Week 7: Video Review

Prairie Style

This video investigates the contributions to architecture of the great American architect, Frank Lloyd Wright.  The key concepts that are introduced are the development of the single family home, horizontal layering, and the use of nature and natural materials.  FLW converts the concept of the Victorian style home of segmented spaces to one of flowing spaces, the main entry door as a place of mystique, the fireplace in the center of the structure to free the exterior walls for window use that can capitalize on the Sun as it travels throughout the day and create an unrestricted view of the yard or environment.  His approach was very organic, in and of the surrounding landscape, he abandoned history and focused on open spaces both on the interior and the exterior. 

The video relates well to the text, Living With Art, specifically to the short biography of Frank Lloyd Wright on page 309, by elaborating on his contributions to American architecture of the 20th century.

In my opinion, the video was filmed well, narrated well, and added depth to the knowledge of architecture by  explaining how FLW explored living space and his early exploration of the "Green Movement", before the phrase was coined!

Architecture:  The Science of Design

The key concepts explored in this video included the basic principles of high rise (skyscraper) structure, exploration of materials used to build structures, and the development of high tech living spaces.

The video relates well to the text, Living with Art, by further explaining the changing needs of the environment, urban planning and redevelopment, and "Green" technological advances.

In my opinion, the video was filmed well and provided impetus for further thought and development of high tech and efficient features that make them affordable for more people.

Classical Architecture

The video provided comprehensive information on the Greek and Roman orders of architecture that are considered the foundations of  future styles of architecture. Specifically, the three Greek orders are the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian styles of columns and post-and-lintel construction.  The Roman elements are the Tuscan and composite arches.  The emphasis is on proportion, harmony, and symmetry repeated over and over.  The Renaissance introduced a recreation of  the Orders, and the elements were then used as on the  facades of buildings.  We see domes, porticos and rotundas introduced and still they echo classical elements.  The elements are repeated through history in Gothic styles as well.  Post modern classicism is prevalent in architecture today.

The concepts parallel the text, Living With Art, and provide  a reinforcement to it.

In my opinion, watching the video first is beneficial to the text.


I chose to watch Frank Gehry: Architecture as Art for my selection because I did not have prior knowledge of his work. (Although I realized I did, once the correlation was made to the Guggenheim Bilbao.)  The key concepts to the video are Gehry's intuitive nature in creating sculpture to be used as buildings.  He stated that a building can be a passive container or a place that creates an emotional response from the people using the building.  His goal is the latter.  He draws inspiration from visiting museums and viewing the paintings in them.  He also draws great influence from Pop-Artists, including Claes Oldenburg and the motion of Robert Roschenberg's paintings.  Gehry work is Iconoclastic in that he breaks with the past to create anew. 

I found this film to be a valuable addition to the text because it explored a modern architects way of creating, the way users of his buildings react, and was a good example of an artistic inventive approach to architecture.  I also found it interesting to hear from points of view that include Urban Planners as well as Gehry's thoughts on the future of architecture post 9-11 urban tragedy.  My only disappointment lies in the actual style of filming his work.  His work by its nature of assymetry, radical shapes, etc are difficult enough to comprehend on normal viewing, but the filmmakers angles and zooming in and out made it more difficult to see the structures because they passed so fast.