Proposal by Tatia Skhirtladze
Idea
I perceive the whole Department of Mechanical Engineering - students and staff, all kinds of intellectual and physical activities as well as the architecture and entire area - as living monument for Isaac Newton.
This idea is redefining the notion of monument no longer considering or treating it in the usual way. The monument is renewed and transformed by rethinking already existing potentials and extending it by determining essential contents.
I have been inspired by the enthusiasm and dedication of students and staff over the theme Isaac Newton. Observing the department I was taken by the strong spirit and the activities capturing Isaac Newton’s identity. I believe that the Department of Engineering Technology is in itself the best monument created for the commemoration of Isaac Newton.
Visualization
Entrance area
To enter the main building of the Department of Mechanical Engineering
one has to go up two stairs.
1. The first stairs give access to the court of the department.
2. The second stairs lead to the main entrance of the Horst building.
Both stairs together represent the hierarchic structure similar to classical
monument.
I propose to add markers to these stairs that are significant for a monument: The middle part of each stair will be replaced by colored marble inscribed with written Latin text.
Putting the Name of Isaac Newton and written emotion related to him on the “ground” - where anyone can and have to walk on it - I demystify him in a way emphasizing his importance at the same time.
1. Extract from Isaac Newtons grave inscription: Sibi gratulentur Mortales,/ Tale tantumque exstitisse /HUMANI GENERIS DECUS./ (Mortals rejoice that there has existed such and so great an ornament of the mankind!)
2. Monument of Isaac Newton, 1642 - 1727 (date of birth and death)
Guideposts
3. Adapted guideposts installed on the area of the campus UT Twente pointing
the direction to the Horst Complex, Department of Engineering Technology,
Monument for Isaac Newton - reshape the space towards the monument. They
should be illuminated during the night.
CI (Corporate Identity)
4. An additional part of realization intervenes in the Corporate Identity
of Department of Engineering Technology. “Monument for Isaac Newton” is
added to the name on the website, the official correspondence paper,
stamp, etc.
Here is some information about our study, I’m sorry it took so long, but last two weeks we where busy doing tests.
In the word document is the brochure with general information on the master study mechanical engineering. In the ppt’s and pdf’s are some presentations about specific fields in the master study. Some of them where too big to post here, I’ve post it on another site, I hope it works. Some of the presentations are in Dutch, but I hope they can still give you a general idea. If you want to know more of something you found in a presentation, you can contact us and we can try to translate it for you.
On the website http://www.txchange.nl/ you can find more information on the virtual reality laboratory, which isn’t really a part of our study but more a tool that sometimes can be used.
If you want to know more you can always contact Remco or me (Gerwin), Jeroen will be abroad for the next couple of months.
Word document with general information: General information Mechanical engineering
PPT files: ME Thermal Engineering.ppt, ME surface technology.ppt, ME Engineering Fluid Dynamics.ppt, ME Elastomer Technology Engineering.ppt
PDF files: ME Biomedical Engineering.pdf, ME dynamics and acoustics.pdf
A first list of facilities that can be used in the UT’s workshop for the designing/realisation.
In his “Allegorical Monument to Sir Isaac Newton,” Giovanni Battista
Pittoni celebrated the famous prismatic experiment demonstrating the
heterogeneity of sunlight. From: Eugene MacSwiny, Tombeaux des
princes, de grands capitaines et autres hommes illustres (London,
1741) - Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and
Photographs, NYPL
Perhaps the greatest monument to a physicist in the United Kingdom is the magnificent modern sculpture of Newton that stands in the front courtyard of the British Library in London. This sculpture is by the Edinburgh born Eduardo Paolozzi, an artist with close links to Glasgow University.
Exterior
Interior at night, with its own internal illumination recreating the
solar system
Interior during the day, with light admitted through holes in the dome
to recreate the night sky
Newton’s monument stands against the choir screen, to the north
of the entrance to the choir. It was executed by the sculptor Michael
Rysbrack (1694-1770) to the designs of the architect William Kent (1685-1748)
and dates from 1731.
The monument is of white and grey marble. Its base bears a Latin inscription
(see below) and supports a sarcophagus with large scroll feet and a relief
panel. The latter depicts boys using instruments related to Newton’s
mathematical and optical work (including the telescope and prism) and
his activity as Master of the Mint. Above the sarcophagus is a reclining
figure of Newton, in classical costume, his right elbow resting on several
books representing his great works. They are labelled ‘Divinity’, ‘Chronology’, ‘Opticks’ [1704]
and ‘Philo. Prin. Math’ [Philosophia Naturalis Principia
Mathematica, 1686-7)]. With his left hand he points to a scroll with
a mathematical design, held by two standing winged boys. The background
is a pyramid on which is a celestial globe with the signs of the Zodiac,
of the constellations, and with the path of the comet of 1680. On top
of the globe sits a figure of Astronomy leaning upon a book.
(www.westminster-abbey.org/history-research/monuments-gravestones/people/12186?article-images-selected-id=27528#images)