Thursday, 17 January 2013

Introduction

Hello fellow bloggers and classmates,

My name is Chris Ionescu and I'm a 3rd year student at Western University, enrolled in the Honour Specialization of Urban Development program. Upon graduation, I hope to pursue the field of commercial real estate and property management. I was born in St. Catharines and raised in London. Since my pre-pubescent days, I have always had a thing for the urban form. I would spend hours in my room, with my LEGO, planning out my very own little town. I grew up in a neighbourhood which was constantly undergoing change and development, and that change continues today. Being around all of this has really sparked my interest in the field.

This blog aims to explore the history of architecture and urbanism for Visual Arts History 3388G. Throughout the semester, I will be posting about various articles and themes pertaining to the course material, as well as my thoughts and opinions on any interesting topics I may come across.



The above picture shows the Absolute World residential condominium buildings in Mississauga, more commonly referred to as the 'Marylin Monroe' buildings, as they posses a similar curvy figure to the famous actress, model and singer. What I find extremely intriguing about these buildings is that they do not follow the traditional 90° vertical shape of many of the world's skyscrapers, rather they step outside of the norm and offer something a lot more obscure and visually appealing. These buildings were part of an international design competition and, upon completion, the towers were regarded as being among the best new skyscrapers in the world, by many architects and engineers. 

I hope you gained some understanding as to what I appreciate in urban landscapes and I will continue to update you with more of my interpretations of the built form.

- Chris


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