EXCERPTS FROM ARCHITECTURE AND DISJUNCTION BYBERNARD TSCHUM

Figure 1: Book written by Bernard Tschumi

In this book, Bernard Tschumi talked about the contradiction in architecture. For Bernard Tschumi, the short half-life of function and the inability to know beforehand how people will use a building or place are chief examples of "disorder, collisions, and unpredictabilities entering the field of architecture. Although these challenges seem impossible to archive the rule ridden practice of architecture but then they emancipate architects and their arts.




"So architecture seems to survive only when it saves its nature by negating the form that society expects of it," he writes. "I would suggest that there has never been any reason to doubt the necessity of architecture, for the necessity of architecture is its non-necessity. It is useless, but radically so. Its radicalism constitutes its very strength in a society where profit is prevalent" by Bernard Tschumi.

Figure 2: Disjunction

However, Mr. Tschumi does not originate his arguments from analogies with linguistics or philosophy, but rather from the architecture itself. His writing is relatively clear, even lively because of the very low standards of contemporary architectural theorizing.




Mr. Tschumi's art seems to exist in a hermetic world that lacks the primitive, truly architectural pleasures created by light and shadow, color and texture, expansiveness and enclosure, rhythm and incident. His architecture is an occasion for explication, not joy. Mr. Tschumi repeatedly describes architecture as sensual and pleasurable, but the eroticism he finds in architecture is really an obsession with rules and the architect's desire both to impose and to transgress them. Design is bondage; learn to enjoy it.

Jane Jacob- The Death and Life of Great American Cities




This article is a redefining a large city on why it exist, and what it takes to plan for its development and improvement. Jacob argued that urban planning of a city needs to take place from a street-level perspective. The objective of planning a city need to support, promote and ignite the importance of city streets. This include commercial and residential spaces and a mixture of people from a variety of economic status and background. All planning effort of a city needs to take into account of the people around the neighborhood involved regardless even if the people are poor and uneducated. Any thoughts of simplifying things to make them orderly will destroy the city and its people with it. On the other hand, a city is supposed to be an organized complexity. A city is not a work of art and cannot be treated with as if it were another form of architecture. A city, unlike a small town, is filled with people who are strangers to each other, so any plans have to find ways for strangers from within a neighborhood and from without to be able to co-exist and maybe even learn a little about each other.






CHUA CHYI SHYAN 1001542549

NONsence-PLANing? (Non-Plan Cedric Price)

Is this freedom, too much freedom?

The idea of non-plan was provocative, as it was radical, can't be controlled and no order to some who disagreed with it. But this allows the users who are experiencing it to be  the one creating it's own functional space, the freedom to control it's own indoor weather or usefulness. The size and function can be tweaked by customizing, and it's achievable through an empty canvas, an empty plan.

But can an imagination run that wild? Or can we as planners of space let a random and extreme idea flow with on boundaries?

Balance can help tip the balance back in place. We have to find the right amount of each element to be played on the plate. There's no correct number to be achieve but to be solved with moral and compromise, tolerance and support from each other to be a workable architecture movement.

TO BE REBORN, THE DEATH AND LIFE OF GREAT AMERICAN CITIES?

City planning or the American way of it was thought to be an attack on the current city planning by Jane Jacobs. It is believe to be inadequate to be a safe or beneficial for city to improve or move forward. To be spending a fortune and to not reap anything from it seemed harmful. It is a test lab full of trial and error, to many roles and personnel need to be taken into account to create and be considered.

City planning is important and vital to keep a nation, a society together. Many have conceptual idealism of plans that tweaks and plays with the formation of city planning. Centralized system is usually commonly agreed by logic. I believe strongly in community communication and equal grounds of ideas. Therefore a centralized space can be a great way to ensure a thoroughly connected village. It would be the most fair and equal distant for the majority to be gathered or commuted into the same circle of area.

America, the land of Freedom, a playful ground for dreams to be build and explore into reality. No way of city planning can be perfect for all, but it all can be perfect individually with the right context. At least close to a temporary perfect.

I believe through many trials and attempts things would get better with actions taken:

“In order to rise
From its own ashes
A phoenix First Must Burn.” 
— Octavia E. Butler, Parable of the Talents

Peter Eisenman- ''Post-Functionalism''




Peter Eisenman discuss that two different exhibition centre ''Architerrura Razional'' and "Ecole des Beaux Arts" applies a different treatment of form and function nevertheless having the same definition of architecture as function and type. Humanism in architecture is always concern with program and theme or in simple way function and form. Eisenman also discuss between a French hotel with a more variation of floor plan while being masked by a well-proportioned facade on the external, while the English house on the other hand has a regular and formal floor plan and defines the external facade. I agree with the opinion program and form were once contrast design consideration. However as the development of industrialization arise, the balance between form and function was disrupted. Architects from the mid twentieth century began to understand design as form follows function. However the issue is not always about the function but some how rather modernist taste. It is believe that the relationship between form and function is based on culture. Modernist sensibility has to do with a change of thinking attitude towards artifact of the physical world.

CHUA CHYI SHYAN 1001542549

LECTURER 04

CEDRIC PRICE

Non-Plan & Activity and Change

Cedric Price suggest total dissolution of the planning system. The idea non-plan is highly controversial, but it has a continuing influence. Non-Plan infuriated many architects and planners because not only was it extremely provocative and contentious but it also went against the established order and controlled uniformity of the built environment. Non-plan is intended to destroy a system of value. I disagree with this point. Although good planning will give us more clearly directions and preparation to face the out-coming problems, non-plan also will bring us to an unexpected outcome and the result might be more stunning and unprecedented that we cannot imagine how the outcome will be. The reason is non-plan encourage unevenness of development and reducing the permanence by avoiding the very reinforcement. Thus, you might exploit peculiarity and even more discoveries through the non-planning process. However, for our pasar design now, due to the restriction of timing, we still need a good planning of time while doing the design. Although non-plan sometimes will give us an unexpected splendid result because of the unbounded restriction, but we still need some plan or else it might exceed the requirements and time given to finish the works for my final design now.

Non-plan: City Movement

I support Cedric Price's concept of "anticipatory architect" in which the general public could determine, control and shape their own surrounding freely. All buildings should allow for obsolescence and complete changes of use. It might establish a new order of priorities of land, sea and air that related more directly to social and economic life-span of use. Non-plan explored ways of involving people in the design of their environments. I agree with the statement that people's own choices should be respected. It is good that we ask everyone ideas and preferences before designing a space because we also do not want to force the people to fit in a place that dislike to stay or join. Architecture bring life to humans thus we should let people shape the environment they want to live and work in so architecture will bring people together in the end. This is the reason why we should do the survey of people in pasar and ask the things that they prefer or hope to improve the environment or space. I hope to design the pasar that will associate with social life of kajang community and we should consider the economic life-span of pasar use in the future. Hence, pasar should allow to change and establish some new input to enliven the pasar for the coming years.

Cedric Prices Fun Palace sketches architectural details

Cedric Price favours non-architectural solution to the accommodation of human activities and denigrate the limitations of permanent and monumental buildings. It is easier to allow for individual flexibility than organisational changes. For example, the expandable house, the multi-use of fixed volumes and the transportable controlled environment. It is useful to applied in our final project now that we can design modular stall that is expandable and multi-functional for sitting and display items purpose. It is allowing for change and flexibility. It is essential that the variation provided does not imposed a discipline that everything is permanent and load-bearing. We should open-minded that design is flexibility and allow for change if it is not suitable to apply. When designing pasar we can plan for activities that allow for change not only in content but in means of operation. For instance, we can have two planning in pasar, which are day market and night market that the operation time are different but with movable stalls of different arrangement that can be different in activities and operations but at the same place.

Peter Andrew : Non-plan city movement

In a nutshell, non-plan enables uneven development, the particularization of occupation, habitat and appetite to occur in place and at times best suited to it. Through its permissive attitude to change, it increases the validity of continuous redevelopment resulting in activities and forms as yet unrealized. Although the result might be unexpected, we still need to accept along the time. For pasar design, we can apply some non-plan ideas above that make the design more lively and interesting because sometimes you will unrealize to obtain the outstanding result when go through the process. Therefore design process and development are vital. However, we still need to emphasize the planning of time. Remember design is allow to change and flexible. Don't bash one's head against a brick wall. We should think out of the box sometimes but do not forget the practicability and functionality.


Written by Chiew Jing Yi, 1001644071

LECTURER 07

TOM SCHUMACHER

" Contextualism: Urban Ideals and Deformations "

Tom Schumacher presents two concepts that make up the twentieth century town which are the traditional city and the city-in-the-park. The traditional city is primarily an experience of space defined by continuous walls of building, essentially a subtractive form of space making for public urban space. It emphasizes the spaces by figuring void and de-emphasizes the building volumes. The concept is humanistic approach by following the human scale and usage like create pedestrian and hybrid urban experience. I think our pasar design need humanistic approach for better user experiences by using the void in solid procedure to make public space as gathering place with anthropometry consideration. It is vital that designing a common space for human interaction and socialization. Due to historical approach of development, the city planning is more density and complex. For instance, the city of Rome had scattered irregular block to fit into the site, blur division of land use and no zoning. The irregular and blurring zoning planning reflect the street market(pasar malam) in Malaysia now with all the mix stall together and make the users difficult to find the directions sometimes.

Emphasize space by figure voids(circulation)

City of Rome: narrow street with pedestrian experience

The city-in-the-park concept is consist of collections of isolated buildings set in a landscape.It is modernist approach of city planning that emphasize functionalistic, efficiency and convenience. I think it is more towards my pasar design intention now. Owing to the typology in the current economic condition, we need to find the solution for pasar to thrive in 20 years time against supermarket and mini market. Therefore, I plan to use modernism design and more diverse or high efficiency technology to attract the youngster have curiosity and visit the pasar. For example the pasar had drive through options to buy things like MCDonald's. 

Moreover, it emphasizes building volume by figuring solids and not the spaces which the buildings define. It is arranged orderly and uniformly by using grid method regardless of site. It is standardize and form a machine-like city. However, the consequence is the mismatch between the building and human scale. Thus, I found that it is important of site context and human scale that we need to consider when we planning design so will produce better urban configuration and have linkage between context and building. For instance, our pasar site is almost surrounded by residential housing, therefore we can make a hierarchy and attraction in pasar to engage the kajang community come to the pasar.

Emphasize building volumes by figuring solids

gird uniform layout

Contextualism is the urban ideals as the middle ground that reconciles these two contrasting concepts. Schumacher found out the ideological and social differences among the two plans making us think about how land values and economic necessities of grouping people in high concentrations have greatly limited the flexibility of the capitalist city. Economic pressures and design preferences have led to the typification of housing as packages assembled repetitiously and based on profit rather than need. Hence, when we designing pasar, I think we should consider the human needs and site respond rather than put all the typical repetition blocks with no reasons because of the economic pressure that the buyers intend cheap and simple design without appreciate the limited land use.

Tom Schumacher: Contextualism

Schumacher by de-emphasizing the “form follows function” assertion, was willing to consider those spatial and planning pressure and try to find a solution. Public spaces should respect a hierarchy together with the buildings within the urban factory, consequently the rest takes shape. I think it is a good point that spatial planning and functionality is important when we doing pasar design and public space should be hierarchy to make a grand feel and attraction spot to the visitors. The rest of the plan could just takes shape like the Le Corbusier bubble analogy, the exterior and interior can be using the same language and characteristic.

Collage

Deformation

Densely packed in Mei Foo Sun Cheun VS
Deform in relate to social meaning arrangement

There are two techniques to achieve contextualism which are collage and deformation. Collage is the fragmentation of basic part and reorganisation base principle. It respond to the constricted environment by unified whole. Deformation is the basic part which the adjustment made to fit in the existing context that respond to constricted environment. For pasar design, we can extract the good elements from the ideal housing forms and reformulate the arrangement of buildings in the site based on the need of human beings. In short, pasar is a vital community engagement place. Following Schumacher theory, I think city-in-the-park ideas and contextualism are more towards my design intention now and i would applied in my design. Besides. I think we should maintain the pasar culture but we can input some new attraction in pasar like foods paradise with nice photo session and become a popular spot so it still thrive even in the future.



Written by Chiew Jing Yi, 1001644071

Non-Plan & Activity and Change

Cedric Price

Architectural plan design is invariably obey the principles of form and space design, constant the relationship between building and environment. However, non-plan design concept has unlocked the door of freedom, trying to turn into impermanence space organization. It has provide a platform for the people to decide the shaping of an environmental design and circumventing planning bureaucracy. In short, people could stay in their dreamful space to live or to work. For me, I am not sure about the application, but as a thesis it has last and well-known currently. A proposition was succeed if it has been ubiquitous no matter how it works as every people have their own perspective, nil people will be the same.

Function should follow fiction as building design should base on culture rather than nature. As a designer, we have to consider the characteristics and habits of client. For wet market design, it is possible to apply cross-program in the design consideration. Visitors are allow to have different kind of activities on site. After operation hours, market is not merely a market anymore. It has play the role as another space function to serve the client’s requirement.

Site Environment of Pasar Sungai Chua, Kajang

In Fun Palace, project accomplish by Cedric Price, express the great influences of contemporary architecture to the society. It has some new technology ideas into the building so that visitors may have fun and examine their intelligence at the same time. Besides, it was special for the flexible structural framework, permits the possibility of changes. In my opinion, a building should not be constant at one form as time fades and alter could turn the fates of that specific building. Fun Palace has serve the public and expand human freedom, restricting the impact of any architectural style. Thus, it creates infinity opportunity in the future.

Fun Palace by Cedric Price

Human activities will change directly proportional to the time. For all assets and non- assets, it will depreciate gradually with time. So does the building elements, it will not be judged by its value separately, but the whole building condition. Time change, things change. As such, architecture is the medicine of building, design with a most long-lasting and useful space for human activities. The flexibility of design in wet market by making the plan expandable has persuaded the client to satisfy with the overall design.

To wrap up my view, non-plan directs freedom of architectural design.

Written by Wong Rong Song, 1001746688

EXCERPTS FROM THE RADIANT CITY BY LE CORBUSIER

Figure 1: The conceptual city by Le Corbusier

The Radiant City which Le Corbusier's ideal city was inspired by the functions and arrangement of the human body. Each organ has to work together to make the body perfect the same as the city. In the ideal city of Le Corbusier, the strategy was to create enough space between vertical and horizontal areas. The vertical space provides people to use and enjoy then the horizontal used as corridors which the public landscapes with greenery. Therefore, vehicles and pedestrians also have their own areas to move. All spaces in the city were symmetrical and in modern style. The city has underground transit that links between the residential zones and commercial zone which convenient for people to move easily from one place to another place. This underground transit is same as the LRT or MRT at Kuala Lumpur.

Figure 2: The sky garden and pedestrian walkway on top of the road

The Radiant City had been designed in a symmetrical plan that each street has the same amount of buildings. The business area at the center and the residential at the side which surrounding the commercial area that convenience for the residents to buy things by walking or using the underground transit. The residents stay at the apartment or residential area will keep away from the industrial zone. From our sites, the residents of Kajang mostly work in the industrial area so they have to take the bus from their residential area to the working place.

From Radiant City, I learn that the design solutions in Radiant City are quite the same as Malaysia's city plan which the industrial will located far from the residential areas and the commercial area.

The Radiant City

Le Corbusier

Quotidian, people were burdened with hardships due to the unknown in future. People will set several targets and strive to achieve them, repeatedly. However, we may forgot or neglected one truth: Human is unsatisfied! To make life more powerful, advanced technology development has boosted human to reach a higher quality lifestyle level. As time faded, people hope to gain more and more, this is one of the human origin personality, the feeling of eagerness invariably occupied per person’s mind, try to attain the pinnacle of life with all kinds of methods.

In contrast, Suburban city is placed in a sustainable environment. Those who have experienced this scenery have enveloped by harmony and peaceful as people could throw away all the massive burdens behind at that moment. During weekends, ubiquitous people will pick themselves to the public places, a step closer to the nature, attempting to improve relationship between cronies, family members or spouse. It is like an Arcadia, people can never feel in the hustle and bustle of city lifestyle. Nowadays, people adapt in the busy of life, promote ‘Fast and Furious’ rush for every moment, doesn’t have extra time to halt and appreciate the beauty of this world.

Urban versus Suburban

For wet market design, it is excellent to insert the urban design planning into this project consideration as society should be united with the modern development progress. Public building design have to centralize the main necessity of the user by integrated it with the surrounding elements.Besides, pedestrian pathway should place in one of the consideration point while designing the building form of market. In radiant city, it has shorten the time for the visitors to pass across. Pedestrian walkway can be created to arrive any part of the market, provide direct convenience for the visitors.

Written by Wong Rong Song, 1001746688

REYNAR BANHAM: ORNAMENT AND CRIME

   Ornament in architecture is any element that is added to an otherwise merely structural form, usually for the purpose of decoration added to something to make it more attractive. Ornament is a language through which architecture communicates with a broader public, for a layman’s appreciation. Ornament itself is a decorative feature by application onto any part of a building. Despite ornamentation primarily is for aesthetic and decoration purpose, it could also serve as a functional element when it is integrated as part of a building structure itself. Ornament was regarded as crime because as time goes Adolf Loos believes that ornamentation will eventually becomes unfashionable. Therefore its a waste of effort to add ornamentation onto the building. 

   Ornamentation increases budget significantly and it is also time consuming during construction work. Ornamentation that was created then, do not have meaning or relationship to us now, or perhaps even in the future. We should emphasize on the good workmanship and suitable material used, as well as making good quality works, instead of adding the ornaments without purposes. In this modern era, ornamentation has become unprogressive and uncreative. Ornament was once synonymous, but now it is inferior. 

CHUA CHYI SHYAN 1001542549

LECTURE 05

REYNER BANHAM, "ORNAMENT AND CRIME"

The Decisive Contribution of Adolf Loos

The theory of Adolf Loos is about architecture was the rejection of ornament and the adaption of contemporary style. He believed that the using of ornament was a banality and overly “sentimental.” He also greatly believed in restraining the passions and emotions in architecture by the expression of forms. I agree with that he felt architecture and space should be clear and rational, in order for a human to be able to think and meditate. However, I a bit disagree with the ornament that not only destroying the aesthetic development but also it is a crime against the national economy, labor, material and time.

Cathedral Nice Italian Baroque

I think ornaments still showing the aesthetic development like Italian Baroque. He was surrounded in France and Austria at the time by the height of the Art Nouveau movement, which was very flowery, heavily ornamented and expressive. As the visitors, we still feel stunning about how magnificent of these ornaments now in that century. Thus, it is not wasting the labour, material and time. It is too exaggerate to talk about damaging the national economy because it attracts the tourists to visit the place and experience the ornaments of how they decorate in such way. These already promote the economic and tourism development of the country. In the contrary, I agree that these depends on the behavior and attitude of consumers. Due to they require more money, ornaments normally belong to richer people and aristocrat. Hence, we should spend accordingly with our economic capability and do not be extravagant.

Reyner Banham offers a comparison between the structuring of his written argument and a "cafe" sensibility. In a way, it may imply a specific flow and atmosphere of collaborative mayhem. It is not a reasoned argument but a succession of fast-spieling double-takes and non-sequiturs holding together a precarious rally of clouds of witness – café-Freudianism, café-anthropology, café-criminology. Loos stated that clean cut modern architecture was the only way to go for him. However, it is interesting that he did not entirely practice what he preached because it becomes apparent that he enjoyed using many textures in his work.

Marble Cladding in the interiors of Adolf Loos

Is ornament a crime for me? I think if the ornament appeals to the eye, it is not a crime. However, if you do ornament and if it does not have any meaning or it does not change anything, it is unnecessary and it should be removed. Besides, it depends on how you look at it by using different textures, materials, shapes, forms or arranging elements properly also can be an ornament. For instance, Adolf Loos use the marble cladding in the interior space can function as easy to clean and aesthetic purpose. Another example is the metal louver exterior cladding act as ornaments of the building can play the roles as filtering the dust, aesthetic purpose and shade the building from harsh sun.

To conclude, I don’t think that ornamentation should be totally omitted from architecture. As our society evolves and gains knowledge, the use of different forms of ornamentation should be explored. Nowadays, with the introduction of technology and nature into buildings, we have to reconsider the concept and functionality of ornaments in our daily architecture. The notion of ornamentation can be altered to fit all the evolution of society. For example we use the fake grass and climbing plants as the ornament for the building nowadays. Ornamentation has definitely been evolving with human culture and society.


Written by Chiew Jing Yi, 1001644071

LECTURER 03

LE CORBUSIER

"The Plan of the Modern House"

The "paralyzed plan" of the masonry house includes the five points of architecture such as free plan, free facade, horizontal windows, pilotis and roof gardens. Le corbusier using these points as the structural basis for most of the architecture until 1950's. In my opinion these five points of architecture are important and useful in design until now we still utilize them. There are a lot of advantages such as open space, flexible in design, offer views surrounding and natural lighting. The five points have contributed to the development of modern architecture greatly even to this day. Due to the five points allowed a wide variety of ideas and possibilities within designing architecture, these characteristic also popular for the housing and commercial building design now. Moreover, how to take the advantages of these new freedoms? I think in terms of efficiency, simple, functionalities and beauty have increased. We could even take the advantages of these new freedoms and gradually developed into more advanced technology like multi-functional and artificial intelligence(AI) in the future.

Five Points of Architecture

The architectural revolution implies different acts such as to classify, to dimension, to circulate, to compose and to proportion. These acts are vital to demonstrate in architecture. For instance, one must classify them accordingly to type and determine the function of each components. In current practice, abundant inventions have produced innumerable new objects and no thought has been given to the subject. This is true that we should find a reason and consider the function of why the object should be placed here, not only with the aesthetic purpose but they should be combined. Besides, I agree with the statement that circulation is everything because architecture is experienced as one roams about in it and walk through it. Good circulation make us have a splendid spatial experience in a space. We could also find the pleasure when living in such house by creating the circulation that re-orient the visitors and enable them to enjoy different experiences about the house.

Chapel of Notre Dame Du Haut: play with different sizes of openings with lighting 

Architect compose the building elements absolutely in architecture. For example, lighting is a good tool to compose it and penetrate in a space by playing with the shadow, shape and different direction. I think composing played a role as how we imagine and put them appropriate in the suitable place then produce a good result and effect. Furthermore, I agree to the theory and idea of Le Corbusier that architecture should work in proportion and organization. When considering proportion, Le Corbusier, he thinks that “proportion provokes sensation” meaning that depending on the use of the space it requires a specific proportion. For example, we have a different experience in a single volume room as compared to the massiveness of a double volume room. The condition of architecture today also quite similar to the ideas from Le Corbusier. The organization architecture today is not only focus to the functioning of the building but also think about the sense and feeling of human from a building.

Unité d'Habitation de Marseille: good proportion and organisation of building

A well-organized house correspond well in space quality also. A well-organized dwelling ensures that all components and the spaces of a function cohesively achieve its goals by having their own purpose and no spaces wasted. When designing today, we can say that proportion and organisation should be considered in order to have control on how the space is design. Without organisation, the whole designing process would be chaotic and the connection between spaces would not be coherent thus not allowing the user to fully experience the building. Thus, both are very important details in order to have a function human habitat as well as a strategy when considering the emotional and experiencing factor of the building. 

In a nutshell, the five methods of classification, of dimensioning, of circulation, of composition and of proportioning have made us have different interpretation in architecture and express different characteristics in each designing plan. I am pretty sure that by combing these five methods when planning design will make the architecture have a good user and visual experience.


Written by Chiew Jing Yi, 1001644071

Ornament and Crime

The Decisive Contribution of Adolf Loos

This notable article drags people to rethink whether the present of an ornament is fundamental as it has proven that ornament represent a cultural decline, is a sense of waste. Well, ornament is an embellishment of the physical appearance of an art, but this does not mean it must be applied to all the architectural workpieces. Without ornament, a building still able to perform its architectural style and function relevant to the client, it depends on how the designer convey.

Ornament is a crime, just kind of procrastinate as it was belonged to the past, modern architecture was no longer in ornament due to people does not want to spend extra expenditure to unnecessary structure. Ornament could not aid for supporting loads or structure. Without ornament, a building still work. Ornament producers require a long period to accomplish work because it takes time to design and mould such detail artwork. Moreover, it needs great man power and material to assign a task. To absolute a project in time, more workers have to join so that the progress could be speed up. However, ornament making process is actually risky, may injured or harmful to the health indirectly.

Adolf Loos has evinced his perspective by his work. Among them was Steiner House in simple style with Modern garden façade. Adolf Loos has designed it in pure form by maximizing the space at his disposal without violating the building regulations. The whole building structure is in austere and futuristic look as there was an arched tin roof on the two additional floors. Symmetry, the lack of ornamentation has defined the building. Adolf Loos has opinioned that an architecture should base on the economy and the rigour of the function. ‘Raumplan’ was the central design principle, emphasizing the consideration and size of interior spaces based on function.

Steiner House by Adolf Loos

Nonetheless, mimetic ornament is acceptable in this era. It is an imitation of nature, decorative motifs derived from precedent structural and symbolic forms. People are more acceptable with those sustainable elements as it grows out from a universal human reaction to the technological change.

Papyrus column from a temple at Karnak, Egypt

The present of ornament, is still a disputable topic for people to further explore. A building form should be totally well-design with structural components or ardorn with ornaments, engineer and labours have been managed to stand by Adolf Loos’s side. And, Adolf Loos has verified the possibilities through his writings and building design.

Written by Wong Rong Song, 1001746688

ORNAMENT AND CRIME BY ADOLF LOOS

Figure 1 Book written by Adolf  Loos about ornament

Adolf Loos discovered that only the removal of ornament of the past to let the cultural evolution succeed. But the new source is given by Adolf Loos which he thought to be helpful to the world was not accepted by the people. The ornament existed for a long time. The world needs to have some changes to improve the country's development.

Adolf Loos think that decoration is bondage to humanity. So he gave the new source which will free the human from the decoration. But people do not want to be free from the bondage. The state moved backward when the state subsidized for the decoration which Adolf Loos disagreed with it. 

He said that the rhythm of cultural progress has been blocked because of the stragglers. When you live in 1908 but you or your friends still live in 1880. It will waste time for the country to develop.

The two types of people in which the twentieth and nineteenth-century will have the same needs, the same income but in different cultural. From the economics part, the people in the twentieth century more richer than the people in the nineteenth-century as they just need simple things. The twentieth-century people can pay for his needs with much less capital and can save because of the simple and lesser things. But the other man doesn't. He wants complex things which will cause a lot of money and time.

Therefore, more the damage ornament inflicts on the workers. As ornament needs to hire the labour to make it. Besides, the labours need to bear the heavy workload but just get little salary. Ornament is wasted labour and hence wasted health. Then, it is also waste material, and waste capital.

Last but not least, it's true that the ornament brings crime but it's still indispensable elements that contribute to the architecture.

Ornament and Crime: The Decisive Contribution of Adolf Loos "Reyner Banham" REALLY?

In a programmed and somewhat insane world, many of us find a way to be more grounded and try to make sense of the world around us. Humans are like packed animal we want to find our own people, those to share or approximate similar taste or ideology to give us a tiny sense of existence. Ornamentation is a decorative non structural elements, that sometimes brings out the personality of a building.

As artists and designers, we would love to communicate or express ourselves through something that makes sense to you, to test bad found out if others speaks to you in the same languages. One day to leave our mark, our footprint for others to discover or for others to be in awe with. As we know, Mimetic Ornaments have meaning, has a story to tell through nature's values. But to a certain point we have to know does the ornament justify itself as appropriate, from it’s style and cultural or development reference. If considered too much for it’s time can people still accept it? Such subjectivity can be overpowering thus limiting an expression from a person.

But as Banham stated, Loos view on ornamentation is not unpopular, as he 'single handedly ' beaten it, but wasn't praise or thanked by many. Has make ornamentation a victim make it's place in society stronger? Even his own works has elements and style of Ornamentation, which contradicts he's point of view of the poor.

Diagram 1: On left, Masonry facade of the historical Sultan Abdul Samad BuildingOn Right, Sino-Portuguese Shop Houses

To place ornaments similar to tattoos is such a fascination to me, as i never thought of it as a crime or taboo to others. It has always caught my eye when I see local ornamentation on buildings, as it give a personality of the times the building lived through, and it is a very permanent art to be proud of as a Malaysian how detailed buildings can be. I do hope to one day find and show my side of how ornamentation should be or can be. 

To conclude my thoughts, expression is an expression, it is not to be held back by economic or financial factors, but the limitations of freedom! Gwendolyn Chan Mei Yee 1001749034

Le Corbusier : Plan of A Modern House

We seek for perfection, for an ideal but as we get to a simpler and simpler structure are we losing ourselves and growing without progress?

How is the masonry house plan a handicap? Paralyzed in what sense, maybe it’s because it was too much of an empty body, a hollow soul. But through that emptiness we have the option and the freedom of a more considerate design for dwellings.

The “modern plan” is utilizing our current technology to its fullest but have free and wide spaces, with more and more openings, to give indoor spaces more life, a connection to the outside world. We are tools as we are the current and future users of the plan, the role we play to be present in the space and know how the architecture is effecting us physically and emotionally. Keep questioning. Why? What? How?

But as tools creating more tools (invention) it could be for lazy convenience we mass produced waste, from resources to spaces.  Space need to be able to accommodate those massive screens that capture moving images and a hot machine that creates ice.

Modern life has many factors to consider, is it necessary? Are we too scared of not being prepared or are we just too good at being human?

Proportion and organization is vital and massively plays big role in our planning for comfort. It gives a sense of sensibility towards the users and designers. The world of balance and proportion is so wide and diverse that there's many more to learn. 

(as you can see I'm playing with odd propotions XD)
Gwendolyn Chan Mei Yee 1001749034

THE PLAN OF THE MODERN HOUSE, LE CORBUSIER,

Figure 1: Plan of Villa Savoye in Poissy, France.

"The plan of the modern house" by Le Corbusier is a text which talks about the Modern Architecture by following the "Five points of Architecture" that developed by him. The Five points of architecture are a list of provided elements that need to be incorporated in the design. The five points are raised structure, free facade, open floor plan, ribbon windows and rooftop garden. All these elements can be found in Le Corbusier's work, Villa Savoye in Poissy, France.

Figure 2: Facade of Villa Savoye 

From the Villa Savoye, the raised structure element we can find it elevated from the ground and supported by reinforced concrete stilts. The stilts provide support to the dwelling. Then, the free facade is that the structural support of the stilts allows the non-supporting walls that can assist the architect's design what he wants. Same as the facade, the open floor plan made by the supporting stilts system. The open space lets the architect free to form into rooms or re-purpose to fit some design. From figure 2, we can see the long ribbon windows on the first floor that allow wide views of the surrounding. Besides the views, the ribbon windows also allow the large amount of natural lighting into the interior spaces. The fifth point is the rooftop garden designed to replace the land of the ground floor area which used to be the green area. The idea is to move the green area from ground to the roof.

Figure 3: The rooftop garden of Villa Savoye.

"To create architecture is to put in order. Put what in order? Function and objects " - Le Corbusier. Le Corbusier's organisation and proportion of a modern house or building are quite different from others such as Palladio. Le Corbusier's organisation is based on a lifestyle standpoint, the establishment of a modern house for living and function. Therefore, the circulation of the house also an important point in his house planning. For the proportion, he discusses more on how people feel the proportion and the one must able to judge the proportion. “Proportion provokes sensation” - Le Corbusier. Le Corbusier's theory for the organisation and proportion of the space can be defined by asymmetry, elevation and diffusion.

Le Corbusier was known as a pioneer of modern architecture. His view of the architecture is always so unique than other architects which can be seen from the Le Modular. Because of the unique, not all accept his ideas but undeniable that he is one of the most contributions architects in the architecture world. 

LE CORBUSIER, "THE PLAN OF THE MODERN HOUSE"

  Basically there were 5 main points in Le Corbusier's theory for plan of a modern house. In addition to that there were mainly 5 elements which revolves around his design. The elements are, "Pilotis"- in which the building is raised up on reinforced concrete pylons (Pilotis) to allow free circulation on ground level. "The Roof Terrace"- a garden on the roof. "The Free Plan"- load-bearing walls are substitute with a steel or reinforced concrete columns, so the interior can be freely designed, and interior walls can place anywhere, or left out entirely. Hence, the structure of the building is not visible on the facade of the building. "Ribbon Window"-Since the walls do not carry the load of the house, the windows can run the entire length of the house, hence all rooms can get equal amount of natural light. And "Free Facade"- Since the building is supported by columns in the interior, the facade can be much lighter and more open, or even made entirely of glass. There is no need for lintels or other structure around the windows.

   The 1st main points in Le Corbusier's theory is to identify between the biological and aesthetic experience or appearance of a building. Its basically using our 5 common senses of how we identity the mood(emotion) of a building. We need to consider the dwellers comfort in therms of sight, thermal comfort etc.

   Next, Le Corbusier ignites the idea of to dimensions the spaces within the dwellings and to find a suitable site for it. This has change the perspective of surveying the site first and to dimesion the spaces later. This is because Le Corbusier believe that a dwelling should serve the dweller"s purpose.

  Le Corbusier emphasize a lot on circulations too. He believes a well planned circulation eliminates wasted space. When he explains circulation, he actually guides the reader to walk through his imagination of a circulation in which one must also practice while designing-to walk through the design as if you will be the user.

   To compose-to persuade oneself of the existance of certain things. Le Corbusier uses natural lighting to define certain spaces within the building. The different volumes of space also determines the amount of lighting entering the space.

   Le Corbusier believes proportioning exist because everything is geometrical in the vision of human. He states that proportion is like melody of music-it has to be harmony. However he also states that architectural ideas are personal experience. Le Corbusier believes simplicity also means abundant. Everyone has their own perspective and to react accordingly.

CHUA CHYI SHYAN 1001542549

The Plan of the Modern House

Le Corbusier

Visually, a proportion element which your heart has perceived is regarded as part of the proportional members. Le Corbusier is a notable Switzerland architect, spreading his open-minded and valiant attitude towards art, architecture and mathematics world. He even reveals his emotion through his abstract drawings, for the right person to read his mind. Personally, I am totally concur about the behavior of emphasizing the importance of sense while appreciating an art product. As an art and architecture lover, we should invariably design by following our heart, welcoming gut feeling.

'Personnage' by Charles Le Corbusier: express mind and feeling through art drawing

In modern architecture, Five Points of Architecture has become a core point as it has boosted the society to the industrialized world. This idea is actually explored from the Maison Domino design. A skeleton structure could exert free planning design, allow more space expansion and proportionalized certain building. As pure structure, it was a phenomenally bold idea. Due to its bold properties, it was unknown and even neglected by people in the beginning. However, it has widen the thinking to explore such empty space, verified that columns and staircase are able to support concrete slab.

Nil, does not represent it is nothing.

Maison Domino by Le Corbusier

When we look into Villa Savoye, it manifest the characteristics of free plan, free façade, free façade, ribbon windows, roof garden and pilotis. The presence of partition walls slotted between the support enable free-form interior design. Villa Savoye is free from structural conditioning, so it may be removed or altered the location of the building substructure elements. Despite aesthetically appearance and comfort, it has provide a room layout to the villa. Furthermore, structural function has relieved by separating structure from the building façade. Free façade permits walls to be designed in a freedom way. Thus, the whole façade display its unique characteristic and function. Moreover, the placement of horizontal windows allows air and light to enter the interior and attract amazing view from the surrounding. This also makes the upper level feel very open. Roof garden, is a recreational venue, shelter and garden for the client. It has enveloped concrete or other materials and create space for a building. By lifting a building over pilotis, the walls could be designed far more freely. In short, it does not need additional support for the building. Because of the presence of these vertical support element, an open space is exposed as it is able to withstand the weight of the overall loads without the aid of horizontal elements.

Villa Savoye, Poissy by Le Corbusier

The freedom of design has boosted the efficiency of building construction process as it has shorten the manufacture period due to its skeleton structure. Besides, it also rectify several modern functions. The concept of proportion has amplify the visual expression of structure, with open living spaces by obeying ‘Form Follow Function’. While an architect is boundless to design, beauty and playful form of building will definitely appeared.

Building is similar to human body. For real architectural revolution, the first step is to classify the pros and cons of every single space, analyse and resolve. Next, deal out detail dimension for spaces in modern buildings. Another point is circulation design concern. It is a methodical function, unconscious but significant to the thermal comfort for an occupant. Subsequently, compose all the rudimentary basis of architectural components. Lastly, appreciate the possibility of proportion in building.

In a nutshell, architectural plan is akin to music. Architect is burdened with challenges in the pathway of modern house plan design, but relish the process too! The intention of modernism proportional design: simple, clean and open.

Proportion of Villa Savoye in elevation

Written by Wong Rong Song, 1001746688

LE CORBUSIER, EXCERPT FROM LE MODULOR

   Written by Le Corbusier, a Swiss born French architect, Le Modular is an anthropometric scale of proportion. In his article, it is based on the height of a man standing with his arm raise and was developed as a visual representative of two incompatible scales, the imperial and metric system. It was also meant to be a universal system of proportion to reconcile maths, the human form, architecture and beauty into a single system.

   The "Modular Man" is segmented into something like a grid system according to the ''Golden Ratio'', with appoximately a ratio of 1.61. Le Corbusier started from an assumed standard size of the human body and marked three intervals that are in the approximate proportions of the Golden Ratio. These segments can be scaled up or down. This system provides useful measurements in the form of door and window openings, cities development, and even in industry and mechanics according to Le Corbusier.

   In addition ''The Modular'' system resolve the issue between the Imperial users as well as the Metric users. Le Corbusier succeeded in combining human body measurements with the foot-based Anglo-Saxon measurement system and the metric decimal system. 

   

   The Modulor represents the most significant modern attempt to give architecture a mathematical order oriented to the measure of man. The basic idea is to embody harmonious proportions and a design philosophy according to which buildings derive from the human needs of the inhabitants.

Written by: Chua Chyi Shyan 1001542549