Prianka Singapura
26 October 2006
P1B: Innovation in Architecture
When I left home for college, I was saddened as I took one final look at my Spanish Renaissance/ Gothic home.
Author’s home[1]
I was venturing out on my own and I wanted to find a similar sense of belonging in my new domain. Coming to a foreign place can be a daunting obstacle, but I find comfort in knowing that there are thousands of other new students here who feel just as I do. While new students are somewhat unified in this sense, we look for something on campus to fill the void left by our departures from home. The UT tower fills this void. It offers a sense of community and belonging as it effectively represents our new home. When it lights up orange after a victory, I feel a sense of pride, like someone in my own family has achieved greatness. Finding unity within an institution of this size and diversity is a sheer miracle.
One significant feature of a college campus that can unite the student body is the architectural master plan. After researching many different styles of architecture, I found that Post-modernism would best suit the UT campus, mainly because it would allow variation to culminate in unity. I searched for a clear definition of Post-modernism, but was unable to find one that included distinct elements like those of Gothic architecture. In fact, I realized that a defining characteristic of Post-modernism is ambiguity. According to Wikipedia, Post-modernism is when “styles collide, form is adopted for its own sake, and new ways of viewing familiar styles and space abound.”[2] However, I feel that the essence of Post-modernism is captured in this paradoxical statement: it is the combination of new ideas and traditional forms.
As Dr. Bump
explained in class, Post-modernism is an abstraction resisting definition.
Instead, I will try to elucidate Post-modernism’s aura and function to create a
picture of it. Post-modernism first appealed to me because of its eclecticism
and implication of amusement. It harvests cooperation between different
architectural styles. For example, in the picture below taken at
Post-modernism at
In doing so, architect Robert
Venturi applies three modes of architecture: Classical (column as decoration),
Modern (large functional room), Post-modern (witty enhancement of the obtrusive
column). Wit in architecture is important because it achieves one main goal of
a college campus: to provoke thought. After seeing this picture, one wonders
why Venturi would design that. Is he simply a jokester? Is it meant to
symbolize how life can appear to be seamless, yet obstacles will always appear?
The answer is unknown, one of the best ingredients of Post-modernism. If one
column in one room can provoke this much thought, then wouldn’t an entire
building, or better yet, an entire campus built in this manner be conducive to
contemplation?
My ideal style of
collegiate architecture has three main objectives: to be functional, to be
aesthetically-pleasing (and, therefore, memorable), and to be thought-
provoking. Modernists conquered functionalism, but rejected beautifying detail.
For example, the Lever House in
Lever House[5] and Perry
Castaneda Library[6]
- Modernism
On the other side
of the spectrum awaits Gothic architecture, which John Ruskin defines as having
six crucial elements, the most important being “savageness.”[7]
Each person recalls an image when they hear the word Gothic; for me it is Notre
Dame de Paris.
Prianka in front of Notre Dame de Paris[8]
While the Gothic architecture of
Notre Dame is divine, this style would not suit the UT campus because it would
be too distracting. Each archway is adorned with hundreds of mini-sculptures
that would distract students from comprehending complex Calculus series. Pragmatically,
while this building shows truth to nature and provokes thought, its extreme
detail would be lost on a college campus. Its primary function of being studied
and appreciated would not be fulfilled.
In the middle of
these two extremes lies Post-modernism. One of the goals of our course is to
study a building and interpret what it teaches. Post-modernist buildings teach
a respect for the old and a curiosity for the new. By combining these elements,
we can create an environment that thrives on history and innovation, as we will
have a model for this right before our eyes. We can be inspired to create our own art or to
study those which came before us. Thus, we would produce a thought-provoking
environment, one of the main objectives of architecture. Dr. Bump said that
being an adolescent, I have an inherent sense of rebellion and so I reject what
came before me as too conventional. While I respect his opinion, I must
disagree. Due to my broad perspective, I have respect for what came before me,
but am able to more easily embrace the new because I am not cemented in the
past. I have a renowned architect (an adult) to support my view. “Robert
Venturi challenged Modernism and celebrated the mix of historic styles in great
cities such as
One architectural element that I would like to include in our campus’s Post-modern style is Vedic architecture. Vedic architecture is “the most ancient and complete system of architecture and planning…connecting individual life with Cosmic Life.”[10] It is created using cross-ventilation landscaping and is influenced significantly by the sun as it is “the most powerful influence of nature in the wider environment.”[11] In nature, plants need sunlight in order to grow and produce. Similarly, sunlight allows the mind and body to be energetic and alert, which would be conducive to a productive environment. Below, are two pictures: the first exhibits what Jester Dormitory should look like, and the second exhibits what it currently looks like. I would much rather go home after a long day to an enchanted cottage in accordance with Natural Law than to a concrete cell resembling cages.
Jester Dormitory as a Vedic structure[12]
Jester Dormitory in its current prison-style structure[13]
Additionally, there is speculation that architecture which digresses from historical styles has no resemblance to nature. For Modernism, I utterly agree. Nature contains no boxes; however, nature is apparent in Post-modernism. Take for example the famous London Green Giant- the gherkin (or pickle).
It “resides in better harmony with Mother Nature” than designs of previous generations.[15] Its layout helps to reduce “the building’s reliance on electric lighting and its curved shape helps direct wind into a natural ventilation system,” similar to Vedic architecture.14 Bringing fresh air and sunlight into a building allows closeness to nature that even a Gothic structure can’t provide. A room filled with natural light is uplifting and enlivening. The roundness of the building softens its structure and is easier on the eye than the boxy structures adjacent to it. Innovatively, the Gherkin’s structure allows for cost and energy efficiency that is comparable to curtain walls in Modernism. The Gherkin also showcases Post-modernist wit because it is an office building masquerading as a pickle.
This brings up a crucial element of Post-modernism: it allows buildings to have a certain imagination about them; they can pretend to be what they are not. While some may find this to be a negative feature, I think this attribute wholly suits a college atmosphere. We need inspiration here to break the monotony of going to class and studying. We need inspiration here to believe that we can be whatever we want to be. These buildings can teach that lesson. We need to be able to look around and ponder what we see. When we see a building like the Gherkin, the thought “What in the world is that?” really does come to mind. And it is an important thought. In this way, being outside the classroom can exercise your brain even more than being inside.
I realize that the
Green Giant is an office building and not a library. However, I bring up this
example in order to suggest a style for campus buildings, like the
The
While the
A
similar Vedic building aligned cosmically[18]
Another
Post-modernist building that could be incorporated into the UT master plan is
the
Future RLM[19]
As Karl Galinsky notes:
It
has a modernist body standing on classical feet and sports a large and
variously defined ornament as a head. There is at once a referential
anthropomorphism and a bond with the grand
Johnson’s creation recalls images
of famous structures from around the world and combines them into a refined and
uncommon edifice. The
Current RLM[21]
In order to visualize the Post-modernist plan that I envision, I have provided some pictures below of a three-dimensional model that I have constructed in the computer program Second Life. This building encompasses the essence of the particular Post-modernist style that I have discussed. My building is to the right of the picture.
This building, which I envision to be the future Plan II office, features the three significant architectural elements that all buildings should have (as mentioned above). Its utilization of space would allow many students to study within its walls. Additionally, the transparent roof gives an illusion that the building is larger than it really is, and thus contributes to the witty element of Post-modernism. This leads into another important element of architecture: thought-provoking. Because this structure is so open, it demands contemplation of the people who inhabit it. The unorthodox shapes and textures are unique enough to provoke thought yet are not complex enough to distract students, like a Gothic building would. Lastly, this building is aesthetically pleasing because of its soft curves and tones. There is no rudeness or savageness, nor is it a floating box.
I constructed the building of cyclical geometric shapes in earthy tones to emphasize closeness to nature. These structures resemble beehives, spider webs, and other circular patterns in nature. The symmetry of the building is reminiscent of Vedic architecture and its cosmic harmony.
Vedic architecture is also influential in the cross-ventilation of the building, allowing for an open and refreshing environment. The glass roof and the multiple windows in the walls allow natural light to flow through the building, similarly to the future RLM building I discussed above, which generates an energetic and productive environment. The triangular structures on the roof point to heaven, as do the sharp arches of Gothic architecture.
Also, the spherical ends of the building are the shapes of Romanesque arches and the wooded and metal textures of the building contribute a Modernist element. With the compilation of all these elements, I have created a building that is functional art. It comprises the best elements of several different architectural styles and thus, utilizes space in a cohesive manner.
The interior of a building used for studying should be fairly simple because it should not distract its occupants. As seen in the two pictures above, the interior of the model is used as a gallery for other Post-Modernist buildings that inspire my campus master plan. I have also created a mini-study area to represent where students could study. All these features are simplistic and limited in quantity to maintain the spacious feeling of the building.
While I fully
support a Post-modernist master plan modeled after the building above, some
critics of Post-modernism argue that its architecture, which integrates
previous styles, does not reveal any new ideas. However, Post-modernism
combines functionalism with high art. For example, the multiple stylistic
influences of the
Word Count (without quotes): 2,412
My SL project is located in the Northeast corner of the island, and has bright yellow markers and step stones leading to it.