Bay Area Architecture

When talking ab unwrap California decoratorure cardinal would surely cipher low red-tiled roofs with white stucco arches, hardly, in fact, Californian architecture is very much more complex and diverse. A strong impact on the structure up of the bea had Spanish and Mexican occupation that brought in presidios, pueblos, and ranchos. In addition, Victorian tastes were introduced at the arrival of gold- perkking Easterners.In the course of time other factors influenced the globescape of the Bay area and more and more new styles found their personification in this alfresco museum of architecture history . Namely the turn of the twentieth century was marked by Morriss idea concerning prevalence of handstitched things over those machine-made and return to the Nature, as hygienic as come across principles of the Bauhaus school, which said that beautiful stands for simple and functional.These trends left traces on the Californian land in the skeletal system of bungalows, one- or two-storied houses with gently angleed broad gables, one large gable covering the major part of the house and a great deal a second, lower gable, covering a porch (1). During the get-go half of the 20th century, many professionals left their imprint in California in form of amazing collection and mixture of different styles and designs. Among them is perhaps the most important and mysterious architect of the last century Frank Lloyd Wright.Remarkably, that he introduced his avouch comm further known as the Usonian style (named after the United States), which reflected his accessible ideas the makes were knowing for economical construction and to be energy efficient deep down their particular climate zone as well as well as shows a dramatic impact of the Japanese culture (open blast plans, flowing interiors with movable screen partitions, an abundance of natural light, overhanging eaves and shallow pitch roofs, etc. ) (2). The Usonian Style is based on the concept that any architectural project should naturally combine its functions and stay in harmony with the spot of its location.Therefore, the Usonian style integrated some elements of the International style architecture of volume, plain roofs, etc. scarcely unlike its prototype, the Usonian style utilizes not industrial but natural satisfyings peculiar for each site such as precious stone and wood align (3). In general, the most characteristic features of the Usonian style are Open plan Large overhanging flat roofs, on occasion, low sky gable roofs were used Concealed front entrances Board and Batten siding Large floor to ceiling windows Brick used as accent material Banding of windowsMoreover, windows had typically individual casements, doors were simple panel and house were not typically painted but for an accent color (3). Notably that the architect experimented not only with shapes and forms of the buildings but also with colors, namely he occupied purple (maroon) color and the success of such innovation can be seen on the example of his Californian work under the name of Hanna honeycomb House. Such name is not accidental but due to the specific construction of the building. The house is patterned after the bee honeycomb and incorporates a bet of six- aspectd figures.The author himself gave the following comments on his work The dominant feeling was of wonderful, mystical shelter, with the kind of aura I knew in the big old houses of my childishness In view of the fact that no house of my childhood was constantly so casually joined to the outdoors, so profusely fenestrated and skylighted, or so varied in levels and ceiling heights, I was surprised that I was so emotionally familiar with the place. To feel so secure without the dark and somberness of restricting walls, yet I felt free.Not the kind of airiness associated with open, crank walls, which makes me feel as though I might fall out the windows, but a feeling of having space to move around in and somewhere to go. The hexagon has been conservatively treated, however. It is allowed to appear in plan only and in the furniture, which literally rises from the floor slab upon which the whole rests. To me, here is a lead into a new, fascinating realm of formalthough it is somewhat repressed on the side of dignity and repose in this first expression of the idea (432-33).To see the realized Wrights architectural design all you have to do is just to come to Stanford campus. The reason for such location is simple it was designed specially for the Hannas (Paul R. and Jean), a couple of well known Stanford tutors. A first the building was intended for two of them only but as the family widens, so did the house, which was quite easy because of its honeycomb design. In general, the Hanna-Honeycomb house is a one-story building with a central wall adjoining the roof (a clerestory) and made of far-flung here redwood, San Jose brick, glass and cement.The whole design of the site comp rises not only the main house, but also a guesthouse, storage, garage, as well as a garden house with a pool and a miniature artificial waterfall. Though seriously damaged during the earthquake of 1989 Wrights chef-doeuvre was restored and reopened in 1999. Moreover, it is included into the list of National Historic Landmarks and what is more, the American launch of Architects named it as one of 17 best Frank Lloyd Wrights buildings cost seeing and being preserved as a cultural bequest for next generations.To cut the long story short, the Bay Area whitethorn be rightfully regarded the best showroom of various styles and designs, brought in by Spanish and Mexican invaders first, then left as traces of the gold-seekers, and last but not the least, owing to the fact that Californian marvelous landscapes have ever so attracted famous and not very architects and designers to test their knowledge and skills and to cast their name in the form of beautiful buildings which are so numero us in California.One of them is Frank Lloyd Wright whose first trial on the Californian land be to be successful and hence we can rest our eyes on of his Hanna-Honeycomb house, which is placed among National Historic Landmarks of the United States. Bibliography 1. Bay Area Architecture. Retrieved on December 3, 2005 from http//www. cr. nps. gov/nr/travel/santaclara/bayareaarchitecture.htm 2. Frank Lloyd Wright. Retrieved on December 3, 2005 from http//www. greatbuildings. com/gbc. html 3. The Usonian Style. Retrieved on December 3, 2005 from http//www. arapahoeacres. org/usonian_style. htm 4. John Sergeant. Frank Lloyd Wrights Usonian Houses The Case for Organic Architecture. New York Watson-Guptill Publications, 1976. ISBN 0-8230-7178-2.