Grammar : Syntax

[Re]visions for this section would be the revival of rationality. Throughout the 14th and 16th centuries transition took place. The world revolved from medieval to modern within this time frame. With the order and clarity represented by Piazza di San Pietro, the state of the church reclaimed power. Bernini’s “face lift” of the medieval city conformed to unity and it’s architecture welcomed Catholicism with literally open arms of a colonnade. Like Bernini I have an assignment to give a 40,000 sqft warehouse a face lift. In order to do so I have to create 900 sqft living units within the interior. Keeping in mind, I stick to universal design for four units, and working with sustainable products.

Photos taken at the Becher-Weaver Center/main floor warehouse/currently owned by UNCG

The audience that the city planning of Rome adhered to continues to affect us today. During the Baroque movement, the connection of major tourist points of Rome were easily located through boulevards. Fountains = water were restored to civic places. The transformation of light, within the fountains in the center of piazza’s created movement. Like I mentioned the Rome of what we know today this organized antique city would never have existed so orderly if it weren’t for the Baroque city planning. Organization is key when it comes to an audience. How will a viewer, read your composition? What message are you trying to convey? Through organization it is easier to understand a design concept, or final perception of a project.


The character, or features of an individual nature of a person or thing was elaborately shown through the Baroque style. It’s character was ornate and over decorated. This sense of enlightenment was greatly seen in Versailles. Reflection was an important characteristic for this palace. From the reflecting pools upon the landscape intricately detailed. Creating this fairy tail world overlooking a vast amount of property, continued into the interior of the hall of mirrors. This reflection creating space characterized the King. He is the most important, and controls the design of this massive manipulation of land, grounds, and space. Character for me is my style. My character is shown through design how I perceive something. It is also how I incorporate design into my daily activities or how I make it my own. This week in my visualization class we had to manipulate an urban landscape picture inspired by a Victorian pattern.

Here is the Victorian pattern in which I was inspired to create the design below.
Image found at <http://fc01.deviantart.com/fs29/f/2008/048/3/1/gothic_victorian_wallpaper_by_photodash.jpg>

Here is the design I then created from a scene of Times Square.


The transition from the Renaissance to the Baroque era took much elaboration and attention to detail. The organized rebirth of the Renaissance set a clear slate to lead up to the Baroque movement. With the growing use of technology new design was made possible. It was the use of technology that aided this transition of movements. When you compare the Giardino di Boboli to the lavish landscaped gardens of Versailles there is no comparison. Everything had to be bigger and better, and too much at that fact. This transition had me thinking when I was assigned our new project in visualization. We have to use technology in this case the Internet to transition the words soft and smooth texture into energetic. So through the use of description and movement language we have to find images to represent both. The assignment is to incorporate the two and express these two words through images instead of physical language. This relates to the language theme of the last class.


Datum is a fact or proposition used to draw a conclusion or make a decision. I believe it is clear to say the Place de Vosges ca. 1605 is a prime example of societies advancement. Before the Renaissance commoners had no choice they were controlled, had little money and had no opportunity to progress in life. The conclusion drawn from the Place de Vosges is that freedom was finally given and growth had taken place. These town homes set in an open square area were quaint living space for the middle class. Each façade was the same to unify the look of the homes, appearing to be a palace from the street. This sense of “belonging, or looking like ones neighbor” was born. Middle, and lower class citizens looked up to the wealthy and imitated their influence of design and unification. From my floor plan of my studio project, I have developed individual units that conform to a whole. There will be 24 living spaces and a community area that is centralized. Like the Place de Vosges I want to give the home owners that open space when they exit there apartment. Creating these safe havens and a place to rest is what makes one feel better about coming home.

In summary the grammar: syntax of this week was the language portrayed through the changing architecture from the Renaissance onto the Baroque era. The [re]vision of the Piazza di San Pietro this order made clear through unifying the Colonnade was an adjustment to the architecture. The audience this change adhered to made the Romans's locate through the streets easier with the new boulevards built to link major landmarks and churches. The character represented through the architecture changed drastically from the Renaissance to the Baroque movement. Through the use of technology this transition paying close attention to detail was made possible. The datum that can be proposed from the change of the rebirth of the Renaissance into the Baroque era is stretching boundaries, and elaborate design was made possible through the use of technology.