Theories of Architecture and Urbanism, Reaction Paper

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC61303/ARC2224) SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (MARCH 2017) Name: Lovie Tey Yiqing

ID No.: 0318155

Lecturer: Mr. Prince Favis Isip

Tutorial Time: 11.30-12.15

Reader/Text Title: Learning from Las Vegas : The Synopsis No: 1 Forgotten Symbolism of Architectural Form Author: Robert Venturi , Denise Scott Brown ,Steven Izenour

From the book ‘ Learning From Las Vegas’, Robert Venturi had emphasised on the behaviour of ‘architects that tend to change the existing element in the environment rather than enhancing it. He criticised modern architects that managed to design magnificent building, yet failed to understand and adapt to the local community. Hence, the author hopes that the identification of symbolism in architecture is appreciated and it is able to learn from Las Vegas.

In the text, Las Vegas was used as it implements the architecture of communication over space. Signages were used widely in Las Vegas as the direction for cars that travel in high speed.

The vast space in Las Vegas uses bold signages to attract patrons as most of the building was placed behind parking lots.To support his stance, the Miami Beach Modern Hotel which was luxurious and eye-catching persuades tired drivers and travellers to stop by, as compared to Motel Monticello that looks cheap and unconvincing. It verifies an architecture of communication over space.

Other than that, the author uses the piazza in Rome was used as a comparison to the strip in Las Vegas. Las Vegas consists the essence of Rome with the existence of large scale, huge open spaces and high speed. The strip in Las Vegas was connected through automobile, hence lesser pedestrian movement are encouraged as compared to Rome. Hence, it’s considered as the main reason why the authors argued on the issue of where architecture should be seen as a symbol in space, instead of form in space.

Taking into account of all these factors, it is obvious that architecture is mostly about the connection between people and what the people needs. A direct symbol will be more interesting as it shows clear direction and hence it is a logical argument where graphical packaging is considered as the architecture of persuasion.

Word Count: 310 words

Mark

Assessed by:

Date

Grade 30 May 2017

Page No.1

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC61303/ARC2224) SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (MARCH 2017) Name: Lovie Tey Yiqing

ID No.: 0318155

Lecturer: Mr. Prince Favis Isip

Tutorial Time: 11.30-12.15

Reader/Text Title: The Geometry of Feeling, A Look at Synopsis No: 2 the Phenomenology of Architecture Author: Juhani Pallasmaa

From the book ‘ The Geometry of Feeling, a look at the phenomenology of architecture’ by Juhani Pallasmaa, the author talks about relationships between form and memory, and how architecture is experienced for various users. It is believed that architects today are too carried away by eyecatching architectural form, and have lost the connection to create a journey of memories to the users.

Through the text, the author had quoted that ‘ the experience of art is an interaction between our embodied memories’, and it is stated that a good piece of art is one that can bring back the memories, and able to affect the user’s feeling as well as awakening the creativity within ,as architecture is about the sensitivity of human perception.

From the text, the author discussed how architects today should not primarily design buildings as a physical object, but the images and feeling of the people who live within. It is important to study the relationship between the site and the community as it helps to bring back the sense of familiarity to the people. By bringing back and implementing sense of familiarity, subconsciously the inner memory within the occupants will be embarked, which resulting in a meaningful building rather than the building than a mere ornament.

Other than that, the author had discussed the basic feeling of architecture, which affects the feelings of users through the impression that the building had created. He stated that,’ experiencing art is a private dialogue between the work and the person experiencing it’, which makes sense as it is hard to express feelings to the others, especially how one felt about something. The experience existed is the same as the memory formed in the user, as it is subjective to user on the perception and feelings towards the architecture.

In conclusion, the author has enforced the perception where ‘architecture cannot be mere play with form’ in the text. It is extremely important to relate a building to the memories and experiences of users, rather than just merely on form. It is agreeable that architecture is not just about designing a building based on pure aesthetics, it has to be a meaningful and sensible in context, which enhanced user experience.

Word Count: 369 words

Mark

Assessed by:

Date

Grade 30 May 2017

Page No.1

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC61303/ARC2224) SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (MARCH 2017)

Name: Lovie Tey Yiqing

ID No.: 0318155

Lecturer: Mr. Prince Favis Isip

Tutorial Time: 11.30-12.15

Reader/Text Title: Towards a Critical Regionalism

Synopsis No: 3 Author: Kenneth Frampton

During the post-modernism era, architects tend to use ornaments as necessity, where various kinds of decorative elements from different region and ears applied altogether into architecture.

Therefore, it creates a placeless architecture, which Kenneth Frampton’s Critical Regionalism comes into the picture as to oppose post-modernism architecture, whereby it involves the tradition and culture of the selected region through design and usage of materials, to create a meaningful building with contextual features and modernism hints.

From the book ‘ Towards a Critical Regionalism’, under the fifth point, Culture Versus Nature’, Kenneth Frampton emphasised how cultural regionalism should involve culture and nature. In the text, Frampton argued on how modernisation will change the unique topography into a flat site as compared to critical regionalism that would choose to merge the existing topography with architecture. In this condition, the author meant that as the original topography was removed, placelessness will occur and hence he encourages the method of cultivating the site.

Furthermore, the text extended to climatic responses where the author discusses the usage of universal technique which influences modernist. In post modernism, artificial lighting and ventilation are used widely, as compared to critical regionalism which enhances the usage of the local climate.

The author declined the idea of using artificial lighting and ventilation in art galleries as it will make the area placeless, hence he encourages the usage of local climate that will change with the specific area in order to achieve a place consciousness poetic building.

From the sixth point, ‘ The Visual Versus the Tactile’, Frampton discussed on the importance of tectonic to architecture as compared to scenographic. The author chose to use the Saynatsalo Town Hall by Alvar Aalto as an example of tectonic architecture as it had chosen to embrace the existing culture by using the traditional materials and styles to reflect the site context, a forest. It is clear that tactile resides are important as it can only be understand through experiencing.

In conclusion, critical regionalism is a great approach as it is important to have a regional characteristic in the architecture based on the culture, existing landscape, visual and tactile of the context as architects should be building to take advantage of existing site elements and enhanced the existing site, instead of purely amending the site to suit the building.

Word Count: 384 words

Mark

Assessed by:

Date

Grade 5 June 2017

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