Sunday, August 19, 2012

Beyond Todays "Sustainability" Towards Tomorrows "Architecture" ..



‘Sustainability’ and  ‘Green Design’ are two catch-cries that comes to mind when one contemplates what it means to a ‘ Gen-Y’-er’, navigating the fast paces of Digital Age where more designers are continually striving for a response towards solutions to the major urban issues confronting our world today, from environmental destruction to economic decline to social alienation.

                                “Sustainability is simply an extension of the technocratic society we find ourselves in, not what it pretends to be.”  - Christopher Alexander [1]*

For many years now, the emphasis in Architecture and Design has been on creating flashy buildings with ‘green’ or ‘sustainable’ features that often become ‘iconic’. I have found myself thinking and questioning whether is negligence on the human aspect of buildings when they write their enormously influential and captivating critiques. It appears that they lack concern with how buildings may shape human experience and make people feel.  Designs now are seen as objects in space and not as a “place” that ennobles people — that makes them feel empowered and important. Presently, the fabrications of design seem to promote a design-centric philosophy where all that matters is the artistic statement perceived by a celebrity. Architecture’s potential is then questioned when designers seem to put all their focus on what shapes and facades to use in making their latest artistic statement.


The important question I often feel is ought to be asked is: Who are we designing for? Who will be occupying these spaces? Needless to say, the answer is ‘people’ and ‘community’ which is often overlooked in the current contemporary projects in architecture it appears. It is really the essential ingredient to a desirable architectural outcome.


In recent years, some new buildings that have won the most prestigious wards may symbolize what could also be called as a kind of new “Brutalism”. They educe that style’s monumental regard for human scale as well as connection to the surrounding streetscape. With some ‘green’ or ‘sustainable’ features, it seems like architects and designers around the world now are creating an “eco-brutalism” form that is quite often contemptuous to the needs of people, despite its contends in addressing the pressing ecological needs of our species and our planet. 


The first example that comes to mind would be the positive reaction garnered by the Cooper Union Building designed by Thom Mayne of the architecture firm Morphosis. It has won several architectural awards with its design, its LEED credentials and other “sustainable” measures. However, if for one moment we see it from a ‘non-architectural eye’ it could be speculated that there is a lack of perception when the building is seen as a sense of place. The massive meshed façade at first glance appeals as uninviting and unfriendly. If seen on a site context, it creates a dead zone in the centre of what once could have been a connected streetscape. It may be portrayed as a work or art but not as a destination where people would likely end up. 




                        Cooper Union Building by Morphosis, Source: Archdaily


However, not all buildings are caught up in such technocratic trap. For example, Council House 2 in Melbourne really adds to the life of a community and it also serves as an iconic place that creates a strong sense of place. It fits well into its urban surrounding as well as sparks a lively streetscape by initiating thought-provoking and playful interaction that would spatially engage people and as a result re-establish the connection between space, place and people (Knecht 2010).



                                 Council House 2 – Melbourne, Source: Inhabitat
 



The current downfall in development caused by global economic crisis gives us time to reflect and re-orient our focus. So how can we move beyond the era of narrow architecture to incorporate community, environmental stewardship and a sense of place into the evolving architecture of the 21st Century?



A good start would be for designers to ask the following questions before putting pen to paper towards the first sketch: How will the design embrace its context and community? How will it create a place for the community and draw on local assets (in terms of cultural, ecological, historical, social and economic)? How will it bring people together and create a vibrant public life?










References: 


 Alexander, C. 1977, A Pattern Language. London: Oxford University Press [1]*

 Knecht, Katja. “Interactive Spaces -Reactivating Architectural and Urban Space by Tracing the Non-Visual.” In Media City: Interaction of Architecture, Media and Social Phenomena, edited by Jens Geelhaar, Frank Eckardt, Bernd Rudolf, Sabine Zierold, and Michael Markert, 589-600. Weimar: Bauhaus-Universität, 2010.

Lehmann, Steffen. The Principles of Green Urbanism: Transforming the City for Sustainability. Washington, DC: Earthscan, 2010.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

"Food For Thought" .. Ideas and Inspirations used!


Shape folding and tweening..


Pthagoras experiment..







"Dynamc Programming" - Alloaesthetics... Algorithm and Science..



















Random house with 'openessness'.


















Overlapping grid.. "where does it lead to...??"












Process and Development




As I stated researching on my character with more depth, I was confused of how about could I design a house for him. I started with looking at his past history. With the past he had; born on the streets of NY and not having the luxury to afford to go to a good school for his education, I tried to design a house that may perhaps reflect onto his personal experience in life. As he has a softer side to him due to the past he had with his parents’ separation and his struggle to achieve something in life. For that purpose I had to keep in mind that since the house would speak about his past experience, I had to make sure it was not too sophisticated but instead simple and a storytelling house.



Design 4 is what it leads to, simple, calm and neat. As I used a simple curve passage for the lounge area to give that journey of experience into what h has achieved to where e was in the past and vice-versa. The lounge is fully glazed with triangular trusses (reprints triangular forms in math) to allow him to communicate with the external environment. The lounger leads into the tower which reflects onto what he has achieved in his life (his present), a mathematician. The shape and façade incorporates with different shapes and forms where he revolves around everyday life. Again because of the design, his lab and rooms are more enclosed space to give him his privacy with his work!



For Design 3, I took a completely different approach. I look at it at a mathematician’s point of view. I tried to get into the ‘Thinking processes’ of a mathematician. I used more sophisticated forms and tried playing around with the theory of ‘Dynamic Programming’. This is a method of solving problems exhibiting properties of overlapping and optimal substructure. Here I experimented with how I could take these mathematical solutions to form a space. So I played around with various shapes and properties and create house in a more abstract manner. I created the house with repetitive and layering of shapes which reflect onto the same shapes and formulas that he indulges into everyday. A lot of light I allowed n the house to give the lively atmosphere all the way in the house. Due to the busy Schedule Richard Bellman has, I have he does not have the chance to socialize a lot so designed a balcony were he could communicate with external world ad environment and spends some quality time.



I did a lot of research into how I can relate math with architecture and so got some inspirations and ideas from various places and shapes, and tried to implement them onto my designs. As seen on Design 1 and Design 2, I have tried to mingle the two ideas of Design 3 and Design 4 onto them. With the use of bulging shapes and forms from the wall. With the creative and more challenging side of his, I tried to play around with abstract forms and distorting to create more simple yet complex spatial qualities.

Rough Sketches… early stages.

As you may see, here are some early design sketches and ideas… not that many as I started using and exploring ‘SketchUp’ for the very first time and so wanted to get the hang of it! :).










Design 4 : Card Model (1:200)







Design 3 : Card Model (1:200)











Design 2 : Setchup Model