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   The themes and styles expressed during this final time period we covered in class, were entertaining to study, to say the least.  It seems as though our contemprorary understanding of modernism is far from complete, as we are not much closer to truly grasping what modernism is because we cannot truly say when it concluded, if it even has, as of yet.   We have supposedly experienced a post-modernist world and are now trying to conceptualize and name the time and style of which we are currently living under, but this is up for debate, since it can be argued that modernism and its structure and value are still very present today.
    Some of the notions that helped launch modernism were the Arts and Crafts movement which challenged the world to ponder  which was better, hand-crafted products to those created by machines.  It was expressed during a time when the industrial revolution was reaching its height, given innovations like the assembly line.  The Art movement asked the world to ponder the differences and enbrace the machine, in its skewed manner, through expressionsim, and post-impressionism, but still providing even bigger differences, represented in works like Picasso's  fauvism and cubism work.   The Art Nouveau movement challenged this notion even further as it enbraced the "line" and the products produced.  The Art Deco movement took this a step further as the products themselves were at the forefront of the concept of speed and motion.   The l'espirit nouveau movement asked the world to visualize the house itself as a machine for living, and finally Germany produced the Bauhaus movement, which eventially spawned throughout the world, with its notion of good design for all.  
    It is easy to see how there is no definitive end of modernism, since most of these ideas are still prevalent and pondered today (especially given the advent of the McMansions that suffocate the suburbia landscape).   As well, the potential for society to steer back into hand-crafted goods is certainly feasible, given projected gas prices, which will likely cause local and hand-crafted goods to potentially be on the rise again.   The other major problem with claiming that modernism was a static period in the past, is that it is so hard to define modernism; at best there are multiple modernism as we see from the various styles and notions that arrived with all of the movements of the time.   It is for these reasons that I believe our professor aptly named the section : Explorations.  Most likely the movement is still present  (or at least samples of it), but it is for us the students to decide and explore our interpretations of the world and its current ideologies. (He's a smart man.)   The only thing we can say for sure though, is that we are living in a "contemporary" time period (but simply by literal definitions.)
    The image I chose above, represents (in my mind) one of the most important ideas sparked during this time.   Le Corbusier, in his attempt to explain the house as a machine, presented his "five points of architecture."   All have great value that only solidify his idea, but it is the fifth point that holds great value for the world and its future generations.   The fifth point essentially notes that a rooftop garden should be created on the house to restore the area of ground covered by the house.   This is perhaps one of the most beautiful things I've learned while in this class.   To think, Le Corbusier presented this sustainable notion in 1927, makes me want to say...what the hell have we been doing?    Sure, this practice is finally starting to take shape and integrated more now, but really only in the last 15 years.   This man created the perfect dichotomy of a house in its operability and livability, and he did it by displaying it so simply, i.e. replace the area lost.   Genius.

Thanks so much for this class, your teaching methods, and your open ideals on expressions and explorations.   Matt Wallace      
  

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    The object (objects) pictured above are, of course, golf clubs and though they are and have bold design differences, in that some are bald face clubs and others are blades, I would liken the knowledge of choosing which to use as well as how to use them with the history and theory of design itself.  
     I have never been much of a golfer, but a few years ago I made a decision to put in the time to learn the game and get better at it.   I did this for two reasons:  1. I am getting older and needed to supplement a sport that is easier on the body, for those I am slowly phasing out of (or being forced out of by a body that is growing tired of rough impacts).   2. Most importantly (and the real reason)  I thought it would draw me closer to my father.   As I continued to study and practice the game of golf, one main theme developed and continues to reasonate with me every step of the way, and that was, for every inch of ground I gained in the learning process, the more I realized I had miles of learning still ahead, i.e. the more I learned, the more I realized I had left to learn.   This exponential learning and growing process is one I've felt throughout this class.   The more I begin to learn about a particular style or period or strategy, the more I realize how little I actually know.   But like golf, this excites me!   This learning process breeds excitable achievements and high end growth and learning potential.

 
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   Here is another recognizable image; this space is the famous Titanic Grand Staircase.  I chose this movable space for several reasons, one being the fact that it is a movable space.   To think that people had the capabilities to create such an exquisite space and be able bring it with them and transport it all over the world, is (I think) a very intriguing idea, especially since it was 100 years ago.  The other major reason I chose this space is because it effortlessly checks off every mark under commodity, firmness, and delight.  It is a space that is still very well intact, 100 years later and several miles under the ocean.   It served its intended purposes (granted only for a brief time period) efficiently, as it was designed to help funnel the flow of traffic from one floor to the next while providng an opening and light in to the lobby.  And finally, because it epitomized the state of glamour of the time and, I would argue, would still be considered quite splendid today.


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    This building is the Einstein Tower, which I had never heard of, seen, and know very little about, except what I have read in the Roth textbook.   But as impressive as the building is visually, I find the story to be really interesting.   It was built from 1917 to 1921, to test Einstein's Theory of Relativity, and though Einstein himself never actually completed any test or worked inside the building, it was used quite frequently and extensively, to carry these test out.  Commodity, Firmness, and delight are viable here too, as the building is still in use today as a working Solar observatory.   Its application as a working facility today prove its value in the world, and the obvious attention to sound design techniques are why its still here and functioning.   So, it is very pratical, but yet visually stunning.   My favorite part of the story though, is that of its designer, Erich Mendelsohn, who sketched this building while in a trench during World War I.   That is amazing to me.   Trenches were not only gruesome and dirty, but were a very depressing place to be.   Imagine, with nothing but death and destruction all around, here was a man caught up in building and creating.

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   This place is known as Mesa Verde, which is now preserved as a National Park, but the Anasazi people created this place over 900 years ago as their settlement.   I have been fortunate enough to have visited Mesa Verde, crawl through its tiny entrances, and scale their 30 foot ladders, so I can attest to its beauty and longevity in existence.   The notion I'd like to focus on here though, is the fact that these early people, were essentially some of the first conservational designers in history.   This settlement was specifically designed and implemented in to the cliffside to cut down on the heat, as the houses were positioned far enough back to gain shade during the hot afternoons in summer months.   Additionally, they provided heat in the winter months by providing "a large mass of material between the dwelling space and the sun so that the mass slows down the absorption and transfer of heat, just as the thick mud-brick walls and roofs of adobe construction do." -- (Roth p138)  
   It is awesome and a must see, but its design methodology, with regards to its efficiency in heating and cooling, should continue to serve as a reference for future building styles.

*Roth, Leland M.. Understanding Architecture:  Its Elements, History and Meaning.  New York, NY: Icon Editions, 1993. Print.
  

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      This picture is of a fairly recently renovated clock tower, and I believe it expresses the modern stlye in its approach.  

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   The artifact I originally chose at the beginning of class was that of a travelling alarm clock.   I chose it because it reminded me of days gone passed, where people cared more about craftsmanship and quality over the price of an object.  The ideology of the past told us that good quality pieces stood the test of time, and because of that, their durability and duration of potential use, far exceeded the price of replacing a cheaper made object.   It was for these reasons that I thought I was exhibitting something from the past, but as it turns out, my artifact actually is representative of the "modern era."   These sort of approaches to the "arts and crafts" movement and "learning to live with the machine" were in fact, at the core of the modern value structure.  The travelling alarm clock was created during this time period and is very indicative of the that style.

     Today, a travelling alarm clock is out-of-date and essentially obsolete, because we all have cellular phones, and they all have corresponding alarm clocks.   As well, though esthetically pleasing (and impressive) clock towers are essentially obsolete as well, for the same reason, that everyone has a phone and with it, a clock.   But because of their impressive nature, clock towers are still used or renovated.   The one above, resonates the modern approach to this, in its modern design style, that places attractiveness on its clean and lateral lines.   As well, the approach at quality craftmanship, show this one to be attaining the values of the modern era. 

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"After World War II, in the face of massive housing shortages in bombed-out towns and cities, most municipalities quickly adopted regulations that allowed for modernist housing blocks to be built, which fundamentally changed the urban landscape of Europe." -- (Ching p766)

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A good example (and one of the first examples) of this allowance and change of Europe's landscape is the structure known as the Berlin Philharmonic Hall.

• It was designed in 1956 to 1963 by the designer, Hans Bernahard Scharoun.
• Scharoun was a German architect that was known for his expressionistic style before the war, but had little experience aside from villas.
• When commissioned for the job, Berlin's people were hoping that his design would stand out amongst the drab buildings springing up after the war.

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"Against the backdrop, a few big cities were able to create high-end commissions that allowed architects more freedom to experiment.  This engendered the prestige commission, an important driver of advanced architectural thinking." -- (Ching p766)

• At first appearance, the exterior of the Hall looks to be several buildings compressed into each other.
• The interior is organized symmetrically around the orchestra, yet the seating differs in that balconies face all directions and surround the musicians' platform.
• Both have an expression of inward out and forward from within, both also appear compressed.



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• The overall impression is of a ship, with golden-hued metal, diving sharply into the landscape.
• It was treated conceptually like a large boat, elevated below from columns.
• The entrance is through a conventional lobby, similar to a boat's hull, that then allocates distribution of the people to their designated places.

"The plan has had many imitators, the most recent being the projected design for the Elbe Philharmonic Hall in Hamburg, Germany, by the firm, Herzog &de Meuron." -- (Ching p766)

It is easy to see how the design of this building has inspired so many others, probably the Guggenheim and possibly the Sydney Opera house.   Immitation pays hommage to previous designers, but for the people of Berlin during this time it did something much more.  It provided something different and inspiring for a people that obviously needed exactly that.   This is what all design should attempt to do, even today.  This building, even today, should continue to inspire, at least designers, so that they can better the lives of those around.

Ching, Frank, Mark Jarzombek, and Vikramaditya Prakash. A Global History of Architecture. 2nd ed. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley, 2011. Print.

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    The picture above is that of the well-known children's toy "Erector set," which I believe can be viewed as an off-chute of the modernist idea of "good design for all" and possibly, as an analogy of the movement.

    The idea of "good design for all," at least in my reading of it, is the creation of artistic design, that essentially builds on or off of other's work.   It is the concept that piggy-backing on other's work or the creation process in tandem with other ideas, leads to better art and design for all.  

     I believe the origins of this movement spark from sources like the Bauhaus.   The Bauhaus school was founded by Walter Gropius in Weimar, Germany, and its literal meaning was "house of construction," but simply stood for "school of building."  It was founded with the idea of creating a 'total' work of art in which all arts, including architecture would eventually be brought together.   It, like the concept of expanding on and in the process, expanded itself to three schools, in three different cities.   By combining styles in crafts and fine arts and the building process, it had major influences in design from there on out.  This goes with out saying that its influence only helped in its concept of better building for the betterment of all.

    Because of this influence and the idea of building on the basis of others work, I believe the erector set is a good replication of this idea.   One begins with the ideas and materials all layed out, and it is up to them to steer the design in the direction of their choosing.   As well, it invites active participation from those around to help create and build upon each individuals ideas.

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"Downing believed that one could bring nature to the city in the form of parks, but only if they were big enough to stimulate a landscape, albeit one that had been tamed and brought into balance with human needs." --(Ching p667)

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This is a contemporary picture of Central Park in New York City.

• It was originally designed by Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux.
• It was created sculpted by the Olmstead, Vaux & Company from 1853 until 1883.
• The Firm came to New York to work alongside Jackson Downing, a big advocate for urban landscaping.

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"Downing, influenced by picturesques ideas as well as the growing moralism of the early Victorian era, saw in landscapes as more than just a convenient stage used by the wealthy for setting up monuments to heroes, as it was at Stowe Gardens.  Landscape, so Downing held, strengthened character and supported the integrity of the family." -- (Ching p667)

• The area was originally a garbage dump and shanty town.
• Its designers transformed it into a 2,170 square kilometer park.
• Anything that did not fit the specific design was either removed or blasted away.

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• After excavation and demolition, the designers added four million cubic yards of rock and soil.
• In addition, the designers systematically placed four to five million trees in the park.
• Once matured and designs were completed, the park held meadows, forest, hilltop lookouts, castles, sheep farms, skating rinks, and eateries, curved paths and bridges.

This park attracted ten million visitors in its first year of operating alone, which goes to prove the importance of cities on the rise and the attention to city structures coming into the modern age.  The importance of Central Park today is perhaps obvious in that we need and will increasingly need more green spaces, simply to offset all of the urban areas we are building.   But for those that live in New York, it is perhaps more of the "Downing" ideology, in that it provides appeals of good values and characteristics.

Ching, Frank, Mark Jarzombek, and Vikramaditya Prakash. A Global History of Architecture. 2nd ed. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley, 2011. Print.

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        This image captures the reknowned Ford Model T assembly line, what was to be the predecessor and template for all production assembly lines to follow.   It was not only a perfectly developed innovation of the time, it was efficient.   The efficiency of this production and manufacturing process, set the stage for all other forms manufacturing and production to follow, given the high volume of products capable of being distributed through this "line" format.

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      This is, of course, an image of the modern day version of the assembly line, one that was taken at a Chinesse facility, where, as the world has come to recognize, is the new capital of production and manufacturing.   This is due mostly to China's lack of environmental regulations, high numbers of labor force, and low wage standards (amongst other things).   I chose these images in response to the question : "why was it so important for people to be working so hard at the beginning of the century to be modern?"  One of the major concepts we focused on in class was the notion of embracing the machine or turning away from it.  Perhaps in the art world, this could be debated, but in the economic world, more specifically, the backrooms of future business empires, it was only a question of start up cost and when to begin.   The machines of the "machine" that is capitalism had already been set in motion, so it left people and their places, i.e. their cities, that were left to pursue these machines/assembly lines to be put into place within these places.   To compete for business meant growth capital, hence, people worked hard at becoming as "modern" as possible for the prosperity of their cities, through luring in big business.   Today, China has mastered the art of modernizing their facilities and their cities, but not their people, because the people have not gained the prosperity that is usually to follow big business and big industry in an area.   Maybe art will help to bring reform and revolution for the people of China. hy do you think it was so important for people by the beginning of the twentieth century to be working so hard to be modern?wwhy do you think it was so important for people by the beginning of the twentieth century to be working so hard to be modern?hy do you think it was so important for people by the beginning of the twentieth century to be working so hard to be modern?