iar 222: self reflection

iar222 : history + theory of design ii self-reflection

Before starting this course, I did not realize how much thought and consideration went into design. It honestly never occurred to me that every element of every object has to be thought out and planned. The buildings we have learned about in this class are some of the most popular and most discussed in the 20th century. The designers of these buildings knew that they had the potential to be groundbreaking and start a revolution in the design world. Before this class, I never considered how design builds upon its self. The styles from long ago seem to reappear in the buildings of today.

The Robie House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1909, was one of my favorites we disused in class this semester. This building had strong horizontal lines instead of the common verticals. Buildings after this time started to stress the horizon instead of the vertical. Before this time, many buildings showed power and importance by going upward. The Robie house did the opposite. It blended into its surrounding by have horizontal planes that extend and overpower the smaller verticals. This was also a new idea that is still used today. Before buildings had to stand out and had ornamentation along the outside. Wright removed those elements and kept his buildings very simple and plain. This idea was copied many times afterward.

Preserving the past is a big concept in architecture created today. It is quite common to find structures that have some connection to the past. This usually occurs through the use of columns, form, and line. I believe that the idea of creating an innovative building that reflects present circumstances is through the use of materials. With the buildings we have learned about in the past, they are usually constructed with concrete, brick, marble, etc. Now buildings are commonly found made of metal, wood, glass, and countless other materials. It is not uncommon to find structures that include several different materials on their outside. This is a relative new idea that goes to show how technology is represented in the buildings of today.

For the icons of modernism project, our group had air travel of the 1950’s and 1960’s. Through our research I found that air travel at that time was all about freedom. This was really the first time that traveling across the country and across the world was available to the average person. It was all about convenience, saving time, and comfort. Planes back then were just starting to divide into coach and business classes. They also started serving food and were designed to hold more people. Today the idea of travel is still very much about convenience and freedom. It is now easier then ever to order your ticket for a flight online. Planes are still designed with comfort in mind. Flights are now available nonstop for hours upon hours and the goal of the airline is to insure that their passengers are comfortable during these long trips through the extra large leg room and padded seats.