Reading composition 4

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artifact
Sheraton chair p.522- delicate, symmetrical, urn, swags – classical language
State bed p.502- intricate, mass, delicate ornament, high ornament, wreaths?, repetition, square and circle- dome?, collenette, aedicule- escape
Tall clock p. 473- high ornament, delicate intricacy, swags – classical language, modular, similar to a column- base, shaft, and capital, gilding, swags, cherubs, boundaries, order, symmetry
Windsor chair p.451- delicate, intricate, symmetrical, order, appearance of boundaries
Desk p.427- high ornament, pictorial, flower motif, compartmentalized into geometric shapes- squares, rectangles, hidden elements, displayed wealth- work of art and also functional, showed taste
Space-
Holkham p. 418- rosettes within octagons, dynamic texture, mimicked wall pattern to upholstery, significant contrast between wallpaper and the ceiling and the upholstery, high ornament, broken pediment similar to temple, repetition/contrast, pattern, organized, placed with purpose, contrast in scale of patterns
Gunston Hal p.447- stairs used as an architectural element to be celebrated vs. only being functional, now a statement, became their own space, symmetry, balance of space, repetition- each stair has a banister that corresponds to it that are evenly spaced- balance through repetition
Marie Antoinette p.463- theatrical, high ornament, ordered by pattern but excessively busy, so excessive that the order almost feel chaotic, no sense of direction, don’t know where the eyes should go
Saltram House Saloon p.494- parlor, patterned, compartmentalized, swags, classical motif, symmetry, central arc window with two flat edged windows
Gardner Pingree p.519- subdued ornament, removed from high ornamentation, classical language, focal point- fireplace, symmetry, central motif planked two swags, centralized ornament on walls (urns), design elements mimicked throughout (fireplaces, and encasement to entrance of room), molding that emphasizes the lines of the room, but also provides a transition from the wall to the ceiling, celebrates the openings, sense of order- prefer things that look finished not abrupt change, prefer something to transition us into the space
Chiswick p.409- based on la rotunda, taking design risks, taking further steps into forming complex geometric shapes, building not high adorned or embellished, sense of calm, focus on symmetry/geometry vs ornament, beauty- minimalist classism, contrast not through ornament but through form that has to do with light
Drayton hall p.437- porticos to mark the front elevation , mimics classical design Doric columns on the bottom, ionic on the top, symmetry, instead of a dome- square on top of square, repetition, emphasis on entrance (told through color- portico encased in white vs brick), different repetition of columns and windows, elements that repeat are the same color (font), even chimneys are symmetrical
St. Genevieve p.460- Greece meets rome Parthenon on base and tempietto san pietro, monumental in scale, public s private, high mass in columns, emphasis on front (columns only on front), engaged pilasters along sides and on center---go in through front to get to center, contrast between solid and void
Nathaniel Russel p.488l- balustrade at top, repeating elements at different scales, windows, , based off of palazzo Medici (bottom to top, public to private), scales help delineate the façade and shows where each floor is on the exterior
Monticello p. 513- portico, dome on top of rectangle, similar to chiswick, octagonal dome, balustrade, clerestory windows of sorts for light in upper room, symmetry, repetition, axial progression towards saloon, then offshoots to private quarters--- separation of public and private, symmetrical balance creates harmony and clarity, but the geometric form different layers, rooms protrude out= more dynamic than buildings of its time, has more volume than traditional symmetrical architecture


artifacts

These artifacts have a common design language that links them together. The Sheraton chair, Tall Clock, Windsor chair, and Desk are all made to fit into a space, and in order to create harmony within a space they are designed with symmetry and the order of the architecture is reflected as well in order to increase harmony and the unity of the space. each piece is intricately detailed with ornamentation within boundaries, this creates an emphasis on the owners good tastes and wealth.

Space

Although styles vary from space to space a common design language can still be seen. Holkham, Gunston Hall, Marie Antoinette, Saltram House Saloon, and Gardner Pingree are all ornamented as an emphasis of what each space is attempting to portray as well as how the owner wants to be portrayed. The ideas of elements such as line are emphasized in each space with a series or borders showing proportions of the spaces as well as a balance with the use of symmetry.

Building

The way I see it is that the Chiswick house, Dayton Hall, St. Genevieve, Nathaniel Russel, and Monticello all have a similar design language. Each building can be related to principals and elements used in the past as well as other buildings. On the exterior of each building you can see repetition and symmetry. There is also an emphasis on geometric forms which have been seen in the past and have been reinvented to become harmonious with these building styles.

place

I believe that the places (England, VA, Paris, New Town, and DC) have a commons language because America looked to Europe as a prototype and as people migrated to America much of what they know about architecture reflected in what was being built. in a way architecture " became what Renaissance architecture was not"(Roth, p.397).



[2] 

england

Gateleg Table(p.264): wood, spindle legs, retractable table, repetition of ornamental motifs and geometric shapes
hart house hall + chamber(p. 260): wood, beamed ceiling, contrast, low ceiling, multipurpose space, cozy, limited light, no decorations, emphasis of simplicity, repetition.
parson capen house(p. 255): small windows, simple, symmetrical, steep roof, dark palette.
boston, ma
spain
Fraileurs(p.283) : decorative detail, repeated motif, Geometric shapes mixed with fluidity, balance and proportional elements.
columbus house(p. 283): beamed ceiling, contrasting palette, detailed ornamentation, repetition of geometric shapes, centrality, open
entry governor's palace (santa fe)(p. 277): horizontal repetition, contrast, smooth, structure showing, geometric, open
st. augustine, fl
france
Armoirs(p.302) : compartmentalized space, symmetrical on an x + y axis, contained boundaries, functionality, geometric space + repetition.
parlange plantation (see plan)(p.292): geometric, boundaries, public versus private, centrality, vernacular mixed with high style
houssaye house(p. 292): stacking, repetition, balanced separation, hierarchy, shows structure, living versus working/storage
new orleans, la
germany/holland
Shrank(p.313) : separation of boundaries, hierarchy, geometric shapes, wood as a material, symmetrical and a balanced separation of public + private spaces
parlor + chamber ,Andrew jackson house(p. 310): beamed ceiling, low intimate space, rustic, multifunctional, simplistic, contrast
single brother's house, salem, nc(p. 307): stacking, geometric, boundaries, sections, mixed materials, showing structure, many windows.
new york city, ny


The English neo Palladian was before Palladio and was drawn from Inigo Jones and Vitruvius as well as the Baroque style. Roth quotes Henry Millon when he says "baroque space is independent and alive- it flows and leads to dramatic culmination" (Roth, p.397), I believe this is what this period is attempting to grasp. During this period there was a focus on country houses, small dwellings, and town houses. Within the architecture you could observe classical details such as ornamentation and the composition showed symmetrical and horizontal all seen in the classical period. The interiors during this period varied from grand to less significant also spoke a classical language. They were also were elaborately decorated and showed monumental proportions. The main elements at this time were structural as well as aesthetically pleasing. A very important thing to keep in mind during the English neo Palladian period is that they followed the rule of design closely.

The American Georgian period focused on the English colonies settling down in America. In order to do this they were looking to discover their own culture, manners, and civility. They looked to England (their homeland) as a prototype in order to base their architecture. In doing do so, their architecture resembled that of England with gentility, formality, and sophistication. During the American Georgian period the domestic buildings were situated near agricultural areas as well as transportation routes for practicality. The interiors at this time reflect the symmetry of the exterior. The design concepts seem to emphasize unity and this is shown through borders and outlines.

The Louis XVI period is Rococo in style and focuses on rational planning and mathematical proportions, with an emphasis on straight lines as well as geometric forms and curves. Simplicity is greatly thought of during this period, with facades consisting of minimal ornamentation and interiors bases of the human scale. The concepts of stability, repose, and clarity were seen in the designs during the Louis XVI period.

The French provincial period was emphasized in rural areas consisting of peasants and bourgeoisie. Much of the local tastes and traditions were seen in the designs but wealth played a role in determining the outcome of the design. It was basically the vernacular interpretation of the high style.There was a strong prominence of functionality therefore much of the structures and ornamentations remained simple

As the European colonies migrated to America they took their knowledge or architecture from their homeland and adapted an alternative in order to reflect their society. They used the principals and elements of design such as repetition, contrast, proportion, and space, as a reference and constructed on the ideas of the past. For example, pizza began in Italy and eventually made its way through time and became what we know pizza as today in America. Through its course from Italy to America it was changed many times in order to reflect the societies whether through its form or ingredients but the harmony of the flavors remain delicious.




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I believe that the Baroque period stands as a form of social performance in the theatre of the world, "architecture has become but one constituent part in what was "a total work of art"."( Roth, p.404). If you consider the world as a stage during the baroque period you can see that a lot of the architecture is acting. There is a lack of boundaries and a testing of limits which lead to trickery of the eye, in other words “Baroque art produces an illusion not only of presence but of motion in the sense that a physicist would understand it: the displacement of a body with mass through three-dimensional space over time. In this sense, baroque art is theatrical: the illusion of motion produces an effect that is both figuratively and literally dramatic.”(Larry F. Norman). During this period the boundaries are inevitably broken and nothing is as it seems, for example Bernini’s Baldacchino looks as if it is draped with fabric but in reality the piece is carved of wood in order to make the viewer perceive it as draped fabric. In saying this during the Baroque period “A wall is never simply a wall, nor a ceiling, a ceiling. Each architectural element is extended beyond its functional duty as a shield from the hostile elements. The aesthetic component of the object, its form, overtakes its function. A wall or a ceiling becomes a possible opening onto the reality which it occludes.” (Larry F. Norman).