Project 2: Room and Narrative

Reflection on Professor's talk

It was suggested by Chinese writer Qian Zhongshu that it is window that makes an interior life possible. 'We can go out because there is a door; but we don't have to go out because there is a window'

The balance of the room would be distracted if the light come into rooms with no control, like the Farnsworth House designed by Mies Van der Rohe for the female doctor , although it is still influential in the modern architecture, the full glass walls made the space outdoor too irresistible that the purpose of domestic housing is lost.

Mies Van der Rohe,Farnsworth House,Plano, Illinois, 1945-51.

Mies Van der Rohe,Farnsworth House,Plano, Illinois, 1945-51.

The emphasis of abundant exterior view is predominate in Edward Hopper's painting if comparing with the dutch paintings. A large area of glazing and often have blinds for the upper part, which has more or less reflects the 20th century architectures, like buildings by Mies Van der Rohe and philip Johnson. Hopper was still influenced by Those Dutch painters who are mastered at depicting the domestic activities and use the light to illuminate the silence of the room. Strangely, in his painting, the activities carried indoor seem either distracted or observed by the exterior. The sense of voyeurism made the interior no longer peaceful......

Compartment C, Car 293 (Edward Hopper, 1938) Image: Geoffrey Clements, Corbis.


Edward Hopper (American, 1882-1967) Morning in a city, 1944, oil on canvas

Edward Hopper (American, 1882-1967) Nighthawks, 1942, oil on canvas

____________________________________________________

Oppositely!

Louis Kahn's architecture are cautious in letting the light in, the light serves the purpose of the building, like the Salk institute. The placing of the window are carefully selected and illuminate the heavy masonry wall in a soft tone.

Louis Kahn, Salk institute, 1959-1966, California

Louis Kahn, Salk institute, 1959-1966, California

I was wondering how the building should be like, do we really need to be chasing the intensive visual convulsion? Most of the time, architecture would rather to be like water or air, simple but subsisting the ongoing life....