Radical Post-Modernism and Content: Charles Jencks and Rem Koolhaas Debate the Issue

Reading aligned with lecture: 
   Decronstuction: Koolhaus, Zaha Hadid, Gehry, Libeskind and Tschumi 04/02/2015

Personal summary of reading: Radical Post-Modernism and Content: Charles Jencks and Rem Koolhaas Debate the Issue

In this article Charles Jenks and Rem Koolhaas debate the issue of radical post modernism. My first thoughts reading the title were ‘what on earth of radical post modernism?’ A general definition could be described as a reaction to the rejection of postmodern architecture. In this reading it is apparent that Jencks and Koolhaas debate the issue in relation to architecture and in particular a façade design coordinated by Koolhaas of Venice Bienalle.

This article didn’t massively interest me, if anything it confused me. I read up online another interview between the pair and again it did not create a spark or confliction to my thoughts. I didn't really understand what 'issue' there was to debate, it came across as a conflicting of opinion or Jencks trying to question Koolhaas.

At Ohio State University, Mack Scogin Merrill Elam's new KNOWLTON HALL brings the design process to the larger academic community.

Reading aligned with lecture: 

Current Debates: Mipim, Cannes, and Venice Biennale Iain Macdonald & Ana Souto. 25/03/2015

Personal summary of reading: At Ohio State University, Mack Scogin Merrill Elam's new KNOWLTON HALL brings the design process to the larger academic community, by Sara Hart (2005)

Ohio’s state Univeristy opened to 500+ students into its architecture school that explored the various types of architecture as well as planning. The University made a competition and Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects won the commission to reinstate the school into a state of the art facility. The brief was to renovate the existing buildings to accommodate its three disciplines, somewhat segregating them from one another. It was also specified to for the commission to provide open atmosphere and spaces as well as being able to seamlessly fit in with its context and neighboring University buildings; it did not want to be iconic.

Because of this commission the Ohio State University boosted its own development as well as the future for its enthusiastic students. This was an interesting article to read and will take the knowledge gained from this reading into my own research for further studies.

Peter Smithson: Conversations with Students

Reading aligned with lecture: Frank Lloyd Wright

Personal summary of reading pages 9-32 & 72-89: 

This article informs us of two conversations of Peter Smithson with two students. Its interesting to see how travelling, experiencing and networking in conversation one aided the students development. Further more I like that this student was very interested into classicism but was wanted to see how those on the other side thought and processed. This conversation didn’t really provoke me, instead it was interesting to see how an architect responds to his own ideas from his past and how they react to them know and how they have developed. I also liked that when there was no ‘work’ for him that he would be investigating and learning.

Conversation three appears to be talking to the same person as in conversation one. Again this didn’t massively interest me.

“Pruitt-Igoe, Now”, by Nora Wend

Reading aligned with lecture: 
   Postmodern Architecture: Rober Venturi, and the American discourse, Pop Art. 28/01/2015

Personal summary of reading: Pruitt-lgoe, Now and http://www.pruittigoenow.org/about/

Pritt Igoe was a development that consisted of 30 high-rise buildings that were demolished. Media and marketing were cleverly used to highlight this event for its ‘re-birth’, to attract architects and designers. However this backfired and the rebirth never blossomed for St. Louis. Naturally with the world’s blame culture, theorists and critiques blamed architects Helmuth, Yamasaki and Leinweber for the “death of Modernism” which was put down to political and economic issues.

The first demolition started in 1972 and by 1977 all 30 high-rise buildings had been demolished. Its inhabitants never returned to the 57 acre plot and it remained a dormant eye sore to the city until 1989. To celebrate the 40^th anniverisary of the first demolition, in 2012 the competition was re-opened and new design ideas has been proposed but whether or not we see any realisation on this site, only time will tell.

http://financingcities.ifmr.co.in/blog/2014/02/03/the-pruitt-igoe-myth-of-public-housing/

Building and exhibition layout: Sainsbury Wing compared with Castelvecchio, by Kali Tzortzi,

Reading aligned with lecture: 

Modern Materials and Technologies: Williams & Tsien, Scogin & Elam, Arup, Sustainable Design. 18/03/2015


Personal summary of reading: Building and exhibition layout: Sainsbury Wing compared with Castelvecchio, by Kali Tzortzi,(2004)

I found this reading interesting and relevant to one of my current design studio projects; showing how controlling and restrictive architecture is designed to how people move and direct them selves around spaces. This articles compares the layout of the Castelvecchio Gallery against its additional Sainsbury wing that was added at a later date with its use strictly placed in its brief.

The Sainsbury wing appears in a grid like manner with horizontal and vertical planes with intersections and openings allowing the flow of people of explore the spaces. Because of its layout people cannot just do one lap of the gallery and have experienced all of its rooms; it allows people to interweave between the rooms and they will have to go through spaces more than once to experience all of the art work in the gallery.

In comparison the Castevecchio is spatially more restricted and people have fewer variations of movement between the rooms in this gallery; this results in better-defined routes.

This article was interesting to see the results from a physical study of movement and how reststricing people creates better defined routes, ensuring in this context that all the rooms are visited. However I do appreciate that the Sainsbury wing allows the audience to explore, without getting confused and I think I would feel more freedom within that gallery. I will use the knowledge I have learnt from this reading and apply to my future studies.