BP13

BP13

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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.