IAR221- Blog post #2 Humanity's first efforts to place buildings on the landscape using: circles, groups, stacks, people

In trying to understand humanity's first efforts to place buildings on the landscape, I look at the campus here at UNCG. Even today, one can see the use of circles, groups, and stacks when looking at architecture.

Circles: the Sun + the Moon + sacred spots

Looking up when walking in the back of the EUC

On the floor at the back of the EUC

The Front entrance of the EUC looking up

The floor of the front entrance of the EUC

The wall of the front of the EUC. This shows the curve in the wall and groups of panels on wall.

In looking at the EUC entrances in both the front and the back, there are circles. These circles are physically shown on the floor as well as implied through it rising up to the top floor and into the ceiling. The meaning of circles often mean unity, importance, a sacred space. I can see these meanings at these locations. These entrances into the EUC are important because it is where college students come and gather. It is a sacred spot because it is a building dedicated to students and their needs. These locations are also places in which students will pass when on their way to classes.

This drawing of the clock tower shows the use of circles as unity and importance. The circle of the clock shows time is never ending and that the time of day always repeats itself. This clock tower symbolizes time spent here on campus. The circles walk around it is so that students can walk around it because it is said that if one walks under it then they will not graduate on time. The top of this tower shows stacks and the columns holding up the clock tower shows groups, order, and placement.

Here is some more examples of circles seen on campus.

Groups: groves of trees, reaching vertical, groups of people.

The columns in the EUC on either side of the hall make groups. These circular columns also imply the unity and sacred aspect of circles. These columns reminded me of the example of the elegant porch shown in class.

Another example of a group is the group of trees in the walk heading towards the Sullivan Science Center. This is actually a grove of trees. In looking closer at the trees, one can see that the placement of the trees was planed and thought out. The dimensions of the square under each tree is perhaps a fourth of the square between the other trees.

Stacks: mountains, gathering resources

As you see this building is a stack of different levels on top of each other. The importance of the levels  with the ones on top having more importance. This is similar to the pyramids and ziggurats. They make the levels of this building known by having some levels protrude and break away from the others.

The top of the education building is just one of the many examples of stacks seen on campus. This is perhaps a symbol of the hierarchy of the education systems and the different levels of knowledge.

There can also be combinations of circles, groups, and stacks within one building or form. The Sullivan Science Center is an example of this.

As you see, the circle towers on top  are circles and groups. The stacking of levels and the roof show the element of stacking.

In looking at all three forms of elements on campus, the question often thought is do environments influence rituals or do rituals influence environments? I believe that both the environment and rituals affect each other.

Environments affect rituals in that on campus, the 'rituals' of honoring minerva or the colors blue & gold make since on the uncg campus. However, on or in another environment such as your home, Minerva and the colors blue & gold would not be seen as important or a ritual.

Rituals affecting environments can be seen on campus too. The 'ritual' of devotion and time devoted to studying as a means to improve our life. Because of this 'ritual' the environment of the school is developed to help show and support this. It will help one achieve and perform this 'ritual' of making their life better through learning. A way to make the environment form to the rituals is by building structures that promote learning, centers to work on studies (library), and dormitory's so people can live close to where they are to achieve these rituals (studies).

So, as you can see in looking at the UNCG campus, one can see the continual use of circles, groups, and stacks as well as the ways in which both rituals and environments affect each other.