Point: Foundations

Harwood pg. 86

In this past unit of study we have been observing the foundations on which the architecture we know today is based. We have traced back our roots from our first attempts as humans to put architecture and design in a landscape in Western Europe, to China and Japan, to Egypt, to Greece and Rome, even places like Teotihuacán. Throughout this study the concept that really sticks out in m mind is the idea of archetype, prototype, and hybrid. The idea that past settlements and structures are the basis on which new ones are founded.

In the spirit of foundations, let us first observe the fundamental meanings of these terms. An archetype is the original pattern or model from which all of the same kind are copied or on which they are based. For instance, an archetype for Greek and Roman architecture would be Egypt. We can draw similarities in construction methods in the Egyptian temple, which makes use of post and lintel construction. We can also draw similarities from forms, details, and techniques used in these architectures. The use of the column is a great example of a structural form that serves a symbolic purpose. The Egyptians use columns as a way to filter out light in religious spaces because darkness symbolized the mystery of the afterlife. These columns were carved in relief to tell stories of kings past. Different capitols such as the Lotus or Bud were used to designate importance to different buildings. In the same way the Greek orders were used to designate importance. Greek columns also symbolically tell a story of the sacred groves used in sacrifices to the gods before the existence of permanent temple structures.

In our studies we have also observed Greece as a prototype. A prototype is defined as being a model or first form. As Egypt was a prototype for Greece, we have observed Greece as a prototype for Rome. Rome makes use of Greek orders and building types as a template for their own. For example the Greek agora and the Roman forum were both open and colonnaded places for thought, and discussion. Temples were also similar in that both Greek and Roman made use of axial progression. Although Greek temples sought to correct optical illusions, and give the appearance of a perfectly symmetrical, and therefore ideal, building, the Romans sought to produce the “ideal” building in a different way.

While the idealism of Greece was related to symmetry, perfect proportion, and order, the Roman ideal building incorporated all these things, but with an emphasis upon lavish detail, richness in material, huge scale, and vast interior space. The Pantheon for example, makes use of the Greek temple front, and orders within the interiors as decoration, but robs the orders of their original meaning. The interior of the Pantheon is spherical in shape, representing the sphere of heaven. This is totally different from the rectilinear form of the Greek temple. These innovations demonstrate the creation of a hybrid architecture. Hybrid meaning being composed of elements originally drawn from different languages. Greek orders and elements adapted and mixed with Roman innovations to create a new and distinctly Roman architectural language.

This idea if archetype, prototype, and hybrid apply to the process we go through to create an architectural artifact in studio, which must be created by folding. I don’t know much about origami so I started with what I knew, a fortuneteller. This would be my archetype, and my base for exploration. I manipulated the folds to abstract the form to create a couple prototypes, then after doing research on Ron Resch a hybrid was formed.

This is the same way Egypt, Greece, and Rome build off of each other. By starting with what you know, and adapting as needs and improvements arise. This is the story of architecture, a constant building upon the foundations of the prototype of the past, to create the architectural hybrid of the future.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/archetype?&qsrc=

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hybrid

Harwood, pgs. 162-250

Roth, pgs. 353-395