RODRIGO S.

NAJARRO JR BSARCH3C HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE (TTH 2:30-4:00)

MIDTERM EXAMINATION
NOVEMBER 26, 2020

1. Differentiate the architecture of Frank Lloyd from that of Le Corbusier in terms of design philosophy
and materials used. Give at least three examples.

Answer: Frank Lloyd Wright is considered to be the revolutionary father of American contemporary
architecture. His works were strongly influenced by the arts & crafts movement, resulting in works revolved
around natural materials mixed with industrial aspects of the developing lifestyle. He had abstracted human
life + machines to create his pieces. Frank L. Wright was all for pure forms, geometric shapes, open flow
within his space and definitely no rigid pitched roofs.

In his piece, the Robie House, he had created a living space that was very horizontal. It was a
transitional space between nature and the way humans lived inside, almost like incorporating the natural world
into the working lifestyle. The linear style made use of precast concrete blocks and was called the textile style.
As always, landscape was a big consideration, with large expanses of glass used to blur the boundaries between
indoor and outdoor. The Ennis House, which is sometimes called Mayan Revival architecture, exemplifies
Wright’s work in this style. His use of material was very natural and organic, but the way everything was built
(including the furniture) was in a very industrial manner.

Le Corbusier’s architectural work had created its own movement. He was into functional, non-
ornamented houses that resembled factory buildings. He saw no problem in basic geometric forms with
smooth, plain walls and small windows (this seems normal to us now because we’re all living in it, but back
then it was absurd to live in a space with no ornamentation and big windows).

Villa Sovoye is probably one of his best-known structures. The curves within the interiors were
inspired from the turns of the automobile, giving a sense of how inspired he was by not only modern art, but
the modern lifestyle of the developing, industrial world. He avoided pitched roofs to rid of the pre-war styles,
where social classes had existed. Le Corbusier was a big supporter of equality in living. This building is based
on an open plan, with the use of non-load bearing walls to allow the plan to be as versatile as possible.

To compare these two architects, both have very similar thoughts on how contemporary architecture
should be during the post-war period, one in America and one in France. They both rejected the rigid styles
prior their movements. Both appreciated pure forms, non-ornamentation and embraced the industrial
periods. Le Corbusier was more into the thought of Utopia, where everyone lived with equal share without
class division, and the ultimate pure forms while Frank Lloyd Wright was more into the classic American
midwestern prairie with organic materials. Both architects are the extreme influences of architecture today.

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RODRIGO S. NAJARRO JR BSARCH3C HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE (TTH 2:30-4:00)

MIDTERM EXAMINATION
NOVEMBER 26, 2020

2. Discuss the three most important concepts in architecture that emerged during the modern period. Cite
their proponents and give at least three examples each.

First concept is Forms Follows Functions. While sometimes attributed to sculptor Horatio Greenough, the
phrase “form follows function” was coined by American architect Louis Sullivan. At the time, technology,
tastes and economics were rapidly changing. The forms of late-19th century buildings were still being worked
out, based on innovation going all the way back to ancient Greek and Roman architecture. It was clear to
Sullivan that a new form for buildings was needed, and he thought that form ought to come from the function
of a building, not historical precedent. Frank Lloyd Wright, who was then Sullivan’s assistant, adopted the
phrase “form follows function” and further promoted it. The Guggenheim Museum is a good example of
Wright’s application of the principle. Its spiral shape was intended to allow visitors to easily view the artwork
within.
Examples:

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RODRIGO S. NAJARRO JR BSARCH3C HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE (TTH 2:30-4:00)

MIDTERM EXAMINATION
NOVEMBER 26, 2020

The second concept is Space within a Space. A large space can contain a smaller space within its
volume. The larger space helps define the spatial boundary for the smaller space inside it. While the
continuity between the two spaces can be easily understood, the space depends on the larger space for its
relationship to the exterior environment. In order for this spatial relationship to be understood, a clear
distinction in size is needed between the two spaces. If the contained space were to increase in size, the larger
space would begin to lose its impact as an enveloping form.

In order to stand out from the larger form, the smaller space could share the same shape of the envelop. But
be oriented differently. It can also differ in form from the enveloping space in order to stand out as a
freestanding volume. This contrast in form could indicate either a functional difference between the two
spaces or the symbolic importance of the contained space.

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RODRIGO S. NAJARRO JR BSARCH3C HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE (TTH 2:30-4:00)

MIDTERM EXAMINATION
NOVEMBER 26, 2020

Last concept is More is Less. Made famous by the designer and architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the
dictum, less is More came to define the brave, utopian ideals of modernist design and architecture. General
meaning less complicated is better understood and more appreciated than what is more complicated. Simplicity is
preferable to complexity. Architectural meaning building should be stripped of any extras and constructed on essentials
of clarity, utility and effect.

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RODRIGO S. NAJARRO JR BSARCH3C HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE (TTH 2:30-4:00)

MIDTERM EXAMINATION
NOVEMBER 26, 2020

3. Discuss Le Cobusier's Seven points of Architecture.

Early in his career, Le Corbusier developed a set of architectural principles that dictated his technique, which
he called "the Five Points of a New Architecture". They are considered to be most evident in his Villa Savoye.
The five points are:
1. Pilotis – replacement of supporting walls by a grid of reinforced concrete columns that bears the
structural load is the basis of the new aesthetic
2. The free designing of the ground plan – the absence of supporting walls – means the house is
unrestrained in its internal use
3. The free design of the façade – separating the exterior of the building from its structural function –
sets the façade free from structural constraints
4. The horizontal window, which cuts the façade along its entire length, lights rooms equally
5. Roof gardens on a flat roof can serve a domestic purpose while providing essential protection to the
concrete roof.

4. 4. Discuss the issues that necessitated the development of modernism in architecture.

It emerged in the first half of the 20th century and became dominant after World War II until the
1980s, when it was gradually replaced as the principal style for institutional and corporate buildings by
postmodern architecture. The Industrial Revolution came with more poor-quality mass-produced goods in
homes, more people, industry in cities, and more social, political, and economic problems. Looks like ''more''
is the word best describes the world before Modernism.

The roots of the Modern Movement can be traced back to the profound social and technological changes
which characterized the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the twentieth. Cities in the western world
were expanding. This urbanization called for a new approach to building- new technologies would have to be
embraced, offering cheaper, more efficient means of satisfying a larger population and a growing number of
industrial clients. From a movement that eschewed ornamentation in favour of function, to a solution for
social issues, Modernist architecture has been influencing building design since before the Second World
War. Key principles such as anti-historicism, function, progress and social morality translated to high
expectations, ones that often did not meet the real needs and wants of families and communities. Architects
of the time reacted to the failure of architecture in meeting social needs and responded to the issues with a
new architecture called ''Modernism.'' They believed design and technology would transform society and raise
the standards of living for all people. Let's see how. Modern architecture emerged at the end of the 19th
century from revolutions in technology, engineering and building materials, and from a desire to break away
from historical architectural styles and to invent something that was purely functional and new.

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