ROAD TRIP

Roots
Looking back at the root of the word, Monticello means “hillock” or “little mountain”. This is a fitting word for Jefferson’s Estate based on its location in the hills of Virginia. This week I have been studying Monticello for in terms of drawing. Monticello is not easy to draw architecturally. The many porticos and decorative elements make this home not only beautiful, but an architectural wonder as well.
If we look beyond just the meaning of the word, we can also see that Monticello is rooted in the style of Roman Architecture. "Jeferson specifically selected a Roman temple, the Maison Carree, in Nimes, southern France, as his model, since he believed it to be an example of superior Roman architecture and therefore symbolic of republican self-government." (Roth 460).



Congruence
When working on my window project for studio, I decided that congruency could be a neat element to work with. I designed a window box with angled slats in it to go in my window. In the center of these slats will be jewel-toned translucent paper. Although the sides are congruent, they also offer different affects on light.



Concept
For History class this week, we had to do a precedent analysis for our building. I studied the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum in Kansas City, Missouri. This building had an interesting concept because it combined a new building with and older one. The older building was formed in the style of traditional Beaux-Arts, which is “[…] the definition and expression of character (a concept fundamental to the Beaux-Arts)” (Roth, 520). The other is of contemporary glass lenses. Although the two concepts are very different, many believe that they work well together.




Materiality
For our studio class, we were assigned three building materials to research. I was assigned Rice paper, Walnut, and Ceramic tile. Each student was instructed to make three material boards depicting what we learned about the product. It was a very interesting experience for me because I got to learn about three new materials. This will help me in the future as I add to my knowledge of building materials.
In the late 1800s, designers were also learning about the new materials glass and iron. “Compared to the massive masonry of Roman and even Gothic construction, the greatest work is done by the least amount of material.” (Roth, 489). This was important because it allowed for less difficult, and less expensive construction.




Compression : release
Most of the time in drawing class, we are taught to compress our drawings into only what is needed to communicate an idea, but this week we have been working on the composition project. This project requires us to create a sense of place through a collage of images based on the class trip to Fallingwater and Monticello. This is like a release for our drawing because we must fill an entire 18x24’’ sheet with this compilation. So far, these are turning out very well.

Overall this week there has been a heavy focus on our drawing and history class. I am excited about our final project in which we will be able to merge the many techniques we have learned this year into a final composition.