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Dessau Bauhaus Vs Laurenian Library

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In the Dessau Bauhaus by Walter Gropius, the central element is removed, emphasizing the void left and the bridge running through it to connect the remaining parts. In the Laurentian Library by Michelangelo, the building plan is void of complexity, consisting of one main, large rectangle, and the square-shaped entry. The plan for the Bauhaus has a kinetic quality, while the plan for the Laurentian Library remains stoic. While the Laurentian Library showcases elaborate details, the Bauhaus does not rely on intricate details. but rather, it takes on a more modern approach. Both buildings have mannerist tendencies. although the Bauhaus shows these tendencies conceptually. While Michelangelo sought to utilize mannerist concepts to manipulate the …show more content…

He is heavily involved in the sculptural presence of the work and the aesthetic it brings. In fact, many of his designs have little or no practical function and can be argued to have poor functional design (Korey). The most prominent area of the building is the entryway. which is designed in the mannerist fashion to look like the outside of the building while being on the interior. 1 his ambiguity ofinterior/exterior relationship is played upon. Contrastingly. Gropius has ties to mannerism in the overall composition of his building. The central element is a void, which implies that there was a volume that disappeared. This central void gives ambiguity to the composition, creating tension between the other parts of the building that are surrounding it. 1 he effect of tension is completed by the bridge that spans the void, connecting the parts of the composition into one. However, Gropius employs a rational basis for understanding the parts ofthe whole, making function a part of his aesthetic (Sveiven). The Bauhaus uses the modern theory of form following its function. This is very different from the Laurentian Library, which focuses mainly on aesthetic …show more content…

The Bauhaus has a facade of windows that

represent the transparency of the design, the modern aspects of the open design, and indicate the honesty of the building and its materials (Sveiven). The building rejects superfluous aesthetic designs that cloak the building with ambiguity. The result is a very straightforward and honest presentation.

The plan of the Bauhaus resembles a pinwheel-like configuration, three L-geometries connected at the center by the void with the spanning bridge. The arrangement is reminiscent of an airplane propeller. indicating a movement of the parts and the modern technologies from uhich this structure was built (Sveiven). By contrast. the plan of the Laurentian Library includes a long rectangle that a square is placed on the end of. The plan is very simply divided into the entry and the library itself. The plan is the epitome of stability and concentration. It's complexity and importance does not stem from the geometry of the building, but rather. Michelangelo’s use of mannerism. While the plan ofthe Bauhaus has a kinetic quality, playing with the void and Lgeometries. the plan ot‘the Laurentian library emphasizes a stoic quality that has no kinetic

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