Architecture at Everest - Semester 2: Week 4 Post 3 ~Final Post for this Class~

Intersession
Architecture and Design
Audie Santos
6/12/13

June 12th, 2013


100 Ways Ideas that Changed Architecture: Corridor

A corridor (meh)

I was given the assignment of reporting and blogging about how the invention of the corridor revolutionized architecture. In the book the corridor was idea number 35, on page 76. The corridor is basically a long  in hallway a house. It is used for separating rooms and residents. Evidence of the first corridor was was the Beaufort House of 1597. Corridors also connected rooms together besides separating people. Corridors also provide a sense of privacy for those who need it. Sound also could be easily muffled and enhanced in corridors.

Despite this being my final post for the intersession course of Architecture and Design at Everest Public High school, I will continue to post about architecture that I find interesting. Farewell for now Rafael.



http://bowjamesbow.ca/2009/09/18/behind-the-scen.shtml

Architecture at Everest - Semester 2: Week 4 Post 2

Intersession
Architecture and Design
Audie Santos
6/11/13

June 11th, 2013


Documentary: Frank Lloyd Wright



Frank Lloyd Wright was one of the most famous American architects of the 20th century. The documentary we watched today covers most of his life. Frank was born in Richland Center Wisconsin under the name Frank Lincoln Wright. He grew up with his mother telling him he was going to be a famous architect, and a great person. He went on with that mindset through his studies in school, that he was destined to be great. His parents divorced, and in dedication to his mother, he changed his middle name to his mother's maiden name, Lloyd. When he went on to college, he never finished, and with the knowledge he had learned, left his college, and went to seek apprenticeship under the architect Louis Sullivan. He made houses for Sullivan's clients in the style that Sullivan wanted their houses to be made.

Frank Lloyd Wright displaying his design of the Kenneth Laurent House

www.designboom.com/architecture/frank-lloyd-wrights-kenneth-laurent-house-up-for-auction/

Eventually,Wright became bored of Sullivan's architectural style, so he went off and found his own clients under different names. Eventually, Sullivan found out about this, and let Wright go. Wright went off and became his own man, designing buildings in his image. Everyone liked it. Frank went on to different styles, reviving old ones along the way. If he saw a building he liked, he would try to revive or mimic it's style in his own architecture.

The Fallingwate house by Frank Wright.

http://indechouse.com/beautiful-natural-house-design-by-frank-lloyd-wright.html

Architecture at Everest - Semester 2: Week 4 Post 1

Intersession
Architecture and Design
Audie Santos
6/10/13

June 10th, 2013


Field Trip:  Treasure Island, San Fransisco 

An overview of Treasure Island(Left) Yerba Buena Island(Right) and the Bay Bridge (Bottom Right)

http://www.e-rev.org/post/8865495292/treasure-island-san-francisco-eco-island

A view of Building 1.

Today, our architecture class went in-depth  on the history, creation, and use of treasure island, by visiting the artificial land itself. Originally, Treasure Island was created for the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition.To get to Treasure Island you must first cross the San Fransisco Bay Bridge which leads to the Yerba Buena Island, which is connected to Treasure Island via small driving strip. The very first building we saw today in San Fransisco, was the first building you see on Treasure Island. The building was conveniently named Building 1. The entirity of the building is one large curve. It is dotted with windows and such. This building used to be a control center for all of the clipper ships that passed this island. This building was once an administration building for the U.S. Navy. Now it sits as a museum. This building was designed by William Day and George Kelham. Near the entrances sculptures of man and woman reside.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/nathangraham/5509935773/

The interior of Building 1.

On the interior of the building, is a large and curved painting of the history of San Fransisco and Treasure Island. It depicts all of the major events and conflicts San Fransisco and Treasure Island have been through. The interior has been used for Flea markets and other kiosks. Continuing through the building will lead you towards the end back entrance. Crossing the street will lead you towards the Winery behind Building 1. The back of Building 1 resembles a piece of prison, with the color being very bland and uninteresting.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/unclejefejefe/3982965750/

Architecture at Everest - Semester 2:Week 3 Post 5

Intersession
Architecture and Design
Audie Santos
6/7/13

June 7th, 2013

The Gothic arch

Documentary:  Gothic Architecture



Today in class we learned more about architecture in the past. The most reputable works of architecture seems to be coming from Europe's Gothic architecture. Though other countries are well balanced in form, and ingenuity, Gothic architecture has gargantuan size and elegance combined together, and put into one building. Gothic architecture revived the Roman arch and made it their own by putting a point. No only is it more stable, but it looks much better. The Gothic arch is used in many of the medieval churches and really add to the overall power of the church. When a series of arches were connected to form a ceiling, that is referred to as a vault.




http://www.sirgeorgetrevelyan.org.uk/books/thtbk-arch02.html

A picture of the Ca'd Oro

The Ca'd Oro is a place in Venice, Italy where Doges or rulers too residence in this building. There are many vaulted ceilings on the interior. Also, both styles of arches were used on the exterior. The building floats on the Grand Canal of Venice. The time to build this took decades due to the construction material, and the fact that the workers had to haul the heavy marble slabs and sculpt it in order to see through the vision of the architects.











http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ca_dOro_Venice_Italy.jpg

Architecture at Everest - Semester 2: Week 3 Post 4

Intersession
Architecture and Design
Audie Santos
6/5/13

June 5th, 2013

Documentary:  Early Christian Architecture

A view from the inside of the Hagia Sophia

Looking back, this is form of architecture was used a little closer to medieval times, therefore it is not considered ancient. This type of architecture was used by the Roman Empire which has split into to sects. The Eastern and Western Empires of Rome. The West being having Rome as the capital and speaking Latin. While the East became the Byzantine Empire and spoke Greek and used Turkey as their capital. The Western Romans were more traditional. However, the Byzantine Empire differed in architectural feats and style.  As opposed to old Roman style they had used before, the Byzantine mixed it up a little and added in a little more flair to the old tradition. For example the Roman Empire followed Greek architectural styles from the Columns on the outside and walls on the inside. For the Byzantine Empire, they placed the walls on the outside and columns on the inside.

The building pictured above is the Hagia Sophia. It is one of the world's largest Cathedrals before it became a mosque and then a museum you can visit today.  Hagia Sophia in means "holy wisdom" in Greek. This building was an architectural feat supervised by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian. Justinian wanted to display his power and gain trust of the people, so he built this Cathedral in honor of his religion. over the course of building, Justinian's architects faced many problems such as fitting a circle in a square. They were able to fix this by creating a curved piece that fitted the square to the circle. They then added smaller  quarter hemispheres to cover up the curved pieces. Later when the Byzantine empire became a part of Turkey, this Cathedral served as a mosque.

http://www.studyblue.com/notes/note/n/late-antique-and-byzantine-spaces/deck/4758023

Arhitecture at Everest - Semester 2: Week 3 Post 3

Intersession
Architecture and Design
Audie Santos
6/4/13

June 4th, 2013

Documentary: Norman Foster

Norman Foster in the flesh. 78 years of age.

Today, the focus of the documentary was on the architect Norman Foster. An architect who was alive during the time of World War 2,  became fascinated with planes and let his passion for them influence his architecture today. His humble beginnings started in Stockport England 1935. The start of the 2nd World War. During the bombings of his house, he would look up and try to guess and deduct which kind of planes were bombing his house. He later in life he drew pictures of planes and buildings in the R.A.F (Royal Air Force). After he retired from the R.A.F. one of his officers recommended him a job as an architect. It was the perfect job for him.

http://de.structurae.de/persons/data/index.cfm?id=d000042


One of Fosters's most recognized works is the Swiss Re Headquarters in London. The Swiss Re is one of the sky scrappers of London and is one the most recognizable buildings due to its unique egg shape. The elongated shape is 41 stories tall. There is 46,000 square meters of space all in all. At the very point of the building is a club. This club provides a 360 degree view of London. The entire building functions as a center of commerce. Also around along the edges of the building, is a large spiral staircase leading up and down towards different sections of the building. While on this stair case, one can see all of London.

The full view of the Swiss Re Headquarters.

http://www.eikongraphia.com/?p=300

Architecture at Everest- Semester 2: Week 3 Post 2

Intersession
Architecture and Design
Audie Santos
6/4/13

June 4th, 2013

Documentary: Ancient Architecture-China

The front of the Forbidden City

Another ancient civilization or country that was found to have some of the best architecture in the world is China. In the past China has been known for its great palaces, walls, and unique roofs. Today we will be exploring some of the techniques and styles used so that the Chinese could create their structures. The Chinese used a lot of horizontal placement and symmetry in their structures. For example, the Forbidden City, a palace which was residence for the imperial families of China. As shown in the picture there is a lot of horizontal symmetry shown here. From the roof, to the floor, to the railings. The Chinese paid close attention to the placement of everything.

A diagram of how Feng Shui works

http://www.altiusdirectory.com/Travel/forbidden-city.html

With that said, Feng Shui is another thing that influenced Chinese architecture in the aspects of placement, color, and numbers. Feng Shui, is an art and a science in orientation. If something was not oriented or placed correctly, the Chinese who believed this thought that the incorrect placement would be bad for the family, spiritually, and physically. For example, let's say you want to build a house near a river. According the Feng Shui, you should place so that the door faces the river. If you don't, then it will cause illness and just be plain inconvenient.

http://www.mountainvalleycenter.com/feng-shui-guide.php

An example of a house following the code of Feng Shui

http://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/ex/template_content_corner/ex35/lg.html

Architecture at Everest- Semester 2: Week 3 Post 1

Intersession
Architecture and Design
Audie Santos
6/3/13

June 3rd, 2013

Field Trip-Locations: Fox Century Theater Redwood City Plaza, Burlingame Train Station ( All of these locations are in California)

 A view of the Fox Theater from the front.

What's a great way to start a Monday? Field trip. We started off one of the most frequently visited places in our town, the RWC Fox Theater. This theater is unlike any other theater here in Redwood City. This is possibly the oldest theater in Redwood City and the architecture was the style of the Gothic revival on the outside while the style of the Islamic revival on the outside. The theater finished construction under the Reid Brothers guidance in 1929 and was originally named the New Sequoia Theater. The outside of the theater is very flamboyant and boasting. What really catches the eye about this building is its crown-like roof. The amount of detail that went into the roof is very nice


http://www.pacificeurohotel.com/area-attractions

 A frontal view of the Burlingame Train Station.

Our next stop was the Burlingame Train Station. Just the words "train station" make people already assume that is ordinary. I assure you that this one is unique compared to the standard white and silver box shaped train station. This particular train station's structure takes influence from the Spanish revival, a time period where styles, culture, and architecture from Spain were being used again. In this case, to make a train station. This building was created in 1894 and used the architectural styles of Spanish Colonial, and Mission revivals. This building has also been dubbed a California historical landmark. The first thing I noticed about this building is how bright the orange is. Most of the architecture found in this building is colored in orange. So most of the featrues are visibly noticed like i.e. the arch or facade. The other major feature of this building was the arch tile roof. This design lets rain flow off of it easily. Not to mention how it really tops the whole Spanish look. All in all, the Burlingame train station may not be very large, but it makes up for that in its unique design.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/osinek/5602073627/

A small view of the railway that passes through here ( Back of station)

http://www.caltrain.com/stations/burlingamestation.html