Between Silence & Light

Craft

Craft is how well something is thought about and made.  In our studio classes we are partly graded on our craft of our projects, like if the glue shows or how well we cut the paper.  This weekend on our trip to Fallingwater I think that Frank Lloyd Wright designed a well-crafted house for the Kauffman family.  He designed the furniture to fit in and around the house, and used the land to build.  One particular craft he thought about that I remember well is the windows on the second and third floors in the corner, the steel frame disappears when the windows are opened to allow for a panoramic view looking outside.  Another is how the cut out on the desk allows for the window/door to open.

 

Technique

Everyone has their own technique and a way of doing something that is easiest or relates better to them self.  Also it is a way of doing something in a different way.  The technique used on the doors in Monticello to look like wood was actually a foe finish on the doors.  Also the technique used in Fallingwater is to create a since of openness from the many windows in the rooms.  It also allows for more light to enter the rooms, and allows for more of a view.

Virtual

Virtual is the existence of something without actually being there.  Most commonly heard of is seeing a virtual tour on a computer or television.  I think also when you see a brochure and the pictures are so inviting and you want to be there.

Public & Private

We think about rooms and buildings being public and private by where they are located, how they are designed, and what they are used for.  At Monticello, the family room located in the center of the house is more private, it is where they could entertain guests and was big enough for space. The doors that we saw first were two glass doors, but since it is a family room to allow it to be more private there were a set of wooden doors that allowed the family to close in front of the glass doors. 

Language

Is the communication you have between two or more people.  To design Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright needed to communicate well with the Kauffman family so that they were able to get what they wanted.  We noticed that everything was built to a smaller scale and that there were lots of horizontal lines.  The first chairs that Wright designed for the dinning room seating, the Kauffman’s thought that it was too formal so Wright designed another set of chairs that they liked better.