Springs of Mechanization by Sigfried Giedion

Springs of Mechanization,
Mechanization Takes Command: A Contribution to Anonymous History
Sigfried Giedion
Mert Kulaksız
25.02.2014
Where Goes To Daily
ID 501 Advanced Project Development in Industrial Design
Middle East Technical University, Department of Industrial Design

OUTLINE
INTRODUCTION
Anonymous History
MOVEMENT
Movement: The Classical and Medieval Attitude
The Fourteenth Century, First to Represent Movement
The Nineteenth Century and Capturing the Movement
THE CREED OF PROGRESS
ASPECTS OF MECHANIZATION
Invention and the Miraculous
The Miraculous and the Utilitarian
The Mechanizing of Production
Profile of the Decades
CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION POINTS

INTRODUCTION
In Mechanization Takes Command: A Contribution to Anonymous History, Giedion deals with the split between
thought and feeling that existed in his time and presumably still does in our times. He aims to show how this break
came about, by investigating one important aspect of our life: mechanization.
This split is the concern of the human aspect, which is fundamental and cannot be disregarded.
In order to understand the dynamics controlled mechanization and its relation to human, he refers to anonymous
history and focuses not solely on facts, but on relationships bounding them together.
“History is a magical mirror. Who peers into it sees his own image in the shape of events and developments. It is
never stilled. It is ever in motion, like the generating observing it. “(pp. 2)
Springs of Mechanization, Mechanization Takes Command: A Contribution to Anonymous History Sigfried Giedion

MOVEMENT
“Ever in flux and process, reality cannot be approached directly.
Reality is too vast, and direct means fail”(pg 14)
Giedion gives an important place to ‘movement’
since for him it underlies all mechanization.

Movement: The Classical and Medieval Attitude
“Our thinking and feeling in all ramifications are fraught with the
concept of movement. We owe our understanding of the world to the
Greeks.”(pp. 14)
Giedion highlights the difference between Ancient approach and his
modern time’s approach regarding to understanding movement.
“Ancients had a balanced formulation for thought and feeling. It is was
even visible in their templates that symbolizes forces in equilibrium.
However, starting with the Gothic ages, the balance is not protected
and thought has overwhelmed the feeling. This was also evident in the
architecture of Gothic cathedrals with their soaring verticals.”
“Parallel in the time, the Scholastic become ever more concerned with
explaining the nature of movement.”

The 14th Century, First representation of Movement
“…Aristotelian fashion from the general investigation of
the qualities and quantities of the object. Oresme seeks
insight into the changing intensity of quality.”(pp. 16)
The first representation of movement graphically by
Nicolas Oresme is one of the earliest example of
scientific way of understanding movement.
It’s important since the Aristotelian-scholastic
conception is largely overwhelmed by scientific
reasoning.
Oresme, N. (1350). Graphique du Mouvement . Retrieved from
http://www.anupark.net/corea/web/architect/non_main.htm

The 19th Century and Capturing the Movement
Organic Movement in Graphic Form, c.1860
“The 19th Century makes the great leap and literally
learns to feel the pulse of nature.”(pp. 17)
Étienne-Jules Marey is an important figure in this
century to represent organic form into graphic form.
“Movement, movement in all its form – in the blood
stream, in the stimulated muscle, in the gait of the
horse, in aquatic animals and molluscs, in the flight of
insects and the birds – was the ever returning burden of
Marey’s research.”
Mary, É, J. (1868). Marey’s sphygmograph. Retrieved from
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/crp/2011/164832/fig5/

Visualization of Movement in Space, c.1880
The ‘true’ nature of movement is rendered by Marey,
which was often invisible to the human eye.
“These simple realities, normally hidden to human eye,
have an impressiveness that needs no further
explanation.”(pp. 22)
“More significant were Marey’s earlier experiements,
with the portrayal of movement in its own right,
detached from the performer. “ (pp. 24)
Movement detached from the performer and
movement for its own sake are important scientific
progress and structures which will be reflected upon
the future understanding of mechanization of
production.
Mary, É, J. (1872). Retrieved from
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KMqOPeCgoT0/TTsN7c3HVgI/AAAAAAAAKu8/
pbODuM1Ug00/s1600/Etienne-Jules%2BMarey-Bird-Flight.jpg

Movement Investigated
A line leads from the 14th Century until Frank B. Gilbreth, who detached the human movement from its bearer or
subject achieved its precise visualization in space and time.
Oresme Descartes Marey Gilberth
Gilbreth was an innovator in the field of scientific management.
A new realm opens: new forms, new expressive values, transcending the domain of engineer.
Movement, the endlessly changing, proves itself ever more strongly the key to our thought.
A this point a serious doubt highlighted once again, regarding processing thought into the emotional domain.
Theologian,
Philosopher
Mathematician,
Philosopher
Physiologist Production
Engineer

“The ancients perceived the world as eternally existing self-renewing, whereas we perceive it as created and existing
within temporal limits; that is, world is determined toward a specific purpose.” (pp. 30)
“In the 19th Century, this specific purpose assumed to be defined by industry and mechanization is seen not as
what was made of it, what it might become. “
“For Henri de Saint-Simon, industry is the great liberator which will sweep away nationalism and militarism. An
army of workers will surround the world and the exploitation of man by man will disappear.” (pp. 30)
This euphoric creed revealed itself in the first of the world exposition and it is manifested as world peace and of
industrial co-operation.
As it is assumed being in the onset of ‘the New Industrial Revolution”, as we carry the similar intention and euphoric
feeling towards it, the creed of progress and its real outcome can be a good example to study.

In the second half of the 19th century, the creed of progress changed its direction to the possible benefits of free
market.
“Evolution is now interchangeably with the progress, and natural selection with the results of the free competition”
(pp. 31)
The outcome of this attitude is that the belief in progress is replaced by faith in production.
The question, whether ‘the New Industrial Revolution’ has the similar structure, can be asked at this point. With the
domestication of production, what are going to be produced and with which purpose we are going to produce
them?
It’s important to figure out, because the situation in 19th resulted with the alienation human aspect from the
production.

ASPECTS OF MECHANIZATION
“Mechanization, as envisaged and realized in our epoch, is the end
product of a rationalistic view of the world. Mechanizing production
means dissecting work into its component operations.” (pp. 31)
Division of labor is stated as one of the most important aspect of
mechanization.
Before get into details with division of labor, Giedion mentions about an
significant fragment in in the half of the 16th Century.
“Mechanization could not become a reality in the age of guilds. But
social institution change as soon as the orientation changes. The guilds
became obsolete as soon as the realistic view became dominant moved
continually toward utilitarian goals. “(pp. 32)

The Mechanizing of Production
“To carry through the mechanization of production, another class of inventors, another class of doers, another
sociological conditions, and another textile proved necessary.” (pp. 37)
The road to mass production cannot be achieved with the rare materials. That is why the mechanization of
production, after reaching the necessary technological developments, did not occur through ‘silk’ which was a
luxurious material for luxurious class.
It was the affordable and abundant cotton, as Giedion stated, that gave rise to the mechanization of production
came from the proletarian class.
It was not result of an academic study, nor the initiative of government. It has put into practice by a type of
entrepreneur, whose members share the common stereotypes:
- climbing from the below
- having will to conquer
- feared no financial risk or danger as they have nothing to lose

the ‘Sixties
1860s are the foreshadow of the time of full mechanization. It was
the period of
A collective fervor of invention was evident. The inventive that
formerly takes shape in the minds of scholars, philosophers and
savants swayed to the masses.
The activity of anonymous inventor was evident. Anonymously and
inconspicuously the old tools were transformed into modern
instrument.
Can this era be interpreted as the corresponding historical are of
today’s on the verge of new industrial revolution?
Everyone invented, whoever owned an enterprise sought ways and
means by which to make his goods more speedily, more perfectly
and often of improved beauty.

The Time of Full Mechanization, 1918-1939
The period between the two World Wars is designated as the time of full mechanization. The characteristic of this
period is the mechanization of everyday life.
It is obvious that the mechanization affected living from its onset in the early 18th Century. Yet the influence was
limited in terms of areas it effected and the degree of penetration. Now, as Giedion stated, mechanization involves
the domestic sphere, the kitchen, the bath, their equipment…
“The time of full mechanization is identical with the time of the tin can” (pp. 42)
Mechanization of nutrition comes accordingly with the mechanization of kitchen. The basic human need is now
met with processed or ready-made food.
Multi-sensorial mechanization is emerged. Mechanization implanted itself into the very center of human psyche.
For eye( the cinema, the television), for ear( the phonograph, the radio), for emotions…
With the introduction of automobile, mechanized domestic life is mobilized.

DISCUSSION POINTS
“The coming period must bring order to our minds, our production, our feeling, our economic and social development. It
has to bridge the gap that, since the onset of mechanization, has split our modes of thinking and our modes of feeling.“
This has been stated by Giedion for the 19th Century Industrial Revolution. Should our main intention to fill this gap?
Where will the domestication of production stand? A free time activity that working class will engage after work?
In which ways domestication of production can provide an ideal, unified, progressive and heroic imagery of
technology?
How can we integrate spiritual needs of an object with the domestication of production? Clearly it has a lot to offer
since the gap between maker and user will be shorten.
As it is assumed being in the onset of ‘the New Industrial Revolution”, as we carry the similar intention and euphoric
feeling towards it, the creed of progress and its real outcome; can be a good example to study?
Can mentioned guild system and its power in 16th Century be a source to investigate, especially in terms of localization
of production, regarding the ‘Where Goes the Daily” project.

Springs of Mechanization by Sigfried Giedion

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