Architecture in the Machine Age - Essay Example

Architecture in the Machine Age The work of Mohol-Nagy and Lissitzky, in the case of spatiotemporal properties, expressed the highest level of experiment. Going back from the analysis of this progress, we may see a crucial conjuncture among height level of abstract art in architecture and other main basis of types of modernist architecture-industrialization (to be more specific machine) There were two levels where the conjuncture occurred. In the first level architects and important avant-garde artists started to draw motivation form monumental advancements in both machine technologies and factory productions, noticing efficiency and ideal of economy, in these. In the second stage however, the study about the abstract period of capitalism carried out by the Futurists with the help of their representation of motion and kinetic dynamism was developed in a more precise and systematic manner by the school of Taylorism, whose motion and time studies of labor developed the basis of scientific management in the industry (Giedion, 1954). Taylorism is considered as the subject of mechanics of motion and optimization of productivity. Taylorism exerted a strong influence over the modern architecture. Apart from this, the wider cult of machine and the particular engineer gave the avant-garde along with a good image for the ethos of their time. The old school people, who remained involved in studding the history of architecture and representing its forms, were remained unsighted to the highly obvious features of modern era-industrialization. Technology directly facilitated and affected architecture to create novel materials with which to construct. These new materials helped engineers to get rid of the limitations of engineering of the past. It also allowed new rational designs which were based on building functions. But the most important thing is that, these designs were generated by an original ideal. Considering that rational design will develop for a balanced society. Technology transformed the architecture into an instrument for cultural and social reform. Three new materials were generated in the field of architecture in the industrial revolution during the 20th century: steel glass and reinforced concrete (Giedion, 1954). These new materials were flexible to use, mass produced and inexpensive. These impacted American cities in a big way by allowing better density through taller buildings. During 1850-1900, the Crafts and Art Movement was a response against industrial revolution. In 1765, James Watt invented stem engine and it propelled the mechanization of transportation, industry and agriculture. In Britain, that altered the life of working people. The towns and cities developed to accommodate the expansion of industries and the introduction of new workers who came from countryside for employment. However, the standard of living deteriorated slowly and people felt that the life had changed but for the worst. ‘In England’, many had given up the rural lifestyle. From the green and ‘pleasant land’ they came and joined industrial revolution, - 'dark Satanic mills' for the purpose of an employment. As a result the workers lost the feel of belongingness and security, which generally comes from staying in a smaller community. The members of the movement of Arts and Crafts included architects, designers, artists, writers and craftsmen Guillâen,They were afraid the industrialization was demolishing the traditional crafts and skills. The credit went to machines for producing the quality goods with high skill and design. They thought that hand crafted good s were superior compared to machine made goods. So, they thought they had a better lifestyle compared to those who worked as slave in the factories and mills in the urban areas. They believed that general downfall in the artistic standers lead to industrialization and it was related the moral and social decline of the nation. In spite of its high principle the movement of Arts and Crafts was essentially flawed. The movement’s opposition against the modern techniques of production was more of looking backward to the medieval era rather than going forward to the progressive age of total mechanization. It sounded like the death knells of the Art and craft movement. Following the socialist ideal, they only could be unsuccessful to produce hand made quality and affordable goods at a large scale. Their design and production cost were very high that they were bought by the rich people. It is also a fact that, this movement constantly looked back for motivation had a short life span. Many ways are there to interpret the past without recurring the same argument. However, the biggest legacy of the Crafts and Art movement was their belief of the connection between design and the quality of life. These were examples for others who later tried to utilize the capacity of the industrial mass production for the service of better design. Few designers like Christopher Dresser whose performance still looks notable modern started to refuse the negative sides of the movement’s principle (Guillâen, 2006). But he positively adapted the technicalities of industrial manufacturing. It was the beginning of the design evolution and would eventually conclude the base of the Bauhaus School of Art and Design. This school became the prototype of art education. In 1909 in Milan, an avant-garde revolution, Futurism was founded by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, an Italian poet. The Futurist liked technology , speed, youth and violence, the airplane, the industrial city and the car. That means all that represent technical advancement over nature. They were dedicated nationalist. The Futurists were more interested in anything new and related to technology. These new things added to their obsession. They were interested in the total removal of the past system. This new mixture of interest attracted the Futurists in a big way towards the busy city life. It made sense that few Futurists thought of improving upon their option living area. The key propelling factor behind Futurist architecture was Antonio Sant’Elia. In Italy in 1888 he was born. He was trained and took the qualification as a builder from there only. After the completion of training he shifted to Milan. There he got employment as a building and still continued with the architectural education. He was not involved in the Futurists before 1912 rather he was involved in the movement of Italian Secessionist. Futurist ideas started influencing him during 1914. Antonio Sant'Elia had written Futurist Architecture’s official manifesto in 1914. This published manifesto was the edited and consolidated version of previously developed ideas in Messaggio. The document Messaggio was also developed by Sant'Elia. The writing style was similar in Futurist Architecture’s Manifesto and other manifestos of Futurist. It was quite inflammatory in general with a deep desire to go away as totally from the earlier period as possible. Along with this separation from the past, Futurists totally embraced all new techniques they could develop their hands on. It is not that only they used new materials they also used new design too as they wanted fresh materials to go with new design themes which was different from the past. The manifesto declared that the implementation of new resources in the contraction of buildings which has historical designs and desecrates the materials. Their desire was to go away from the past. For the future generation, this manifesto recommended that buildings which are constructed with degradable material making sure that no item would endure past in a single generation. The deteriorating architecture actually makes each and every generation accountable for the developments of their own cities and towns. To a certain extent this type of developments is happening today. Along with the budget constraints prompting the development construction of restricted use, temporary accommodations and contractions with expected occupancy of fourty years or so. However, even all the discussion about the braking out from the past and many designs made where it was not that radical compared to their expectation. Antonio Sant’Elia in his designs gave the indication of monumental architecture. Many designs describing monumental patterns and monolithic pillars Apart from this, their desire was to create a city different from the past, but no full proof plan was developed for it. It reflects that the way Futurists wanted to eliminate the past days, such and an objective was essentially not possible. The first director and the founder of the Bauhaus, Walter Gropius designed the school building in second campus. White and grey plain walls, screens made of glass, quite a few stories in height remained in the trend. Gropius' balconies displayed an inspiring new structural opportunity such as steel frame construction: one of the examples of cantilevering, here the platform is fixed at one end only. It further increased the concept of architectural weightlessness. Le Corbusier, the Swiss architect, even though was not directly associated to the Bauhaus but became the important figure in the global style. He liked even expanses of lite colour reinforced concrete pierced along with windows with Horizontal strips. The degree of curvilinear geometry will also be there ((see examples). Mainly designer houses, Corbusier; the Villa Savoye is his masterpiece work. While Le Corbusier and Gropius made a huge usage of reinforced concrete, steel and glass in pure form, construction in the global pattern was liked Mies van der Rohe. Mies van der Rohe was another director of Bauhaus. He firmly believed in removing all embellishments. His guiding ideal was "less is more". He brought the global pattern to the top of its impact. The decedents of his steel-and-glass tall buildings came into view every part of the earth. 20 The Seagram construction in New York is basically a steel frame covered in curtains made of glass is generally considered his masterpiece. Works Cited Giedion, Sigfried Space, Time and Architecture – The Growth of A New Tradition. (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1954. Guillâen, Mauro F. The Taylorized beauty of the mechanical: scientific management and the rise of modernist architecture. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2006. Read More