About Florence Knoll, Architect of Corporate Interiors

About Florence Knoll, Architect of Corporate Interiors Trained in architecture, Florence Margaret Schust Knoll Bassett designed interiors that transformed corporate offices in the mid-20th century. Not merely an interior decorator, Florence Knoll reconfigured space and developed many of the iconic furnishings we see in offices today.   Early Life Florence Schust, known as Shu among her friends and family, was born on  May 24, 1917 in  Ã‚  Saginaw, Michigan. Florences older brother, Frederick John Schust (1912-1920), died when she was only three years old. Both her father, Frederick Schust (1881-1923), and her mother, Mina Matilda Haist Schust (1884-1931), also died when Florence was young [genealogy.com]. Her upbringing was entrusted to guardians. My father was Swiss and emigrated to the United States as a young man. While studying to become an engineer, he met my mother at college. Unfortunately, they both had short life spans, and I was orphaned at an early age. One of my strong memories of my father was when he showed me blueprints on his desk. They seemed enormous to a five year old, but nonetheless, I was enchanted by them. When my mother became seriously ill, she had the foresight to appoint a banker friend, Emile Tessin, as my legal guardian....[A]rrangements were made for me to go to boarding school, and I was given the opportunity to make the selection. I had heard of Kingswood, and we went to check it out....As a result my interest in design and future career began there.- FK Archives Education and Training 1932-34: Kingswood School, Cranbrook1934-1935: Cranbrook Academy of Art; studies under architect and furniture designer Eliel Saarinen, father of Eero Saarinen1935: School of Architecture, Columbia University, NYC; studies town planning1936-1937: Cranbrook Academy of Art; explores furniture-making with Eero Saarinen and Charles Eames1938-1939: Architectural Association, London; influenced by Le Corbusiers International style; left England as WWII spread1940: Moves to Cambridge, Massachusetts, and works for Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer; influenced by the Bauhaus school and Marcel Breuers steel-tubed modern furniture.1940-1941: Illinois Institute of Technology (Armour Institute), Chicago; studies under Mies van der Rohe New York City 1941-1942: Harrison and Abramovitz, NYC ...being the only female, I was assigned to do the few interiors required. That was how I met Hans Knoll who was beginning his furniture business. He needed a designer to do interiors and eventually I joined him. This was the beginning of the Planning Unit.- FK Archives The Knoll Years 1941-1942: Moonlights on special projects at Hans G. Knoll Furniture Company. Hans Knoll, the son of a German furniture-maker, came to New York in 1937 and established his own furniture company in 1938.1943: Joins Knoll Furniture Company full time1946: Establishes and becomes Director of the Knoll Planning Unit; company reorganized to become Knoll Associates, Inc.; Post-World War II building boom begins and old Cranbrook friends are enlisted to design furniture; Hans and Florence get married.1948: Mies van der Rohe gives Knoll exclusive rights to manufacture the Barcelona chair1951: H.G. Knoll International formed1955: Hans Knoll killed in automobile accident; Florence Knoll named President of company1958: Marries Harry Hood Bassett (1917-1991)1959: Resigns as President of Knoll International; remains as design consultant1964: Last major project, the New York City interiors for the CBS Headquarters designed by Eero Saarinen (1910-1961) and completed by Kevin Roche and John Dinkeloo19 65: Retires from the Knoll company; private design practice My principal work as director of the Planning Unit encompassed all visual design- furniture, textiles and graphics. My role as interior designer and space planner naturally led to furniture to meet the needs of varied projects from domestic to corporate. I thought of these designs as architectural pieces that defined the space as well as meeting the functional requirements, while designers like Eero Saarinen and Harry Bertoia created sculptural chairs.- FK Archives Major Awards 1961: AIA Gold Medal for Industrial Design, being the first woman to win the Industrial Arts Medal. Inscription begins: You have abundantly justified your training as an architect as well as the rare fortune of being a protà ©gà ©e in Eliel Saarinens family, and also a student under Mies van der Rohe.1962: International Design Award, American Institute of Interior Designers; Knolls most notable design is the elliptical table-desk, the archetypal boat-shaped conference table most of us have frequented.2002: National Medal of Arts, the highest award given to artists by the United States government Mentors Rachel de Wolfe Raseman, the art director of Kingswood and a graduate architect from Cornell University. She guided me into the world of architecture and design. I learned the basics of planning and drafting and my first project was to design a house.The Saarinens befriended me and took me under their wing. They asked my guardian for permission to accompany them to Hvitrask, their home in Finland for the summer....One summer at Hvitrask Eero decided to give me a course in architectural history. He talked and drew these sketches simultaneously on sheets of stationery beginning with Greek, Roman and Byzantine periods. He discussed each detail as the drawings appeared on the paper.Mies van der Rohe had a profound effect on my design approach and the clarification of design. Learn More: Florence Knoll The Planning Unit by John Engelen, Dedece, January 29, 2014American Women Tastemakers: Florence Knoll Bassett, Archives of American ArtMid-Century Modern StyleThe book Women Designers in the USA, 1900-2000: Diversity and Difference, ed. Pat Kirkham, Yale University Press, 2002 Knoll Websites: Knoll InternationalKnoll Home Design ShopKnoll Furniture for Kids Sources: Biographies of the Artists, Design in America: The Cranbrook Vision, 1925-1950 (Exhibition Catalogue) by New York Metropolitan Museum of Art and Detroit Institute of Arts, edited by Robert Judson Clark, Andrea P. A. Belloli, 1984, p. 270; Knoll Timeline and History at knoll.com; www.genealogy.com/users/c/h/o/Paula-L-Chodacki/ODT43-0281.html at Genealogy.com; Florence Knoll Bassett papers, 1932-2000. Box 1, Folder 1 and Box 4, Folder 10. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. [accessed March 20, 2014]

Pacific gas and electric Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Pacific gas and electric - Essay Example During PG&E’s first year in operation an earthquake destroyed one of its facilities – North Beach Gas Works. However, it’s two other facilities Potrero Works and Martin Station. Between 1905 and 1912 the company’s billing system was based on a flat rate. However in 1912 the decision was taken to begin installing meters, thereby getting rid of the flat rate billing system (Wikipedia). In 1930 the company began the delivery of natural gas to San Francisco and Northern California using what was at that time the longest pipe line in the world. This pipeline connects the Texas gas fields to Northern California. One of the characteristics of this system is that at 300 miles intervals there was a compressor station that consisted of cooling towers. Having introduced natural gas in 1930 PG&E started the task of retiring manufacturing facilities that were major sources of pollution. Some of the plants ware kept on standby in case they became necessary (Wikipedia). After World War 11, PG&E built numerous facilities including 14 new hydroelectric plants and 5 steam plants. At the end of 1992 the company operated 173 electric generating units and 85 generating stations. Additionally, it had 18,450 miles of transmission lines and a whopping 101,400 miles of distribution systems (Wikipedia). In the latter part of the 1990’s the company sold off a substantial portion of its natural gas plants leaving only a few. This meant that it had to purchase power from energy generators in order to satisfy the demands of its customers. Even though the purchase price of power was fluctuating PG&E was forced to sell power to its customers at a fixed cost. The company still maintained its hydroelectric plants along with the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant. PG&E’s competitors included Enron Corporation which dominated the market and along with other corporations pushed the prices up for electricity. This resulted in the California electricity crisi s that began in 2000. In 1995 PG&E Corporation was incorporated. It’s primary purpose to hold shares in Pacific Gas & Electric Company. PG&E Corporation became the holding company of Pacific Gas and Electric Company in 1997. The company operates in both northern and central California. The company generates income mainly through the sale and delivery of electricity and natural gas to customers (Annual Report 2009). Operations in the 21st Century In 2000 there was a major incident where the company allowed water tainted with cancer causing chromium to seep into underground water supplies which affected residents in the community of Hinkley in California (Joseph Ascenzi 2000). PG&E later filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2001 and emerged from that situation three years later in 2004 after distributing over $10 billion to creditors (Wikipedia). Since that time the company has turned around its operations and is currently making profits. The company’s power generating por tfolio is extensive and consists of an extensive hydroelectric system, one operating nuclear power plant, one operating natural gas and another gas fired plant which has recently been reconstructed. The company’s hydroelectric portfolio is the largest under private ownership as opposed to government ownership in the Unites States. It draws water from approximately 100 reservoirs along 16 river basins. Its maximum output is approximately 4,000 mega watts (MW). The only operating nuclear

Antietam Battle Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Antietam Battle Analysis - Essay Example Besides, the growth and development of democratic ideas forced the Northern States to fight against the Southern states which was under the influence of slavery, forced labor and slave trade. The battle of Antietam can be considered as a turning point in history of the struggle for freedom and individual liberty in America. Still, the victory of the Union forces under the direct leadership of Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan proves the importance of military tactics, experience and single minded dedication in the battle field. On the other side, the Confederate forces failed to defeat the Union forces because they did not provide ample importance to military tactics and waited for reinforcement forces. In short, the battle of Antietam led the Americans, especially the African American slaves, towards freedom from slavery and forced labor. The Battle of Antietam occurred on 17 September 1862, in and the surrounding areas of Sharpsburg. The other areas include Maryland and Antietam Creek. The battle occurred between the Confederate forces (Confederate States Army) and Union forces (Union Army) in the American mainland. This battle is generally considered as a turning point in the American Civil War, which ignited the spirit of freedom among the slaves, especially the African Americans in America. The Confederate side was led by General Robert E. Lee, and the Union Army was under the direct control of Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan. ... Besides, the Battle of Antietam was a single-day battle but it resulted in high casualty. Both the opposing sides were forced to suffer heavy loss because thousands of deaths were reported. But the lack of planning related to warfare techniques hindered the Union Army from destroying the Southern Army. To be specific, Union forces possessed enough resources to destroy the Southern side. But lack of planning from the side of McClellan helped the Southern Army to have ample time to withdraw from the battlefield. Eventually, the Southern forces withdrew from Maryland to Virginia. On the other side, the Southern side’s decision to withdraw from Maryland helped Abraham Lincoln to announce and implement the decision to prohibit slavery and free the slaves in America. So, one can see that the Antietam Battle eventually led America to be a unified federation, which is against slavery and in favor of democratic ideas. Some of the resources used in this work include: Battle of Antietam: The Bloodiest Day by Ted Alexander, Grant and Lee: Victorious American and Vanquished Virginian by Edward H. Bonekemper, and Historical Atlas of the United States, with Original Maps by Derek Hayes. Review Strategic Setting: As pointed out, Antietam Battle ignited the spirit of democratic though and changed the general opinion on slavery and forced labor. The immediate cause of the battle is interconnected with the clash between the southern and Northern states in America on slavery, forced labor, and slave trade. Stephen W. Sears claims that â€Å"The realities of Antietam were brought home to the Northern citizenry more vividly than any previous battle† (Sears 2003, 20).1 The

Visages of Two Stories Essay Example for Free

Visages of Two Stories Essay Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find and Tobias Wolff’s Bullet in the Brain are two short stories each having unlikeable lead characters. Both stories revolved around the lives of the lead characters which were shown using humor and twists and turns. Flannery O’Connor, an American writer, was known for her Southern Gothic writing style. Her literary works are indicative of her beliefs of the Roman Catholic. Tobias Wolff, also an American writer, was known for his short stories and memoirs. A Good Man is Hard to Find is a story of a family going for a vacation. It began with the Grandmother explaining to her son Bailey about the murderous Misfit who was on the loose so she wouldn’t have to go to Florida for vacation and would instead have go to Tennessee. She was not able to persuade her son and the rest of the family. The next morning they drove off to Florida. The Grandmother portrayed the image of someone who was self-centered and unpleasant. She also seemed to be more concerned on how she would look like a Christian than act like one. In the end, the family was murdered by the Misfit and his two cohorts. The Bullet in the Brain, on the other hand, began in with a book critic named Anders who was on a bank one day. Similar to the Grandmother from O’Connor’s story, Anders was also one character who is unlikeable. He depicted someone who was ill-tempered and sardonic. While waiting in a long line of customers, two bank robbers entered the scene and threatened the people. Anders was someone who was not intimidated by anyone, even by bank robbers. And here is where the trouble for the protagonist began. Instead of doing the right thing, he ridiculed the robbers which resulted to his death. The Grandmother and Anders were two comical people who talked too much. Before the two died, they presented their own sentiments which the readers would have, undoubtedly, felt. There was an unexpected turn of events when the Grandmother was about to be killed. She suddenly claimed that the Misfit was a good man. This was contrary to what she had mentioned about the Misfit at the beginning of the story. She mentioned that would not take her children to a place with an unconfined criminal. She said her conscience would not be able to bear it if she did. The position she was in at the end of the story, seemed to have taken out the goodness and the true Christian from her. Because of the fear and the pressure she felt, she was able to see the goodness in the hands of something or someone so evil. What happened to Anders was another thing. Before he died, Wolff presented the things that the protagonist did not think of: the disappointments in his relationship with his family, the boredom he felt towards his work, etc. And by the time the readers were building inside then the sadness and the sympathy towards Anders, the author provided what Anders was thinking at that crucial moment. And boom, it was really unexpected because at that very moment before he died what he thought of was his sarcasm in his early years. And the seemingly sad ending of the story turned out to be odd and amusing. The evil in the two stories have had similar and contrasting effects to the lead characters. The Grandmother and Anders had their share of insight with regards to the incident. The Grandmother may only be saving herself from death or she could have really realized the Misfit had goodness in him and that her prejudices were untrue. Nevertheless, it was too late for her. In Anders case, what he remembered before he died was what he was truly about. The last scenario substantiated the fact about Anders’ attitude. In the stories, varying prejudices can be observed and this shows that each one of us is entitled to own opinions and sets of truths. References: OConnor, Flannery. A Good Man Is Hard to Find. 1955. Wolff, Tobias. Bullet in the Brain. 1995.

Mind Control :: essays research papers

It is possible to control your mental and physical well being by controlling your thoughts and emotions. This is true for the following reasons. First, people can change the environment they are in and the people they are surrounded by in order to change their mood. Second, we are aware of what makes us sad and what makes us happy, so that enables us to control our emotions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many people are aware of their emotions, whether that is happy or sad. We have become accustomed to these emotions and understand what we need to do in order to change the way we are feeling. When people experience many different situations, whether they are uncomfortable or excited, they become familiar to being able to adapt or leave the situation and completely change their attitude when entering another. When we feel sad, we have different ways of cheering ourselves up. Some just relax while others will play a sport to run or play off the stress they hold. We all have our individual ways to changes our attitudes and perspectives towards different situations. We all have become familiar with our personalities so we are able to control our emotions and thoughts, which makes up our mental well being.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We are well aware of what makes us sad and what makes us happy, so that enables us to control our emotions. Everyone has grown accustomed and familiar with Ortiz 2 their emotions. We have been able to do studies to determine what can change our moods. Most people have great control over their emotions, and so doing certain things assists us by helping change our mood. People have come to the conclusion that â€Å"there are many number if things you can do to brighten your spirits and pull yourself out of a mood rut†. They suggest many different things such as watching a funny movie, which can put you in a high spirits and make you cheerful. Another suggestion is to play happier role because the roles you play tend to become a reality. â€Å"Since lights affect your moods, especially the absence of light in the winter, you should surround yourself with plenty of bright light†. And there are more, listening to music and talking to your friends are great ways to brighten a mood.

Modern Management – GE MFP Matrix vs. BCG Matrix

Business Portfolio Analysis is a type of a planning system adopted by the organization (organizational strategy), which is similar to the manner in which investment portfolios are managed.   According to the business portfolio analysis, an organization would have to perform only sound activities and discard the unsound ones.   Business portfolio instruments are of two types, namely, the Boston-Consulting Group (BCG) Growth-Share Matrix and General Electric (GE) Multifactor Portfolio Matrix. Boston-Consulting Group (BCG) Growth-Share Matrix was developed by a popular production unit known as the BCG group and was aimed at helping the managers follow the market by developing an organizational strategy.   The strategy also helps to develop the market where the business survives.   The GE Multifactor Portfolio Matrix was developed by McKinsley et al who were basically consultants to the GE Company.   This strategy is mainly based on the attractiveness present in the market and the strengths of the organization.   This strategy is more advantageous than the BCG strategy as it tries to compensate for the limitations. In the BCG strategy, the organization is broken into portions such that each portions can develop an organizational strategy which could generate revenue (known as ‘strategic business units’ or ‘SBU’s’).   These SBU’s could be a division of a company or a production unit of a particular product or service.   The SBU’s have their own competitors, a manager in charge of the unit, and the management of the unit has to be planned with a strategy. Each of the unit is then placed on one of the four boxes (namely stars, question marks, dogs or cash cows) according to their characteristics.   Stars have a high-growth rate but require huge amounts of investments.   Cash cows occupy a huge market share and grow much more slowly.   Question marks are those units which have a high-growth rate but doubts whether the management would invest in them, exist.   Dogs are those units which have a small market share and grow at a much slower rate. On the other hand, the GE analysis rates the SBU’s according to the market attractiveness and the strengths of the business.   The firm has to determine each of these criteria based on the situation that exists.   Based on these criteria, circles appear on a graph in which business strengths are plotted against the market attractiveness.   The size of the circle varies according to investment in the market. THE BCG strategy does not consider the risks involved in developing the products, factors such as inflation and the predictable economic situations, and the pressure that exist from the ecosystem, politics and society.   The GE strategy helps to cover some of these pitfalls.   Several factors such as presence of competitors, growth rate of the industry, weaknesses of the competitors, etc, are considered in the GE strategy. References: Cresto, S. C. and Cresto, S. T. (2006). Chapter 3: Planning, Modern Management, (10th ed), New Jersey: Upper Saddle River, pp. 188-191.

The Indian Removal Act Of 1830 - 1083 Words

The Indian Removal Act of 1830 was a law passed by President Andrew Jackson that provided the funds for the removal of the Indian tribes found in South. These tribes were the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole. Slave states, following the lead of Missouri who in the 1820s forced its Indian population to leave, saw the opportunity to expand their industry in the fielding of cotton by â€Å"converting Indian soil into slave soil.† That along with the finding of gold and simply the desire for land in the Southeast was enough reason for them to begin rooting for the expulsion of the tribes. They believed that because the tribes were â€Å"uncivilized† they have no right to the land and were not using it properly. Despite the fact that former president Thomas Jefferson believed that civilized tribes could be integrated into the United States population, this law was still widely accepted among southern states. It was also completely ignored that the tribes were already acting in a way that would be considered civilized. The Cherokee had its own government, laws, and a constitution much like the United States. In response to the law, the Cherokee went to Congress for help to protect their rights, which the treaties they had with the federal government made certain. There was a case Cherokee Nation v. Georgia in 1831, but the Chief Justice Marshall made the false claim that Indians were nomads and had no need for their land. He also said that the Indians were like â€Å"wards†Show MoreRelatedThe Removal Of The Indian Removal Act Of 18301820 Words   |  8 Pagespolicy of the Government, steadily pursued for nearly thirty years, in relation to the removal of the Indians beyond the white settlements is approaching to a happy consummation. Two important tribes have accepted the provision made for their removal at the last session of Congress, and it is believed that their example will induce the remaining tribes also to seek the same obvious advantages.† (Jackson, 1830) This quote from President Andrew Jackson showed the happiness of the â€Å"white settlers† ofRead MoreIndian Removal Act Of 18301155 Words   |  5 Pages2015 Indian Removal Act of 1830 The Indian Removal Act of 1830 was an act that helped aid the expansion of the United States population into the southernmost states, occupied mainly by Native Americans. The act was a long time coming, especially with President Andrew Jackson, a long-time proponent of Native American removal, at the helm. This paper explores the history leading up to the law, the introduction and passage, as well as the sometimes-tragic implementation of the Indian Removal Act of 1830Read MoreIndian Removal Act Of 1830868 Words   |  4 PagesIndian Removal Act of 1830 The Indian Removal Act was signed into law on May 28th 1930 during the presidency of Andrew Jackson. Perhaps best known as the black eye of the administration and overshadowing his presidency’s accomplishments, the Indian Removal Act was passed into law to allow the president to negotiate with Indians to purchase land they occupied and offer them lands west of the Mississippi. The Indian Removal Act of 1830 could also amount to pure greed and racism, the beginning of theRead MoreThe Indian Removal Act Of 1830940 Words   |  4 PagesThe American’s desire for expansion of their nation and economic growth has always been their main interest and goal. The Indian Removal in the 1830’s was a great example of America’s efforts to expand through North America and their motivation to economically improve through profitable opportunities. When comparing the Indian Removal and the events that followed the Treaty of Paris, a similarity in the expansion of America i s discovered. Labor, politics, and economics of America during the two erasRead MoreThe Indian Removal Act Of 1830892 Words   |  4 Pagesstudents are analyzing is; what are the major effects of the Indian Removal Act of 1830? The students will be given several data sets of events that occurred after the act was initiated and draw conclusions and revise their thesis statement as they go. The big idea of this lesson to have students understand the importance of the Indian Removal Act and it is essentially only the beginning of the journey that Indian tribes had to face after the act was initiated. It led to many heartbreaking events thatRead MoreIndian Removal Act Of 1830923 Words   |  4 PagesIt gives me pleasure to announce to Congress . . . the removal of the Indians beyond the white settlements is approaching to a happy consummation† (Jackson, 1830, para.1). With promises of new lands, protection, and monies, President Andrew Jackson portrays the Indian Removal Act of 1830 as beneficial to Indians, wherein governmental financial gain is incidental. However, when considering land transactions and gold discoveries, the true beneficiaries are revealed. While strengthening the States’Read MoreThe Indian Removal Act of 18301123 Words   |  5 PagesTHE INDIAN REMOVAL ACT OF 1830 Migdalia Tuero HIST101: American History to 1877 Professor Kathleen Davis February 13, 2014 There are several historical events and issues that have impacted the contemporary political development among American history. In the history of America one of these groups are the Native Americans. The white man throughout the South called for a removal of the Indian peoples. They wanted the Native Indians to be resettled to the west because their presence createdRead MoreThe Indian Removal Act Of 18301299 Words   |  6 Pageswere many diverse, and complex views when approaching this subject matter; however, in 1830 President Andrew Jackson passed the Indian Removal Act, which forced Indians to relocate from their homelands in south east to land west of the Mississippi river. This granted the U.S. a large portion of new rich land, unfortunately it was at the expense of the Native Americans. When passing the Indian Removal Act of 1830, President Jackson relied on teleological utilitarianism ethnic views, in that he focusedRead MoreIndian Removal Act Of 1830923 Words   |  4 Pagesbut the Cherokee removal was the cruelest work I ever knew†, remarked a Georgia soldier who had participated in the removal of Indian Natives during the mid-1800’s. As a result of the Indian Removal Act, Indian natives have been perceived as mistreated and cheated throughout history. The Indian Removal Act was passed during the presidency of Andrew Jackson on May 28, 1830. This act granted authorization to the president to exchange unsettled lands west of Mississippi for Indian lands residing inRead MoreThe Indian Removal Act Of 1830865 Words   |  4 PagesWhen the Indian Removal act of 1830 was enacted, the Cherokee Nation panicked. The Cherokee, specifically the romanticized Tsali, did their best to preserve their culture in the mountains of North Carolina, but what really saved them from their harsh fate that so many other Cherokee faced, was there white chief, William Holland Thomas. The Cherokee were â€Å"disagreeable and dangerous neighbors,† but th ey had a powerful ally in Raleigh, who saved the Eastern Band from a much harsher fate. The Eastern