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TPO11 Lecture 2 ArchitectureNarratorListen to part of a lecture in an Architecture Class.
Professor
Today, we are taking a little detour from the grand styles of public architecturewe’ve been studying to look at residential architectures in the United States.Since this is something we can all identify with, I think it will help us see therelationship between the function of a structure and its style or form. This hasbeen an ongoing theme in our discussion, and we will be getting back to it justa moment. But before we get started, I want you to take a moment to think:does anyone know what the single most popular style for a house in the UnitedStates is today? Bob? Student 1:“I bet it is the ranch-style house.”
Professor:“Well, in this area, probably. But aren’t we typical? Yes, Sue.”
Student 2:“How about the kind of house my grandparents live in? They call it a CapeCod.
Professor:That’s the one. Here is a drawing of what we consider of a classic Cape Cod house. These days, you see this style all over the United States. But it firstshowed up in U.S. northeast, in the New England region, around the late1600s. For those of you who don't know the northeast costal region, Cape Codis a peninsula, a narrow strip of land that jets out into the Atlantic, and so manyhouses in this particular style were built on Cape Cod, that the name of theplace became the name of the style. Now why did the Cape Cod style housebecome so popular in the northeast? Well, one reason is that it's a greatexample of form following function. We’ve talked about this design principle alot about form following function. And what did we say it’s meant? Someonegive me an application of this principle. What did this concept that form shouldfollow function? How would it be applied to housing design?
Student 2:Well, if it means the design of the building, it should be based on the needs ofpeople who use it. Then, well, the architect has to be very practical to thinkabout the people who actually be living in the house or working in the officebuilding, whatever, so for the architect, it’s all about users not about showingoff how creative you can be.
Professor:Good, of course, for a Cape Cod house, it might be even more accurate to saythat form also follows climate. Who knows what the climate like on Cape Cod?
Student 1:Cold in the winter…
Student 2:And whenever I visit my grandparents, it’s really wet. It’s usually either rainingor snowing or foggy and windy, too. I guess because it’s so exposed to theocean?
Professor:That’s right. So take another look at this drawing, and you can image how thisdesign might be particularly helpful in that kind of climate. Notice how thehouse is fairly low to the ground. This relatively low compact structure helpsthe house withstand the strong winds blowing off the ocean. And look at theslope of the roof, the steep angle helps keep off all that rain and snow thataccumulates in the winter. Another thing, Cape Cod houses usually face southto take advantage of the sun’s warm through the windows. That’s helpful inwinter. Now what can you tell me about the chimney, about its location.
Student 2:Well, it’s in the middle. Because, does that have something to do with heatingthe houses? I mean since the heat never has to travel very far.
Student 1:That means you can heat the house more efficiently, right?
Professor:Exactly, now see how the house has very little exterior decoration, that’s alsotypical of early Cape Cod houses. The wind was one reason, nothing stickingout might blow away in the harsh weather, but there was probably anotherreason, not related to the climate, more reflection of a rural New Englandsociety back then, you see Cape Cod houses were not built in the big cities,where all the rich people lived back then. These were the modest dwellings thepeople who built them simply couldn’t afford lots of expensive decorateddetails. But that was more than just matter of money. In these rural areas,people depended on each other for survival. Neighbors had to help andsupported each other in the difficult environment, so you didn't want to appearto be showing off. You wanted to avoid anything that might set you apart fromyour neighbors, the same people you might need to help you someday. So allthese help to create an attitude of conformity in the community, and you cansee why a modest, a very plain style would become so widely imitated throughout rural New England.
Student 2:It is plain, but you know its nice looking.
Professor:Good point, and in fact it’s precisely that as aesthetic appeal, the…the purity,the nearly perfect proportion of the houses…that’s another reason for the capecod enduring popularity even in the places where the climate was so mild, it’sfunctional design doesn't matter.
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