Worth Repeating 

Written by Laurie Lehrich

Visual Rhythm is one of the most powerful principles of effective architecture and design.  It has been described as a timed movement through space.  It strengthens a concept, gives weight to a design, and I find that there is something reassuring and solid about a predictable pattern or detail.

One can achieve rhythm in several ways: through repetition, linear rhythm, alternation, and gradation.  I see these methods employed daily in architecture,  kitchen design, and interiors.

This is one of my favorite New England photos that illustrates how soothing a repetitive design can be.  This fence may be found in Bennington, VT.

Another effective use of rhythm in the tile pattern, the wine shelves, and the even in the wood grain. 

 I have no idea what this is; I liked it because it reminded me of a similar project way back in college.  Fun times. 

Another method for creating rhythm is by way of alternation. M.C. Escher was a master at this technique.

Gradation Rhythm in wood slats created as a room divider.

Two lovely examples of linear rhythm. 

Written by:  Robin Pittman

Summer Sky

We have been blanketed by some overwhelming heat down here in the South for the past couple of weeks, haven’t we??  Heat so stifling, that even being completely submerged in a pool offers little relief!  I find myself looking for any excuse to stay inside in the air-conditioning…while eating ice cream, of course.

Despite my longing for the coolness of the days in early fall, I can’t help but acknowledge that we had some breathtaking displays of beauty in the summer skies for the past few days!  The crispness of the deep blues in the sky next to the whiter-than-white clouds was mesmerizing to me.  I found myself driving with my camera in my lap, snapping pictures whenever I had the chance to capture an image while out and about.  (hey, at least I wasn’t texting while driving, right?)  

Written by:  Diane Baumeister

nonconformist

Function:  noun

1) One who does not conform to, or refuses to be bound by, accepted beliefs, customs, or practices.  

And so we have here a word that is near and dear to my heart...

The Bauhaus school in Dessau, Germany, was probably the most important school of art, design, and perhaps architecture of the 20th century. Its avant garde designs made a radical break with the antique past and pushed German furniture design firmly into the Modernist camp.

The school, the "Staatliches Bauhaus", existed from 1919 to 1933. The term is based on the verb "to build" and the best translation is probably "Architecture House". The Bauhaus movement artisans emphasised function over form, decoration was discarded in favour of fairly strict use of clean lines, a characteristic of much modernist furniture.

The nonconformist chair and adjustable table by Eileen Gray

Written by :  Rachel Martin

Declaration-   Dec-la-ra-tion

Function:  Noun

1) a statement that is emphatic and explicit (spoken or written)

2) (law) unsworn statement that can be admitted in evidence in a legal transaction; "his declaration of innocence"

I believe that there is no better way to start our July definition blog other than with the Declaration of Independence.  The connections between art, design, architecture and this time in our history are boundless.  From Virginia Dare, to the Dutch purchase of Manhattan, to the century long debate resulting in the Mason Dixon Line, to the 56 signers of the document the Declaration of Independence,  men and women and children from different classes and countries influenced the "building" of a nation.  The crafted words of this document announced the birth of a new nation and the beginning of a political identity.  

The Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia, the cultural, commercial and intellectual center of the the original 13 colonies.  The Georgian Architecture of Independence Hall represents one of the many architectural influences in our nation.   As is evidenced by the historical buildings in the colonies and in Washington DC, art, design, and architecture played a major role in the founding fathers establishment of a new nation.  

The combination of the influences of physical architecture and design and anatomy of each word of the Declaration of Independence are experienced by Americans each and every day.  

Declaration of Independence

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of representation in the legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the legislative powers, incapable of annihilation, have returned to the people at large for their exercise; the state remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavored to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands.

He has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers.

He has made judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislature.

He has affected to render the military independent of and superior to civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by mock trial, from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these states:

For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing taxes on us without our consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury:

For transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses:

For abolishing the free system of English laws in a neighboring province, establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule in these colonies:

For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our governments:

For suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protection and waging war against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow citizens taken captive on the high seas to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare, is undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have we been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends.

We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.

New Hampshire: Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

Massachusetts: John Hancock, Samual Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island: Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

Connecticut: Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

New York: William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

New Jersey: Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

Delaware: Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

Maryland: Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

North Carolina: William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

South Carolina: Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton

Georgia: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

Source: The Pennsylvania Packet, July 8, 1776

Written by:  Kelly Hamiltion

Father 

Function:  Noun

1.  a male father

1.  a male parent. 

2.  a father-in-law, stepfather, or adoptive father. 

3.  any male ancestor, esp. the founder of a race, family, or line; progenitor. 

4.  a man who exercises paternal care over other persons; paternal protector or provider: a father to the poor. 

 5.  a person who has originated or established something: the father of modern psychology; the   founding fathers. 

6.  a precursor, prototype, or early form: The horseless carriage was the father of the modern automobile.  

For today’s blog I want to focus on above definition #5 and pay tribute to the great “Fathers of Design” who paved the way for those of us working in this industry today.  Since this is supposed to be a blog and not a design history encyclopedia I have highlighted my one favorite design from each man.  It was really hard to choose just one...  

Frank Lloyd Wright:  Falling Water, Bear Run, Pennsylvania 1937

 

 

 

 

 

Louis Sullivan:  Wainwright Building 1890  

 

Frank Gehry  (Living Legend): Dancing House 1992-1996   

Written by:  Robin Pittman

MUSIC

Some might appreciate the art form more than others, but there is no denying the effect music has on each of us – music can completely transform the atmosphere in a room, can change a person’s mood, and can express emotions that sometimes aren’t justly phrased with words alone.

Ever been to a cocktail party with no background music??  

Every shopped in a store surrounded by complete silence??

Absolutely not!  Music relaxes us, invigorates us, and to me, music is incredibly inspiring.  You will never find me in my house, in my office, or in my car without music playing – complete silence is a tremendous distraction for me, and I get three times the work done if I have background noise keeping me focused.

I am absolutely fascinated by the intricacies of music – I think because this is a talent so foreign to me!  The collaborative effort of each individual musician coming together to make this beautiful, layered piece of work is amazing.  Songwriting is a gift that I appreciate in others…and only wish I possessed!  

My favorite way to spend an evening is in one of the many fantastic live music venues in Atlanta – we are so fortunate!  While I am in these venues, I can’t help but think about all the finely-tuned details that went into the architectural design of the spaces to allow for the optimum acoustics.  The science behind the way sound bounces off of varying surfaces, the curves in walls in appropriate places…all of these details that have to be considered while maintaining a beautiful design!!  

I think the first music hall that would come to anyone’s mind when you think of a stunning architectural structure would be the Sydney Opera House in Australia:

Also Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan:

Written by:  Emily Sapanza

Mother- Moth-er

Function:  Noun

1) A female person who is pregnant with or gives birth to a child.

2) A female person whose egg unites with a sperm, resulting in the conception of a child.

3)  A woman who adopts a child.

4) A woman who raises a child.

5) A female parent of an animal.

6) A female ancestor.

7) A woman who holds a position of authority or responsibility similar to that of a mother

As you can see from above, the word “mother” can represent so many ideas in culture and life and mean so many different things. There are a few certainties in life: death, taxes, and the fact that we all have a mother. The relationship one has with their mother can be positive, negative, or even non-existent. Either way this connection however great or imperfect will fabricate our lives insurmountably. 

Every mother lays out a mental blueprint for their child’s life before they are even born. Yet, to me it takes a great architect to be able to allow this blueprint to become what it needs to be and allow it to grow and mold itself along the way. No plan ever comes to fruition without many revisions and detours. As always there are opportunities that present themselves that are never on the plan but that always manage to appear once you are on the “jobsite of life”. How we deal with these opportunities can show and teach us many things about ourselves and how we view the world.  

My Mama has shown me how to be a great architect of life for my children. To me she is the symbol of leading by example by allowing me to be free thinking and never to hold me within the constraints of what she thinks my plan needs to look like. Inevitably things on paper look different in the real world. Whether they are spectacular achievements in the design of life or horrible miscalculated failures, Mama is always behind me congratulating or consoling me.

My mama is wonderful, fantastic, amazing, magnificent, superb, brilliant, well, there just is not a single word that can describe how great she is and do her justice. She has given me so many of the tools with which I used to design and construct my life that I lead today. I am thankful everyday that my Mama let me design and create my own life and gave me the encouragement to become who I am today.

Thanks Mama! I love you. 

Written by:  Robin Pittman

Addison Mizner

Bridges

By Laurie Lehrich

I read this article recently on the most beautiful bridges in the world.  I wanted to share these, in case you missed the article, and because of how intensely beautiful they are; how they fit seamlessly into their respective surroundings; and how they nod to the culture of the cities and countries where they reside.  They are the enduring testament of superbly creative thought, engineering, craftsmanship, materials, architecture and design.   

Voted Norway’s Construction of the Century, this graceful five-and-a-half-mile stretch of concrete bridges in Norway is a fluid monument to design. Connecting small islands, eight successive bridges twist and swell in mind-bending fashion.  This looks like a still photo that captures imaginary giant hands shaking out the earth like a tablecloth and the bridge rising and bending in response!

Henderson Waves is Singapore's tallest pedestrian bridge at 12 stories high. 

What a creative way to conceive of and design a pedestrian bridge! 

Navajo Bridge is a spandrel arch bridge in Arizona's Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, 467 feet above Marble Canyon and the Colorado River.

The 18th-century Iron Bridge in the West Midlands region of central England was the first arched bridge to be built of cast iron. The designer, Thomas Farnolls Pritchard, had no precedent to go on, so he based the design on carpentry techniques.  I love the completion of the “circle” in the bridge’s reflection.

The 16th-century "Old Bridge," or Stari Most, in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, was rebuilt in 2004 from its own rubble.  The locals have been known to take a 66-foot dive from its central arch into the Neretva River below.

Sydney's Harbour  steel-arch bridge is the tallest of its kind, at 440 feet.

Written by:  Emily Sapanza

Loch

Function: Noun

Etymology: Middle English (Scots) louch, from Scottish Gaelic loch; akin to Latin lacus lake

Date: 14th century

1) lake

2)  a bay or arm of the sea especially when nearly landlocked 

One of my favorite television series Monarch of the Glen is actually filmed on location at Loch Laggan in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland. Inspired by the highland novels of Compton Mackenzie, Monarch of the Glen follows Archie MacDonald as he finds himself thrown into the role of the new Laird of Glenbogle, his family's financially failing Scottish estate. With the help, and sometimes hinderance, of his family and faithful retainers he works to get the noble estate back on its feet.

The Ardverikie Estate is portrayed in the series as The Glen Bogle Estate and borders the Loch. Ardverikie, designed and built in the Scottish baronial style in 1870, is one of the finest private houses in the Scottish highlands. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert even stayed here for a whole month before she bought Balmoral.