Classicism: Seen through contemporary furniture

Abstract

The purpose of my thesis is to develop a body of furniture that explores the relationship between architecture and furniture. This exploration focuses on issues such as form, space, proportion, color and texture. Within the exploration process, the visual aspects of classicism in architecture are investigated. The ideas behind the works of selected contemporary architects are examined and used as a reference to generate ideas for my thesis work. At the start of my thesis, I realized that there was confusion as to "what is classicism?". Whether I was talking to a faculty member or a student, I encountered an uncertainty as to what classicism entailed. This ongoing question in my mind inhibited my preliminary designs. I started to question my own definition of classicism and classical forms and turned to contemporary architecture for current interpretations of classicism. Since the beginning of my interest in design, I have been intrigued by the use of classical forms and the way in which they can be manipulated to certain extremes, but still be based on traditional values of classicism. Exploring these issues through research and in the development of my furniture has had a significant influence on me as a designer. The first part of this thesis report is an overview as to what classicism is. It's intended to provide the reader some historical background and to show a reference for my work.