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Motifs and Themes in Nineteenth Century Architecture |
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Contributed by AECadmin
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This lesson is based on material from the Massart Content Intstitute: Public Art and Architecture in Nineteenth Century America, this lesson is the third in a series of lessons exploring motifs and themes in from the period.
Lesson: Inside/Outside House Book
Kaitlin Thurlow
Public Art and Architecture in Nineteenth Century America
Curriculum Plan
Themes and Motifs in Nineteenth Century American Architecture and Public Sculpture
Essential question: What styles and themes influence our understanding and construction of our environment?
Lesson Three: Inside/Outside House Book
Time frame: four to five hours
Connections Strands:
8) Concepts of Style, Stylistic Influence, and Stylistic Change.
Objective: Students will design and construct a book of the exterior and interior of a house integrating themes of nineteenth century architecture with personal motifs.
Previous Lessons: Students have previously studied themes and motifs in nineteenth century architecture through a series of group “Picture Detective” exercises. Studying a set of examples of local domestic architecture, students have familiarized themselves with themes in architecture. Next, students designed their own personal “motif” to be used as a common element in their next project: a house book displaying the interior and exterior of a house design.
Motivation: Using what we know about houses and buildings of the period of the nineteenth century imagine a house of your own design. You will be the architect and designer. You will make your mark on this building by repeating your motif inside and out.
Questions: How will you integrate the motif inside and out of the house?
What design elements will you use in the plan?
What will make us know it is your house? How will you make your mark?
What are the common themes used in architecture of the time and how will you demonstrate them in to your design?
What is the mood or feeling of the house book?
Vocabulary:
motif
repetition, asymmetry, symmetry, focal point
organic, geometric
proportion
color relationships: analogous, complementary
pattern
Visuals:
Paul Revere House, Boston, MA
Harrison Gray Otis House, Charles Bulfinch, Boston, MA
Claflin Building, W.G. Preston, Boston, MA
Sunflower House, Boston, MA
House of Odd Windows, Boston, MA
57 Hanover Street, Boston, MA
Goethe Institute, Ogden Newman, Boston, MA
121 Commonwealth Avenue, Cummings and Sears, Boston, MA
176-178 Commonwealth Avenue, Charles Atwood, Boston, MA
others
Materials: Mat board, exacto knives, 18”x24” bond paper, ink pens, India ink, watercolor paints, various natural hair brushes, 2H pencils, erasers, rulers, glue
Optional: Collage elements: fabric, wallpaper samples, magazine pictures.
Procedure: Students will first sketch on paper the basic layout of the exterior facade keeping in mind proportion and design elements such as symmetry, repetition and pattern. The basic layout will be refined considering entrances, staircases and windows.
Next, students will do a light final copy in pencil and draw their final marks in India Ink. Students will leave a border around the drawing to “wrap” and glue it around a sturdier cut out in mat board. Matching up the floors, windows and entrances for the interior, (using a light box or window) they will next design the interior.
When both designs are finished, they will hand color them and add collage elements, gluing the interior to the “flaps” of the exterior to make a book.
Assessment: Students will assess their house book with a written assessment. Students will use vocabulary words in a short paragraph to describe the basic outlay of their house book design. Students will describe pitfalls and triumphs in their process. Also, they will describe how they see their own house book in relationship to the others in the class in terms of style and mood.
Criteria for grading falls under the following categories:
20% Planning
5
4
3
2
1
20% Work Process
5
4
3
2
1
20% Craftsmanship
5
4
3
2
1
20% Creativity and Risk Taking
5
4
3
2
1
20% Reflection
5
4
3
2
1
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