Reflections::Unit Summary

We started the Reflections unit out exploring the architecture parlent.  The architecture parlent is a concept of designers branching out from the ‘norm’ of ancient design and introducing new and different concepts. Revolutions also changed people’s way of thinking. Patrick demonstrates this with a cartwheel because a revolution turns your world and thoughts upside down and the outcome is new concepts therefore changes in design. For example we learned about how America was trying to proclaim their political power and this was reflected in our furniture and architectural designs.  The two R’s of The Reflections unit; Revolutions and Revivals.  We have learned about many revivals throughout the semester; the gothic revivals, japanisme.  Design gives limitless choices.  During this unit we also discussed handcrafted versus machine made products. The invention of the machine enabled mass production and allowed new materials and usually more rare materials became available to lower classes.  Iron became prevalent during this time and a great contraversy began about the quality of craft machine made products and hand crafted products.  Next we learned a little more about Chicago: The second city; how a single bovine transformed American architecture.  A cow supposedly started a fire that ruined the city and how Chicago was rebuilt.  Skyscrapers are now possible because of elevators, iron framework- that was now more readily available in mass productions due to machine, new materials, new designer and new land due to the fire.