Long ago, drawing was used in architecture; architects followed an old tradition guidelines on how they were build. The vaults, columns and domes were all label in description in words, architects has a vital role of transforming the words into forms, thus drawings gave the architects to perfect their designs before it was actually built. A Dunlap said, renderers use different tools for different projects to create image that show distinct effects.I assume many students who studies web design or architecture require to take classes that teaches them how to make 3D models on AutoCat and other design programs and wonder why they would need to waste time to learn how to draw or even develop some sort of sketch. Well, after all Frank Gehry draws..! Drawing is n important role in the architectural production process; Frank Gehry said by making drawing is to lure inspiration, he doodles every now and then to let his ideas flow. At a glance, drawing is a useful tool to the architects to brainstorm for the best and most sustainable idea. But later on, when it comes to pitching that idea, and selling it either to a developer, or to end buyers, drawing turns into a visual persuasive tool.
Drawing is the media where creativity begins, it can be develop into a business tool, referring back to David W. Dunlap’s article, Design Image vs. the Reality. He said” these buildings exist in the imagination of developers and designers” before and certainly after the building is created.  Certianly, it is easier for architects today to render massive buildings digitally, but rendering in Autocat seems to be professional yet not sentimental. The people who look at the final renders could not tell whether this is done with full effort with emotions. Where as using either a pencil or watercolor, a blueprint can stand out aesthetically to one, and right away the audience can tell how much effort the artist had put in. Compare to the sharp lines in 3D rendering, the lines in the drawing tend to be softer and more delicate which can impress the audience right away. Quoting from Mr. Schaller ““What I sincerely try to do is have the viewer sense what the building might feel like rather than what it looks like.” Each designers create different designs that show the architects personal style and the drawing is the very first step of making the project happens. In all, I think architectural drawings are intended to emphasize in creativity and imagination that everyone should develop in order to understand the concept and style of the building.

Viewing the architecture allows the audience to get involve with their thinking; it acknowledges them of what the space looks like. In Cervin Robinson’s article, he mention “it is the effort to remove all doubt on the part of the viewer that pictures, though made by a machine, are wholly intended and therefore an individual’s creation. A photographer accomplishes this by the pointed way he places objects in his pictures, by the significant relationships he establishes between these objects, and by his evident craftsmanship”.
A photo or an image that represented building becomes an ideal image of that particular building; it sometimes or most of the time replace the authenticity of it. Photography can make powerful signifier or tell a story. It blends in to the architecture itself and becomes an iconic image of how the world sees it because of its media effect. Architecture photography does not only make representation of the building from political, social and historical point of views. It locks a moment on peoples mind and on the paper, so nevertheless if the building is tear down it will always exist on record telling historical stories. The moment could be created with a particular scene taken in a nice angle when it is newly build and without the intrusion of people. How the picture is then altered and composed in the frame, color is a key element of a good shot.

In the article of Lynn Spigel, she discuss about the idea that “inventions will become cheap enough to be, like the country telephone, in every home so hat one can go to the theater without leaving the sitting room.” I think the connection of this notion with stereotyping explain the modern world, it is the idea of making things easier and to avoid movement. Because conveniences is the best. I see a lot of my friends, especially in the U.S; they could glue to the television the whole day watching series of American next top model or CSI. I wonder if this is a new social and cultural standards that had develop compare to when the television was first introduced in the 1950s. Television had created a cultural allowing family to gather and social. It transport information to the private homes allow and mediate relationship between the outside world and the people who are viewing the information. It welcomes the audience to get involve as Lynn mentions, “Television is a form of going places without even the expenditure of movement.” People can now stay at home enjoy broadcast that need not to leave their living room. As domestic architecture had also recreate the living space, the main living space had incorporated different architecture enhancement creating new style of space. In 1946, the sunset homes suggested in western culture suggested new types of designing interiors. Architects start bringing the outdoors to the indoor. As the world is more focus on what was happening outside, and outside activities bring healthy lifestyle, people demand a sophisticated living space. Walls are break down to allow communication and make comfort; this new easy living style has been a remarkable evolution. Therefore television was not only “the window on the world”, but also bring the real world to the imaginary world with creative architectural design bring information from the outside without stepping beyond the door of one’s home.

Week 8

Sound and music has taken a crucial part of our surrounding areas. Architects are very well informed and concern about sound is important in design and how it will interacts with people the moment they step into architecture. Example can be seen in museums, restaurants and clubs. The volume of the music would either welcome or swap away a customer.

I was not aware of how the library system is changing until reading Shannon’s essay. The idea of librarians wearing pins saying “No Shh!’ is a very fresh idea to remind people not to make any noise in the library.

To me library is a very spiritual quiet place for students or anyone who wants to research and study in a quiet area. If library start having cafés it wouldn’t be the same, because it would have noises of the coffee machine brewing coffees, or mobile phones playing the latest hit songs. It would be such a distraction that irritates the people that are trying to study. Thus, a library would be the same as any other bookstore like barns and nobles with Starbucks inside. Architects should manifest a good incorporation of noise level in the library, I certainly don’ want a café or lounge in the library; it would destroy the total essence of the quietness in libraries.

“Physically, as well as conceptually, the distinction between sounds in space and sound signals in circuits fell away, as acousticians and sound engineers sought to achieve even great degrees of control,” architects now created sound proof walls to control volume to hold conversation in a certain level and certainly in places that are dedicated to music and theater. Technology is so advance nowadays, it has incorporated new sound system into old architecture like buildings, but yet it gives off a rather weird feeling to me because I think enjoy more the echoing sound in and old church or cathedral.

After visiting the Bloomberg headquarters. I thought it was pretty amazing of how all the sound system along with the visual tech effects was install was really well perform and had successfully enhance the environment of Bloomberg. It gives off a vibe of advance technology and wealth in the extravagant interior design that is very different from the Time Warner building, which looks empty and not functional at all, I certainly does not get the same energy from it. When big corporations have the money to build such spectacular buildings, they should consider involving the new media and implement structures that seem impossible to be build, it is a great way to perform how far technology can stretch nowadays.

Many cities and sites had the privilege to be picking as a stage for movies, and as movie is such a powerful communication, a particular scene in a movie would quickly instill in our memory. Films brings out a lot of character of a city, it could be places that even the locals who lived there for ages had never explore and experienced. The movie can bring out the beauty and the ugliness of a city depending on the way it is film along with the story line. It expresses the moods and atmosphere that the movie is trying to carry out. The architecture filmed in movies is manipulated and combing with many images that may be corresponding but look absolutely real to us. With the narrative, sound effects and lighting it creates different harmony as each scene transcend. Architecture would give publicity and popularity to the cities for example the tour Eiffel is often depicted and seen in romance film which makes it desirable for people wanting to go and search for it’s stability in real life.

The recent movie, Da vinci code caught my mind. The film was filmed in the Louvre in Paris, because of the controversy and success of the movie; it had definitely increased more visitors prior to its popularity. People were so drawn into the movie, and the Mona Lisa in particular. The image of how the curator were killed inside the louver seems mysterious, it aroused their curiosity, people wanted to experience this passage in the Lourve more personally. Thus, architecture helps represent the mood and scenarios happening in the movie and at the same time the film help expand and increased the under lying history of the architecture

After reading Patrick Keller’s essay, he points out the concept of film in general has an inherent structure. Architecture and cinema had a deep unwinding relationship that most of us can’t imagine. Architects and read estate agents can collaborated to create certain aesthetics, the vision and decision is still depending upon the architects, architects have always try to promote the stories in film with the space. Keller mention on Aragon’s “surrealist subjectivity,” and how in order to experience a film, we must deconstruct and suspend reality. The visual effects add to its aesthetic would create a powerful imprints in the publics mind. Keller points out 2 statements about color. He said in the beginning of color photography, “the camera became an instrument of criticism and color suits images of detail.” Meaning that color photography means realism and where the truth is each personal experiences. Realistic films in all creates people realities, this images are so phenomenal that they become the every day life images.

I perceived library as a spiritual space that allows one’s knowledge to flow in and out. A library has its own atmosphere that arouses a person to think and broaden his or her imagination. Most libraries have enormous spaces that allow people to read, research and study peacefully without any intrusion from the outside world. The function of a library is to offer a quiet place for people who are eager to learn.
Nowadays our society are too addicted to technology, when people wants to look for information in any topic r any subject, all they need to do is go on google, and type in the keyword phrase. Books have also been uploaded on to the Internet, for sale or reference, and the good old books are being taken over by the Internet. The Internet itself already represents a technological library for thousands and thousands of computer users out there; the library’s original purpose has been replaced, and its significance is slowly dying out. What people don’t realize is, however that books are trustworthier than any site you may come across. Authors spend years carefully putting a book together, with references and facts, and while the Internet may contain some factual information; others are just stolen from those authors or are mere information without any evidence supporting its origins.

Many people said that the internet would destroy books, people in the near future would no longer read books because they can get information easily on the web, information are accessible 24/7 without having the person to move and dig into which columns and rolls that specific book is located at. Yet, personally I think books contain sentimental value that often suggest meanings and can let alone become precious artifacts. Stories and facts reminds people of their deepest memoir, along with the smell that the covers and pages transcend, all this elements music that evokes nostalgic memories. Especially in the undeveloped countries, people do not get access to the internet because of their economic situation, books would be the other source to inform educate and inform them.

When play stations is suggest to be installing it is certainly demeaning. It does not fit to the whole environment, in addition it is most likely bringing a bad spirit that will invades the peacefulness in the library, it would generate bad vibe into library causing disturbance for people who are really there for the books. Books are educational resources and the play station is a source of entertainment. Although the media and library would work together to provide a better-educated world but surely not Play station installing in the library.

The purpose of design criticism is to give opinion and suggestion to the general public on appreciating the aesthetics through analytical explanation. Critics should bring forward reason and passion to understanding the real functions. Critics hold a lot of responsibility on sharing ideas.

There has been too much emphasizes on celebrities in the society, the media only focus on fame and lux and disregarding the architecture as an art form. It only looks at the surface, but does not go under what symbolic meanings it carries or the impact of the architecture as a whole. I agree that it should be entertaining but it shouldn’t go beyond the architecture boundaries. The culture of branding and showbiz had overshadowed what needs to be discussed.

A lot of this misconception of architecture has to do with the Web, which globally expose to the media; it has a huge impact on practice of critics on architecture.
People use to write formal critics educating the general public of the aesthetics and functions of architectures. They were to stimulate the culture, so that people can exchange ideas.

The way information is delivery was changed as well, people need to subscribe to a periodical that produce every week where as now people get information and involve in critism through the Internet in a split second. Architecture criticism thus has lost its true meaning. Is not longer exclusive and precious anymore because anyone can access to those information anytime. The Web has created a culture that include ideas coming from scatter parts that might no be relevant, but people are more conscious about the architecture that are built around us. Nevertheless, this culture that was created by the Web, had help critic to share their ideas globally but it also taken its preciousness that old journals offer.

Quattro Libri dell’Architerrura Illustrate a close relationship of the text and image and together they convey a broader understanding for the people who are visualizing the book. The book also acts as an academic references for architects, it demonstrate architect’s work with text and image produced by woodcuts for printing, it explains each procedure very thoroughly. Is almost like a fantasy- like fairytales that seems like a science fiction, which is very inspirational to read.

I think it has proven wrong that the book does not “kill” the architecture because it legitimize the architect’s work and it functions as a way of their expression in various ideas and experience they have been through. I definitely agree with Alan Power that books are a great resource for one to gain knowledge yet it’s been challenge and compare with the digital media but I still think books are more evident and it will always has it’s value. For me, I personally I will always enjoy reading a book and getting information from it whether is academic or not, is more personal and heartrending.

Last year I came across the controversial book S, M,L,XL by Rem Koolhaas and Bruce Mau, I enjoyed the process of reading it, the illustration and pages that was in different size was amazing thought out, it illustrate a lot of graphic designs that shows wonderful aesthetic which is very pleasing for the reader. I felt like I was reading a magazine, because there are so many things I can look at, the changes of the typography was brilliant, over all the aesthetics of the book and the content together makes it a awe-inspiring book. I agree and support that the cover or the pages inside the book should demonstrate and make some sort of connection to the content of the book, because I think the general public now would enjoy being able to see illustration of the content.

This photograph was taken in centre pompidou in Paris. Tout va bien meaning all is well in french. These letters on the wall occurs to the people as a literal greeting, it suggest a fresh and welcoming attiude.

But what this really was, a poster of a documentation film by John luc godar.
From extracts of the film “tout va bien”, the directior wanted to make focuse on the employer and employees working relationship. he wanted to point “at the service of” the employees in the working space. It goes back over the importance to ask questions on the manner to the working class their important in the socitey and show to those that are watching the film.

The poster itself signify the idea of this film, under the quote tout va bien, there are brackets that needed to be fill in, suggesting the feelings and meaning of those working class, and underneath are legs of women and men that suggest the employees. It makes communication to the people that was walking by and arouse them discover what this was about.

Architecture connotes a lot of emotions and connotation. Not necessarily on the elements but it aroused different feelings through the aesthetic of the architecture, the materials that use to build in, the style, and the spatial arena that was build around in the environment.

Adrian Forty talks about how architecture function as a language that suggest communication. Long ago, Aristotle had pointed out that a language of consistent words suggests meaning of their combination into a large and meaningful structure. Later on, many writers argue with theories and opinions how architecture speak and define themselves with space, surface into mass, volume, line.etc. Many of this controversy, there are certain rules how constructions should be. There is a physical aspect with how talk the roof should be to be able to support the wall and columns. More so Durand, suggest that how architecture should have it’s own formal language. Although architecture can function as a language with literally words. Most important is that it presents meanings through the eye, that people can understand the design of a built structure.

Forty stated there have been claims from fashion, music and film that suggest the relationship between architecture and language. He pointed out historians like Victor Hugo felt that buildings could be read as texts and Gothic architecture and form of social record. It is definite that language is not the only metaphor use to address architecture. In the human language, there are static mechanics that is use to describe architecture, words like equilibrium, centripetal and shear. Etc. As Forty points out, “Even if architecture is not a language, it does not lessen the value of language as a metaphor for talking about architecture” (2000, p.84)

Architecture simply have it’s own explanation that does not serve as a metaphor in the sense of form and structure. However, having this metaphors are useful tools that help us to understand architecture serves in multiple meaning, so we could connect those concepts with other disciplines.