Contemplations of a Complex Universe

Alyssa and Heidi focused on Goal #3 Promote Gender Equality and Women Empowerment and how it applied to the Central African Republic. I thought it was interesting how they mentioned the national anthem (I think that’s what it was) and how it mentioned numerous times the words “dignity” and “unity” and yet there was so much gender inequality throughout the country. This shows that the country is probably very unaware of their problem, and if they become aware, will probably be very willing to implement suggested proposals to help.

They then went to the source of the issue, which they felt was a lack of education for women. I really liked this approach (maybe because it is so similar to what we did and it seemed to work well) because it is practically impossible to try to work on every possible solution to the problem. It is way more efficient to focus on the core issues, as the other ones should then fall into place, or at least be made easier. You have to start somewhere, so it makes sense to start at the source of the problem.

They then mentioned the huge amount of projects right now that are being implemented in the Central African Republic, yet only a few (3) were working with women in the Central African Republic. (I must have forgotten to write this down or maybe they didn’t talk much about it, but I feel like they could have gone into more detail about these three organizations, or looked at what other countries have been doing, so we could see where their project proposal stemmed from. That’s pretty much the only thing I would have changed though. The rest of it was great!)

Then they moved into their proposal: Project UNITY! I love how they gave it a name, although it became a little confusing at times as to whether this was a proposal or a precedent. What I liked about their proposal was how in depth it was. Unlike most of the other presentations which covered at a surface level possibilities for a proposal, they went down to every last detail of how many books were being used and how many huts were being turned into schools during the day, and for how long they were going to have school. (And I didn’t quite catch where they got these numbers from. Maybe they came from a former project… But if this wasn’t explained, that could be a possible addition to the presentation. Sorry, I must have spaced out.) I thought it was a good idea to get the mothers involved as schoolteachers and have the current teachers be in charge of training them. Not only does it work towards the school’s benefit (as they don’t have to pay for more teachers) but it also works towards the mothers’ benefit (as they are getting a better education for their children and getting and education themselves). It also breaks up the schools and their books more efficiently, so there are less children to a book. I liked the various images and graphics in their presentation (and how they no longer used clip art but rather digital images of a hut). This really helped me to understand how their proposal was being implemented and the various details of the proposal.

Overall, I though they did a splendid job at looking into the problem at hand and seeing how Goal 3 could best be achieved in Central African Republic. Good job!

Posted by Michelle Stein at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

“Every technology is both a burden and a blessing: not either-or, but this-and-that.” – Neil Postman

I could quit right here and leave it up to this quote to tell you how I feel about technology and its effect on architecture. However, as a part of this assignment, I am required to go more in depth on the issue.

Technology automatically has both a positive and a negative impact. You cannot determine ahead of time what consequences will come of a certain technology. As Postman describes, “Unforeseen consequences stand in the way of all those who think they see clearly the direction in which a new technology will take us.” If there is a possibility for a positive effect, you have to plan for the possibility of a negative one as well. And you cannot control what happens to a certain technology. You cannot limit the consequences to merely the positive ones. Technology, once developed, is laid out on the line for anyone willing to mess with it, their intentions may be good or evil. (All these characteristics of technology can be applied to anything, including architecture.)

Technology has influenced architecture for the better and the worse. With one comes the other. In our guest lecture “Architecture through the cybernetic looking glass”, both the ramifications AND tensions were discussed after each effect of technology was introduced and explained. So here is a brief overview on ‘pluses’ and ‘minuses’ of technology in architecture.

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Technology has countless benefits. It has helped us develop more efficient ways of living (through green technology, such as solar panels, skyscrapers, etc.). It has helped us develop more efficient processes in development (robots, molds, 3D printers). It has helped create aesthetically pleasing structures (such as those by Frank Gehry designed on a computer). It has helped us overcome the impossible (through virtual reality). Just think of all the things we can do architecturally as a result of technology. If ‘technology’ had not come around, we might be stuck in log cabins, shooting animals with a bow-and-arrow and roasting them for dinner over a wood-burning stove. Think of how far we’ve come and how much of a blessing that is. It has made life so much more convenient and COMFORTABLE. No longer are we just surviving, but we are living comfortable lives as well.

Image from flickr

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But along with those benefits, there have been countless curses as a result of technology. Although virtual technology might allow one to stretch their imagination and go beyond what is physically possible, I think it is a bad idea to look to these sorts of ‘thrills’ over the physical. The physical is real. There is something about the ‘real’ that beats the virtual any day. There’s something about being able to touch, to use all five senses to interact with the environment. In the virtual, you do not get that…at least not completely. If we begin to rely on the fake, I believe there are some detrimental implications involved. We will realize that we are living in a fake world with fake aspirations. And this could cause the collapse of all society as a result of depression (this may be an extreme). There are also areas where we have gotten carried away by our new ‘superpowers’ and keep focusing on the positive areas without even considering the damage being done. For example, looking at the movie about the industrial landscape (I can’t remember what it was called), that was a clear example of the blindness of an economy to the horribleness of their actions. They are so caught up in making a profit, looking for the easiest way to make money, when at the same time, they are causing the environment’s death, or even their own. Although the photographer made these landscapes look beautiful, it was kind of ironic because in reality, they are completely disgusting. It is sad to think that people are suffering from the effects of technology (the toxic chemicals from plastics and microchips in LCD screens) because they are stuck with the leftovers, the waste products of technology.

image from flickr

image from flickr

Are the benefits of technology worth the damage? Is it worth introducing to the world of architecture, or are the curses greater than the blessings?

I would argue yes. But then again, I’m living in a country where technology is glorified as a comfort. I’m not living in a country affected by the extreme misuse of technology. So who am I to decide?

Posted by Michelle Stein at 02:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

All of these are possible title pages for my Millennium Development project. Throughout all these title pages, I kept mainly clean-cut lines and bold print. As we talked about in our discussion group, the sans serif text is best for the titles, so I used only sans serif text. Also, I tried to take some of the examples I had found in my prior blog and apply them to my own designs, such as my use of clean-cut lines, white space between photos, and black-and-white photos combined with colored photos.

Posted by Michelle Stein at 08:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I am only one person. I can only do so much. But that much can be enough to change the lives of many. Or save a little piece of the environment. To many, this “little piece” may not be enough motivation to even attempt to ‘make a difference’. However, it is this indifference that keeps us from changing the world. So, although I may not be able to change the whole world, I can contribute to changing a little piece of it, and I see that as an important step out of the many required to impact this world. So, how would I take this step to impact a piece of this world I live in? If I could somehow be “released from the constraints of the architectural school program” here at the U of M, I would do a couple simple, yet so critical, things.

1. First of all, I might ask myself, “What can I do? What actions can I take that would be within my grasp?” Well… as I said before, I am only one person. But still… one person can do a lot. It took only one person to create a holocaust. It took only one person to invent a machine that forever changed our world: the automobile. It only takes one person to break another person’s heart. It only takes one person to make another person’s day. It only takes one person to plant a tree, to pick up a piece of trash, to recycle, to feed a starving person, to lend a hand…
If I could pick anywhere in the world to start ‘changing the world’, it would be right here, at home, in the Twin Cities.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mfshadow/19861533/
I think it is really important to begin with goals that are actually manageable, and as you accomplish these goals, you will become more and more encouraged to reach out and work towards bigger and bigger goals. By starting with a goal that is totally impractical, one is prone to become discouraged and give up. By beginning with smaller, more attainable goals, I am not at all ruling out the more ambitious goals. I am just saving those for later.

2. I would also ask myself, “What are my passions?” Although I believe it is important to protect the environment in all situations, even those which are not the most exciting, I also believe it is important to do so by using skills or talents that you have a passion for, if at all possible. This will make the work all the more exciting and will allow you to put your heart into what you are doing, and not just go through the motions because it is the ‘right thing to do’. One of the reasons why I am majoring in architecture is because I’m really interested in what the discipline encompasses, both artistic and mathematical thinking. For this reason, I would probably want to find some way in which I can use architecture to contribute to helping my environment. But, as the blog prompt requires, we are supposed to look outside the constraints of our architectural school program, incorporating other areas of discipline in our environmental mission. Therefore, I would also incorporate my love of art and math, and possibly even my interest in music to create an environmentally sustainable program. And I will definitely incorporate my compassion for people and helping them in any way I possibly can.

3. Also, I might suggest that the environment has to do with more than just the earth, trees, and other natural surroundings. I believe that it has to do with every bit of our surroundings, including the buildings, cities, neighborhood developments, etc. In this case, my mission of impacting the environment, will include all aspects of my surroundings, possibly even the people or even animals that are found in those spaces.

So… combining all of these ‘rules’, I would like to propose a project. A simple, yet potentially dramatically influential, mission to change a little piece of this world.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71086419@N00/2242711927/
I would like to propose a project, which creates opportunities for homeless and needy people of Minneapolis and Saint Paul to volunteer within their communities. Not only would this provide opportunities for them to get involved, but it would also allow them to help the environment and take part in improving our world. In my writing class, we read part of the book Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl. In his book he explained a study showing the correlation of people who were jobless feeling useless and therefore meaningless. He described that when he was able to get these unemployed people to volunteer in their communities, they no longer felt like their lives were meaningless, because they had a purpose. I believe taking a program like this to Minneapolis would be a great way to not only help people in our community feel more purposeful, but to also help people in our community help our community as a whole.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/emergencyfoodshelfnetwork/2242705764/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/volunteermatch/261813977/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/volunteermatch/261813955/

This project is more of a “bodily” act, the idea of working hands on with other people, helping them to work hands on with other people. But I would also like to incorporate some architectural, artistic, musical and other such methods of accomplishing this project. The whole idea is to give the ‘volunteers’ something to do, to give them a purpose in life. I was thinking I could also do this by allowing them to pursue a passion, such as art, giving them the chance to create masterpieces and feel accomplished.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anoordstra/41665997/

Also, I could start a community band within this organization to allow those who are interested in music to come together and play their music for other people. They can have the opportunity to play for their peers, or nursing homes, or other places where they can have a chance to make an impact on their community.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/t_lawrie/53696131/

Finally, I would like to incorporate somehow, architectural design in that they could have the opportunity to build their own houses and houses/buildings for their peers/community, once again to not only give them a feeling of worth, but also to impact their community/environment in a positive manner.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsrice/1798316128/

If somehow this program could involve those who are homeless or unemployed, and even youth who are from impoverished families, I believe it could really change the environment, creating one in which people feel purposeful and enjoy living.

In church this morning, the sermon was surprisingly about volunteering and reaching out to the community. The pastor had interviewed the mayor of Minneapolis who shared a very inspiring thought: “It’s the responsibility of people who’ve been given a lot to give a lot.” I believe giving someone a sense of worth is one of the best gifts that can be given.

Posted by Michelle Stein at 12:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just viewing these photographs makes my heart cry out for these people suffering from extreme hunger. It really churns my stomach and gives me the desire to help in any way possible.

Contrast these pictures with the first ones, and you can see how much so many people have compared to how little so many others have. If we were to just make a few sacrifices and give some of what we have to people in need, that could make a huge difference.

Again, just looking at these pictures makes me realize the impact that I could have as a future architect on this world. It really inspires me to get out of my comfort zone and actually do something about this extreme poverty.

These photographs contrast with the earlier ones. It almost makes me sad that there is such a great contrast of wealth in our world today. That some people can have so much and some can have so little saddens me.

This video is equally inspiring... It also has some unbelievable statistics about poverty and hunger.

Quotes on Hunger:

There are genuinely sufficient resources in the world to ensure that no one, nowhere, at no time, should go hungry. 
-- Ed Asner

"It is important for people to realize that we can make progress against world hunger, that world hunger is not hopeless. The worst enemy is apathy." 
-- Reverend David Beckmann

We are a country that prides itself on power and weatlh, yet there are millions of children who go hungry every day. It is our responsibility, not only as a nation, but also as individuals, to get involved. So, next time you pass someone on the street who is in need, remember how lucky you are, and don't turn away.
-- Lesley Boone

What is needed is a marriage of two impulses, a coupling of the urge to do something positive with the willingness to constantly re-evaluate how effectively our actions lead to our goal - that of ending world hunger … 
-- Harry Chapin

To think that one child would go to bed hungry somewhere in this country is heartbreaking... to know how many do is virtually incomprehensible. This is not only a problem that exists in the far reaches of the globe. It happens right here in our own backyard. Together, as concerned citizens, we must do more to make sure every child's needs are met.
-- Katie Couric

"There is enough for everybody's need, but not for everybody's greed." – Mohandas K. Gandhi

Never before has man had such capacity to control his own environment, to end thirst and hunger, to conquer poverty and disease, to banish illiteracy and massive human misery. We have the power to make this the best generation of mankind in the history of the world -- or to make it the last. 
-- John F. Kennedy

"Because the suffering of any human being diminishes all of us, it’s our responsibility to try to ease that suffering. It is not a matter of titles, but of responsibilities.” 
-- Khaled

(quotes are from http://www.betterworld.net/quotes/endhunger-quotes.htm)

Quotes on Poverty:

"Wars against nations are fought to change maps; wars against poverty are fought to map change."
-- Muhammad Ali

Whether our task is fighting poverty, stemming the spread of disease or saving innocent lives from mass murder, we have seen that we cannot succeed without the leadership of the strong and the engagement of all. 
-- Kofi Annan

Anyone who has ever struggled with poverty knows how extremely expensive it is to be poor.
-- James A. Baldwin

We, who have so much, must do more to help those in need. And most of all, we must live simply, so that others may simply live.
-- Ed Begley, Jr.

Poverty is everyone's problem. It cuts across any line you can name: age, race, social, geographic or religious. Whether you are black or white; rich, middle-class or poor, we are ALL touched by poverty. 
-- Kathleen Blanco

(Quotes are from http://www.betterworld.net/quotes/endpoverty-quotes.htm)

All these quotes are pretty self explanatory in that they are encouraging us to DO SOMETHING about world hunger and poverty, encouraging us by saying that we CAN make a difference if we just take the initiative!

I don't know of many songs on hunger and poverty, but here are a few that somewhat relate:
1. "But A Breath" by The Wedding: This song is talking about the shortness of life and the importance of not wasting it. This applies to the issues of world hunger and poverty in that we shouldn't be wasting our lives doing nothing about it, but rather we should go out into the world and volunteer, take a stand against it. DO SOMETHING!!
2. Shindler's List Theme Song: I have this song on my iTunes library, and when I came across it, I had to put it on this list. Although the movie doesn't have to do with poverty and hunger necessarily, it does have to do with reaching out and helping others, about becoming selfless and willing to put your life on the line to give other people a chance to live. This is inspiring when it comes to the topic of helping those who suffer from extreme poverty and hunger.
3. ??? I'll try looking for more...

The inspiration that initially got me interested in poverty and how I can use architecture to help those in need was when I learned about Samuel Mockbee's Rural Studio in Alabama. To see and hear what he did to help people in the poorest county of the US was amazing. It was also really inspiring to see that he was able to build some beautiful, unique buildings at a decent price, using everyday items to create a masterpiece. Here are a couple of the houses that the rural studio has designed:

Posted by Michelle Stein at 12:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Metro_Transit_articulated.jpg

Okay… so last semester on my first day of volunteering at MNIC, I had quite the experience. It all started when I decided not to reply to the director’s email that said to let her know if I needed directions. I figured I had it all under control, knowing that I have the metro-transit website where I can find bus directions in a matter of seconds. So, about a half hour before the bus was supposed to come, I looked up my directions online. It came up with three different options. I guess that’s kinda nice cause it allows you to choose which one was the most convenient. Not wanting to spend too much time trying to figure out which route to take, I decided to go with the one that picked me up in front of Coffman. Assuming that it would be heading in the direction of the school where I was going, I got on the bus on the Coffman side of Washington Avenue. Just to make sure, though, I asked the bus driver if I was on the right side of the road to be getting to Hennepin avenue. He said no, and that I should be on the other side. Trusting that he knew what he was talking about even though it seemed totally wrong that I should be going the opposite direction of the school I was trying to get to, I took his advice and ran over the bridge to the other side of the road. I didn’t want to miss that bus. I made it just in time, quickly hopped on, and made sure to ask the bus driver if I was on the right bus to get to Hennepin. He said yes. But it just didn’t seem right. Why would I be traveling in the opposite direction? I went with my instinct and got off on the other side of the Wash. Ave. bridge. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a plan and was now stuck on the wrong side of the bridge. I called my dad, but he had no idea how the bus system worked. He tried to help me out by looking up online where I should be going. I finally decided to go with the last option on my list of three choices. But that required me to get over to Jones hall and Pleasant Street. I was on the complete opposite side of campus. I walked over to the bus stop on the other side of the street and took the campus connector back to the East Bank. Unfortunately, I took the limited stop campus connector (I didn’t know there was a difference). So… it went a couple blocks past Coffman, which then required me to backtrack those couple of blocks, taking away from my precious time. I had to make it to the bus at 1:00PM (By the way, my tutoring started at 1:30). By that point, I knew I was going to miss the bus because it was already 12:55. I walked as fast as I could but I didn’t get to the stop until 1:10. I looked at the schedule and realized the next bus didn’t come until 1:30. So I waited. Finally, it came, and I hopped on, thinking everything was going to be all right. My schedule I had printed off said to get off on 33rd Street (or avenue, I can’t remember). I noticed that the bus driver was calling out the names of the streets, so, although I was trying to watch the streets, I was thankful I could rely on the bus driver to call out my street name. For some reason, she never did call out my street. She had called all the other ones but not mine. I realized this when I looked out the window and saw the bus pass through 33rd street. I immediately pulled the cord, but it was too late. The bus didn’t stop for another 2 or 3 blocks, which I then had to backtrack. I walked back to 33rd street, which I found out wasn’t even a street. It looked like some sort of alleyway that passed through the backyards of some businesses. Kind of questionable to me… I didn’t want to risk it. So I kept walking until I found the first normal street. Meanwhile, I stepped in something squishy. I thought for sure it was dog poop, but I looked down and it was even worse. It was a dead bird or some sort of dead animal, a mixture of blood and guts. And it had splattered on my bare foot. EWWW!! What a way to top off my already bad day. Anyways, I did finally find my school, but I got there at about 2:10 (I had initially left at 12:30). I found out if I had taken the Hennepin way, I would have gotten there eventually, but it was completely out of the way and would have taken a half hour or 45 minutes extra. I also found out that I’m supposed to get off on 29th avenue (which is NOT what the website told me).
So, what did I learn from this? I learned that either I have some issues with my directional skills or the bus system has some issues with the design of it’s maps and signage, or maybe a little of both. Or maybe it’s because I have no experience with the bus system, that I have so much trouble with it. But should it really be this hard to figure out? Isn’t it meant to be used by the average person? I would say I am at least average. And if I can’t figure out how to use it, I’m sure there are other people out there who are having just as much trouble as I am.

So here are some of the problems with design of the metro transit bus system maps/directions/signage:

1. The online maps/directions do not tell you what side of the road you have to board the bus.
Ex:

COFFMAN UNION to MINNEAPOLIS INSTITUTE OF ARTS
ITINERARY #1
Walk 0.2 mile NW from COFFMAN UNION to
Depart: WASHINGTON AV SE & COFFMAN UNION At 08:36 PM
Route: 2 Franklin Av / To Hennepin
Arrive: FRANKLIN AV E & 3 AV S At 08:55 PM
Walk 0.3 mile S to MINNEAPOLIS INSTITUTE OF ARTS
COFFMAN UNION to TARGET MINNEAPOLIS DOWNTOWN
ITINERARY #2
Walk N from COFFMAN UNION to
Depart: WASHINGTON AV SE & COFFMAN UNION At 09:00 PM
Route: 2C FRANKLIN AV / TO CENTRAL / U OF M
Arrive: 4 ST SE & 15 AV SE At 09:06 PM
Walk 0.2 mile S to JONES HALL

You see here two different routes, one heading East and one heading West. However, neither of them say which side of the road to board the bus. Unfortunately, this becomes a problem for people like me, who have no sense of direction and do not know which way they are headed. (And sometimes you have to board the bus one way in order to go the other way.) I think that an easy way to fix this is to simply state which side of the street to get on, and to make that clear in these directions.

2. The directions are not clear which way is the easiest way to get to where you are going. They give plenty of options, but some are just not at all practical.
Ex:

COFFMAN UNION to 300 INDUSTRIAL BLVD
ITINERARY #1
Walk N from COFFMAN UNION to
Depart: WASHINGTON AV SE & COFFMAN UNION At 09:00 PM
Route: 2C FRANKLIN AV / TO CENTRAL / U OF M
Arrive: 4 ST SE & 15 AV SE At 09:06 PM
Transfer to
Depart: 15 AV SE & 4 ST SE At 09:20 PM
Route: 3A COMO AV / DWTN ST PAUL / VIA MRYLAND
Arrive: COMO AV SE & 33 AV SE At 09:27 PM
Walk 0.4 mile NW to 300 INDUSTRIAL BLVD
Total Trip Time:
27 minutes

ITINERARY #2
Walk N from COFFMAN UNION to
Depart: WASHINGTON AV SE & COFFMAN UNION At 09:00 PM
Route: 2C FRANKLIN AV / TO CENTRAL / U OF M
Arrive: 4 ST SE & 15 AV SE At 09:06 PM
Transfer to
Depart: 15 AV SE & 4 ST SE At 09:50 PM
Route: 3B COMO AV/DWTN ST PAUL/VIA FRONT AV
Arrive: COMO AV SE & 33 AV SE At 09:57 PM
Walk 0.4 mile NW to 300 INDUSTRIAL BLVD
Total Trip Time:
57 minutes

ITINERARY #3
Walk N from COFFMAN UNION to
Depart: WASHINGTON AV SE & COFFMAN UNION At 08:55 PM
Route: 16 UNIV AV / ST PAUL
Arrive: UNIVERSITY AV & RICE ST At 09:25 PM
Transfer to
Depart: RICE ST & UNIVERSITY AV At 09:43 PM
Route: 3A COMO-MRYLAND/DWTN MPLS/TO HENNEPIN
Arrive: COMO AV SE & 33 AV SE At 10:07 PM
Walk 0.4 mile NW to 300 INDUSTRIAL BLVD
Total Trip Time:
72 minutes

This is what came up when I said I wanted directions to get to MNIC (I did this just now). And actually, the option from Jones Hall didn’t even come up. These options all take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and 20 minutes (it only takes me 20 minutes now that I know what I’m doing).
This shows me that their website has a very poor design, and, unfortunately, this causes some big issues and problems in their communication of directions.
And I want to know why somebody would even want to take the 72 minute busride when there is the option of taking a 27 minute one (according to these results). They shouldn’t even have to put up this option. It just makes the whole thing more complicated.

3. There are no signs or any signals on the bus as to what street you are on, other than the unreliable bus drivers calling out the street names. Unless you are familiar with the area (which most first-timers aren’t), there is no way to find which street you are getting off at unless you are really good at reading street signs from a distance. Even then, if you end up sitting in a bad spot where somebody’s head is in the way, or you sit behind the bus driver where there is a wall in the way, then you are in really big trouble. And even if you have a map, you may not be able to read the names of the streets you are passing. I may suggest putting a screen up in the front of the bus that shows a map or writes out the names of the streets that the bus is approaching. This would give people warning to when their street is coming up and would minimize/remove confusion in figuring out directions.

4. The directions given online are not always true. They sometimes give the wrong street name. An example of this is when they told me to get off on 33rd Ave, and 33rd Avenue wasn’t even a real street. If you look closely at this satellite map, you can see 33rd avenue and 29th avenue. 29th avenue is a real street, while 33rd avenue doesn’t even have street markings on it. It is the alleyway for these industrial centers and obviously not a walkway. I don’t know if I would consider this giving of bad directions a design issue, but it definitely is a problem, and somebody in the design field could fix it if they were to just put a visible map or some visual aid along with the directions showing people exactly what I’m showing you in the map. This will allow people to make sure that they aren’t getting faulty directions.

View Larger Map

Posted by Michelle Stein at 08:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Inspired by Andy Goldworthy (and our discussions today), document and investigate, through text and image—this idea of energy, flow and transformation through the city.

What is energy? flow? transformation? How are these three words reflected in the city as we know it?
Energy, defined by the Oxford dictionary, is “the strength and vitality required for sustained physical or mental activity”. Andy Goldsworthy stated that there is an energy flowing through him, and also through the landscape. So, I guess this could suggest that there is something in the landscape that gives it “strength and vitality” to keep it alive. If we look at the city as a landscape, then we should be able to see this same strength, the same energy, that keeps it alive, that provides it with nourishment.
Looking at the city of Minneapolis, or any city for that matter, what would you say keeps the city alive? What is the source of this energy? Well, to answer my own question, I would say that people, the city’s inhabitants, are a major source of this energy. They are the ones who keep the city alive. They built the city. They work in the city. They run the city. Etc… Andy Goldsworthy states that the environment grows in proportion to our understanding of it. If this is true, as people continue to learn more and understand more about the city and where they live, this environment (the city) will continue to grow. The people are providing energy for the city allowing for it to grow. They are the ones who are using this new knowledge to build up the city.

I might also make the suggestion that this energy is produced more efficiently when multiple people put their knowledge together to create even more manpower. They can feed off each other’s ideas and work together to create a better city.

Flow, defined by the Oxford dictionary, means “move along or out steadily and continuously…”. Andy Goldsworthy seemed to have an obsession with the flow of nature and landscape as in streams and rivers. In the city you see the movement of ‘flow’ in so many things: Automobiles, People, Ideas, etc. The flow of traffic. The flow of people throughout their workplace. The flow of ideas throughout a workplace and from one workplace to another as different businesses interact with one another.

http://paularmstrongdesigns.com/photos/photos/walkin.jpg

Just looking at a map, one can see the flow of a city, each of the streets encouraging this flow/movement of cars, people, ideas…

http://www.aaccessmaps.com/images/maps/us/mn/minneapolis_center/minneapolis_center.gif

Transformation, defined by the Oxford dictionary, is “a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance”. As stated in the lecture, “the real work of nature is change; a creative agent, force, or principle in the universe acting as a creative, guiding intelligence”. Just reading this again from my notes, the picture of the 35W bridge collapsing seems like a perfect example of the transformation of our city. It was definitely a work of nature, no human being caused it (at least that we know of). However, the contradicting part of this is that it is hard to believe that the collapse was the result of a “creative, guiding intelligence”. But maybe there was a purpose to it all. I believe in God, so I believe that He did have a plan in all of it, however strange that might seem.

http://www.35wbridgecollapse.net/images/35W%20010.jpg

We also discussed in the lecture that architecture has a time frame as a result of this transformation. Just as Andy Goldsworthy’s creations had a limited life span, dependent upon the timing of the forces of nature acting upon it. Similarly, all the buildings in Minneapolis will continue to age over time. This is very evident in the Gold Flour Mill, now the Mill City Museum. It has obviously begun to fall apart over time, proving that architecture has a time frame. However, in the midst of this transformation, another one has taken place. They have chosen to create a museum, which is a pretty modern building, built right into the old structure. Although the one building has fallen apart, a new one has sprouted out of the old, its “energy” or being created from the old. Without the old, it would be nothing. Its whole purpose has come from the old building.

http://midwestgreatlakes.cefpi.org/2007conference/

Posted by Michelle Stein at 10:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)