These issues surround the idea that nothing can reach perfection and so cannot reach the state where we have nothing to fantasise. Later modern architecture is talked about as being a gospel, as being a “message of good news” emphasising the worth of the ideal city on architects. Rowe and Koetter try to explain that it is the key to all the problems we face, and by eliminating these problems would present us the Promised Land. The idea of utopia is investigated further, looking into the origins of the word. It is explained that

modern architecture would not have been aimed to provide a “well-cushioned accommodation” but instead to display the positives of an “apostolic poverty” or living in a state of subsistence. Rowe and Koetter include that modern architecture would have been earlier seen as something that had already started and shortly would’ve been completed; it was not thought of to face the problems which prolonged or even halted its development. They later go on to mention that this idea of a “messianic kingdom” would have evolved from a guideline of rules and doctrines through time and emerged out of the 19th century as designs and aesthetic. Starting from an idea to now reaching the beginning of actual visualisation, highlighting the end of World War II giving birth to a new generation of architecture, and leading it were Le Corbusier, Alvar Aalto and Frank Lloyd Wright to name a few. After the Millennium follows on from the World War talking about how the presence of modern architecture was then an idea of salvation and rebirth. With so much destruction that is all it could be, there was no room for repairing just salvaging and reinventing. As the title of the chapter suggests we are now moving into the 21st century and modern architecture has finally arrived but not in the form of the utopia which would provide a “better world”. The idea of utopia had no aim and

the question arose as to whether the modern architecture could become the new cultural integration. So looking back on the models of the Corbusian city there emerged two views, either a false promise or an almost certain optimism that it would come to life. Moving on to the work of Amedee Ozenfant, a French painter, and Le Corbusier on which they studied localised needs and mass production but also looked into the surrealist notions of objet trouve. Talk of townscape follows on to “late eighteenth century Picturesque” and how it contained the love for the idiosyncratic and vary of culture to form the architectural tradition in the United Kingdom. Built over time we can see anything from Roman to Victorian Britain. Touching on the idea of architecture freely developing and thriving, the authors also mention the ideal city has become bound by nostalgia into a theatre of memory. We know start talk of cities, how they force growth but how they also become artificial. When we live in a city we are subsided from nature, but how is that when we stand on a ball of nature. Creating and inhabiting the cityscape we have created a new natural setting for humans from the nature we first emerged from. Referring to the book, “In intention the modern city was to be a fitting home for the noble savage” , it only seems right that the ideal city be a return back to na

ture, “sun, space, verdure” . We can see use of this idea in Edouard François’ “Flower Tower” in Paris, incorporating nature into the cityscape. Rowe and Koetter move on to the reconquest of time and how we have the capability to progress through time and always improve. This is explained through the two opening quotes by Jose Ortega Y Gasset and Karll Popper by differencing us from other animals such as the chimps and tigers who are only able to learn through experiencing but not fully pass that knowledge onto the next generation so that it can be modified and made better. Karl Popper makes the point that “we cannot start afresh; that we must make use of what people have done before us in science”… “we must stand on the shoulders of our predecessors” . They conclude with Excursus, a chapter containing a selection of possible references to build the urbanistic collage. Starting with nostalgia and moving onto the geometry exhibited in the cities of Paris and Rome. Rowe and Koetter also include examples of “Potentially interminable set pieces” such as the Porticus Aemilia in Rome, gesturing at the Superstudio’s Continuous Monument. Following on is a collection of images of stretching landscapes that vanish into the distance, following on from space but also incorporating nature. Also included are assortments of buildings that deal with circumstances as well as iconic landmarks previously mentioned in the book.

ibid. pg. 34 ibid. pg. 50 Le Corbusier; The Home of Man; London; Architectural Press; 1948; pg. 91-96 Karl Popper; Collage City; Massachusetts; MIT Press; 1978; pg. 118

Colin Rowe and Fred Koetter have outlined the basis of the utopian city and mentioned the issues it has faced, also giving their preferences on the ideal city. First reading this book I was taken aback by the level of complexity it offered, not so much the context but the literature. I would say the book was to be read by a certain audience and although I struggled slightly reading this book I found what I read to be very useful and contained helpful views on the topic at hand. The development of the term Utopia has been thoroughly looked over and the doctrines inspected. The authors have successfully given us a vision to head towards, maybe not a utopia but a better world.

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The book that I am to review is Invisible Cities; it is a novel that was written by Italo Calvin and was published by Guilio Einaudi in Italy on 1972 with the original title Le città invisibili. It then got translated by William Weaver and got republished in English on 1974. Italo Calvino is an Italian novelist, writer and journalist born on the 15th of October 1923 in Santiago de Las Vegas, Cuba. He later passed away at the age of 61 on the 19th of September 1985 in Sine, Italy. In the period that was writing, he wrote notable works such as If on a winter’s night a traveler, The Baron in the Trees, Six Memos for the Next Millennium and Invisible Cities. This book tells its’ story using “categories, groupings or themes”; although put together in such an abstract manner. There are eleven “categories, groupings or themes” and these are cities & memory, cities & desire, cities & signs, thin cities, trading cities, cities & eyes, cities & names, cities & the dead, cities & the sky, continuous cities, and hidden cities. These “categories, groupings or themes” are titles at the beginning of a book. Although in this case, it is found more often than chapters of the book; it provides insight of what the audience can expect when reading each short story about a city. On a different note, these titles may also provide slight description of each city in a way.

The book starts off with cities & memories and cities & desire, and then it concludes with darker titles such as cities & the dead. However, the book is put together in such an abstract manner that I cannot actually discern whether Polo’s stories were in any form of order at all. Nowhere within the dialogue between him and Khan was it mentioned that the first city was the very first one he visited or that the last city was actually the last one he described to the emperor. Invisible Cities has not got an obvious storyline to it; it is more like a dialogue between Kublai Khan, emperor of the Tartars and Marco Polo, a young Venetian explorer. In the story, Polo is one of Khan’s many explorers; he is sent on expeditions and visits a number of different towns and cities in order for Khan to learn the state of his empire. However, as the story progresses Khan begins to have doubts and does not seem to believe everything that Polo says about all these different cities he has visited. Despite that, Khan was most curious of his stories out of all the explorers at his command. After each expedition, the emperor would ask Polo to write a report about the places he has been. But when he presented his report, the emperor found it quite different from the others. Polo, despite visiting a number of cities and countries, does not know off the Levantine

Calvino, Italo. Invisible Cities, Great Britain: Secker & Warburg, 1974 p032-033

language. He had to expresses himself only through drawing objects and signing gestures. I think Calvino is suggesting to his audience that even the language barrier can be overcome; even with simple methods. I think he wants to show everyone that it is not a big deal at all and that it is only a small obstacle. Within the architecture industry, good communication with clients is essential. Both the architect and the client need to understand each other thoroughly and here it shows that the simplest way seems to work just as good. “...Newly arrived and quite ignorant of the languages of the Levant, Marco Polo could express himself only by drawing objects from his baggage – drums, salt fish, necklaces of warthogs’ teeth – and pointing to them with gestures, leaps, cries of wonder or of horror, imitating the bay of the jackal, the hoot of the owl. ...As an understanding grew between them, their hands began to assume fixed attitudes, each of which corresponded to a shift of mood, in their alternation and repetition. And as the vocabulary of things renewed with new samples of merchandise, the repertory of mute comment tended to become closed, stable” In the entirety of the book, Calvino talks about fifty-five different imaginary cities, which were all named after

Italian women. In Italian culture, women were described as the “soul” of the family. By knowing so, I believe that Calvino chose to name each city after Italian women for this reason. “In Esmeralda, city of water, a network of canals and a network of streets span and intersect each other. To go from one place to another you have always the choice between land and boat: and since the shortest distance between two points in Esmeralda is not a straight line but a zigzag that ramifies in tortuous optional routes, the ways that open to each passerby are never two, but many, and they increase further for those who alternate a stretch by boat with one on dry land.” Each city is like a character within the book, each with different traits and its own unique characteristics. However, they all have slight similarities with one another. As Calvino quoted “Your cities do not exist. Perhaps they have never existed. It is sure they will never exist again. Why do you amuse yourself with consolatory fables? I know well that my empire is rotting like a corpse in a swamp, whose contagion infects the crows that peck it as well as the bamboo that grow, fertilized by its humors. Why do you not speak to me of this? Why do you lie to the emperor of the Tartars, foreigner?” , it is suggesting that Khan has doubts that Polo was not talking about different cities that he visited

Calvino, Italo. Invisible Cities, Great Britain: Secker & Warburg, 1974 p079 Ibid p051 Ibid p131

but rather he thinks that the cities that do not really exist or perhaps the cities only exists in his imagination. The emperor expressed that Polo could be merely describing his hometown Venice in different manners. If Calvino was actually suggesting that all these cities was to be a combined description of Venice then I believed that a city represents an individuals’ experience when they visited Venice. I think it suggests that a city represents how those individuals portray what they saw, what they heard and how they felt during their stay. Each individual experience generating an opinion towards the city of topic, creating the different characteristics of the city that those individuals then pass on to other people through word of mouth. And while each city is different; it suggests the true meaning of being an individual, to have that certain something that makes us who we are. However, as Calvino quoted “The first time I am sure there was no one to be seen; it was only the following year that, at movement among leaves, I could discern a round, flat face, gnawing on an ear of corn. A year later there were three of them on the wall, and at my return I saw six, seated in a row, with their hands on their knees and some medlars in a dish.” , it could perhaps suggest

that an individual had different experiences when returning to the exact the same place. Although, I think these experiences were different due to a number of factors. It could have been different because the individual visited the city at a different time or maybe the individual was the one that has changed and they now have different opinions on things. Further factors could be that the city has been massively influenced by other cultures throughout time or etc. The book, to me, does not have a direct connection with architecture however, it does allow my mind to visualise a personal imagination of what is actually being portrayed within the book and it lets it generate its’ own understanding of those formed structures. It is as if Calvino wrote this book more on the motive that it will further exercise the audience’s imagination knowing in fact that each person will portray it in their own way. I do not really see this book in the same manner with what I would class as or categorised with any other fiction book novel but instead, I think it is more of a compilation or a journal of fifty five short stories and poetry that is divided into chapters and interlude. The poignant use of words combined with such vivid descriptions creates a utopia where the audience are free to let their mind wander and eventually get sucked into Polo and Khan’s conversation.

Calvino, Italo. Invisible Cities, Great Britain: Secker & Warburg, 1974 p079 Ibid p051 Ibid p131

Furthermore, I think Calvino is not just simply putting images in our heads but he is persuading us to create our very own city by inspiring our imagination thus teaching us, in a way, to create something out of nothing but at the same time, he is reminding us of the boundaries between what is real and what is not and helping us to realise our own limitations.

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WHY DO YOU LIE TO THE EMPREROR OF THE TARTAS, FOREIGNER?

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Venturi, Robert. Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture, New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 1966 p017 Corbusier, Le. Towards A New Architecture, Britain: BN Publishing 1927 Venturi, Robert. Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture, New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 1966 p016 Ibid p016 Ibid p016 Ibid p016 Ibid p016

“Less is a bore” possibly one of the most influential and controversial quotes to ever leave the lips of the American architect Robert Venturi. The saying in a way summarizes Venturi’s architectural opinion in to three words and this book seems to be an explanation of this quote, resulting in an in depth and convincing writing on post-modernist architecture. It is deemed to be the most important writing on architecture since Le Corbusier’s Towards a New Architecture in 1927 , thus showing how truly influential this book was when it was first published in 1966. Throughout the book Venturi maintains an analytical and explanatory stance, evaluating and explaining his works and others to help demonstrate key concepts in his own theory of architecture. Explaining the necessity or at least the necessity to understand the inclusion of contradiction and complexity in architecture is where Venturi starts his book. He immediately introduces the terms before beginning to explain how or why complexity and contradiction is included in architecture. He does this so that every reader has a shared knowledge of the terms from which he can build his theories upon. Venturi mentions in his book that by embracing contradiction as

well as complexity he aims for vitality as well as validity in turn telling the reader how contradiction and complexity can be used to create an exciting and dynamic building. This gentle manifesto as he calls is it, is vital in understanding his take on the world of architecture and therefore is also just as vital in understanding the rest of the book due to the rest of the book being an exploration of his gentle manifesto. The book presents Venturi’s theories, concepts and views; in doing so it presents the postmodern way of designing and thinking. An architecture style in which Venturi say is “The architecture of “bothand” . Venturi represents idea of “both-and” by writing “I prefer ‘both-and’ to ‘either-or’, black and white and sometimes gray, to black or white. A valid architecture evokes many levels of meaning and combinations of focus; its space and its elements become readable and workable in several ways at once”. Venturi sees modern orthodox architecture as the architecture of ‘either-or’ . An architecture in which rational decisions are made to determine what problems the architect chooses to solve rather than attempt to solve all of them. He says that the main reason the originator of the quote “either-or” Mies van

der Rohe can create such beautiful buildings is because he ignores many aspects of a building and if he were to solve more problems his buildings would be far less potent . This quote demonstrates how Venturi analyses buildings and outlines and what he looks for in them. By referring to the architecture of “bothand” Venturi is saying that he looks for a building that unifies everything he deems important. Thus, a building that has all richness in meaning, complexity on several levels, contradicting layers and unifies them in a coherent manner is a building that Venturi would approve of. In comparison to the symmetrical, simplistic, and prescribed buildings of the modernist movement which Venturi would struggle to take a liking to.

buildings of the modernist movement which Venturi would struggle to take a liking to. One of the most important chapters is the one on ambiguity. In this chapter Venturi explains ‘ambiguity’ in a way in which that he explains many other ideas or concepts throughout the book that is extremely effective. By applying the term to a different subject matter other than architecture. In this process the term or concept is more easily understood and therefore easily applicable to architecture. An example of this is when Venturi attempts to explain ambiguity “Ambiguity (...) the first concerns the medium and refers to a paradox inherent in perception and the very process of meaning in art: the complexity and contradiction that result from the juxtaposition of what an image is and what it seems.” By extracting the problems his buildings would be far less potent term from the intended context to help explain . This quote demonstrates how Venturi analyses it, allows the reader to understand the term in buildings and outlines and what he looks for in its singularity before applying it to architecture. them. By referring to the architecture of “bothI believe he does this as he then goes on to talk and” Venturi is saying that he looks for a buildabout how ambiguity ties in with tension in the ing that unifies everything he deems important. context of architecture, something very specifThus, a building that has all richness in meaning, ic, so without the introduction to the term the complexity on several levels, contradicting layers following points would be very hard to grasp. and unifies them in a coherent manner is a buildWhen concluding his points, Venturi also uses ing that Venturi would approve of. In comparison a similar device. Venturi reiterates what he was to the symmetrical, simplistic, and prescribed

Venturi, Robert. Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture, New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 1966 p017 Ibid p020 Ibid p022

saying but again in a not so similar concept. Again whilst talking about ambiguity, in the last paragraph of the classification he says “[ambiguity] may be used to convict a poet of holding muddled opinions rather to praise the complexity of order in his mind.” This effect is similar to that of personification. By giving the term a different viewpoint you can then gain a greater level of understanding with the reader. This structure is consistent throughout the book. The structure being, describing the theory within a much broader context, applying the theory to architecture with constant reference to mainly historical buildings and then returning to the point in a broader manner at the end. Something I believe to be vital in the understanding and readability of the book. Venturi in this book writes as if tension and ambiguity are of very high importance to him when it comes to designing a building or forming a desirable opinion on a building. He seems to like buildings that are open to interpretation, but also buildings that have a very apparent visual tension between parts of the building. I believe Venturi’s buildings or interpretations of other buildings are best understood if you consider them as pieces of art. As soon as a building becomes a building it has other things to consider, it no longer holds a po

sition of excluded singularity but in fact becomes part of an included unity. To understand many of Venturi’s points you have to take them out of context and think of them individually, as a piece of art. Throughout the book Venturi makes reference to many different periods of architecture and architects, both the familiar and the forgotten, but he consistently refers to the works of Le Corbusier and in particular his building La Savoye. As Vincent Sully points out in the introduction of this book that “The experience of Le Corbusier’s buildings themselves has surely had not a little to do with forming Venturi’s ideas. Yet his views do in fact balance those of Le Corbusier...” therefore suggesting that Le Corbusier definitely had an impact on Venturi’s ideas on architecture. They would appear at first glance to be the complete opposite as one being the pioneer of the modernist architecture campaign and the other the post modernist, but Venturi finds himself finding a complexity in Le Corbusier’s work that perhaps Le Corbusier himself didn’t intend himself or others have overlooked that help support some of his theories. In his chapter ‘The Phenomenon of “Both-And” in Architecture’ Venturi is commenting on contradicting levels within a building and he uses Le Corbusier’s Shodhan house and Villa Savoye to demonstrate this by writing

Sully, Vincent. Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture, New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 1966 p017 Venturi, Robert. Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture, New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 1966 p023

“Contradictory levels...They may be more or less ambiguous. Le Corbusier’s Shodhan House is closed yet open - a cube, precisely closed by its corners, yet randomly opened on its surfaces; his Villa Savoye is simple outside yet complex inside.” This contrasting view that Venturi adopts here is very controversial but also very clever. By applying his ideas and theories to a building that was designed by a modernist he is showing how applicable his theories are. It allows you to visualize what he is saying in a building you wouldn’t usually look. Again this allows the reader to grasp what Venturi is making a point about much more firmly. In a sentence, I believe Venturi finds ambiguity in clarity, and can clarify the ambiguous The very last few pages consist of Venturi’s own works and him explaining them. These pages could be seen as the most important in the book. Not for reasons regarding content but it gives Venturi the chance to explain how all of the theories, ideas and concepts he mentions in his book can actually be encapsulated within a building. It also answers the question of are theory and practice separate? His theories are just as reflective in his buildings as they are in the words of his book. In saying that, I don’t think that you can understand Venturi’s way of thinking just by looking at one

of his buildings, you have to have the knowledge in the first place so that you can look for, and understand every dimension of his works in the way he intended his works to be understood. Talking about his Residence in Chestnut Hill he says “This building recognizes complexities and contradictions; it is both complex and simple, open and closed, big and little; some of its elements are good on one level and bad on another; it’s order accommodates the generic elements of the house in general...It achieves the difficult unity of a medium number of diverse parts rather than the easy unity of a few or many motival parts.” This quote shows that he is not only praising his work but with the help of hindsight, he is also able to critique his works. Thus, showing his progression as an architect and the progression of his theories. The positioning of these pages is also critical. The fact they are at the end allows the reader to see the pieces of Venturi’s architecture through the eyes of Venturi whether we agree with his theories or not due to the knowledge the reader would of gained from reading the main content.

Venturi, Robert. Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture, New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 1966 p118 Lobell, John. Feb 1968, “Both-And” A New Architectural Concept, http://johnlobell.com/publications/BothAnd.htm (accessed 1/11/2012) Venturi, Robert et al. Learning From Las Vegas, England: MIT Press Revised Edition 1977

In conclusion I can see how the book can be described as highly influential. Venturi’s writing suggests an approach founded in the nature of experience. From such an approach can come a vision of the context of man as clear and meaningful for our time as the Uffizi was for its time? His use of language is not only highly interesting but extremely convincing. Venturi has written the book in such a way that it can be read as reference or in its entirety. When reading in reference you gain parts of the puzzle but only when you read the book as a whole can you begin to put the pieces together and build an image of post modernist architecture and in particular what Venturi’s original theory of architecture is like. Venturi’s following book “Learning from Las Vegas” expresses similar concepts but in a whole new way. Instead of looking at historical architecture, Venturi actually mainly focuses on signs, and how they in Las Vegas have essentially become the new architecture. Reading this book, only deepens your understanding of Venturi’s way of thinking and designing, a way that I find highly admirable and intuitive. He is often criticized for only picking references that supports his theories but I don’t see this as a valid criticism

and I believe is proven wrong in his following book as he is still able to apply his theories mentioned in Complexity and Contradiction in architecture, but to signs, roads and streets. I believe that Venturi is just able to find features in nearly every building that support his theory by either proving it to be right or if not, at least proving others to be wrong. In writing this book Venturi has made an extremely good case for the inclusion of complexity and contradiction in architecture and how it has often been overlooked or misinterpreted in the past. Above all though, he has made one message very clear. Why “both-and” can be better than “either-or” and also why less is snot always more but in many cases “less is a bore”.

“

VALID ORDER ACCOMMODATES THE CIRCUMSTANTIAL CONTRADICTIONS OF A COMPLEX REALITY.

“

-ROBERT VENTURI

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Corbusier, Le. Towards A New Architecture, Britain: BN Publishing 2008 p002 Ibid p029 Ibid p037 & 039

Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, famously known as Le Corbusier (October 6, 1887 – August 27 1965), was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930. He was an architect and writer, famous for being the pioneer of modern architecture. He was the leader of the modern high design and was dedicated to provide better living conditions for the residents in those crowded cities. In the nineteenth century, many artists used different skills to research for some better meaning and ideas for ways to express their own through and expressions. People now a days always refer Le Corbusier as the father of New Architecture. Towards a New Architecture reveals the reasons why Le Corbusier was given this title. The book was originally written in French and called “Vers Une Architecture” in 1923. The first English translation had been publishing in 1927 and the English version called Towards a New Architecture. This is a collection of essays written by Le Corbusier and highlights the exploration of modern architecture. Therefore I am going to talk in further into the ideas of the three reminders as my main topic.

At the start of the book, Le Corbusier mentions that there are three reminders for architects: mass, surface and plan. “Working by calculation, engineers employ geometrical forms, satisfying our eyes by their geometry and our understanding by their mathematics; their work is on the direct line of good art.” Human eyes let us see the forms of light due

to the primary forms being the most beautiful and clear, but today the architects no longer use or achieve those forms. Eyes are the most important tools on our body. We can adjust, size and shape of objects by just using our eyes. Therefore he said architects should use their eyes to see the primary form due to that is one of the most amazing things in the world. “Architecture is the masterly, correct and magnificent play of masses brought together in light. Our eyes are made to see forms in light; light and shape reveal these forms; cubes, cones, spheres, cylinders or pyramids are the great primary forms which light reveals to advantage; the image of these is distinct and tangible within us and without ambiguity. It is for that these are beautiful forms, the most beautiful forms.” Villa Savoye, the building that Le Corbusier had design demonstrates the use of multiple primary forms as part of the design. This is one of the famous buildings that Le Corbusier has designed and it is one of my favourite buildings that he has designed. People usually say ‘the style of a building’ as a common phrase. But style has nothing to do with architecture; it is the forms of the building structure. Surface is all about the mass in which the directing and the generating lines

divide them. “To leave a mass intact in the splendour of its form in light, but, on the other hand, to appropriate its surface for needs which are often utilitarian, is to force oneself to discover in this unavoidable dividing up of the surface the accusing and generating lines of the form.” The idea of surface in Notre Dame de Paris and Michelangelo Capitol was not the original idea for Le Corbusier. Even in engineering the structure, masses and composition is the instrument of the surface. The surface of a building to me is the design, that’s what architects should be doing for their job. The design of a building is to make it look pretty but at the same time architects need to make it safe as well. A safe and pretty building is the dream to an architect. Therefore architecture and engineering need to link together to make everything work out in a nice and accurate way. The final reminder of the three reminders to architects in Towards a New Architecture is Plan. Plan is the generator of everything in architecture. According to the book “The plan is at its basis. Without plan there can be neither grandeur of aim and expression, nor rhythm, nor mass, nor coherence.

Without plan we have the sensation, so insupportable to man, of shapelessness, of poverty, of disorder, of willfulness.” Plan is the detail that can show what the building will be and the layout before anything goes wrong. Le Corbusier used plan to talk over some topics like rhythm, planning, unity, etc. Le Corbusier had identified that “Rhythm is an equation; Equalisation (symmetry, repetition) (Egyptian and Hindu temples); compensation (movement of contrary parts) (the Acropolis at Athens); and modulation (the development of an original plastic invention) (Santa Sophia).” Plan to people is just a drawing that we look above from, not really a special thing. But to me, plan is really important. Plan is the generator that can let us remember how the building or maps look like. How a shape moves along with its detail. Maybe this is the reason why I choose to study architecture. I always think things from the look above. Therefore I think plan is quite important the subject that I have been chosen. Another main topic of this book is “Eyes Which Do Not See”. This part of the book is mostly about machines: Liners, Airplanes and Automobiles. “A house is a machine for living in. Baths, sun, hot – water, cold – water, warmth at will, conservation of food,

Corbusier, Le. Towards A New Architecture, Britain: BN Publishing 2008 p048 Ibid p050 - 051 Ibid p095 Ibid p109 http://suite101.com/article/corbusierfive-points-towards-a-new-architecture-a179768 Ibid

hygiene, beauty in the sense of good proportion. An armchair is a machine for sitting in and so on.” Today, the airplane is one of the most intense products due to the fact that it can take people all around the world and even do jobs for human in war. “The War was an insatiable “client,” never satisfied, always demanding better. The orders were to succeed at all costs and death followed a mistake remorselessly. We may then affirm that the airplane mobilized invention, intelligence and daring: imagination and cold reason. The same spirit that built he Parthenon.” Flying all around the world is an experience to see and experience the architecture culture of countries. Due to every country having different types of building. In Asian architecture there is a lot of difference with the Western architecture. Airplane is a really good transports to experience all this. An automobile, which is known as the “CAR”, is a really important transport that people use mostly everyday. But did anyone really know the structure of the car. Car is the one of the smart machine that has a difficult structure like a building. How can it be safe? That’s what the car designer has to worry about as well. Safe structure on buildings and cars are same. They both need lots of calculation and experiment on them to make things become perfect.

This short book report doesn’t fully cover all the information from the book but it covers areas that I think is the main text or essay that Le Corbusier has written. Although there is some information that I have researched on that what Le Corbusier had been writing before that is not in this version of the book. It is in the Five Points of Architecture. Due to my research it is in the first French version Vers Une Architecture. However, I do not know French and therefore I cannot conform the true story, but I have read some information and articles about it. Those five points are: 1) Supports – The replacement of supporting walls by a grid of reinforced concrete columns that bears the load of the structure is the basis of the new aesthetic. 2) Roof gardens – The flat roof can be utilization for a domestic purpose while also providing essential protection the concrete roof. 3) The free designing of the ground plan – The absence of supporting walls means that the house is unrestrained in its internal usage. 4) The free design of facade – By separating the exterior of the building form its structural function the façade becomes free. 5) The horizontal window – The façade can be cut along its entire length to allow rooms to be lit equally. The five points of Towards a New Architecture

http://suite101.com/article/corbusierfive-points-towards-a-new-architecture-a179768 http://suite101.com/article/corbusierfive-points-towards-a-new-architecture-a179768 ibid.

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Forced to work in accordance with the strict needs of exactly determined conditions, engineers make use of generating and accusing lines in relation to forms. They create limpid and moving plastic by Le Corbusier had been set out the ideas facts. and developed throughout the 1920â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that influence the development of modern architecture. I found this quite interesting for an architecture student. Towards a New Architecture has lots of different versions. Due to there are some difference of the content, so I have read three different versions and write my report basic on the 2008 version of the book. This is a really interesting book for an architecture student. Maybe due to the fact that I used to study physics and mathematics, I found this book made me feel like what I have studied before is link to the design that I will produce. In architecture, not just the design of a building is the whole part, from outline design to building structure design. Towards a New Architecture even made me feel like I am really into this subject and even made me want to look more into the inside part of it. I really recommend this book to the people, who like me are into science and structure.

- LE CORBUSIER

014

“In Praise of Shadows” by Junichiro Tanizaki is an essay, which was published in 1977. Tanizaki was the most popular Japanese novelist of his time, all over the world, who was born in Tokyo in 1886. He is well known because of his style of writing, which is tentative but at the same time it is a very normal Japanese style of writing. In the novels Tanizaki compared Westernization to traditional Japanese aaesthetics often. The main reason for this was simply a coincidence; him moving to Kyoto after the earthquake. The whole idea of the book was to show the beauty of traditional Japanese aesthetics and compare it with the Western aesthetics. Throughout the book Tanizaki shows how dominant the Western appreciation of beauty is in the whole world and how tricky it is for other cultures to adapt to it. The book was written from author’s personal point of view. The genre of the book is Philosophy. It has been written for Western people in particular and I think the writer is trying to let people understand how well elaborated and desirable Japanese house art is. If you look how the coherence is absent

in this book you can find out another fact, which is – this essay is written in an informal style – to let the readers feel more comfortable. There is no forcefulness, but there is still a correct use of technical words and fullness of development. When people get the information informally they try to listen for it more, because when it’s written informally, it looks like your friend is telling you about it. For me, this was Tanizaki’s aim. My opinion of this book was very positive. First of all, the aaesthetics of which Tanizaki is writing about makes a lot of sense. I was very amazed at the Japanese traditions and looks, because they seem very unusual but worthwhile. The style of writing is simple to get and understand which makes it easier to read the book and not lose interest. The thought of the Western toilets before and the fact that they were always quite dirty and warm always scared me. This is an ideal environment for germs to multiply which might be very dangerous for the health. I have also thought of the standard colour of the paper, why does it have to be so white? There is a particular disadvantage of crystal white paper – it reflects light. If you imagine

the situation where you sit at the table in the room with a big window next to you and it happened to be a very sunny day, you have to write a test or exam and these sun rays reflect from your piece of paper straight to your eyes, it is almost impossible to focus. Similarly, Tanizaki writes about the colour of paper we use in our everyday life. Tanizaki says: “Western paper turns away the light, while our paper seems to take it in, to envelop it gently, like the soft surface of a first snowfall.” The essay gave a very clear idea of traditional Japanese house and introduced the reader to a very traditional Japanese aesthetic. The comparison of Asia and West is greatly cognitive. The essay has shown the differences between former and letter and explained how much better the Asian aaesthetics are. I would highly recommend this book to people, who have never been to Asia or have never heard of Asian aaesthetics, especially the Japanese. This is because some people living in the West do not have any idea of Asia, which is such a shame because Asian designs and their way of thinking make a lot of sense. However, this might not be the people’s fault,

The essay itself did not directly affect architecture afterwards, but it has mentioned some points that have been mentioned before and after it was written by Tanizaki. The reason for that is that the essay is mainly about the context of the very traditional Japanese houses, which has obviously changed over time. It was often a popular topic to discuss because it differs from a traditional Western house context so much. One of the fashion designers, called Jin Kay, was very inspired by this book. Jin designed the whole collection called “Silence of Shadows”, which was based on contrasting weights and opaqueness of fabrics he used, just like Tanizaki contrasts Western and Asian cultures and aesthetics. There are many topics and ideas, which have been highlighted by Tanizaki. The main reason for that was comparing the West and Asia. The first idea that the author brought up was the idea of a traditional Japanese toilet. Tanizaki says “Anyone with a taste for traditional architecture must agree that the Japanese toilet is perfection” and “No matter how fastidious one may be or how diligently one may scrub, dirt will show, particularly

on the floor of wood or tatami matting.” The beauty of shadows for Tanizaki is one of the main aspects in a traditional Japanese house. “Light is used not for reading or writing or sewing but for dispelling the shadows in the farthest corners, and this runs against the basic idea of the Japanese room.” When Tanizaki says “traditional Japanese house”, he means a clean, well-considered house, in which you would not be able to find any wires or switches easily visible. The toilets in these houses are usually placed at the end of the corridor, almost like another house, and it has to be cool and extremely clean. This is because in Japanese culture the process in which you go through is not taken as something re-evaluating as it is acceptable in Western aesthetics. Tanizaki writes about many other things that might be so different if they were not taken from Westerners but Japanese or Chinese. Tanizaki mentions the modern traditional Japanese house set; toilet; technology; pen; film, music and radio devices; paper; lightning; dining table set; beauty of Japanese women; lights and shadows. However, I found that the main thing that Tanizaki was focusing on was the lightning, not just the electrical, but also the sun light, which the Japanese use

for architectural purposes. The way the Japanese build their walls can be perceived to be similar to dancing shadows as the sun goes up. However, I asked myself this question: why does it have to be more shadows in the house than light? There is no answer given by the author, which could explain, why does the house have to be full of different shadows, but not light? On the one hand Tanizaki puts the argument on the spot, but on the other hand he doesn’t want to carry on with this topic and give reasonable answers to the questions that reader might ask and carries on talking about other aaesthetics and traditions of Japan and Asia overall. One of Oxford readers, 1997, Susan Faegin, in Aesrhetic source writes about Tanizaki’s work saying, that “Ultimately the article is an argument for one man’s taste extrapolated to represent the whole of the Japanese people, muddled to appear academic by a proficient and accidental overview of Japanese aesthetic tradition, containing within numerous fallacious assumptions about sociology, anthropology and history.”

The world that we live in has so many things that are too far from us to know about them. This essay tells us about the events that are happening in other parts of the world. It tells us about the world, which is hidden. The book is highly detailed, which we might not see even if we go and visit curtain places. Tanizaki is a novelist, a person who sees the world in a different way and I think that it is beautiful and very helpful for us to find out about Asian aaesthetics in this way, even though he does not refer to any history, anthropology or sociology. The essay gives a private insight of this Japanese man however Tanizaki lets the world read about it. He lets his readers enter the world aaesthetics, the way he sees them. Tanizaki is trying to connect with people involved in literature and arts and in conclusion he says: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have written all this because I have thought that there might still be somewhere, possibly in literature or the arts, where something could be saved. I would call back at least for literature this world of shadows we are losing. In the mansion called literature I would have the eaves deep and the walls dark, I would push back into the shad

ows the things that come forward too clearly, I would strip away the useless decoration. I do not ask that this be done everywhere, but perhaps we may be allowed at least one mansion where we can turn off the electric lights and see what it is like without them.â&#x20AC;?

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