Unit Summary

Reflections

Looking back to the past to the time after the renaissance and baroque period, it was obvious that the design world once again thinking outside of the box. Stepping into the 19th century now was something of an eye opener. With the fallout of the British Empire, many revolutions and battles took place in order to create a separate view from that of the British. An example of some innovations that were introduced and made things simpler for society was things like transportation, an abundance of materials, and more architects and designers.

Transportation created shorter distances in a way that it took less time to reach point B from point A. it also made it possible for the circulation of newspapers, magazines, books, and artwork to be internationally available. Materials were now more accessible as well as more flexible in the way in which they were used in comparison to one another. This came as great news to up and coming designers in this new and modern era. In addition to that, more and more designers opted to from teams and groups in which to work so that design would be an effort that was contributed by many. This made it possible for the world to expand and open up architecturally.

Entering the modern world, designers started looking back to classical times as inspiration once again for their work. There was definitely unification across surfaces that related back to the monotone use of one material for the whole structure. This hinted at the fact that everyone wanted to look alike; there was also a strong feeling of wanting to belong and being in unison with those around you. Space became something to be viewed with integrity and strength. Some parts were also reverting to staying more private as well as having areas that were specifically for the public. This gave the space a good divider and respect to the owner. These spatial relationships that were compared to one another became very important along with the details that were embedded within them. With this, designers also began focusing more on horizontality for the fact that it represented unity within the environment.

These new ways of thinking caused the start of a revolution. Within this revolution, there were several revivals that marked certain rules and processes that were coming into activity once again. These rules were constantly put into rotation that moved in variations within a cycle. This caused a new way of thinking and designing and forged a reform that was once again a refreshing feeling in architecture. This whole system was something that caused society to once again think about the culture and they way architecture has shaped it as well as looking to the past to revive old traditions.

The past was now being thought of as better than the future, especially due to society’s view of social change, a need for meaning, and the study of the romantic past. However with the many innovations that have resulted, the future was not looking bad at all. There were promising changes in society as far as urban and healthy populations as well as scientific developments and new materials. With holistic styles that were emerging, it was again time to focus on comfort and the interiors.