BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE

THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM

(ARC61303
SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (August 2017)
Name: Chin Vin Yan ID No.: 0320311
Lecturer: Ar. Prince Favis Isip Tutorial Time: 10am
Reader/Text Title: Metropolis and Mental Life Synopsis No: Text 1 ( set A )
Author: George Simmel
The essay Metropolis and Mental Life was written in 1903 that conduct a series of
lectures about the individual’s situation in an urban life. In the essay, Simmel depiction
the contrast between rural versus urban to highlighted the manner of metropolis are
more rational and discuss the psychological influences of the culture that they
developed.

Simmel mentioned that metropolitans react primarily in a rational and creating a

mental predominance through the increase of awareness of the environment.
Metropolitan tend to be a blasé or a nonchalant attitude to protect themselves due to the
continue changing setting. Simmel believe this behaviour are bound, and even expected
to be selfish and due to metropolitans are in the context of relationship are based on the
advantages. Hence, human interaction in the metropolis is quite short and more often
than it is instrumental, this leads to a lack emotional relationships. Therefore the
metropolis mental like is fundamentally intellectual, not emotional. Furthermore, due to
the fact that the city is so impersonal and detected Simmel even observe that a
“regression of the culture of the individual” occurs to people who move to the metropolis
effort trying to be unique and original in any way possible. In order to grasp to their
humanity, in a place that lack it, their personality magnifies. Thereby they attain a quite
unique place, fruitful with an inexhaustible richness of meaning in development if the
mental life, according to Simmel.

I agree the discussion of this psychological influence of metropolis, regardless of

whether we are sympathetic or antipathetic with their individual expressions, they
transcend the sphere in which a judge-like attitude on our part is appropriate. At the end
of the day, it is our task not to complain or to condone but only to understand, mentioned
by Simmel. In conclusion, this reader shows the contradict of a intellectual versus
emotional; rural versus urban area culture, however, it important to understand the
psychological behind these culture to create a solve these issue through space.
Word Count: 333 Mark Grade
Assessed by: Date Page No.
 BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE
THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM
(ARC61303
SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (August 2017)
Name: Chin Vin Yan ID No.: 0320311
Lecturer: Ar. Prince Favis Isip Tutorial Time: 10am
Reader/Text Title: Christian Norbergn-Schulz Synopsis No: Text 2 ( set A )
Intention in Architecture Author: Christian Norberg-Schulz
Published in 1965 within a few years of Aldo Rossi’s Architecture of the City and
Robert Venturi’s Complexity and Contradiction Christian Norberg-Schulz Intention in
Architecture is an essay react against Modernism, in particular at the post-war era. The
reader begin with an extended argument suggesting that the perception of form has a
cultural basis and meaning in architecture is the result of culture intentions. Hence,
Norberg-Schulz suggested architects should have to work with in the network of those
intentions.

In the reader, Norberg-Schulz mentioned problems that involve a revision of the

aesthetic dimension of architecture. He questioned, how to make architecture a sensitive
medium and suggested building form should be according to function but maintaining a
visual order. Beside that, he mentioned building should have formal differentiation for
functional differences. Hence, the differentiation should be symbolizing. Furthermore, it
is necessary to inquire whether particular forms ought to be correlated with particular
task. Additionally, the information given by history should above all illustrate the relation
between problem and solution. Next, he also mentioned that conservation of structural
principle of tradition rather than its motives able individual work concretize secondary
wholes. Lastly, he mentioned that the modern movement is the only true tradition of the
present because it understands that historical continuity does not mean borrowed
motives and ideals, but have to be conquered in always new ways.

Norberg-Schulz discusses issue that we face nowadays which modernism had

driven away by the visual rather than the function itself. In my opinion, the intention
architecture nowadays is purely visually please but without analysis and trace back the
history. Hence, buildings are identical to one another. In conclusion, architect should
have to work with in the network of those intentions and understand a building precedent
of a function and form in order to achieve a building that is symbolic.
Word Count: 305 Mark Grade
Assessed by: Date Page No.
 BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE
THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM
(ARC61303
SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (August 2017)
Name: Chin Vin Yan ID No.: 0320311
Lecturer: Ar. Prince Favis Isip Tutorial Time: 10am
Reader/Text Title: Space, Place, Memory and Synopsis No: Text 3
Imagination: The Temporal Author: Juhani Pallasmaa
This reader discusses phenomenology in architecture, opening up the emotion of
time and memory in space and place. Pallasmaa mentioned newness is not only an
aesthetic and artistic value; it is a strategic necessity of the culture of consumption and,
consequently, an inseparable ingredient of our surreal materialist culture. This reader
discusses space and place stimulate the memories and imagination

Pallasmaa mentioned that architecture serve as significant memory devices in

three different ways which is, they materialize and preserve the course of time and make
it visible, they concretize remembrance by containing and projecting memories and, they
stimulate and inspire is to reminisce and imagine (Pg.190). Beside that, memory is also
the ground of self-identity; we are what we remember. Our recollection are situational
and specialized memories; they are memories attach to places and events. The
significance of object in our processes of remembering expand and reinforce the realm
of memories, and eventually, out very sense of self (Pg.192). To distinguish the lived
space from the physical and geometrical space, ‘existential space’ structured on the
basis of meanings, intentions, and values reflected upon by an individual, either
consciously or unconsciously. Hence it has to interpret through the memory and
experience of the individual (Pg.193). Furthermore, remembering is not only a mental
event; it is also an act of embodiment and projection. We are in a constant exchange
with our settings; simultaneously we internalize the setting a project our own bodies, or
aspects of our bodily schemes, upon the setting. Hence, all our senses and organs think
and remember (Pg.194).

Compare to text 2, both author mentioned human construction also have the task
of preserving the past, but Pallasmaa focuses human experience that inhabit cultural,
mental and temporal in architecture. In conclusion, Pallasmaa discusses how memories
engage our entire to recollecting and stimulate fragmentary through space and place.
Word Count: 307 Mark Grade
Assessed by: Date Page No.
 BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE
THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM
(ARC61303
SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (August 2017)
Name: Chin Vin Yan ID No.: 0320311
Lecturer: Ar. Prince Favis Isip Tutorial Time: 10am
Reader/Text Title: Six Points of an Architecture Synopsis No: Text 4
of Resistance Author: Kenneth Frampton
Toward a Critical Regionalism: Six Points of an Architecture of Resistance written by
Kenneth Frampton is a discussion of the phenomenon of universalization toward
architecture. He urged that analyze local charter and reinterpret it with contemporary
them, rather than adapting the tradition directly. Hence, he mentioned there is the
paradox: how to become modern and to return to sources; how to revive an old, dormant
civilization and make part in universal civilization(pg.16).

In point one, Frampton mentioned that the effects of civilization in terms of

cultural diversity. Additionally, technological improvements and the financial waves had
limit the scope of urban design in many ways. He claims that the architectural thoughts
are divided into two part one is profits of technological predication on the product, and
the other one is provision of a compensatory facade to cover the harsh realities of
universal system. In point two, the rise and fall of the Avant-Garde, he states that Gothic
Revival and the Arts and Crafts ideas take up the categorically negative attitude of
industrial process and Neoclassic form tradition part to modernization in the mid-19th
century. However, in point three, According to Frampton, “The fundamental strategy of
Critical Regionalism is to mediate the impact of universal civilization with elements
derived indirectly from the peculiarities of a particular place. It is clear from the above
that Critical Regionalism depends upon maintaining a high level of critic self-
consciousness. It may find its governing inspiration in such things as the range and
quality of the local light, or in tectonic derived from a peculiar structural mode, or in the
topography of a given site.”

The reader, the author discusses about culture and civilization, the rise and fall of
the Avant-Garde culture and critical regionalism and world culture of an architecture
resistance. In my opinion, architectural thought should toward more regional to trace
back the history and reinforce it in a contemporary way. Hence, the study of the local
tectonic and context of the site need to be incorporate into the design.
Word Count: 302 Mark Grade
Assessed by: Date Page No.