Module 7

1. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

I watched the “Prairie Style” video.  In the 1890s to the early 1900’s Frank Lloyd Wright designed homes in suburban area.  Frank Lloyd Wright felt like they needed to reflect the area that they were in.  He felt like the layers of the house seemed to grow out of the land.  He built these houses to reflect the climate as well and wanted it to look very natural.  Everyone at the time was influenced by Wright within their houses.  There are many similarities.  The rooms weren’t isolated but rather just seemed to flow into one another.  Today, there are still many landscapes that are influenced by him.  In the “Architecture: The Science of Design” video, it showed that there is a lot of science that goes into architecture that you wouldn’t even imagine.  I never really put into thought about how architects have to put weather conditions and different environment issues into their building when they’re creating it.  In big cities, there are mostly skyscrapers and taller buildings.  Most are made of steel to support the buildings’ walls, ceilings and floors.  There is also an underground part of building a skyscraper to be solid enough to hold the weight of the building.  The building is then placed on concrete.  Skyscrapers with right angles don’t do well with wind.  Architects have to take the amount of snow into mind that might end up on the roof and if the building can hold it up.  They also need to pour concrete underwater with building bridges through a steel pipe.  Buildings need to withstand earthquakes, tornadoes, snow, wind, etc.  This is all that needs to be taken into account when an architect is creating their building. 

2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

In the text, you read about both of these things and it’s not only a review but the videos provide further information.  It is helpful to see diagrams and visuals to see how things really work with building and architecture.   It shows how today is influenced by some of the architecture in the past.

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of Architecture?

I enjoyed watching these films.  They really helped my understanding of architecture because it’s not something I’m entirely interested in so  there was a lot of facts that I didn’t know and now I do.  Along with reading the text, the films provided useful information that was interesting as well.

4. Why did you choose the films that you watched?

I read the information underneath each video clip and these sounded interesting to me and also something that I didn’t really know too much about.  Because of this, I wanted to watch the films to know a little bit more about each topic.