Reading Comprehension 6

1 During the Arts and Crafts time period we see that one of the most important things during this movement is craftsmanship and the idea of rejecting the machine. While this holds true for supports of this movement in certain areas, we also see it spread throughout the world. The arts and Crafts movement, which originated in England was seen through the works of buildings like the Red House, designed by William Morris.
This house was built through the use of red brick without stucco emphasizing on Morris idea of focusing on every aspect of craftsmanship, even down to the smallest detail.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Red_House,_Bexleyheath.JPG

Moving westward we see in America the Arts and crafts movement growing in a nation that has attempted to sever its ties with Europe. This was dominant in the architecture styles of designers like Frank Lloyd Wright. The Robie house which was apart of the “Prairie Style” is an example of the craftsmanship that this movement was all about. This building includes several details that focus on the overall craft such as the cantilevering roofs and even down to the Roman brick on the exterior.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Frank_Lloyd_Wright_-_Robie_House_2.JPG



2 “The nature of an object is determined by what is does. Before a container, a chair, or a house can function properly its nature must first be studied, for it must perfectly serve its purpose; in other words, it must fulfill its function practically, must be cheap, durable, and beautiful”. (Roth, pg 524).

This can be seen in the Villa Savoye. This building is based off of the idea of an automobile and is raised off of the ground in order to allow for the automobile to be part of the house. However the ground was then replaced in the roof so that it would appear that this “machine” is being elevated from beneath the ground. The dictum “less is more” is also addressed through out the space with the use of an open floor plan and a lack of ornamentation on the exterior. By doing this Le Corbusier maximized the space that could be used in the building and on top where the garden was. It is evident that Le Corbusier designed this house in a practical manor so that it could be functional and represent the idea of a machine. The Villa Savoye is intended to create an as one would travel throughout the space. This can be compared to the idea of a machine and how it would work through a progression of steps. For example an automobile, first you must get in the car, then you must place the key in the ignition, then you must crank the car up in order to began the journey to your destination. The Villa Savoye is similar because as you travel through the space you must go through a progression in order to get to the top of the machine that is raised off the ground.



http://coolboom.net/architecture/the-classics-villa-savoye/

3
Massy pg72
I think that this Office in the Dessau Bauhaus building gives an example of exploding the notion of black and white, with its use of bright colors. This includes the bright yellow stripe on the wall and the use of brightly colored flooring and furniture to help bring the room to life through the Bauhaus principles of color and materiality.