Frank Lloyd Wright

 

1867-1959

 

Frank Lloyd Wright was an American Architect born in Arizona and is regarded as one of the most iconic designers of not only his generation but of all time. Wright had a particularly philosophy in his designs, he believed in 'Organic Architecture' which is the harmony between the building and humanity and the surrounding around it. This is something which is a very big part of design today in Eco-friendly building where we're trying to make the design of the building have a minimal effect on its surroundings.

 

He didn't have a good education behind him when he went into the industry, but he was still committed as ever to get involved in Architecture and in 1887 he left University without gaining his degree and moved to Chicago, his first impression was that it was a grimy place, with crowded streets and disappointing architecture, but this didn't deter him in the slightest, it made him more determined to find work and after being in the city for a few days he'd already lined up several interviews with different Architect firms across the town and was hired as a draftsmen for Joesph Lyman Silsbee. He did briefly leave the firm as he thought he wasn't being paid what he should be, but once he started his new job as a designer, he realised he wasn't quite ready to start designing buildings on his so instead quit his job and returned to his old one working for Silsbee.

 

In 1888, he left and joined Adler and Sullivan where Louis Sullivan took him under his wing, mentoring him and giving him more responsibility in the designs than he previously had. In 1889 he got married, and Sullivan gave him a five year contract so that he had a stable financial income to start his married live, but Frank had one more proposal, he wanted Louis to loan him some money in order for him to build a small house in Chicago for him and his wife, to which Louis Suillivan obliged and gave him $5000. To me this shows the character and determination that Frank Lloyd Wright, that he wasn't afraid to ask for that bit of help with something he needed. However during the years that followed, Wright struggled to pay this money back and have sufficient funds and this was blamed on the lavish lifestyle he had, with designer clothes, jewelry and vehicles being some of his luxuries.

 

He set up his own practise in 1893, doing so in the Schiller Building, which was designed by Louis Sullivan and it reminded him of the offices at the Adler and Sullivan practise. After moving out of this building he set up a new location and formed the Prairie School with a few other Architects. His first project in the newly formed school, was the Winslow House, which had elements of Sullivans work in along with with simple geometry and horizontal lines that were all part of Frank Lloyd Wright's work. Several houses he designed after this followed the same principle, and this became a feature of his work which made him stand out from other architects in Chicago.

 

Until 1909, Wright was only known in America but Europe was yet to know what this now iconic American Architect was all about. What lured him to Europe was the chance to get his portfolio printed with Ernst Wasmuth and two years later his work was published for the first time in Europe, gaining major exposure in the continent. He stayed in Europe for another year before returning to America where is 'Organic Stlye' of design was in full flow now with buildings such as; Graycliff, Taliesin and Fallingwater.

 

To me, Fallingwater is the one piece of Architecture which is associate him with. It took three years to build the house, from 1934-1937 which is nearly eight decades ago and in my eyes, it's a house which could have been designed and built yesterday as I think that it looks like a piece of modern architecture of today with its flat crisp edges with bold shapes and suspended parts over the water. Its also encapsulates what Frank Lloyd Wrights philosophy is all about, the building living as one with its surroundings as it doesn't stick out in the forest, if anything it blends in perfectly and it's a house which I could see myself living in as it will never be dated.

 

What makes Frank Lloyd Wright an iconic Architect to me, is the fact that his designs today don't look dated even when they were designed many decades ago meaning his legacy is always around, and when you walk by you won't walk by thinking that's a bit boring and old, sometimes you might be surprised about how old the building actually is. Also the features of his designs, simple shapes and straight lines are very much used in many Architects designs of today, and they no doubt may have drawn inspiration from Wright. Who himself said he didn't have any inspiration in his designs but those close to him, credit his inspiration from five places; Louis Sullivan his 'dear master', Nature, the free forming shapes and colours, Music, Japanese Art and Froebel Gifts. His philosophy of 'Organic Design' will always be an inspiration to me and something that many other will take into account when designing in the future.



  'The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen'

PPD3 Final Assesment

Now i'm on my last year of my foundation degree, the time is coming to apply for University. Having already applied for University two years ago, I already know what courses I will be applying for. I'm looking to apply for Architecture mainly, but also Interior Design.

I haven't gathered as much information this time round as i did during my time at 6th form, where i visited several open days and ordered quite a few prospectuses from many universities across the country. One thing i have done this year, is attend the open days for the universities which i want to go to, this being Huddersfield and Leeds Met, I also went to the 'Design Your Future' event held by UCAS at Manchester.

 

For me this was a really good trip because I got to talk one to one with tutors from the respected Universities for Architecture. As I'm trying to get onto the course in the second year, this gave me a great platform as to work with. I have already established a base with Carl Meddings, the course leaders at Huddersfield about entering on the second year, and on the UCAS event day, I got to speak to another tutor at Huddersfield who gave me some advice on what my portfolio should be like. Aswell as a platform being created with Huddersfield, I spoke to the Architecture representitive from Leeds Met, Craig Stott. The conversation I had with him was pretty similar to the one I've been having with Carl, I told him of my intentions of entering in the second year and asked about what he'd wna see portfolio-wise and they both gave me the same answer, "Design Cycle and Process!" When I got home from the UCAS event, I emailed Craig and we got the ball rolling on my next step after Calderdale College.

 

I've arranged to see Carl Meddings in a couple of weeks, and I'm just waiting to hear back from Leeds Met now, so hopefully good news will follow!

Oscar Niemeyer

1907-2012

Described by many as one of the most innovative and daring Architects in the last 60 years, Niemeyer was someone who co-designed the purpose built Brasilia, the new capital of Brazil. He was a protege of Charles-Edouard Jeannerent, Le Corbusier to the Architecture world, who was one of the pioneers of what we call Modern Architecture, so Oscar Niemeyer learnt from the best!

 

Much like Santiago Calatrava, Oscar was an explorer in the realms of Architecture, he didn't see concrete as having boundaries and looked deeply into using it for many abstract shapes and curves on his designs, and this is something that became of great influence on Architecture in both the 20th and the 21st centuries.

 

In 1930's, he worked as an intern with Lucio Costa a French born Brazilian Architect, progressing through the ranks and working with Costa on many different projects and it wasn't until the 40's and 50's that people really stood back and took notice of what was going on in Brazil, but the world opened it's eyes to Oscar Niemeyer after he designed the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi and he received critical acclaim and was recognised by everybody. It was after he drew international recognition that he started doing designs overseas and not just in his native Brazil.

 

In 1947 he was asked to design the Headquarters for the United Nations, this was something that his mentor Corbusier asked if he could collaborate on with him, to which Oscar agreed. They submitted 50 different designs between them, and it was Oscar's project 32 that was chosen. Shortly after the construction of the United Nations HQ, he was asked to teach at both Yale and Harvard Universities, two of the most prestigious universities around the world. 

 

 Juscelino Kubitschek became the new president of Brazil 1956 and had an idea of creating a new capital for Brazil, Brasilia and he wanted Oscar Neimeyer to be the man who made his wildest dreams into a reality. Oscar created a competition, where designers from far and wide came up with different designs on how the new capital would be laid out. It was none other than the person who helped Oscar get a foot in the door, Lucio Costa, who won this competition and whilst Oscar would design the building for the capital, Lucio would design the city. In my eyes, two of Oscar's most iconic designs were here in Brasilia, the National Congress of Brazil building and the Cathedral of Brasilia. These two building to me epitomises what Niemeyer stood for with his abstract shapes and uses of curves, pushing the use of reinforced concrete to a new stage.

 Oscar Niemeyer had a distinct love for both his country and for Architecture. After the military dictatorship had finished, he returned to Brazil after staying in Europe and designing buildings across the European continent. Even as he grew older, he still continued to work and although this drew criticism from some people, with one reporter from the New York Times saying, "the greatest threat to Mr. Niemeyer’s remarkable legacy may not be the developer’s bulldozer or insensitive city planners, but Mr. Niemeyer himself" questioning whether he was still capable of producing the quality of designs that he has done throughout his illustrioius career, but to me it didn't matter how old he was, he still had the capability of producing the most incredible designs the world had seen!

Like many aspiring Architects the world over, Oscar Neimeyer, will always be an inspiration to me, ensuring that we continue to push the boundaries of Architecture as we know it. I will leave you with a quote that encapsulates what Oscar Niemeyer stood for!

"I am not attracted to straight angles or to the straight line, hard and inflexible, created by man. I am attracted to free-flowing, sensual curves. The curves that I find in the mountains of my country, in the sinuousness of its rivers, in the waves of the ocean, and on the body of the beloved woman. Curves make up the entire Universe, the curved Universe of Einstein."