History and Cultural Context of Two Significant Buildings of the Same Typology - Essay Example

?History and Cultural Context of Imperial War Museum North and Imperial War Museum London Imperial War Museum North The Imperial War Museum North is one branch of the Imperial War Museum. The Imperial War Museum North was which was completed in 2001 and officially commissioned in 2002 was designed by Daniel Libeskind, an architect (Sophie 2009). Also referred to as IWM north, the museum is located in Greater Manchester, England. More specifically, it is located in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford. This place is closely associated with the Second World War. The beautiful museum overlooks the Manchester Ship Canal in Trafford Park. Fig 1. Aerial view of the Imperial War Museum North Courtesy of www.wabbaviation.co.uk Cultural conditions The Second World War which began in 1939 and ended in 1945 had a major impact on society and the lives of people. The war saw several people from different countries die and countless others maimed. The destruction of property and infrastructure that resulted from the modern war is practically beyond description. Today, memories of the Second World War and its effects remain etched in the minds of many people who lived at the time of the conflict. Although many people living in the U.K. today never witnessed the war, they have an opportunity to see its effects by visiting the Imperial War Museum North, one of the five braches of the Imperial War Museum (David 2002). The Trafford Park area in which the Imperial War Museum North is located played host to several factories including those that produced Avro Lancaster heavy bombers and engines that were used in combat aircraft owned by the British government. The museum building is situated in an area that was a major industrial centre during World War Two (Sophie 2009). During the Manchester Blitz that occurred in 1940, the industrial centre was heavily bombarded by enemy forces. The Museum was established in the area hence to display the impacts of modern wars on society and people (David 2002). The museum contains displays of several artifacts that were used during the Second World War including a 13-pounder field gun, Russian T-34 tank, and U.S. AV-8B Harrier jet. The museum is a major attraction in London with tourists and scholars being its main customers. Given its design and the additional features that it has, many people find the place interesting. This is coupled by the fact that the museum features different media which suits various interests. Design Principles and Theories The Imperial War Museum North building takes the untraditional form of a globe that has been reassembled after being shattered into pieces (Libeskind 2012). The building is formed by three interlocking fragments that represent water, air and earth. These three make concrete the wars that rocked the 20th century with men and women participating in the conflicts with the sea, sky, and land being the settings upon which the wars took place. Better stated, the building is formed by three shards of space that interlock to form a constellation (Libeskind 2012). The open, earthly sphere of the war is represented by the Earth Shard. On the other hand, the Water Shard is the platform upon which the Canal can be viewed. This shard also contains a cafe, restaurant, performance space and deck. Yet again, the Air Shard which leads into the museum is stringed with observatories, education spaces and projected images. Owing to financial constraints, the original design of the museum building was altered and a number of features excluded in the actual construction (Sophie 2009). The auditorium for example was removed and the exhibition content altered. The permanent exhibitions of the museum are featured in the main gallery space in the Earth Shard’s first floor. The exhibitions are displayed chronologically around the gallery that covers a perimeter of about 200 meters, and feature six thematic displays (Sophie 2009). The floor of the gallery is curved in shape and looks like the earth’s curvature from an imaginary north pole. The design of the museum building follows the principle of form follows function. The concept upon which the building is designed was premeditated and is dedicated toward educating the visitor. The building was designed to highlight the impacts of modern conflict on society – a function which impacted the form chosen by the designer. The building is asymmetrical in design although it remains harmonious with its setting near the adjacent waters. Fig 2: A view of the museum from the ocean Original Purpose and Usage of the Buildings and How This Has Changed Over Time The Imperial War Museum North was built to show the public how modern conflicts can affect the society. The building was originally designed to host permanent exhibitions and to be a cultural centre (Sophie 2009). As previously noted, owing to financial constraints, some elements of the original design were altered or altogether left out although the original concept and intended use have hot changed to date. Reviews by Historians and Architectural Critics The Imperial War Museum North has been favorably defined and received a few critical comments from various quarters. The museum building for one won the Building Award during the British Construction Industry awards held in 2003 (Sophie 2009) Furthermore, many historians have conceded that building wields metaphorical power further complemented by the effects of its internal architecture and main exhibition. Yet another positive comments that has been posted in regard to the museum is its economy noting that the budget allocated for the building was limited and yet the work produced magnificent (Giles 2002). On the other hand, the building has been criticized for its poor energy efficiency. In spite of this, the Museum building has been rated top ten in the last century (Libeskind 2012). It has also been rated one of the top three favourite attractions in the United Kingdom going by the number of visitors that it hosts annually. Imperial War Museum London The Imperial War Museum London building which was formally the Bethlem Royal Hospital building was constructed to completion in 1814 (Steel 2009). Designed by James Lewis, the museum comprises a range of buildings and covering about 580 feet in length. Also known as IWM London, the museum consists of three storeys and a basement, its main entrance beneath a portico. The museum is located along Lambeth Road in London. Fig. 3: Front view of the museum Courtesy of architectsjournal.co.uk Cultural conditions IWM London was established to tell the stories of members of society as they experienced conflict and war. The museum features galleries that explore ideas, places, people as well as events that occurred from World War One to date. The main events covered are the first and second world wars, the holocaust, Korean War, Cold War, Gulf and Falklands War. Another focus of the museum is the activities of Britain’s secret agencies (Steel 2009). In this respect, the museum also acts as an educational centre from which members of the public can learn history. The museum has a wide collection of documents including private letters, memoirs, and diaries of military personnel and civilians. Other documents held by the museum include magazines, newspapers, maps, leaflets, and proclamations. Apart from the documents, the museum features a collection of art works including sculptures, drawings, paintings, photographs, posters, and printed materials. In addition to these, the museum holds a collection of videos and films. The library contains several reference materials that relate to modern warfare such as unit histories, biographical materials, various aspects of war, and technical manuals. Design Principles and Theories Before being converted to a museum, the building was significantly altered by Sydney Smirke with the aim of creating more space for exhibitions. The architect added blocks on the frontage of the main building and wings on the sides of the central portion which now act as galleries (Caven 2001). In addition to these changes, a small single story lodge was constructed while the central cupola replaced with a dome clad with copper so as to expand the chapel below. In the new design, a theatre is included in a building at the rear of the main building. Today, the original hospital building hosts several corporate offices. The houses built as extensions on the other hand feature a document library, an art store, and library. The museum further features a gallery space of area 5860 square meters and more than six floors of space housing educational facilities. The ground floor of the museum block contains the visitor facilities, cinema, atrium, and temporary exhibition spaces (Steel 2009). Yet again, the building’s basement hosts the permanent galleries that relate to the world wars. Fig 4: A front view of the museum Courtesy of architectsjournal.co.uk As can be seen from the design features presented above, the museum is mainly dedicated to educating members of the public about past historical events and how they have shaped the history of England and other nations. The modified design of the museum applies the principle of form follows function. The building was modified to include educational facilities and therefore to act as an educational centre. The museum building is generally symmetrical and balanced. The beautiful building is simply designed and is surrounded by grass which meshes well with the colors of the building. The huge building is designed such that the viewer is reduced to a dwarf with the focal point of the building being its entrance and huge dome. Original Purpose and Usage of the Buildings and How This Has Changed Over Time As previously noted, the Imperial War Museum London was originally designed to be a hospital, its original plan being based on several plans submitted by various architects including John Gandy (aviewoncities.com 2012). Its foundation laid in 1812, the hospital was used in the care of people who were insane. The hospital building was later transformed into the museum that it is today. The main reason for the establishment of the museum was “to record the story of the Great War (WWI) and the contributions made to it by the peoples of the Empire” (aviewoncities.com 2012, par. 1). In this respect, the museum hosts galleries and exhibitions and a few extras such as a theatre and lodge (Steel 2009). The exhibitions, galleries and material collections held by the museum position it (the museum) as an educational centre. Given its wide collection of primary data sources, the museum is also well placed to be a centre for research Reviews by Historians and Architectural Critics The Imperial War Museum London has been hailed as a major attraction in London with visitors coming from all over the world (Caven 2001). Given that the museum was originally designed to be a hospital, its design according to some architects is a welcome alteration. The museum space is relatively small and the dome is rather disproportionate. Conclusion There are several similarities between the Imperial War Museum North and The Imperial War Museum London. The two museums were constructed in areas that were affected by different modern conflicts. They were established to enlighten members of society about the impacts of modern war. The museums feature war time events, places, people, items and equipment. The military and their ways are depicted in the exhibitions that are featured in the museums. They are also frequented mostly by tourists and scholars who are interested in history. The Imperial War Museum North is fashioned in an untraditional way as opposed to its counterpart in London. While the former building looks more attractive, it is said to be less energy efficient compared to its counterpart in London. References aviewoncities.com 2012, Imperial War Museum http://www.aviewoncities.com/london/imperialwarmuseum.htm Caven H. 2001, "Horror in Our Time: Images of the concentration camps in the British media, 1945". Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television (Routledge) 21 (3): 205–253. David M. 2002, 'Full metal jacket: Imperial War Museum North' Museum Practice No. 21, December, pp. 24–29 Giles W. 2002 A globe ripped to pieces, The Daily Telegraph, London. Libeskind D. 2012, Imperial War Museum North http://daniel-libeskind.com/projects/imperial-war-museum-north Sophie G. 2009, First Look: Topotek 1 adds to Libeskind's Imperial War Museum North, Architects Journal. Steel P., 2009, 'IWM sets up foundation to fund gallery revamp' Museums Journal Volume 109 No. 8, p.6 Read More