Monday, January 28, 2013

Modern Architecture: The Most Known Unknowns


Many words and names come to mind when discussing modern architecture and its inspiration. Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Mies van der Rohe are household names when it comes to modern architecture, but Voillet le Duc, John Ruskin, and Gottfried Semper are three important figures in the modern architecture movement. Each one of these individuals brought similar and different philosophies, perspectives and views on the future of modern architecture and how it should be approached based on history. Although these men have a few qualities in common, they also have very different perspectives on how architecture should be approached.

            Viollet le Duc aimed to establish rational logic in Gothic architecture and believed Gothic architecture itself was “rational” architecture. Voillet le Duc was also involved in many restoration projects He believed that architecture had to do with the faculty of reasoning and that the artist must be conscious of the logical process which is behind successful architecture. To him, the artist must analyze masterpieces of the past and reduce them to a process of argument then apply the argument to his own problems.  He also believed independence of the mind was essential in that the artist must discover architecture for his or herself.

            Unlike Viollet le Duc, Ruskin argued against restoration. He believed that ancient building should be preserved and that restoration erases the history that is embedded in the decay of an old building. He came up with the Seven Lamps of Architecture, which consisted of sacrifice, truth, power, beauty, life, memory and obedience. These lamps were considered vital and could not be separated from all forms of architecture. Ruskin had a very strong connection with nature because he emphasized the importance of nature and natural forms and rejected mechanization and standardization. Like Viollet le Duc, he admired Medieval and Gothic architecture. He believed both forms of architecture embodied an organic relationship between the worker, community, natural environment, built environment and the Most High. His ideas influenced William Morris, Le Corbusier, Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright and Walter Gropius.

            Gottfried Semper’s goal was to establish a taxonomy of architecture of style and form . he applied scientific methods of analysis in the application of color in classical architecture. He believed all built forms had four categories. Those categories were: hearth, substructure or platform, the roof, enclosure. One of Semper’s major written works was called De Stil. The goal of De Stil was to understand and clarify processes regarding style.  He also came up with a formula for style

                                                                U=C(x,y,z,t,v,w . . .)
He believed style was strategic and must be seen as a reflection of social and political conditions of the time. To Semper, style was comprised by direction, proportion, and symmetry. He believed in unifying his concept of style with the idea of including what was learned from previous style of architecture, such as Greek, Gothic and Baroque.

           
            All in all, these three individuals had very little, if any similarities. Both Ruskin and Viollet le Duc were Gothic enthusiasts and worshiped the High Gothic period and the both emphasized truth within architecture. Even Semper admired and was somewhat inspired by Gothic architecture. Viollet le Duc believed heavily in restoration while Ruskin believed in preservation. Semper took on a more practical and technical approach to architecture but very well emphasized the importance of aesthetic qualities that Viollet le Duc and Ruskin held on to.






Sources:

Hvattum, Mari V (2006, March). Gottfried Semper and the Problem of Historicism. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/25068251?origin=JSTOR-pdf

Pevsner, N (1969). Ruskin and Viollet le Duc: Englishness and Frenchness in Appreciation of Gothic Architecture,. Londen: Thames and Hudson.
Poerschke, Ute. (2012)/ Architecture as a Mathematical Function: Reflections on Gottfried Semper
Summerson, J. (1963). Violet le Duc and the Rational Point of View. Heavenly Mansions and other essays on architecture (pp. 140-159). New York: WW Norton




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