Sunday, March 15, 2020
The Events Described in Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T. E. Lawrence
The Events Described in Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T. E. Lawrence Introduction Seven Pillars of Wisdom is a historical autobiography written by T. E. Lawrence. During the First World War, British instigated the revolt of Arabs against Turkey while she herself engaged Germany. The plan was for British to win the war from two fronts, though the idea was sold to the Arabs as a freedom campaign which Britain was apparently ready to support.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Events Described in â€Å"Seven Pillars of Wisdom†by T. E. Lawrence specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Lawrence was part of this revolt, fighting alongside Arabs even though he was aware that his government was being dishonest with the Arabs. Chapters 41 through 58 detail Lawrence’s expedition’s imminent arrival at Akaba. Discussion Lawrence wrote that this story ought not to be read as the history of the Arab movement but as the history of him in it (Lawrence). The book therefore comprises of the feelings, experiences and reflections of Lawrence and all the other personalities around him who found themselves caught up in these historical moments. Quite a number of significant players are to be found between chapters 41 and 58 of the book since the Arab revolt involved many people. Foremost, there is Lawrence himself, the Briton charged, on behalf of the British government, to lead the expedition to take Akaba. Lawrence is aware of the insincerity of the British government in its dealings with the Arabs. For this reason, he is guilt ridden and hopes to make the revolt work not only to satisfy British interests but also to ultimately free the Arabs. Then, there are the Arabs, under the leadership of Auda Abu Tayi and Nasri. The Arabs are happy and excited at the prospect of freedom. They are painfully unaware of the immensity of the task they have undertaken and innocently trustful of the good intentions of the Britons. Unseen, but constantly felt, is the presence of the B ritish government and the depth of its insincerity. The chapters describe the passage of Lawrence’s expedition across the deserts and over the ranges of present day Saudi Arabia as it heads for Akaba. The town was deemed strategically important since it could hamper the approach of the British via the Mediterranean Sea as it portended a risk to the operations of the Suez Canal (Lawrence). Akaba, today known as Aqaba, is a strategic port town in present day Jordan, but was at the time under the control of the Turks. These chapters vividly describe the fatigue experienced by the men from riding camels all day; the discomfort of being scorched by the desert sun; the distress of being caught in the sand whirling in the desert wind; the thrill of the constant threat of coming under attack from unknown enemies; and under all this, the knowledge by Lawrence that the whole affair was a lie.Advertising Looking for essay on biography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your firs t paper with 15% OFF Learn More It being an account of individual experiences, the most important occurrence in the chosen chapters is the deep and profound guilt that is felt by Lawrence. Since the Arabs are deemed distrustful of institutions, and could therefore not be prevailed upon under the mere assurance of the British government to go to war, it had fallen upon Lawrence to be the face of the British to the Arabs. He had strived, and succeeded, in gaining their confidence. He however knew that the McMahon pledges and the Sykes-Picot treaty would come to naught once the war was won (Lawrence). In pushing forward with the expedition, he would be taking advantage of the trust the Arabs had in him, and by exploiting their thirst to free Syria and putting the lives of men at risk on the basis of false pretenses. Having assured them that â€Å"England kept her word in letter and spirit†after which the Arabs fell in line behind him, he felt nothing but consist ent and bitter shame (Lawrence). It is for the need to assuage this guilt that he endeavored to steer the Arab Revolt in such a fashion that it would become â€Å"its own success†and in so doing, Britain would be unable to deny the Arabs their moral earned rights (Lawrence). After the liberation of Syria, The General Syrian Congress arrived at the following resolutions detailing the wishes of Syrians: â€Å"that the people of Syria wanted their independence to be recognized; that they rejected the idea of political tutelage; that they rejected any attempts to divide Syria; and that they would be appreciative of foreign assistance for a limited period of time†(Glubb 106-7). France was however given the mandate to occupy Syria by the Supreme Council of Allies and the British army was soon replaced by that of the French. This was in spite of the fact that Syrians were strongly against foreign occupation. Consequently, Amir Feisal, who had fought in the Arab Revolt, rece ived an ultimatum demanding his recognition of the French mandate in Syria (Glubb 109). The contemporary significance of the events described in the chapters chosen arises from their causal relationship with the sequence of occurrences that followed. The areas in Syria that were occupied by the French happened to be the ones that had been promised to the Arabs in the Sykes-Picot Agreement (Glubb 112). The fact that Britain went back on its word on this particular instance, in view of the ensuing political upheaval in Syria for the subsequent decade, ended up in the Arabs being consistently suspicious of the intentions of the British. Even though no such claims had been made by British, it was felt by the Arabs that the original intention behind the British actions was for Syria to be divided up between France and Britain.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Events Described in â€Å"Seven Pillars of Wisdom†by T. E. Lawrence specifically for you fo r only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The French occupation of Syria resulted in the eventual adoption of Western political and cultural concepts. The eventual adoption of democratic institutions of governance, though of a rather primary kind, and the increased imitation of Western culture by young generation Syrians led to the neglect of significant cultural practices. For instance, the apparent gradual loss of the traditional politeness and manners that has previously characterized the Syrian tradition has been attributed to this contact with western culture (Glubb 187). Conclusion The events described in â€Å"Seven Pillars of Wisdom†are of great significance. Through them we get insights behind the complex relationship between Britain and Arabs. It could be argued that in Lawrence is to be found the incarnation of the British sentiment towards Arabs after the events in Syria. The dishonesty of the British in their dealings with Arabs resulted in the French oc cupation of Syria and a deeply ingrained suspicion of Britons by Arabs. The British might not have been able to go against the occupation of Syria by France. What matters however, is that they had conspired to dishonor their promises to the Arabs even prior to the French entry into the equation. This suspicion reinforced by other historical occurrences, still characterizes how Arabs view not only the British but the whole of the Western world. Glubb, John. Britain and the Arabs: A Study of Fifty Years 1908 to 1958. London: J.B.G Ltd, 1959. Print. Lawrence, Thomas. â€Å"Seven Pillars of Wisdom.†2011. Web. Project Gutenberg.
Friday, February 28, 2020
U.S. History - Reflection Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
U.S. History - Reflection Paper - Essay Example While pursuing the course under consideration I came across a few things that were new to me. Britain first lost the War for Freedom in the minds and hearts of the people inhabiting the American colonies, before it lost it on the battlefields of America. Britain never tried to holistically and formally participate in the political issues that were of emotional, social, economic and cultural significance to the colonies. Whatever political influence Britain exercised on the colonies was pecuniary and ‘Britain centric’ in nature that included recognition of the Proclamation Line, posting of British garrisons and imposing arbitrary taxes. Had Britain been more sensitive and astute in its response, perhaps the American Revolution would have never taken place. The other thing that was new to me was the fact that the political and social figures that are oft revered in the American history were marked by immense contradictions in their personal choices and political beliefs. For example Thomas Jefferson is considered to be one of the greatest American Presidents who was publically opposed to slavery. Yet, it was amazing to find out after some research that due to a big personal debt, Jefferson owned slaves for his entire life. 2. One most important thing about the American history that surprised me pleasantly was the text of the Declaration of Independence and its moral and ethical ramifications. I personally feel that the Declaration of Independence is a document that is not only of timeless relevance to the American democracy, but the very ability of its drafters to envisage and formally consolidate the ideals and principles that were of universal appeal and importance, in an age when the means of communication and hence the possibility o f a global spread of ideas was very constrained, is amazing, surprising and pleasant indeed. The Declaration of Independence was indeed a worthy culmination of the liberal ideas enshrined in the Western philosophy and politics. Consider the words: â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.†The very ability of the drafters to come out with the idea of universal equality in those times is indeed astonishing and surprising. No doubt, at a very late stage, it was Lincoln who once more brought to fore the views and ideals of the Founding Fathers enshrined in the Declaration of Independence to start a war to end slavery, which was to change America forever. I found it really surprising that the Declaration of Independence is a document of recurring importance that is perhaps never going to lose its salubrious fr eshness and appeal in the times to come. 3. The things about the US history that surprised me unpleasantly or disappointed me were the treatment met to the Native Americans and blacks and the very fact that America harbored and exercised imperialist intentions and designs at some time in its history. These aspects of the US history were not only contrary to the American ethos and beliefs, but signified the tendency of a nation to resort to hypocrisy in the face of commercial advantages and interests. Though, the Founding Fathers promised a fair treatment to Native Americans, yet the practice of a specific race to resort to unchecked expansion in the Indian territories, encouraged by a belief in the inferiority of the Native races and culture sounded simply horrific and contradictory. The very same beliefs allowed the plantation holders to exploit the black slaves in an emotional and ethically callous pursuit for
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
Financial Analysis of Mitsui & CO Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Financial Analysis of Mitsui & CO - Essay Example The company seems to be well managed. The profitability assessments are mostly positive, the liquidity position of the company is also steady and the operational efficiency is also relatively good. But the capital structure shows weaknesses. The company needs to reduce its leverage for it to be viable in the longrun. The ratings provided by the above organizations show that the company is well trusted in the market and shows strength. Appendix 1. Return on Investment (ROI) = {Profit before interest and tax (PBIT) / Investment (total assets - current liabilities)} 2007: (2798 / 50,874) x 100; 2006: (2164 / 43270) x 100 2. Gross Profit Ratio = (Gross Profit) / Revenue 2007: (2798 / 41,363) x 100; 2006: (2164 / 29741) x 100 3. Return on Equity (ROE) = {Profit after interest and tax / Equity }x 100 2007: (1347 / 17,884) x 100; 2006: (1066 / 14,341) x 100 4. Earnings per share (given as income per share) 5. Working Capital = Current assets - Current liabilities 2007: (42,998 - 32,290) ; 2006: (40,571 - 30,008) 6. Current Ratio = Current assets : Current liabilities 2007: ((42,998 / 32,290) ; 2006: (40,571 / 30,008) 7. Acid Test (or Quick) Ratio = Quick Assets : Current liabilities (Quick assets = current assets - stocks) 2007: (42,998 - 2155) / 32,290 ; 2006: (40,571 - 2736) / 30,008 8. Total Asset Turnover = Revenue / Total assets (fixed + current) (times) 2007: (41,363 / 83,164) ; 2006: (35,175 / 73,278) 9. Fixed Asset Turnover = Revenue / Fixed Assets (times) 2007: (41,363 / 8365) ; 2006: (35,175 / 6378) 10. Cash Turnover Ratio = Revenue / Average Cash Balances (times) 2007: {41,363 / [(6780 + 5958)/ 2] }; 2006: {35,175 / [(5958 + 7400) / 2]} 11. Gearing ratio = {Total debt capital / (Total debt capital + Equity funds) }x 100 2007: {(5583 + 3151) / [5583 + 3151 + 17,884] ] x 100; 2006: {(4622 + 3019) / [4622 + 3019 + 14,341] } x 100 12. Debt-Equity ratio = (Debt capital / Equity capital ) x 100 2007: {(5583 + 3151) / 17,884 }x 100; 2006: {(4622 + 3019) / 14,341} x 100 13. Debt Ratio = (Total Debt Finance / Total Assets) x100 2007: {(5583 + 3151) / 83,164}x 100; 2006: {(4622 + 3019) / 73,278}x 100 References Annual Report 2007: Mitsui & Co, Ltd. [Online]www.mitsui.co.jp. Annual Report 2006: Mitsui & Co, Ltd. [Online]www.mitsui.co.jp. Annual Report 2005: Mitsui & Co, Ltd. [Online]www.mitsui.co.jp. Annual Report 2004: Mitsui & Co, Ltd. [Online]www.mitsui.co.jp. "Financial Information: Credit Ratings." www.mitsui.co.jp. "Mitsui &
Friday, January 31, 2020
Traditional versus Online Shopping Essay Example for Free
Traditional versus Online Shopping Essay Through the innovations of technology, human activities changed. Technology has indeed influenced the daily lives of men. Impossible things were made possible. Complicated and tiresome jobs were made easy through technological gadgets and internet. Convenience and efficiency are indeed the end purpose of these technological innovations.            One aspect of life that is significantly influenced by internet is shopping or purchasing. In shopping people can now choose between traditional and online shopping. Traditional shopping is the usual way people buy their items which is in supermarket or stores, while online shopping is done through internet. Meanwhile, traditional shopping is also referred as brick-and-mortar store (Olsen, 228) Both serves a purpose of catering the needs of buyers and at the same time profit from the transaction. In addition, both kinds of shopping offers advantage and disadvantage to the buyers.            There are some similarities of the brick-and-mortal and online stores. As to availability, buyers can buy at any time of the day and night. Due to competition some stores open and serves 24/7, even during holidays. Shopping online can also be done at any time by simply browsing through the website.            However, they differ in many ways. As to physical location, a space, store or warehouse is very important for traditional shopping, while online store do not need such space (Olsen, 235). For the buyers convenience, online shopping offers more than traditional shopping. In traditional shopping, the buyer need to go to supermarkets or stores, while in online shopping, the buyer just need to go to the URL or marketing site of the seller. Moreover, as to availability, some stores are open only within opening hours, while online shopping is available at anytime and anywhere (Olsen, 235). Besides online shopping do not require transportation to the advantage of the customer.            In traditional shopping, the buyer can see, hold, try, and test the items while online shopping only offers the buyer to see and read the description of the product (Olsen, 235). The products will directly be presented to brick-and-mortar store while it is done indirectly in online shopping. In addition to online shopping, customers are able to easily browse the types of the products, compare the features and prize to others, and check its availability (Grewal, 5). Thus, searching is made easier, convenient, and effective. Moreover, time and effort of the customer is saved in online shopping.            As to product information, the buyer needs the service of a staff to answer his queries. However, in online shopping, any additional information or inquiries is available on page or by hypertext links (Olsen, 235). Payment method also differs. In traditional shopping, payment is done manually and can the products are paid in cash, check, credit card or store card (Olsen, 235). In online shopping, the transaction is done automatically and is paid through a credit card (Olsen, 235).            In delivering the product, the buyer in traditional shopping usually gets the product at the time he purchases it. In online shopping, the customer has to wait for days before he would really enjoy the product he bought. For impatient people, online shopping is not suited for them (Olsen, 235). Sometimes, in online shopping, the customer receives a copy or similar to the description he required. Furthermore, online shopping can be stressful because the customer pays additional fees such as shipping and bank charges.            In a customer and seller relationship, traditional shopping is more beneficial. In online shopping, the merchants cannot be seen by the merchants (Philosophe.com, n. pag.). Customers cannot wander in stores, and they only have access to the presentations in the website (Philosophe.com, n. pag.). On the other hand, in traditional shopping, the customers can build relationship with the staff of the store and trust that the products they choose are quality guaranteed.            In ascertaining the type of shopping needs, it is important to weigh the benefits to be gained. It is also essential to consider the practicality of each type of shopping. These are merely alternatives but the buyer has his freedom to purchase the way he wants. Works cited Grewal, Dhruv, Iyer, Gopalkrishnan. R., Levy, Michael. â€Å"Internet retailing: enablers, limiters and market consequences.† Journal of Business Research 57 (2002): 703-713. Olsen, Kai, A. The Internet, the Web, and Ebusiness: Formalizing Applications for the Real World. Scarecrow Press, 2005. â€Å"Online vs Traditional Shopping.†Philosphe.com. 5 July 2008             http://www.philosophe.com/commerce/traditional.html
Thursday, January 23, 2020
The Second Tradition of Thanksgiving Essay -- Essays Papers
When the great holiday of Thanksgiving comes to mind, most people think of becoming total gluttons and gorging themselves with a seemingly unending amount of food. Others might think of the time spent with family and friends. The whole basis of the holiday is family togetherness, fellowship, and thankfulness for blessings received during the previous year. Every family has their own unique way of spending time together with loved ones only seen during the holidays. In the Stock home, there is only one thing we enjoy doing. Sure, like every other family we have our grand and elaborate dinner, which is composed of all the greatest delicacies my mother and grandmother can whip up. Of course, as is expected, after stuffing ourselves as if this was our last meal the men in the family congregate in the living room. We sit and wait for our tradition to begin by discussing how each of our lives has been unfolding since last Thanksgiving. Finally, the moment arrives, kick off of the first of many Thanksgiving Day football games. There are thousands of fans who watch football with religious devotion. At the Stock house that is not the case. However on Thanksgiving, our eyes glaze over and we rise to the highest of football enthusiasts. Every man sitting around our big screen T.V. has his own team to cheer for, which usually causes many spirited discussions during the four quarters of testosterone induced insanity. As the game plays on we all grow further and further engrossed in watching. As the women talk in the kitchen and the children run around, sometimes even right in front of the television, our stares never stray from the glowing giver of joy. It might seem silly... ...nderstand and appreciate the games my dad and the rest of my male family members have been watching for years, I became that much closer with all of them. As John Madden said â€Å"The turkey brings the family together, but the football keeps them together†(www.espn.com). As a tradition Thanksgiving’s football watching extravaganza has become an occasion I have begun to look forward to for months. After spending this great tradition with my father and my family those geezers are looking a lot younger. Work Cited Stock, John, Personal Interview, 11-29-03 www.espn.com, Friday, Nov. 21, ESPN, 11-21-03 www.football.com, Friday, Nov. 21, NFL Internet Network, 11-21-03 http://rats2u.com/thanksgiving_events.htm, 2001, St. Clair Associates, 11-21-03 http://www.dezmin.com/Mtarchives/000-122.html, Nov. 21, 2001, Dezmin’s Archives and It’s Contributors, 11-21-03
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
The Chinese Abacus – Short Essay
The Chinese Abacus The Chinese Abacus is a simple device for performing mathematical calculations. The Chinese Abacus also known as a â€Å"Suanpan†in Chinese. The Abacus was first mentioned by the mathematician Xu Yueh at the end of Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 A. D). The Abacus is a tool for calculating numbers, and was widely used in ancient times up to the invention of the modern mechanical and electronic calculators. The Abacus is similar to the modern calculator. It has a rectangular wooden frame with beads in the columns.There is a cross rod to divide beads into two parts, above the rod each bead represents quantities of five and as it moves right it goes up like 50, 500, 5000 and so on, while under the rod each bead represents quantities of one and goes up to 10, 100, 1000, and so on. The basic operations for which the abacus is helpful include arithmetic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The computational methods using an Abacus a re called abacus calculations. This device was created using wood and beads. You only count the beads that are in the center on the divider.The Abacus is still in use today by shopkeepers in Asia and â€Å"Chinatowns†in North America. The use of the abacus is still taught in Asian schools, and some few schools in America. Blind children are taught to use the Abacus. One particular use for the Abacus is teaching children simple mathematics and especially multiplication. The Abacus is also an excellent tool for teaching other base numbering systems since it easily adapts itself to any base. I made my Abacus by simply getting four wood planks and nailing them together to make a wooden frame.Then I got another wood plank and nailed in the middle to make the cross rod. I drilled 13 holes on the cross rod, the top, and bottom of the frame. I got a stick stuck it through the top of the frame, placed two beads in and stuck it through the cross rod, added five more beads then stuck t he stick through the bottom part of the frame thus making the first column. I continued this process 12 more times until I finished all of the 13 columns. After I was done I painted my frame purple and I was finished. A perfectly crafted Chinese Abacus made within one and a half hours. .
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
Biography of Rem Koolhaas, Dutch Architect
Rem Koolhaas (born November 17, 1944) is a Dutch architect and urbanist known for his innovative, cerebral designs. He has been called a modernist, a deconstructivist, and a structuralist, yet many critics claim he leans toward humanism; his work searches for a link between technology and humanity. Koolhaas teaches at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. Fast Facts: Rem Koolhaas Known For: Koolhaas is an architect and urbanist known for his unusual designs.Born: November 17, 1944 in Rotterdam, NetherlandsParents: Anton Koolhaas and Selinde Pietertje RoosenburgSpouse: Madelon VriesendorpChildren: Charlie, TomasNotable Quote: Architecture is a dangerous mixture of power and impotence. Early Life Remment Lucas Koolhaas was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands, on November 17, 1944. He spent four years of his youth in Indonesia, where his father, a novelist, served as cultural director. Following in the footsteps of his father, the young Koolhaas began his career as a writer. He was a journalist for the Haase Post in The Hague and later tried his hand at writing movie scripts. Koolhaass writings on architecture won him fame in the field before he had even completed a single building. After graduating in 1972 from the Architecture Association School in London, Koolhaas accepted a research fellowship in the United States. During his visit, he wrote the book Delirious New York, which he described as a retroactive manifesto for Manhattan and which critics hailed as a classic text on modern architecture and society. Career In 1975, Koolhaas founded the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) in London with Madelon Vriesendorm and Elia and Zoe Zenghelis. Zaha Hadidâ€â€a future winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prizeâ€â€was one of their first interns. Focusing on contemporary design, the company won a competition for an addition to the Parliament in The Hague and a major commission to develop a master plan for a housing quarter in Amsterdam. The firms early work included the 1987 Netherlands Dance Theater, also in The Hague; Nexus Housing in Fukuoka, Japan; and Kunsthal, a museum built in Rotterdam in 1992. Delirious New York was reprinted in 1994 under the title Rem Koolhaas and the Place of Modern Architecture. The same year, Koolhaas published S,M,L,XL in collaboration with the Canadian graphic designer Bruce Mau. Described as a novel about architecture, the book combines works produced by Koolhaass architectural firm with photos, plans, fiction, and cartoons. The Euralille Master Plan and Lille Grand Palais on the France side of the Channel Tunnel were also completed in 1994. Koolhaas also contributed to the design for the Educatorium at the University of Utrecht. Koolhaass OMA completed Maison à Bordeauxâ€â€perhaps the most famous house built for a man in a wheelchairâ€â€in 1998. In 2000, when Koolhaas was in his mid-50s, he won the prestigious Pritzker Prize. In its citation, the prize jury described the Dutch architect as that rare combination of visionary and implementerâ€â€philosopher and pragmatistâ€â€theorist and prophet. The New York Times declared him to be one of architecture’s most influential thinkers. Since winning the Pritzker Prize, Koolhaass work has been iconic. Notable designs include the Netherlands Embassy in Berlin, Germany (2001); the Seattle Public Library in Seattle, Washington (2004); the CCTV Building in Beijing, China (2008); the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre in Dallas, Texas (2009); the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in Shenzhen, China (2013); the Bibliothà ¨que Alexis de Tocqueville in Caen, France (2016); the Concrete at Alserkal Avenue in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (2017); and his first residential building in New York City at 121 East 22nd Street. A few decades after founding OMA, Rem Koolhaas reversed the letters and formed AMO, a research reflection of his architecture firm. While OMA remains dedicated to the realization of buildings and masterplans, states the OMA website, AMO operates in areas beyond the traditional boundaries of architecture, including media, politics, sociology, renewable energy, technology, fashion, curating, publishing, and graphic design. Koolhaas continued to do work for Prada and in the summer of 2006, he designed the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion in London. Visionary Pragmatism Koolhaas is known for his pragmatic approach to design. The McCormick Tribune Campus Center in Chicagoâ€â€completed in 2003â€â€is a good example of his problem-solving. The student center is not the first structure to hug a railâ€â€Frank Gehrys 2000 Experience Music Project (EMP) in Seattle has a monorail that goes directly through that museum, like a Disney extravaganza. The Koolhaas Tube (made of corrugated stainless steel) is more practical, though. The city train connects Chicago with the 1940s campus designed by Mies van der Rohe. Not only was Koolhaas thinking about urbanist theory with the exterior design, but before designing the interior he set out to document student patterns of behavior to create practical pathways and spaces inside the student center. This was not the first time Koolhaas had played with trains. His Master Plan for Euralille (1989–1994) transformed the northern city of Lille, France, into a tourist destination. Koolhaas took advantage of the completion of the Channel Tunnel, using it as an opportunity to remake the city. Of the project, he said: Paradoxically, at the end of the 20th century, the frank admission of the Promethean ambitionâ€â€for example, to change the destiny of an entire cityâ€â€is taboo. Most of the new buildings for the Euralille project were designed by French architects, except for Congrexpo, which Koolhaas himself designed. Architecturally, Congrexpo is scandalously simple, it says on the architects website. It is not a building that defines a clear architectural identity but a building that creates and triggers potential, almost in an urbanistic sense. In 2008, Koolhaas designed the China Central Television Headquarters in Beijing. The 51-story structure looks like an enormous robot. Yet The New York Times writes that it may be the greatest work of architecture built in this century. These designs, like the 2004 Seattle Public Library, defy labels. The Library appears to be made up of unrelated, disharmonious abstract forms, having no visual logic. And yet the free-flowing arrangement of rooms is designed for basic functionality. Thats what Koolhaas is famous forâ€â€thinking forward and backward at the same time. Designs of the Mind How are we to respond to structures with glass floors or erratically zigzagging stairs or shimmering translucent walls? Has Koolhaas ignored the needs and aesthetics of the people who will occupy his buildings? Or is he using technology to show us better ways to live? According to the Pritzker Prize jury, Koolhaass work is as much about ideas as it is buildings. He became famous for his writings and social commentary before any of his designs was actually constructed. And some of his most celebrated designs remain on the drawing board. Koolhaas has said that only 5% of his designs ever get built. Thats our dirty secret, he told Der Spiegel. The biggest part of our work for competitions and bid invitations disappears automatically. No other profession would accept such conditions. But you cant look at these designs as waste. Theyre ideas; they will survive in books. Sources â€Å"Jury Citation: Rem Koolhaas.†The Pritzker Architecture Prize.â€Å"IIT McCormick Tribune Campus Center.†OMA.Oehmke, Philipp, and Tobias Rapp. â€Å"Interview with Star Architect Rem Koolhaas.†Spiegel Online, Der Spiegel, 16 Dec. 2011.Ouroussoff, Nicolai. â€Å"Koolhaas, Delirious in Beijing.†The New York Times, The New York Times, 11 July 2011.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)