Banham’s new vision of architecture

Banham’s new vision of architecture

Reading 1: Architecture Culture 1943 – 1968

Banham’s new vision of architecture played a major role in influencing architectural designs and perspectives during the postwar period. With his diversion of perspective, he further diverted from the Smithson’s regressive work. However, Banham was quick to validate that a home is not a house and that perhaps just a body to conceal the complexities inside. While architecture is viewed as a platform to showcase art and culture, it is ideally facing a threat, particularly in American architecture. This is vivid by what Mr. Banham calls mechanical invasion. The `outer shell ` is negligibly plain while the insides get a classy look from trendy newly invented faucets, sinks, and the likes. Conkins notes that, just like most shells, the American shell lacks an effective heat barrier system. As Americans were so eager to distinguish between different spaces with the house, thus introducing partitions, Europeans were adamant is maintaining and upholding the aesthetic of architecture.

Priding in their handy appliances that suit the ever-changing lifestyle of mankind, American architects fail to make withstanding architecture. That is not to say that American architecture is all futile. Adolf Loos’ keen eye quickly points out the superiority of the U.S. plumbing system. Functionality and cleanliness form the core pillars of that system. Incorporation of up to date mechanics within the home unit is vital.

Derived from the cultural and artistic element of what architecture should entail, American buildings seem to have been left behind in the incorporation of the bold elements European architecture upholds. Bucky Fuller argues that most of the deadweight of American architecture is unnecessary. Efforts should be made to ensure that the complexities of sewerage, power and function ability are handled. Efforts to ditch the barbarian lifestyle that the early man had may have been too harsh since the better alternative is geared towards a more natural way of life. Ensuring a balance of environmental factors was uniquely considered in shelters made by the early man. However, modern architecture does not apply this balance in environmental factors. Banham fails to acknowledge this disparity between ancient and modern architecture. Despite the numerous developments in architecture, there exist unique intangible and tangible aspects of the simple early man’s architecture that modern counterparts cannot replicate or even come close to offering. Perhaps time and new interventions will bring this question to rest. In a bid to attain functionality and ease of life, the American system burdens the power system with the weight of withstanding its utility systems ranging from AC system to multiple cooking devices.

Ironically, despite man’s quest for a proper home offering, a haven is still interpreted as a cheaply put together outer-shack fortifying an expensive plumbing system and other house equipment. Apart from this, America’s quest for privacy brought about the suburban concept. Suburban areas are America’s ideal living areas far from the hustle and bustle. In this noble vision, America has managed to strip the European aspect from its architecture in every sense.

Wright was right all along with his notion of the destruction of the box. True enough, the roofing of every building is solid (for now), and architecture is leaning towards liquidating architecture by opting for glass rather than the grounding forms previously used. This open-mindedness of the American society and its love for its home gadgets singles them out as deviators from the norm. However, as architecture is aimed at providing shelter, some of its principles are geared towards what works for individuals. According to Ockman, it is ignorant to expect a unanimous way of thought in this.

 

 

Reading 2: The City in Technological Innovation and Economic Development

According to Lopez, it takes more than a group of people to make a city in its true definition. The birth of different cities and their growth is attributed to various factors. Attempting to conceptualize and answer the queries surrounding the success and fall of cities may prove futile. However, one thing is certain, streamlining of the city and its stability is attributed to centralization. Understanding the meaning of a city may perhaps aid in shedding light on this concept. One of the most ancient definitions of the term city views it as the crossroads within an enclosed area. Greatly benefiting from the rise of transport systems, ancient cities were often fortified.

Egyptians phrase it even better, focusing on communication, unity and a sense of identity as the pillars that make a city. Despite development in technology and economically, it is the use of these pillars that ensure the growth and stability of a city. Mr. Pirenne, on the other hand, was convinced that without the market for supplies, a city could not exist. However, all definitions recognize that diversity in the inhabitants of the city is undeniable. This is true even in cities where one occupation dominates.

Western people based their qualifications of a city on the presence of a royal charter or a temple. Nevertheless, Isidore of Seville acknowledged that a city is not merely the stones, but the inhabitants. Additionally, if the inhabitants lack unity and communication opportunities, the city may sooner rather than later be a shack of its former self. Today cities like Penza remain empty apart from the presence of ceremonial tourists, despite their fortification.

According to Lopez, the classification of a city based on the number of inhabitants does not work. The classification of cities based on their roles results in several city categories: stockade city, market city, industrial city, and agrarian city. The simplicity of the stockade city makes it similar to a village. It comprises of agricultural centers, temples, and storehouses. The elevation of a stockade city to an agrarian city is dependent on whether landowners reside permanently in the vicinity. Landowners enjoyed the leisure and security within the walls, but commerce was solely in the hands of the strawmen that tilled the land. The leadership of the city by a merchant swiftly shifted the urban mood, warranting the city to the status of a market city. The urban atmosphere and the market environment cannot exist at the same time. One such city is Genoa, a capitalistic economy. Investments were highly encouraged for the acquisition of more wealth. Apart from the role of agriculture, Lopez also emphasizes the role of religion in the development of cities. The predominant nature of religion at the time influenced the economy of cities with cathedrals.

Various writers try to explain the birth and nature of various ancient cities. They detail how some of them fell and how many of them withstood the test of time, technology, and wars. A common notion among them all is that no one factor can be quantified as being more significant than the other in the growth of ancient cities.