Art, Architecture, and Obama

This is one of the best layouts I've seen.

I really like the simplicity and clean design of this set. I also think its successful in that it is able to maintain visual interest throughout the whole set. They go from slides that have picture backgrounds and text to mostly white backgrounds with pictures. I think this is a good strategy, using contrast to reinforce what the important information is in the slide. The layering of text over white over picture is really cool.

Posted by Broc Blegen at 07:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

2 key words

Form: Obviously, the title of the article is “Search for Form.” He emphasizes a search for form that is genuine and honest, instead of being an imitation of previous traditional forms, which may be obsolete for contemporary use. He argues that form is an essential part of architecture, and it has important implications. Form exists inside us all.
Fundamentals: Saarinen argues that there are fundamentals of form that are unchanging. This aproach allows for a more subjective analysis of what defines good form from bad form.

2 Questions:
Do you agree with Saarinen that form exists inside everyone? That we inherently know what is good form by what feels natural?

How does one define a “truly genuine art”? And similarly, a “truly genuine form”? is it possible for an outside source to judge what is genuine? Or do you have to take the artist’s or designer’s word for it?

Posted by Broc Blegen at 07:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I think my living arrangement this year is a great example of how the built environment affects who I am. I live on the West Bank, Middlebrook Hall, Floor 10, Room 47.

First off, I feel like I really connect with the people on my floor, and the building in general. I think a big reason for this is because the structure of the floors allows for grouping honors students together. I’ve been able to live with peers who are also in the CLA honors program, and this has undoubtedly affected who I am and who I associate myself with. These smaller communities serve as an important framework for me to feel at home within the larger clockworks of the University as a whole. The people on the 10th floor, and some on the 8th, have almost become family in a way. It has also provided me with a social niche that I feel comfortable in.

Also, the location of Middlebrook, within the larger context (or framework) of the West Bank Arts Quarter, has been important in shaping who my friends are, what I do in my spare time, the classes I'm taking, and even what major I have declared (Studio Art).

Due to the location, I’ve been able to meet more people interested in the arts than I probably would have had I lived in the Super-block this year. Also, because I’m so close to the Regis Center for the Arts, I’ve been able to take many art classes, and have been able to frequent the art galleries and attend interesting lectures and events. Being involved and connected to this framework of creative people has been important to me finding a niche academically.

The West Bank almost acts as a small city in itself, and I feel intimately connected to the flow and atmosphere. Also, every day I’m able to look out the window at the Minneapolis skyline, an important reminder of the real-world that I inhabit and the larger system that the University serves.

In my room are several things that I really associate with my identity. I have posters of my favorite bands-Dave Matthews Band, Jack Johnson, Bob Marley, and the Beatles.

These bands have become an important part of my identity; I really connect to music in general. Also, they represent my friends at home and summertime to me. Every summer we all go to a couple concerts together, sometimes camping when it is a ways away. I look forward to this every year, and these posters remind me of these god times.

Also, I have some of my artworks in my room. I love art, and I love being able to live with my own artwork. Also, I have many books that I love to page through in my spare time; its nice to have my own mini-library with me. These posters and other things in my room really make me feel at home, and create a sense of place that is uniquely my own.

Posted by Broc Blegen at 02:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Reading 11
2 words:
Interconnected, Interdependent: Capra argues that every system is interdependent-that is, when one changes it affects other systems. Also, in order to fix one problem, one needs to fix another problem first, or several others. (similar to a holistic worldview).
Sustainable: Capra says that the great challenge of our times is to create sustainable communities, sustainable systems, and sustainable solutions to our problems. His definition of a sustainable society is one that “satisfies its needs without diminishing the prospects of future generations.”
Paradigm shift: A paradigm shift is essential to focus our attention on sustainable solutions. The upcoming paradigm shift will affect science and the broader social arena, not just science like past shifts.

2 discussion questions:
Have any of you read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenence, by Robert Persig? Can you draw any similarities between the two texts? Does Persig’s book hint at this paradigm shift?

Does this paradigm shift mark the end of Western dominance? Are Eastern cultures, like China and Japan, more capable of understanding this new paradigm?

Capra argues that we need to question “every single aspect of the old paradigm” in order to formulate this new paradigm. But who will decide which parts of the old paradigm to keep? Who is granted authority? Is this new paradigm without bounds-is it variable because of this lack of authority? Is single person capable of being deep-ecologically aware?

Capra says that the paradigm shift requires an expansion of our perceptions and ways of thinking, and even our values-is this possible to achieve on a grand scale? Is he asking too much of the human race-this would require massive amounts of agreement among nations, democrats and republicans, and religions.

Reading 12
2 words:
Space: Space as what separates architecture from other art forms. He says that we experience architecture from the inside, and its this area he calls space. Space is more than what is drawn in architectural plans, there is an additional element, that contributes to its spatial essence.
Architecture: The author tries to define architecture and contrast it with other art forms, asking what is architecture? Internal space as the essence of architecture.

2 questions:
If architecture is defined by the spacial essence achieved after being built, is an architect measured by how close he can achieve his planned essence? Basically, how well his plans translate into creating the intended essence.
How can an architect convince his/her client of the essence of the building, if one can’t really know until they can experience it? Particularly in a design contest, how can they convince the panel when the decision is largely based on sketches and plans? Is the focus on sketches and plans overrated as a method for selecting a winning design? Should the process be revised? How?
Can one only become familiar with a work of architecture by experiencing it in person? Does this mean that its worthless to describe a building to students in a classroom? Should class be based on field trips rather than reading and slide presentations?

Posted by Broc Blegen at 01:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)