BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE

THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM

(ARC61303/ARC2224)
SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (MARCH 2017)
Name: Kooi Yong Kai ID No.: 0323152
Lecturer: Nicholas Ng Tutorial Time: 10-12am
Reader/Text Title: Learning from Las Vegas: The Synopsis No: 2
Forgotten Symbolism of Architectural Form Author: Robert Venturi, D.S. Brown, Steven Izenour
The text focuses on the forgotten symbolism of architectural form, the importance of symbolism
which used to mean so much more than to just enrich meaning in architecture. Which now it has become a
combination of styles, overlapping principles, and symbols which forms architecture which is enriched in
meaning, however is diluted and meanings expressed are but the tip of the ice berg. Going back in time
looking at architecture of the gothic or renaissance period, where form, principles, and symbols contain
messages beyond what is expressed in the architectural space, whereas ornaments on forms represent
symbolism within architecture.
One of the studies made was the study on the difference of symbols such as signs in space and
form in space. It studies whether using signs, as a bold communication tool are better in communicating
with the users within a space rather than using forms in a space which expresses similar content but in a
more complex manner. Examples used in the study are such as complex highway intersections which the
usage of signs is necessary in directing users, whereas the bazaar contains no signs directing users at all
but the strip of the bazaar itself forms virtually all signs. Besides that, the text placed a major focus on Las
Vegas and Route 66, where buildings are overruled by graphic signs located on Route 66 which has
become the architecture of its landscape. Through this concept, the tradition of iconology in architecture is
gone, and instead objects of art replaces ornamentations to represent a certain meaning.
Seen on Route 66, architecture are often little low buildings blending in with the desert separated by
the high way, the true facade which communicated with the users passing by are the big, high signs placed
perpendicular to the street. Hence, communication dominates the space, billboards and signs become the
symbol of the landscape. However if billboards dominate the space, does the actual building architecture
hold any significance? in fact it carries the design of a supermarket, however holds no symbolic meaning.
Hence the argument on what should represent symbolism, whether through signs or architecture is
believed to be based on its urban context, and be determined by asking oneself the question of how people
belonging to that urban context or a specific targeted user group look at things, and how space is perceived.
Word Count: 390 words Mark Grade
Assessed by: Date Page No.
 BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE
THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM
(ARC61303/ARC2224)
SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (MARCH 2017)
Name: Kooi Yong Kai ID No.: 0323152
Lecturer: Nicholas Ng Tutorial Time: 10-12am
Reader/Text Title: The Geometry of Feeling, A Synopsis No: 4
Look at The Phenomenology of Architecture Author: Juhani Pallasmaa
The text The Geometry of Feeling addresses the issue where architecture today has become
nothing but a formal composition of art dominated by elementarism and reductionism, no longer a symbol
holding meaning to the users within it. And even through revitalizing rich idioms and historical themes,
architecture in the end still lacks meaning and has become a form of free artistic expression. In the end, the
point portrayed by the author was that architecture is a symbol with a spirit triggering the users sensory
memories in our subconscious which links our various senses. The point was made as the author believed
that architecture today is more focused on its form, and no longer holds any significant meaning to its user
group and does not trigger their memories or subconscious in any way.
In which the reason to this issue described by the author is the lack of Phenomenology, which is
examining a phenomenon of the consciousness in its own dimension of consciousness simplified as looking
at architecture from within the consciousness experiencing it. One of the examples used for
phenomenological analysis described are early childhood memories, the naive consciousness and
imprecise memory capacities of a child and its spirit becomes a key in triggering a users senses.
The issue addressed and its reasons I believe to be true, as architecture becomes feelings forming
basic vocabulary and not a sculpture. Besides, emotional force does not lie in the sense of reality which it
expresses but in the capacity for awakening the users imagination. However, the issue of this is the feeling
users feel besides what they are expected to feel, which is a sense of loneliness. In order for the user to feel
architecture through their subconscious, requires a strong architecture experience which in the end
produces a sense of loneliness and silence regardless of the people and noise around. Hence, this feeling
may contradict whatever feeling that was supposed to be experienced.
The idea expressed by Juhani Pallasmaa reflects the study on urban design, as urban design
involves the study of communities within an urban context. Attempting to understand the community and
perhaps bringing the essence of their lifestyle or past into an architectural space, triggering their sensory
memories and their subconscious, making the space mean something to the users.

Word Count: 380 words Mark Grade

Assessed by: Date Page No.
 BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE
THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM
(ARC61303/ARC2224)
SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (MARCH 2017)
Name: Kooi Yong Kai ID No.: 0323152
Lecturer: Nicholas Ng Tutorial Time: 10-12am
Reader/Text Title: Towards a Critical Regionalism Synopsis No: 3 Texts 5&6
6 Points of an Architecture of Resistance Author: Kenneth Frampton
The text mentions of the issue regarding the decline of traditional cultures in architecture, the
abandonment of cultural past, and how it is caused by universalization and modernism. How universal
civilization holds more importance than locally influenced culture when it comes to architecture design, and
how the modern world cannot entertain prospects of avant-gardism. The key points stated by the user
regarding the issue is the cultural importance in response to its natural site conditions naturally against the
usage of modern technology. Besides that, a comparison of visual and tactile, how tactile gives more
meaning than the visual itself, which is favored by modernization.
Culture versus nature looks at topography, context, climate, light, and tectonic form, how all these
elements or issues are responded through design to avoid achieving a condition of absolute placelessness.
One of the examples mentioned is the utilization of topography in design, designing architecture that fits and
responds to the existing site or urban fabric. Hence in-laying the architecture building onto the site, and not
to just flatten the site and build anew. Other aspects include responses to light, climate, and wind in a
museum, which modern universal techniques utilizing mechanics to control these aspects through impacts
of time tends to render the space placeless with no spacial poetics. The attempt of achieving poetic
architecture in modernization as described in the text is represented by nice facades, providing a nice skin
onto a structure. Creating a false front for visual pleasures instead of structural poetics, using walls, stairs,
and floors to stimulate tactile senses. Which comes to the question whether tactile is better than the visual
sense. Which according to etymology, a perspective is but a rationalized sight, while also nulling all other
senses which distances oneself from a more direct experience in a space. Whereas tactile senses affecting
influences by material and structural poetics affecting sound, smell and texture cannot be experienced
visually by just photos, but only through experience itself can its poetics be decoded.
Overall, the process of modern universalization should not disregard traditions of cultures or nature
itself. Instead modernization should be used as a tool in easing and enhancing the process, such as through
advanced technology. Using these new technologies and principles to design respecting the characteristics
and cultural traditions of a site or urban fabric.
Word Count: 385 words Mark Grade
Assessed by: Date Page No.