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Frank Lloyd Wright, 2008.
This paper discusses the architectural and societal constituents
of Frank Lloyd Wright's "prairie style" houses.
2,284 words (approx. 9.1 pages), 14 sources, MLA, £ 50.95
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Abstract
The paper relates that Frank Lloyd Wright is recognized as one of the most prominent and influential architects in American design. The paper focuses on his characteristic "prairie style" designs. The paper explains that, while Wright's work tends to be praised as unique, this assumption tends to discard the influences on Wright from antecedents found within other aspects of American design and architecture. The paper looks at how Wright in turn helped establish a legacy in design.
From the Paper
"Wright had established himself as a prominent architect in the late 1890s, and frequently accepted commissions for buildings that were purposefully selected to test his skills and to promote specific outcomes. While still in his infancy as a designer, the prairie style home was built at the request of the Ladies' Home Journal, a popular magazine that had sought out Wright and commissioned a home design. The Journal asked Wright to envision and execute the home of the future, one in which the resident would feel comfortable yet stylish. Prior to this, the Journal believed that the majority of American homes could either have one or the other; a dwelling that was clean and comfortable was quite frequently an eyesore, while the ostentatious homes of the wealthy were not conducive to the comfort of its inhabitants."
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Islamic Architecture, 2008.
A brief history of Islamic architecture.
1,518 words (approx. 6.1 pages), 7 sources, MLA, £ 35.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses how Islamic architecture is comprised of four main types of structures historically that have been dominant throughout its history. It looks at how these four types of structures include the mosque, fort, palace and tomb, all of which have undergone changes in architectural style, but that remained uniquely Islamic because of the symbolic importance that the Islamic people placed on elements of these structures. Noted architecture includes the Ka'ba, Taj Mahal and the Alhambra.
From the Paper
"The Ka'ba is considered to be the first true Islamic structure and it is identified as such in the Qu'ran ("Ka'ba"). The Ka'ba was erected in Mecca after Muhammed successfully gained control of the city. It was built expressly for prayer and is believed to be one place on earth in which every soul that enters it knows safety through God's presence. Muhammed dedicated the structure to Islam; however, it contained evidence of the most critical figures of the history of the time ("Ka'ba"). These figures were Jesus, Mary and Abraham. It was not until centuries later that the use of earthly forms would be forbideen in Islamic structures because of the belief that these structures were rerpresentative of God, not man. "
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The Negatives of Gentrification, 2008.
This paper argues that the negative consequences of gentrification should be considered before any changes to a site or a building.
1,994 words (approx. 8.0 pages), 5 sources, MLA, £ 45.95
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Abstract
The paper looks closely at "Fort Thunder", a community in Rhode Island that ceased to be a thriving artistic area when city-planners and architects decided that it needed to be brought more in line with modern aesthetic sensibilities. The paper maintains that those who are looking at "refurbishing" an urban site should take into account the history of the site and whether the changes will take away more from the local community than any structural improvements might give back to it.
From the Paper
"To begin with, it must be understood that the Fort Thunder community was not simply a meeting-place for local bohemian, artistic types; it was also an enormous milling operation at one time. To elaborate a little further, 1842 saw a gentleman named John Giles found Valley Worsted Mills on the location; the operation was one of the earliest worsted mills in all the United States. 1866 saw the impressive operation stricken by a catastrophic fire that destroyed the main mill. Despite this set-back, Giles immediately set upon building a new structure and the revamped mill site - now including further additions - soon became enormously profitable; indeed, by the 1890s it was producing 100,000 pounds of worsted yarn per month. Sadly for the employees of the mill, all good things must invariably come to an end and the twentieth century saw a gradual decline in the demand for the mill's products. In 1928, the American Woolen Company (which had taken over the mill in 1899) relinquished the property and the plot was (after three years had elapsed) sold to a local realtor who in turn leased the space to a variety of other businesses - including textile companies ("Eagle Square, formerly Valley Worsted Mills: History," para.1-3)."
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American Art, 2008.
This paper analyzes the American paintings and sculpture exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
875 words (approx. 3.5 pages), 3 sources, APA, £ 22.95
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Abstract
This art study examines the American paintings and sculpture exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts in New York City. The writer notes that the exhibit is formulated around a three-fold objective: portraits, landscapes and sculpture for early American history. The writer maintains that by examining one piece from each of these sections of the exhibit, there can be a diversified analysis of how the pieces are placed into the overall framework of the museum. The writer concludes that these American art exhibits represent a historical view of early American history and stylistics.
From the Paper
"The historical perspective of this painting is recreated in a fictional pose for Washington and his solders as they cross the Delaware to surprise their British and Hessian enemy. This was an important point during the revolutionary war in which Washington gained a growing national and international support for the cause for independence. This aspect of the exhibition directly relates to the patriotic symbolism of the gallery, as it is representative of a collection that define American historical context. The painting is 149 x 255 inches and is placed within one of the large gallery rooms. The need for this is accentuated not only in its size, but for the centrality of its importance for the historical forum that the Metropolitan Museum of art is presenting. This painting is properly placed in the overall architecture of the northeastern part of the Met, since it allows a wide range of visibility and composure for the viewers to understand the crucial place this painting holds in American art history."
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Saint Peter and the Saint Peter's Basilica, 2008.
This paper discuses Saint Peter, his deeds and the architecture and symbolism of Saint Peter's Basilica.
2,230 words (approx. 8.9 pages), 4 sources, APA, £ 49.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that the Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome reflects the acts of Saint Peter, serves as a model for all the great Churches in Italy and provides a deep historical and religious framework for Christianity. The author points out that Saint Peter is one of the most significant icons of the New Testament. The paper notes that the first Basilica of Saint Peter, finalized in 324 and which was designed in the form of a cross, became worn through the ages and reconstruction was inevitable. The author explains that reconstruction of the new Saint Peter's Basilica, begun in 1503, involved Donato Bramante, who implemented a Greek style cross design, followed by Antonio da Sangallo, who added the Baroque features to the interior, Michelangelo, who contributed his awesome dome, and Bernini, who designed in 1667 the square directly outside the Basilica.
Table of Contents:
Saint Peter's Profile
The Deeds of Saint Peter
Saint Peter's Burial
History of Saint Peter's Basilica
Architecture of Saint Peter's Basilica
The Deeds of Saint Peter Reflected in Architecture
From the Paper
"Jesus christened Peter with the name, Cephas. In translation, Cephas means 'The Rock'. The inference of this name clearly describes the role that Saint Peter played as a primary leader during Jesus' life. As a disciple, Peter witnessed a great deal of miracles and promoted the salvation of Christianity through example. Along with apostles James and John, Saint Peter remained close to Jesus and advised him on many issues. Peter was present for many of Jesus' trials and miracles, documented as the main apostle at Jesus' transfiguration, the revival of Jairus's daughter from the dead and the Agony of the Garden of Gathsemane."
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The Seagram Building, 2008.
An analysis of the Seagram Building as a symbol of American capitalism.
2,666 words (approx. 10.7 pages), 10 sources, MLA, £ 57.95
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Abstract
This paper critically examines the Seagram Building in terms of not only its aesthetic and technological factors but also with a particular emphasis upon its economic-political and social-cultural context. As is seen, the prominence of the Seagram Building lies as much in its extraordinary design as for the fact that it symbolized American corporate power in an era when the hegemony of American capitalism was unrivalled in the non-Communist world.
Outline:
Introduction
The Seagram Building and the Bronfman Family
The Seagram Building and the Prestige of Design
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Prior to the Seagram Building, the emphasis in American corporate architecture was generally on cost and function. Aesthetic values were a secondary concern, and the idea of creating a "signature" building was not part of the corporate mentality of the period. The Bronfmans would change all of this with the Seagram Building. Thus, in order to understand why the Seagram Building was built, we must understand that agenda of the Bronfman in funding the creation of a building that was intentionally designed to make a dramatic statement in the capital city of global capitalism."
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Cambodian Western Style Housing, 2007.
This paper analyzes the problems of developing western style housing in Cambodia, especially the urban areas of Phnom Penh.
4,050 words (approx. 16.2 pages), 10 sources, MLA, £ 78.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that the Cambodian government has begun to make vast improvements to westernize its housing system in terms of design and in distribution of land. The author points out that, while urbanization plays a vital role in free market trade and democratic governments, the lack of purchasing power, financial strength and the legal loopholes required to obtain a new home in Phnom Penh are problems for the general Cambodian population. The paper stresses that Cambodians, who were colonized by the French in the late 19th and early 20th century, are accustomed to the centralized living styles of French flats, which provide more communal areas; whereas, the American investors are insisting on implementing western style condominiums, which differ in the sense that the facilities provide more privacy and space.
Table of Contents:
Historical Background
The Need for Land and Growth
Culture and Foreign Investment
History of Housing in Phnom Penh
Cambodian Fiscal System
The Development of French Style Flats and Western Condominiums
Legal Requirements for Construction of Housing
The Cost of Living in the New Phnom Penh
Analysis: French Style Flats versus Western Style Condominiums
Conclusion
From the Paper
"It is evident that Cambodia has a distinct disadvantage compared to the rest of the Asian countries. Primarily, the remnants of war has left a poverty stricken country with the responsibility of re-shaping its entire government, providing education and health care to needy families and finding adequate professional workers to maintain a new democratic system of public administration. However, there are many advantages to starting over for Cambodia, as the United Nations and the United States have taken a great interest in the rebuilding efforts. With a new, open economy and sufficient developmental programs, Cambodia stands at a crossroads for change."
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The Castle, 2007.
This paper argues that the castle was the focus of the medieval town.
3,345 words (approx. 13.4 pages), 6 sources, MLA, £ 68.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that characterizing the medieval era as a period of barbarism ignores the fact that rebuilding a civilization after the fall of the Roman Empire was a laborious process. The author points out that despite this struggle, new urban centers emerged that would eventually become the seats of learning and progress during the later Enlightenment and the Renaissance. The paper stresses that the castle became the focal point of the major urban development because cathedrals and monasteries could never give the degree of military defense that could be provided by the castle. The author concludes that, towering over sprawling medieval cities, the castle was a visual architectural reminder that order and authority were a significant part of medieval life, both in keeping invaders out and keeping the citizenry in line with the interests of the city's elite.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
The Development of the Castle in the Medieval Era
The Castle as Symbolic Focal Point
Conclusion
From the Paper
"The castle projected an image of power and security that was not only a deterrent to attack but also a source of pride and security for the people who lived around the castle. The castle provided the impetus for urban growth, and that urban growth (through increased tax revenues) also provided the finances necessary to expand the scale and defenses of the castle itself. A feedback loop of a sort was established between the medieval city and the medieval castle. Urban redevelopment after the fall of the Roman Empire continued along these lines for a thousand years until the beginning of the Renaissance."
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Frank Lloyd Wright and his Prairie Style Houses, 2008.
This paper explores the architectural and societal elements of Frank Lloyd Wright's "prairie style" housing.
2,412 words (approx. 9.6 pages), 14 sources, MLA, £ 52.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses where Wright found inspiration for his ideas and techniques and how he enhanced and embellished these lessons to create his own unique style. The paper explains how the societal influences of his upbringing, as well as the Japanese design exhibit at the Chicago Exposition of 1893, profoundly impacted Wright's style. The paper describes his "prairie style" houses that shattered tradition and made architectural history.
From the Paper
"Frank Lloyd Wright, always a great showman and popularizer of his own architectural works, did nothing to discourage the legends and mythology surrounding their creation. From his writings, one can easily draw the implication that they sprang "sui generous", germinating in some kind of virgin birth from the mind and spirit of the great master himself. In fact, all of his brilliant innovative works, including his extraordinary Prairie Style houses, are built on a foundation that came before. They are the logical result of antecedents found in the architectural environment and society in which Wright was born and raised, and from lessons he eagerly learned. He was both a product of, and a contributor to, the dynamic and rapidly changing mid-Western society of late 19th Century America."
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Adolf Loos' Michaelerplatz, 2008.
This paper discuses Adolf Loos' building in Vienna called Michaelerplatz and why it was one of the most controversial constructions of its time..
2,345 words (approx. 9.4 pages), 6 sources, MLA, £ 51.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that Adolf Loos' Michaelerplatz building in Vienna, completed in 1911, was one of the most controversial constructions of its time. The author points out that its distinctiveness is rooted in how the building reflects the fundamental dispute between its designer Loos and the prevailing economic, social and cultural powers of his time concerning the role of ornamentation in architecture. The paper reports that Loos argued that ornamentation was wasteful of wealth and labor, thus contested the sizable industries in Vienna that were dependent upon the continual renewal of the city's ersatz Baroque palaces for their livelihood. The author concludes that Loos' Michaelerplatz pointed the way towards the modernist preoccupation with functional over formal qualities that would ultimately come to shape the architecture of the twentieth century. The paper includes many quotations.
Table of Contents:
The Problem of Ornamentation
Loos' Michaelerplatz and Its Controversies
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Without the ornamentation of the window baskets, we can see that the facade of the top floors of the Michaelerplatz is remarkable for its sheer white surface. The windows are square incisions in the facade without decorative designs whatsoever. Indeed, the only things that may be considered at all "ornamental" in regard to the Michaelerplatz are the marble walls along the facade of the lower floors of the building. This marble differentiates the lower floors from the upper ones, and may be seen by some as a violation of Loos' views on ornamentation. This would be a mistake, however, for these walls are fully in keeping with Loos' overall theories on architecture and architectural materials.
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Gottfried Semper, 2007.
An analysis of the architectural designs of Gottfried Semper, particularly the first and second Dresden Hoftheater.
1,685 words (approx. 6.7 pages), 11 sources, MLA, £ 38.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the life and works of Gottfried Semper who was a nineteenth century German architect. It specifically analyzes the first and second Dresden Hoftheater designs that he created. It discusses Semper's major contributions to architecture, both as a theorist and as an architect. The paper includes some pictures of his designs.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Gottfried Semper
Dresden Hoftheater
From the Paper
"Semper made major contributions to architecture both as a theorists and as an architect. His career was divided by his time outside of Germany, but his most notable structures were created and built in Germany. His second design for the Hoftheater can be seen to this day, for the structure is still in existence and still used as an opera house, benefiting not only from Semper's exterior designs but from the interior and the elements that Semper added to the stage in relation to the audience."
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Corporate Design, 2007.
This paper analyzes the influence of corporate designs on society and the daily lives of individuals.
990 words (approx. 4.0 pages), 6 sources, MLA, £ 25.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that one can understand the importance of corporate design when one realizes that consumers purchase products, such as home electronics, are based primarily upon the design of these products rather than on their underlying quality. The author points out that design has integrated business and commercial activity into the very domain of the home, which was once considered private, personal and off limits to business activity. The paper relates that ergonomics has influenced design in the work environment, which has changed the work place from a place of servitude to a place of comfort where an individual is not an accessory to the environment but rather a part of the environment.
Table of Contents:
Overview
Design as Human Enterprise
Manifestation in Daily Life
The Work Environment
The Urban Setting
Conclusion
From the Paper
"A perfect illustration that design has a pervasive impact on the human condition is found in the argument that architects are partly social engineers as well as designers. Architects in certain disciplines affect social change across demographics within a city by virtue of what and how they design the structures where individuals interact with the civil environment of the city. ... Architects examine design not as a method to control nature but as a way to facilitate the human interaction with nature and improve that interaction to the benefit of both nature and mankind."
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Egypt and Monumental Architecture, 2007.
An analysis of the centrality of Egyptian monuments and architecture to the religion of ancient Egypt.
819 words (approx. 3.3 pages), 5 sources, MLA, £ 20.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the monumental architecture in Egypt that was associated with worship of the gods and with funeral customs. The paper discusses the building and development of the pyramids and the purposes that they served. It then shows how the cycle of birth and rebirth is expressed in much Egyptian art and is central to the religion of ancient Egypt.
From the Paper
"The pyramids, of course, are massive tombs for high-born rulers, while smaller tombs or burial sites have been found for people of lesser rank, including massive underground structures housing hundreds of mummies in some cases. The huge statues in the Valley of the Kings were also dedicated to rulers who had died and were carved in stone so they would be remembered. The polytheistic religion of the Egyptians supported their ideas about the after-life and about how their rulers would join the gods after death, just as they represented the gods in this world."
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Modernity and Post-Colonial India, 2007.
An analysis of how architectural modernism captures the economic, cultural and political phenomena emerging in India.
1,569 words (approx. 6.3 pages), 10 sources, APA, £ 36.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at modernity and how architectural modernism captures the economic, cultural and political phenomena re-making India in the twenty-first century. The paper focuses on the architectural work of Joseph Allen Stein and discusses how his work encapsulates the new virility and promise of post-colonial India as it unshackled itself from generations of British rule after the end of World War II. The paper suggests that the key to India can be seen in the monuments it builds to itself.
From the Paper
"At the same time, modernist architecture survives as a political statement insofar as it also masks infelicities that Indians may not want outsiders to see. For example, the city of Bombay is a modern city organized like few others - but that modern image of looming skyscrapers and cleverly-conceived infrastructure merely papers over elements of nativism and communalism that threaten Bombay's gleaming international image (Prakash, 2006). Therefore, just as modern-day India uses impressive modernist structures to announce its arrival on the world stage, it also uses those same structures and architectural embellishments to hide from view darker national traditions and vestiges of its past it wishes to remain unseen."
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