Urbanism project 2 - synopsis

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC61303) SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (APRIL 2019)

Name: Khoo Chee Keat

ID No.: 0327433

Lecturer: Nicholas Ng

Tutorial Time:

Reader/Text Title: Towards a New Architecture

Synopsis No: 1b Author: Le Corbusier

The book “Towards a New Architecture” is trying to introduce, promote and explore the modern architecture proposed by Le Corbusier in the middle of the 19th century. This book is trying to tell us that the older ages are past and we need to redefine architecture and form a new mode for it to adapt to the industrial age. The differences of “Towards a New Architecture” from other architectural work is because of the concept and the message that the book is trying to manifesto is different and might be opposed to the perspective of others book proposed.

In the reader “Towards a New Architecture”, the main point that Le Corbusier is trying to bring out is about the mindset of people for the architecture does not transform to adapt to the modern era. In the chapter “Architecture or Revolution”, Le Corbusier mentions about the “natural” system during the earlier ages and harmonious lifestyle and satisfactory conclusion. However, Le Corbusier did mention that a new world which is forming itself regularly, that other industries such as business, construction and industry have modified to adapt the modern era. However, the tolerance of architecture to the old arrangements of buildings became a serious barrier or in Le Corbusier words, is a parasite. In addition, Le Corbusier is telling us the that there are many opposed noises if the revolution for architecture need to complete because when we set it against to the past, we are forced to the conclusion the architectural code for four thousand years. However, if we are not trying to set against the past and evolve, we will face the problems of no adapting to the modern era.

In my opinion for the reader, I think that Le Corbusier is trying to advise and console people to be cruel to ourselves so that we can adapt to the modern era, It is because we cannot put in our enthusiasm fully for current situation due to we are still concern and tolerate the existence of the old building and the arrangement of them. In the reader, Le Corbusier state that, but if existing property arrangements were changed, and they are changing, it would be possible to build; there would be enthusiasm for building, and we should avoid Revolution. For my understanding for this sentence is if the building can keep changing, then revolution can be avoided. In the other hand, if the building and its arrangement keeping unchanged, revolution is needed to set against the past and the values need to revise.

Word Count: 422

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BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC61303) SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (APRIL 2019)

Name: Khoo Chee Keat

ID No.: 0327433

Lecturer: Nicholas Ng

Tutorial Time:

Reader/Text Title: Complexity and Contradiction

Synopsis No: 2b

in Architecture

Author: Robert Venturi

“Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture” is a book established in 1996 which is middle of the 19th century.

The main idea of the book to the manifesto is the denial and avoidance of complexity and contradiction in architecture elements by the orthodox modern architects. This thought is a minority and it is hardly accepted by others architect which they are usually implementing the ideas of “Less is more” proposed by Mies van der Rohe.

In this book, Robert Venturi mention about the perspective and attitude of orthodox modern architects to the elements of complexity and complication, they ignoring the elements and trying to separate them and exclude them rather than includes the variety of requirements and their juxtapositions. They are denying the ambiguity and advocated the idea of simplicity and order rationalism. In addition, the author doubts that modern buildings have ignored many aspects of a building through the method of simplicity or the building that cause the building to become bored because of the oversimplified program for living. The author also indicated that complexity and contradiction do not deny the validity of simplicity and the simplification process is one of the processes of analysis or a method of achieving complex architecture itself. The misunderstanding of the works of Alvar Aalto and Le Corbusier that affects the attitude that relevant both the medium of architecture and the program in architecture. Besides that, the author showed some examples of denial of ambiguity. The author gave some examples of how the complexity and contradiction related to ambiguity and tension and the application of the elements for some buildings around the world by different architects to prove that the contradictory and the phenomenon of “Both-and”.

I strongly agree about the complexity and contradiction should be included and considered during the design stage, so that the vividness and variety of the building can be experienced. Simplicity is different from simple design; simplicity is simplification product for a complex design and simple design is a blatant simplification of bland architecture. Although that ambiguity can be in two ways which either muddled opinions or complexity of the order in the mind. The ambiguity and the contradiction of the building might cause the abstruseness but it also helps the building to create its own vividness and meaning.

Word Count: 380

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BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC61303) SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (APRIL 2019)

Name: Khoo Chee Keat

ID No.: 0327433

Lecturer: Nicholas Ng

Tutorial Time:

Reader/Text Title: The Geometry of Feeling A

Synopsis No: 3b

Look at Phenomenology of Architecture

Author: Juhani Pallasma

“The Geometry of Feeling A Look at Phenomenology of Architect” written by Juhani Pallasma is questioned the phenomenon of the debilitating language of architecture nowadays and the factor that causing it is the preconceived ideas in design stages that cause the building is design with about forms only. The author is trying to send the message of the freedom and limitless of inspiration for the design that it can do through building own memories or the primary feeling. Besides that, the author has emphasized the necessity of break through the preconceived ideas and knowledge teaching in class.

In the book, the author stated about the architecture nowadays are dominating by theories, teaching and practice of art which this will build up a preconceived mindset that set a boundary for out design. The design process has become the sum of the elements taught in class. The author mentioned that actual architecture should be a kind of private communication between the building and the user that experiencing it which it should give some space to imagine but not giving a solid form and definition for the building. Besides that, the author also offer a suggestion that the architecture can also present and depict through different kinds of arts such as poetry, novel writing, film, photography and painting because the products of these arts are the “pure-looking” for what we experiencing and trying to present and it is not restricted by the codes and laws.

In my opinion, I agree with the point that the author is trying to manifesto which architecture should not be a technology skill nor knowledge, it is a kind of art that has a different perception to a different person than experiencing it. Architecture is a thing that should be free of design that can be inspired by anything including the childhood memories which it should not design limited by any theories and categories taken from natural science nor psychology of human being.

Word Count: 326

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