The document includes reaction papers by James Tay Jia Chuen analyzing architecture through the works of Frank Lloyd Wright, Juhani Pallasmaa, and Kenneth Frampton. Wright emphasizes organic architecture's harmony with nature, while Pallasmaa argues the importance of multi-sensory experiences in architectural design. Frampton introduces critical regionalism, advocating for architecture that reflects cultural identity in the face of globalization.

1. BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE
THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM
(ARC61303/ARC2224)
SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (MARCH 2017)
Name: James Tay Jia Chuen ID No.: 0322210
Lecturer: Ar. Tutorial Time: 10-11am
Reader/Text Title: In the Cause of Architecture Synopsis No: 1
Author: Frank Lloyd Wright
In the first essay of Frank Lloyd Wright’s “In the Cause of Architecture”, he has described
about his propositions of the importance of how a building should grow with nature in his
designs. He believes that there is “no other source so fertile, so suggestive, so helpful
aesthetically for an architect” other than mother nature herself. He aims to create
structures that were in harmony with both humanity and the environment and also
establish a harmonious relationship between ground plan and elevation to integrate
spaces to a coherent whole. In my opinion, Wright’s proposition of organic architecture is
a green design before its time which became a benchmark and has successfully inspired
many architects of today to take organic architecture to its next step for example, eco-
friendly materiality in design and sustainable design considerations.
Wright has also emphasized on pushing the boundaries in complementing design using
technology. He has mentioned the fact that machinery is an architect’s limitation and we
should take advantage of it. For example, Norman Foster and Rem Koolhass are
examples of architects which used the technical contrivances to successfully
complement their building’s forms.
Wright suggests that simplicity and repose in design are qualities that measures the true
value of art. He feels that the differentiation of a simple elements in design gives
character to a building which enables it to “flare outward, opening flower like to the sky”.
Nevertheless, people crave for complexity rather than simplicity as they feel simplicity is
dull, boring but Wright expresses simplicity in a sense that it is not in itself an end; it is a
means to an end. In my opinion, simplicity in design is everlasting in comparison to
complex, trendy designs which may deem out of fashion in time to come.
In conclusion, Wright was conveying that architecture should incorporate nature,
technology, simplicity in design and architects should hold these principles to create a
more livable space with the spiritual integrity of environment regardless of time.
Word Count: 328 Mark Grade
Assessed by: Date Page No.1

2. BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE
THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM
(ARC61303/ARC2224)
SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (MARCH 2017)
Name: James Tay Jia Chuen ID No.: 0322210
Lecturer: Ar. Tutorial Time: 10-11am
Reader/Text Title: The Eyes of The Skin Synopsis No: 2
Author:
Our eyes enable us the ability to see and interpret the visual information that surrounds
us which will in turn grant us access to feel and experience the space around us. In this
text, The Eyes of The Skin, the author mentions about how important the sense of sight
is to the world of architecture but not neglecting the use of other senses as well for
example the sense of touch or as how the author phrases it as the haptic memory.
Through my interpretation of the text, Pallasmaa gave me an insight of how our senses
work to navigate our world and environment. The act of constructing a building goes so
much further than merely one person putting pieces together to make a product, but in
turn it impacts the nature and feelings of the architect in a way that changes the way
they view architecture as a whole or even may affect the way they view their own life.
A work of architecture incorporates and infuses both physical and mental structures.
Peter Zumthor, Jean Nouvel and Steven Holl are examples of famous architects which
design buildings in holistic manner by exploring the materiality, light and environment
within a space and it in turn can activate all senses of users rather than just involving
visual relationship between human body and environment. As quoted from the text “The
world ignites the imagination of the mind; visual reveals what the touch already knows”.
In conclusion, our cultural fixation with our eyes, neglects the importance of the other
human bodily sensors, such as touch, smell, hearing, to the detriment of our built
environment. This detriment to our other senses, besides vision, is manifested in our
thoughtless architectural surroundings. Architecture is in desperate need for a
possession of firm principles that give architecture its true meaning, and these principles
are seeing architecture in a multi-senses and with a spiritual viewpoint.
Word Count: 317 Mark Grade
Assessed by: Date Page No. 2

3. BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE
THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM
(ARC61303/ARC2224)
SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (MARCH 2017)
Name: James Tay Jia Chuen ID No.: 0322210
Lecturer: Ar. Tutorial Time: 10-11am
Reader/Text Title: Towards a Critical Regionalism Synopsis No: 3
Author: Kenneth Frampton
In Kenneth Frampton’s article, he describes that in this progressive state of our current
technocratic world we live in today, society is now moving towards the universalization of
civilization. Frampton explains that the adaptation of traditional culture into regionalism is
lacking thus universalization of civilization prevails. Due to this reason, Frampton found
a new type of architecture, in short-architecture of resistance where it is architecture that
synthesizes the identity, history and culture of a region with contemporary demands and
an image of prosperity.
In the subtopic “Critical Regionalism and World Culture”, Frampton suggested that in
order to mediate the impact of universalization of civilization, importance must be given
to arriere-garde to bring back culture by “identifying the elements derived indirectly from
the peculiarities of a particular place”. Due to the universalization of civilization as seen
today, the subtle differences between places are disappearing. Today, if you were
suddenly dropped along a road outside of most American cities or towns, you wouldn’t
have the slightest idea where you were because it all looks the same, including the
building materials and architectural styles. In my opinion, the strategy of critical
regionalism can bring back the very essence of culture of a place or in other words, the
sense of place. Sense of place is what makes one city or town different from another,
but sense of place is also what makes our physical surroundings worth caring about.
In the subtopic “The Resistance of the Place-Form”, according to Frampton, the physical
space of region and the place where the communication between people are not the
same things. When applying critical regionalism to the design, architects should consider
the idea that there is no limitation of physical space and the characteristic of place
cannot be consisted of an independent building. Relation between exterior qualification
of places such as its entrance, exits and the circulation should be considered and
thought about when solving the spatial organization of a building. In my opinion, I agree
to his statements and feel that the journey experienced by people moving through a
building is equally as important as how a building is designed in response to the
people’s needs and site context.
Word Count: 363 Mark Grade
Assessed by: Date Page No. 3