Week 1 In our first lecture, we caught a glimpse of the profession of architecture.

In this introduction, we learned about different famous architects and saw examples of their work. They included Kenzo Kumo, Zaha Hadid, Daniel Libeskind, Frank Gehry, Malevich, and much more. Looking at the work of these eminent professionals, I was very intimidated but intrigued at the same time. Their level of work is highly proficient and distinctive, and I realized I had a lot to learn in my next five years in college. Kenzo Kumo is a Japanese architect whose penchant for clean simple lines and shapes is displayed in his work. Zaha Hadid stood out as an exemplary female architect who designed unconventional pieces that changed the world. I looked up her Hong Kong peak competition design and was fascinated by the multitude of shapes. Her other projects such as the Dubai Opera House were so original and unique. Frank Gehry is a familiar name I recognized, since Ive always admired the famous Walt Disney Concert Hall. When I saw his Guggenheim Museum sketch, I initially saw a mess of lines on a page. However, after looking up a picture of the actual museum, I saw the resemblance and the distinctiveness of the piece. I figured that to be a great architect, one needs to be able to find his or her special style and signature look. These great architects had such unconventional ideas, but thats what made them stand out and the buildings instantly recognizable. Daniel Libeskinds micromegas were very intricate and complicated, but I really appreciated the detail in these pieces. Kasimir Malevichs Suprematist painting was a totally different style, dominated by simple geometric shapes that form an appealing composition. Lastly, I admired how Louis Kahn uses space poetically, stressing the concept of served spaces and servant spaces. In the profession of architecture, we have to learn to wrestle with our own media and make dead objects comes to life. Buildings will always stand as unmoving objects but its design and structure can speak to us. Architects have to think spatially and grasp the concepts of thought, light, form and structure and think of them as a whole. These renowned 20th century masters have paved the way to modern architecture, and its up to us to learn from the best and create a new era of art in the 21st century.

Week 2: In this lecture by Dr. Don Choi, we learned about the why of architecture, both the theoretical and the historical aspect of it. Architectural theory is the development of perspectives on architecture throughout history. Thinking, discussing, and writing about it helps us build our own interpretation and understanding about design. Over time, ideas arise and we must filter through them to achieve a goal. Theory describes the practice and production of architecture, using observations on current states of discipline to offer new solutions to challenges. One example shown was Bernard Tschumis follies in La Parc de la Villete. These buildings are red and unusual, provocatively sitting in the middle of Paris. These are architectural representations of deconstruction, making use of the space in the park that had no history, called a non-space. The function of this form promotes anti-tourism. The relation between form and function is an important one, since a building design should have a purpose. The relationship between them is the why of architecture. For example, Louis Sullivan invented the skyscraper, a distinctive trait of American architecture. This tall office building design is built vertically, suitable for busy downtown spaces full of businesses. The function is to give these people a place to work; the form is to use up the space and evoke a distinguishable appearance of loftiness. Another example is Le Cosbusiers approach to modern design. He brainstorms the function of a house (a machine for living in) and uses an engineers method of creating efficient and logical buildings. An engineer attains harmony, but an architect creates beauty that stirs emotion with the use of sculptural form. Form ever follows function, and this is the law. Lastly, Thomas Jefferson designed the Virginia State House that resembles an ancient Roman temple, representing the new republic and making connections between building and culture. The University of Virginia is also composed of small connected pavilions that express the essence of independence and unity of a federal union. Architectural theory is the fundamental basis of architecture, one that helps designers make decisions concerning their motives within the creation of their piece. By thinking about architecture, we make explicit our understanding of the art and broaden our influences that will aid us in design.