Architecture Video Reviews

VIDEO 1: Frank Lloyd Wright (Prairie Style)

1. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

The Frank Lloyd Wright video taught me that Wright believed in rooting a house intimately to the landscape, and had an enormous focus on the place/site in which a home was designed.  The focus of all of Wright’s works was on creating buildings that were one with nature.  He vehemently believed that there had to be a relationship between a home and the environment surrounding it.  I also thought it was interesting and funny to learn that Wright had a huge ego.  He believed himself to be the greatest American architect who ever lived, though, he was accurate.

2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

I really related this video to the section of our text devoted to green architecture.  Frank Lloyd Wright, in his own way, pioneered the idea of homes being one with nature, not destroying nature.  He also designed houses that were somewhat energy efficient, by placing windows where the sun could heat the house, before the idea was popular and “green.”

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of Architecture?

I always love to learn about a work of art’s creator, because I think it adds whimsy and a deeper understanding to the piece.  Therefore, I really enjoyed the Wright video because it gave me a deeper understanding of who this infamous architect and artist was, what he believed in, and why he created what he created.  The video picked up where the book left off and gave a much more expansive view of a particular style of architecture.       

4. From the group of four that you had a choice: Why did you choose that film?

I chose to view the Frank Lloyd Wright video because I love his work and the homes he designed are beautiful!  I think it is very cool and interesting that he had such an influence in Western New York.  Also, many people around where I live refer to my house as “the Frank Lloyd Wright house,” due to its enormous windows, angular architecture, and prairie home style.        

VIDEO 2: Science of Design

1.    For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

I found this video to be rather amusing, from the big hair and yellow pantsuit to the horribly outdated computer and the idea that we would all be living in smart houses in the near future.  I digress; the video focused on the architectural components of skyscrapers, concrete, technology, etc.  Most importantly, I learned a great deal about how skyscrapers handle the elements, the many uses of concrete, and the convenience of technology combined with architecture.      

2.    How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

Science of design related to the text because it spoke about concrete and discussed how concrete was first used by the Romans, just as the book had.  The movie went on to discuss how concrete was made and used and how water could affect its expansion or contraction.  The video also highlighted the architecture of skyscrapers and modern-day architecture, picking up where the book left off and going more in depth and adding more detail.

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of Architecture?

I thought that this film was amusing, yet informative.  I learned a great deal about the architecture of skyscrapers from the video.  Skyscrapers are made of 2 distinct parts: the super structure, or everything above ground, and the substructure, everything underground.  Dead weight, an empty building, and living weight, the added furniture and people, need to be calculated so that the structure can be secure and hold both without issue.  The video had a segment in which it discussed how wind affects these tall buildings.  I found it extremely interesting that wind blowing around top of a 100 story building will be 4X’s as strong as around a 50 story building!  In fact, buildings can sway a full meter in the wind, but thankfully the sway should be absorbed by the building’s joints.  Also, buildings with flat surfaces and right angles reacts badly to wind as opposed to buildings with rounder edges and varying surfaces.

4. From the group of four that you had a choice: Why did you choose that film?

I chose to view the Science of Design video because I am an individual with a broad range of interests and a thirst to know how things work.  Therefore, I was immediately drawn to the idea of learning about the science behind architecture.