Blog Post 1 : Stacks, Groups, and Circles. Ritual/Enviroment

For this weeks discussion in class we talked about human's first efforts in building.  Most of these first efforts reflected how people saw the enviroment in which they lived.  Many of the structures they created imulated nature and the natural order of things.  The concept of observing nature and using it in design was a concept we learned last semester in Studio and I find it interesting that this concept has been used for centuries.  In understanding this concept we went exploring around campus to gain a better understanding of how today we still use the ideas of circles, stacks, and groups to help build in our enviroments. 

Groups:

The groups of colums represent vertial structures

Vertical structures showing the enterance of the Weatherspoon Art Museum

Enterance 1 into Stone Building

Enterance 2 into Stone Building



Vertial structures are classified into groups.  Groups of Colums such as the ones above are found all throughout UNCG campus.  Colums help to emphasize the center of buildings and  show the building's importance.  This is also the case of the elegant porches we discussed in class.  The tall vertical cluster of colums direct us to a certian area, making it feel more welcoming.  For example, I have two images of the Stone building off of college avenue.  Enterance one has a group of colums, letting one know that this is the main enterance.  Enterance two is a set of double stairs leading to a door.  Clearly enterance one is more astethicly pleasing, directing and guiding one easily to the enterance. Over all, a strategically placed group of objects in rows as trees or tall vertial elements help to guide us by giving one a clear and welcoming path. 

Circles: 

Arial of the Columed Enterance into the Music Building.



Fountian outside the Cafeteria



Circles are viewed as sacred spots.  Areas where people come to gather for ritual/social events.  The usage of the circle mimics the sun and the moon and how people viewed their importance.  Some examples I gathered around campus were the Music Building enterance and the famous Fountain.  The enterance to the Music Building is circular surrounded by tall vertical colums with twelve outside benches places around the circle.  When entering im sure most people just keep going, reaching the doors and entering the bulding however, the stucture of the outside enterance suggests differently.  It is a area where people can gather.  The circle has twelve symmetrically placed benches mimic that of a clock with twelve numbers. This is relevant to the concept of time and phases in life that circles  mimic. Throughout history we have seen many political halls set up this way.  I can picture a great leader standing in the middle, where everyone can hear him, see him, and with the slight turn he is able to easily see everyone.  In having this set up everyone can talk and discuss as equals.  They can participate in gatherings and rituals as equals. 

My other example of a cirlce is the fountain outside the cafeteria.  The fountian is set up in stacks that complete a cicle.  The center of the circle is a vertical fountian. The fountain is a very good example of a circle because this is a place where people gather.  In the spring and summer students stretch out in groups all across the fountain area.  Faternities, Sororities, Religious groups, and other clubs/organizations hold ceremonies or events at the fountain.  The gather people together for a common type of ceremonial event.  When discussing ancient cultures we looked at how most cultures were centered around water.  At the fountian we see many groups of people coming and gathering around the center of nature. 

Stacks:

The fountain at the cafeteria is also a good example of stacks.  Stacks help to show hiarchey in levels.  For example, standing on top of a mountian looking down gives one a sense of power and importance. The fountian is made up of stacks. 

Other examples of stacks:

The Library is different than the more classical architecture found throught UNCG campus.  It is a example of stacking because it is many levels and layers all serving a different purpose.

 The levels of stairs leading up to the Curry building gives it a sense of hiarchey.  It leads up to the center area of the buliding making it seem grand and a building of great importance.

The enterance to the MHRA is similar to Curry but with a different architectural style.  One can still see the importance if the building and also the difinity of the three different levels of the MHRA.

Window Stack represented in a residence hall.  Each window is exactly the same and placed right above the next.  Withing the building these specific areas serve the same purpose on each level.

When getting to the question, Do emviroments influence rituals or do rituals influence enviroments? I would have to say both. Through observing stacks, circles, and groups humans first learned how to build through observing the enviroment around them.  People developed their ritualistic practices around elements of nature.  As people began to build more and understand more about their enviroment, rituals and enviroments both began to change.  Peoples enviroments reflected their views and ritualistic practices.  Places such as stonehenge developed both representing the influence of ritual on enviroment through the change in enviroment and also enviroments influence on ritual through its resembulance to nature and the respect of nature.