US #1

Week 1 -
We looked at examples from Stonehenge and Giza. We talked about Stonehenge; mainly about the circle and how the circle represented equality because it's equidistant from the center, no matter where you stand. Also, how you can be on the inside of the outside of a circle and moving one piece can make it structurally weak.  We also discussed Egypt, the first recorded civilization, and how it represented hierarchy. The east = rising of the sun and the west = the setting of the sun. Then you have the sun god at the top and slaves at the bottom. Egyptians believed in an afterlife and therefore, when they died they were buried with all of their belongings. *Heliopolis = the city of the sun. In  Egypt size mattered; they aimed for bigger because in their eyes bigger was better and they wanted to be better than others.

Stonehenge

Week 2 - 
We discussed circles which represented the sun, moon, stars and scared spots. Groups which were represented by groves of trees, reaching vertical and groups of people. Also, stacks symbolized by mountains, stairs and gathering people. And people emulated the human body. We looked at examples from Hatshepsut, Giza and the Sphinx, as well as others. We discussed the prototypes, archetypes, and hybrids of each category. Later, we talked about the elements and principles together and how repetition leads to contrast + emphasis, unity + harmony and balance + proportion. Circles - create a sense of equality; no matter where you are standing and represent balance. Groups - create a pathway; you can sense where to go by the line up. The repetition of groups of objects create unity and a sense of solidity. Stacks - create a sense of visual hierarchy, the higher up you are upon the stack, the more powerful you seem. *Treasury of Atreus - all elements come together.

Treasury of Atreus

Week 3 -
This week we discussed groves + stacks together in temples and palaces. 
Key components in each building:
Order = arrangement, type, style
Proportion = the relationship, ratio, relative importance, and balance.
We also expanded on the idea of prototypes, archetypes, and hybrids in the world of columns. 
Different types of building columns:
[Tuscan] = prototype
Doric = archetype
Ionic = archetype
Corinthian  = archetype
Composite = hybrid
The main building was the Acropolis [the megaron contains a porch, court and a hearth]. In the Acropolis the Parthenon = the hearth. The Propylaia = the porch. It contains columns that basically tell you where to go; the entrance way. The Erectheion is the porch of the Madiens, it marks the sacred spot where Zeus' trident hit the ground. Its contains ionic columns and the whole structure itself has no clarity in the design, but tells a story. All of the design aspects used in the Acropolis can be seen in other structures, as it is the main model for buildings following.

The Acropolis

Week 4 -    
"The end is to build well. Well building hath 3 conditions: firmness, commodity, and delight." - Sir Henry Wotton. The things we talked about this week can be summarized by that one quote. We reviewed Rome and its various buildings and how it was an archetype for "well building".  people.                                                                                                                      

Buildings and Structures: what they meant for the city.

*Road/street = all roads lead to Rome.                                                    

*Baths = architecture and ritual   

*Temple = adaptation and frontal orientation 

*Arch =  memorialization  

*Market = edge 

*Forum = major open space

*Amphitheater = atop the landscape rather than on it

*Colosseum = bread & circuses 

*Dome = bringing the world under one roof 

Planning was done with roads and streets. The city grid was a universal treatment and varied at the local level. Water was the most marvelous feature of all; it worked its way throughout the city and was displayed all over (cost much money to do this). One notable example, in Rome, Italy everyone used the same bath area, but at different times of the day. It was a vast open space that stood 221 feet tall. The color was highly polychromatic and the interior was much more polished. 

*Arch of Constantine - the arches told stories and marked victory for the Romans. 

*Colosseum - incorporated the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns for honoring its ancestors. The circle is the vertical to the center and implies that what takes place in that center is highly important. The Pantheon contains seven alters that make up the seven order of Roman Gods. Each alter was hollow to allow for a greater area span that using solid tiles. Also, contains an acculeous (open circle at the top) that allows light to travel through the building. 

Roman Bath