The text is in the third person. The photographers, Morrison and McCredie talks about New Zealand's architectural designs rapidly transforming though out the last 150 years. It mentions major building traditions and trends. It goes on to mentioning the diversity of architectural designs, mentioning styles some including Edwardian Baroque designs, Antipodean Gothic designs and many more. The author mentions ways architects responded to extreme challenges, for example in the mid twentieth century and reactions to the Napier earthquake of 1931. Because of this this, indigenous architects were in high demand, and the arrival of modernism came.
I liked this text because researching so many architects and their works, seeing how they adapted to sudden situations; it's gives hope to all the up and coming architects out there because there can never be a shortage of architects that can work on demand. I admire those who look for certain challenges and help with the cause, it makes the final design that much more rewarding.
I hope to be one of those designers one day, contributing my designs to people who share interests with me and my work. Reading about these texts gives me more insight and ideas that can help me develop my own ideas.
Kronenburg R. Flexible (2007) by Laurence King publishing Ltd
Flexible is a book about Architecture responding to change, written in the third person, but the introduction is in the 1st person. Kronenburg talks a bit about himself and his travels. The book touches on different architects and how their designs responded to change. He mentions architects like Le Corbusier. The text starts with how we human beings are flexible creatures moving about at will, and manipulating objects and working in many environments. It mentions how as technology develops , we adapt. It briefly mentions modernism and how it was developed in general. It mentions contemporary architecture. Years ago, architects would react to the pressures of emerging global culture, developing movements and styles.
I enjoyed reading this book because reading about how movements and styles throughout the ages still to this day, impacts our everyday lives without us actually thinking about it. To think about what's happened in the world globally can influence the way architects create their works is enlightening. It makes me think about how the global issues of today are influencing the way architects think and design.
Amidon J. Radical Landscapes. (2001) Published by Thames and Hudson Inc.
This book is in the 3rd person. It's about how Landscape architecture today is one of the most revolutionary areas of design. It mentions how with environmental awareness, landscape architects are re-shaping man made surroundings. This books features Landscapes artists designs. It touches on light, colour, and texture in forms and shapes. It talks about plane movement and what we consider solid ground is actually " a contrived set of impressions and solutions". It talks about how designers make amazing work with the raw materials that they're given, and appearing in places never before considered. Contemporary styles are shown in urban designs, and finally mentions how all landscapes are underpinned by a personal history, sometimes relaying specific images about culture, ecology, people and place.
I enjoyed seeing the designs in this book. It was the first in-depth reading about Landscape architecture that I've done and found it fascinating. The materials they used, and the environments they work with was inventive and creative. It made me want to see these designs in person. The text was inspiring, and generated ideas that I could use to further research in future.
Rudofsky B. Architecture without Architects. (2002) Published by Seventh Paperback printing
Written in 3rd person, This book is about the art of building, introducing the the unfamiliar world on non-pedigreed architecture. It mentions how it's not as easy to date back to earlier designs like it is for say painters. It features old monumental townships and cities. It shows buildings and many old photographs of landscapes mostly in Europe.
I liked this book because I thought " if they could build these without the resources we had today, what could these architects do with the technology we have now?" When I think back to how they could of possibly done all this, I develop a new found respect for them. To be able to talk to the people who inspired architecture today, and to Think about what I'd hear if they were around to see how our buildings look like today would be mind-boggling. These designs, and the architects behind them created a foundation for us, and without them, who knows what world we'd live in. It's weird to think about how many don't think about these ideas and it raises new questions about what other architectural aspects could have influenced our lives had they not been developed.
Miles M. Art Space, and the City. (1977) Published by Routledge
This book was in the 3rd Person, and was about how art and designs can contribute to urban futures. It touches on the perspectives of cultural geography, urban sociology and critical theory analyzing space and city. The text is about crossing practices of art and design, and the design for urban public spaces, all the while keeping critical theories in mind. Miles talks about suggesting ways in which perspectives of art, as work of the imagination, might also contribute to a critique of the city and to a sustainable and convivial urban future.
Thinking about what I read, It made me think about how many public spaces out there could be made in to works of art, especially here in Auckland, (the most populated city in New Zealand) I thought of all the train stations and bus stops that could be transformed into great designs and as I walk around town, I now picture the walls, imagining them to look something like out of a futuristic movie. Reading the book, I can't help but think how many other designs out there, not in this book, looks.
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