DAB325 Architecture in the 20th Century

Benjamin Hovav | N8893411

Review 1
Reading 2
Architectures assurance as falling under the umbrella of artistic medium is questioned
by technological advance, which allow for new architectural possibility within the
domain of science. Sigfried Gideons study into the effects of Frances modern
industry on architecture in Building in France, building in iron, building in
ferroconcrete (1995) questions the potential survival for architecture as a an art and
thus a singular against the contemporary collective science of the engineer through
material metaphor.
Architecture as stone,
Heaviness and monumentality belong to the nature of this materialStone
signifies compact mass Broad horizontal openings contradict its structure. 1
The history of French architecture from Notre Dame de Paris to Notre Dame du Haut
are monuments of architectural effort, each structure an artwork defining points of
history. This monument built up through rules and guidelines, taught at schools such
as Ecole Spciale dArchitecture, pertain to certain styles and artistic movements
relevant to the time and technology, the history of architecture evolves slowly over
the centuries in terms of structure and dcor 2. However the advance in material
technology and industry gave birth to new building forms and applications the old
styles, with which we are obsessed, can no longer accommodate them; the materials
now being used evade the designs of decorators 3 and thus a new style exists or
rather as Corbusier argues styles no longer exist for us there has been a
revolution. 4 Less does architecture seem like an art.
Architecture as Iron and Ferro-concrete,

1 Gideon, S. 1995. Pg. 90. Building in France, building in iron, building in ferroconcrete: ArchitectureIron. Santa Monica, CA. Getty Centre for the History of Art and the Humanities.

2 Corbusier, L. 2007. Pg. 291. Towards a new architecture: Architecture or Revolution. London.
Architectural Press.

3 Corbusier, L. 2007. Pg. 304. Towards a new architecture: Architecture or Revolution. London.
Architectural Press.

4 Corbusier, L. 2007. Pg. 291. Towards a new architecture: Architecture or Revolution. London.
Architectural Press.

Galyna McLellan

DAB325 Architecture in the 20th Century

Benjamin Hovav | N8893411

Iron can be stretched and drawn togetherIron opens the spaces. The wall
can become transparent. 5
Gideon realises in this text the growing potential for architecture to become obsolete
without a change in the concept of architectural practise. More and more does
contemporary architecture require the need of science over art, where once a
decorative stonewall stood now stands glass panes held in calculated steel frames
opening the building to the street. Instead of a singular stone sculpture an invisible
space in which relation and interpenetrations, rather than boundaries, reign. 6 The
Architect must become transparent.
Gideon has identified the difficulty redefining architecture being such a large and
grounded concept, much like that of stone. He finds that rather than suffocate
ourselves with the dichotomy of artist and scientist we must blur the distinction and to
become a master builder.

5 Gideon, S. 1995. Pg. 101. Building in France, building in iron, building in ferroconcrete: ArchitectureIron. Santa Monica, CA. Getty Centre for the History of Art and the Humanities.

6 Gideon, S. 1995. Pg. 93. Building in France, building in iron, building in ferroconcrete: ArchitectureIron. Santa Monica, CA. Getty Centre for the History of Art and the Humanities.

Galyna McLellan