Casa Batllo Essay Example

Casa Batllo Essay Example Casa Batllo Essay Casa Batllo Essay Casa Batllo At Paseig de Gracia 43, lies a sleeping giant of modernist architecture, Casa Batllo. Its appearance is as amorphous as the free flowing lines and shape of the building itself. Depending on the weather and lighting Casa Batllo may change colors and leave an entirely different impression on the viewer. One critic describes the building facade as, having the same effect as a throwing a stone into a pool of water lilies. [1] Many others believe the facade is an allegory for the Catalan legend of St. George, known for travels around medieval Spain slaying dragons. It is a testament to the celebrated architect, Antoni Gaudi, that one building could be so inspiring in so many ways. He accomplished this end by effectively sampling natural forms. The building is composed of disarming familiar natural forms, but they are arranged in a completely new and surreal way. Furthermore, these forms lend themselves to a myriad of individualized interpretations dependent upon the interpreter. All of this is just the beginning, in my opinion, of what makes Casa Batllo the premier building exemplifying the modernism movement in Barcelona. Casa Batllo was commissioned by Josep Batllo Casanovas in 1900 and constructed from 1904-1906. He employed Catalan architect, Antoni Gaudi, and building contractor, Josep Bayo Font. His original intention was demolishing the building and starting anew. However, Gaudi was able to convince Batllo that a refurbishment was possible. I believe the fact that Casa Batllo was a refurbishment and not a complete new construction served Gaudi well. It gave him the constraints and restrictions of an existing structure that challenged him to create the best solutions within the context of an existing problem. It also prevented some of the more criticized aspects of his designs from surfacing, as this was evident with the negative critical reaction to Casa Mila, or â€Å"La Pedrera. † It is important to understand the context of the building both geographically and historically. It rests on the corner of the â€Å"block of discord. † The â€Å"block of discord† extends down Passeig de Gracia between Carrer Arago and Consell de Cent. The block derives its satirical name from the dissimilar styles of the adjoining buildings within the block. Three buildings down from Gaudi’s masterpiece is Casa Lleo Morera, designed by Domenech I Montaner. Next door is Casa Mulleras, by Enric Sagnier Villanecchia. Continuing down the block there is Casa Delfina Bonet, by Marceliano Coquillat Llofriu. Finally, Josep Puig Caldafach designed Casa Amatller, which would later become the adjoining neighbor of Gaudi’s inspiring edifice. Casa Batllo was the last of the escalating architectural works that created a utopia of modernism. It was a â€Å"keeping up with the Jones† type of mentality. Each casa was built in attempt to upstage the neighbors. Gaudi and Battlo also had to circumvent several building codes to erect Gaudi’s vision which paid no attention to municipal building regulations. In one specific way, the bottom two floors of Casa Batllo extend an illegal sixty centimeters into the street. In 1904, Gaudi applied for building permits based on his vague plaster model of the proposed street facade. In 1906, the city ordered all work ceased due to of the lack of a construction permit. However, this was too late; construction was nearly completed. Fifteen days later, Josep Batllo was back at the city council ready to receive to permission to rent out the upper floors. The breathtaking exterior begins with the massive sandstone columns sampling from such natural forms as bones or flowers stems. The first three floors were where Gaudi concentrated most of his expensive materials, particularly the elaborately carved sandstone. The first two floors extend farther to the street than the others. Thus, this creates a leaning effect that is only accentuated the facade’s ceaseless undulations. Casa Batllo features no edges or right angles. Gaudi demolished the original bottom floors, but decided to use the existing facade of the building for the upper floors. However, it would in no way resemble the original; Gaudi had the old brick chipped away and replaced with a mosaic skin of lime, mortar, and broken pieces of tile and glass. This is a technique often used by Gaudi called Trancadis- meaning broken pieces. The balconies decrease in size as the eye ascends the edifice, and resemble eye and nose front of a human skull. They protrude from the facade’s most notable feature, its rippling covering. Each broken piece of mosaic was directed to its destination by Gaudi in the street, acting as maestro of the construction. This produces the overall effect is that of a shimmering soft underbelly of a serpent’s skin. As one critic described it, â€Å"When the sun hits the front of the building during the day, the facade magically materializes and dematerializes in a celebration of color. † [2] This is all crowned by a hard tile roof that swoops and dives with the facade. Gaudi emphasized the curves and bends of the roof by using the color and shade of the tile to specifically accent the roof’s movements. It should be noted that the roof does a superb job of capping the near formless facade by producing horizontally undulating lines that effectively run perpendicular to the other waves. This provides the necessary contrast to the free form facade; thus, giving it shape, as a beach or harbor gives shape and form to the sea. Finally, Gaudi concluded the facade on top with a medieval turret topped by a Catalan cross. The cross is the highest point of the building. The cross is also the object of some debate and speculation as to Gaudi’s message with this building. The cross is said to be the handle of St. George’s sword. This would make the turret the shaft of the blade. The roof is representative of the hard skin of a dragon’s back, and the facade is its soft underbelly. The sandstone columns are the bones of the dragon’s victims, so are the balconies, which are skulls. Thus, the entire facade is symbolic of St. George, the patron saint of Catalunya. This theory may not be as is improbably as it seems. Symbolism was a major part of the modernism movement. Gaudi was almost obsessive about the use of symbols, which will become abundantly clear in last years of his life and his work on the Sagrada Familia. The interior of Casa Batllo is equally impressive. Its greatest technical achievement is the superb use of natural light. The exaggerated windows facing the street earned Casa Batllo the nickname â€Å"the house of yawns. † Gaudi also expanded the existing patio and added huge skylight. The elevator shaft and stairwell also ran through the center of patio. All of this was part of a brilliant solution to the problem of evenly distributing light throughout the house. Beyond technical solutions, Casa Batllo instills visitors with a surreal feeling. The interior mirrors the exterior; again, Gaudi deliberately removed angled features, such as the walls, and replaced them with curved shapes. The spaces inside are open and expansive. Particularly, the living room may be even further expanded by simply opening two large wooden doors on both sides. Some specifically dreamlike features are the stained glass windows. They are framed in non-traditional shapes of beautiful metalwork, presumably connected to Gaudi’s family heritage as metalworkers, and the elaborately carved sandstone. They give off a palpable floral sensation from within the house, in addition to their obvious technical benefits. All of this in concert creates a truly dreamlike state when one is in the house itself. Gaudi speaks to us still from Casa Batllo. However, he in not speaking Catalan, but he is speaking to us in an organic language easily recognized by anyone familiar with nature. Gaudi said, â€Å"Everything that any architect could need†¦is already in natural forms in nature. † This is surely the source he referenced when designing Casa Batllo. In conclusion, Casa Batllo is the premier modernist building in Barcelona. This is because of Gaudi’s brilliant technical solutions, his use of new materials and techniques, his eclectic sampling of other architectural styles such as arabesque and medieval, his voracious quoting of natural forms, and heavy use of symbolism. However, the truly impressive thing about Casa Batllo is not the presence of these individual elements, but the unequivocal unity with which they were assembled by the all too masterful architect, Antoni Gaudi. [1] casabatllo. es/. History of Casa Batllo. [2] Grossman, Rachel. â€Å"Inside Casa Battlo†. ArchitectureWeek

Learn Why Chewing on Foil Hurts Your Teeth

Learn Why Chewing on Foil Hurts Your Teeth There are two types of people. One group can bite aluminum  or tin foil with impunity, suffering nothing worse than a faint metallic taste. The other group gets a painful electric zing from chewing on foil. Why does chewing on foil hurt some people and not others? Biting Foil Hurts if You Have Dental Work Got braces, amalgam fillings, or a crown? Chewing on foil will hurt. If your mouth is blissfully free of dental work, you wont feel pain when you chew foil, unless a sharp corner stabs you. Thats not the same pain at all, so if you arent affected by foil, count yourself lucky! Foil Turns Your Teeth into a Battery If you dont react to foil, but want to know what youre missing,  you can get an identical experience licking both terminals of a battery. Its the same because chewing foil produces a galvanic shock. Heres what happens: There is a difference in the electric potential between the metal foil (usually aluminum) and the metal in your dental work (usually mercury, gold, or silver). It only happens when there are two different types of metals.The salt and saliva in your mouth allow current to flow from one metal to the other. Essentially, the fluids in your mouth are an electrolyte.Electricity travels between the metal foil and the metal in dental work.The electric shock passes down your tooth to your nervous system.Your brain interprets the impulse as a painful jolt. This is an example of the voltaic effect, named for its discoverer,  Alessandro Volta. When two dissimilar metals come into contact with each other, electrons pass between them, generating an electric current. The effect can be used to make a voltaic pile. All you need to do to make this simple battery is to stack pieces of metal on top of each other.

Developments of research on Alzheimer's Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Developments of research on Alzheimer's - Essay Example The relationship of neuropathological features of Alzheimer’s Disease to the emergence of cognitive deficits, is not fully understood currently. However, â€Å"the process that results in the accumulation of   AÃŽ ² as amyloid triggers the complex pathological changes ultimately leading to cognitive impairments† (Sun, 2007, p.40), known as the ‘amyloid cascade’ hypothesis. Lichtien and Mohajeri (2008) state that the high morbidity, socioeconomic costs, and lack of specific treatments indicate the importance of research on Alzheimer’s Disease. Evidence from Lichtien and Mohajeri’s (2008) research on the efficacy of anti-amyloid immunization strategies, indicates that they serve as effective protective mechanisms against Alzheimer’s Disease. However, the underlying mechanisms of action of therapeutic antibodies, particularly their impact on the complex amyloid ÃŽ ² peptide (AÃŽ ²) metabolism and various AÃŽ ² equilibria present both on the internal and external sides of the central nervous system, are not fully clear as yet. Moreover, physiological AÃŽ ² metabolism is not fully understood because of inadequate analytical tools to characterize and quantify treatment effects. Further, biomedical research is aimed at developing predictable therapies minimizing the risk of adverse effects such as brain inflammation and/ or hemorrhage caused by anti- AÃŽ ² immunization protocols. The researchers found that standard Enzyme Linked Immune Sorbant Assay (ELISA) protocols are inadequate in rational drug design, and there is a requirement for more complex analytical tools to be developed and applied. Tests ensuring greater reliability in the assessments of AÃŽ ² in free versus protein-bound form, as well as monomeric versus aggregated AÃŽ ², will be key to identifying the mechanisms forming the basis for efficacy and safety of the

Organizational Culture at Shoenman and Associates Case Study

Organizational Culture at Shoenman and Associates - Case Study Example According to the paper, Shoenman and associates has provided an opportunity for its employees to have fun and enjoy the end of the year. However, fun in the context of this company has been institutionalized through the development of second order relationships among the top executives and other employees. By placing the part over Christmas, a time when people have fun and relax, the company has developed a strong culture of enhancing the social being of the employees. Furthermore, Friday is a weekend synonymous with fun, partying and get together in different institutions. However, shoenman and associates Christmas party makes it a form of appreciating the roles of every employee at such a point in time. Of unique significance in this party, is the fact that the employees are expected to attend alone, without tagging their partners along? This highlights the role of this session in not only having fun within the company, but also discussing business related issues only. The culture developed by Shoenman and associate creates a room for the interaction of employees, irrespective of qualification and position in the company. This is a community kind of relationship where an interpersonal relationship is developed in which freedom is provided to each employee. Employees enjoy each other spontaneously and in a free environment without the intimidator work environment, which is common in various organizations. The practices at Shoenman and associate have significant cultural symbolism, which various organizations can emulate in order to improve the relationship between it and the employees. The Christmas party symbolizes the social drama that characterizes various organizations including Shoenman and associate as depicted in this article.  

Institutional Racism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Institutional Racism - Essay Example This paper illustrates that in 2004, statistics indicated that per capita income for Whites, African Americans, and Hispanics in the USA are $25,203, $16035, and $14,106 respectively. Similarly, the 2005 unemployment rate for Whites, African Americans and Hispanics was 4%, 8.5%, and 4.5% respectively. Those covered by private health insurance for Whites, African Americans and Hispanics for the same period were 71.4%, 53.9%, and 41.7% respectively. The education sector also suffers from institutional racism. Education continues to gain value in modern society and parents would like their children to get the best possible quality of education. Consequently, there has been an increase in the number of international students seeking further education in foreign continents such as America and Europe. Education in these continents is perceived to be of higher quality. These students are presented with unique opportunities for international exposure even as they greatly contribute to the ec onomic growth of the host countries. At the same time, international students are faced with a myriad of challenges beyond their control and sometimes they have to endure until the end of their studies. Institutional racism refers to patterns in the society whereby adverse, unfavorable or oppressive conditions are applied towards certain identifiable groups based on their race, ethnicity and skin color. As an international student from the United Arab Emirates and studying at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, the author encountered institutionalized racism in various forms, to the detriment of international students. They have incidences for instance where black and other colored students are physically abused by their white counterparts on campus. A recent episode of open campus racism occurred when some students believed to belong to a fraternity threw a party in commemoration of Martin Luther King’s birth and black students were mocked. Nonblack students donned loose -fitting basketball shirts, flashed signs of gangs and drunk from hollowed-out watermelons to send a message of mockery to their black counterparts. Although the entire student fraternity received the incident with disbelief, outrage, and contempt, it showed how deep racism is institutionalized in the education system.

Human Sexuality Essay Example for Free

Human Sexuality Essay Teresita went to a fraternity party because shed heard that this fraternity really knew how to have fun and she really needed fun after a disastrous academic week. She knew that some women had been taken advantage of at previous parties, but she put that out of her mind, as she downed one drink after another. Just when things were getting dull, the coolest guy on campus took her by the hand, led her upstairs and talked her into having sex. The next day, Teresita noticed that her vagina was bruised and bleeding. She barely recalled having sex, but knew who was responsible for her condition, and filed rape charges against him with the campus administrator. Phillip was alone on the beach. Midnight was his favourite time of day, there were no other people around and he could really enjoy the sound of the waves and smell of the ocean breeze. He was almost asleep when he felt two women sit down next to him. One of them held down his arms while sitting on his chest. The other woman pulled down his bathing suit and began fellatio. In spite of his struggling and his anger, he got an erection. Both women took turns sitting on his erection, and left him when they were done. Phillip was confused he couldnt tell if he had been raped or not. He knows he didnt want to have sex with these women he didnt know, but cant understand why he couldnt fight them off (they were both smaller than him) and why he had an erection. Monica is seventeen and has been having sex with guys since she was fifteen. Gary is twenty-one and heard that Monica was hot stuff in bed. They go out and have consensual sex. Next day, Garys friend tells him he raped Monica. Is Garys friend correct?

Essay --

Today we will explore the speech given by Mary Fisher at the 1992 Republican National Convention entitled â€Å"A Whisper of AIDS†. The main purpose of Mary Fishers Speech â€Å"A Whisper of AIDS" was to promote awareness of the HIV/AIDS epidemic throughout the United States. Moreover, Fisher wanted it clear that no one, regardless of race, sex, age or any discriminatory factor, is safe from Human Immunodeficiency Virus because the virus only cares that one is a human being suitable of infection. However, the central idea of Fisher’s address was to establish awareness that those living with the affliction of HIV/AIDS are still people and deserve the compassion we’d give anyone else. Mary Fisher does an excellent job developing credibility throughout her address. Throughout the speech, Fisher placed relatable factual information and statistical data wisely to help develop the legitimacy of her cause, but what makes shear data into relatable fact is by the way it’s presented. One can simply state information and data to an audience, but that doesn’t guarantee that the audience will perceive it in the manner intended by the speaker or be affected by it at all. Just being who she was gave Fisher a great amount of credibility, establishing ethos as soon as she began speaking. Furthermore, Fisher utilizes the effective credibility building tool of personal experience. Her first hand experience and continued struggle with the human immunodeficiency virus gives her speech a higher likelihood of reaching a greater number of listeners. Fisher’s utilization of this credibility tool is facilitated when she states â€Å"Though I am female and contracted this disease in marriage and enjoy the warm support of my family, I am one with the lonely gay man shelte... ...ss). By reaching out to each section of her audience, Fisher can make an audience feel engaged in listening to her speech, because inclusive language makes a speaker seem like he or she is talking directly at one’s self. In culmination, Mary Fisher’s address to the Republican National Convention can be considered a success. Fisher opened the eyes of her audience using the rhetorical devices of ethos, logos, and pathos. She not only made the audience understand the dire nature of the issue of HIV, but she challenged them to be civically responsible, and no longer treat those afflicted by the HIV virus with hate and fear. Most importantly, Mary Fisher made it clear to her audience that the HIV/AIDS affliction should not be kept hush hush, or as a â€Å"whisper†, but rather we as American people should choose to see the problem and act and up for a safer future.