Power of 6

This is the second week and our Opus words are:

Illuminate
Material
Idiom
Commodity
Firmness
Delight

Illuminate can mean many things. However, in the past couple of weeks we have talked about illuminating things in a different way. In Suzanne’s class we learned how to add watercolor to our vignettes. I feel that this technique really illuminated/brightened our main points. Also, when using watercolors it is better to leave white space to make certain things stand out. In many ways the Europeans used certain materials and color on their pyramids to illuminate certain parts.

Hides

Material is in other terms an element. We use materials all throughout the day to do what we have to do, in example pencils, paper and watercolors. However, many materials are used in this world to construct different buildings and to create beautiful Architectural buildings. It isn’t known at what time humans learned to build. In history we learned read about different materials that were used at the beginning and how eventually cities were formed, instead of caves and huts. It is believed that in the earliest constructions most material came from organic elements such as, branches, brush and hides. (Roth 159) Even though these countries were limited in material, this caused them to create different innovations. One thing they would commonly do was remove material from other buildings in order to have an element to work with. Throughout time new material started to become popular such as stone which became symbolic for ritual structures. This led to columns, which was known for its verticality, and placed in a circular pattern to mark spots for ritual purposes. (Roth 169) This shows that history not only used material to construct but also to create a symbolic meaning.Symbolic structures always have a double meaning.






Idiom means something that has double meaning and can be unpredictable. Many time with think about it as certain sayings that portray a different meaning like when you say “when pigs fly” this means that something will never happen not. However, in history Architecture is like an idiom. In many ways it has two meanings. To enlighten peoples eyes with its beauty and to symbolize many other things. Sir Herbert said “a mode of symbolic discourse.”(Roth 159) Roth says that architecture is shelter, but it is also symbol of a form of communication. Through its building it expresses a different story. In class we also talked about how the Ziggurats build their stepped mountains to symbolize “if you build high you are able to reach the heavens.This shows that something they valued was the height of their pyramids as well as the steps to illustrate this idiom.






Commodity is something of value. When reading through the chapters I realized that the hieroglyphics were something that the Egyptians valued. Priest taught writing and painting just to ensure that the images and inscriptions were correct. This showed how much they valued their temples and tombs. To them a temple was more than a place of worship but it was also a center of learning and administration for the nation. (Roth 203) The inscriptions were so important that scribes and artisans were the ones who lived the best since their skill were necessary to the temple services and the creation of incriptions.

HYPOSTYLE HALL

Firmness means strength. Roth refers to it as foundations that were solid and to building materials being used wisely to do their required work. (Roth 11) One of the structures that really show strength to me is the Hypostel Hall. The columns that were used in this hall look really tough and secure where they are at. The thickness that they show and the length that they are portraying illustrate a firm standing. Also though many pyramids show firmness because of their square base overtime they have started to decay and lose its sharp and strong look.
In Stoel's class we experienced firmness through our furniture designs. We were to design furniture that looked well standing. I felt that that when designing this it had to show commodity, firmness and delight. Firmness where it had to be strong and stand, commodity where it had to be valuable to Pat and delight where it had to accommodate all the necessities that Pat asked for.






Delight is something that is appealing to the eye. I feel that all architectural buildings have to be appealing to people’s eyes.According to Roth their are many parts to delight."Life is not life at all without delight."(Roth 67)Delight is something appealing to the eye, however, it isn't alway a piece or art that is beautiful or a building that is built perfectly. Delight could also be ugliness which include collisions of many colors and awkwardness.Ugliness can also be an object that causes a confusion in ones mind.Other factors include proportion, ornament,color,light and scale.


Overall I feel that this week we have seen more ties into history then our classes. We have learned that Commodity,Firmness and delight cannot work without one because each is used to illuminate each building that might have a special material that can symbolize something else causing an idiom.