Amsterdam's Architecture Over The Ages
Amsterdam has witnessed many architectural changes during its existence as a capital. From its earliest canal houses to its recent "modernisation", it is a widespread array of fascinating design and architecture. Throughout this short guide, I wish to take you through these ages, demonstrating the designs, the reasons for them, the way of living and the way the architecture developed around the community. This guide focuses mainly on the last one hundred years, looking in depth at the gradual changes made to this great city, and its surrounding areas. I will also look at the great architectural achievements made over time in this area, looking at their design purposes and influences.
Older architecture
Central Amsterdam ages back to over 700 years, but most of the buildings seen today were built in Amsterdam's "Golden age", about 250-500 years ago.
The "Golden age" was the period when most of what is now known as central Amsterdam was built. Some people think it is Amsterdam's best architectural achievement. Probably the most prominent building built within this time period is the canal house. These line all the canals in the centre of Amsterdam. Every canal house was built to be unique from any other, though built with the same shape, each one was personalised with an ornamental piece, such as the gables and plaques. Another method was to put very decorative carvings on the "neck" of a house. This is called "necking".
The picture on the right is an excellent example of necking.
Due to the swamp like quality of the reclaimed land under Amsterdam, it was very hard to build buildings. Because of this wooden stilts were used to support the houses. They were driven into the wet ground before construction for support. Now due to the wet ground some of these supports are rotting, causing houses to tilt and sink into the earth. The picture on the left is of a house on the Keizergracht, it has gradually sunk into the ground over the years causing it to lean sideways.
During the time period in which these houses were built, your house taxes depended on the frontage. Meaning your taxes were determined by the width of your house. Therefore the sneaky Dutch built their houses deep and narrow to avoid severe taxing. For this same reason the staircases are very narrow and low, making it impossible to take furniture up and down them.
Szegedy-Maszak, Marianne. "The Abu Ghraib Prison Scandal: Sources of Sadism." Writing and Reading for ACP Composition. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Custom, 2009. 210-12. Print.
When studying an ancient culture, it is important for one to comprehend the many unique elements that make up that culture. The study of architecture enables historians to deepen their understanding of a culture and identify the modern influences of that society. Architecture is an essential aspect of ancient Greek culture and its long lasting influence is evident in most cities today. The Greek Revival style dominated American architecture during the nineteenth century. Many prosperous citizens believed that the ancient Greece architecture embodied the spirit of democracy. When analyzing the architecture of New York City, one will find many examples of Greek Revival architecture, the most notable examples being the Old Custom House on 28 Wall Street, the first National City Bank building on 55 Wall Street, and Saint Peter’s Church at 22 Barclay Street.
These houses were engineering marvels for their time. While everyone in Europe was building castles, the Native Americans of the area we live in today were building houses which were efficient and strong. While these houses do not exist today, there are many sites which you can go and visit which have reconstructed the structure of a longhouse for you to go inside and take a look around. I was privileged enough to live within five minutes of one and have seen these impressive structures. Without these structures, there is no way that these people would have been able to survive the harsh climate that New York has in the winters.
Queen Anne architecture can not be defined easily. It's architectural style has many different characteristics. In this paper, I will show how the Queen Anne style evolved from the architecture that was common during the reign of Queen Anne herself and also show how it evolved in America in the late 1800's during the Industrial Revolution. I will then show how the Queen Anne style is incorporated into today's architectural design.
Torres Gregory, Wanda, and Donna Giancola. "Part 2: The Asian Traditions." World Ethics. Eds. Steve Wainwright, Lee McCracken, and Anna Lustig. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage learning, 2002. 197-202. Print.
The battle fought between the Soviet Red Army and the Nazi Wehrmacht over the “city of Stalin” for four long months in the fall and winter of 1942-3 stands as not only the most important battle of the Eastern front during World War II, but as the greatest battle ever fought. Germany’s defeat at Stalingrad ended three years of almost uninterrupted victory and signaled the beginning of the end of the Third Reich. In this way, Stalingrad’s significance was projected beyond the two main combatants, extending to all corners of the world.
This book is a general survey of architectural history that tries to restore the traditional grand monuments with a broader, more embracing view of the built environment. Kostof emphasizes on the study of architecture as a whole and said, “All buildings of the past, regardless of size or status or consequence, should ideally be deemed worthy of study.”
Despite the extensive literature available on the work of Mies van der Rohe, it is still possible to identify significant gaps on the subject. As previously demonstrated, historians have generally overlooked the Core House’s size variations, what becomes evident in the way the project has been commonly named. Despite the possibility of having different sizes, after many decades the Core House did not become a custom house produced, just like a piece of clothing, in small, medium and large sizes. To blame this destiny for a certain lack of privacy while praising the house’s transparency and fluidity, is to establish a paradox, for these qualities are associated. But most of all, as it was demonstrated, this project was not really intended to be built. It was primarily developed as an experiment where, under ideal circumstances, the architect would be able to challenge certain architectural concepts and test their limits. Indeed, through the Core House, Mies van der Rohe formulated concepts that would successfully inspire future designs. This influence becomes more evident when one realizes that its theoretical ideas had to be adapted in order to attend the specific circumstances and practical demands of the commissioned projects. Therefore, to consider the Core House as just a project too impractical to be built is to neglect its important achievements. Instead of a prototype that did not work, it is rather a source of alternatives to expand established boundaries.
The Moscow-Leningrad railway destroyed, air bombardment destroyed air and river supply lines, water and food supply storages, along with power stations that supplied electricity. This created inhumane living conditions, and ultimately death for hundreds of thousands of residents in Leningrad. Rations of the food remaining were inadequate to feed the masses and priority of food were given to soldiers and manual workers who continued to work building weapons needed to support war efforts. Residents supplemented their food rations eating zoo animals, rodents, and family pets. “Hundreds, perhaps thousands, resorted to cannibalizing the dead and in a few cases people murder for their flesh” (Siege of Leningrad begins, 2014). Remaining fuel is to be used in weapon building, leaving residents to use household items, such as books, furniture, and floorboards, as fuel for warmth. Thousands of people died daily from freezing temperatures in the winters, disease, and starvation. During winter months, supplies made its way to Leningrad over the frozen Lake Ladoga and by barges when the lake was not frozen. Not all attempts were successful, due to German air and artillery attacks. Attempts to support Leningrad with supplies were also made by the building of a road, more than 200 miles long to Zaborie. However, many parts of the road were impassable due to snow or
(Image taken from Tranchtenberg, Marvin, Isabelle Hyman. Architecture: From Prehistory to Postmodernity. Second Edition. Prentice Hall, Inc. New Jersey: 2002.)
The average worker spends two-thousand and eighty hours a year at their place of employment. Communication within the workplace is often overlooked or not given as much importance as most people should allow, given the amount of time that is spent there. Beyond the more basic verbal speech, one must be aware of the nonverbal symbols and noise that can have an effect on communication. There are also cultural, environmental and internal factors that can effect communication and how successful it can be. The various perceptions that an individual has developed over their life can also effect communication. One’s ability to communicate effectively will determine the success and enjoyment that is to come from their job.
Architecture has always been an integral part of the society and its culture. It not only defines the space of the community that it participates in but it also shapes the community’s place in history. Moreover, historians all over the world have found architecture playing a key role while they study the communities in time periods. Architecture helps the historian decipher the civilization's daily life and the values they hold. The historians are able to decipher as such by looking at the recurring structural feature and ornamental feature of certain buildings of certain time period. Some of the significant feature of the building usually defines the political regime or the religious values of the civilization.
It is considered that modern architecture settle after the World War II around 1955, however there was numerous factors before this happened. Names like Wright and Richard Neutra or the Rockefeller Centre (1930) in New York are some of the clear picture to prove that this movement started before. Brazil was another country in architectural development in the spotlight. There is also to say that this pre-war Modern Architecture had its differences regarding to the post war. Nevertheless, there is to clarify that, there was not a big jump, there was a whole process and it began long before.
‘’The body of one modern building consists of electronic flows. Just as the human body consists of air and water flows through them and communicates with nature. Electronic information flows change drastically our relationship with nature. ‘’
One of the main aspects in communicating is listening. An effective listener is one who, not only comprehends how the speaker feels but, also understands what they are stating. Building a strong connection between the speaker and the listener is one of the first steps to become a good listener. By building this connection speakers should first be in an environment with open minded listeners, it makes them feel more comfortable to state their opinions, feelings and ideas. Listeners should avoid being judgmental. The individual does not have to agree with the ideas, values or opinions of the speaker; however, to fully understand them, one must put aside their criticism. Speakers will believe that they can trust the listeners with their information when they know that they will not be judged. Miscommunication happens frequently, listene...