Le corbusier and frank lloyd wright research

L4: User Centred Design

Frank Lloyd Wright & Le Corbusier Rimante Miseikyte @00333797

BA (Hons.) 3D Design: Interior Design

Rimante 3D Design 2013- 03

Contents

Frank Lloyd Wright Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….3 Prairie Houses…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….3 Fallingwater……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….4 Other well-known buildings…….……………………………………..………………………………………………….5 Iconic furniture……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….....5

Le Corbusier Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…6 Villa Savoye………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…6 Villa Shodhan……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..7 Iconic furniture……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….….8 Paintings…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….8

References

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Frank Lloyd Wright 1867- 1959 Frank was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed 1141 homes and buildings, of which 532 were completed by this death. He was one of the most influential and imaginative architects of the 20th century.

Throughout his life, he strived to create a new architecture that reflected America’s democratic values and human dignity. Frank also preached the beauty of native materials and insisted that buildings grow naturally from their surroundings. ‘’Whether people are fully conscious of this or not, they actually derive countenance and sustenance from the ‘atmosphere’ of the things they live in or with. They are rooted in them just as a plan is in the soil in which it is planted.’’

Frank Lloyd Wright

Prairie Houses eg Robie House Chicago Illinios 1906-1909 I. II. III. IV.

V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X.

Elongated plan emphasises horizontal Extending roof highlights scale Continuous band of windows under eaves further accentuates horizontal nature Basement floor acts as pedestal for main floor above Repetition elongates space Horizontal line emphasised by contrast in colour Lines contrast with rhythm of windows Ceiling, wall and floor all emphasise the horizontal Pattern added through stained glass window Vertical planes in contrast to the horizontal effect created by repetition of windows

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Fallingwater Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece 1937 Fallingwater was designed for the Kaufmann Family as a summer home and weekend retreat. Wright mixed natural materials with modern technology to promote harmony between man and nature through design. An eye catching feature is definitely the fall that is at the base, springing out of a stone and concrete support. The house is so well integrated with its site that the structure and surroundings are fused together in an interrelated composition. There is also a fireplace on the main floor that is the core of the composition.

The entire house is cantilevered in a Japanese style of architecture, which Frank Lloyd Wright was always influenced by. Cantilevers extend living areas and integrate with the surrounding landscape. ‘’I had an idea that the horizontal planes in buildings belong to the ground’’ Frank Lloyd Wright

   

Simple interior encourages the incorporation of the outdoors as part of the overall design Repetition of form in furniture continues to accentuate the horizontal Continuation of materials from exterior in interior harmonises both inside and out The thin metal frames and the sealed corner windows provide a delicate veil between enclosed and open spaces

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Other well-known buildings

The Guggenheim Museum of Modern Arts

The Rookery Building Lobby in Chicago

Iconic furniture

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Le Corbusier 1887- 1965 Le Corbusier, a Swiss architect, designer, city planner and painter who practiced in France, was one of the most influential architects of 20th century. He pioneered modernism in architecture and laid the foundation for what became the Bauhaus Movement, or the International style.

In his book Vers une architecture, Le Corbusier described "5 points of architecture" that became the guiding principles for many of his designs, most especially Villa Savoye.

1. Freestanding support pillars 2. Open floor plan independent from the supports 3. Vertical facade that is free from the supports 4. Long horizontal sliding windows 5. Roof gardens

Villa Savoye 1928-1931 Villa Savoye is perhaps the best example of the Corbusier’s goal to create a house which would be a machine for living in. Located in a suburb near Paris, the house is beautiful and functional as a machine.  The house is raised on stilts to separate it from the earth  No historical ornament  Abstract sculptural design  pure white colour  A very open interior plan  Dynamic, non-tradicional transitions between floors- spiral staircases and ramps  Built-in furniture  Ribbon windows providing openness and light  Roof garden with both plantings and architectural shapes  Integral garage

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Villa Shodhan 1951-1956 Le Corbusier’s stunning villa in Ahmedabad, India was originally built for Surrottam Hutheesingh but eventually sold to Mr Shodhan. The architect studied the problem of the weather condition, especially the glaring sunlight at Ahmedabad. The roof as equipment to get shade from the sun, became the border space between the sky and the building.

Le Corbusier formulates ‘’Sun, Space, Green’’ as necessary conditions of the modern urban environment through the book of Charte d’ Athène (1943).

The plans reveal an evident structural simplicity but also a wonderful plasticity in the handling of the rooms – in their form, dimensions and shadows.

The raw concrete of the façades, showing the imprint of the wooden formwork, is purposely left unfinished.

The terrace plays an important role in the natural climate control process, cooling down the bedrooms in the middle of the day and providing an alternate sleeping area during the summertime.

The roof features an oval aperture, which matches up with a hole in the lower slab roof, giving visitors a framed view of the sky.

The entrance halls of old Ahmedabad houses were double-height, reflecting opulence and status. This feature along with the open plan of the building allowed Villa Shodhan to be integrated into the Indian environment.

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Iconic furniture

Paintings

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References cmgww.com. bibliography. Available: http://www.cmgww.com/historic/flw/bio.html. Last accessed May 2013.

Craven, J. Le Corbusier, Leader of the International Style. Available: http://architecture.about.com/od/greatarchitects/p/lecorbusier.htm. Last accessed May 2013.

Fallingwater.org. BACKGROUND ON FALLINGWATER’S STRUCTURE. Available: http://www.fallingwater.org/assets/14_Background_On_Fallingwaters_Structure.pdf. Last accessed May 2013. fondationlecorbusier.fr. Villa Shodhan, Ahmedabad, India, 1951.Available: http://www.fondationlecorbusier.fr/corbuweb/morpheus.aspx?sysId=13&IrisObjectId=5507&sysLanguage=e n-en&itemPos=75&itemSort=en-en_sort_string1%20&itemCount=78&sysParentName=&sysParentId=64.

Last accessed May 2013.

LeCorbusier -- Villa Savoye. Available: http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/Corbu.html. Last accessed May 2013.

Shoichiro Sendai. (2005). Idea of environment and architectural form in India by Le Corbusier- on the creation of Villa Shodhan at Ahmedabad.Available: https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jaabe/4/1/4_1_37/_pdf. Last accessed May 2013.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Blog. The Frank Lloyd Wright Tour. Available: http://www.thefranklloydwrighttour.com/apps/blog/categories/show/897887-frank-lloyd-wright-chicago-il-.

Last accessed May 2013.

Wikipedia. Villa Shodhan. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Shodhan. Last accessed May 2013.