Written Analysis - Analysis 5

Summary of Architecture as popular culture:

            Using architecture as a popular culture artifact has not been an easy subject to relate the mechanics that define popular culture.  Knowing this artifact would not be easy, it was of utmost interest to correlate the fundamentals of the elements taught in this class with those that will be used in this industry.  Theories that standout the most are stereotypes and rituals. 

Stereotypes:

Analyzing construction and architecture, one can very quickly conclude stereotypes of the typical construction workers and architects.  Typically, construction workers are thought of to be someone who is low middle to upper middle class, rough around the edges, vulgar, and perhaps physically dirty with rough, callused hands.  From my experience in construction, this is true.  However, often what is not considered is the fact that those who dedicated their lives to the trade actually started many of the companies established today, and not until many years’ experience was gained they became business owners, business professionals.  As far as the stereotypical architect, a quick description would include words like geek, introvert, and socially awkward.  While a common conception, not commonly true.  Most architects today have shed the montage of black wardrobe and black rimmed glasses and have solidified themselves as truly adaptable professionals.

Rituals:

            Many rituals exist in the construction and architecture community.  These can include not starting a new project on a Friday, never speaking the word “Rain” on a jobsite before the building hasn’t been enclosed for weather reasons, drafting an idea on a bar napkin, and topping out a steel building with a Christmas tree.  Rituals are important to construction and architecture; they help to carry on traditions that were set by generations of the past. 

Personal Thoughts:

            Being able to take a step aside and analyze these theories has given me a new appreciation that I will be able to take to a meetings and job sites.  Considering the importance of these popular culture artifacts, it is imperative to be able to continue the traditions of established rituals and be able to differentiate between stereotypes and actual cultural norms that are important to others.

Journal Article Paper

Journal Article Paper

This paper will analysis the journal article “The Evolution of the “Chick Car” Or: What Came First, the Chick or the Car?” by Chris Lezotte.  Chris is a former advertisement director and an ACS PhD student at Bowling Green State University, and she is also a journalist whose specialty includes analyzing women and their relationship with automobiles.  

Summary and Main Points of the “The Evolution of the “Chick Car” Or: What Came First, the Chick or the Car?”:

            This article details the progress of women’s relationship with the automobile starting their first introduction, shortly after World War II, through today.  Chris specifically points out the stereotypes of women in relation to cars and analyzes how the automobile industry has tried to shed this conception but in return has further emphasized this stereotype.  Also noted is how the industry has tried to tailor specific cars to better fit what they feel are the “Needs” of women and their automobiles.  

Analysis of the Article:

            Starting post World War II and running into the late 1960s, women’s relationships with the automobile was primarily utilitarian as the automobile served as a means for the women to transport children and household products.  With urban sprawl becoming more and more common during this time, so did the need of having a second car so that the stay at home wife would have a means to accomplish her gender specific roles of the household.  Keen to this, the automobile industry targeted this market by offering automobile tailored to this need.  Cars were produced with ample room for multiple children and room in the back for groceries; with this, the station wagon was born.  Automobile marketing highlighted this by showing women loading children into the car with groceries in the back.  Again, this placed women in gender specific roles with prescribed tasks.  This common gender pigeonholing lasted until the 1970s when women’s focus began to shift from stay at home mom to a working professional.

            In the 1970s, women’s roles began to shift from being the homemaker to being a working professional.  As this change occurred, so did the marketing and sales strategy of the automobile industry.  Station wagons were still available during this time, but other gender specific cars were produced to specifically target women.  Smaller hatchbacks, like the Ford Pinto and AMC Gremlin, were produced that still allowed storage room for shopping bags, but its smaller size was more appealing for women who now working in the city.  Cars considered a “Man’s” car, were stripped down and smaller engines were put in them, this allowed women to have a car with sportier styling, but with less power.  This specifically fed the stereotype that women cannot drive fast performance cars.  Additionally, an important note made in this article about this time period is the fact that women’s pay was much less than men’s, so cars targeted for women were subpar when compared to cars geared to men, this kept the sticker price down.  This mentality continued through the 80s and 90s and was the time that the minivan was introduced.  The minivan, again, targeted women for their gender specific roles of being the stay at wife who had the responsible for transporting kids and household items.  As typical household transitioned from a single income family to being dual income family, so did women specific automobiles.

            From the mid to late 1990s, automobiles went through another evolution; this time the “Chick Car” was born.  Chick cars are sporty and affordable.  Examples include the BMW Mini Copper, Mazda Miata, Mitsubishi Eclipse, VW Beetle, Toyota Rav4, and the Audi TT.  These cars target a market of women who can afford to buy the car without financial help of anyone else and are fun to drive.  While the target market for these cars is known, industry-marketing firms will not market these cars as being chick cars, if they did this would possibly reduce its customer base grammatically.  In fact, many marketing campaigns now either picture men with these cars, or no people at all.  

            Is women specific cars bad for the evolution moving past the stereotype of women and cars? Yes and no.  Even though the marketing of women specific cars have evolved from station wagons and mini vans, the marketing of higher end cars is still targeted at men.  However, there has been a movement of women specific clubs and organizations that are geared to women and their love for the automobile.  

Describe why you do or do not agree with the author's main points:

            In my opinion, this article is spot on with analyzing evolution of women’s relationship with cars and how the automobile industry has exploited it.  However, as women’s roles in being breadwinners are becoming more prevalent, this will change.  Soon it will not be a middle-aged white man pictured in a BMW commercial; it will be a middle-aged successful woman of any nationality.  As gender roles evolve, so will the auto industry.

Describe why this article is or is not important:

            From a popular culture standpoint, this article is important.  It analyses the popularity of the relationship with women and automobiles.  Yes, it exploits the common stereotypes of women in gender the role of being a homemaker and its relation to the marketing of and the use of automobiles.  However, it also speaks of the evolution of breaking this model.  

                                                                  Reference

Lezotte, C. (2012). The Evolution of the “Chick Car” Or: What Came First, the Chick or the Car? The Journal of Popular Culture , 516-531.

Heros and the Cult of the Celebrity

                                                 Heroes and The Cult of the Celebrity

            Many scholarly resources say a hero is a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.  There is one point in this statement that is bothersome; a hero can be a man, women, child, animal, etc.  Heroism is a heroic conduct especially as exhibited in fulfilling a high purpose or attaining a noble end.  (Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, 2013)  Nothing in the definition of the act of being a hero does it specify whether that person is a man, woman, child, or even human.  Being a hero is the act of rising above normalcy in a time of need while putting one’s interest aside to the betterment of someone else.

 

            In normal thought, it is tough to correlate heroism with architecture and building design.  Thinking abstractly, pioneers and current facilitators of building safety who are responsible for engineering safety into retrofitting existing buildings and designing new buildings can be considered heroes, especially in times of disasters.   

           Take the tragedy of 9/11 for an example.  While it is obvious that structural failure will result when something as senseless as wrecking planes into a building as protest statements, these tragedies have led to the revision of the International Building Code and many other code updates (Choi, 2011) that will assist Architect, Engineers, and Contractors to build safer structures for all.  Who are the heroes in this example?  Obviously the men, women, and children who lost their lives in this event.  Beyond that, all those have studied the building failures that resulted from 9/11 and all that are making the changes in building design and construction because of this tragic day. 

Freedom Tower

References

Choi, C. (2011, August 31). Twin Towers Forensic Investigation Helps Revise Building Codes, Despite Critics. Retrieved from Scentific American: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=twin-towers-forensic-investigation-revise-building-codes

Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. (2013). Heroism. Retrieved from Merriam-Webster, Incorporated: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heroism

Stereotypes of Architecture and Architects

Stereotypes of Architecture and Architects

            The Design and Architecture of construction is what paint is to a blank canvas, it allows the ability of artistic freedom to design a building however he or she sees fit.  Since art is in the eye of the beholder, this leaves room for stereotypes of building creation and its creator. 

            Architecture, like art, is subject to the opinion of the person who design the style and to those who view it.  The South Campus Chilled Water Plant at The Ohio State University (OSU) can be used as an example.  When comparing the design of the Chiller Plant to the buildings located adjacent to it on campus, the building sticks out like a sore thumb.  Initial thought for many is a typical stereotype for abstract buildings comes to mind, this is a building design where the Architect had too much design freedom and did not take the opinions of others to mind..  After researching the building, one can gather that OSU paid $77.3 million dollars for a for a building to, not only house, but also display the inner working of the cold water chillers located inside.  The end use of the building is not only a structure to house the chillers, but also so it could be used as a teaching tool for Engineering students at OSU.  (The Ohio State University: Facilities Operations and Development, 2012)  This stereotype is based off making judgment based on only one aspect of something and not considering all facets of the structure. 

            Another common stereotype that exists within Architecture and Design is the stereotype of the Architect themselves.  When people are asked to explain what a typical Architect is like, a common response is someone who is egotistical, who wears black and small black rimmed glasses, and who is in debt.  While this may be representative of some Architects, this is not true of all Architects.   (Architect Discussion Forum, 2007)  This is an example of theories of visual stereotypes based off common misconceptions based of one’s career field.  

Reference

Architect Discussion Forum. (2007, February 28). architect stereotypes? Retrieved from Architect Discussion Forum: http://archinect.com/forum/thread/53325/architect-stereotypes

The Ohio State University: Facilities Operations and Development. (2012, August). South Campus Central Chiller Plant. Columbus, Ohio: The Ohio State University: Facilities Operations and Development.