Family Assessment Essay

As a nurse practicing in today’s health care environment it is always important to be very attentive for the needs of the patient and the patient’s family. In order to realize the needs of the patient and the patients loved ones it is often helpful to conduct a family assessment. This assessment was carried out on an urban family which is in the middle income group. Some of the factors which were inferred from the assessment were as follows. In terms of values, health and nutrition, it was found that the members paid much emphasis to this. As s matter of fact, the initial family expenditure was on these three. Health is taken as a vital requirement and all the individuals need to have it. This is the same case with rest. Since most of the members are quite busy all through the day, the family spends some time together in the evening before retiring to bed. Most of the free time is spent having the family together in a relaxed atmosphere (Ritchie, 2012). The family is very concerned for the patient’s needs and overall well-being. They are so concerned about elimination, though the need for exercise and activity is highly acknowledged. The members appreciate and know the need for physical fitness. As such, they try to make sure that they attain it. Nevertheless, they have such tight schedules that they do not get enough time to be engaged in these. This is quite unfortunate. On the cognitive factors, the family is highly receptive. The level attained in the family is based on the importance it attaches to the cognitive development. The children have gone through learning institutions and are still in pursuit of knowledge and education. This is the same case with the parents. They work with the notion that information is power. As it pertains to health care sometimes simple common sense comes into play. Sensory perception is taken as a defining factor of the common sense. However, there is a saying that common sense is not common to all. Nevertheless, this family has greatly attained this sensory perception. Everyone is aware of their surroundings and they are willing to work towards making the family even better. Their self-esteem is also quiet high. Based on the findings from the interview, they have high regard of each other due to the accomplishments they have seen in their lives. Their high esteem is based on the fact that they do not compare themselves with others. Rather, they believe in who they are. This also helps to streamline their roles relationship since everyone understands his/her position in the family and does as is appropriate to their role (IFNA, 2012). Sexuality is a very touchy issue for many people but it is something that often needs to be addressed. The issue of sexuality is a major concern for many, since people tend to have different sexual orientations. This family remains open to the issue of sexuality and everyone has the freedom to choose or decide the path he wants to follow. However, this has to fall in line with the family values which they hold dearly. Lastly, there is the aspect of coping. This family, just like many others, encounters daily challenges. However, it has managed to come through all of them. The reason cited by the members is because they believe in the harmony and unity of a family. Therefore, the problem of one is a problem for all. The family works with the philosophy of one for all and all for one. This is what has made the family stand all along besides the challenges they face (Ritchie, 2012). As it pertains to diagnosis assessment can be very helpful. In diagnosing this family, there are two main nursing diagnoses that can be reached at. These are in line with the International Family Nursing Organization (2012). These two are emotional readiness as well as the status and function. These two seem to be very consistent in this family. They are as indicated in the paragraphs below. The emotional well-being of a person goes a long way in terms of having good physical health. On the emotional status, IFNA (2012) talks of the emotional readiness where the people are ready to change or take up traits that can help the family to function normally. The emotional status has it that a family is ready to take up the health options available. On this aspect, the family proved to be ready for the changes that would benefit it. Most of the members agreed that they were ready to adopt healthier practices that could improve their health. For instance, they acknowledged that they needed to be more vigilant in exercising and physical activity. This was a good status of mind. Sometimes if a person displays destructive behavior there needs to be a willingness to improve and change. Despite the willingness to change, a challenge that faces this family is the status and function. According to the IFNA (2012), this diagnoses has it that a family or individual should have the will to change. However, the circumstances are not favorable. This is the same case that applies with the family. All the members are ready and willing to change and adopt the healthy options. However, they do not have the time in which they can undertake these activities. All they have is the willingness to change but the factors around them do not allow them to. In conclusion, this essay has looked at the family health assessment. It has defined how a family diagnosis can be done and the factors affecting it. This has been followed up by a case study looking at a real family and performing a health analysis on it. From the discussion, it has come out quiet clearly that family assessment should be based on the health and functionality of the family as a unit. For this reason, the family health model comes in handy as an assessment method. This was as seen in the case study which reveals the need for a comprehensive family assessment. It leads to the realization of all factors affecting a family’s health and functionality; hence coming up with proper intervention strategies.

Pros and Cons of Genetically Modified Foods Essay

Our ancestors first cultivated plants some ten thousand years ago. They domesticated animals later and then selectively bred both plants and animals to meet various requirements for human food. Humans discovered natural biological processes such as fermentation of fruits and grains to make wine and beer, and yeast for baking bread. Manipulation of foods is not a new story, therefore. The latest agricultural discovery uses genetic engineering technology to modify foods. Farmers and plant breeders have been changing crop plants to improve characteristics such as size, resistance to disease and taste. Plants which grow well, have a higher yield or taste better are selected and bred from. This is still the most widely used technique for developing new varieties of a crop, and is limited by natural barriers which stop different species of organisms from breeding with each other. Genetic modification is very different to these traditional plant breeding techniques. Genetic modification is the insertion of DNA from one organism to another, usually by molecular technologies. Genetically Modified Foods (GMF) are animals or plants that have had genetic modification. This changes the characteristics of the organism, or the way it grows and develops. Jim Maryanski from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, had the following to say in an interview published on the FDA’s website. “There are hundreds of new plant varieties introduced every year in the United States, and all have been genetically modified through traditional plant breeding techniques–such as cross-fertilization of selected plants–to produce desired traits.” (Robin)Current and future GM products include:a)Food that can deliver vaccines – bananas that produce hepatitis B vaccineb)More nutritious foods – rice with increased iron and vitaminsc)Faster growing fish, fruit and nut treesd)Plants producing new plasticsIn so many respects, genetic modification is perfect for today’s society. It would help agriculturalists overcome all headaches associated with growing large crops, and basically tailor the food growth industry to mass consumption by the general population. The famous frost-resistant tomato example is perfect in illustrating this point. With a tomato that  resists frost, the season for growing them would be longer and therefore a farmer would be able to produce more tomatoes in one year than they were able to do in the past. Gene technology not only gives us the potential to select the exact characteristics we want in an organism, but it also enables us to cross species barriers. For example, we can take an insecticide-producing gene from a bacterium and insert it into a plant, making the plant resistant to insect attack. This new-found ability to cross species barriers is what makes gene technology such a powerful tool. Producing enough food for the world’s population without using up all the available land is an enormous challenge. One solution is to develop crops that yield more with fewer inputs; that are more resistant to diseases; that spoil less during storage and transport; that contain more useful nutrients; and that can grow in agricultural land that has been degraded. Gene technology gives us the potential to do this. Genetically modified foods have been available since the 1990s. The principal ingredients of GM foods currently available are derived from genetically modified soybean, maize and canola. The first commercially grown genetically modified food crop was a tomato created by Calgene called the FlavrSavr. Calgene submitted it to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for assessment in 1992; following the FDA’s determination that the FlavrSavr was, in fact, a tomato, did not constitute a health hazard, and did not need to be labeled to indicate it was genetically modified, Calgene released it into the market in 1994, where it met with little public comment. Considered to have a poor flavor, it never sold well and was off the market by 1997. However, it had improved solids contents which made it an attractive new variety for canned tomatoes. Transgenic crops are grown commercially or in field trials in over 40 countries and on 6 continents. In 2000, about 109.2 million acres (442,000 km ²) were planted with transgenic crops, the principal ones being herbicide- and insecticide-resistant soybeans, corn, cotton, and canola. Other crops grown commercially or field-tested are a sweet potato resistant to a US strain of a virus that affects one out of the more than 89 different varieties of sweet potato grown in Africa, rice with increased iron and  vitamins such as golden rice, and a variety of plants able to survive extreme weather. Between 1996 and 2001, the total surface area of land cultivated with GMOs had increased by a factor of 30, from 17,000 km ² (4.2 million acres) to 520,000 km ² (128 million acres). The value for 2002 was 145 million acres (587,000 km ²) and for 2003 was 167 million acres (676,000 km ²). Soybean crop represented 63% of total surface in 2001, maize 19%, cotton 13% and canola 5%. In 2004, the value was about 200 million acres (809,000 km ²) of which 2/3 were in the United States. In particular, Bt corn is widely grown, as are soybeans genetically designed to tolerate glyphosate herbicides. Future applications of GMOs include bananas that produce human vaccines against infectious diseases such as Hepatitis B, fish that mature more quickly, fruit and nut trees that yield years earlier, and plants that produce new plastics with unique properties. The next decade will see exponential progress in GM product development as researchers gain increasing and unprecedented access to genomic resources that are applicable to organisms beyond the scope of individual projects. Biologist Stephen Nottingham explains the risks of GMF:“Experimental trials with transgenic organisms are usually conducted strict regulations to minimize the potential spread of genetic materialÂ…Even given these regulations, however, no field trial can be said to be 100% secure. This was illustrated when flooding struck the American Midwest in July 1993 and an entire field of experimental insect-resistant maize was swept away in Iowa. Â…once released accidentally into the environment, plant material may prove difficult to recover. (Bragi)Unique ecological risks have been associated with virus-resistant transgenic crop plantsÂ…leaving crops more vulnerable to virus attack and risking the spread of virus susceptibility to other plants. Genetically modified foods are unlikely to present direct risks to human health. There are two main areas of concern:a)The possibility of allergic reactions to genetically modified foods, andb)The possibility that bacteria living in the human gut may acquire resistance to antibiotics from marker  genes present in transgenic plants. Proponents claim that a genetically-modified potato is as safe as one modified the old-fashioned way, through generations of selective breeding; biotechnology just gets the job done more quickly. Critics are concerned that mixing together genetic material from different species might produce unexpected allergic reactions in the person who eats or drinks it. For instance, if an individual consumer who is allergic to broccoli eats a banana that just happens to have a little broccoli DNA under the peel, that person might get sick. Some studies on animals indicate that consuming genetically-modified foods may cause allergic responses, compromise immune systems and inhibit organ growth, although no proven cases of widespread reactions have been definitively documented. Opponents of biotech foods want other questions answered, as well. Will re-engineering a plant or animal to serve a specific end, such as improving taste, decrease its nutritional value? Will consuming genetically-modified food products make a person more resistant to antibiotics, which are widely used to treat bacterial infections? Does consuming milk or meat from livestock that has been injected with growth hormones (a form of biotechnology that is different from genetic modification) subject consumers to early puberty, cancer, and other ailments?Since neither side has been able to provide definitive answers, the jury is still out on food safety; after all, genetic technology itself is barely decades old. So one can condense the issue into a single question: should we move forward with new technologies that might help provide higher crop yields, new and interesting types of food products, and more profits for the companies that own the technology; or play it safe and wait until we better understand the health and environmental consequences of manipulating life forms that took generations to develop?Multinational Corporations benefit because GMF can be very profitable. GMF have taken hold quickly because multinational corporations with the resources to make large financial investments in research and development can profit directly. Multinational companies can spread out the benefit and profit to many branches of their businesses. Many such corporations combine the following: an agrochemical company, a seed  company, a pharmaceutical company, a food processing company and sometimes businesses involved with veterinary products. Developments in one part of the corporation can be used t o sell products in another branch. Farmers benefit in the short term because they can grow and sell more crops with fewer problems due to weeds, pests, fungi or frost. The genetically modified seed is designed to resist these traditional enemies. Food processing companies benefit from a ready supply of raw food ingredients designed for specific processing needs. Genetically modified tomatoes and potatoes, for instance, have higher solid contents and yield more sauces and French fries. These foods take longer to ripen and rot. Thus less food is spoiled and more gets processed. Supermarkets benefit for the same reasons. The fresh produce lasts longer on the shelves and is more profitable. Consumers, to date, haven’t benefited. GMF have been developed for the convenience of the producer and processor. Yet they cost more to produce and the costs get passed along to the consumer. Eventually there will be some kind of designer novelty foods for shoppers to try. Nottingham adds that there are many other concerns including ethical questions involving animal welfare, whether DNA is actual life, and intellectual property rights and genetic resources from the Third World. (Bragi)The world’s poorest nations account for around 95.7% of the world’s genetic resources. Traditional farming practices involve farmers retaining seeds, from the harvest of one year’s crop, for planting in the following year. This practice saves money on buying seed and in itself represents a continuous selection for yield and resistance to pests and diseases. However, with genetically modified seed, royalties are payable to the companies holding the patent for the seed. Under world trade agreement rulings, farmers have to make substantial royalty payments to multinational companies if they keep seed for replanting, even if the crop happens to be native to their particular country. Genetic engineering is a valuable new technology that can develop more plentiful and nutritious foods, with great potential benefits for humanity and the environment, and this new scientific discovery needs to be implemented as quickly as possible for humanitarian reasons. As with every new scientific technology, harmful side effects of genetic engineering are inevitable and great care should be taken in its implementation, including carefully controlled long-term tests on human health and environmental impacts. All genetically engineered foods have been thoroughly tested and demonstrated to be safe before they are released into the marketplace. However, this testing is typically conducted only on rats and other animals, by the companies involved. Very little of this research has been reviewed by independent scientists and then published in scientific journals. Genetically engineered foods are usually â€Å"substantially equivalent† to other foods, with no increased risk to human health, and no need for the lengthy and expensive human testing demanded of, for example, new food additives. However, the unpredictable disruptions in normal DNA functioning caused by genetic engineering can produce unanticipated and unknown side effects for human health, including unknown and unpredictable toxins and allergens, and these possibilities can only be definitively assessed through human testing. Genetic engineering is a scientific and technological process, and its evaluation and governmental regulation should be based on purely scientific and objective criteria. To have a purely scientific evaluation of genetically engineered foods, we need more science, especially human studies and environmental studies. Moreover, purely scientific assessment of genetic engineering ignores the fact that, for many people, food has cultural, ethical and religious dimensions that must also be considered. Alan McHughen, author of Pandora’s Picnic Basket: The Potential and Hazards of Genetically Modified Foods, in the introduction he states:†Make no mistake: I am in favor of an orderly and appropriately regulated introduction of some GMOs into the environment and marketplace, and I  adamantly oppose others. There are good reasons to ban certain products of genetic technology, and good reasons to allow, with management, certain others; some may require no extraordinary regulation at all. If your opinion differs from mine after reading this book, I hope you will be able to justify, if only to yourself, why we disagree. My philosophy is to be skeptical, be critical, even cynical of claims by business interests, government agencies, and activist groups. But also keep an open mind and then decide for yourself.† (Internet 7)ThereÂ’s no doubt that the GM food supply should be closely monitored and regulated, but that doesnÂ’t mean it should all be banned. I believe that genetic engineering of plants, animals, and humans has much to offer as long as we are aware of potential benefits and side effects. And thatÂ’s true even for more traditional methods of farming, animal husbandry, and medicine. Work Sited: 1.Cummings, Michael R., and Williams S. Klug. Concepts of Genetics. New Delhi: Pearson Education, 2004. 2.Dubey, R.C. A Textbook of Biotechnology. New Delhi: S. Chand, 20063.Kumar, H.D. Modern Concepts of Biotechnology. New Delhi: Vikash Publishing House, 20034.Purohit, S. Agricultural Biotechnology. India: Agrobios, 20055.Purohit, S. Biotechnology: Fundamental and Applications. India: Agrobios, 2004Internet Reference:1.Bragi, David. “Food Savior Or Frankenfood? The Debate Over Genetically Modified Foods”. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/gate/archive/2001/06/25/healthwatch.DTL2.Robbin, Adria. “What Are We Eating?” http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/biology/b103/f00/web1/robbin.html3.Schultz, Norman. http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/fact_finding_limits/4.Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia. http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/genetic_engineering5.Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia. http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/genetically_modified_food6.“Genetic Engineering: The Controversy”. http://www.genetic-id.com/prosncons/index.htm7.http://www.foodmuseum.com/issues.html

Intercultural communicaton analysis Essay

The life of every personality is deeply affected by a myriad of intercultural affiliations that affect a person’s ability to interact with other people and be seen by them from a specific viewpoint. Intercultural communication is likely to be particularly affected by cultural stereotypes. Therefore, each person’s life is shaped to a great degree by cross-cultural perceptions and co-cultural affiliations. In my personal case, I have a variety of cultural affiliations that have a direct influence on my life. In the first place, a lot of facets of my experience depend on my physical characteristics, such as my female gender. Being of that gender, I have a different kind of experience with other people, as it seems easier to bond with girls than with boys on certain subjects, and some aspects of physical work and sports are naturally harder for me because of my weaker constitution. In addition to gender, my life is also impacted by my ethnic origin and religious tradition. Being Turkish and Muslim, I tend to follow the rules and norms prescribed by our faith. Thus, I pray five times a day, observe the Ramadan, and attend meetings in the local mosque. As a result, my lifestyle puts me in contact with a lot of Muslims who constitute my immediate circle of communication. In communication with other cultural and religious groups, I have to recognize that my principles and habits are different from most people. Many of my peers, for instance, find it strange that I do not eat or drink by daylight for the entire month of Ramadan. This makes me pause and explain to them the significance of the fast and what it means to me as a Muslim. Being Muslim does not in itself give an exhaustive description of my cultural identity since I have also been exposed to a number of other cultural influences. I am Turkish, and our culture differs in many ways from that of Arabic countries or that of Iran. In addition, I speak English as a second language and went to a French high school. Thus, for me, as for many of my younger countrymen, European cultural influences proved a great impact. I have been watching European movies and read European books since childhood. Knowing English, I was also exposed to the US cultural influence, watching Hollywood blockbusters and interacting with American peers. Belonging to a certain category, one is always an easy target for stereotypes. Thus, it so happened that I am an only child, so many believe that I am spoiled. In a talk with a classmate at school, I had to give examples of household chores that I do at home to dispel his notion of my being utterly â€Å"spoiled†. He only believed me after I told him how I could cook myself the whole dinner for the family at the age of 10. On the other hand, communicating with older people, I have to correct their understanding of college students as spoiled, rough, and careless. Sometimes, I feel as if these qualities are attributed to me by default simply because young people are portrayed in this way in a variety of movies. I try to combat this stereotype by taking time to talk to them at length about my studies and future career plans. I think it gives them an idea that I am serious about college as a way to a better life, not just a socializing event. In this way, my life has been infused with a variety of cultural influences that made me the person I am. At times, it can be difficult to balance many of them, such commitment to my faith with realities of college life here in the US. However, I do my best to try and find a sound approach that will dispel stereotypes and allow me to retain my unique identity. Reference Neuliep, J. W. (2000). Intercultural Communication: A Contextual Approach. Houghton Mifflin.

German History Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

German History - Coursework Example terature include medieval German literature, baroque, enlightenment, Sturm und Drang, classicism, romanticism, classicism, naturalism, expressionism and Dadaism (Sebstian, n.p). The medieval period was characterized by numerous authors. During the Carolingian periodis when German literature began, first in Latin and then in Old High German. Authors and written works of the high recognized styles included Herzog Ernst, Heinrich von Freiberg, Ulrich von Tà ¼rheim, Rudolf von Ems, Konrad von Wà ¼rzburg, Heinrich Frauenlob and Reinmar der Alte. The Baroque period was one of the richest periods in terms of German literature .Numerous writers wrote of the terrifying experiences of the Thirty Years War. The most famous novel of the Baroque period was Grimmelshausens adventures of the young and naà ¯ve Simplicissimus while Andreas Gryphius and Daniel Caspar von Lohenstein wrote German-language tragedies (Sebstian, n.p). The German enlightenment was marked by a number of literary events. The main authors at the time were Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Immanuel Kant. In 1774 Goethe published â€Å"The Sorrows of Young Werther† and advanced to publish the first piece of Faust in 1808 and second piece in 1832. Kant on the other hand published Critique of Pure Reason in 1781 and Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals in 1785 (Sebstian, n.p). Sturm und Drang was a Germany literary society that came to be during 18th century. The period is most universally known to have lasted from 1767 - 1785. Nathan the Wise was written by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing. Lessing through this play had an opportunity of showing his great critical power. He wrote this religious parable with religious tolerance. The setting is in Jerusalem during the Third Crusade at this time all of Muslim Palestine were opposed by Christian forces from Europe. Saladin, the Muslim, decides to test Nathan ‘the Wise’ by asking which of the three religions â€Å"Christianity, Judaism, or Islam† represent the right

Law of Tort Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Law of Tort - Research Paper Example Torts can be classified into three categories depending on the nature of the defendant’s conduct: intentional torts, strict liability torts and torts of negligence (Edwards, et al., 2009). An intentional tort is a tort that describes a civil wrong resultant from a deliberate act on the part of the defendant. Intentional torts usually involve actions which may also constitute a crime, for example an assault. However, a tort should be distinguished from a crime. Strict liability torts refer to situations where an individual is liable for injury of another no matter the precautions that were taken. This type of torts is found to a lesser degree, more often than not in the context of product liability. Negligence as a tort decides legal responsibility for slapdash action or inaction which causes injury. Thus, the tort of negligence covers a wide span of human activity and it may not necessarily be concerned with the activity itself but also the manner in which the activity is carr ied out. A negligent conduct is that which falls bellow an acceptable standard and it will mount up to a tort if it causes damage to a party. Negligence will be proved where the defendant owed the claimant a duty of care, the defendant breached that duty of care, the breach resulted to harm or damage to the plaintiff and lastly, the type of damage suffered by the plaintiff is closely related to the defendant’s conduct/actions (Stuhmcke, 2001). The objectives of the law of tort are to compensate victims of injury and loss and protect the interests of individuals that are their reputation, property etc. The other objective of the law of tort is to ensure that individuals check their actions and realize that they affect other people. It also provides the means whereby a person who regards himself or herself as above suspicion in a dispute can be judged by being declared in public to be on the right by a court (Postema, 2002). The person who commits a tort is known as a tortfeaso r and the one to who suffers the damage is known as the tortfeasee. The Duty of Care Element For a tort of negligence to occur, the defendant must have been bound to perform some duty, that is, a defendant is only liable in negligence to a person to whom the defendant owes a duty of care and if this element is absent, the action of negligence will fail (Heaven v Pender, 1883). In this case, an owner of a dry dock supplied ropes that were used to support a phase that has been slung over the ship’s side. The stage failed because it had been previously burned and it injured an employee of a different contractor who was working over the ship’s side. The court held that the defendant, who as the ship owner was liable of tort of negligence because he failed to carry out his duty of care by checking the condition of the ropes before using them (Reid & Zimmermann, 2000). Thereza being an employer of the twenty employees, she has a duty to take due care and diligence when deali ng with them. She has a duty to fairly remunerate them as agreed in the employment contract and provide a good working environment for her workers which ensures employee health is maintained. She is also bound to supply the employees with the necessary tools and equipments to enable them carry out their work and maintain their safety. Another duty of Thereza as the ‘

Immigration and how it effects Unions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Immigration and how it effects Unions - Essay Example This is when a division appears on the opinion of the American public over the impact of immigration and how best to manage it. One of the difficult issues tackled in the public debate is the issue of unauthorized migrants. Surveys on public opinion reveal both ambivalence and anxiety with most Americans expressing distress concerning the phenomenon of illegal immigration, which they attribute as a sub-set of immigration in the first place. The attitude most Americans have is that since the immigrants are people, and they are in the country anyhow, it is not a bother to let them stay even though begrudgingly. In recent polls run by organizations from across the economic, social, and political spectrums, the unequivocal illustration is that a large portion of the American populace support immigration reform’s smart solutions as opposed to mass deportation. They support a pathway that will lead to citizenship for the immigrants who truly have become part of the community in America, pay back taxes, learn English. On humanitarian grounds most Americans are against tearing apart of immigrant families, whi ch they feel not threatened by in any way. Immigration is not ranked as among the top priority by Americans as opposed to issues like external aggression threats and the economic well-being of the nation. Having lived with immigrants as neighbors, schoolmates, colleagues, as well as friends, the average American does not have any opposition to the presence of immigrants in the country and does not feel at all threatened by the immigrants. Public opinion is divided on the grounds of education, political ideology, gender, race, as well as age. The current population of unauthorized immigrants is the major issue of concern with most Americans opting for their legalization. Support for this opinion is diminished among older Americans as well as those who lack college

Free Trade Zones in UAE and Economic Development Research Paper

Free Trade Zones in UAE and Economic Development - Research Paper Example These areas are very advantageous to traders and manufacturers in various industries, since there are fewer barriers to trade in these zones than in areas that are not free trade zones. The first Free Trade Zone was established in a small rural town in Ireland to reduce the rate of unemployment in the town, to utilize the airport that was mostly being underutilized in the town, as well as to generate revenue for the Irish government (Brzuzy and Lind, 2007). This was in the early 20th century, and since then due to its colossal success, many more FTZ’s have cropped up throughout the world, mostly in developing countries. One of the main aims of establishing FTZ’s was to create employment opportunities, especially for locals in the area around the FTZ’s and also to generate income for governments. Toward this end, the employment rules governing the FTZ’s are a little different from those governing those companies that do not fall under FTZ. Firstly, corporat ions operating in the FTZ’s usually discourage their employees from joining or forming trade unions. Workers who try to do so are usually threatened with dismissals or closure of the companies, hence loss of livelihoods (Perman et al., 2004). FTZ’s are also usually exempt from most countries’ employment laws, mostly using the laws set out by the International Labor Organization, ILO. Most FTZ’s also emphasize that a majority of the workers in the zones be citizens of the host country. However, exceptions are made if there is not enough local labor to be employed by industries in the zone or if there is a need to import people with certain skills that are required by the companies. Furthermore, most corporations in the FTZ’s employ workers on short contract basis of between one and at most 5 years. However, most countries’ legislations require that these companies provide benefits such as medical schemes to their workers despite their contrac t status. One of the most vibrant FTZ’s in the world is the Dubai Media City free zone. As the name suggests, this FTZ is located in the city of Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East. The zone was established in 2001 and is located a few miles from the Dubai International Airport, which serves as the main infrastructure for the traders that visit the zone (BBC News, 2009). As the name suggests, Dubai Media City is a free zone established wit the media as its main trade. In the zone, there are several media hoses, both local and international which carry on their business. The main media activities in the zone include Music, Public Relations, Broadcasting, Publishing, Advertising, Marketing Consultancy, News Agency, Production and Post-production, Research among other media-related activities. Located in over 30,000 square meters of land, the DMC has enviable infrastructure unrivalled in many areas trying to reach its status. Several advantages have been experi enced by the UAE because of the DMC. The first and most obvious is the increase in revenue from the zone; the DMC contributes a substantial amount to the country’s economy. The DMC has promoted the development of infrastructure in Dubai. There has been an influx of media houses from all over

Viral Marketing of FMCG Using Social Media Essay

Viral Marketing of FMCG Using Social Media - Essay Example Another important area of this study will be primary research. According to me primary research will play an important role in this study. Viral marketing is a new dimension of marketing and there is less number of companies which have actually made use of this marketing tool. Moreover, directly receiving the feedbacks from the companies which employs viral marketing technique to improve business process will help to address the questions in a better way. Hence, I have decided to conduct a primary research with the help of questionnaire and semi structured interview. For this reason I have decided to visit an FMCG company which is already using viral marketing to promote their goods. After a handful of research I found there are very less number of FMCG companies which has already makes use of viral marketing techniques, however companies such as P & g and Unilever uses it to some extent. Hence, for this study I will select Unilever to assess the importance of viral marketing for FMC G business (Lowell, 2012). I have decided to personally visit the company to record the feedbacks of the respondents. In order to reach the respondents I will seek assistance from some qualified person who has prior experience of the FMCG industry. The respondents of my study will be the marketing managers of Unilever. It is believed that the marketing managers will be able to provide information pertaining to the effectiveness of viral marketing for their company. The total sample size for this activity will be 10 and the data collection instrument will be semi structured interview. However, I also believe that viral marketing is a topic which is also related with information technology. Hence, I have decided to approach...After a handful of research I found there are very less number of FMCG companies which has already makes use of viral marketing techniques, however companies such as P & g and Unilever uses it to some extent. Hence, for this study I will select Unilever to assess the importance of viral marketing for FMCG business (Lowell, 2012). I have decided to personally visit the company to record the feedbacks of the respondents. In order to reach the respondents I will seek assistance from some qualified person who has prior experience of the FMCG industry. The respondents of my study will be the marketing managers of Unilever. It is believed that the marketing managers will be able to provide information pertaining to the effectiveness of viral marketing for their company. The total sample size for this activity will be 10 and the data collection instrument will be semi structured interview. However, I also believe that viral marketing is a topic which is also related with information technology. Hence, I have decided to approach the IT team of Unilever, to get further information about the area of concern. The IT department will be mainly approached to know about the technicalities and cost associated with viral marketing. On the basis of the findings a feasibility analysis of viral marketing technique will be carried out. The total sample size will be 10 and the data collection instrument will be questionnaire. Finally, on the basis of the findings I will draw a conclusion by addressing the research question.

Reflection using Gibbs model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Reflection using Gibbs model - Essay Example Moreover, with the assistance of reflection practice, healthcare workers will be facilitated with the opportunity of enhancing care quality and developing professional and the personal traits (DHB, 2013; White & et. al., 2012). The Gibbs model is a recognised as a ‘model of reflection’ used by healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals with the assistance of Gibbs model are able to have a clear and concise understanding about their experiences and practices. The Gibbs model comprises six stages which include description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and action plan. On the basis of Gibbs model, healthcare professionals are able to identify their optimistic and the pessimistic aspects and develop problem-solving capabilities. Additionally, the model will assist in building their confidence and thought process, so that healthcare professionals are able to execute care and treatment activities ethically incorporating the current practices. It is usually a process on the basis of which healthcare professionals are able to ascertain their experiences with the aim of obtaining insights in relation to their practices and current practices (Finlay, 2008). The paper will emphasize on the model of reflection initiated by Graham Gibbs with the intention of assisting healthcare professionals in having better assessment of their activities so that healthcare professionals can enhance their competencies in offering care and treatment in an ethical as well as professional manner. The study will be a reflection of the activities, which have led me to a trouble being a registered nurse. Gibbs Model The reflective cycle of the Gibbs model is an important approach towards reflection. The six stages of the model assist in developing self-refection questions with the objective of identifying the loopholes by assessing personal experiences and practices (Queen Margaret University, 2013). Gibbs Model of Reflection Source: (Queen Margaret University, 2013) Stage 1: Description I was working in a healthcare facility in the community as a registered staff nurse. I work in a competent and effective manner with the objective of providing adequate care and treatment to patients appropriately. Additionally, I used to seek that I am able to offer care on the basis of the needs of the patients. I provide care and treatment in accordance with current practices and standards as recognised by the medical facility and council. I was assigned with the task of visiting a patient for wound dressing. In this context, on visiting the patient, I gave the patient my phone number to contact m e personally in future for any problem in relation to her wound. This incident is considered as an unethical practice in my professional boundary. Moreover, there is another incident where I was on a sick leave but I planned to work for another medical agency during my leave period as I was under financial pressure for my family. This incident was determined as a dishonest practice on the ground of my profession. On the basis of these two incidents ‘Nursing and Midwifery Council’ (NMC) has suspended me and I was offered with training services in relation to professional boundary in nursing. The NMC has developed set of practices and standards on the basis of, which education standards, the register, the code and fitness to practice are to be adhered. These

Cat in the Rain Essay Example for Free

Cat in the Rain Essay Cat in the Rain is a short story about an American couple on vacation to Italy. They are in their first year of marriage. The husband has a dismissive attitude towards the wife and the wife always wants more. In the story the couple has a lot of selfishness going on in their relationship. The husband ignores his wife’s needs and the wife and the wife is not satisfied with her husband. The theme of this story has a lot to do with loneliness in the couples’ relationship. In this story the American couple is trapped in their hotel room with nothing to do because of the raining weather. The husband wants to read and ignore his wife. So the wife is looking out the window and sees a cat crouched from the rain. She wants to go downstairs and get the cat. She tells her husband about it and he shrugs it off. The wife goes down herself and the story talks a lot about how she likes the inn keeper. I find that this part of the story most affected me when the husband ignored his wife’s wants and needs. She really wanted that cat because it was something for her to do and feel good about. Her husband obviously doesn’t satisfy her which makes her feel lonely and the cat would keep her company. The wife in this story wants to feel appreciated and loved like any other woman would. Being married for their first year is beginning to be hard for them. Hemingway tries to tell about a first marriage of a couple he once knew and how hard it is for some to always keep that happiness. Couples always have disagreements but should never feel alone. A husband should not ignore his wife’s needs and in this story that is what he does instead of trying to satisfy his wife. Close to the ending of this story the wife was not able to find the cat. She came back in the hotel room very sad. She tries to tell her husband but he does not listen. She starts complaining about what she wants to change about herself. She wants â€Å"her hair to be long so she can brush it† and she wants a cat. The husband can only say that he likes things the way they are. He tells her to shut up. He does not care what the wife’s needs are or what she wants. He does not want to listen and he just wants to read which is what he wishes she would do. This part of the story really interested me because I could not get as to why the husband doesn’t respond to what she asks for. The wife desperately wants attention and he is not giving it to her. The story of the American couple explains a lot about how the wife tries to get attention from the husband. Hemingway talks about a cat but behind that cat this story means more. The lack of attention her husband gives her may make her feel that she is restricted on expressing herself and keeps most of her feelings inside. The cat stays compact to stay dry outside, which is how the wife feels she has to be with her husband to make him happy. She hides herself constantly from him. In this story it relates to her as American wife and never tells her name. This kind of says that she is nothing but an American wife which is exactly how she feels. Hemingway had a unique way of telling the story but the way he told it had a lot of meaning to it. He showed the couples loneliness in a different way.

Relationship Between Museum and Cultural Identity

Relationship Between Museum and Cultural Identity THE MUSEUM AND THE CITY: AN EMBODIMENT OF CULTURAL IDENTITY OF THE CITY IN WHICH IT STANDS INTRODUCTION As society enters a new century, many cultures have recond to an age of globalisation and, in turn, are embracing the idea of contemporary living. This results in the development of cutting-edge technology, new methods of communication, and the rapid growth of cities, causing indigenous culture of cities to increasingly blend. The desire to embrace this dynamic compels many architects to consider ways of creating architecture truly representative of a wide range of humanity. These new advances create city growth, impacting on urban form and the design process of the public institutions, including museums, which is what this dissertation will primarily explore. The result is to extend the range of materials, forms, cultural references and social thinking available to museum architecture. But does this create an uninspired sameness, where some identities are being ignored and/or distorted? Where the notion of cultures integrating really means the identity struggle between the dominants and the dominated? One could speculate that now, more rapidly than before, the architecture of the museum and the city simultaneously evolve to meet the cultural identity of the people. But are these buildings, in fact representative of the national identity of a city or the individuality of the architect? This dissertation investigates the architects role in designing museums, establishing to what extent the design reflects or stems from the cultural identity of the city. The relationship between the museum and the city in which to belongs is complex. In order to establish an understanding, the study consults a wide range of resources that address issues of cultural identity within a museums national and civic perspective. Additionally, the research made reference to economic and political issues regarding museums, the study of how globalisation is reflected within a cultural and affects architecture, and case studies to support the statement that architects may intend for their museum designs to be representations of a cultural identity within the city. There are now new ways of experiencing, interpreting and remembering. The contemporary architecture of museums are a strong medium of cultural memory, developing from the museums traditional forms as monuments symbolising the power of key individuals within a society, into an expressive entity that creates dialogue between its contents and urban context. The otherwise conventional manner of designing develops into a world of contradictions, assorted rhythms and new ideas of beauty in the design of museums. The physicality of the building represents that of theatrical effects, incorporating contemporary elements of architectural form as a method of entertainment, whilst engaging the interest of the citys individuals and of those from further afield. Millions are drawn to what is no longer a dying institution, but a visual destination for the public, in a form that encompasses the societys identity. One can assume this is influenced by the cultural pluralism within the buildings city c ontext, and considering the many identities as a plural identity. The diverse elements are woven into a sustainable, integrated spatial fabric that contributes to the life of the city. An approach which allows architectural freedom for a building type that has been described by some sources as overlooked by the public. Due to this studys word restriction, it is not possible to evaluate in detail more than four relevant case studies. This limitation resulted in the careful consideration of case studies varying in terms of locality and architect. Furthermore, due to time restrictions, it was not possible to carry out additional primary research which could have entailed supplementary site visits to the investigated case studies and additional data found in initial research methods such as interviews and questionnaires. The dissertations methodology consists of individually exploring and studying four case studies against the dissertations argument, in order to then properly conclude whether it can be proven to be accurate. These case studies pose as cultural barometers, where during investigation they help assess the extent in which they fulfill a citys cultural identity. The examination method entails drawing on a combination of primary research such as site visits to secondary research, drawing on existing written information from books, articles and online sources. The case studies follow a chronological order, beginning with Chapter One: Frank Gehrys Bilbao Guggenheim, a museum which initiated an influence on the case studies that have followed such as Chapter Two: Daniel Libeskinds Jewish War Museum, Chapter 3: Herzog and de Meurons Tate Modern London and Chapter 4: Zaha Hadids Contemporary Arts Centre. To further develop whether an architects design of contemporary museums truly reflect the citys cultural identity, each case study is analysed in th light of the following issues: Globalisation outlines whether certain cultural identities are lost or just changing within the museums civic context, especially as cities more than nations contend to draw global attention through these culturally significant public buildings. The sub-chapter concerning National and Civic Identity explores how culture influences in terms of the architectural context of the museum in a national and civic perspective. This provides a framework for exploring how architects use ideas about culture and cultural contradictions to create the structures and spaces to engage a society. The issue will discover how the design of the museum is a task of seeking an image essentially of ourselves. Style and Identity of the Architect briefly examines how the architects own identity, who themselves are either travelers or immigrants, insiders/outsiders of the city in which they design for, influences the ultimate design of the citys museum along with their own architectural style. Economy and Poli tics is a sub-chapter concerning who pays, owns and benefits from the establishment of these institutions. How cities acquire signature museums in order to stimulate their economic and ultimately cultural development. The museum building boom has been accelerated by what has become known as The Bilbao Guggenheim Effect . The sub-chapter investigates how Frank Gehrys museum has influenced these case studies to replicate their own â€Å"Bilbao Guggenheim Effect† within their cities. By putting up a museum with architectural credentials, Gehry revitalised a civic and cultural image, demonstrating that a single building could energise and enhance an entire city and region. DISCUSSION THE CONTEXT OF THE MUSEUM: INVENTION AND REINVENTION Layer upon layer, past times preserve themselves in the city until life itself finally threatened with suffocation: then, in sheer defense, modern man invents the museum. [Lewis Mumford, The Culture of Cities] These words from Lewis Mumfords The Culture of Cities depicts how the museum was manifested as a commodification of a citys overpowering history (Giebelhausen, 2003 p. 1). The design development of this building type has been changing since the museum was established in the 18th century, beginning as a space for private collections of wealthy individuals, only accessible by the middle and upper class (Giebelhausen, 2003 p. 4). Presently, the museum is a response to contemporary social change, a space that wishes to connect within its urban fabric surroundings and open to all. A museums design acknowledges the way in which it can order, store and display its belongings, the institutions relationship to a city and surrounding cultures lacks investigation, leaving questions about the museums role in an urban context (Giebelhausen, 2003 p. 2). Culture surpasses the ways in which something can be represented and housed, it can be seen as an expression of us. Today, culture is challenged i n a world struggling for established institutions such as schools, libraries etc., which often are said to lack in relation to the people (Zukin, 1995, p. 11). Museums are no longer seen as fixed frameworks, but a place for public interaction and exchange. One could consider that one of the buildings functions is to absorb the cultures within the city, and then reflect and shape this within an architectural form. The museum itself visually exemplifies its roles within a city, for instance unlocking urban memories, reconfiguring the past, aiding in touristic rediscovery and exploitation of a place to the whole urban environment, roles that challenge the museums attempt to reconnect culture and a citys built form (Giebelhausen, 2003 p. 2). There is an ability to recon a city with the use of museums, from â€Å"systematically inserting them, to salvaging or reconstructing them† into the urban fabric (Giebelhausen, 2003 p. 2). Therefore the museums cultural significance surpasses that of any other building types. In The Museum Transformed, by Douglas Davis (1990, p.14) asserts that, â€Å"no building type can match the museum for symbolic or architectural importance† because it is so often redefined due to its stimulation from cultural development. The museum can be considered as an entity that defines, represents and creates cultural trends ahead of its own place in time. As quoted from MacLeod (2005, p.1), â€Å"As museums have come to be consciously recognized as drivers for social and economic regeneration, the architecture of the museum has developed from its traditional forms into often-spectacular one off statements and architectural visions.† Architects persuasively argue for a new type of ex perience, aiming to appeal to a general audience rather than the scholarly advisors soughing to replicate tradition (Giebelhausen, 2003 p. 3). This is an aspiration expressed from an analysis of contemporary society and its future direction, that being cultural diversity, resulting in the commissioning of strongly conceptualised museums to devote to multiplicity. As Relph (1976, p. 33) claims, †¦for each setting and for each person there are a multiplicity of place identities reflecting different experiences and attitudes; these are molded out of the common elements of appearance†¦through the changing interactions of direct observation with preconceptions. In the past however, the significance of museums were solely to serve a refined function, transcending the thinking of the scholars and academics, along with manifesting the power of a city (Giebelhausen, 2003 p. 4). Relph (1976, p. 35) provides evidence to this claim in mentioning, Public places which achieve their publicity through high imageability are not necessary innocent- their distinctive appearance or form maybe capitalised upon or even created as a statement of grandeur and authority to be regarded in awe by common people. The museum was considered a monument, take examples such as The Louvre in Paris, or the Uffizi in Florence, they are models of the grandeur museums encompassed (Merkel, 2002, p. 66), significant in urban context, deliberately chosen to emphasise a citys status, and drawing attention within a public space. Traditionally understood as temples of knowledge, the architecture itself could be said to represent the value of knowledge. This belief was prominent in the early period of museum founding where the scale of buildings also symbolised power, so much so that the museum evoked the metaphor of a cathedral. Historian Jayne Merkel (2002, p. 66) writes, Not surprisingly, palace architecture-grand, classical, urban, and horizontal-was a principal influence when the first museums were designed. But like most public buildings at the time, they were built in the classical style for other reasons as well, including classicisms associations with government, law (Roman basilicas), with the sacred (Greek temples and Italian Renaissance churches) and with the culture and art of the past. Today, the museum could be considered as a building type that satisfies a citys need for symbolic signification, and an indicator of metropolitan aspirations such as world-wide recognition. A desire to entertain and educate society, along with a â€Å"sensitivity that refuses to bore, alienate or pander to the public† (Zieger, 2005, p. 17). If this is the case, then the status of a great city can entail in encompassing several of these institutions, thus the spread of museums witnessed during the nineteenth and twentieth century indicating the start of city rivalry. At the start of the twenty-first century, the museum as architecture has been reinstated as an evocative entity, as opposed to decades devoted to neutral, voided spaces lacking symbolic significance and strict functionality termed as â€Å"white box† (Lampugnani Sachs, 1999, p. 15). Museums began to create dialogue with their content and urban context. They can be seen as similar in some ways to churches, to shopping centres and other places of gathering, but they have a function different from these examples, they contain things of enquiry. The museum has made a considerable contribution to a city, adding historic and cultural significance along with contributing to a citys metropolitan status, presumably due to the transformative possibilities of museums (Giebelhausen, 2003 p. 9). The city and its museum are in conjunction to one another, one could believe the museum is a citys method of revealing cultural meaning through its architectural forms. This belief is an advanceme nt from the words of the theorist Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, ridiculing museums as cemeteries, stating that they were â€Å"truly identical in their sinister juxtaposition of bodies that do not know each other,† along with a judgement that cultural institutions were dilapidating. (see Zieger, 2005, p. 7) A society today uses the museum to represent a new dynamic form of culture, reflected through an innovative physical form that is often considered a visual spectacle of the city, that one could believe draws visitors to it in theatre like fashion. Consequently it can be theorised that they are quickly becoming radical buildings constructed in a world driven by the need to address new concepts of diversity and equality (Zukin, 1995 p. 2). Rather than just â€Å"cultural cemeteries piling up gilt frame paintings† (Zeiger, 2005, p.11), they are spaces of social condensing- a space attempting to build a community rather than filling a city with volumes of emptiness. As Dan iel Libeskind was quoted in saying â€Å"†¦its not just some sort of container, some abstract piece if glass and concrete, it is part of a communicative system.† The design challenge in the multicultural growth of cities is to find an architectural expression that goes beyond the conventional, while something relevant to contemporary life. Contemporary museum design can be deemed as a physical entity of cultural trends developing within the city (Zukin, 1995 p. 2), either recognising which cultures are integrating or if the city epitomises a specific one. No matter what conclusions are drawn out from a citys cultural make-up museums are a place where people go to mix with others unlike themselves, by having a broad appeal they must aim to please a vast variety of people. Libeskind confirms this in his words, †¦(museum) architecture is what is common between people, and what a contribution it makes to the viability of a city, and to civic space. †¦we might as well make in inspiring environment, an environment that is more than just a shallow faà §ade of something inauthentic. (Cathcart, 2001) To avoid the idea of an undistinguished environment is by physically fitting in the cultural identity related to the city. The museum in a physical setting is a structural body of city understanding and city change. There can be no denying the importance of its architecture in the urban environment in terms of regeneration, tourism, symbolism and so on (Zukin, 1995, p.2). Society as a whole has been persuaded that museums are agents of social economic change. There has been an unprecedented period of radical reshaping, building, rebuilding in the design of these institutions that cannot be disassociated from the drive for cultural inclusiveness and diversity. A building with space that can be considered with endless possibilities for use when â€Å"escaping the straitjacket of conforming to a giving role and move into a sharing mode† (MacLeod, 2005, p.25). In other words, a diverse audience needs a diversity of spaces that reflect, provoke and thrill. CHAPTER ONE : FRANK GEHRYS BILBAO GUGGENHEIM CHAPTER TWO: DANIEL LIBESKINDS JEWISH WAR MUSEUM CHAPTER 3: HERZOG AND DE MEURONS TATE MODERN LONDON CHAPTER 4: ZAHA HADIDS CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTRE CHAPTER ONE : FRANK GEHRYS BILBAO GUGGENHEIM Frank Gehrys Guggenheim museum is acknowledged worldwide as a magnet for tourism, but can it be truly considered an expression of the Basque peoples cultural identity? Or is it just an architects expressionist gesture in an industrial city? The New York Times depicts The Bilbao Guggenheim as part of an ambitious plan to revise the city as an international centre of culture. The museum is not just a neutral container where art is stored and presented, but a place where the institution itself is in relation with the public. GLOBALISATION It could be said that globalisation creates struggle between the dominant and the dominated cultures within a society and the search for a reconstructed identity of a society. (AlSayyad, 2009, p. 22) Within the Spanish Basque region, it is evident that their identity has been burdened with tension in their attempt to stress their own regional identities and singularities from the rest of Spain (Guasch and Zulaika, 2005, p. 74). However one can argue that in this case globalisation has become a force in strengthening and proliferating a cultural identity, allowing the idea of identity to change into a more universal commodity represented by the museum itself. But how do issues of globalisation affect the architecture itself, especially in terms of the Bilbao Guggenheim? The new advances of technology, communication and construction methods create interventions for local cultures and establish the identities of a place. Gehrys use of cutting-edge computer design technology enabled him to translate his forms into reality (Chulvi, 2007) (see 1.1). Architectural statements such as the Guggenheim Bilbao are often questioned at times in whether or not they have relation to the place and identity. There could be two sides to this argument, one side could be seeking to safeguard and extend already established indigenous architectural traditions, promoting historical continuity and the preservation of identity through traditional decorative forms. The other side which is in more relation to the Guggenheim Bilbao, considers globalisation as a force that seeks to encourage invention and distribution of new forms using new materials and technology in response to changing needs to have relation to the place and identity. Gehry has been quotes in saying, â€Å"Democracy is good for architecture. Pluralistic ideas are what we want presented in architecture, the lead to a visual chaos is part of our lives† (Guasch and Zulaika, 2005, p. 58). There is an opportunity for growth in unique architectural forms in all of its diversity and 2903687145_5cb25af9b6 inclusivity. NATIONAL AND CIVIC IDENTITY The Basque people have been able to preserve their distinct culture and language while flourishing in an environment of globalisation, post-modernity, and European integration (Castillo, 2008). Currently, integrating the two social collectives of nationalists and non-nationalists within the region is growing (Castillo, 2008). However how does a group of people who have never had a country to call their own continue to hold on to their own cultural identity? The Bilbao Guggenheim is a phenomenon of cultural development employing â€Å"the three successive phases posited by the theory of cultural epochs- a period of chaos, a period of adjustment, and a period of equilibrium in cultural change† (Guasch and Zulaika, 2005, p. 74). All around the world culture operates as an engine for new regional and urban development, one could say that no strategic growth of a city would take place without the role of culture (Zukin, 1995, p.11). In the case of the Basque region, it was sufferin g deterioration caught up in a decline in inspiration along with cultural institutions progressively being abandoned. Simultaneously, the Guggenheim Foundation was in need of a new concept of the museum, capable to withstand the achievement of Guggenheim in New York, yet gaining its own recognition abroad. Co-operation between two considerably different cultures occurred in recovering the identity of a small society (Guasch and Zulaika, 2005, p. 77). As Frank Gehry himself explains , the museum embodies two different cultures, the Basque culture and American, which is considered as a melting pot used to extend its arms to everybody (Farnsworth, 1997). The Bilbao Guggenheim is proof of culture being a key strategy in not only providing a physical renewal but a new injection of self-esteem within a city and an entire region. (see 1.2) Culture in the case of the development of this building, can be seen as something essential to humankind and above all to a society in regaining values and providing a sense of identity. Rather than ignoring the cultural context of the city entirely, the fabric is restored, connecting any form of cultural isolation with the new building. The curving forms of the building glide over the River Nervion, a main bridged entry to the Spanish city, shattering strict perpendicularity and ridged geometry regularly associated with museum architecture, providing a new model of collective identification (Guasch and Zulaika, 2005,p. 42). The rejection of these norms is emphasised by the titanium cladding, making the building appear as a single entity that intertwines the city around it. Like the Basque region the building is a place of â€Å"contested borders† (Guasch and Zulaika, 2005,p. 42). (see 1.3) Whether Gehrys building actually erases the citys cultural heritage is debatable. Bilbao is famous for its maritime history, after Barcelona, it has Spains largest port. The Bilbao Guggenheim pays tribute to its own surroundings as it edges onto the riverfront. Its exterior sculpted out of steel, which is traditionally the main industry of the city (Guasch and Zulaika, 2005, p. 154). The museums relationship with the city is conceived as the outcome of a perceived social need, as society changes and new social needs arise, new building forms will be produced in order to fulfill that need. The Bilbao Guggenhem facilitates a complete urban facelift, a driver for the citys urban regeneration, communicating not only its importance to the city as a powerful foci, but the citys mark in the cultural world. As a result, after Bilbao every city aspires to its own Guggenheim effect the â€Å"build it and they will come† (Barreneche, 2005, p.6) belief is what cities have taken on for their museums after untitled STYLE AND IDENTITY OF ARCHITECT Frank Gehry is widely recognised as a North American architect whose combination of steel, high-tech and flowing designs have broken the rigid hold of rectilinear design that has dominated most of Modern architecture (Zieger, 2005, p. 8). However the question remains: is it a good idea for the city to have an international museum built by a foreign architect? Gehry was quoted as spending a lot of time trying to understand the culture and trying to understand the Basque people. He explains, I related to them because I was raised in a Jewish upbringing in Toronto, Canada, so I was an outsider into the culture when I was a kid. And I understandI empathized with this outsider role, andbut I cant put my finger on a piece of the building and say this is Basque, but they seem to think I captured their spirit. I tried to use the materials of the region to build the building. The stone in Spanish. The steel structure is Spanish. All the work people were Basque. (Farnsworth, 1997) One can assume to Gehry a rich piece of architecture would combine elements in a way that preserve the coherence of their origins. At its best, the process of gathering cultural elements and marrying them to the sensitivities of a gifted architect can result in a powerful work of architecture such as the Bilbao Guggenheim. According to the Bilbao Revitalization Plan, the natural slope running down to the riverfront was to be transformed into a green valley, but Gehry did not want to lose the industrial feel of the existing waterfront. (see 1.4 1.5) People say that the design of the museums architecture was inspired during Gehry climb up the Mundana, one of the highest mountains in the outskirts of Bilbao. â€Å"Seen from the river, the building appears to take the shape of a boat paying homage to the port city that has given its home. The museums bright, shining panels resemble fish scales, reflecting the influence of natural forms and shapes.† (Chulvi, 2007) One could argue that the architects use of abstract, free-form components from local materials are reminiscent of Modernist Spanish sculptures, a cultural aspect valued by the Basque, or how the architects design of the enormous boat-shaped gallery is a dedication toward Bilbaos past as a centre of shipbuilding and trade (Guasch and Zulaika, 2005, p. 154). Many would argue that Gehrys design for the Bilbao Guggenheim truly reflects the identity of the Basque people even though the architect himself has no relation to region. However, there is a degree of sensitivity to the regions character that can be witnessed through the architecture. The city of Bilbao places an emphasis on the institution Gehry has designed, as having an important role in defining public culture. This has been achieved through the architects process of negotiating what architectural expressions could be accepted by the people. ECONOMY AND POLITICS Gehrys museum was hailed an as instant landmark, bringing a sense of relevance to architecture in the transformation of cities. (Guasch and Zulaika, 2005, p. 7) The Basque region was in need of local development due to its rustic city appearance and distinct regional identity compared to the rest of Spain. Primarily, the Basque region was in need of distancing itself from the negativity that it was associated with, such as being recognised as a terrorist region. Bilbao, the largest city in the Basque country, is a stronghold for the separatist group ETA (Basque Fatherland and Liberty), which seeks independence from Spain through often violent behavior (Farnsworth, 1997). For the Guggenheim Foundation this was an opportunity to fund a centerpiece of huge urban renewal for Bilbao. Previous museum concepts were of a private space for seekers of wisdom, philosophers and historians. Currently the museums directors are in favor of new futuristic architectural visions that were unimaginable years before, representing a museums city and forming the basis of urban regeneration such as Bilbao Guggenheim. The titanium shapes flourish through Bilbaos dark cornices and nearby smokestacks, as Andrew Friedman (see Zieger, 2005, p. 9) explains, †¦the nearby smokestacks and cranes; they seem†¦to be Gehrys whimsical idea of visually rendering the tumultuous and violent process by which a once-working industrial waterfront is brought to heel-an actual enactment of the grim process that the Guggenheim makes a point of capitalising on. The capitlisation Friedman mentions is the transformation of Bilbao from living city to an architectural destination. In other words the city acquires a signature building in order to stimulate a citys makeover (Zeiger, 2005, p.9). The design of the museum is recognised as a drive for social and economic regeneration, from traditional forms, to, in this case, a spectacular one off statement that challenges architectural preconceptions and creates a visual feast while maintaining the integrity of the site. Why have contemporary museums become a favorite tool of urban regeneration and redevelopment schemes since the Bilbao Guggenheim? Referred to as the â€Å"miracle,† (Guasch and Zulaika, 2005, p. 7) Frank Gehrys Bilbao Guggenheim changed the face of the Bilbao city, and set up to give a new purpose to an abandoned industrial estate. â€Å"Since the Guggenheim was built, Bilbao has never been the same again the museum has helped create pedestrianised areas that run from the t own hall to the port on the shores of the river.† (Chulvi, 2007) The answer is that museums allow an opportunity for growth in unique architectural forms in all of its diversity and inclusivity. CHAPTER ONE : FRANK GEHRYS BILBAO GUGGENHEIM CHAPTER TWO: DANIEL LIBESKINDS JEWISH WAR MUSEUM CHAPTER 3: HERZOG AND DE MEURONS TATE MODERN CHAPTER 4: ZAHA HADIDS CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTRE CHAPTER TWO: DANIEL LIBESKINDS JEWISH WAR MUSEUM The Jewish War Museums design is so powerful that it can be considered as an artifact in its own right. Even as it was unveiled in 1999 with nothing in it, the building was said to evoke a sense of loss and dislocation inflicted on Europes Jewish population the Holocaust in World War II (Barreneche, 2006, p.121). Through the buildings brief and urban site, Libeskinds Jewish Museum echoes the history of Berlin creating an emotional effect on the visitor. GLOBALISATION Cultural identity is something people have, and a form of traditional inheritance that is shared, something that needs to be protected and preserved. In contemporary society, globalisation has been portrayed sweeping through diverse cultures, and bringing a homogenized cultural experience (Tomlinson, 2003, p. 270). However, one can argue that globalisation, instead of destroying, has become a force in creating and developing cultural identity, allowing the idea of identity to change into a more collective entity. In terms of how this relates to the Jewish Museum, the building is not just seen as a response to some traditions, it is also open to new ones, a link to the past and the future (see 2.1). The mission of the Jewish Museum, and for all new museums, is not just for the city themselves but for the wider public, in which it becomes a communal existence. Around the globe, in every corner, new museums have appeared, coming in every shape and size, appealing to various preferences (Barreneche, 2005, p. 6). As Victoria Newhouse notes (see Barreneche, 2005, p.6), â€Å"One intriguing aspect of the current proliferation of museums is the ‘museumfication of seemingly every phenomenon†. The Jewish Museum is an example of this, and one could assume that through the guidance of globalisation, there are Jewish Museums in cities from New York to Sydney stemming from Libeskinds prominent Berlin museum. (Barreneche, 2005, p. 6). NATIONAL AND CIVIC IDENTITY Culture is cumulative and changing by additions of successive generations, reinterpreted from one individual or group to another. The designed environments of contemporary museums create a setting and representation of particular cultural identities. Daniel Libeskinds Jewish War Museum in Berlin encompasses these attributes, it is a building that engrains Jewish history. The design is based on a process of connecting lines between the locations of historic events and the locations of Jewish culture in Berlin. This is evident from the buildings plan with the zigzag footprint, symbolically derived from a fragmented Star of David (Barreneche, 2006, p.121). (see 2.2) The architect has created metaphors for the absence of Jewish communities in Berlin where the lines slices the plan (Barreneche, 2005, p. 121). The concepts of absence, emptiness and the invisible express the disappearance of Jewish culture in the city. Libeskind proves there is a powerful faith in the ability of people to l earn Relationship Between Museum and Cultural Identity Relationship Between Museum and Cultural Identity THE MUSEUM AND THE CITY: AN EMBODIMENT OF CULTURAL IDENTITY OF THE CITY IN WHICH IT STANDS INTRODUCTION As society enters a new century, many cultures have recond to an age of globalisation and, in turn, are embracing the idea of contemporary living. This results in the development of cutting-edge technology, new methods of communication, and the rapid growth of cities, causing indigenous culture of cities to increasingly blend. The desire to embrace this dynamic compels many architects to consider ways of creating architecture truly representative of a wide range of humanity. These new advances create city growth, impacting on urban form and the design process of the public institutions, including museums, which is what this dissertation will primarily explore. The result is to extend the range of materials, forms, cultural references and social thinking available to museum architecture. But does this create an uninspired sameness, where some identities are being ignored and/or distorted? Where the notion of cultures integrating really means the identity struggle between the dominants and the dominated? One could speculate that now, more rapidly than before, the architecture of the museum and the city simultaneously evolve to meet the cultural identity of the people. But are these buildings, in fact representative of the national identity of a city or the individuality of the architect? This dissertation investigates the architects role in designing museums, establishing to what extent the design reflects or stems from the cultural identity of the city. The relationship between the museum and the city in which to belongs is complex. In order to establish an understanding, the study consults a wide range of resources that address issues of cultural identity within a museums national and civic perspective. Additionally, the research made reference to economic and political issues regarding museums, the study of how globalisation is reflected within a cultural and affects architecture, and case studies to support the statement that architects may intend for their museum designs to be representations of a cultural identity within the city. There are now new ways of experiencing, interpreting and remembering. The contemporary architecture of museums are a strong medium of cultural memory, developing from the museums traditional forms as monuments symbolising the power of key individuals within a society, into an expressive entity that creates dialogue between its contents and urban context. The otherwise conventional manner of designing develops into a world of contradictions, assorted rhythms and new ideas of beauty in the design of museums. The physicality of the building represents that of theatrical effects, incorporating contemporary elements of architectural form as a method of entertainment, whilst engaging the interest of the citys individuals and of those from further afield. Millions are drawn to what is no longer a dying institution, but a visual destination for the public, in a form that encompasses the societys identity. One can assume this is influenced by the cultural pluralism within the buildings city c ontext, and considering the many identities as a plural identity. The diverse elements are woven into a sustainable, integrated spatial fabric that contributes to the life of the city. An approach which allows architectural freedom for a building type that has been described by some sources as overlooked by the public. Due to this studys word restriction, it is not possible to evaluate in detail more than four relevant case studies. This limitation resulted in the careful consideration of case studies varying in terms of locality and architect. Furthermore, due to time restrictions, it was not possible to carry out additional primary research which could have entailed supplementary site visits to the investigated case studies and additional data found in initial research methods such as interviews and questionnaires. The dissertations methodology consists of individually exploring and studying four case studies against the dissertations argument, in order to then properly conclude whether it can be proven to be accurate. These case studies pose as cultural barometers, where during investigation they help assess the extent in which they fulfill a citys cultural identity. The examination method entails drawing on a combination of primary research such as site visits to secondary research, drawing on existing written information from books, articles and online sources. The case studies follow a chronological order, beginning with Chapter One: Frank Gehrys Bilbao Guggenheim, a museum which initiated an influence on the case studies that have followed such as Chapter Two: Daniel Libeskinds Jewish War Museum, Chapter 3: Herzog and de Meurons Tate Modern London and Chapter 4: Zaha Hadids Contemporary Arts Centre. To further develop whether an architects design of contemporary museums truly reflect the citys cultural identity, each case study is analysed in th light of the following issues: Globalisation outlines whether certain cultural identities are lost or just changing within the museums civic context, especially as cities more than nations contend to draw global attention through these culturally significant public buildings. The sub-chapter concerning National and Civic Identity explores how culture influences in terms of the architectural context of the museum in a national and civic perspective. This provides a framework for exploring how architects use ideas about culture and cultural contradictions to create the structures and spaces to engage a society. The issue will discover how the design of the museum is a task of seeking an image essentially of ourselves. Style and Identity of the Architect briefly examines how the architects own identity, who themselves are either travelers or immigrants, insiders/outsiders of the city in which they design for, influences the ultimate design of the citys museum along with their own architectural style. Economy and Poli tics is a sub-chapter concerning who pays, owns and benefits from the establishment of these institutions. How cities acquire signature museums in order to stimulate their economic and ultimately cultural development. The museum building boom has been accelerated by what has become known as The Bilbao Guggenheim Effect . The sub-chapter investigates how Frank Gehrys museum has influenced these case studies to replicate their own â€Å"Bilbao Guggenheim Effect† within their cities. By putting up a museum with architectural credentials, Gehry revitalised a civic and cultural image, demonstrating that a single building could energise and enhance an entire city and region. DISCUSSION THE CONTEXT OF THE MUSEUM: INVENTION AND REINVENTION Layer upon layer, past times preserve themselves in the city until life itself finally threatened with suffocation: then, in sheer defense, modern man invents the museum. [Lewis Mumford, The Culture of Cities] These words from Lewis Mumfords The Culture of Cities depicts how the museum was manifested as a commodification of a citys overpowering history (Giebelhausen, 2003 p. 1). The design development of this building type has been changing since the museum was established in the 18th century, beginning as a space for private collections of wealthy individuals, only accessible by the middle and upper class (Giebelhausen, 2003 p. 4). Presently, the museum is a response to contemporary social change, a space that wishes to connect within its urban fabric surroundings and open to all. A museums design acknowledges the way in which it can order, store and display its belongings, the institutions relationship to a city and surrounding cultures lacks investigation, leaving questions about the museums role in an urban context (Giebelhausen, 2003 p. 2). Culture surpasses the ways in which something can be represented and housed, it can be seen as an expression of us. Today, culture is challenged i n a world struggling for established institutions such as schools, libraries etc., which often are said to lack in relation to the people (Zukin, 1995, p. 11). Museums are no longer seen as fixed frameworks, but a place for public interaction and exchange. One could consider that one of the buildings functions is to absorb the cultures within the city, and then reflect and shape this within an architectural form. The museum itself visually exemplifies its roles within a city, for instance unlocking urban memories, reconfiguring the past, aiding in touristic rediscovery and exploitation of a place to the whole urban environment, roles that challenge the museums attempt to reconnect culture and a citys built form (Giebelhausen, 2003 p. 2). There is an ability to recon a city with the use of museums, from â€Å"systematically inserting them, to salvaging or reconstructing them† into the urban fabric (Giebelhausen, 2003 p. 2). Therefore the museums cultural significance surpasses that of any other building types. In The Museum Transformed, by Douglas Davis (1990, p.14) asserts that, â€Å"no building type can match the museum for symbolic or architectural importance† because it is so often redefined due to its stimulation from cultural development. The museum can be considered as an entity that defines, represents and creates cultural trends ahead of its own place in time. As quoted from MacLeod (2005, p.1), â€Å"As museums have come to be consciously recognized as drivers for social and economic regeneration, the architecture of the museum has developed from its traditional forms into often-spectacular one off statements and architectural visions.† Architects persuasively argue for a new type of ex perience, aiming to appeal to a general audience rather than the scholarly advisors soughing to replicate tradition (Giebelhausen, 2003 p. 3). This is an aspiration expressed from an analysis of contemporary society and its future direction, that being cultural diversity, resulting in the commissioning of strongly conceptualised museums to devote to multiplicity. As Relph (1976, p. 33) claims, †¦for each setting and for each person there are a multiplicity of place identities reflecting different experiences and attitudes; these are molded out of the common elements of appearance†¦through the changing interactions of direct observation with preconceptions. In the past however, the significance of museums were solely to serve a refined function, transcending the thinking of the scholars and academics, along with manifesting the power of a city (Giebelhausen, 2003 p. 4). Relph (1976, p. 35) provides evidence to this claim in mentioning, Public places which achieve their publicity through high imageability are not necessary innocent- their distinctive appearance or form maybe capitalised upon or even created as a statement of grandeur and authority to be regarded in awe by common people. The museum was considered a monument, take examples such as The Louvre in Paris, or the Uffizi in Florence, they are models of the grandeur museums encompassed (Merkel, 2002, p. 66), significant in urban context, deliberately chosen to emphasise a citys status, and drawing attention within a public space. Traditionally understood as temples of knowledge, the architecture itself could be said to represent the value of knowledge. This belief was prominent in the early period of museum founding where the scale of buildings also symbolised power, so much so that the museum evoked the metaphor of a cathedral. Historian Jayne Merkel (2002, p. 66) writes, Not surprisingly, palace architecture-grand, classical, urban, and horizontal-was a principal influence when the first museums were designed. But like most public buildings at the time, they were built in the classical style for other reasons as well, including classicisms associations with government, law (Roman basilicas), with the sacred (Greek temples and Italian Renaissance churches) and with the culture and art of the past. Today, the museum could be considered as a building type that satisfies a citys need for symbolic signification, and an indicator of metropolitan aspirations such as world-wide recognition. A desire to entertain and educate society, along with a â€Å"sensitivity that refuses to bore, alienate or pander to the public† (Zieger, 2005, p. 17). If this is the case, then the status of a great city can entail in encompassing several of these institutions, thus the spread of museums witnessed during the nineteenth and twentieth century indicating the start of city rivalry. At the start of the twenty-first century, the museum as architecture has been reinstated as an evocative entity, as opposed to decades devoted to neutral, voided spaces lacking symbolic significance and strict functionality termed as â€Å"white box† (Lampugnani Sachs, 1999, p. 15). Museums began to create dialogue with their content and urban context. They can be seen as similar in some ways to churches, to shopping centres and other places of gathering, but they have a function different from these examples, they contain things of enquiry. The museum has made a considerable contribution to a city, adding historic and cultural significance along with contributing to a citys metropolitan status, presumably due to the transformative possibilities of museums (Giebelhausen, 2003 p. 9). The city and its museum are in conjunction to one another, one could believe the museum is a citys method of revealing cultural meaning through its architectural forms. This belief is an advanceme nt from the words of the theorist Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, ridiculing museums as cemeteries, stating that they were â€Å"truly identical in their sinister juxtaposition of bodies that do not know each other,† along with a judgement that cultural institutions were dilapidating. (see Zieger, 2005, p. 7) A society today uses the museum to represent a new dynamic form of culture, reflected through an innovative physical form that is often considered a visual spectacle of the city, that one could believe draws visitors to it in theatre like fashion. Consequently it can be theorised that they are quickly becoming radical buildings constructed in a world driven by the need to address new concepts of diversity and equality (Zukin, 1995 p. 2). Rather than just â€Å"cultural cemeteries piling up gilt frame paintings† (Zeiger, 2005, p.11), they are spaces of social condensing- a space attempting to build a community rather than filling a city with volumes of emptiness. As Dan iel Libeskind was quoted in saying â€Å"†¦its not just some sort of container, some abstract piece if glass and concrete, it is part of a communicative system.† The design challenge in the multicultural growth of cities is to find an architectural expression that goes beyond the conventional, while something relevant to contemporary life. Contemporary museum design can be deemed as a physical entity of cultural trends developing within the city (Zukin, 1995 p. 2), either recognising which cultures are integrating or if the city epitomises a specific one. No matter what conclusions are drawn out from a citys cultural make-up museums are a place where people go to mix with others unlike themselves, by having a broad appeal they must aim to please a vast variety of people. Libeskind confirms this in his words, †¦(museum) architecture is what is common between people, and what a contribution it makes to the viability of a city, and to civic space. †¦we might as well make in inspiring environment, an environment that is more than just a shallow faà §ade of something inauthentic. (Cathcart, 2001) To avoid the idea of an undistinguished environment is by physically fitting in the cultural identity related to the city. The museum in a physical setting is a structural body of city understanding and city change. There can be no denying the importance of its architecture in the urban environment in terms of regeneration, tourism, symbolism and so on (Zukin, 1995, p.2). Society as a whole has been persuaded that museums are agents of social economic change. There has been an unprecedented period of radical reshaping, building, rebuilding in the design of these institutions that cannot be disassociated from the drive for cultural inclusiveness and diversity. A building with space that can be considered with endless possibilities for use when â€Å"escaping the straitjacket of conforming to a giving role and move into a sharing mode† (MacLeod, 2005, p.25). In other words, a diverse audience needs a diversity of spaces that reflect, provoke and thrill. CHAPTER ONE : FRANK GEHRYS BILBAO GUGGENHEIM CHAPTER TWO: DANIEL LIBESKINDS JEWISH WAR MUSEUM CHAPTER 3: HERZOG AND DE MEURONS TATE MODERN LONDON CHAPTER 4: ZAHA HADIDS CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTRE CHAPTER ONE : FRANK GEHRYS BILBAO GUGGENHEIM Frank Gehrys Guggenheim museum is acknowledged worldwide as a magnet for tourism, but can it be truly considered an expression of the Basque peoples cultural identity? Or is it just an architects expressionist gesture in an industrial city? The New York Times depicts The Bilbao Guggenheim as part of an ambitious plan to revise the city as an international centre of culture. The museum is not just a neutral container where art is stored and presented, but a place where the institution itself is in relation with the public. GLOBALISATION It could be said that globalisation creates struggle between the dominant and the dominated cultures within a society and the search for a reconstructed identity of a society. (AlSayyad, 2009, p. 22) Within the Spanish Basque region, it is evident that their identity has been burdened with tension in their attempt to stress their own regional identities and singularities from the rest of Spain (Guasch and Zulaika, 2005, p. 74). However one can argue that in this case globalisation has become a force in strengthening and proliferating a cultural identity, allowing the idea of identity to change into a more universal commodity represented by the museum itself. But how do issues of globalisation affect the architecture itself, especially in terms of the Bilbao Guggenheim? The new advances of technology, communication and construction methods create interventions for local cultures and establish the identities of a place. Gehrys use of cutting-edge computer design technology enabled him to translate his forms into reality (Chulvi, 2007) (see 1.1). Architectural statements such as the Guggenheim Bilbao are often questioned at times in whether or not they have relation to the place and identity. There could be two sides to this argument, one side could be seeking to safeguard and extend already established indigenous architectural traditions, promoting historical continuity and the preservation of identity through traditional decorative forms. The other side which is in more relation to the Guggenheim Bilbao, considers globalisation as a force that seeks to encourage invention and distribution of new forms using new materials and technology in response to changing needs to have relation to the place and identity. Gehry has been quotes in saying, â€Å"Democracy is good for architecture. Pluralistic ideas are what we want presented in architecture, the lead to a visual chaos is part of our lives† (Guasch and Zulaika, 2005, p. 58). There is an opportunity for growth in unique architectural forms in all of its diversity and 2903687145_5cb25af9b6 inclusivity. NATIONAL AND CIVIC IDENTITY The Basque people have been able to preserve their distinct culture and language while flourishing in an environment of globalisation, post-modernity, and European integration (Castillo, 2008). Currently, integrating the two social collectives of nationalists and non-nationalists within the region is growing (Castillo, 2008). However how does a group of people who have never had a country to call their own continue to hold on to their own cultural identity? The Bilbao Guggenheim is a phenomenon of cultural development employing â€Å"the three successive phases posited by the theory of cultural epochs- a period of chaos, a period of adjustment, and a period of equilibrium in cultural change† (Guasch and Zulaika, 2005, p. 74). All around the world culture operates as an engine for new regional and urban development, one could say that no strategic growth of a city would take place without the role of culture (Zukin, 1995, p.11). In the case of the Basque region, it was sufferin g deterioration caught up in a decline in inspiration along with cultural institutions progressively being abandoned. Simultaneously, the Guggenheim Foundation was in need of a new concept of the museum, capable to withstand the achievement of Guggenheim in New York, yet gaining its own recognition abroad. Co-operation between two considerably different cultures occurred in recovering the identity of a small society (Guasch and Zulaika, 2005, p. 77). As Frank Gehry himself explains , the museum embodies two different cultures, the Basque culture and American, which is considered as a melting pot used to extend its arms to everybody (Farnsworth, 1997). The Bilbao Guggenheim is proof of culture being a key strategy in not only providing a physical renewal but a new injection of self-esteem within a city and an entire region. (see 1.2) Culture in the case of the development of this building, can be seen as something essential to humankind and above all to a society in regaining values and providing a sense of identity. Rather than ignoring the cultural context of the city entirely, the fabric is restored, connecting any form of cultural isolation with the new building. The curving forms of the building glide over the River Nervion, a main bridged entry to the Spanish city, shattering strict perpendicularity and ridged geometry regularly associated with museum architecture, providing a new model of collective identification (Guasch and Zulaika, 2005,p. 42). The rejection of these norms is emphasised by the titanium cladding, making the building appear as a single entity that intertwines the city around it. Like the Basque region the building is a place of â€Å"contested borders† (Guasch and Zulaika, 2005,p. 42). (see 1.3) Whether Gehrys building actually erases the citys cultural heritage is debatable. Bilbao is famous for its maritime history, after Barcelona, it has Spains largest port. The Bilbao Guggenheim pays tribute to its own surroundings as it edges onto the riverfront. Its exterior sculpted out of steel, which is traditionally the main industry of the city (Guasch and Zulaika, 2005, p. 154). The museums relationship with the city is conceived as the outcome of a perceived social need, as society changes and new social needs arise, new building forms will be produced in order to fulfill that need. The Bilbao Guggenhem facilitates a complete urban facelift, a driver for the citys urban regeneration, communicating not only its importance to the city as a powerful foci, but the citys mark in the cultural world. As a result, after Bilbao every city aspires to its own Guggenheim effect the â€Å"build it and they will come† (Barreneche, 2005, p.6) belief is what cities have taken on for their museums after untitled STYLE AND IDENTITY OF ARCHITECT Frank Gehry is widely recognised as a North American architect whose combination of steel, high-tech and flowing designs have broken the rigid hold of rectilinear design that has dominated most of Modern architecture (Zieger, 2005, p. 8). However the question remains: is it a good idea for the city to have an international museum built by a foreign architect? Gehry was quoted as spending a lot of time trying to understand the culture and trying to understand the Basque people. He explains, I related to them because I was raised in a Jewish upbringing in Toronto, Canada, so I was an outsider into the culture when I was a kid. And I understandI empathized with this outsider role, andbut I cant put my finger on a piece of the building and say this is Basque, but they seem to think I captured their spirit. I tried to use the materials of the region to build the building. The stone in Spanish. The steel structure is Spanish. All the work people were Basque. (Farnsworth, 1997) One can assume to Gehry a rich piece of architecture would combine elements in a way that preserve the coherence of their origins. At its best, the process of gathering cultural elements and marrying them to the sensitivities of a gifted architect can result in a powerful work of architecture such as the Bilbao Guggenheim. According to the Bilbao Revitalization Plan, the natural slope running down to the riverfront was to be transformed into a green valley, but Gehry did not want to lose the industrial feel of the existing waterfront. (see 1.4 1.5) People say that the design of the museums architecture was inspired during Gehry climb up the Mundana, one of the highest mountains in the outskirts of Bilbao. â€Å"Seen from the river, the building appears to take the shape of a boat paying homage to the port city that has given its home. The museums bright, shining panels resemble fish scales, reflecting the influence of natural forms and shapes.† (Chulvi, 2007) One could argue that the architects use of abstract, free-form components from local materials are reminiscent of Modernist Spanish sculptures, a cultural aspect valued by the Basque, or how the architects design of the enormous boat-shaped gallery is a dedication toward Bilbaos past as a centre of shipbuilding and trade (Guasch and Zulaika, 2005, p. 154). Many would argue that Gehrys design for the Bilbao Guggenheim truly reflects the identity of the Basque people even though the architect himself has no relation to region. However, there is a degree of sensitivity to the regions character that can be witnessed through the architecture. The city of Bilbao places an emphasis on the institution Gehry has designed, as having an important role in defining public culture. This has been achieved through the architects process of negotiating what architectural expressions could be accepted by the people. ECONOMY AND POLITICS Gehrys museum was hailed an as instant landmark, bringing a sense of relevance to architecture in the transformation of cities. (Guasch and Zulaika, 2005, p. 7) The Basque region was in need of local development due to its rustic city appearance and distinct regional identity compared to the rest of Spain. Primarily, the Basque region was in need of distancing itself from the negativity that it was associated with, such as being recognised as a terrorist region. Bilbao, the largest city in the Basque country, is a stronghold for the separatist group ETA (Basque Fatherland and Liberty), which seeks independence from Spain through often violent behavior (Farnsworth, 1997). For the Guggenheim Foundation this was an opportunity to fund a centerpiece of huge urban renewal for Bilbao. Previous museum concepts were of a private space for seekers of wisdom, philosophers and historians. Currently the museums directors are in favor of new futuristic architectural visions that were unimaginable years before, representing a museums city and forming the basis of urban regeneration such as Bilbao Guggenheim. The titanium shapes flourish through Bilbaos dark cornices and nearby smokestacks, as Andrew Friedman (see Zieger, 2005, p. 9) explains, †¦the nearby smokestacks and cranes; they seem†¦to be Gehrys whimsical idea of visually rendering the tumultuous and violent process by which a once-working industrial waterfront is brought to heel-an actual enactment of the grim process that the Guggenheim makes a point of capitalising on. The capitlisation Friedman mentions is the transformation of Bilbao from living city to an architectural destination. In other words the city acquires a signature building in order to stimulate a citys makeover (Zeiger, 2005, p.9). The design of the museum is recognised as a drive for social and economic regeneration, from traditional forms, to, in this case, a spectacular one off statement that challenges architectural preconceptions and creates a visual feast while maintaining the integrity of the site. Why have contemporary museums become a favorite tool of urban regeneration and redevelopment schemes since the Bilbao Guggenheim? Referred to as the â€Å"miracle,† (Guasch and Zulaika, 2005, p. 7) Frank Gehrys Bilbao Guggenheim changed the face of the Bilbao city, and set up to give a new purpose to an abandoned industrial estate. â€Å"Since the Guggenheim was built, Bilbao has never been the same again the museum has helped create pedestrianised areas that run from the t own hall to the port on the shores of the river.† (Chulvi, 2007) The answer is that museums allow an opportunity for growth in unique architectural forms in all of its diversity and inclusivity. CHAPTER ONE : FRANK GEHRYS BILBAO GUGGENHEIM CHAPTER TWO: DANIEL LIBESKINDS JEWISH WAR MUSEUM CHAPTER 3: HERZOG AND DE MEURONS TATE MODERN CHAPTER 4: ZAHA HADIDS CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTRE CHAPTER TWO: DANIEL LIBESKINDS JEWISH WAR MUSEUM The Jewish War Museums design is so powerful that it can be considered as an artifact in its own right. Even as it was unveiled in 1999 with nothing in it, the building was said to evoke a sense of loss and dislocation inflicted on Europes Jewish population the Holocaust in World War II (Barreneche, 2006, p.121). Through the buildings brief and urban site, Libeskinds Jewish Museum echoes the history of Berlin creating an emotional effect on the visitor. GLOBALISATION Cultural identity is something people have, and a form of traditional inheritance that is shared, something that needs to be protected and preserved. In contemporary society, globalisation has been portrayed sweeping through diverse cultures, and bringing a homogenized cultural experience (Tomlinson, 2003, p. 270). However, one can argue that globalisation, instead of destroying, has become a force in creating and developing cultural identity, allowing the idea of identity to change into a more collective entity. In terms of how this relates to the Jewish Museum, the building is not just seen as a response to some traditions, it is also open to new ones, a link to the past and the future (see 2.1). The mission of the Jewish Museum, and for all new museums, is not just for the city themselves but for the wider public, in which it becomes a communal existence. Around the globe, in every corner, new museums have appeared, coming in every shape and size, appealing to various preferences (Barreneche, 2005, p. 6). As Victoria Newhouse notes (see Barreneche, 2005, p.6), â€Å"One intriguing aspect of the current proliferation of museums is the ‘museumfication of seemingly every phenomenon†. The Jewish Museum is an example of this, and one could assume that through the guidance of globalisation, there are Jewish Museums in cities from New York to Sydney stemming from Libeskinds prominent Berlin museum. (Barreneche, 2005, p. 6). NATIONAL AND CIVIC IDENTITY Culture is cumulative and changing by additions of successive generations, reinterpreted from one individual or group to another. The designed environments of contemporary museums create a setting and representation of particular cultural identities. Daniel Libeskinds Jewish War Museum in Berlin encompasses these attributes, it is a building that engrains Jewish history. The design is based on a process of connecting lines between the locations of historic events and the locations of Jewish culture in Berlin. This is evident from the buildings plan with the zigzag footprint, symbolically derived from a fragmented Star of David (Barreneche, 2006, p.121). (see 2.2) The architect has created metaphors for the absence of Jewish communities in Berlin where the lines slices the plan (Barreneche, 2005, p. 121). The concepts of absence, emptiness and the invisible express the disappearance of Jewish culture in the city. Libeskind proves there is a powerful faith in the ability of people to l earn