Impact Of Technology On Architecture Essay

What impact has technology had on architecture of the 20th century?Throughout the nineteenth century, architecture ref workoutd to have anything to do with industry it had been concerned altogether with monumental projects glorifying the state and giant civic structures expressing the pride of its people. This however, any changed with the dawn of the twentieth century. Industrial issue became an integral part of modern society and a new relationship was forged between baste of music and machine. From the nineteen hundreds on, architecture was viewed in this new light. Modernism and the optimistic belief that architecture could change the approaching of society through a synthesis of science and technology was the result.It reflected a new ideal for creation one that linked man to a new sensible culture in tune with mechanization and efficiency. Technology forecastly touch on architecture by facilitating the creation of new materials with which to build. These new mater ials freed the architect from technology limitations of the past and allowed for new rational designs based on a buildOs function. But most importantly, these designs were given wee-wee by a new optimistic ideal that rational design would make for a rational society. Technology transformed architecture into a tool for social and cultural reform.The industrial revolution gave trio new materials to the architect of the 20th century reinforced concrete, steel and glass. The new materials were inexpensive, mass produced and flexible to use. These affected American cities profoundly by allowing greater density through higher expressions. Imagine the typical magnate floor plate as we know it open space with a few columns. You couldnt go as high or have such long spans between columns with timber frame. Chicago is a great example of the kind of boom that occured with this kind of new building technology. One need nevertheless to look to the Carson Pirie Scott Building built by Loiu s H. Sullivan in 1906 to understand the effect that new materials had on architecture of that era (fig.1). With its wide spans, large horizontal windows and non load-bearing walls, the building has a much lighter and more(prenominal)(prenominal) open feeling than that ofits predecessors. The Carson Pirie Scott buildingOs elevation is expressive of the Chicago Steel frame style made workable by industry.Another example of how new materials affected architecture is the Apartments at 25 bis Rue Franklin in Paris designed by August Perret (fig. 2). He used reinforced concrete for the skeleton of this building , which is visible on its exterior, and which gives it an overall impression of lightness. This also allowed Perret to open up his floor plan in ways that were previously restructed in wood frame construction the size of the windows was only limited by Paris bye-laws. Structure became expedient, quick to build and flexible to use. Along with Elisha OtisOs electric elevator, thes e materials as a direct result of technology gave birth to the sky scraper and changed the face of architecture forever.Major new buildings projects churches. But more fundamental was the recognition that a new free architecture was neccessary because of the emergence of new building types for which in that location was no provinance in the history of styles. There were a vast programme of building types schools, collages, libraries and above all offices.Idealization of industry -elimination of ornament -reduction of form to function(same as elimination of ornament, but including function also as how space is used) -expression of essentials i.e. structure, skin, floorplate (see Corbs Domino house diagram) -new kind of ethic in architecture-truth, honesty- to the point often of tight-laced fanaticism -importance of light-almost as if it could cleanse (could make claim about a purge of the post-grungy workshop industrial world of 19th century, turning to ordered rationality of pr oduction) Lots of white cleanable surfaces, emph on melodic phrase and ventilation also. see Corb again Villa Savoye Raised off the ground (no dirt), white walls, open spaces, fluid circulation(curved ramp), crownwork garden, ribbon wondows -ideal of frequentity in architecture modern materials coming from industry prodused a standardization that was create mentally to be applicable in any climate and culture. Corporations naturally picked up on a universal architectural culture (see the International Style by Johnson) An anecdote I heard from a visit architect who once had a beer with Mies van der Rohe. Asked Mies What materials would you use to build in Africa ?Glass and Steel. What materials would you use for a project in Finland ?Glass and Steel But how would you account for the diffecences in climate. equilibrium (This is totally hilarious to architects or anyone who knows Mies well) Role of the car -look at FLWrights Broad Acre City schemes- Utopian stuff about the role o f the car in the American landscape. His utopia of the 1930s is frighteningly close to what has literally happended to suburbancitie like Phoenix -suburbs -post-modern architecture emphasis of the legible image of the architecture- simplified enogh for a building to be read at a glance from behind the wheel of a car. See Robert Veturis Learning From Las Vegas a fun little book full of great insites that unfortunately spawned every piece of tacky post modern architecture ever made. See Michael Graves Portland Building for a mum box with decoration aimed at communicating mere image to the post modern eye greyed by the assault of T.V. and used to the speed of a carSocial engineers Yet, underlying all the get-up-and-go in all the continents was a theme that reflects the need to find something fundamental in architecture, something so real that from it a new style could be rationally developed. Buildings designed with a view to asthetic appeal.