HSTARC2: Reaction Blog (Arts & Crafts)

Just like the previous art movements (Art Deco & Art Nouveau), Arts & Crafts was also a movement of art. I think this is the most basic style of art. I think that, this wasn't really an influencial movement that time because during those times, people are having a thing with modern architecture, and aesthetic art. Then, I actually learned that this movement was created for rebellion to the "better" art movements.

Looking at their structures and furnitures, it only has a basic shape, basic materials (wood, bricks). It doesn't really wear an attractive look. Although it's a bit of organic and floral, romantic and medieval. Arts & Crafts was also, basically anti-industrial. They hated the use of machineries

The most basic common characteristic that I notice is the use of triangular roof, the use of wood and bricks, circular and arched windows, chimneys.

They properly observed the idea of "truth to material". They wanted to emphasize the clarity and how the materials were used. They were very simple and straight in short words. In todays term, I remember furnitures like those as "antiques". They were the conservative type of art movement that time. It's very old looking and not very pleasing to stay with. (Just my personal opinion :-D)

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HSTARC2 Blog update:

Romanesque

Gothic

Renaissance

Baroque/Rococco

American Architecture

Growth of European States

Industrial Revolution

Arts & Crafts

Art Nouveau

Beaux Arts + Neo Gothic

Art Deco

Bauhaus

International Architecture

Louis Sullivan

Frank Lloyd Wright

Le Corbusier

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

HSTARC2: Reaction Blog (International Architecture)

Blossomed in 1920's, International Architecture was an architectural style that framed the next generations. This was the peak of Modern Architecture in the 1920's. It's a variety of different countries that adopted the different elements and characteristics of Modern designs.

In Europe

Europe had the big three. Europe had prime Architects Walter Gropius, Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier. As you go through images of their structures, you'd never observe that they have some of the same design philosophies that they use in their structures. Most of their structures were characterized by simple forms (The Bauhaus started the use of simple forms, the use of squares + triangles + circles), they didn't like ornamentations, primary materials that consists of glass, steel and concrete.

Barcelona Pavillion by Mies van der Rohe

I also saw some quotations from famous Architects that affects their design philosophy. 

1. Ornamentation is a crime
2. Truth to materials
3. Forms follows function
4. Machines for living

I can sense that they were really perfectionist. All of them were following the quotation "God is in the details" Those 4 Architects were so perfectionist. With their respected structures, in changed the landscape of Architecture and introduced Architecture to the world with a different perspective.

In America

The United States of America, also had their own big three. A group composed of Architects named Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright and Philip Johnson.

Toronto-Dominion Centre
Toronto, Canada

Philip Johnson started the movement in 1932 at the Museum of Modern Art. This was made because International Architects wanted to separate with functionalist principles. If you're going to look at their buildings, it has all the same characteristics, no ornaments, heavily glassed, majority materials are steel etc.

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HSTARC2 Blog update:

Romanesque

Gothic

Renaissance

Baroque/Rococco

American Architecture

Growth of European States

Industrial Revolution

Arts & Crafts

Art Nouveau

Beaux Arts + Neo Gothic

Art Deco

Bauhaus

International Architecture

Louis Sullivan

Frank Lloyd Wright

Le Corbusier

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

HSTARC2: Reaction Blog (Growth of European States/ Neo Classicism)

Growth of European States

(I don't know if this is included but here's a short introduction to it. )

It was when King Louis XVI was still the king of France. He failed to fulfil his promise to the people, that's why the France had the French Revolution. Later on, the Legislative Assembly decided to suspend the king from his position, and should be imprisoned, and then sentenced to death.

This started the progress of European countries. Just because the carelessness of a king postponed the rise of these European countries.

The Rise of Europe

Basically, the Rise of Europe started when colonialism started. The trade of materials started in the Atlantic ports. Colonialism really showcased the changes that has transpired through the Western Countries, shown at the Architectural features it made. We can recall the different types of Architecture in the Pre-Colonial Era. They borrowed ideas from one another and just modified it more. This was a crucial part of Europe because this was also the time where their economy was rising because the trades from other countries; attracted the high classes to demand to protect their properties. In this era, ownership also was born. Everyone was naming their lots and houses which leads to Capitalism (my blog), but that's a different story already.

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Neo Classicism

The White House; Washington, D.C.

Neo Classicism means the revival of the classic and ancient Architecture. Neo Classicism was an architectural type that had 1/4 Rococco, 1/4 Late Baroque and 2/4 Classical Greek characteristics.

Its architectural elements are:

1. Symmetrical shape
2. Tall columns
3. Triangular pediment
4. Domed roof

The best example in today's Neo Classicism is The White House in Washington DC.

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HSTARC2 Blog update:

Romanesque

Gothic

Renaissance

Baroque/Rococco

American Architecture

Growth of European States

Industrial Revolution

Arts & Crafts

Art Nouveau

Beaux Arts + Neo Gothic

Art Deco

Bauhaus

International Architecture

Louis Sullivan

Frank Lloyd Wright

Le Corbusier

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

HSTARC2: Reaction Blog (Le Corbusier)

Windows of Secretariat Building in
United Nations Headquarters 

Le Corbusier, famously known as the pioneer of the Modern Architecture/ International Architecture. He was born as Charles-Edouard Jeannerete. According to several resources, Le Corbusier got his name from his grandfather LeCorbesier, it was a psuedonym. He also believed that anyone can be reinvented.

Jeanerete was a really talented man. He was more than just an architect, he was a painter and an interior designer. He concentrated more with buildings and structures made up of steel and reinforced concrete. He traveled so many countries that's why International Architecture was his forte. He taught in Le-Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland, due to the war happening in Paris. 

Jeannerete was also a painter; in 1918, Le Corbusier met Cubist painter Amedee Osenfant. He influence Le Corbusier to paint. Since then, the two were perfect partners when it comes to art movements. They even made their own art which was later on to be called as Purism (Something I never have heard.)

Like Wright, Jeannerete also had many wives. Women whom he met at a ship, and he'd make nude paintings of her; Then to a dress-maker and a fashion model. (Architects really do have the swag. :> Hahaha.)

Le Corbusier was also famous for stating the 5 points of Architecture.

Villa Savoye; Paris, France

1. Open floor plan independent from the supports
2. Vertical facade that is free from the supports
3. Long horizontal sliding windows
4. Roof gardens
5. An innovative urban planner

A couple of his famous quotations:

"The house is a machine for living in."

"By law, all buildings should be white."

Jeannerete was also an interior designer.

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HSTARC2 Blog update:

Romanesque

Gothic

Renaissance

Baroque/Rococco

American Architecture

Growth of European States

Industrial Revolution

Arts & Crafts

Art Nouveau

Beaux Arts + Neo Gothic

Art Deco

Bauhaus

International Architecture

Louis Sullivan

Frank Lloyd Wright

Le Corbusier

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

HSTARC2: Reaction Blog (Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright)

Louis Henry Sullivan

Merchants National Bank, Jewel Box

This blog wouldn't be complete without mentioning Sullivan as the "Father of Skyscrapers". He went to MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). I think he was really smart knowing that he could graduate both highschool, one year earlier and pass up the next two years in MIT. He entered the Institute at a tender age of 16. Then, he transfered to Philadelphia and had a job as an architect under Frank Furness

Wainwright Building

He only stayed under Furness for a year, because Furness had to let him go because of the Long Depression. He went back to Chicago where his parents were located. Together with Mies van der Rohe, Sullivan renovated the burned city of Chicago. In summary, Sullivan really liked tall buildings, he liked office buildings, banks and churches (most of his works are in Chicago, but some of his works aren't there anymore.). He also liked the use of classical columns and designed some columns of his own, and the use of ornaments in his interiors. He also used arches in his buildings.

"Form follows function"


Then, Louis Sullivan was a mentor to...

Frank Lloyd Wright

Prairie House

To be frank, Frank Lloyd Wright was a theft.

FLW was a prideful person, he didn't want anyone to step on him, even his mentor Sullivan. When Wright was still under Sullivan, he didn't able to jive well with the other draftsmen of Sullivan. It's because, some of Sullivan's draftsmen said that Sullivan didn't treat them well too. So maybe, the other draftsmen got jealous of Wright because Sullivan was all eyes on him all throughout.

Wright was also financially unstable that time because he was too costly on his things, he was a materialistic architect. Sullivan then, guaranteed Wright a financial-free job by offering him a 5-year-contract extension, but Wright was too demanding that he even asked Sullivan to pay a part of his house, as a cream of the crop in Wright's marriage with his first wife. Sullivan was really under Wright.

Falling Waters

Few projects came and the tragedy between Sullivan and Wright came. Wright claimed some of Sullivan's work which made him very angry, Sullivan was offended and fired Wright as soon as he knew everything. Then they didn't had any communications for the next 12 years.

But behind of all the drama and stories and soap operas that happened, Wright was a good architect. His characteristics for his were 1.) Flat roofs, 2.) Coned roofs, 3.) and structures that has a lot of squares and rectangles as its mother form.

And of course, during his later years, he was more in to organic forms. One of the best examples of this was his infamous Falling Waters.

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HSTARC2 Blog update:

Romanesque

Gothic

Renaissance

Baroque/Rococco

American Architecture

Growth of European States

Industrial Revolution

Arts & Crafts

Art Nouveau

Beaux Arts + Neo Gothic

Art Deco

Bauhaus

International Architecture

Louis Sullivan

Frank Lloyd Wright

Le Corbusier

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

HSTARC2: Reaction Blog (Bauhaus)

Bauhaus School, Dessau

It was very unfortunate for the Bauhaus school to stand in their time because they were forced to shut down the school because of the Nazis. The Bauhaus, came from the German word Bau which means build, only lasted for 14 years. I could only imagine, on what could've happened if the Bauhaus continued to run their school for many more years.


For me, the characteristics of a Bauhaus-made product are; 1.) it's function, 2.) lightness [When you see a Bauhaus structure or a furniture, it doesn't have a massive look because of its simplicity], 3.) Simplicity [the usual shapes that the Bauhaus use in their furnitures are the basic ones, square, triangle and circle. With those simple shapes, they were able to create modern furnitures in an instant.]


Based from a video that I saw in YouTube, Bauhaus was a movement. It was a distillation of decorative arts and design elements into basic geometric forms.


I'm still wondering on why the Bauhaus school didn't had an Architecture program in it, they were all about Fine Arts & Crafts, but Walter Gropius, the founder of the school, was an architect.


The Bauhaus school was also led by 3 directors; Walter Gropius in Weimar, Hannes Meyer in Dessau, and Mies van der Rohe in Berlin. It was closed by the Nazis in the year 1933 because they didn't like the production of the Bauhaus project. The Nazis demanded higher structures but Mies declined and just closed the Bauhaus instead.


After viewing pictures of examples of the Bauhaus, I think that some parts in the SDA has a Bauhaus-inspired design (The glass entrance of the lobby, some classrooms in 7th floor and maybe the SDA itself, I don't know just assuming. :-) Hahaha.)

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HSTARC2 Blog update:

Romanesque

Gothic

Renaissance

Baroque/Rococco

American Architecture

Growth of European States

Industrial Revolution

Arts & Crafts

Art Nouveau

Beaux Arts + Neo Gothic

Art Deco

Bauhaus

International Architecture

Louis Sullivan

Frank Lloyd Wright

Le Corbusier

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

HSTARC2: Reaction Blog (Art Deco)

Art Deco rose during the early 20th century. What I see about Art Deco is, it is more about pure art decorations rather than an architectural period. I mean, just a detail in Architecture. Like Art Nouveau, Art Deco was also a form of expression. Different colors were also used, different shapes and abstract figures were highly regarded during this time.

They use very different kind of style in their designs, if you're going to compare it to the previous ones. Art Nouveau and Art Deco for me started a turning point when it comes to aesthetics.

Empire State Building, New York City

People before were very limited on what architectural shapes they're going to make, they weren't able to express themselves as a whole because they have to follow certain traditions to make good designs.

But here in Art Deco, it was more of an expressive way. They scratched out everything that they believed in, they disregarded all the requirements to follow, because they now created their own idea on what is beautiful to them. They used exotic materials like sharksfin on their furnitures, the use of Chrome.

Art Deco was also influenced by Egyptian/Babylonian Architecture because of the arches that they use, the ornaments on their walls, gold ornaments. They also like gold accents that's why Art Deco showcases glamour and wealth.

Art Deco as an art: Cubism - When you paint something abstract during the classical eras, scenarios are that, you may be jailed, be tortured or worst, to be killed. But during this time, everyone was free to express. Religion wasn't really a key factor during this era.

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HSTARC2 Blog update:

Romanesque

Gothic

Renaissance

Baroque/Rococco

American Architecture

Growth of European States

Industrial Revolution

Arts & Crafts

Art Nouveau

Beaux Arts + Neo Gothic

Art Deco

Bauhaus

International Architecture

Louis Sullivan

Frank Lloyd Wright

Le Corbusier

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

HSTARC2: Reaction Blog (Art Nouveau)

Art Nouveau was an architectural style for the youth and it was an international movement by the people in areas of Germany. The French word "New Art" was famous during 1850 to 1905. It is also called the Jugendstile. The word Jugend came from the magazine itself named Jugend which means "youth style" in German. And the word stile came from the word Stile Liberty, a department store in London, Liberty and Co.

After watching a 10-minute video from YouTube showing examples of Art Nouveau structures, I learned that...

Art Nouveau was a movement of art. It violated all the classical designs and created its own legacy. From the before eras, we saw structures that are very traditional, very religious, and very strict when it comes to designing. In this era, they violated it all, the once structures that had strict symmetric requirements on its window, now have circular windows. It's like 70% of its structure is in curved shaped. Before, we'd only see black gray and white structures, but in this era, they used childish colors such as orange, green, yellow and purple. Bricks were also the primary materials used.

This era posses an organic type of designs and decorations, most specifically the use of floral and other plant-inspired shapes. As much as often, we would see Art Nouveau's structures are characterized by asymmetrical shapes, a little bit of arches, highly decorated ends and most especially floral like designs.

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HSTARC2 Blog update:

Romanesque

Gothic

Renaissance

Baroque/Rococco

American Architecture

Growth of European States

Industrial Revolution

Arts & Crafts

Art Nouveau

Beaux Arts + Neo Gothic

Art Deco

Bauhaus

International Architecture

Louis Sullivan

Frank Lloyd Wright

Le Corbusier

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe