Point: Foundations

Foundation is all about where you are from. It is the way you mark your place and the start of all design. There are different ways to mark the Earth: circles, a series of lines, stacking, basing something on an axis, as well as others. For example, Teotihuahacan is a site containing pyramids that used a system of stacking to mark the earth. The Theatre of Dionysus uses stacks and circles in a sacred way. Architecture is often designed in some way around a reflection of past successes. Egypt was the prototype for Greece and Greece was the prototype for Rome. Sometimes it is a combination of reflection and new explorations.

While Rome may have used passed architecture from Greece and Egypt to influence them, they changed the designs to fit their own specific needs and wants. The Romans had to live with Greek ruins but assimilated and adapted them to their culture and lifestyle. One main difference with Roman architecture is the way structure was used. In Greece and Egypt, columns were used for support but also for decoration. The Romans found other ways to use structure and decoration separately. A widespread use of concrete and vaulting technology caused a breakthrough. Arches and domes were created – therefore columns could be used simply for looks, not structure. Buildings could be diversified instead of the standard post and lintel system from Greece and Rome.

Rome is very similar to modern cities and our own civilization. There was a more horizontal expression rather than vertical. Because of the way the empire held back Rome, they fed and entertained people to cover up their flaws and defer people from the truth. The idea of Roman design was to have extravagant pleasure. Aside from arches and domes, mosaics were also brought into design and could tell stories. Arches were useful because they are able to capture space in Rome and also make buildings bigger.

The way the structure of a building relates to the surface and need is an important thought process in designing a building. For example, a circular space for a church can be a good idea with few cons. The good things are that sound travels in a round space. This is helpful for the speaker so that he or she doesn’t have to speak as loudly or maybe not use a microphone. Circles show equality. Everyone is spread out evenly so they aren’t competing for power. Some negatives are that sound bounces and can only go so far. This can limit the size of the space to something smaller.

Architecture and civic life is another foundation that we talked about. In other words, architecture should be placed to make sense for the city and its uses. Pompeii is a good example of this. Pompeii is captured exactly how life really was because of the Volcano hitting the city and preserving everything until it was discovered. There is a wall surrounding the city, meaning that it was most likely a former military town. The main buildings that are necessary for the community are conveniently located using cardo-decumadus, or a city grid. The bath is located at the crossroads, instead of the core of the city. The baths are something that the people in Rome used a lot. People regularly met there, so access was important.

The Roman Colosseum best represents Rome, as well as the foundations unit. It marks the earth by using circles, stacking, lines, and axis all together. It is shaped as the Roman arch, allowing space to be captured and broadened. The roundness incorporates the use of circles and quality. Stacking is apparent by the stacked seating. Lines are created throughout the colosseum by the structure and the columns creating a vertical axis.