Enlighten the enlightenment

When curiosity was questioned and truth was discovered, the enlightenment era had begun. History of architecture, as well, had been revealed due to people's discovery dated back since Egyptian empire. Seeking to understand a big whole picture in this field, history needs to be researched in order to create an analytical link among different architectures. Finding reasons for every legitimate source, many ancient buildings were found and created a strong influence to enlightenment period especially the grand tour in England. The idea of enlightenment philosophy was carried out through Europe, and eventually arrived in England. Showing their knowledges and understandings about Europe, English brought many of European architectures back to their home town. Not only just the idea they tried to stimulate, they recreated everything in similar manner from ornamentations, constructions, and forms

Bringing a little bit from each previous architectural periods, enlightenment architectures are hardly defined what periods they are due to their those combinations, therefore, the new terminology is used to describe them as a neo-classicism era. St. Paul's Cathedral in London is one of the examples showing how European architecture had emerged in England. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren, Greek cross plan type was selected with some of Baroque curved quadrants. The front facade of the structure is purely Greek influence, however, behind the portico lies a Roman dome.

Going deeper into finding a real truth about architecture, nature was pointed out which later was known as the purest architecture of all.

In the background of this photo, a structure was built completely by woods showing a post and beam structural element. With that vision, the structure then turned to be the oldest and purest structure forms in architecture. Not only in terms of design where nature believed as the greatest, however, it applied to every aspect of life. Proving this method by Humphrey Repton, he created a 'red book' illustrated pure nature through drawings, paintings, and photographs. Within his book, Repton tried to make it as pure as possible which in this case, no human or any other man-made structures were involved.

Finding the truth through rational and scientific concerns, the period was no longer called the enlightenment but Romanticism. Having the idea to create 'sublime' structure, this philosophy focuses on how elements are being expressed as well as people's reaction towards architectures.

Claude-Nicolas Ledoux, interested in this concept, designed a water tunnel with a sublime idea. The function of the tunnel is to transport water from one point to another, therefore, extreme tunnel was the form of this structure. The tunnel was incredibly hugh emphasizing its function as being a waterway which can carry lots of water each time.

Two periods had already emerged just only because of human's curiosity and discovery; there might be some more to come!

Richness, Bernini vs. Borromini

During Baroque period, architectures were designed with full excessive elements showing richness of structure and power of the country. Most structures tried to emphasize hierarchy which it applied through both ornaments and forms. Enhance the richness, Bernini had successfully created many famous churches using all design factors and combined them as a whole: fresco, lighting design, architecture design, and planning design. Known as one of the famous architects at that time, Bernini received lots of commission, which his first was to design a left transept of Santa Maria della Vittoria. Within this small, insignificant space compared to the whole church, Bernini could still created an extravagant structure, which then turned it as one of the remarkable spots. In the left transept, St. Teresa' sculpture was placed underneath the half dome that pours light from the sky, symbolizing light from heaven. This little space consisted of excessive ornamented materials that Bernini brought up together whether paintings, theatre design, orarchitecture. The sculpture was emotionally expressed in a very excessive, yet, realistic way. To further articulated the fullness as Baroque architecture does, Bernini even designed huge columns with heavy pediments acting just for a frame around the sculpture. Three-dimensional and perspective were brought in place highlighting the area with illusion in bigger space. Bernini created a three-dimensional plane behind St. Teresa like Michelangelo did; however, enhancing it in sculptural form. Fresco was used within the dome tricking audiences in viewing a higher and larger dome.

Comparing to Borromini, his architectures, again, were emphasizing richness and country’s wealth however, through forms. Instead of being as popular as Bernini, Borromini did not gain much of attention leaving him to design lower budget architectures. However, that was not Borromini's concern, he brought out complex forms and structures instead. Due to his expert in mathematics and engineer, he was able to design complicated structures using not only perfect forms. Triangles, Borromini's favorite element, were widely used throughout his works as well as in Sant' Ivo della Sapienze. Borromini had created a magnificent roof plan for the structure composing many small triangles overlapping each other to form the first star plan. With his use of complex geometries and perspective elements, the church was designed to trick our illusion and viewing the space larger, due to the use of concave surface, as well as higher dome, consequences of star plan and smaller sculptures when moving higher.

Both Bernini and Borromini had successfully achieved their goals in creating expressive and richness architectures but in different approaches. While Bernini used lots of ornaments and decorations to enhance his works, Borromini was, instead, playing with complexity of forms and geometries, creating remarkable and stand-out structures

The birth of perspective

Late renaissance,or Italian architecture, concerns on creating perfect geometry and symmetry. They applied these rules through out every elements that composed the building, from the structure plan to the painting in the interior walls. Donato Bramante was one of the greatest architect at that period who had studied Brunelleschi perspective theory and had applied it to his design.

Santa Marra Della Consolazione was one of his famous architecture which it stimulated a very well idea in proportion and geometry. The plan was designed with equally proportion form cornice to the top of the dome with the most perfect geometry and symmetry elements throughout the building. In Italian Renaissance, they still focused on building rich and ornamented structures as same as the Renaissance or the Byzantine; however, the basic concept behind the structure was different. Those early Byzantine focused on the idea and numerology based on the bible, but Italian architecture, they rather concentrated on the concept of representing humanity, equality, and global understanding which these were presented in geometric forms. From the main concept that had been successfully adopted to the church, it made the church the earliest and first symmetrical churches among others

At that period, Michelangelo, had showed his expertise through both arts and architectures which made him a successful artist and is one of the most well-known artists in the world. Due to his bad relationship with Bramante, he received a commission to further design St. Peter's Basilica from Bramante, after his death, because of Bramante's underestimation in Michelangelo. In Bramante's design, he created a perfect symmetrical plan around building's 360 degrees

Koolhaas's junkspace

Without our realization, junk space was applied to many places especially department stores or casino where they tempted to keep customers as long as possible. The concept of junk space is to trap people within a particular space with amusement or joy. Without knowing any day or time, visitors tend to enjoy their visit which another moment they realized, it might be late already. There are many ways where junk space can be created, however, they share the same purpose that is to forget about time. Whether by reducing number of windows use or excluded all time-teling device from the building, many places had adopted this idea and the method was proved to be very effective.

Siam Paragon is one of the places where junk space works very well. Standing as a large shopping area in the heart of Bangkok, the designer intentionally designed the space to perform its full functions by giving a nice air-conditioned area full of services and facilities. Inside the mall, hugh walkways were designed for customers comfort. Resting spots were also placed constantly throughout the store providing relaxation and energy charging area, therefore, customers would continue to go on and spend. Providing with most of entertainment and facilities we can ask for. Once you entered the building, another minute you realized would probably be when the store is closing at night.

This junk space trap is widely use mostly in entertainment and commercial areas. Performing a good time trap, it keeps customers a lot longer, meaning much more money is coming. 

Light and nature

In post-modernism, architecture always carries out hidden messages and philosophies through structure. With the ideas of modernism applied, adding more connection to surrounding space and people became what post-modernist concerned. Instead of having machine speaks out itself like modernism, post-modern focuses on how people and nature are interacting with space. The way people move creates an architecture as well as nature being part of architecture and ornament itself. Mentioned before in previous blog, Frank Lloyd Wright designed the house incorporating between nature and machine; Louis Kahn is another architect who played the same rule, with natural light included in this case.

In Salk Institute in Ohio, Kahn tried to create a completely new language in architecture. No more glass and steel and used but only nature and light. In this project, he created a strong connection between ocean, courtyard, and natural light to the space. At the main entrance, laboratory rooms were all facing the main waterway and placed along both sides creating more concentration on the building's highlight. Successfully, they played important factors making building a building. Not only the main water way where elements link, the whole structure is merging beautifully from architecture planning, exterior , and interior.

Similar interests in light, voids, and pure geometry, Kahn carried out the idea from the Institute to the library of Exeter. Emphasizing a pure x shape on the roof lit up by the light, the structure has a hugh void in the main atrium allowing every floor to view the main hall through different voids with each room wrapping around it. Looking like a normal and simple building from the outside, however, the interior consists of many voids and light illuminating the space to serve its function as a library.

 

Compare to modernism, post-modern period is much more playful with many elements included whether in terms of tangible or intangible factors.

both-and than either-or

 Modernism, in fact, focuses on purely functions therefore neglecting philosophy upon each structure. The issue rose among architects, thus many of them went beyond the modernism ideal by including specific features within the design and so called themselves, post-modernist.

Robert Venturi was one of the major architects who strongly stated that good architecture should consists of rather both-and philosophy than previously either-or concept. With his point of view described in his book, Complexity and Contradiction, Venturi believed some of architectures from modernist fit along with the method such as the falling water or the Robie house of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Heading at the same direction in his architecture, Frank Lloyd Wright tried to merged exterior and interior in both of his works. As stated in the previous blog, the Robie house holds the idea of blending natural elements and machine works together through the use of materials as well as the building's design. When coming to the famous falling water, Wright did play the say old rule, yet very effective. He blurred the sense of being outdoor and indoor together as a whole. Having water running underneath the building as well as literally falling from it, combining with a cantilever physically hanging above the cliff, the building  definitely mix the two aspects both physically and emotionally.

Using pure forms combining with ornaments, or simple design combining with complex interior programs, the concept had been used since early ages before Venturi had ever published his book. Dating back to Baroque period where this complexity and contradiction appeared, the style of this era was to create a simple design, yet complex in details through both ornaments and structures. Similarly to Venturi, Borromini, one of the Baroque architects, applied the method along with his works for example in San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane.

The facade of the building well illustrates the philosophy. It consists of both flat and linear, facade with convex and concave walls at the same time. Squares and circles were put together in this element simply to create a real contradiction. Not only the form where Borromini elaborated the idea, ornaments that were put on the facade matter as well. Contradictory to modernism, where every visible element is being exposed showing its function, in this case, the other way around. Borromini designed the facade with double columns on each side; instead of carrying building's load, these columns do not really uphold the structure but creating more complexity.

In architecture, both-and idea has appeared long before in history. However, in modernism, architects viewed it as a completely unacceptable feature; while in post-modernism, the concept rewinds back again. Therefore, both-and or either-or architecture each has its own unique points depending on people's point of view. Shifting back and forth between these twos, the good thing is that architecture would never get boring.

"LESS is MORE"

When modernism had widely emerged through countries, it affected most of 20th century architectures from Europe to the United States, where they called it an International Style. The Bauhaus took a strong position in pointing towards industrial works as well as non-bougeoise designs. Mies van Der Rohe, one of the Bauhaus heads and applying its idea, tried to create 'almost nothing' buildings which he stated his standing aspect in architecture as ' LESS IS MORE'

After Mies gained quite enough recognition and acceptance, he was promoted as a director of the Weissenhof Estate, the first great International Style project. Many modernist architects joined this piece which they all share the same goal in using as minimal structure and ornaments as much as possible. The project was designed in prototype formats that was for economy class of people, however, it turned out differently where the cost of each house was too high for workers to afford.

Prolonging his same concept, Mies was commission to design a Barcelona pavilion and Barcelona chair which they became one of his most famous works. Believing in Utopian idea, what you see is what you get, the pavilion reflects the truth in both form and materials. Mies used simply rectangular form with windows on the facades showing a non-load bearing wall. All materials selected were purely shown as if they were first arrived on site, no hidden on manipulated elements. For example, the granite was selected for the interior of the house, therefore, Mies left the whole granite piece inside without adding any wallpaper or colors on top of it.

Mainly focusing on function than ornamentation, Mies van Der Rohe used only pure forms and functions to create his works as they represent an ornament themselves. Every elements in his building are obviously reflecting its function. Therefore, when he applied glass facade at any point meaning that it is completely non-load bearing wall; or when structural elements are exposed, it actually carries the load of the building not just for decoration.

Keeping in mind with his motto: less is more, not only in architecture where this belief applied, Mies van Der Rohe simply used this method in every aspect of his life from fashion, diction, to architecture.