Stream of Consciousness 1.30.24

Interestingly, a topic I discussed in last weeks topic of interest presentation appeared in a theory reading about general relationships made between nature and architecture overtime, the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and the Beautiful (1757, Edmund Burke). It spoke of the origins of the sublime, and how creation of effects expressed through architecture were intended to produce specific sensations. Additionally, it was the role of the architect to do so in the way natural objects can elicit the same responses. It made me think about how initially, all three of my topics of interest, skyscraper identity, monumental architecture, and more or less the everyday megastructures of recent and modern urban infrastructure, too elicit similar feelings that one may feel from a natural object. Of course, I think Burke is referencing something sublime like a mountain range, which is actually one thought I had when I was thinking about finding local identities in skyscrapers. More specifically how perception of skylines, and even better skyscrapers at the ideal viewing distance to where they feel like a sculpture on a large scale can take your breath away like a mountain range.

I'd like to read the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and the Beautiful at some point.

I had more thoughts about the concept of identity and maybe starting to think of it like a research question. Driving to school I've noticed several license plates that either have a skyline of a city from Iowa, presumably Des Moines, and Illinois, being Chicago. Ironically, Chicago is not the capital of Illinois, but that kind of helps my point that Chicago, and more so it's landmark skyscrapers, are what people can identify with within the state and even to those who live outside of Illinois.

So I'm wondering if there's something quantifiable in media, government paraphernalia, or  literature to show the impact of skyscrapers in everyday life. Maybe I could make some skyscraper taxonomy that similarly, like the example I found in my theory reading, I could make to define the parts of tall buildings that really get people going. I think there's also value to approaching this topic from a historic perspective.

I guess that leaves why it's still an important topic, but maybe that can be reduced to the architect's responsibility to produce something worthy of being "relic" architecture. In a similar fashion to what Louis Kahn has said about buildings constructed of concrete, they look like and are supposed to last forever.

Maybe I can research to painters that dabbled in the sublime and could even begin to do a study comparing paintings of the naturalistic sublime to contemporary precedent of cities. 

Additionally, on the other topic of "authentically American spaces", I was wondering in class if there was a way to make these interstates in cities more of an experience to drivers. Sitting in traffic can be dreadfully boring, could there be anything to look at like landscaping or something visually stimulating? Of course there's potential for that to be distracting while driving and would take more thought. Just as an idea of embracing a staple of American culture, but redefining what it means to use it.

Additionally, this idea of making well designed spaces that weren't meant to be well designed, I think if possible I'd want to take that kind of project in the direction of photography. I think there's even potential for the skyscraper project to head in that direction as well. I think unless it makes sense, I don't want to write too much for projects that are seemingly visual by nature.

Some of these from Corgan's Headquarters in Dallas, and from an office they were working on partnered with Kengo Kuma