Observations Of A Landscape Photographer And Architecture

Observations Of A Landscape Photographer And Architecture The objective of this thesis is to see how the ob ­servations of the landscape photographer can fur ­ther inform the relationship of architecture and the landscape. Observing how landscape photogra ­phers perceive their subject and define the issues that influence their personal perspectives becomes the tool for better understanding issues shared by architecture. For example, framing, the role of the horizon, natural and artificial light, texture, mood, scale, geography and the juxtaposition of man-made and natural elements are issues shared by both disciplines. In addition how landscape pho ­tographers observe and interpret the landscape in its many moods challenges architects to under ­stand realizing how similar transformations occur in works of architecture over time. To demonstrate such findings, relevant examples of photography and architecture will be juxtaposed, discussed and supported by explanatory diagrams. In this man ­ner, an analysis of landscape photography will hopefully clarify and inspire alternative ways of defining the interface between the building and the landscape. TYPES OF LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY Figure 3: Man in water Abstraction Barcelona, Spain Abstract photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari Types of Landscape photography: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Representational à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Impressionistic à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Abstract 3 TYPES OF LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY Photographers usually use three different styles in landscape photography, which are representa ­tional, impressionistic and abstract(1). Represen ­tational style results in pictures that show us the most realistic and natural look of the scene without any artifices. It is straight forward, that is what you see is what you get. Although the photographer does not add any props or foreign components to the scene, the best result is not a simple snapshot, rather far from it. The best attention is paid to com ­position, and details of texture, light, foliage, tim ­ing and weather are critical. For the architect who chooses to incorporate this style of photography in his or her work, paying attention to all the details mentioned above is mandatory. Then a personal interpretation of the work can manifest itself in the related architectural subject(Figure 4,5). The second style of photography is impression ­istic. Photographic techniques result in images with elusive or vague quality. These pictures are less touchable and more unreal, while they still retain their values that make them landscape pic ­tures. Studying the works of this second group has helped me to have a better understanding of texture in design(Figure 6,7). One example is when I used the unclear glass in the building, and the onlooker could not tell what or how the inside looked. He or she could have their own imagination about the subject. The last style of photography is called abstract, which deals with shape, form, contrast and color in a particular scene, of which often nothing may be recognizable. One part of the landscape may be combined with another in order to bring out the beauty or danger, water or desert, or red and blue of the scene. Abstract landscape photography isnt really intended to depict a particular scene at all, rather to create a piece of art that is only loosely based on a real scene in the real world( Figure 3,8). One good architectural example is the work of ar ­chitect Luis Barragan. His works deal with texture, light, shadow and repetition, which he applies to his creation. His works for me represent the transi ­tion of abstract landscape photography to architec ­ture. Figure 4: San Sebastion, Spain Representational photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari Figure 5: Sidi bou said, Tunisia, Representational, photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari Figure 6: Musse Historie Naturelle, Paris, France Impressionistic photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari Figure 7: Chateau de Chenon ­ceau, Tour, France Impressionistic photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari Figure 8: Anger Abstract Maryland, USA Abstract photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari 1-Landcape photogrophy. http://www.photographyicon.com/landscape/index.html. -Sontag, Susan. On photogrophy. New York: farrar straus and girouxn.d. 4 ISSUES FOUND IN LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY Geography: Landscape photography consists of three important sub-sections. First, it is about geography of the site and the contrast of sky vs. earth, cliff vs. plateau, sea vs. land and the rule of horizon. Architects deal with the same issues in their work, for instance the Cliffside house by Michael Rotondi ,which explores the concept of sky vs. earth; Salk institute by Louis Kahn for the concept of rule of horizon; Casa Malaparte by Adalberto Libera in the concept of cliff vs. plateau; and Gilardi house by Louis Barragan in the concept of sea vs. land. I do assume that each of the aforementioned examples were somehow influenced by landscape photogra ­phy. An architect should have a good grasp of the effect of the terrain and climate on his design and in achieving that the work of the landscape photographer can be beneficial. Landscape photography Architecture Sky vs. Earth Figure 9(Left): Marmata, Tunisia photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari Figure 10(Right): Cliffside house by Michael Rotondi Rule of Horizon Figure 11(left): Ocean City, Maryland photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari Figure 12(Right): Salk institute by Louis Kahn Cliff vs. Plateau Figure 13(Left): Gozo, Malta photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari Figure 14(Right): Casa Malaparte Sea vs. Land Figure 15(left): Gozzo, Malta Figure 16(Right): Gilardi House by Luis Barragan photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari 5 ISSUES FOUND IN LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY Scale: These second section deals with the question of scale, whether grand, pieces and part, close up, or micro. From the beginning of architecture, architects, such as Andrea Palladio, used the ratio founded in nature to create the harmony with the building. In addition there are some buildings that are designed based on humans body. It means that there is a proportional correlation between humans body and buildings elements such as doors and windows size. Sometimes, building are scaled more to their environment or purpose that its the building elements landed their self to present the grand, over powering or even transcended appear ­ance. Regardless of these approaches, the way architect chooses to manipulate scale affect the users by making the building feels, comfortable, divine or even unreal. In short, the scale of architecture is not only the system of size in various levels (physical, visual, technological, economical, etc.), but also the all relations between the proportions, wh ich exist in similar forms of different size each other. Landscape photography can help him acquire a better sense of detail in his design, one thing which can be of utmost importance. Landscape photography Architecture Grand Figure 17(Left): Naples, Italy photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari Figure 18(Right): Casa Malaparte, Capri, Italy Pieces and parts Figure 19(left): Paris, France photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari Figure 20(Right): Beyeler Foundation by Renzo Piano Close up Figure 21(Left): Paris, France photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari Figure 22(Right): Beyeler Foundation by Renzo Piano Micro Figure 23(left): Paris, France photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari Figure 24(Right): San Carlo alle Quattro Fontance Chapel, Rome, Italy Jenkins, Eric. To Scale. New York: Simultaneously, 2008. 6 ISSUES FOUND IN LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY Light: Both of paramount importance in the work of a landscape photographer and an architect is lighting, which encompasses bright vs. dull, clear vs. mist, sun vs. rain and day vs. night. The photographer and architect both have to consider the light and shadow and their different qualities in their work. The photographer consid ­ers which light applies best to his object and the architect does the same in his design process. Light is a necessity for the sight and a utility in architecture, but also a powerful, though ephemeral, vehicle of expression. Since light moves back and forth from its source, it changes character and has the power to convey many of the quality of nature to the inert mass of architecture. An architect may not be able to control the light, but can predict its behavior well enough to catch it mean ­ingfully in his work, he channels it through the openings into his space and then molds it into masses, and brings the site to life by contrasting it with the shadows. Architecture Landscape photography Bright vs. Dull Figure 25,26(Left): Ocean City, Maryland photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari Figure 27,28(Right): Citroen Park, Paris, France Arab Ins., Paris, France Clear vs. Mist Figure 29,30(left): Viaduc Des Artes Park, Paris,FR Luxembourg Park, Paris, France Photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari Figure 31,32(Right): Arab Ins., Paris, France Sun vs. Rain Figure 33,34(Left): Capri, Italy Paris, France photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari Figure 35,36(Right): Dominus Winery, California Day vs. Night Figure 37,38(left): Capri, Italy Figure 39,40(Right): Effie Tower, Paris, France photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari 7 ISSUES FOUND IN LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY Texture : The last section deals with texture and the comparisons smooth vs. rough, foliage vs. dying, spring vs. fall and fertile vs. barren. Texture lends a dimensional qual ­ity to photos and enable the photographer to break up large areas of tone to create special effects. It has long been used by architects too in order to breath life into buildings as well create a unique experience visually for the visitor. To express the true quality of materials, to shape an interior space or simply to articulate a pat ­tern, texture is a fundamental tool in all of the above. It can also be used to create a more complex language for architects to express themselves. The juxtaposition between both digital and natural materials will certainly emphasize texture via patterns and rhythms. In addition, texture between the two will call for varying degrees of occupant touch. Architecture Landscape photography Smooth vs. Rough Figure 41,42(Left): Capri, Italy photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari Figure 43,44(Right): France Foliage vs. Dying Figure 45,46(left): Paris, France photo by Stanley Hallet Figure 47,48(Right): Quai Branly Museum Dominus Winery, California Fall vs. Spring Figure 49,50(Left): France photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari Figure 51(Right): Egerstrom House by Luis Barragan Fertile Figure 50(left): Washington, DC photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari Figure 51(Right): Paris, France 8 SPECIFIC LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHERS Figure 52: Natural Frame Capri, Italy Photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ How are they explaining these issues? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ What kind of the issues that photographers interested? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Shows different issues on each one: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Rule of reflection à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Rule of Sky à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Rule of extend à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ How does he set up the camera to do this? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Where the sun will be? Or moon? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Deconstruct photos o Analyzing each photograph: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Foreground à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Background à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Color shot à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Black and white shot à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ What do I learn from each one à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ What kind of lenses are they using 9 ANSEL ADAMS One of the most famous landscape photographers is Ansel Adams, who has influenced many people in different field. He likes black and white because there is no distraction for him and is really inter ­ested in the grand panorama and in how much de ­tail can be shown in the large context. Most of Ad ­ams work is about the relationship between the sky and earth. He is aware of the suns position at any given point of the day and knows how to use it. He also pioneered the idea of visualization(2) (which he often called previsualization) of the finished print, based upon the measured light values in the scene being photographed. One of the best known and most sought after photographs in the field of fine-art photography is called Moonrise. Ad ­ams took this photo in Hernandez, New Mexico in 1941(Figure 53). He used a technique called rules of thirds, which many artists think of it as boring , that is looking at symmetrical images , divided in three parts. This type of photograph ha s three layers and each a different tone: the black sky, the white cloud and the gray landscape(figure 54). Ad ­ams made an interesting composition that became very popular. Adam said Moonrise combined serendipity and immediate technical recall(3). Serendipity means lucky chance. He felt at the time it was an exceptional image(3) and when he took it, he felt an almost prophetic sense of satis ­faction(3). Ironically, Adams happened upon this shot by chance while driving along a roadside head ­ing towards Santa Fe, New Mexico, after an unpro ­ductive day of photography. The conditions were perfect, but he was basically unprepared because he didnt have access to his light meter. Adams used his knowledge of the luminance of the moon and was able to get this precious shot. He said it is a romantic / emotional moment in time. Another example is called the Winter Sunrise(Figure 56). Adams never intentionally included a human or an animal in his creative landscape, but in this pic  ­ture, horses have added an earthy touch to the un earthly beauty of the scene. Control, as absolute as possible, was at the heart of Adams photography.For him, the critical variable was light and he used light, reflection, rule of thirds, layers and different tones in his work. Each of these techniques can be used in architecture as well. Studying this process can help me as a designer to improve my work and have a better understanding of the correlation at work. Figure 53: Moonrise Photo by Ansel Adams Figure 54: Deconstruct Moonrise Figure 55: Winter Sunrise Photo by Ansel Adams Figure 56: Deconstruct Winter Sunrise 2-Adams, Ansel. The camera. New York: little brown, 1972. 3-Adams, Ansel. The making of 40 photography. New York: little brown, 1980. -Adams, Ansel. Auto biagraphy. New York: little brown, 1987. 10 Eliot Porter is a photographer much influenced by Ansel Adams, yet more interested on the effect of color and its distribution throughout the land ­scape; detail and texture in nature was his focus, so he expanded his attention in order to celebrate the sheer beauty of nature(4). Porters photogra ­phy was more about balance, layering and object vs. the field. To him, photography was a creative art and was the first to successfully bridge the gap between photography as a fine art and its roots in science and technology. Eliot porter is known to be the first nature photographer to artistically craft color images, in both the taking and developing processes, to a degree achieved by Ansel Adams in black and white photography. So delicate was Por ­ters processing technique that a leading photog ­raphy critic at the time, Weston Naef, wrote that Porter was captivated by colors that had not yet been named. In architecture also, an architect tries to breathe life into buildings by br inging different textures along thus creating a visual experience for the eyes to see. Texture is a fundamental tool in expressing the true quality of materials, shaping an interior space or simply to articulate a pattern. It is as I mentioned before, used by architects to create a more complex language of expression. Vi ­sual textures are produced by the patterns given to the lighting of the surface, both through the way materials are worked (e.g., vertical or horizontal chiseling of stone) and through the way they are employed in the building (e.g., vertical or horizon ­tal boarding, projection and recession of courses of brick). Like all patterns, visual textures create as ­sociation of movement, giving rhythm to the sur ­face. A single texture is rarely used in buildings. The variety of materials and treatments typically produces a complex of textures that must be com ­posed and harmonized like the forms and spaces of architecture, into a consistent expressive whole. S o understanding the perception of a photographer in relation to texture can give the designer a better outlook in choosing the right pattern and texture for his work. ELIOT PORTER 4- Porter, Eliot. The place no one knew. Utah: gibbs smith, 1991. 11 JERRY UELSMANN There is another photographer with a completely different technique, Jerry Uelsmann. In his work, he combines several negatives to create surreal landscapes that interweave images of trees, rocks, water and human figures in new and unexpected ways. He uses several enlargers, each of which have a different negative placed under the lamp. The photographic paper is sequentially moved from one enlarger to the next, burning in and dodging out the light wherever it needs to be ma ­nipulated. The paper is then processed to create a one of a kind (irreproducible) print. As an architect always has a concept behind his work, so did Uels ­mann. He believed that a picture should show your own familiar world, thats why his photog ­raphy wasnt about thinking; it was about surprise and discovery. Both in photography and architec ­ture, there exists a concept, vision, idea or inspira ­tion, which most likely emanates from ones own experiences. When one has worked arduously on a project, an d for a long time, his or her inspiration or rather light of inspiration, shines through. In photography, the subject or the concept behind it can be upside down and still be effective. The pho ­tographer can play with your mind and make you see things you wont normally see. In architecture also, the architect can create a compositional con ­cept and take you on a journey not expected. 5-Uelsmann, Jerry. Process and Perception. New York: university press of Florida, 1986. -Uelsmann, Jerry N. Photo Synthesis. New York: University Press of Florida, 1992. Ward, John. The Criticism of Photography As Art: The Photographs of Jerry Uelsmann. New York: University Press of Florida, 1988. 12 SPECIFIC EXAMPLE IN ARCHITECTURE Figure 65: Representational Vals, Switzerland Photo by Rouzbeh Mokhtari à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ How do these issues effect architecture à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Opening as a framing device: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The Doorway à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The window à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The Close porch à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The detail in the landscape à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Architecture holding the landscape(Court) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Architecture in the landscape(site) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Architecture viewing the landscape(widows) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The following are examples of how photography and architecture are correlated. The first example, talks about the effect of the frame and how it can make you focus on a certain point. Second one is the concept of nature and how it can be incorporated into a building. Third, talks about the pattern and how your eyes can lead to a certain impression. The last one, is about reflection and layering , which are both essential in architecture. 13 MARY MISS The artist Mary Miss has been redefining how art is integrated into the public realm since the early 1970s. For more than three decades, Mary Miss has reshaped the boundaries between sculpture, architecture, landscape design and installation art. She has articulated a vision of the public sphere where communal and private experiences co-ex ­ist.(6) Her work is grounded in the context of a place, from which she constructs situations where the visitor becomes aware of the sites history, its ecology, or aspects of the environment that have gone unnoticed. The individual viewer moving through the site, experiencing it in all of its con ­figurations, becomes the primary focus. One of the best examples is Battery Park City Landfill project in 1973 New York City. Its five rough wood panels with deascending circular cutouts were aligned as you walked up to the opening. The built and nat ­ural materials are both laid out for examination, consideration and potential redefinition of their re ­lationships. The visitors were engaged in the mak ­ing of the piece and movement was necessary for it to become visible. Also it is intended to relate the visual with the physicality of the objects and landscape. She is not the photographer nor the ar ­chitect. She is an artist who is following the rules of both in her work. She used rule of horizon, sky vs. earth, fore ground vs. background, layering, composition and object vs. the field. All the issues discussed above are also influential in architecture. For instance, one issue that the photographer deals with is framing, the same goes for the architect also. When the architect deals with the landscape, he may create a space called court or window, which can be directly associated with the way the photographer creates a frame. 6-Abramson, Daniel M. Mary Miss. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2003. 14 CURZIO MALAPARTE Italian rationalist architect Albetto Libera, for Curzio Malaparte, conceived Casa Malaparte house around 1937. Malaparte actually reject ­ed Liberas design and built the house himself with the help of Adolfo Amitrano, a local stone mason. The conveyance of communication of values and beliefs through architecture, which best defines the intention of writer and political activist Curzio Malaparte in the design and con ­struction of his house on a bluff in Capri, Case Malaparte is a great example. All of the rules are going against established theories of architec ­ture, such as building should fit in with its natu ­ral surroundings. Malaparte was determined to construct a house that would be his house, con ­veying his values, beliefs and personality. The house is an object in the landscape and it stands alone. When you enter, each window is a snap ­shot and frameS the landscape, and this is due to the way the frame is made. Its according to the Le Corbusier theory, when exterior and interior of a building become one. When you are in the main hall, the walls are white and the floor is stone, you dont feel as if you are inside. When you are on the roof, the sail vs. horizontal line connects the nature to the building, or as Vittorio Savi and Adalberto Libera have said, one realizes then that there is an extreme contrast between looking from the inside or from the outside. They (windows) are empty like hollow eyes. From the inside these windows however are filled with the isolated worlds they frame; terrific worlds provoking a sublime anxiety through revealing the distance between subject and object, man and nature, and the impossibility of processing those worlds that they create(7). Photographers have their cam ­era and work with their lens to create a frame, where as architects construct the building and bring out their windows as their frames. 7-Talamona, Mardia. Casa Malaparte. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1992. 15 PETER ZUMTHOR A great example of framing the landscape is when you cannot say when the building starts and land ­scape stops; and it can be seen in the work of Peter Zumthor called Therme Vals. Zumthor uses images of quarries and water flowing spontaneously from the ground to describe the conception of the build ­ing, its geometric rigor reflects a huge rock embed ­ded in the hillside. When you are in the building and in front of the glass wall, the sun is moving from behind the mountain during the day and it is a great example of grasping the landscape through the building. When you are outside in the water, it is still framing the landscape. The building is made of local Valser quartzite and concrete. Water, light and to some extent steam and heat, add to the defi ­nition of areas within the ritual of the bath(8). The Therme Vals offers a seductive shift from the paradigm of the Bilbao effect, where architecture is a vehicle for economic health through spectacle and display. The space is used for the engagement of mind, body , soul and the whole community. This is a great example of how photography can play an important role in framing the landscape in architecture. 8-Zumthor, Peter. Therme Vals. New York: Annalisa Zumthor, 1991. 16 As I mentioned before, sometimes the architect holds part of the landscape and creates a court, such as Renzo Piano having the court yard in the middle of lobby of New York Times building. This cube of space, open to the sky, isnt acces ­sible , but its like finding a park in the middle of an office building. The sight of it alone has a calming effect. Retail tenants are required to keep their glass walls uncluttered in order to pre ­serve the view from either side of the court yard. On one side of the courtyard, there is a theater and has a view to the yard, which can be seen as a background or foreground in photography. This is a great example of how landscape pho ­tography, and framing it is useful to architecture prior to design. Another example of the importance of landscape in architecture can be Katsira detached palace in Japan. The palace includes a drawing room, teahouses, and a strolling garden. It provides an invaluable window into the villas of princes of the Edo period. The strolling garden takes wa ­ter from the Katsura River for the central pond, around which are the tea houses, hill, sand, bridge and lanterns. Its garden is a masterpiece of Japanese gardening. In this palace , the land ­scape is framed outside of the main building and the viewer catches it from outside, where as in the New York Times building, landscape was brought inside and one could experience it from a different angle. RENZO PIANO vs. KARSURA PALACE 17 Lius Barragam is a master at presenting nature in his work through large stucco or plain walls. Shadow is really important in his design and he uses texture, light, shadow and repetition to create architecture. In his work, one cannot tell when the building stops and the nature begins.Barragan said Beauty speaks like an oracle, and man has always heeded its message in an infi nite number of waysLife deprived of beau ­ty is not worthy of being called human. Ricardo Legorreta is a disciple of Luis Barragan and took his ideas to a wider realm. He used el ­ements of Barragans work , like bright colors, geometric shapes, light and shadow and created architecture with elements of nature. Legorreta said This world of Mexican spaces fi lled my life in such a natural way that light, walls, color, mystery, and water,with all their beauty, became part of me. I am not an exception, that is the way we Mexicans are. Legorreta achieves Mystery and Surprise, through the use of Mass, color, symbol , light and lighting , through holes, slots, squeezes and releases. His color is Red, deep blue, yellow, pink and Li ­lac. Pure color, as if it came out of a painters tube. His teacher in all this has been vernacu ­lar architecture which has been also teacher to many other good architects. RICARDO LEGORRETA LUIS BARRAGAN 9-Pauly, Daniele. Barragan space and shadow, wall and colour. New York: Birkhouser, 2004. Mutlow, John V. Ricardo Legorreta. New York: Rizzoli international publication, 1997. 18 POSSIBLE PROGRAM Figure 85: Beyond Being Photo by Unknown Meditation Center 1- Garden / Spread at multiple locations with connotations a. AID/ help in creating moods and set the scene. 2- Bathing / Purifying a. Cold water b. Hot water c. Jasmine water d. Waterfall in different locations 3- Healing: Travel with your mind by being exposed to inspiring images a. Color, light > Chromatography b. Smell > Aromatherapy c. Image/ Elements/ Shape > something inspiring d. Sound/ music 4- Tea house a. Garden 1- harmony -> Nature 2- purity -> drinking tea a. Created for aesthetic and intellectual fulfillment b. it is an interlude in which one leads oneself for the moment to the spirit of beauty, quietude, and politeness toward others. 5- Mediation a. Single/individual spaces b. Common spaces c. rest/ stretch 19 POSSIBLE PROGRAM The essence of nature, life, and the earth is wa ­ter. Water provides the means to exist and to live. There are several examples to imply this idea as water being a pure element. In my opinion, Nature eases the mind. Nature provides birth and death, such dervish dance of existence and non-existence creates a spatial environment to not only ease the mind but also to comfort the body. Another ex ­ample to indicate the importance of water is the human body, which is 60% water. This close rela ­tion between nature and water is the epic of ones calmness. According to Le Corbusiers theory a buildings interior and its exterior should be as one to create a comfortable place. Creating such a calm environ ­ment requires a neat correlation among each parti ­cle to its surrounding nature. Consequently build ­ing a Meditation Center, is a metaphorical bridge to transport a negligent mind to the realm of purity and to detach from the daily pressures of life in order to energize the spirit, and to reconnect with ones inner being. It is a space that is designed to create a feeling of being welcome, safe, and peace ­ful. I used three types of photography, representation ­al, impressionist, and abstract, to embody Le Cor ­busiers idea show itse

Carpal tunnel syndrome Essay

Video games are very popular with children all over the world, they keep kids occupied and entertained. A lot of parents are concerned about how these video games are affecting their children. Are these video games good or bad for our children? Video gaming has both positive and negative effects on children. Video games are not only entertaining but also educational; they create challenges for children to take on in order to proceed to new levels. Video gaming is also very influential with a child. That is why it is very important to monitor children while playing. There are many positive effects to playing video games. Playing a video game is a way to exercise the brain, it helps children develop skills like following directions, problem solving and hand-eye coordination that develop fine motor and spatial skills. Video games contribute a lot to education, like developing reading skills; gamers must read to get instructions, follow storylines, and get information. Gamers also become more determined because, usually they don’t succeed the first time playing a level so they try and try again until they move on to the next level. Games can provide a positive outlet for children to release bottled up frustrations the same way many sports like basketball and football do. Video games allow parents to bond with their children and play together and can be something they share in common. Of course with every good there is a bad. Most of the bad things about video games are usually blamed on the violence that is in them. Children who play more violent video games are more likely to have more aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Playing too much video game keeps children indoors and become less social with family and friends. It also causes children to spend less time doing other activities like doing homework or playing sports. Some video games teach children improper morals and are easily confused between reality and fantasy. Excessive gameplay can contribute to poor performance in school and also cause a slew of health issues like obesity, video-induced seizures, postural, muscular and skeletal disorders and carpal tunnel syndrome. Children who are spending too much time playing video games may show signs of impulsive behavior and have attention problems. The effects of video games vary on children depending on the kind of parenting. Children usually imitate what they see in these video games so it’s important for parents to understand their children’s maturity level and what kind of games parents should allow their children to play. We are now living in a sophisticated and high-tech world so video games are essential to the development of children with today’s technology. The point is for parents to understand that playing video games have different effects on different children. The positives of video games definitely outweigh the negatives of video games especially with proper supervision of the children who play these video games.

Prisoner rights Essay

Prisoner rights deals on the principle of prisoners being deprived their liberty when they should be entitled to basic rights. People who advocate for prisoners rights say that prisoners are deprived basic rights with cooperation of prison authorities. Prison authorities has problem turning blind eye to prisoners who are raped and assaulted where they fail in offering protection and allowing them to be assaulted and raped by their fellow inmates. Prisoners are not given sufficient medical care in case of medical conditions that are serious, they suffer in prisons without anyone to take care of them and some end up loosing their lives. When prisoners raise complaints about bad conditions, they are punished and are not given room to air their views. These make prisoners to suffer and they are not taken care of if they are in problems that need attention. Prisoners do not have freedom to express themselves, communicate to each other and to read materials that can enlighten them. This is depriving prisoners of their rights because, they are normal human beings and even though they have been imprisoned for doing wrong; their rights need to be respected. Prisoners do not have the right to sue their officials. This right has been taken away from them which make them to be mistreated by the official. They do not also sue the government for maltreatment and in case of injuries that result from prison authorities being negligent, they are not compensated. Inmates are deprived of their freedom of religion where they do not worship room the churches where they belong to. Prisoners do not have access to legal materials and do not have the right to access the courts. Prisoners are not fed well and their cloths are not in good conditions. (Palmer, 1984). Prisoners have right to good time credit and privileges. These privileges can be forfeited only if the prisoner is caught with serious misconduct where prisoner looses minimum procedures that are appropriate depending on the circumstances under which he has misconduct. If the prisoner behaves well while in prison, he enjoys the privileges of living a normal and comfortable life until his term in prison is over. The interests of prisoners are balanced with the prison valid interest in maintaining order, security and preventing guards from being retaliated by the prisoners and lowering tension in prisons. Some prisoners may be drug addicts who interfere with security in prisons. These prisoners should be handled with care so that may not cause tension in prison or harass the guards. Their behavior should be monitored every now and then and there is need to isolate them from the ones that do not cause chaos, this would be very necessary to both the inmates and officials. Prisoner has right to close analysis of regulations and statutes that are applicable before there can be transfer of prisoner from one prison to another and the harm that has been suffered by the transferee should be put into consideration. Before a prisoner is transferred, his records should be analyzed so that they can be presented to the prison where he is transferred to so that he can continue serving for the remaining term until his release from prison. If he suffers any harm in the course of transfer, he should be compensated accordingly. Davis, 1989). Prisoners with mental problems are supposed to be transferred to mental institution here their health condition is checked and they get the necessary treatment until their health condition comes back to normal. Prisoners without mental problems have the right to be separated from those with mental problems so that they may not be attacked or harmed by the ones with mental problems. This allows normal prisoners to feel secure while serving their sentence because they should not be exposed to any danger. Due process which is minimal requires process of revocation, parolee arrest and formal revocation. There are rights of parolee where following his arrest; there is informal hearing that determines reasonable grounds for the revocation of parole. Preliminary hearings are done in a reasonable manner to determine whether the parole should be arrested and there should be adequate sources of evidence which should be heard by someone who is not directly involved in the case. The parole should be given notice on the day when his case will be heard so that he can make the necessary preparations depending on the alleged violations in order to stand on his own behalf and give evidence. He should be given chance to examine the people who give adverse evidence that are against him unless it is needed not to reveal. Once the hearing is digested by the hearing officer, his decision should be based on adduced evidence at the hearing. Prisoners who have physical, sensory or mental disabilities have right to equal participation in the life of prison. They should not be refused to live like other prisoners even if they have disabilities because disability is not inability. Every prisoner has the right of not being bulled, abused or intimidated at any given time. Even if a prisoner has committed crime, the right legal procedure should be followed to make judgment but it is against the prisoner right to abuse them when they are imprisoned. The legal rights of prisoners include, rights to be visited by solicitor and have correspondence, right to begin court proceedings in person or by use of solicitor and present their case in court. Board for monitoring or a governor must avail themselves everyday to listen to complaints and requests of prisoners and reply to them in writing within a period of seven days. The prisoner should not explain why they are complaining but should only say the reason why it is a secret. This will make the prisoners be satisfied with the final judgment because, it shall have followed the right procedure until a fair decision is made. (Hall, 1971). Prisoners have the right to have newspapers, books, leaflets and information for all ethnic groups that are in prison that reflects their culture. This helps them to be informed about the day today activities and advancements in the country as they read the daily newspapers because even if they are in prison, they still belong to the country and knowledge of current affairs is very important to them. Books and other reading material help them to know the shared beliefs and values of the tribes where they belong and how to follow the good conduct and behavior expected of them by the communities where they originated before they were taken to prison. Prisoners have the right to prison medical service. When they fall ill, they need not consult their own doctor or dentist. These doctors provided in prison are experienced in their duties and they offer good quality treatment to prisoners after diagnosing the problem and administering the necessary treatment. Once the prisoners are treated, they have right to be given copies of their medical records so that they can use them for future reference if they required similar medical care. (Cooper, 2002). Prisoners have the right to have sometime set aside for exercise. The prison allows one hour each day for exercise and there are facilities available to be used for exercise although they are overcrowded most of the times. Evening classes are provided where prisoners who have attained school age have fifteen hours of vocational training or for education and there are teachers available to teach them. Many prisoners develop a career while in prison that is very helpful to them when they go out. This is because they are given training in areas where they are best talented and gain skills necessary to earn a living by either being employed or to begin self employment. Once convicted prisoners arrive in prison, they have the right to be visited immediately and thereafter, one visit after two weeks. Unconvicted prisoners can be visited on daily basis if the prison is able to facilitate this. Two letters can be sent every week by convicted prisoners where one of them is paid for by the prison and the other one they pay themselves. This serves as a good means of communication between prisoners and members of their families because they keep updating them on the progress in prison and to request for assistance needed. Prisoners have right to legislative reforms to prevent the deaths of Hepatitis C and HIV infected prisoners who are under healthcare providers in prison. Prisoners who are HIV positive are given the necessary medicines all the time to increase their chances of survival and Hepatitis C patients are treated. In 1980s, rising populations in prisons strained the budget of state and there was rise in budget of health care in prisons at fast rate. Budget of health care was stretched by prison officials. Different protocols were employed for treating prisoners who were infected and analyzing variation in protocols of treatment was difficult. (Armstrong, 1935). Prisoners have the right to marry and have families. Even if a person has committed crime, arrested and found guilty, he has the right to maintain his marriage and family even while he is in prison. He can not be denied a family because he has the right to have it at his own wish and take care of his children through providing for their daily bread the moment his term in prison is over. If the family breaks because some one has been imprisoned, it should not be the duty of court in that matter because, the family of the prisoner is separate from the case in hand. Prisoners have the right to be disciplined once they are found guilty of an offence. This discipline helps to mould the character and to teach the prisoner how to behave in manner that is acceptable by the law. The term a prisoner serves in prison should help to change his behavior for the better and teach him how to observe good virtues. If punishment is required to be administered to the prisoners, it should be done in the right manner and the prisoner should be told why he is being punished depending on the crime committed. Prisoners have the right not to be tortured. If a prisoner fails to give the information regarding the crime committed, torture should not be used to force him to disclose information that would act as evidence to the crime he committed. This is because, if he is tortured, he can give information which may not help in investigation in order to avoid any more torture. The prisoner should be allowed to provide evidence at his own free will and it is upon the judge to make the final judgment depending on the evidence provided. Prisoners have the right not to be discriminated according to the race or the ethnic group where they belong. In making judgment, there should be no favor or discrimination. This means that, rules and regulations should be in place so that there is fair judgment to all prisoners. Prisoners have the right not to be executed if they are found not guilty of any offence. If the prisoner is found not guilty after providing evidence before the court, he should be set free. There should not be payment of bribe for the prisoner who is found guilty to be proved not guilty. If a judge is found receiving bribes from guilty prisoners, he should face the law because bribery is prohibited in making the final judgment of a crime. (Washington, 1990).

The Availability Of Fast Food Essay - 1210 Words

The availability of fast food is contributing to the rise of Obesity in New Zealand Question 1: Explain the view point and find evidence to support the view I believe that some people have this view because fast food outlets usually consist of fatty foods. This means that people who don’t have much time or money can easily go out and buy food for themselves and their children. Studies show that New Zealand fast food consumption was an estimated 2-3 kgs per person per year. Studies also show that nearly $2000 is spent on fast foods every year. In Cambridge alone there are multiple fast food outlets. These include KFC, McDonalds, Dominoes, Pizza hut etc. because these foods are extremely high in fats when they are a consumed they cause people to gain wait. If you eat these foods once a week they will not really harm you but if you eat it regularly and do no exercise often you will become obese. This is the problem that is happening in New Zealand. Instead of people just buying them once a week people are buying them 3 to 4 times a week and it’s causing their diets to be unhealthy. In Cambridge and Hamilton there are healthy o ptions available these can include Subway, Kebabs, and local bakeries that sell sandwiches etc. Question 2: Gather evidence for and against different points of views? The professionals say that policies should be put in so that they cannot advertise junk foods so that kids do not go out and buy it. There has been 3000 institutions of professionals whoShow MoreRelatedObesity Is A Serious Public Concern862 Words   |  4 PagesObesity has increased rapidly in the U.S. since the 1970s. At the same time, the number of fast food restaurants more than doubled over the same time period. 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