Contemporary Architecture » World War Ii

The World of Architectural Designs

admin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:50:16 +0000

Architectural interior designing has existed since the time human beings began building houses for themselves. They made crude houses from stone, wood and whatever else they could find useful for making their houses. Those structures were not at all comfortable or stylish compared to the sophisticated interiors that architects design nowadays. But they were the earliest steps that man took in the field of architectural interior designing.

As humans gained mastery over various elements, they started building better houses with improved interiors. Once they had succeeded in achieving a satisfying comfort level in their interiors, our architect ancestors started paying attention to beautifying them. This led to the creation of various styles of architectural interior design.

Architectural interior designing first got recognition during the Roman and Gothic ages. Since then it has explored a variety of styles across different ages. The concepts of architectural interior designing have been seen to be influenced by prevailing economic and social conditions. For example, the economic crisis that resulted from World War II played a defining role in making the architectural interior designing of that era quite plain and simple. Architectural interior designing reflects its times, the World War bought misery and financial difficulties to the masses. Consequently some people at that time did not care about the beauty of their interiors or could not afford to beautify their homes. Similarly other significant periods in the history of mankind have been associated with unique styles of architectural interior designing.

Some of the most historically significant forms of architectural interior designing are –

Gothic (13th-century)

Baroque (17th century)

Georgian (18th century)

Classical and Gothic revival (19th century)

Modernistic art (20th century)

Modern Architectural Designs:

Unlike their ancient predecessors who worked with rocks and metals like iron, modern architects use concrete and steel to create marvelous interiors.

Architecture goes green:

A concept of architectural interior designing that has become very popular among present-day architects is that that of a green home. Green homes are built using materials and methods that are friendly to the environment. Much of the materials used in the construction of such homes are environment-friendly, and can be re-cycled. This is very important, because with the threat of global warming looming large over us, we need to do everything that can be done to prevent further damages to our environment.

By: orsondixon

Prague Architecture

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:22:21 +0000

Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic, is widely considered one of the most beautiful cities in Europe with preserved examples from all periods of its history and belongs among the most visited cities on the continent. Situated on the River Vltava in central Bohemia, Prague has been the political, cultural, and economic centre of the Czech state for over 1100 years. The city proper is home to more than 1. 2 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 1. 9 million. Prague was developing as an important centre where Czech, German and Jewish cultures met and mingled. Following the establishment of the Czechoslovak Republic in 1918, Prague became the metropolis of the new country. It experienced a growth of its territory and a great architecture boom. Known as the “golden city of spires,” Prague in the Czech Republic has architectural splendours that span a thousand years. Prague is your introduction to the Medieval, Baroque, and Renaissance buildings. For most of its history Prague had been a multiethnic city with important Czech, German, and (mostly Czech- and/ or German-speaking) Jewish populations. From 1939, when the country was occupied by Nazi Germany, and during World War II, most Jews either fled the city or were killed in the Holocaust. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, Prague has become one of Europe’s (and the world’s) most popular tourist destinations. It is the sixth most-visited European city after London, Paris, Rome, Madrid and Berlin. Prague suffered considerably less damage during World War II than some other major cities in the region, allowing most of its historic architecture to stay true to form. It contains one of the world’s most pristine and varied collections of architecture, from Art Nouveau to Baroque, Renaissance, Cubist, Gothic, Neo-Classical and ultra-modern. Since 1992, the extensive historic centre of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. According to Guinness World Records, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world. Nicknames for Prague have included “the mother of cities” (Praga mater urbium)”, “city of a hundred spires” and “the golden city”. Centuries of construction gave rise to an exceptional integrated architectural complex, unique in the world as regards its size and concentration of cultural heritage. Different architectural styles mingle and intertwine here, and their symbiosis creates the city’s unique atmosphere. The most valuable part of the city’s centre was declared the Prague Heritage Reserve in 1981, which was included in UNESCO’s world cultural heritage list in 1992. Prague is the seat of the top-level legislative, administrative and political bodies of the country – the parliament, government, and president. The most important social, cultural and educational institutions reside here. The city is the entrance gate to the Czech Republic. You can admire here all the architecture treasure.

Berlin is Located in Eastern Germany

admin — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:49:00 +0000

Berlin is the capital city and a state of Germany. It is the countries largest city in area and population and the second most populous city in the European Union. Berlin is located in eastern Germany, about 70 kilometres west of the border with Poland. The landscape was shaped by ice sheets during the last ice age.

Berlin is one of the most influential centres in European politics, culture and science. The city serves as an important junction of national and continental transportation.

First documented in the 13th century, Berlin became the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia in 1701 and of the German Empire in 1871 and remained so during periods of Weimar Republic and Third Reich until 1945. In times of division the German Democratic Republic claimed East Berlin as its capital, while West Berlin was a democratic island surrounded by East Germany. Following German reunification in 1990, Berlin again became capital of Germany.

After a fifty year lull, Berlin is back, back as the capital of a reunified Germany and back as one of Europes greatest cities. After World War II, Berlin was a crippled pawn, sandwiched between East and West, with a literal and metaphoric wall deeply dividing the two halves. The north eastern German city even suffered the ignominy of losing its capital status, as the West German government fled to Bonn. Today, the Cold War and the iconic events of November 1989, which saw the Berlin Wall torn to pieces by those whom it had oppressed for so long, are starting to seem like a distant memory and all the talk in Berlin is of the future.

A major tourist and shopping destination and is well known for its diverse range of convention venues and media outlets. It is home to some of the worlds most prominent universities, theatres and museums.

The rapidly changing metropolis at present enjoys an international reputation for its festivals, vibrant nightlife, contemporary architecture, and arts. Being home to people from over 180 nations, Berlin is a magnet for individuals who are attracted by its liberal lifestyle, urban eclecticism, and artistic freedom.

Contrary to the usual cliches about Germany, Berlin is a city with a laid back attitude and some of the liveliest nightlife in Europe. In Berlin today, there is everything from authentic beer halls and old Soviet era haunts right through to buzzing style bars and Latino nightclubs.

The climate is equally eclectic, with hot summer days giving way to occasionally freezing temperatures during the long grey winter. Todays experience is to laze through a summer day in the Tiergarten with the rabble of construction just out of earshot, sipping on a chilled Pilsner beer, while witnessing a city reinventing itself as one of Europes finest capitals.

By: Douglas Scott

Hello From Ottawa – Part 11- The Canadian Museum Of Contemporary Photography Featuring Sunil Gupta And The Challenges Of Immigration

admin — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:48:14 +0000

My schedule in Ottawa this past weekend was extremely compressed, but there was one place I wasn’t going to miss: the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography. As a person with no formal background, yet a keen interest in the visual arts and photography, I have been wanting to visit this museum for a long time. And my Internet research revealed that the Museum is featuring a very special exhibition right now: two photographic series by Sunil Gupta, an Indian-born Canadian citizen, exploring issues of identity, culture and the immigrant experience.

Let me start first with the Museum itself, a rather unique venue in Ottawa with a long history. The Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography began its life all the way back in World War II as the Still Photography Museum of the National Film Board. Its activities include collecting, publishing and organizing traveling exhibitions and educational programs to foster the efforts and development of Canadian photographers.

It’s a unique place in a unique venue: the Museum is housed in a former railroad tunnel of the Grand Trunk Railroad. It is accessible through an above-ground entrance immediately west of the Fairmont Chateau Laurier Hotel in downtown Ottawa, and an elevator takes you 2 storeys down from street level. As a former railroad tunnel, the Museum’s unique dimensions won’t come as a surprise: it measures 166 meters (545 feet) in length by only 17 meters (56 feet) in width. The facility is more like a 32-storey high-rise building laid on its side.

Even constructing the Museum entailed significant engineering challenges: due to the narrowness of the site, squeezed in between the Chateau Laurier on one side and the Rideau Canal on the other, construction trucks had to back into the site, edging their way half a mile along a road carved in the limestone and shale cliff face.

But I wasn’t only there to explore the unique architectural features of the gallery. The main reason for my visit was an exhibition by Sunil Gupta, whose 2 collections shed light on the immigrant experience.

Sunil Gupta was born in New Delhi in 1953 and came to Montreal with his parents at age 15. Over the years he has also lived in New York City and London and just recently moved back to India. Originally he studied accounting, but later moved into visual arts and photography.

Until April 23, 2006, the Museum features two highly personal collections by this artist. Social Security (1988) features Sunil Gupta’s family photographs and his mother’s words to shed light on the story of one immigrant family in Montreal. His family came from a middle-class background in India, and after their move to Canada they had significant adjustment problems. Sunil’s father was forced to work as a security guard and the family experienced a loss of financial security and social status. This was complicated by the fact that his parents were already in their fifties by the time of the move which made integration into Canadian culture even more difficult.

This photo collection illustrates the fact that his parents had traditional desires for both Sunil and his sister, and neither of the two children fulfilled the role expectations put upon them by their Indian parents. Sunil’s sister ended up marrying an American, something the parents did not support. Sunil himself is actually gay and had several long-term relationships with men, much to the chagrin of his parents. Neither offspring fulfilled the role of marrying an Indian spouse and creating a traditional Indian family. As such, the move to Canada was a big disappointment, particularly for Sunil’s father.

Incidentally Sunil’s father died of a heart attack on a Montreal street in 1986. He wasn’t found until several days later. One particularly gripping photograph shows Sunil’s father’s belongings, money, identification, credit cards, that were removed from his body after his death. It took the authorities three days to notify the family, presumably because his father was assigned to the “immigrant” section of the morgue. Nobody had bothered to check his identification and call his family, even though his father had all the necessary papers on him. And his social security card had been neatly cut in half.

Sunil Gupta’s second photo collection Homelands (2001 to 2003) includes large-scale diptychs that juxtapose images from his experience in the West with images from his home country in India. His exhibition explores highly personal topics, such as Gupta’s homosexuality and the fact that he is HIV positive. Gupta was diagnosed with HIV in 1995.

For me the most powerful image of the collection includes Gupta in front of a mirror, stark naked, facing the camera, with a sliver of his mirror image showing right next to an image of India. My museum guide indicated that Sunil has actually commented that he lives right in that narrow line between East and West.

It seems that his cultural identity is tenuous at best and Sunil decided recently to move back to India to explore his own cultural background. It is significant to mention that India does not accept homosexuality, does not offer treatment required for AIDS patients and doesn’t even officially acknowledge the existence of the disease. In addition India harbours a host of dangerous viruses that pose a constant threat to Sunil’s health. Even beyond that Sunil indicated that he lives in constant fear that his medical condition will be discovered and that he will be deported from India.

Both of Sunil Gupta’s series of photographs are highly personal, where he exposes himself (literally), his family members and the dynamics of an immigrant family in North America. His images use colour, atmospheric influences and juxtaposition to express symbolism and speak of an ongoing struggle to find his own personal, sexual and cultural identity at the confluence of Eastern and Western cultures.

For me personally, Sunil Gupta’s autobiographical photographs were almost shocking in their candor and openness. They talk about the cultural pressures and expectations that face second generation immigrants growing up in a liberal Western environment. Juxtaposed to this external environment is their traditional Eastern family milieu with its strict rules and role expectations, almost imposing a schizophrenic existence on their offspring.

It was rather surprising to me that Sunil Gupta decided recently to move back to a country where, as a gay HIV-positive individual, he is not accepted and it speaks to his overwhelming urge to reconnect with his roots.

The Canadian Museum of Photography is currently also hosting another installation: Imprints: Photographs by Michel Campeau, Marlene Creates, Lorraine Gilbert, Sarah Anne Johnson, and Sylvie Readmen features 19 recent acquisitions that explore nature and its forces as they intersect with the human world.

For the entire article including photos please visit http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/ottawa_museum_photography.htm

By: Susanne Pacher