Stephen Elliott IDC 4001H A few months ago, I sat down on a train ride home in the early afternoon. The friend with whom I’d been returning to Long Island, was making a joke out of my scratchy beard, insisting I looked homeless. Beside us sat an elegant German woman, maybe thirty years of age, […]
Jenna Hosier / IDC 4001H Maciuika / February 17, 2014 Sudjic offers every possible answer to the main question of Chapter 1: “Why We Build”. Emotional and psychological purposes, ideological and practical reasons, to project power, and to give shape and form to political and religious impulses, all are the culprits in why buildings are structured. […]
Rossella Failla While reading the article, The Edifice Complex, I couldn’t help but think, what is the meaning of architecture? Is there even a meaning? Sudjic explained that architecture can equate to power. He specifically referred to Saddam Hussein’s hunger for power in Iraq, and his constant obsession with reflecting himself in architecture. After his […]
Navtej S. Ahuja Professor Maciuika Shaping the Future of NYC 17 February, 2014 We build to fulfill a need, and that need is what can be seen through what we build. According to Sudjic, there are many reasons why people build. Whether it is to cement personal glory (as Saddam Hussein did during his years […]
From what was once mere shelter, architecture has shifted towards a display of one’s hierarchical standings. Throughout history, the victors tore down buildings and structures of the past to create ones that would praise and honor themselves. By using their wealth and power, history and culture are weaved into existence by the architects whom are […]
Navtej S. Ahuja Professor Maciuika Shaping the Future of NYC 17 February, 2014 The rise of a city is a complex and lengthy process, and the interesting thing about this process is that it is never truly complete. Constant challenges regarding maintenance, changes in the demographic composition, and other areas keep those in charge […]
There’s nothing I love more than a field trip, so I was very, very excited to Museum of the City of NY. I have to admit, I’m a pretty sorry excuse for a New Yorker, knowing next to nothing about the history of New York City. This short film gave a very enjoyable and succinct […]
Psychology, history, and art are all intertwined in Deyan Sudjic’s fascinating read: The Edifice Complex. Sudjic claims that architecture is used as a tool for the rich and powerful to mold the environment to comply with their worldview. While I do agree that it only these few people have the means to hire architects to […]
Joseph Maugeri, IDC 4001H First, let’s take a look at the island of Manhattan. There are skyscrapers, luxurious apartment buildings, tenement buildings, restaurants etc. But obviously Manhattan wasn’t always like this, there used to be townhouses and buildings no more than 5 stories high. Why the change? Well I’m sure all of us know the […]
Stephen Elliott IDC 4001H To paraphrase someone much smarter than me, history without context is just a story. It’s easy to crawl through the alcoves and alleyways of New York without giving a moment’s breath to the past you step on. Each cobble, each brick has centuries of stories to tell, and yet we hardly […]
