Design Culture - Assignment Example

Design Culture Assignment Le Corbusier Le Corbusier was well known architect who practiced architecture between 1920s and 1960s. His real name was Charles-Edouard Jeanneret. He was born in 1887 and died in 1965. He was a designer, urban planner, painter, architect, and writer. He influenced the field of architecture significantly through his innovative artworks and his famous manifesto known as “Une vers architecture” which paved way for modernism in architecture. Le Corbusier produced several symbolic works including Villa Savoye and Chapelle Notre Dame du Haut. In his career he was committed to innovating, writing and building things in amazing ways. Throughout his career which lasted for three years his buildings were constructed throughout Europe, America and India. He was also committed to enhancement of better living conditions for residents of crowded cities. He influenced urban planning in a long period of his career. Le Corbusier designed housing blocks and cities in his architecture. His career was highly occupied with theoretical urban schemes, and in 1922 he presented a scheme for a contemporary city which was expected to carry three million people. Within the early stages of his career, Le Corbusier decided to write a manifesto called “Une vers architecture”, also known as Towards an architecture. This has been considered the most influential architectural manifesto for the past century. The historical context in which the author wrote the manifesto was within the inception of modern architecture. The manifesto was written throughout 1920s. Toward an Architecture served as a manifesto for the coming generation of architects. This period marked a time in the history of France when the Paris was exceedingly becoming populous and the need for more modern houses that could accommodate more people were needed. The urban housing crisis led Le Corbusier to seek more efficient ways to develop houses for the large number of people. This led him to design houses and write his architectural manifesto. He wanted to use his architectural prowess to improve the quality of life for the lower class people. There were politically minded industrialists who used Taylorist and Fordist strategies in France to reorganize the society. This was an industrial age with a new spirit. Le Corbusier was motivated by the industrial spirit within France to develop modern industrial techniques to change the society to become an efficient environment characterised by higher standards of living. Historically, Le Corbusier developed his career within the First and Second World War. These eras were very unstable politically, and economies were falling. Military weapons and technologies spread across Europe and the Americas. The manifesto goals fitted the historical context because Le Corbusier brought a modern form of architecture which was needed to design good houses that could accommodate the increasing number of people in towns. All the manifesto goals dismissed contemporary eclecticism and art deco, and instead brought new elements of architecture that changed the way people interacted with buildings. The industrial age demanded the development of functional architecture and aesthetic that relied purely on form. The manifesto of Le Corbusier was made of seven essays that discussed engineer’s aesthetics, mass, plan, surface, eyes that do not see, illusions of plans, regulating lines, mass production of houses, architectural revolution, pure creation of the mind, and the five points in architecture. All these topics contained goals that Le Corbusier defined since the early stages of his career. These goals were relevant in their historical context because they helped Le Corbusier to gain respect and attention from people who cared about the issues he was addressing and the development needed in architecture. The goals of his manifesto also helped him to explore various issues in architecture including plasticity in concrete, different styles’ experimentations, city planning, and expansion of projects internationally. One of the most important goals of Le Corbusier is for architects to embrace new artistic ideal. It reflects a new way of life demonstrated by architecture (Cohen, 2007). This goal is contained in the essay, “aesthetic of the Engineer”. The goal is expected to influence the rational and emotional aspects of architecture. Another goal of architecture depicted by the manifesto is the use of geometric forms rather than primary forms based on beauty. It requires the understanding of Mathematics and good art. Thirdly, geometrical constituents of the surface should be developed to create limpid and moving plastic facts. Another goal in the manifesto is to have a plan, which brings order and willfulness in architecture. The manifesto also suggests that buildings should have regulating lines which can be used in rationalization of features placement in buildings. There are also goals reflected by the five points in architecture – Pilotis, root garden, free plan, free façade and horizontal goals. All the goals of the manifesto do not have any hierarchy of importance. All of them are equally important because they determine the design of the building as a whole. The style of language in this manifesto is a radical language because it focuses on complete reform and change in architecture. The goals are represented to demonstrate complete, thorough, sweeping and far-reaching influence on architecture. From the manifesto, it is clear that Le Corbusier suggests goals that are aimed at affecting the fundamental nature of architecture (Evenson, 1969). For instance, he reputes the traditional architecture and suggested the use of new technologies that enhance a new artistic ideal. Le Corbusier uses a radical language to express his desire to change buildings completely in order to meet housing the needs of rising population in Europe. Le Corbusier says in his manifesto: “Art in its essence is arrogant”. This shows that he imposes his views on others through radical language. Le Corbusier wrote his manifesto with a real passion to develop a new system of architecture and change the lives of people (Le Corbusier, 2007). His architecture is unique because he provides suggestions of how cities can improve its urban structures and he does not feel happy when his work is unaccepted. For instance, he is appointed one of the urban planners in Italy and when his design is rejected he quits politics. He is also ready to lose his friends for his stand in architecture. Indeed, he imposes his views on others through manifesto. My Own Manifesto The Versatilist manifesto developed by the Brazilian artist Denis Mandarino intended to free people from expert analysis and enhances self-knowledge and spiritual enhancement in practice of art. The manifesto was based on certain principles including eternal life, unifying the art market and self-centeredness, use of expressions that promote humanity and society through art, infinite change of learning and consciousness, absence of competitions in art, and dismissing critics of arts for inability to exercise impartial and timeless assessment of the artist. This manifesto is radical because it demands a change in how artists are viewed in the society. It imposes independence of artists. This is not in the spirit of competition which promotes efficiency of artworks. It may also lead artists to use their freedom and artistic talents to conduct unethical activities. My manifesto involves improved competition and restrictions on how to use artistic property rights. It relates to other cultures outside my own culture. This will be done through increased competitive and positive criticisms and cultural exchange between different cultures (League of Socialist Artists, 1973). However, boundaries will be set to ensure that designs serve to protect the rights of both the artist and the community. No one will be allowed to use art works to undermine the cultural values and beliefs of other people. This line of thinking relates to international perspective in competition, property rights, ethics and corporate social responsibility. Artistic works in the global perspective are protected by international property rights including copyrights and patents (Riggs, 2013). This ensures that healthy competition is enhanced in the artistic design market. Global perspective also suggests that businesses should behave ethically and practice corporate social responsibility in order to enhance sustainable economic development. Mostly, artistic designs are used to make money; and that counts as business. Artists should therefore be treated as business people who should follow business rules. In order to survive in the market and promote welfare in the community, they should behave ethically and responsibly. The current state of world design is made of designers who are not interested in corporate social responsibility but purely competitive strategies and profit seeking. What makes me feel passionate about the design world is the level of competition that has led to very innovative designs. Designers are making the world beautiful with evolving innovation in the design industry (Frampton, 2001). I would like to see competition bringing in such a healthy competition that adds on to beauty of the world while at the same time respecting and helping humanity, and protecting the environment. The layout of the document can be formed with attractive images of designs and green environment to reflect beauty and sustainability of the world as a result of design. The writings on the layout will be sizeable fonts that can be seen easily, with interesting calligraphy. The manifesto will stand out from others from its content and the layout. The layout will be linked with the content to show that design connects beauty to sustainability, because beauty and sustainability in the world leads to greater happiness and positive relationships. References list Cohen, J 2007, “Introduction" to Toward an Architecture. Los Angeles: Getty Research Institute. Dalrymple, T 2009, “The Architect as Totalitarian: Le Corbusier’s baleful influence”, City Journal, 19 (4), 34-56. Evenson, N 1969, Le Corbusier: The Machine and the Grand Design. New York: George Braziller Frampton, K 2001, Le Corbusier, London: Thames and Hudson. Le Corbusier 2007, Toward an Architecture. Translated by John Goodman. Los Angeles: Getty Research Institute. League of Socialist Artists 1973, Manifesto & Theses on art. London: League of Socialist Artists. Riggs, T 2013, The manifesto in literature. Detroit: St. James Press. Read More