Almada Negreiros and the musical iconographic representation: the case of the Church of our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Fátima in Lisbon

The 20th century Portuguese was marked, at the artistic level, by a great cultural effervescence. It is impossible to dissociate aspects such as Modernism, the movement linked to the Orpheu magazine (the aggregator element responsible for introducing the modernist question in Portugal), or the MRAR (Movement for the Renewal of Religious Art), committed to raising not only the religious architecture but also the sacred art in Portugal, namely in the great urban centers of Lisbon and Porto, giving them greater dignity and plastic quality. In this context, it is important to refer the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fátima, consacrated in 1938 and in which the participation of José de Almada Negreiros (1893-1970), figure summit of modernism in Portugal, is visible. This artist is at the point of connection between modernism, MRAR and even musical iconography, in the concrete case of the Church previously mentioned, since it was responsible for the collaboration in the project of this temple through its stained glass panels. The purpose of this article is to analyze the musical representation in the stained glass that Almada Negreiros designs for this Church, framing them in the modern artistic movement. It is intended to understand how Almada works the body-instrument relationship, translating into plastic works a representation of divine worship and religiosity; having several works in which the issue of musical representation works, this communication specifically deals with iconographic representation in a religious context. All the political, social, and cultural factors that Portugal has gone through have involved a certain visual representation, which includes, among other areas, that of musical iconography, which is the point on which this communication intends to be

De/construction sites: Romans and the digital playground

The Roman world as attested to archaeologically and as interacted with today has its expression in a great many computational and other media. The place of visualisation within this has been paramount. This paper argues that the process of digitally constructing the Roman world and the exploration of the resultant models are useful methods for interpretation and influential factors in the creation of a popular Roman aesthetic. Furthermore, it suggests ways in which novel computational techniques enable the systematic deconstruction of such models, in turn re-purposing the many extant representations of Roman architecture and material culture

DIGITAL TOOLS AND ROBOTICS IN ARCHITECTURE: ENVISIONING THE FUTURE INEDUCATION AND PRACTICE

In a world advancing at a vertiginous speed, technology is directly affecting almost every single aspect of contemporary human life. It is therefore crucial nowadays for both the professional and the educational sectors to constantly update themselves with the latest trends in their fields. Once students graduate, they should first be familiar with the needs of the highly competitive market, and at the same time to be prepared for challenges facing the practice in order to improve it and stand at a higher level from competitors. For such reason, students need to be aware that high tech tools are vital in defining the way professionals work and advance. In this sense, the educational field shall play a leading role to conscious students about such line of work that is contaminating all professional areas, including architecture. This paper therefore will focus on the ideas of how to deal with the latest trends in digital tools and robotics at the academic level in order to awake and motivate architectural students to rationally use them as a helping set of tools that will have a direct impact on the way they work. Exploration at the level of freedom that such means can offer to enhance students at the creativity level will be directly analyzed throughout a workshop conducted, based on digital tools and robotics in architecture, and linked to the intentions related to architectural design challenges by involving students in site visits to projects where cutting edge work is being applied such as the Sagrada Família, one of Antoni Gaudí’s masterpieces. Conclusions will be based on the principles helping students dealing with advanced tools to transform their intentions from digital to analogue means as part of a controlled system intended to innovate design and construction principles

U(1) and SU(2) quantum dissipative systems: The Caldeira-Leggett vs. the Amegaokar-Eckern-Sch\"on approaches

There are two paradigmatic frameworks for treating quantum systems coupled to a dissipative environment: the Caldeira-Leggett and the Ambegaokar-Eckern-Sch\"on approaches. Here we recall the differences between them, and explain the consequences when each is applied to a zero dimensional spin (possessing an SU(2) symmetry) in a dissipative environment (a dissipative quantum dot near or beyond the Stoner instability point).Comment: Contribution for Leonid Keldysh 85 Festschrif

Orthographic Projection and the Elaboration of the Imaginary

With the development of digital technologies, orthographic projection has been slowly removed from the process of architectural design. Instead, orthographic projection drawings are increasingly utilised purely post-design in the form of technical construction documents. Yet, according to Robin Evans orthographic projection is an active agency in the formation of images, and an effective agency for the elaboration of imaginary objects. Furthermore, for Iain Fraser and Rod Henmi orthographic projection produces conceptually sophisticated constructs whose abstract representation of space allows certain aspects and relationship to be seen which may not otherwise be visible. This thesis argues that the reduced role of orthographic projection in the process of design has affected architects' ability to elaborate the imaginary. To investigate the potential of orthographic projection in the elaboration of the imaginary, this thesis expands upon Marco Frascari's written theory of technological images as a palimpsest displaying three overlapping relationships: (1) between a real artefact and the reflected or projected image of it, (2) between a real artefact and its instrumental image, and (3) between the instrumental image and its symbolic image. To expand upon this theory graphically this thesis employs a methodology of architectural drawing as research. Outlined by Clemens Steenbergen, this framework proposes three distinct forms of architectural drawing that constitute research. This thesis couples these three forms with Frascari's three overlapping relationships of a technological image: (1) The Reproduction Drawings aim to register more accurately how something is made up through a process which interprets the object of observation and incorporates it into memory. These drawings embody the first overlapping relationship of Frascari's, technological image, between a real artefact and the projected image of it. (2) Analytical Drawings reveal abstract qualities and potentials by reducing the complex compositions of the first series to their elementary geometric forms, lines and grids. These drawings embody the second overlapping relationship, between a real artefact and its instrumental image. (3) Experimental Drawings project the reproduction and analytical drawings into an existing context to expand upon or reinforce the relationships and conceptual connections formed in relation to the site in the preceding two series. The effects of these interventions are assessed and altered, ultimately leading to new concepts and new compositions. These drawings aim to elaborate imaginative relationships between buildings and architectural ideas, through a process Frascari terms a mutual measure derived from a familiar nature. These drawings embody the third and final overlapping relationship between the instrumental and its symbolic image. By extending upon Frascari's theory graphically, this thesis argues that orthographic projection remains a valuable tool in the process of design. The real artefact chosen to demonstrate the continued value of orthographic projection is Wellington's Civic Square. This site was selected as the buildings located around its formal rectilinear domain offer a heterogeneous mix of civic architecture, ranging from the strictly orthogonal Town Hall and City Gallery to the curvilinear Public Library and City Administration Building. This site offers the opportunity to test both the advantages and disadvantages of orthographic projection, for the reading of architecture and the elaboration of the imaginary, within a formally diverse existing urban environment

Aggregation of Malmquist Productivity Indexes

In this paper we extend the work of Färe and Zelenyuk (2003) to find a theoretically justified method of aggregating Malmquist Productivity Indexes over individual decision making units (firms, countries, etc.) into a group Malmquist Productivity Index. We also consider the aggregation of decomposed parts of the Malmquist Productivity Index to obtain a decomposition of the Malmquist Productivity Index for a particular group.DEA, Efficiency, Productivity, Index aggregation

Block Spin Density Matrix of the Inhomogeneous AKLT Model

We study the inhomogeneous generalization of a 1-dimensional AKLT spin chain model. Spins at each lattice site could be different. Under certain conditions, the ground state of this AKLT model is unique and is described by the Valence-Bond-Solid (VBS) state. We calculate the density matrix of a contiguous block of bulk spins in this ground state. The density matrix is independent of spins outside the block. It is diagonalized and shown to be a projector onto a subspace. We prove that for large block the density matrix behaves as the identity in the subspace. The von Neumann entropy coincides with Renyi entropy and is equal to the saturated value.Comment: 20 page

Partial constraint singularities in elastic rods

We present a unified classical treatment of partially constrained elastic rods. Partial constraints often entail singularities in both shapes and reactions. Our approach encompasses both sleeve and adhesion problems, and provides simple and unambiguous derivations of counterintuitive results in the literature. Relationships between reaction forces and moments, geometry, and adhesion energies follow from the balance of energy during quasistatic motion. We also relate our approach to the balance of material momentum and the concept of a driving traction. The theory is generalizable and can be applied to a wide array of contact, adhesion, gripping, and locomotion problems.Comment: edited tex