1.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE
THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC61303/ARC2224)
SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (AUGUST 2016) [10 MARKS]
NAME: Kimberly Wong Jin Siew ID: 0315145
LECTURER: Mr Nazmi Anuar TUTORIAL TIME: 4-6pm
SYNOPSIS NO: READER TITLE: Learning From Las Vegas The Forgotten Symbolism of Architectural Form
AUTHOR: Robern Venturi, Denise Scott Brown, Steven Izenor
The interest placed on the debate on the method of advertising and planning of spaces.
Through the analysis of American urbanism which allows architects to understand
without the control of authority of the government to set a limit to the development of a
town or city. The author supports the importance of symbolism of commercial signs to
serve as importance to cultural enhancement, which the writer use ‘big sign, small
building’ concept as an example from the culture of Route 66, the Main Street of
America.“Symbol dominates space. Architecture is not enough,” which the writer quoted
in the text (“Venturi, Scott Brown and Izenour”). The author’s bias over values of signs
which made assumptions that it persuades customers to be attracted to rather than the
architecture thus made the sign more valuable than the architecture.
A symbol might have been just an alternative to attract customers to spaces couldn’t be
compared to architecture itself. Symbols might have just been an exterior, to be
publicized to bring viewers to the space but the space which they experience
architecturally which create the statement of the existence of those signs which people
would look forward to the origin to which the sign leads them. Through the spaces which
bring life to movement of people in the building that only enhance the desire to
experience the space further thus able to enjoy the purpose of the spaces. As for
example the author has brought up, the Kolbe in Barcelona Pavilion to interpret the
experience of space whereas the structure itself is standing on the space of the work of
Mies van de Rohe (“Venturi, Scott Brown and Izenour”). Without the space, the
figurative statue will be just a free standing structure which stands without any
implementation to the space, which brings users to be empty and clueless to the
environment at which the place has become to be meaningless. ("Why Are These
Nudes In The Barcelona Pavilion? | Art | Agenda | Phaidon"). Without the importance of
spaces symbols will just be like an object without a home, without underlining of spaces
to translate their existence. Architecture can work without signs, signs is nothing without
architecture.
WORD COUNT 344 words
Key points (2.5)
Appropriateness of
Terminologies (2.5)
Clarity in Opinions and Reactions
(2.5)
Logical Progression (2.5)
DATE: TOTAL MARK & GRADE
ASSSESSED BY:

2.
SYNOPSIS
DESCRIPTION
ASSESSMENT
RUBRIC
Grades Marks Key points (2.5) Appropriateness of
Terminologies (2.5)
Clarity in
Opinions and
Reactions (2.5)
Logical
Progression (2.5)
A 1.8 -
2.5
Evidence of
outstanding
understanding of
Key points through
clear explanation
Appropriate use of
Terminologies In
discussing the Issues/
Concepts/Theories
Outstanding
Clarity in
opinions and
reactions -
Supported with
strong Logical
explanation
Outstanding
Articulation of
logical
expressions
ending with well-
developed
paragraphs
B 1.5 -
1.79
Evidence of
understanding of
Key points through
reasonable
explanation
Reasonable use of
Terminologies In
discussing the Issues/
Concepts/Theories with
Minor unfamiliarity
Reasonable
clarity in
opinions and
reactions -
Supported with
Logical
explanation
Reasonable
Articulation of
logical
expressions
ending with well-
developed
paragraphs
C 1.25 -
1.49
Evidence of Some
Understanding of
Key points through
acceptable
explanation
Acceptable use of
Terminologies In
discussing the Issues/
Concepts/Theories with
Noticeable unfamiliarity
Acceptable
Clarity in
opinions and
reactions -
Supported with
satisfactory
explanation
Acceptable
Articulation of
logical
expressions
ending with some
ambiguous
statements
D 1 -
1.24
Evidence of Some
Understanding of
Key points through
not quite acceptable
explanation
Evidence of
Terminologies however
poorly communicated in
discussing The Issues/
Concepts/Theories With
Weak Clarity in
opinions and
reactions -
Supported with
Lengthy
explanation
Poor Articulation
of logical
expressions
ending with
noticeable
ambiguous
statements
F 0 -
0.99
Insufficient Evidence
of Understanding of
Key points through
weak explanation
Insufficient Evidence of
Terminologies in
discussing the Issues/
Concepts/Theories With
Improper
opinions and
reactions. Not
Matching the
Issues/
Concepts/
Theories -
Inadequate
Reasons
Unable to
Articulate / illogical
expressions.
Poorly written
synopsis.