2. Perfect Acts of Architecture Kipnis emphasizes that the architectural drawing in history is art in itself, rather than just a representation of art Drawings have altered the course of architecture Innovations in geometry and technique have solved problems of representation Architectural drawing as end work functions in three ways Innovative design tool Articulation of a new direction Creation of consummate artistic merit A perfect act of architecture achieves all three at once
3. The cultural climate of the era caused skepticism and distrust towards any type and program in the world of architecture This skepticism turned optimistic with the thought of a new radical, uninhibited world approaching With a struggling economy in the 1970s architects turned to teaching, where they could further their research
4. A culmination of studies made for the sudden emergence of “paper architecture” with more brilliance and depth Architects such as Koolhaas and Tschumi used architecture as a way to reinvent social and political events Kipnis talks about the importance of and the need to revisit architectural drawings
6. Jack Lynn and Ivor Smith, Housing Estate, Park Hill, London, 1961
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8. Bauhaus Social space: the opening up/moving around/manipulating of space to be made available to the inhabitants and their desires and perceptions Abstract space: political, a product of violence and war, and is institutional – abstract space of capitalism, goal of homogeneity Natural space: climate, topography, and light
9. There is a interdependent relationship between objects and space 3 points must be considered simultaneously: New consciousness of space: reducing space through simplifying a building in a drawing and only outlining it or giving it a plan flat surface Breaking up and rotating plans to change the dept and perception of space Facade disappearance: A new emphasis on function over form Global space: The opening up of public space which was later enforced and utilized through capitalism (filled with commercial images, signs, and objects)
10. Space should be read as directions, instructions, and order first and foremost A space is built for people to live in, not to be read and grasped The reading of space is secondary and irrelevant Form must express function
11. Siegfried Giedion SiegriedGiedion was the first to put space at the center of history Kipnis’ critique: Giedion did not make the distinction between the geometric space and the spiritual space
12. Bruno Zevi Geometrical space is animated by the gestures and actions of the inhabitant Architectural space is defined by the inside-outside relationship Without the individual a space is essentially useless
15. Purpose: minimize urban sprawl reduce downtown traffic preserve historic districts provide accessible and affordable public transit
16. Goal was to create a city where space could be accessible for the people Brazil’s first pedestrian-only street Trinary road design Developed an extensive bus system that operates for less than 1/10 of what a subway costs to operate Created an industrial zone on the outskirts of the city
17. Critiques Disagree with Jeffrey Kipnis Function over form Architecture is for the people/inhabitants rather than a means used to convey a message Agree with Henri Lefebvre Taking space into consideration is essential to architecture Ex: Curitiba and its current successes
18. Successes Bus system has decreased traffic by 30% while population continues to increase Many parks have been built to control the floods rather than building concrete canals Population in 1964 was about 430,000 Population now is more than 1.8 million Average income per person has grown 66% greater than the Brazilian average Curitiba is where 99% of inhabitants of Brazil want to live
