David Andrade

Professor Zagaroli

Compare 2 Buildings

The two buildings I will be comparing is an older building with new insides, and a modern condo. One is called Wythe Hotel it used to be an old textile factory that was converted into a modern-day hotel but still has the façade of the original building. I believe it is one of the more interesting buildings in the Williamsburg area because it still has the old charm of the area’s past which was mainly industrial.  The building its self has a very balanced layout. There is a lot of symmetry going on with the building and has those quirky industrial style windows form the late 1800s/ early 1900s.behind that old exterior is a modern structure that inhabits the old building. It gives a sense of preservation because the developer could’ve easily bulldozed the factory and build a new building completely but choose to incorporate the two together giving it nice blend of old and new. 320 Kent Avenue is a recent structure built in the Williamsburg area. It is one of the more interesting developments to go up in recent years because of its unique design. The lower quarter of the building is composed of copper plating meanwhile the upper part in covered in zinc plating showing a strong division. The front elevation of the building has a square hole right through the center giving it some individualistic charm it towards the rear of the building is descends in a stair case-like fashion. Along the balcony’s you can see small gardens promoting an eco-friendly type of view. The last floor line of windows reminds me a barcode and it’s also part of the old domino factory zone that is currently being redeveloped for a modern day Brooklyn.

David Andrade

Professor Zagaroli

Comparing Era’s

Paleolithic architecture is extremely old. They mainly lived in pit houses that where common in eastern Europe. They featured a oval like shape and has a central post hole indicating the existence of a roof. Its constructed by digging out some soil and surround it with mammoth bones for support. Paleolithic peoples mainly used stone tools for hunting and construction. They also constructed huts using animal hide and their respective bones along with tree branches.

Mesolithic architecture was more advanced as humans began domesticating animals and creating farms for food. Many of the buildings constructed during this time where made using post-and-lintel systems where timber was the roof that spanned the room and the post supported the structure. The post where usually filled with mud and woven branches that would create and sturdy structure. In northern Europe some of the structures where created using masonry and those have survived the elements until today. The buildings are made up of flat stones stacked up but they do not have mortar but sloped slightly to lock in place.

With the Neolithic age stone ceremonial structures began to appear. Those include Stonehenge and the menhir alignment in Britain and France respectively. These structures are also called megaliths. Another megalithic structure would be the various tombs around Europe such as the Newgrange tomb site in Ireland that has some of the most complex system of graves known today. The burial chambers are made of large rocks that create and a round space. The construction rocks where engraved with designs of circles and spirals. There are many narrow passages that lead to the graves. Stonehenge is made of a post-and-lintel system that creates and circle surrounded by a ditch inside the circle is another group of stones that form a horseshoe type shape.

Overall the three periods I choose to discuss highlight how human advancements in either choice of tools or new engineering feats building new structures advanced their civilization. Also, it demonstrates the changes in materials used going from animal hides to mud and wood to stone. These designs affected how its respective peoples lived and ability to survive. And contribute to the advancement of humanity from their time.

David Andrade

Professor Zagaroli

Parthenon Sale

Today we have a historical sale going on. You can purchase one of the wonders of the world for the highest bid! The Parthenon! The legendary building from Greece constructed under Iktino’s and Callicrate’s watchful eye who created this masterpiece along with the sculptor Phidias who helped design this magnificent structure. We will be doing a bid style sale starting at 10 million USD to start things off after I explain a bit of its history of course. After suffering extreme damage from a bombardment during a war the structure still stands proving how resilient it truly is. The historical landmark is also a show of engineering during the Greek empire and proves how much wealth and knowledge they had at the time.