Today’s seminar welcomed Professor Richard Powers to our class. He gave us a lecture on the many things that go into understanding the aspects of architecture. What I enjoyed most about the lecture were the different hints Professor Powers gave us to recognize the different styles of architecture.

We first learned the word, ethos which means the whole culture of the society. Apparently, some call architecture a symbol of the ethos of a society. One example included the Parthenon, which was built in 447 BC and thought of as a pose to power. Essentially, it meant that you have to use brute force to get anywhere as a society. The Parthenon represented an intellectual power, symbolizing how reason rises above nature and towers over everything else. This making reason most important in a culture trying to move forward. The goddess of the Parthenon being Athena, the goddess of reason. Definitely fitting for this building.This style of reason is widely used for banks (which I found interesting) since of course banks should be reasonable. This makes perfect sense as when I go to the bank I am usually at my most serious state focusing on serious things.Having a bank look anything but reasonable would be quite confusing to my mindset since so much of it is dependent on the environment.

During the 1830s and 1840s, architecture made a shift from neoclassicism to Gothic culture.This was characterized by pointed arches otherwise known as the Gothic arches. Gothic architecture also symbolized the religion of the rulers of the time period, which tended to be Episcopalian. This exemplified how religion and the church was held extremely high. One example of it was Trinity church. Gothic style is also appropriate for school buildings.

One term that stood out to me is that the paths that people crate on their own, as a kind of detour path to a destination, are actually called “paths of desire.”

Another aspect of the lecture that intrigued me was the thought of Central Park as a building. With the beauty and nature that has developed in Central Park, it is easy to forget  that it is in fact, a man made structure. Central park is a romantic structure. It is not symmetrical and it reminds you that even in the midst of the big city, you can be in the middle of nature. It is a symbol of romantic nature.

The passion that someone has for their work never ceases to amaze me and though history is not my forte, I enjoy listening to someone like Professor Powers share the knowledge he has on architecture to our Arts In New York City seminar class.