Deconstructivist Architecture
WRITING A RHETORICAL PRÉCIS ANALYSIS AND READING RESPONSE PAPER
I. How to read scholarly architectural texts:
As a critical thinking strategy for this course, as you read the required texts, start by situating them in their historical contexts. Ask yourself:
-When was this text written? and Who wrote it?
-Who is this person whose work I'm being asked to read? (Googling the author's name is encouraged)
-What can the text's date and the author's profile tell me about the argument he/she is trying to make?
-What are some of the key terms that these authors use to make their arguments?
-What do these terms mean?
-What is the central claim of the text, the purpose of each of these authors' writing?
As you read, use these questions to craft your weekly writing assignment, which we've called a reading response or rhetorical précis, where you will record some of these answers. To this information, add a reflection or reaction to the ideas you saw emerging in the full reading assignment for the week. Include questions, challenges, differing opinions, anything that will help us discuss, debate, or better understand the texts as we move on to discuss them as a group.
II. How to write a rhetorical précis:
A rhetorical précis is typically a short paragraph distilling the main ideas in the text and contextualized statement of their importance. It includes the following elements:
a) A single coherent sentence with the following: -name of the author, title of the work, date in parenthesis; -a rhetorically accurate verb (such as "assert," "argue," "deny," "refute," "prove," disprove," "explain," etc.) — this is important because authors usually don’t simply “say” things; and identifying what they are intending to do is a good starting point for understanding the reading.
-a that clause containing the major claim (thesis statement) of the work.
b) One or two sentences that explain how the author develops and supports the major claim (thesis statement). Does the author offer scientific evidence, or does he/she analyze under examined aspects of a work or idea…? What method, in short, does he/she use? What is the evidence the author uses?
c) A sentence or two that states the author's purpose (what for), including the intended audience and/or the relationship the author establishes with the audience. This sentence should clarify the angle, bias, or lens of the author; why they are bothering to write this; and who they are trying to convince. Another way of saying it is "what is the problem this author is trying to address in this writing"? Add your own comments.
**NOTE: PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR PRECIS FOR THE WEEK TOGETHER IN ONE DOCUMENT, NOT SEPARATE DOCUMENTS FOR EACH.**
Précis Format Example:
Student Name
HTC1050/3050 History of Architecture and Design
Assignment Week (refer to course schedule)
Date (that you wrote the Précis)
Author
Title of Précis, Section/Chapter Name, Chapter or Page Numbers (If indicated), and Publication Date of Text
1. Sentence one provides:
a) the name of the author, the genre (essay, novel, etc.), and the title of the work with the publication date (in parenthesis), a concise appropriate verb (claims, argues, exams), followed by;
b) a “that” phrase in which the thesis of the work is stated (either paraphrased or quoted).
In [_______________________________]’s [_____________], [_______________________________]
author’s full name kind of source title of source
[(___________)], [_____________] argues that [__________________________________].
publication date author’s last name thesis of the work
2. Sentence two provides an explanation of how the author goes about supporting his/her thesis or main idea. Remember that brevity is important – you will not restate the details from the work, but explain the rhetorical method used by the writer to develop these supports.
By [_______________________________]ing [_____________________________________________]
verb how author supports the thesis and what evidence is used
[_______________________________] [_________________________________________________].
pronoun or author’s last name what the author is able to accomplish in the source
3. Sentence three states the purpose of the piece (which may reflect the thesis, but should also include the writer’s motives – why the author is writing this piece?). This is accomplished with an “in order to” phrase.
The author’s (His or Her) purpose it to [___________________________________________________]
author’s purpose
in order to [_________________________________________________________________________].
author’s goal or motivation
4. Sentence four explains the author’s intended audience and how the author positions the ideas or thesis with that audience.
[___________________] positions himself as [_____________________________________________]
author’s last name how the author positions himself/herself
and wants to reach [__________________________________________________________________].
Targeted audience for the source. Why? What is the bias?
5. Sentence five depicts how the source is relevant or applicable to your developing ideas.
[__________________________________________________________________________________].
how the work is relevant or applicable to your own developing ideas or research
6, 7, 8. Sentence 6 and 7 adds comments of your own reflection, analysis, or research direction. Sentence 8 restates an arguable point. No first person voice.
Options/Suggestions:
Text to Self: Something in the Text that applies or changes you (Self)
Text to World: Something in the Text that applies or changes the greater community or society (World)
Text to Text: Something in the Text that applies or relates to another text or precedent idea (Text).
Deconstructivist Architecture
Student’s Name
Institution Affiliation
Course Code and Name
Instructor’s Name
Date Submitted
Deconstructivist Architecture
In John Massengale’s essay," The Etiquette of Deconstructivism, Mr. Manners Goes to Moma, published in 1986, he argues that deconstructivism is essential in architecture because it helps align the modern architecture pieces. Further, it argues that there is a need to create and understand deconstructivism even though it might confuse, but these aspects bring about creativity and thinking in architectural works (Massangale, 1988). By discussing other authors' work, such as the drawings done by Ms. Hadid, Massangale can disseminate knowledge to the audience that deconstructivism brings out a critical analysis of works and a detailed understanding of texts. Further, Massangale creates logical reasoning for the audience through the method, hence creating effective decision-making in architecture. The author's purpose in the text is to show the relationship between deconstructivism and architecture, which is appropriate to achieve an understanding that deconstructivism is not an aspect that despises modernism in art. Still, it contributes to incorporating modernism and messages in artistic works (Massangale, 1988). Massangale positions himself as an artist with a passion for 20th-century artwork and wants to reach out to modern artists who are against deconstructivist actions. Hence, his positioning as an artist with passion brings out knowledge and understanding of how deconstructivism works. The piece of work applies to my developing ideas as it helps me learn more about deconstructivist works as well as how artwork changed with modern developments. An aspect that is appealing from the text is the fact that pieces of work should have a message and not be confusing to the targeted audience. It changes my perspectives on art by improving my critical analysis of artistic works.
Catherine Ingraham's essay "Milking Deconstruction or Cow was the show," published in 1988, reacts to Johnson Wigley's standpoint about deconstructivism and architecture. Further, Ingraham accuses Johnson of stealing the idea of the show from young thinkers, which is not good since it does not help promote young thinkers' talents. By explaining the connection between architecture discipline and the philosophy of either art or literature, Ingraham can achieve the idea that theory is always present in architecture. The author aims to show how artists have no architectural discipline to promote theories and ethics in architecture. Ingraham positions herself as a champion for ethical architecture to reach out to young artists with talent and motivate them to always support their work and speak about any indiscipline in architecture (Ingraham, 1988). Moreover, Ingraham strongly supports new developments and nurturing the talents of young artists to bring out growth and diversity in artwork. The source is applicable in developing different ideas, especially on ethics in architecture. Through analysis of the source, it appears that people can steal your idea and present it as theirs, which is wrong (Ingraham, 1988). A fascinating content from the essay is how the cow is used as a symbolic symbol to show the fight between deconstructivism and constructivism in architecture. It shapes ideas and thinking on how architecture works are oppressed differently to achieve specific objectives for targeted audiences or media.
Philip Johnson and Mark Wigley's book "Deconstructivist Architecture," published from June 23 to August 30, 1988, explains that deconstructivism in architecture ...