Blog 1!

The Crystal Palace (metaphoric)

The Crystal Palace built in 1851. I learned about it last year in my other architecture class and fell in love with it. To me, it represents a metaphoric type of building, one whose qualities do not denote the actual function of the building. When I first looked at the building, it reminded me somewhat of a greenhouse, as the glass exterior made me immediately think of a home for plants. In Alain de Botton’s The Architecture of Happiness, he says, “We are…different people in different places and…it is architecture’s task to render vivid to us who we might ideally be. I think in a building like this, it gives people the ability to not be forced into being someone who they aren’t, but rather gives them the freedom to be who they please. 

Vases from Costa Rica (evocative)

These are vases that my family brought back from Costa Rica. They are extremely evocative for me, as Costa Rica is one of my family’s favorite place to travel and spend time. Looking at them takes me back to my first trip to Costa Rica, where I first learned how to surf and was able to practice my Spanish with the natives. Additionally, this is also a place where my family first learned to do the New York Times Crossword Puzzle and we continue to do it every single day. 

Piano stool (anthropomorphic)

This piano stool is anthropomorphic, reminding me very much of a black pig! Even though it is not the greatest photo, the stool is short and stubby, just like a pig, with a very robust middle (the seat). The adjuster on the side of the stool resembles the tails of a pig, which are often short and stubby as well