Architecture

Science and Design

1.Wind Tunnel testing is used to figure out the effects of wind on a building at a specific location. It can also be used to determine snow accumulation, and wind direction.

Reinforced concrete is created by forming concrete over iron

Pre-stressed concrete is made by pouring concrete over stretched out steel cable. 30000 lb/sq in of pressure are added to the cables before the concrete is poured.

2.Reinforced concrete was also mentioned in the book. It revealed its name to be ferroconcrete. The video reminded us that the Romans used concrete to form what is known today as the Pont du Gard. (Roman aqueducts). The video went into far more detail, but concrete is made of sand pebbles, broken stone, cement and water. The chemical bonds formed during the process give concrete its strength.

3.The video informs us that foundations are created by driving piles of wood or steel down into the ground until they reach rock that is hard enough to support the building. They typically must go about 60m into the earths surface. The science of ferroconcretes strength is, the concrete resists compression, while the metal resists tension. Scientists have also discovered new ways to make concrete stronger. They experiment with different ratios of raw materials, and often add super plasticizers.

Mathematics

1. Geometry is a driving force of design.
   It is important for architecture to be accessible to the public.
   It is important to harmonize new structures with pre-existing ones.
   Works of art require time before it can be decided if they are right or not.
   Functionality gets in the way of an architect being a sculptor.
   Theme and Variation. Just as Bach would write a simple theme, and compose numerous variations, so does the architect
2. Im Pei spoke of the difficulty of creating unique skyscrapers, that were architecturally sound. Similar to Frank Lloyd Wright, he also spoke of integrating nature into a structure. Both designers used products of the surrounding environment in their construction of buildings. Le Corbusier had a huge influence on Pei removing himself from the International movement. The book shows evidence of Corbusier's statement against the movement in his “Notre Dame du Haut.
3. Pei's Bank of Chine tower shows us the a buildings load can be carried down the structure by load reducing diagonal lines, that bring the load back to the 4 corners. The video elaborated on just what the International style was. There was no regional identity to the structures which consisted of straight concise lines.
4. I chose the Mathematics video because I am fascinated by the multitude of applications of mathematics across many disciplines.