HSTARC2: Reaction Blog (American Architecture & Pre-Colonial Architecture)

After weeks long of waiting for the next session report, I was forced to make my own review about, I think, probably the broadest topic here in History of Architecture 2.

American Architecture and Pre-Colonial Architecture, holds branches of its different kinds of Architecture. I would like to start it with:

Inca Architecture:
I searched on YouTube about Inca Architecture, since I didn't want to rely too much on Wikipedia. Then I saw the Matsu Pitsu. I would like to compare it to the Acropolis of Athens. It's a hidden city located at a tophill part of the forests. It's an abandoned city where in people would question on why it was built there. Somewhere water can rarely be seen. I also knew that this is the only Pre-Colonial structures that the Spaniards weren't able to find.

It's characteristic; walls made by bricks, geometrical proportions of the structures.

Maya Architecture:
I'd say that the Inca Architecture was very similar to the Pre-Historic Architecture, but Maya Architecture is very similar to Egyptian Architecture.

Maya culture was very critical interms of religion. Just like the Egyptians, they also have their own "pharaohs", which are called the deities. Their shrine are on the top of the house-step like structures. At first sight, you would thought that what you see is the Egypt's Ziggurat, because they almost have very familiar characteristics. I also sensed that they really like pyramid-like shapes on their structures. It has a large base but as it goes all the way up, it gets smaller and smaller. Another thing that I notice was, THEY REALLY LOVE STAIRS. Interiors; they have perfectly carved ornaments on their walls, the columns are in uniform.
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New England Colonial (1600's - 1740)
Ha, New England Colonial Architecture reminds of a childhood cartoon series that I used to watch, Heidi. Its characteristics are just like the usual things that we drew during our pre-school days. Cube/rectangular base with a triangular roof and a chimney in the middle. It has a little ornamentation in its interiors. The back part of the roof protrudes lower until the 2nd storey's floor. You wont be able to see much of this kind of Architecture these days because it was made of wood, it's not as durable like the normal houses that we see today.


Colonial Cape Cod (1600's - 1950's)
Colonial Cape Cods were famous during the last stretch of its existence. 1930's - 1950's, Cape Cods were very famous this time. It's frequently found in the Northeastern parts of the United States (Cleveland, Boston, New York). It is made up of wood, colored in white. Its windows also have shingles (just like New England Colonies)

It has smaller chimneys compared to the previous one. It sports a small chimney but connects to every room of the house. It has a vertical axis emphasis, meaning, it is very uniform, if you cut the house in half, you'd see the same thing you'd see on the other half. Doors are always at center during this era. It also has little ornamentation in its interior.

Spanish Colonial (1600's - 1900's)
Different types of Architecture started here. There was no specific characteristic on this Architectural Era. But one thing that differentiates this era to the previous ones is the use of arched openings on their facades, use of columns and more complicated shape, and not just an ordinary rectangular box




German Colonial (1600's - 1800's)
Just like the first two types (New England Colonial and Cape Cod), it brings back to the original characteristic of American Architecture which is a rectangular base with a flat roof. They only differ in the use of materials. Bricks was often used for their massive 2 feet thick walls. It should also have arched stone on top of the door and the windows of the 1st floor.

Dutch Colonial (1625 - mid 1800's)
It started as a neighborhood in New York, but spread out on parts of Netherlands. The first Architectural type that had 2 chimneys on both ends of the roof. Used Dutch doors, upper half and the lower half can be opened independently. Stone and bricks were the primary materials.

If we search the Google about pictures of Dutch Colonial Architectural types, it would only show the 20th century-type or the Dutch Colonial Revival which is completely different from the original ones.

Georgian Colonial House Style (1690's - 1830)
It adopted the Dutch Colonial's 2-chimney roof. Normally has 9 small windows on its facade. It also has flattened columns beside the door. Structures are very symmetrical and square. It also has a pediment-like decoration on top of its door.

Georgian Colonial Houses now has protruded columns, some of it only has one chimney on its roof. The 9 square windows, used of bricks/stones, and the symmetrical arrangement is still there though.

French Colonial (1700 - 1860)
French Colonial houses were built for the hot weathered countries. It's the most different one among the American Architectural types. It has a lot of columns, wood-made columns. The second floor that we see in the picture, those porch openings were made as a hallway for a person to transfer to another room. It has not interior hallways.

Here in the Philippines, I see it like a cottage at some resort because it has too many rooms.

Federal Houses Style (1780 - 1830)
If you're going to look at the facade of a Federal House Style, you'd instantly think that, that house is owned by a wealthy family. It owns a flat roof with balustrade. Just like the Georgian Colonial, windows are arranged symmetrically around the door. Robert Adam, the owner of the largest Architectural practice in Britain, went abroad to study Italian Architecture and Roman empires and when he came back, he brought back what he learned and applied it. The picture at right was said to be designed after the Roman classicism. Bricks were the primary materials here. Stairs are curved with iron railings that leads to the main entrace.

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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

AESTETA: Work of Art

TITLE: The Weeping Woman
ARTIST: Pablo Picasso


I searched Google for Pablo Picasso-inspired paintings, and this painting was probably the catchiest one, at least for me.

It bears an enigmatic aura which portrays a lot of meaning behind its mysteriousness

In this painting, I see a woman. She is terrified, she is afraid, she is scared, she is trembling, and she is suffering.

With my own explanation to this painting, I think she is on a spotlight, the use of the color yellow, makes me feel that she is somewhere in a public place. Another thing that comes in to my mind when I see the color yellow are explosions.

I assume that this girl is crying because she's in the middle of a war. She is alone and she is being manhandled by groups of soldiers.

During Picasso's days, there were a lot of wars from different countries, and women those days were really discriminated. They were often associated with weakness, uselessness, cast-away from the society. Women were simply overlooked by everyone. Even up to now, women bears the burden of simply being a woman. In many aspects, women are still at the bottom of the society. They really never had a role.

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In pregnancy and bearing a family; they are the ones who have to carry a developing child for 9 whole months sacrifices such as giving time for children instead of time oneself.

In natures of being a woman; they are the ones who have monthly red flags, and have no choice but to do minimal things. They often get hated because of the mood-swings that cause them.

In man-made hardships; perhaps the most common one here in the Philippines is, women experience violence and loss of self-dignity. This include human-trafficking, getting raped, getting battered

In fashion; whenever we see girls who wear revealing clothes, we often refer to them as sluts and bitches, but the reality is that, they just want to express. While I was watching TMZ, there's this one media guy who asked this model. He said that "When girls dress up, do they want to be noticed by men?" And the model answered in a modest way, she said "We dress to express ourselves."

In teenage years; These days, it is very common when you get to hear 15-18 year old girls getting pregnant. Exploring the unconsciousness of sexual activities, with the little knowledge about producing, tends to lead to early pregnancy.
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In general, Picasso symbolized women as suffering in this painting. They are the softest and most fragile living beings. The always-battered woman was clearly shown in the painting but it expresses deeper meaning that that. I can say that this picture possess the phrase "Picture with a thousand words". It expresses a lot of emotions but only in minimal detail.

I think Picasso used this art as a wakeup call for women. The inequality of man and women must be shrugged off. It is a moving painting that inspires women to take a stand for themselves, to prove to everyone that they are as tough as any man in this world. Literally, it showcases the sadness of woman's life.

"...because women are suffering machines."

- Pablo Picasso

AESTETA: Communism | Capitalism

REFLECTION:
With all honesty, I had a hard time understanding the topic that was discussed last week. I also thought that the topic last week was the hardest one. So, I just searched on the internet the most notable things that I've heard last week.

There are so many things that I would like to discuss in here and let me start it with Capitalism. From what I have understood, Capitalism is an economic system wherein a certain company is all about gaining money or profit. They do not care if they are not giving you your right amount of salary. All they care about their gain. At one point of the discussion, I had a thought in my mind where I said that "Damn, these people are so greedy."

In the classical eras before Capitalism began, there was no private ownership on anything. People didn't need the government, they worked altogether to survive. However, as time goes by, people became greedy of power. People was so greedy, they held their own private ownership in lands which led to development of class system (Greed was so viral, that other people were also blinded by power). Well, I can not blame because this was during the Industrial Revolution where everything became fast, and everything was controlled by money. No wonder why everyone became greedy.

During this Capitalism era, the society was divided into two, the proletarian and the bourgeoisie (really having a hard time spelling that). The proletarian, these are the people who can be normally seen at the bottom of the 'triangle'. These are the people who work really hard but do not get back the things that they deserve. They are also called slaves. (I really pity everyone who became slaves. I'd like to tell them how much life is important, and they're the only one who can control themselves and not others.). They are the people who sell their labor for the wealthy classes. On the other hand is the bourgeoisie, they are called the "social class". They are the ones who own properties, they are the ruler of everything because they have money. They do not care if millions will die, they were really after just for the gain of money! They are also the one who compete amongst their kind.

After the topic was discussed, I never really found anything good at that certain era, but after watching videos from YouTube, I later on found out that the working class would take over states and would not need any more governments. It would now lead on to the fading away of class divisions.

Here now comes Communism. I watched videos in YouTube about Communism and it made it much more clear to me.

The word 'exploitation' was really more appropriate during this time rather than 'utilization', because the owners were not paying the workers the amount of money that they deserve. The worker was paid much less than what he produces. The owner/employer, even though he is not part of the production process, he is still the one getting paid more. Meanwhile, the workers who have worked 25 hours a day, the worker who is the crucial part of the production of that certain product/service, gets paid very little. Exploitation over utilization is the main stream of Capitalism. More exploitation = more profit.

Now, capitalists have their own strategy of keeping their workers to them. At first, they'd tell their workers all the benefit that they could get, but at the same time, they'd include taxes, wages, and additional working hours.

Then here is Karl Marx, a German Philosopher which whom I thought, hated democracies at Capitalism. In this video that I watched, it showed the Communist's Manifesto, and it said that, the workers have to rebel to their masters and to become masters of themselves.

"Let the ruling classes tremble at a communist revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. Workingmen of all countries, unite!"

- Karl Marx

Marx was representing chains as the proletarians hard ships and being under controlled by the wealthy class.

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RELATION TO ARCHITECTURE:

To relate everything into Architecture, it is kind of a bit sad. When we pass by on construction sites, we see a lot workers, working hard, enduring the burning rays of the sun, lifting hallowed blocks, and endlessly working 15-20 hours a day and yet these Engineers, Architects and Contractors are the one getting paid high. I thought of that maybe because those 3 are getting paid with their mentality skills more than physical skills.

Here in the Philippines, I somehow pity some of our workers here because I see a lot of mediocre type of buildings here. Buildings that doesn’t have any sense, buildings that was designed through "bahala na" mentality. The Engineers and Architects were paid high with those mediocre works, but on the other hand, the workers were paid much less than what they have made on that building.

I really do not know where to weigh in, and I can not really tell which of the two is harder, because yes, it is hard to design (with all exceptions to the mediocre building I am referring to), but at the same time, I thought that working 15-20 hours a day is also something I would struggle to do + they get paid much less than what they give. It is kind of an unfair situation for the workers, as of now, for me. I will know when I am already there.

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PERSONAL FEEDBACKS:

It is very sad that even up to now, we can still see the 'triangle'. People even became more greedy. More than half of the Philippines population is drowning in poverty because of corruption and yet the high class, they have all the power to get what they want. Even justice these days can already be bought. Since I do not have enough knowledge about salaries of construction workers here, I still think that they should be given more salary, or at least be fair to them because they sacrifice their own sweat and blood. (I think I'm gonna have to do a research about this more.)

The worst thing is that there's nothing we can do about it, since we're already manhandled by their power, there is nothing we can do anymore.

I just want to share what happened last week at my ORDEV-B class. Farmers from the Hacienda Luisita had a campus-to-campus advertisement. The farmer talked about the current issue against our President Noynoy Aquino about their claim to the farmers land. But then, the farmer told us the whole story on what happened about the land.

The land was said to be bought by the Cojuanco-Aquino clan, using money from the SSS. It was during Marcos' time, and Marcos declared that the land is owned by the farmers. And until now, after 5 decades, the Aquino are still claiming it as their own. The farmer also said that they were just eating one meal a day. I could just imagine what would happen to us if the farmers would quit working and just start feeding themselves only because farmers are the ones who work to feed us. (rice, potatoes, corns) It is like they are working to feed the many, but get little beneficiaries.

If only I was rich and wealthy just like any other rich people here in the Philippines, I'd hold a lot of charities to those in need, seriously. Because I want them to feel that somebody is still there for them, helping them despite of their hardships that they're going through. I don't want them to feel helpless. I want them to realize that someone is thankful to have them, I want them to feel that they are even more worthy of every rice, goods that I'd give.

I am still waiting for that one day, where everyone starts thinking about those who are in need. And start forgetting power and wealth. Everyone today is becoming more and more selfish to the point that they are thinking that they are the only ones left in the world. But after all, after this rant; There is this question in my mind that I will keep on asking myself "What can we do?" because for me, it seems that everything is controlled by power (Media, military, justice, police, high-positions). What about the people at the bottom? Are they just to be stuck at the bottom and just die in poverty? Will they ever get a chance to live a life that they want? Can they do something about it? Will it ever end?

HSTARC2: Reaction Blog (Industrial Revolution)

Industrial Revolution: From the word itself, you can really tell that this certain era was really the start of the modern world.

It started out during the 17th to 19th century. Capitalism was really the driving engine of this era. It encouraged the people to work for the sake of the economy's profit. They even allowed child labor and working women in this time. Children are working at the age of 6 for 20 hours with no break! (No wonder why everything became fast). Some of them got sick and died eventually.

Massive materials was their primary material, such as iron and steel. People here became more technical rather than intellectual.

Great Britain was the first ones to develop their country. It became largely rural and agrarian population to a country. Here, the government recommended the people to live in cities because they thought that people would be more interested in buying materials; and when they buy, money would just revolve in the cities.

My personal reaction to this Architectural feature is that, this era wasn't really that bad after all. They were just blinded by the progression that has transpired through their country. And they also had benefits from working overtime, they had engines that helps them to do their work 10x much faster than manual work. Technology made peoples live so much easy. But sometimes it gets too much abused, and instead use technology to become greedy. In exchange to their hard work are their convenience to live the faster life. These are just bunch of people working hard to have a faster and much easier life.

Most notable technology that was created:

1794 - Eli Whitney: Cotton Gin

1798 - Johan Kiefuss: Musket

Robert Fulton: Steamboat

Thomas Edison: Light Bulb

Graham Bell: Telephone

Automobiles

Railroads

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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

AESTETA: Sublime Assignment

In accomplishment to the assignment that was given to us last week, we were asked to cite experiences in our life where we felt the sublime.

Sublime for me is something that pleasures me spiritually, something that overwhelms me, something that fills me with emotions (may it be in awe [an emotion comparable to wonder but less joyous, and more fearful or respectful], in wonder and an amazed feeling), something that makes me feel not to blink my eyes so that I wouldn't miss a single vision from it and something that simply amazes me.

I just want to share some of my sublime experiences.

1. Can't measure love

 From January to May of the year 2010, me and Aly was in a long distance relationship. She's living in Texas, and I'm here in Manila, but despite the distance, we really felt that we were just beside each other. All those months, we were planning on how we're going to meet for the first time because every June of the year, she comes back home, here in the Philippines to have her summer vacation to spend some time with her aunts and cousins. 

Sbarro, Glorietta 5

Since that, she and her family always go straight to the mall after they drop their bags at their house; we just decided to meet up on that mall. Unfortunately, that wasn't our plan, but that didn't ruin it. She's already at the mall with her aunts and cousin, and while I was on my way to that mall, I felt mixed emotions such as: anxiety (I was unease because I'm afraid that I might look ugly in front of her, I kept on looking at every mirror that I get to pass by to see how I look.), excitement, and what we call kilig-feeling. But then I thought that, there's no turning back. Time is not ticking backwards, and there's nothing I can do but to face her. 

Then I called her and asked where she was, I asked her if she could just go down because I was shy of her cousin. And yeah, she went down. 

While I was waiting at the near-by food court, I was on the phone with her. She was in front of a pizza parlor on that food court, facing the food court, and I was at the rails (leaning on to a rail, where you can see the 1st floor. The boundary, so that you wouldn’t fall. Hahaha, I don't know what it is called.) Which was in front of that pizza parlor on where she was. So basically, she was just right behind me. 10 feet away from me.

She was saying "Nandito na ako sa may pizza parlor"

Then I said "E katapat ko lang yung pizza parlor". 

Then I turned my back, and I saw her. She ran to me and I hugged her so tight. On that moment, after 5 months being away from each other, the first time I hugged her, I was really feeling every second of it because it was my first time to hug her. And it was really really overwhelming.

It's really a moment for me to remember. And now, every time I pass through that exact place, I always remember that scenario in my head + background music. (Hahaha.) I always feel the same exact feeling that I felt when every time I pass that place.

2. Empire State of Mind

Timesquare, New York, USA

My second sublime experience that I'd like to share is when me and my family spent our summer at USA. We spent the first two weeks at California (for theme parks: Universal Studio, Disneyland, SeaWorld), Las Vegas and Arizona (Grand Canyon). I thought I already had a blast on those states. But later on, I realized that the phrase "Save the best for last" is true

We then on, went to New York to spend the last 2 weeks of our summer vacation. At first, I thought it would be a boring way to end our summer vacation because it really had no theme parks in it. I feel like everything was all sky scrapers and roads and streets. But then, as the day goes by, I was enjoying my stay there unexpectedly. I suddenly felt the comfort just by walking into the city, knowing it's a tiny part of its history, spend time with my relatives there, and staying at the park (Central Park: where I can find almost every kind of people. There are lovers sitting under the trees, couples who sit by the river, teenagers playing Frisbees, a group of random people dancing, blind men singing etc.). For me, I felt like, in that place, everyone can be free, no one would judge you on whatever you're doing unlike here, everyone would judge you in every simplest thing you do.

I feel like that there's no way for me to end my summer but to live it to the fullest. From the trips to the Liberty Island, to the American National Museum to late nights at Timesquare to even just condo units, I felt satisfied. I felt that, I want to have a life like this somewhere in the near future.

I can't even make you feel the things that I felt, because it's an experience where you have to experience it yourself, where you have to see it unfold right in front of your eyes. It's really one of the places where I would never reject to go to.

In the song Empire State of Mind by Jay Z and Alicia Keys, there was this part in the chorus that says "These streets will make you feel brand new". It is really indeed true.

HSTARC2: Reaction Blog (Baroque and Rococco Architecture)

Baroque Architecture

I guess the long overhaul of religion to Architecture has finally on it's last branch. Just like the past eras (Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance), this era is somehow influenced by religion.

During the first part of discussion, it kind of gave me a negative feed back about religion this time, because the church wasn't good at all in this era. They took advantage and they became abusive on their people, telling that they will be "saved" if they give them bucks and offerings.

Although they have that negative feature, good Architecture somehow eclipsed those abusive traits. In their structures, it showed richness and elegance. They feature good use of lighting to give dramatic scene at a certain spot. (I guess people during this time was more into arts rather than architecture). The use of Chairoscuro effects on paintings and lightings made it perfect for the dramatic effect on it's interiors. Another part of their art which really blew me away was the use of Trompe L'oeil. Most of them can be found on ceilings, high ceilings. It amazes me because it can make a flat room look like it's embossed.

On their plans, just like the Romanesque era, they also had naves, but it is in the form of an oval shape. They had cloisters which right now, I can describe as hallways.

They also feature, uniform lighting to give light to the whole part of a room, they had so many windows though. And here in Baroque, for me, they had the best use of ornaments. They really had a large space or a part of a structure that is full of ornaments. From to that point, you can really tell that Baroque Architecture was really wealthy.

I just want to share this picture. It's a building somewhere in Paris, France. It's painted in Trompe L'Oiel. The building looks like it's melting, and the first time I saw this, I assumed that it's just a piece of joke, but I was wrong. I've also found out that Trompe L'Oiel means a trick to the eye.

Rococco Architecture


In this part, there's nothing really inside this era. It's straight up shown in the details of the interiors. They really have complicated stuffs. There are a lot of things happening in their design. They would make a simple mirror frame to a mirror that looks like there are blossoming leaves, vines and roses all over them, painted in gold.

It is really feminine. Too feminine that it would be odd for men to use it.

I also find it very royal. It's like their furnitures are for kings and royalties because it's too decorative, majority use of the color cold. Very wealthy-looking.

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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

AESTETA: Midterms Presentation