post war

 Following World War I & II  is the emergence of modernism . New buildings were designed with  simple forms that made no reference to history. These stripped down versions symbolized the removal of  influence from other countries and the creation of something new. Architecture did not involve a lot of surface ornamentation as it had in the past. New designs were more focused on creating something that emphasized function and the methods or materials that were used to create the structure.

modern

Modern is a term that is often used to describe a design aesthetic. I think that a modern design is less about aesthetics and more about it's timing. As we know, design is a discipline that repeats it's self over and over. What was once considered modern will likely come back around to be considered modern again. A modern design is current. Sometimes the newest designs are completely original, not resembling designs that preceded it. There are  designs that may be considered modern, but also borrow from the past. The armchair designed by Stephen Kenn seems to be influenced by designers that led the way many years ago. There are elements that remind me of the Marcel Breur's Wassily chair and Gerrit Reitveld's Red Blue chair.  Kenn's armchair and other pieces from his Inheritance line  are  made using repurposed army surplus from WWII. This notion of recycling and repurposing is also a common theme to many modern designs. This chair that uses 70 year old materials and is influenced be designs even older than that, is now modern. Because it is what is being produced in the current era.

                                                         www.stephenkenn.com

all american bungalow

The bungalow is simple, informal and efficient. It is these attributes that attracted the new generation of the early 1900's,  to leaving the city for a more relaxed home in the suburbs. Because of it's popularity in California, to many the Bungalow was reminiscent of a lifestyle that was relaxed and sunny. Most bungalows of this time had a broad porch on which families could relax and be closer to nature. This notion of being closer to nature and the outdoors was something that a lot of young families were seeking at the time. The bungalow with its unobtrusive angles and simple materials allowed it to blend in to it's natural surroundings. 

Bungalow- Los Angeles, Ca 

skyscraper

Most historic photos of skyscrapers show them from  a corner angle/ elevated perspective. This portrayal is an inaccurate view, as most individuals interacted with the buildings from street level. In  "Chicago 1890: The Skyscraper and the modern city"  Joanna Merwood- Salisbury states that it was in fact these people on the streets of Chicago that molded the early skyscraper designs. The Monadnock was designed without surface ornamentation. The Architects Burnham & Root understood that the people moving around on the streets were maintaining a  pace that no longer allowed time to enjoy the surface ornament. Instead of surface detail the architects molded and sculpted the brick in way that could be appreciated by the the new urban population.The Reliance building was the first of it's kind. Being that it did not bear the weight of the structure, the curtain frame allowed for large panels of glass.  These glass panels combined with the use of a pale terra cotta created a surface that appeared stark and clean. The structure housed Doctor and Dentist offices. The  hygienic appearance that resulted created a contrast between the sterile offices and the polluted city down below.

Monadnock

Second City

            The term second city, intended to be derogatory, may have had an opposite effect. Rather than discouraging Chicagoans it inspired them to exceed their reputation. Being second to New York city pushed Chicago to be bigger and better. Being the underdog made Chicago search for new ways to surpass the designs happening elsewhere. Doing what everyone else was doing would not put them on top, rather they had to be innovative and make designs that were unlike anything anyone had seen before.

reverberations

Design has a way of repeating itself and there are many variations to this cycle. Some pieces of the cycle are present for extended amounts of time where as other come and pass more quickly.  In most cases it is not possible to look at a design with out seeing implications from a design that the preceded it. Technology advances and culture, influence design in a way that modifies what was produced by the former.

            When a design is revitalized it will not necessarily be an exact replica of what came before.  Borrowing from the past, in some cases, means an opportunity to elaborate and manipulate the design from which one is borrowing. Andrea Palladio was greatly influenced by Greeks and Romans and borrowed from them to create his own set of rules about architecture. What the Greeks and Romans reserved for sacred temples, Palladio re formed and applied to residential homes in Italy. Palladio wrote his rules for architecture and these writings found their way to the hands of American politicians. The books were able to make their way back over to America and in turn greatly influenced American Architecture. The White House and U.S. Capitol in Washington are reminiscent Palladio’s style. Even buildings that are being constructed today show signs of Palladian influence.

            In it’s formative years the United States were trying to form a National Style, one that would show who their great new nation was or who they wanted others to think they were. Classical styles influenced Palladio and now both the ancient styles and Palladio were influencing America. Public and government buildings showed obvious influence from classical styles. The buildings being constructed were a product of the culture.. The buildings were symbolic in nature and were meant to tell a story to those who encountered them. The story that America wanted to tell was one of strength and knowledge.   The state capitols, wanting a more pure version of architecture world base their designs more on what was done by the Greeks. The capitol was more inspired by Roman architecture.

            As time progresses people are beginning to explore the notion of merging more than one style in to a design. Borrowing from only one period at a time was less important. This openness, combined with trade routes created spaces that were more eclectic. Homes now had furnishings from foreign lands which provided a feature of globalization. The industrial revolution is making way for new innovations in design. Metal and glass allow for production on a larger scale than was possible before. Because of this revolution people are shifting away from anything they have seen in the past and becoming more imaginative. This time period also allowed for furniture designs that were more accessible. Furniture was being produced in anticipation of a purchase which was new concept.  

            What once was will be again. Sometimes it is a revitalization of the past, staying very true history. Other times a design is reformed, in hopes of creating something even better than what came before. Even as a reform occurs the reverberation of the past does not stray far from its origin. Sometimes as a result of reform a new set of rules are formed creating something new to inspire the next design. And thus, the cycle continues.  

           

                 

Dungan- Nequette/ Birmingham, AL 

       

cultural influences

We currently live in a culture that is unabashedly obsessed with  smart phones, laptops and an array of other tech devices. Leaving home without them is out of the question. And to have phone or computer running out of juice could be catastrophic,  leaving an individual completely disconnected from the world. Enter the "juice bar".  These stations are common at air ports, sporting arenas, shopping malls and other communal places. The design is obviously driven by our culture's need to always be connected. Seating areas at airports will often have several stations making it all the more accessible for someone who needs a charge. This particular design even has signage and lighting reaching vertical making it more visible in a crowded area. As technology evolves and new phones are released the design will change in order to accommodate.

  

revival-reform

Revival and reform are both terms which borrow from the past . When reforming you are making changes to something  that improve upon it's current state. When a revival occurs you are looking  back to something from the past, bringing it back in to activity. 

     Reform is an important concept for design. Design and architecture borrow from the past all the time but sometimes there are improvements that can be made. Perhaps a designer is inspired by a home design from the past and wants to borrow from that design to create something current. Many homes from previous periods would have a floor plan that wouldn't work for today's families, and would need to be reformed. In this case the designer is able to look to the past for inspiration and then improve the design to make it more functional for today. 

foundations

     

      If examined closely, there are connections that can be made between mundane objects and some of most magnificent structures in the world. A plastic straw out of your favorite coffee drink for example can be a connection to the Pantheon of Ancient Rome. Turn the straw on it's side and a horizontal line is seen, creating the base of the frieze. Hold the straw vertically and you see the columns that line the front of the Pantheon. Hold the straw up so light comes down through the tube and you can see that its shape mimics that of the Pantheon's oculus, connecting Earth to the heavens above.

     These familiar lines and shapes come together to form humanity's first elements and principles. These elements and principles repeat them selves over and over again through out history. Circles, groves and stacks, whether used individually or combined serve as the foundation for all architecture we have seen thus far. If you take a look at Stonehenge and many the many other formations similar to it, it is easy to see the use of a circle formation. Within Stonehenge you can also see groves. Large stones are lined next to each other to create a form. Egyptian pyramids are a good example of Stacks. Layers of stone are stacked on top of each other, together they form a grand structure. Ancient temples are formed by the combination of stacks and groves, as are many other structures we are familiar with.

     This combination of groves and stacks is used over and over again in ancient Greece. There are a row of columns lining the front of the structure and stacked above it is a pediment. The columns are strategically placed so that the human eye views them as being symmetrical. After Greece, there is Rome, who mimicked much of what we saw in ancient Greece. Romans created structures using what they learned from the archetypes created by Greece, but the Romans were focused more on the surface of the building than they were the substance. Known to make things as grand as possible without following the processes that were used before them. Upon the development of the arch the Romans were able to build on a larger scale than ever before.

     This notion of building things on a grand and elaborate scale carried over in to Gothic cathedrals as they were being built. Large arched windows were used to allow a lot of light in. It allowed a larger space in which stained glass windows were placed. Stained glass windows were a tool used to convey a message to those entering the cathedrals. Plans for cathedrals went through an evolution before eventually different plans in to one. The plan is one we still see today, two sections that intersect at a circle in the middle.

     With each period covered we see a common theme and that is, each one is borrowing ideas and practices from those that came before them. The Design repeats itself. History serves as a foundation and inspiration for new design and architecture. 

national style

As America was developing its own style they looked to Greek Architecture for inspiration. This new and uncertain nation want to create structure that would create an image of strength and power, just as Greece had been. Public building and some personal residences reflected this National style. Creating a national style is creating a story, through architecture, that the country wants to be retold. Creating a general feel that carries over from one building and space to the next. I think today’s national style is much less consistent than it was during the Greek revival. Although many of our public buildings, especially government buildings, still reflect this Grecian style. But overall all there is more variety seen in our nation’s public buildings. Our national style is many different styles.    

Rober F. Stephens Courthouse,Lexington, KY

palladian tendencies

The Pope Villa was designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 1810-11.It was designed for Senator John and Eliza Pope and was very much inspired by Andrea Palladio. Below you can see the square  floor plan that reveals a Rotunda in the center, quite similar to Palladio's famous villa La Rotunda. True to Palladio design the home is symmetrical  with a portico on all four sides of the house.

The Pope Villa  

Lexington, KY 

revolutionary

     The time surrounding the Revolutionary War was a time when people were showing great interest in furniture. As a result of this interest, furniture was being produced in the anticipation of a sale rather than upon commission only. I think what was most revolutionary about this time was the variety of types of furniture being made. High style furniture was a way for individuals to display their wealth. But the furniture being produced was not only for the wealthy, vernacular furniture was being made for more common homes. This notion of variety also relates to Charles Montgomery’s idea of how America really looked during the colonial period. Each colony was making things that looked different than the next. The furniture being produced by each was a reflection of their locale. Using materials indigenous to their area and using their own individual processes of furniture making.

jefferson street revival

I live in an area of town that not too long ago would have been considered a less than desirable location for a business. But over the course of a few years Jefferson Street has become one the most happening neighborhoods in town. New restaurants, breweries, event spaces, and homes are being developed. In terms of design cycle, Jefferson Street went many years without a change. Now much change is happening rapidly, primarily in the way of new restaurants. These new restaurants also create added value to the homes surrounding the area, leading to the renovation of ones that have been untouched for many years. Hopefully there is even more change to come in the form of added retail and other businesses.