Innovations in Structural Art by Stanford Anderson by Eladio Dieste

Friday 20 November 2015

Innovations in Structural Art by Stanford Anderson by Eladio Dieste

Note: the book includes essays by historians, practicing engineers and architects from more diverse points of view.

Dieste was well known for the innovation of Gaussian vault; a thin-shell structure for roofs in single thickness brick that derives its stiffness and strength from a double curvature catenary arch from that resists buckling failure (Anderson and Dieste 2014). Dieste embraced the technique of reinforced masonry that in his day was little know and less exploited, and through that technique he, invented structural types that he employed daringly.

He rediscovered brick not out of a sense of nostalgia for the past but rather in light of  its inherent virtues- its being resistant, elastic, inexpensive and having acceptable thermal features. In addition, as Dieste further notes its shape give prestige to the material in its structural function. He understood that art and architecture were integral to the making of the best buildings and cities of the past and had to be part of any desirable future.

‘Dance without effort or fatigue’ Eladio Dieste

Dieste used these words to describe the goals of his work.

Creative work in architecture or engineering is the product of harmoniously considering the essence of functionality or utilitarian aims, a resistant function and a structural type and economy and its constructive process as well as the aesthetic qualities of the construction’s shape’s and dimensions (Anderson and Dieste 2014).Example of such architecture is the Gaussian shell (bus terminal)

                                                                        Fig.1 

Two major innovations in structural types in reinforce brick masonry. First type was the no continuous side wall support or buttresses, no tympanum or arch under the vault at its ends. Dieste termed this structural type also as ‘self-carrying vaults’. The second type was vaults rest on columns –or even a single column.

                                                                          Fig. 2 

Another example of his work is the Church at Atlantida, Uruguay 

                                                                            

                                                                          Fig.3

                                                                           Fig 4

Felix Candela’s work can be compared to that of Eladio Dieste. This is because, both are well known internationally for their elegant designs of vaulted structures built in the 20th century. Candela built a number of renowned structures with reinforced concrete in Mexico. The choice of the materials was partly based on the social context and the economical solutions.

Reference:

Anderson, Stanford, and Eladio Dieste. Eladio Dieste. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2004.

Figures

Fig.1 http://kubuildingtech.org/sarcweb/Assemblages00/dieste/htmlfiles/images/images/bus/bus1.gif

Fig.2 https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/57/9c/75/579c75b7cdcb8bc3240d9e7569f8affb.jpg

Fig. 3https://betterarchitecture.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/eladio-dieste-brick.jpg?w=500

Fig.4 http://www.bravepraxis.com/images/3505.jpg

Structure as Space by Conzett, Jürg, and Mohsen Mostafavi

30 October 2015

Structure as Space by Conzett, Jürg, and Mohsen Mostafavi

Mohsen Mostafavi is an architect and educator. His work focuses on models and processes of urbanism and on the interface between technology and aesthetics.

The book is analyse the work of Jurg Conzett's a Swiss engineer who has redefining the relationship between structural engineering and architecture. The work and theories of other engineers and architects are also present in the book, among them is Brunel, Peter Behrens, Calatrava, Le Corbusier and Antoine Picon.  

                                                                           Fig.1

The work of Conzett precedent stylistically more interpretative than singular. His work focuses and addresses n an interpretative model as a process of weakening it approximates Vattimo's thinking. It is engages structural principles with a much wider set of pragmatic and pragmatic concerns which it responds to new and extraordinary ways (Mostafavi 2006). 

An example of his work is the Traversina Bridge, in Switzerland

                                                                                  Fig.2

Conzett's bridges had a particular quality, the way in which they fit, both physically and experientially. His bridges become important elements in the formation of a specifically Swiss landscape, part of a geographical bound and constructed national identity.

Project: Intervening in the City

Regarding the landscape near my site is very limited. Thus as my Macro- Museum is the Natural History Museum I will incorporate in the scheme the Wildlife Garden. The introducing of such garden next to an office building might be challenge but I believe it will fit in the surrounding urban context as the area has not public space.  

Reference:

Conzett, Jürg, and Mohsen Mostafavi. Structure As Space. London: Architectural Association, 2006. Print.

Figures

Fig 1 http://www.gsd.harvard.edu/images/content/5/2/v3/526849.jpg
Fig.2 https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/c0/ff/8d/c0ff8d660ed25254677d02baab29624b.jpg

Building, Dwelling, thinking from Poetry, Language, Thought by M. Heidegger & Heidegger for architects by Sharr, Adam

Friday 23 October 2015

Building, Dwelling, thinking from Poetry, Language, Thought by M. Heidegger

Heidegger for architects by Sharr, Adam

The author Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) was a German philosopher and exponent of existentialism. He focuses and interested in ontology (the philosophical study of being or existence) and metaphysics. The author of the book Heidegger for architects, is a Professor of Architecture at Newcastle University.

Two major questions at the beginning of the seminar are

1.         What is it to dwell?                                               

2.         How does building belong to dwelling?

According to Heidegger we attain to dwelling so it seems only by means of buildings. The latter, building has the former, dwelling as its goals. Still not every building is a dwelling. For example bridges and hangers, stadiums, power stations are buildings but not dwelling. Railway stations and highways, dams and markets halls are built and are also not dwelling places. Heidegger explained in one of the chapters the origins and meaning of the words neighbor, to built and dwell. Bauen (old English & high German word of building, means to dwell) this signifies: to remain, to stay in a place.

Towards, the answer of the second question Heidegger clarified to us what building understood by what way of the nature of dwelling really is. We limit our selves to building in the sense of constructing things (example in the book with the bridge).

Things which, as location, allow a site we know in anticipation call buildings. They are so called because they are made by a process of building construction. The relationship between location and space lies in the nature of these things qua location, but so does the relation of the location to the man who lives at the location. According to this world Heidegger analyse the below questions

•           What is the relation between location and space?

•           What is the relation between man and space?

Regarding the first point Buildings produces locations, the joining of the spaces of these locations necessarily brings with it space, as spatium and as extensio , into the thingly structure of buildings. But building never shapes pure ‘space’ as a single entity. Neither directly nor indirectly. The answer to the second point is that, man’s relation to locations and through location to spaces inheres in this dwelling. The relationship between man and space is none other than dwelling, strictly through and spoken.Heidegger believed that building accomplishes its nature in the raising of locations by the joining of their spaces. Only if we are capable of dwelling, only then can we build (example with the Black Forest Building, dwelling, thinking. M Heidegger pg 156-158 ).A building does belong to dwelling when memories are been created. When you fell nostalgia perhaps where your routs are, which also identify and influence you as person.

This two questions raise in the classroom for conversation:

•           What is the difference between a house and a home?

•           What do you think makes a house a home?

Home can be wherever you feel comfortable as Heidegger notes. Homes can be a positive place or a negative space. For example when your house is not well ventilated, or when there is abuse or luck of privacy.

Heidegger’s Fourfold

1.         Earth: an elusive element

2.         Sky : spiritual component related to eternity

3.         Mortals

4.         Divinities

Fourfold term: earth and sky are the first conditions that make your character. People should well know their self’s in order to connect with a place.  

The two colleagues (Urvi and Japheth) that present the two books choose to make a game with the five senses. Everybody took one piece of paper with one sense on it and from that you should draw something that comes to your mind. The sense that I pick was smell and I choose to draw a cap of hot coffee as near my house in my home town is a coffee factory. The sense of smell is connect to my memory as from a young age I remember myself walking out of the house to go to school and the first thing I smell in the air is coffee. Resulting of this exercise is to make us realise that the five senses are well connected with our memories.

Research methods

Secondary research: grounded theory

•           Research approach that tests concepts and propositions against new data (iterative) to produce new theories.

•           Grounded theory can be applied to quantitative and qualitative data

•           Grounded theory extracts themes from phenomenological data and undergoes continuous refinement narrowing down to a central theme.

Phenomenology is the interpretive study of human experience. The aim is to examine and to clarify human situations, events, meanings, and experiences as they are known in everyday life but typically unnoticed beneath the level of conscious awareness (Seamon 2000).

During my study I found very interesting an article written by Elisa Garcia on Jul 12 15 in Fresh Trends with the title ‘The best ways to apply Environmental Psychology’

What public spaces consider successful?

Architects must evaluate how successful a place is and the reason for its success.

Environmental Psychology is a holistic perspective developed in the 1960s around a key statement: People experiment and have an effect on the environment, while the environment influences people through the different senses.

Environmental Psychology Encourage Social Life and Community Identity: The effectiveness of a public place is closely connected with its ability to satisfy its social function. William H. Whyte, who studies human behavior in the urban environment, determined the main factors that influence the social success of places (book ‘The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, 1980’)  he indicated that some of the aspects that make a place more attractive are: the amount of seating, flexible management, connection to the street, user’s ability to make decisions,  encouragement of people’s appropriation of the space, location of urban elements in groups of three (triangular), presence of natural elements, food to ear and chances for meeting people as if they were not strangers (Garcia, E).

Reference:

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2015 Martin Heidegger | German philosopher [online] Google Available at: http://www.britannica.com/biography/Martin-Heidegger-German-philosopher [Accessed 21.10.15]

Heidegger, Martin (1971) Building, dwelling, thinking from Poetry, Language, Thought, translated by Albert Hofstadter

Landscape Architects Network, 2015 How to Use Environmental Psychology[online] Google Available at: http://landarchs.com/the-best-ways-to-apply-environmental-psychology/  [Accessed 31.1.2016]

Sharr, Adam, Heidegger For Architects, ed. Routledge, 2007

Module Introduction

Module Name: Architecture Theory & Research Methods  

The theory of Architecture can be understood as the theoretical approach to architecture, the city, and the environment. In this module we will explore the material environment, with regard to interior design, surface engineering, infrastructure, urban planning, but also buildings’ construction and appropriation. The theory of architecture investigates the built environment through its inhabitants, architects, and specialists from the disciplines of architectural and art history, cultural sciences, ethnology and sociology, geography, psychology, anthropology and philosophy. Architecture research ‘aims to provoke further discussion on the issue of architectural research in order to promote a wider debate’ (RIBA, 2015).

Critical thinking is one of the most important elements in master’s level education especially for this particular module, as you prepared for entering the professional area. The Module of Architecture Theory and Research is important for the individual development of an approach to design by learning from history and others.

This module is a support to the design module of the year. The seminars for Architectural Theory and Research Methods are student led, with students giving a presentation at the whole seminar. Every week one or more books will be introduced and discussed in the seminar.