The reflections unit represents the Architecture parlent idea that came about at this time. This was a period when the rules of design were being re-written. Many changes were happening in the world, from revolutions to imperialism to technology. These events had an effect on how buildings and cities were designed, causing a new language to form in architecture. The major architectural movements that occurred at this time were classical revivals, Georgian, glass & iron use, Japonisme/Eastern influences, and the sky scrapers of Chicago and New York. The overall theme of this unit is that communication between countries created styles that imitated each other, yet encouraged them to find a unique aesthetic.
I chose an image from the 1893 World's Fair to represent this unit. The purpose of world fairs held at this time was to show off your country. We learned about previous ones held in Europe that were glass palaces, taking advantage of the glass and iron that were now available. This one held in Chicago was built in a classical revival because the architect who designed it was from New York. Chicago's design aesthetic at the time was searching for an "American" style, something that was different from the rest of the world. The buildings usually don't have a lot of ornamentation or classical details. The style in New York was highly influenced by Grecian and Roman revivals due to what those styles represent. Even though the World's Fair was held in Chicago, the organizers went with a New York designer so that it would have that kind of aesthetic. Perhaps they wanted the rest of the world to see classically designed buildings to show how important the U.S. was. For them, it was more important to show that the U.S. could stand up to the rest of the world, not necessarily the new design aesthetic we were creating.
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