Monday, 17 February 2014

Rowley way, London

This I feel to be an example of modernism the still hasn't lost its charm. Rowley way is not unlikely some Spanish resort and though when first built had a few teething problems (behind wall heating and so on) it is a now a major piece of the landscape and is grade 2 listed.
I never made it out to trellick tower due to the chaos of the London tube strike which is also grade 2listed.

Ice bar, London


The theme of the ice bar was architecture and while there I notised the way in which the shelves and tables were created gave the effect of a transparent cross section of a building or appeared like a mini town plan. This made me consider how I could have multiple moulds siting on top of one another or side by side to create the idea of building for the masses the model for all.  

refined PLP


MODERNISM: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

I intend to investigate Modernism and more particularly housing and town planning in Europe after the war. It is called ‘the good, the bad and the ugly’ as I intend to consider the ideas and fanciful plans that the modernist architects had, the flaws in those plans that had dyer consequences for the community’s that were placed in them, and the often referred to as the ugly scare that has been left on our urban landscape.  I will consider how the utopian dream turned in to a dystopian nightmare as well as look in to what the legacy of modernism is.

INTENDED RESERCH

I will look at the post war building boom and intend to use my previous field work on Cumbernauld as well as new field work as well as archival research. I will investigate the thought proses behind the tower block as well as the (long life of the) prefabs that were only ever designed to stand for ten years.  I will also investigate the legacy of these flat pack homes.

I am writing a paper for contextual studies where I look in to the connection between post war modernist architecture and modern artists like Martin Boyce, Toby Paterson and Rachel Whiteread, to see wither there work is merely superficial or has deeper meaning behind it.

I will also discuss the some of the architectural giants of the time such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier. I will further look in to the influences they had over what we expect from our towns and homes today.

I will consider the utopian socialist aspect of the architect’s grand plans and ask if expecting everyone to voluntarily move to new locations was morally right, and look at the types of propaganda that aided the mass migration. I will consider their ‘model for all’ by which I mean the way the utopian socialists thought you could plan ergonomically towns and housing that would suit every person.   I will also ask the fundamental question of why was there such a need for change and did the architects try to play god.

METHODES AND MATERIALS

I will use methods and proses that I have used before such as printing, vacuum forming and 3D work. I will consider the use of glass and steel as these were essential to building at the time.  Cement is also a vital material and I intend to learn a lot more about it a viable material to work with.  I will create a work that deals with multiples and flat pack as this is very much the spirit in which homes and towns were created.

EXPECTED OUTCOME

I intend to have gathered a large amount of source research as well as have a substantial body of development work, which reflects the subject above.

I intend to have produced two or three end works in 2D or 3D which will either reflect the good, the bad, the ugly or a combination of all three. This work will reflect the ‘model for all’ and pull in to question the legacy of modernism.

time plan


WK
MON
TUS
WEN
THU
FRI
SAT
SUN
Feb 3rd -9th
London
Rowley way
Back home
Research
Research
Research
 
10th – 16th
hols
hols
hols
hols
hols
hols
hols
17th -23rd
Final PLP time plan
Research
 
Research
 
 
Research
24th – 2nd march
Research
Research
Research
Research
 
 
Research
3rd – 9th
Research
Research
 
Research
External examiners visit
Finish Research start developing
 
 
10th -16th
Finish Research start developing
develop
develop
develop
 
develop
 
17th -23rd
develop
develop
 
Get out of sketch book and start on practical
practical
 
Further research if needed eg. Materials
24th -30th
practical
practical
practical
practical Cement
Practical Cement
 
refine
31st -6th April
Create silkscreens to print at home over holidays
Practical
Cement
 
Practical Cement
Take screens home
 
Further research if needed
7th -13th
hols
hols
hols
hols
hols
hols
hols
14th – 20th
hols
hols
hols
hols
hols
hols
hols
21st -27th
practical
practical
practical
refine
refine
 
refine
28th -4th May
refine
Further research if needed
 
refine and Know what you are doing and create it
Start working on final
Start statement
statement
5th -11th
hols statement
hols statement
Work on final
 
 
 
statement
12th 18th
Work on final
Work on final
 
Work on final
 
statement
statement
19th -25th
Finish statement of assessment
Work on final
Work on final
Work on final
Work on final
 
 
26th -1st june
Work on final
Work on final
Work on final
Work on final
 
 
 
2nd -8th
Work on final
Work on final
Work on final
5th final piece