[Re]Visions

In the dictionary, the word rotation is mostly defined as the act of something turning as if on an axis. In one way this describes how our earth turns on a tilted axis at the north and south poles to show changes in days and nights around the world, the earth itself is rotating slowly around the sun as well as having rotation on its poles that causes change in seasons. A rotation, or rotary motion, in terms of the history of design can be more described as a planned reoccurring sequence of events or movements in architecture and design. “What precipitated these fundamental social changes was a cycle of interrelated sweeping reorganizations and upheavals that collectively can be labeled “revolutions”. These revolutions are so interconnected that they can be thought of as operating in a circle, each feeding off into the next.” [Roth 439] This idea of the rotation of reoccurring events helps us to better understand why rotations in design happen, some based on rising organizations or even political stand points, all of which influence design and architecture itself.


Reflection on previous work or a finished design is a crucial part of getting better as a designer with further analyzing. In reflecting on the first result of my 3rd Skin project in studio, I was able to pick out key elements that made the design successful and interesting to look at, namely the organic tendril like shapes that were mimicked about the whole structure. Though this idea alone was not completely as successful as I had thought for the final it was still a step in the right direction because I reflected upon what I had and how I could further a design. “ A complete union of the landscape with residence was sought. The landscape became even more important than it had been in the Baroque period, during which the landscape was conceived as a continuation of the mansion’s classical rule.” [Blakemore 250] Reflection on past ideas such as landscaping can lead to new ideas and goals as they did in France around the time of Early Georgian, England. Looking back on the way monarchy always utilized these massive landscape designs lead the way to a change into landscaping for more residential areas as a continuation.


An item that is a basis of inspiration or point of reference is usually referred to as a source, especially in the world of architecture and design. An example would be something along the lines of life drawing or even figure drawing, the subject you are drawing being the person or object being used as a source for the design of a drawing or painting. “Palladio’s Villa Rotonda (Villa Capra) at Vicenza appears to have been the model for some of the residences designed by Colen Campell.” [Blakemore 248] In this reading in Blakemore, Palladio’s villa is mentioned as a source of inspiration for preceding buildings built after it years later, showing that its influence on society was very successful to make other designers use his design as reference.


This is even related to current day designs in the furniture field of design, even successful designs like the ones we browsed about in Suzanne’s class for perspective is used as sources of inspiration to create something similar to the precedent or something entirely different.



Movement is much like the idea of transition from the previous Opus entry of Grammar:Syntax, it is the transfer from one place to another or one subject to another over a period of time when talking about architecture and its history as styles and ideals evolved. “Jacques Ange Gabriel (1698-1782), as a leader in the neoclassical movement, represented the French tradition since he was descended from a long line of architects and received training from his father.” [Blakemore 284] Here, the neoclassical period of art is identified as a movement because it was a period of time where one specific style reined over other in a specific part of the world; the neoclassical style itself is a revival of antiquity designs of Greece and Rome. In studio, we use the concept of movement as a dynamic element when adding interest and delight in a design. The flow of a design can be interpreted in many different ways, for example, my finished product in the 3rd Skin design was imitative of a root system under a standing tree that flows in a downward movement as the tendril branch out to brace the structure and interact with light in its environment.



Illumination is a verb used to describe highlighting an object or space within a composition in order to make it stand out or take high importance in the overall picture. This can be done with color, light, hierarchy, or other surrounding features that are different from the object or space that is most important.“What these Englishmen were trying to do was to recreate in real materials, ins soil, water, and carefully arranged masses of trees and plants, the pastoral Classical landscapes described by the Roman author Virgil.” [Roth 453] When recreating the space of classical landscapes of old, the English wanted more natural elements to be illuminated or displayed in the overall design in residential spaces. This in turn gave new way to style in landscape architecture, showing that it was more than just fancy fountains and perfectly trimmed trees, it was about the beauty and even imperfection of nature being celebrated.

In conclusion, these words for the week of [Re]Visions seem to be based on architecture and how it is celebrated or revived from period to period in design. The constant rotation of old being converted to new brings new ideas to the table for reflection as to what can be changed in a design and what can be done to better a design based on references from sources of other designers. New movements in architecture are not to be forgotten for their importance as they are the plethora of new ideas that keeps coming and going through the process of design, each idea illuminating a topic of discussion more then the next depending on what the society is faced with politically and socially.

::Sources::
History of Interior Design and Furniture By Blakemore
Understanding Architecture By Roth
Drawings and Photographs By myself