Organic architecture and/or organicism Essay Example
Organic architecture and/or organicism Essay Example

Organic architecture and/or organicism Essay Example

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  • Pages: 6 (1458 words)
  • Published: January 23, 2018
  • Type: Report
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This text examines how organic architecture and/or organisms are defined and how their meanings have changed from the 19th into the 20th century. According to the doctrine of organisms, everything in nature has an organic basis or is a part of an organic whole. Matter refers to any object that takes up space and has mass, such as a pen, a tree, a skyscraper, or even humans. Thus, it is possible to argue that even an inanimate object like a skyscraper has organic attributes similar to those of a living organism. However, this grand statement warrants scrutiny, as demonstrated by the deconstruction and analysis of three texts: 'Living in a Jungle: Mimes, Organic Architecture ; the Art of City Building' by Titled Martins, 'The City and Geography' by Evolve Welter, and 'The Social Architect and the Myopic Mason: The Spatial Po

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litics of the Mussum distorter naturally in 19th Century Paris' by Paula Young Lee.

To answer the initial question, we must define and articulate the parameters for categorizing organisms/organic architecture in various texts. In order to understand how architecture can be organic, we need to examine how the meaning of "organisms" was repatriated from the 19th to the 20th century. "Living in a Jungle: Mimes, Organic Architecture &the Art of City Building" by Titled Martens provides a good starting point for this initial argument. Upon moving to America in 1937, Mimes Van deer Roe stated that "the goal of an Architecture School is to train men who can create Organic Architecture", viewing organic architecture as a design ethos that responds to its environment and allows life to unfold naturally within and around the

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urban landscape. Both Martins and Mimes emphasized the architect's responsibility to maintain a balance of form and space when applying additional structure to any ecosystem, whether animate or not.

The 19th century Prussian architect and urban planner Karl Frederica Chinked proposed that "architecture is the continuation of nature in her constructive activity' and "the whole essence of the construction of a building must remain visible." When examining Mimes' 860-880 Lake Shore Drive (1948-51), we can see his adherence to organic architecture principles centered around pure materiality and structure. The Lake Shore Drive complex's unspoiled and unconfined layout allowed for an open and flexible frame that embraced a closer connection to nature and a new way of life. Mimes aimed to create an unconstrained form of architecture that would change contemporary society's relationship with their environment, allowing a harmonious way of life to flourish. So, Mimes and Martins shared a belief in producing a system of architecture that would not hinder either humans or their surroundings, leading to a new way of life.In the context of urbanization in the 20th century, Mimes Van deer Roe and Evolve Welters both recognized the significance of organisms as mechanisms to address social and urban unrest. Patrick Geodes sought to reconcile the conflict between the importance of the city and nature amidst increasing urban congestion. Geodes emphasized the importance of landscape as a means to unite both city and country towards continued success. One of the most fundamental diagrams of the 20th century, The Valley Section, emphasizes that a whole region is necessary for a city to thrive, reflecting the idea that society is an ecosystem that requires balance for

life to flourish. Welter echoes this sentiment by emphasizing the importance of cooperation for the evolution of all forms of life.Mimes and Geodes both utilize nature analogies to address social inequality, but Mimes emphasizes the importance of using nature as a metaphor to rescue humanity from the constricting urban landscape it has created. Mimes argues that a new way of architectural and societal thinking can be achieved if society accepts that cooperation among all its members is necessary for success. Geodes, on the other hand, believes that education and knowledge are essential tools for achieving a better world, which aligns with the Valley Section's goals. Geodes implemented his utilitarian approach to education in the Outlook Tower in Edinburgh, where citizens could learn about civics and work together towards a perfectly balanced hierarchy. Geodes also criticized citizens for their inability to teach each other about civics.

The reason why they are unable to educate themselves on the history of their own city is not due to a lack of knowledge, but rather because they have forgotten it. The Outlook Tower was created to serve as an educational mechanism to remind people of the teachings of Geodes' Valley Section and the region-city. Welter stresses the importance of the Outlook Tower in developing a contemporary strategy to help people understand the significance of concepts such as city, state, nation, empire and language, within a graduated social framework. This megastructure was designed to be an educational playground that integrates the Valley Section, reminding future civilizations that a collaborative community is necessary for progressive social evolution. Although the 20th century saw organisms as a tool for new philosophies regarding architectural

form, urban planning, and social interaction, it was organisms in 9th-century France that changed the course of science, history and society.

In her book titled 'The Social Architect and the Myopic Mason: The Spatial Politics of the Mussum distorter naturally in 19th Century Paris', Paula Young Lees emphasizes the Mussum distorter naturally and the ongoing dispute between Georges Xavier, a functionalist, and Tontine Geoffrey, a morphologist, which sparked new dialogues in politics and science. These discussions brought about a change in the perception of scientific thought and advocated for social equality through easily accessible architectural representation of information. Lee highlights how this argument could have led to a social awakening that redefined contemporary science, politics, and society in France and elsewhere. The significance of architecture in this debate lies in exploring 'spatial settings in relationship to the production of knowledge' and creating architecture that promotes comprehensible learning. Like the work of Geodes, Lee believes that education and architecture work hand in hand to provide a foundation for learning. To comprehend nature and organic life, one must challenge the current life conduct.During the two-year disagreement between Xavier and Geoffrey, the public's perception and involvement mainly centered on the museum's architecture being as responsible for providing an accessible education as the scientists. The media exposure highlighted how politicized their dispute became, and how the public's opinion of their differences repeatedly referred back to the museum's architecture. The use of comparative anatomy for organizing and displaying specimens caused the most significant public outcry. The people believed that these "taxonomic divisions...Were projections of an elitist stance" rather than educational tools. Additionally, the museum's architecture was deemed "intellectually inaccessible to the

uneducated, it emphasizes this elitist character..." Some architects, such as Charles Relate De Floury, attempted to integrate a "simple and singular architecture" that was "ample, strong and open to all, conveying the true principles of knowledge" into the museum's design. This approach is similar to Mimes' work a century later.

The French bourgeois achieved a more accessible form of education through an intuitive and navigable architecture. In 19th century France, organic life and science played an important role in inspiring social change, education, and architecture. The writings of Martins, Welter, and Lee all emphasize the significance of organisms, but with varying reasons. According to Martins and Mimes, organisms allowed architects to redefine how architecture was experienced and related to the environment. The goal was to promote a better dialogue between architecture, the city, and its inhabitants. Welter saw organic life as a template for educating the population on how to advance socially and architecturally towards a utopian way of life. Geodes preached a philosophy that aspired to a unified world through urban planning and social co-dependency, using his understanding of nature. For Paula Young Lee, organisms were used as a tool for social change and to unite the population for progress in science and architectural thinking.

The common thread among these writings is the concept of muse, which has inspired people to strive for change in various aspects of life, including politics, social issues, and architecture. Additionally, nature and the idea of organisms have provoked questions that have deepened human understanding and helped individuals justify their place in the world. Returning to the initial question of whether all objects possess an organic foundation, it could

be argued metaphorically based on the insights provided in these texts. According to Martins, Welter, and Lee, societal problems are caused by mankind's harmful impact on the environment. They propose that by acknowledging and embracing the significance of nature and organic matter in architectural design, cities, and society as a whole, many of the difficulties brought about by humans can be resolved, resulting in a more cohesive society.

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