In architecture, as in all operative arts, the end must direct the operation. The end is to build well. Well building hath three conditions: commodity, firmness, and delight.
-Sir Henry Wotton
From the beginning of this course we have seen many things about the birth of architecture. “How humans through chemistry and biological industries and their devices of mass destruction, have developed the unique capacity to alter, degrade, even devastate their environment. (Roth 159) As learned in class the building as a whole is designed as an external shell containing integrated and finished interiors. Firmness to me has to do a lot with the foundation of a building. First because we have to make sure that the building stands and is strongly structured to function well and so that the materials used won’t weather. To me these are the main qualities a building needs so that the main structure, being the foundation can be used to reinforce building itself. However, you would think that eventually the building would change; yet we don’t understand that the building eventually changes us. Commodity also would be the function of a building. This being “a room might be used to contain a single bed for sleeping, it might be an office cell containing a desk, or it might be a large orchestral hall or some other public space.” (Roth 15) Each function in a building could be different. For example, in our homes each room has its own function; the living room, bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. Each of these rooms has their own functions that we create. To complete the power of three we can't leave out delight. Delight, as we learned, is what is appealing to the eye. From the readings we see the what’s appealing to the eye can mean many things. One that stood out to me was the fact that ugliness as well gives an appealing view to the eye. However, ugliness can be defined in a number of ways: it can be considered ugly because it causes confusion, or it can be ugly or it can be considered a quality “ that is monstrous because it does not conform to accepted norms”. Since then I have never considered in looking at a building and characterized as “ugly”.
Another thing I find that was important during this unit was looking at different forms of hierarchy. Columns played a major role in hierarchy. When looking at the least descriptive from being the Doric, leading on to the Ionic, Corinthian, Tuscan Doric and Composite. Composite being the most detailed column. When working on the Opus project and tying it to history, really showed how these different columns could also play along with different words; for instance, archetype, prototype and hybrid. Like previously stated on my Opus Archetype would be the basic style Doric that would lead to the hybrid being the Composite. The Composite column takes characteristics from all the previous. The same way these columns took from other columns we see
Overall I feel that the foundation of architecture is commodity, firmness and delight. Without commodity being what makes the building function, firmness creating the actual structure and delight, which makes it appealing. In conclusion, a foundation is what keeps a house up. It is the basic structure that is the firmness of the house. The house itself is a function or commodity and delight is what the outside of the house gives off. The sight we see and what is considered appealing to the eye.
I feel that the parthenon illustrates commodity, firmness and delight. Its been up for so long and still looks great and standing strong.
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