Namratha Gopan

Debates are something which makes the topics more interesting and creates keen interest in us. A debates was conducted on the topic socialism vs communism vs capitalism and which will benefit a large number of people. It was a heard choice for us because each of it had there on values and ideas.

SOCIALISM is something where a country is controlled by private sectors. There wont be a over all factor which controls the private sector. Talking about its application, it can applied to a country like India because there are so many private companies running all over the country. It also brings up a controversy saying that these private owned companies works only for their beneficial.

COMMUNISM, which i think will work the most. It is where people are paid or earned according to the work which they do. Work of individual efforts the key points of communism. Amount of work will decide how much you are to be judged on.

CAPITALISM , which has a strong government controlling the private sectors under it. What makes this more workable than communism is that there are so many provisions from the government. Example scholarship for educating students, railway facilities and many more.

Being from Kerala i strongly support communism because only hard work will lead to success. India is a democratic country hence each individual has to be treated for what they require.

As modernism continued it was completely moving away from the traditional style of architecture. Eric Mendelssohn a German architect who came up with a lots of interesting woks. Each of his works were different which emphasis the material characteristics of the elements.

Few of his works like Mossehaus in Berlin, where half the structure designed by him. The building clearly shows the difference between olden style and modern style of architecture. Curved surfaces with glass material have been used. More of simple geometry which is put together still keeping a strong stability in them. Einstein tower which is a tower for the radial theory of reactivity. It is made using the combination of reinforced concrete and steel mixture. Hat factory is a large scale project which has been designed beautifully having an opening running through the middle.

Richard Neutra also a modernist Jewish architect. The specialty of his buildings was that it adapts with the surrounding environment and flows along with type landscape. Selection of materials is also a key point. All of his works are made of steel, glass, and reinforced concrete.  Kaufman Desert House which is appealing constructed. The concept of large windows that directly opens to the landscape which helps them to blend with each other. The most important aspects are the plan is simple having a center point from which the building extends to different sides.

Otto Koloman Wagner, a 19th Century Architect from Vienna.
Even though his early works were inspired by Classical Architecture. He always experimented a lot with his style, structure, design and materials. During some of his early times he used new materials ,he soon changed his style and became floral with the use of modern materials, particularly iron, glass, ceramics and later concrete, to create unusual forms and larger open spaces. It was a break away from history.
Wagner designed all the stations ( karlsplatz station) and other structures which were a complete balance of utility, simplicity and elegance.His works from 1906 until his death in 1918 (Including the APSB), had geometric forms and minimal ornament, clearly expressing their function. They are considered predecessors to modern architecture.

Adolf loos was one of the European architect when the modern movement started. His book ornament and crime explains the less importance of ornamentation and the disadvantage of it . He explains that this will cause more of cost expenses as well as labor power. Also the wastage of material for the extra aesthetics.

The loos house which is a simple structure still having a rigid contrast between the ground facade and the plastered facade.The buildings are pure forms with practical qualities. His way of designing was special and led to development of modernity .

Eugène Viollet-le-Duc

The beauty of medieval architecture was seen from the 19th century. Eugen Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc is one of the most important architect from that period. He wanted to rebuild every medieval architecture in that time. Also the one’s which was forgotten and damaged during the French revolution. If you look at Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Basilica of Saint Denis you’ll see a masterpiece in restoration.

He wrote books on architecture that shaped the modern architecture. It is believed that his book ‘Relationship Between Form and Function of Architecture’ influenced a lot of important architecture which is present today.

Eugène designed a new sacrity that shows that he always added his own ideas and unique designs to whatever he built. He always tried to rebuild old architecture to its original form with a slight touch of his own ideas and designs.

John Ruskin

He is also one of the gothic revival architect. He wrote a book named ‘the seven lamps of architecture’ which talks about the seven principles. The seven principles are

Sacrifice- dedication of the art to god

Truth-truth pf display of materials and structure

Power-the power of the building along with the nature

Beauty -natural beauty expressed or the aesthetics shown out

Life- the importance of space created

Memory – following the tradition and history

Obedience -properly placed

The book was a great success as it helped architecture to understand the thoughts of movements happening .

Quatremère de Quincy also a french armchair archeologists also an architectural theorist . He wrote the book Dictionnaire historique de l’architecture . In this book he beautifully explained the definition of ‘ type’ . Architectural type can be defined as expressing the inbuilt value of the structure. The symbolic importance inside each element of the building .

While agreeing to the facts of Quatremère de Quincy , Gottfried Semper defines ‘type’ very differently. He explains that type is a potential which has to be identified from the four techniques . He has explained it in his book called The four elements of architecture . He believed that the materials should be shown out and encouraged . The four techniques are terracing( the Masonry works),roofing( carpentry ),hearth (ceramics)and walling (textiles) . He mainly looked into the materialists approach which breaks the idealistic position into a practical one.

Claude-Nicolas Ledoux a growing French architect of neoclassical period . He is mostly know for his creativity ,productivity and the simplicity of geometry in his buildings . His book L’architecture talks about the revision of neoclassical architecture and how he was able to make it more rigorous. Few of his famous buildings are Rotonde de la Villette, royal salt work (project for the ideal city of Chaux.)

The building which is know for its geometric shapes constructed in the city of Paris . It is a gateway for the officers to collect tax on the goods entering Paris through the road and canals of that area . Neoclassical style was applied ,keeping the traditional design. It was a representation of modernism in the city.It is having a square base structure and first floor of cylindrical plan . The front facade having symmetrical pillars with triangular pediment on top of it . The strong geometry made the building look more beautiful .

Royal salt work has building arranged in a rational geometry creating a mutual relation between the building parts. This project for Claude was a break away from the traditional approaches. The semicircular plan having the entrance at the axis with Doric columns , shows the rigid geometrical value of Claude’s work. The place is also used for many cultural activities and exhibition spaces.

Claude achieved an important place in the history of architecture . His methods of doing things led to a new beginning in design styles.

Marc Antoine Laugier one of the French architect and a priest, who came up with the concept of primitive hut . His famous book ‘An essay on architecture’ had the explanations of primitive hut . It illustrated the major elements of architecture : The column, the entablature, the pediment . A shelter becomes the most important thing in a human beings life . Vertical posts are raised up on which the lintels are laid . The structure is then covered with roof to provide shade.

Laugiers ideas were a rejection from the baroque style . Neoclassical style came up which had a complete opposite reaction to all the architectural styles. The buildings were constructed simple with less ornamentation. Proportion became an important theory. Decorations were less and hence the cost of construction .

Entienne Louis Boullee is also a neoclassical architect of 18th century . His beautiful concept of light and day played an important role for the cenotaph . The structure which is dedicated to the memory of dead people . It has pores which let soft light to enter inside creating a feeling of universe during the day time . Night time it was lit using the help of a huge chandelier hung in the middle .

The cenotaph was a simple building with no ornamentation and large volume . Building was to find greatness. The regularity, symmetry, oder, proportion made it look special. Boullee’s works dealt with all the minute details of the building expressed in a simpler way which increased the value to it .

Palladio is one of the celebrated architect of Renaissance period . He wrote the ‘four book of architecture’ which talks about the classical orders , the designs laws.

He believed that beauty comes out from the form and correspondence of the whole . Ratios and proportion was his main concepts. One of the main works of architect Palladio is Villa Rotunda, a Renaissance villa in Italy . The specialty of this villa is the symmetrical plan along both the axis . The beautifully organized grid pattern and entry from four sides of the building increased the value of it.

San Giorgio Maggiore and Santissimo Rendentore are the two more works in Italy . Maggiore church has a Greek cross and Rendentore is a Latin cross church . The plan and laying out of the building ,playing with ratios and proportions Palladio achieved a great importance in the history of architecture.

The class was about artists of Renaissance period. Renaissance which began 1400 years ago, led to the rebirth of art and literature. Alberti and Palladio were the two famous artists of this period. Leon Battista Alberti is a humanist who studies something outside the realm of religion. He wrote the book ‘on the art of building’ in the ten books which gives a classical look at the ancestral of architectural thinking. All the buildings proposed by Alberti are symmetrical, describing the relation between geometry and architectural design. Alberti used these general harmonic proportion rules in his buildings which made it unique and special.

Malastestiano church, one of the work of Alberti. The beautiful facade designed symmetrical and having arches entries. Alberti’s works are mainly known for the play of proportions and geometry in the buildings which led to a great expansion of world architecture.

Hey ! It was a debate on Feng shui today. Feng shui is a pseudoscience originated from China. Feng shui means water and wind. It basically talks about the energy inside a human being -The positive and negative energy. It is used to orient the buildings such a way that the people inside feel more comfortable. People were also suggested to keep small statues or plants which emits positive energy. In some places the birth star was also used. The buildings are oriented in a manner that lets the energy flows through it. There are many cases studied in china were the living style of people improved because of Feng shui.

The debate was going when the team against Feng shui raised a point. As in the case of vastu, Feng shui is also getting loitered. People are spending on the elements as said by Feng shui practitioners. The positive energy experienced, depends on the person. A person who has a strong mind sees everything in a positive way. The team also talked about many people who financially went down because of Feng shui

The two teams had strong points. We were all in a bit of dilemma. But I felt there can be somethings which makes you happy or feel better and improve your positive energy. May be the way your furniture’s are arranged, windows opening to the garden, plants in your rooms which gives a fresh feeling. It does make sense to me.

So let me know what you guys think about Feng shui. Girl online offline .