hght,heatandmeansofaccess,
Automatically thought about Wharton's piece about Mrs. Manstey with this chapter. I realized that Wharton took the definition of the "architectural harmony" between a window and a character, and spun a story out of it. Mrs. Manstey's story focused more on the "means of access" rather than light and heat. (well, somewhat light. she mentions how she knows exactly where the light falls when it shines through the window)
hedecorationofthemezzaninroomsisfuUofappropriatesuggestion
I enjoy the wording of this sentence. I read "appropriate suggestion" as another way of "instructing" people in the different styles of homes and palaces.
Portablehangingswereinconsequencereplacedbyarchitecturalornament:inotherwords,thearchitectureoftheroombecameitsdecoration.
Interesting new concept - having the space you're decorating be the decoration itself. When did people begin using phsyical objects as its primary means of decorating rather than the architecture? Is this concept frequently still used today when building new homes?
By incorporating a "lighted place to be comfortable," a room becomes more meaningful and dense than if it included either a "lighted place" or "place to rest" alone.
This line reminds me of the topic of how architect "instructs" that we discussed in class. Places with a light and flowy aesthetic eases the mind and instructs us to relax.
quality of our dwelling to the quality of our building,
This factoid also directly correlates with the differences in class - the more wealth you possess, the greater the quality of your building.
dwelling is just as much a means as an end
We as humans define dwelling as a stationary aspect, so that we may build a routine and our daily lives around it. In this sense, improving the multiple aspects of a dwelling results in the end product of the dwelling itself.
They do not make their gods for themselves and do not _worship idols. In the very depth of misfortune they wait for the weal that has been withdrawn.
I have never thought about how this "fourfold" could potentially factor into something as simplistic as buildings. The author speaks very highly about how dwelling impacts not only the dweller's (mortal's) life, but also the Earth, sky, and even take it all the way to the divine gods. When the act of dwelling is used in this context, it gives me a sense of overwhelming importance with something as minimal as a building.
Man acts as though he were the shaper and master of language, while in fact language remains the master of man.
The similarities between man and language vs building and dwellings are very similar here. You cannot have one without the other, and while one seems like the dominant aspect (man/building), the power lies behind the other (language/dwelling) in any society's culture.