The text for this post is: Peter Smithson: Conversations with Students [electronic resource] (2005) (pp. 9-32; 72-89).
This reading was a in two parts and came from conversations between Peter Smithson and students where they asked him questions about his work, lie and influences.
One of the first points from the first part of the reading I noted was that Smithson did not have any interest in history when he was young and starting out, thinking that it was not important. I have found that I am almost the opposite; although there are some areas of the history of art and architecture which do not interest me, there have been some which I have found particularly interesting. I think that the Architecture in Context module, especially the Vernacular Architecture and Critical Regionalism aspects have taught me that the history of the building or area is just as important as the future and I will continue to look at this in my designs as I feel that working with the surrounding can be one of the most important aspects of a design.
In the second part of the reading Smithson talks about how there is 'too much' in today's society; I agree that there may be too much and I think that things such as open and green spaces allow space for people to breathe, specially in crowded cities, they provide an oasis in the peoples busy lives. I think that this can be reflected in the Interdisciplinary Design Studies module where we have to create a master plan for an area of Nottingham; I think that there shouldn't be 'too much' in it and that it needs to not be too busy but instead should allow people space to relax and not be too crowded.
This reading was a in two parts and came from conversations between Peter Smithson and students where they asked him questions about his work, lie and influences.
One of the first points from the first part of the reading I noted was that Smithson did not have any interest in history when he was young and starting out, thinking that it was not important. I have found that I am almost the opposite; although there are some areas of the history of art and architecture which do not interest me, there have been some which I have found particularly interesting. I think that the Architecture in Context module, especially the Vernacular Architecture and Critical Regionalism aspects have taught me that the history of the building or area is just as important as the future and I will continue to look at this in my designs as I feel that working with the surrounding can be one of the most important aspects of a design.
In the second part of the reading Smithson talks about how there is 'too much' in today's society; I agree that there may be too much and I think that things such as open and green spaces allow space for people to breathe, specially in crowded cities, they provide an oasis in the peoples busy lives. I think that this can be reflected in the Interdisciplinary Design Studies module where we have to create a master plan for an area of Nottingham; I think that there shouldn't be 'too much' in it and that it needs to not be too busy but instead should allow people space to relax and not be too crowded.