Reed Case Study
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This weeks readings discuss topics from the evolution of building types and their effects on architecture, to the arguments between the Beaux Arts and Modern movements. Hastings two articles entitled “The Influence of Life in the Development of an Architectural Style” and “Modern Architecture” examines the history of architecture and its relationship with the history of the world. Hastings proposes that one could plot architectural history and political history on parallel lines, and that these lines would look awfully similar. Like in politics, Hastings believes that architectural history is an evolutionary one. He offers an analogy of Darwins natural selection or “survival of the fittest,” and as such, only the best of the ever-changing architecture has survived through the years. The example of such evolution was when the Romans took many of the forms of Greek architecture, and with the aid of the newly designed arch, created Roman architecture. This new style of architecture, with the ability to now span greater distances and support more weight, was evolutionary in that it took forms that had previously existed, added their own element, and used the results to solve the problems of their day. Hastings then concludes with his views on how architecture will and should evolve in the future, making his case for the modern Renaissance movement.
These articles immediately reminded me of some of the Stern readings that we have read earlier in the semester. I found Hastings comparison between architecture and history extremely interesting. The point that stuck out most was his claim that many changes in architectural styles could be linked to political changes, whether they were revivals or revolutions. The second point I found noteworthy was his reasoning for why previous styles were inappropriate for modern problems, when he claimed that the using the Gothic style for a modern church was a mistake, for the motivations for using the Gothic style in the past were not the same as they were in modern time. These two ideas made me think about the questions I should ask myself when I look at architecture. Hastings has helped me realize that I should not merely think about if I like the aesthetic attributes of a building, but rather question why a specific style was used, the motivations for using that particular style, what the style represented when it was first introduced, and what the statement the architect is trying to make by using that style.
Delanos “Architecture is an Art” shows Delanos arguments during the debate between the Beaux Arts and Modern styles of architecture. Delano begins his argument with multiple stories about arguments that had been taken too far and the negative results of doing so. After this introduction, he makes his claim for Beaux Arts architecture, one based on “tradition tempered by motion.” He does not state that one should design only according to Beaux Arts teachings, but that it should be the basis for which design should stem. Delanos argument against Modernism was rooted in the fact that he believed Modernist architecture could not portray or induce the same emotions, an essential part of art and architecture, which the Beaux Arts had done for years. He thought that Modern architecture relied too much on engineers and this scientific basis removed all emotion from the work. As a conclusion, Delano reiterated the importance of mutual respect between the two schools of thought, and that reminded everyone that the common goal was producing great works of art.
When I read this article I was shocked by the amount of respect that Delano gave to his opponents. He both began and ended his speech by talking about the necessity to not let the debate become anything other than just a debate. This idea was cemented when he said how each side had the same goal of