CRITICAL REGIONALISM BY MICHAEL DERNEE

Transcription

1 PICTURE FROM AND FROM CRITICAL REGIONALISM BY MICHAEL DERNEE

2 1 APPENDIX 1 Appendix Introduction Point by Point Analysis The brief Context Concept Site Plan Sections Elevations Materials Sun Control Findings Introduction What are Manifestos? Can Rules be Broken? Does Architecture Need Rules? My Knowledge of Architecture Should Manifestos be used for One Building or Many? Making Rules of Architecture Conclusion Bibliography... 12

3 2 INTRODUCTION Critical regionalism is a confusing and contradictory movement, in which the goal is to make the client feel most at home, whilst keeping up with the international modern way. My partner believes in the style of architecture that is Murcutt like, an Australian vernacular architecture. The site in question was in the middle of urban Victorian terraces and the architect designed for a rural Australian landscape, which although Australian, is not a critical regionalist s building. Although the use of the context could have a positive effect upon the location, with the integration of more students in the location, the city life could be rejuvenated. The concept is one derived from the rural vernacular Australia, not the local area, and the plan though simple creates problems for itself when combined on the urban site resulting in unnecessary complications. The sections should be viewed as to how the shelter connects and protects the ground. This gives a better understanding of how the building lays on the earth assisting the client, yet the architect merely uses it for the form of the building and stairways. The elevations are evaluated very well in theory, but they did not work in practice. The materials were locally researched and used. Sun control was used, isolating the unisolatable and helping the client understand their surroundings. Manifestos are complicating yet worthwhile practices. The integration of manifestos in buildings can drastically improve the building although including a manifesto in designing can also have a negative effect. The findings ask the question of what manifestos are and what they aren t; can the rules of manifestos be broken? Does architecture need rules? Student in accordance with manifestos, is it a good idea or a bad idea? What should be analysed in student manifestos? Also, should manifestos be used for one or many buildings? And can architecture be regulated?

4 3 POINT BY POINT ANALYSIS 3.1 The Brief: The architect described his theory in the brief as an understanding of the client s wants and needs, addressed with additional initiative required to further understand what the client wants out of each project. He did address the brief but also added his opinions on the right approach, yet because of this he created spaces that would only work in a utopian society, with shared bathrooms, kitchens and living areas. Constructivist theory on forcing lifestyle changes does not allow the client to feel at home. Because of this the building could not create private open spaces which the brief primarily requested. The positive aspects of the evaluation of the brief are that it evolves in accordance with the type of architect he is and because of that a unique style of architecture is created. In practice his success was foiled due to the non-existence of a utopian society. 3.2 Context In regards to the context, the architect described himself as a gatherer of information and collator to fully understand the clients, their brief, and the site in which the structure will be erected. He did not essentially research demographics or the location, yet associated with a singular genre of students. The compilation of information was barely present, upon which the architect created his own brief. Although he did this, students would be the perfect clients due to the location - near a university hub, rail station and the city, a place where the city life needs to be rejuvenated; the students would help with the lack of city life in the area. It will be forever unknown if the study of the context was the correct approach, as the building would work in theory yet as shown in the unit development Pruitt Igoe in St Louis Missouri, the perfect building in theory does not always work in the real world. A Critical regionalist would analyse the context of the city and globally in which to design to make the client feel comfortable. 3.3 Concept The designer believes that the way to devise their concept is by visiting the site and surrounding areas then relating their thoughts to a specific driving force tying it all together, whilst trying to draw inspiration from the natural environment. While the design was derived from the natural environment, neither the site nor the surrounding area struck a chord with the concept. With the theory called urban camping, the brief was answered due to the ways of camping in which sustainable living can be accomplished. Although a simple one, and one that can be applied to the brief, no derivative of the concept came from visiting the site or surrounding areas. Because of this a style of architecture that is different and unique was created, yet the streetscape would be dramatically changed if this building was erected, as the materials and styles would clash violently, creating anarchy.

5 3.4 Site Through the brief the architect visited the site in order to understand and appreciate the surrounding environment. He described numerous factors that need to be well thought out in order to achieve the best possible result. The architect did do all of these things. I further asked what he was to plan on the site and he described that with association to the concept, the site will be touching the ground lightly - Glenn Murcutt - for the type of site that it is (an unnatural site), a car park that has a retaining wall. Touching the earth lightly is not the answer to the situation as even though Glenn Murcutt is a critical regionalist; his work is usually at rural sites, which this is not. A site analysis is needed to create a building that can use nature to its advantage. For instance, the winds that Newcastle receives (both hot and cold) affect the building. By channelling the cold air through the building the client is learning about the orientation of the fronts and understanding about the type of place that it is as a city. By doing this the building is capturing nature in its design. A critical Regionalists site would work with the cultural and natural environment around it, to produce the sought after space that is homely. 3.5 Plan The designer describes himself as a minimalist using a simple approach when planning the spaces in a building. He tries to reach equilibrium of having open planned spaces big enough for their intended purposes but by using the smallest amount of materials and labour. He accomplished this, but due to this, the building is more of a draftsman s design than an architect s creation; the plan is simple yet convoluted. Stairs are in inappropriate locations, units of one looking down to other unit s living areas, with spaces that are cramped creating an affordable yet unliveable space. One theory behind Critical Regionalism is to make the client feel at home and because of the unliveable spaces the integrity of the building and the plan vanishes. PICTURE TAKEN BY DOUG MCNAMARA 5/11/09 PICTURE TAKEN BY DOUG MCNAMARA 5/11/09

6 3.6 Sections The architect uses sections while he s designing as it gives him an idea of the form of the building. Sections also help to show how certain aspects of the building fit together and work, e.g. stairs. He used such tools to help design his building at the end when sun controls and roof are sought. The ways in which the designer could improve would be to design in section whilst interoperated in plan to create pleasant spaces. Also sections with a northern and southern orientation can show sun studies, change of room heights and ventilation as well, helping create a space in the third dimension. The section shows how the shelter connects and protects the ground and gives a better understanding of how the building lays on the earth giving a greater understanding to the client of the site. 3.7 Elevations The architect describes the elevations thus The use elevations are to detail the exterior facade and explains I also use elevations to get a clear picture of how the building will look in its surrounding environment. He used elevations to create a clear picture of the buildings aesthetics, yet it did not show the types of materials and colours to create an environment. Although they are used to create a clearer picture, elevations can also be used to show how the orientation will differ; the fenestration and the environmental issues, and even strengthen the concept. In a critical regionalist view the elevation can show the streetscape and how the building relates to the location. This is done, but not well in this building as the surrounding buildings to the north are old terraced housing and the buildings to the south are industrial, leaving no cultural connection. 3.8 Materials The designer tries to use materials which are locally produced and researched to be sustainable. He tries to reach the happy medium of achieving sustainability, aesthetics and affordability for the client. The architect used the minimal amount of material, for the building produced, and found local steel and timber mills.

7 3.9 Sun Control The use of different shading systems, both internal and external, roofing structures and window openings to control the sun throughout the year to prevent the hot summer sun from entering and allowing the warming winter to penetrate, he believed is enough for sun control. The architect did use many sun controlling techniques, including; timber batons, over-shading roofs, fly roofs, venetian blinds, and adjustable louvers, creating many excellent design strategies that were integrated. This would prevent excessive summer heat from penetrating. The building can change to help with the control of sunlight penetration, isolating the un-isolatable and helping the client understand their surroundings.

8 4 FINDINGS 4.1 Introduction The questions architects have to consider in relation to manifestos are: what is defined as a manifesto; can the rules of manifestos be broken; does architecture need rules; should these manifestoes be used for one building or many; is it a manifesto or is it an extension on the brief itself; for young students what is the use of a manifesto when architecture and the principles behind it are so new to them. The juggernaut is, although in such a study we will never fully understand, can we individually make rules to govern it. 4.2 What are manifestos? The word manifesto derives from the latin word manifestum, meaning clear or conspicuous. The definition of a manifesto is: A public declaration of principles, policies, or intentions, especially of a political nature. In architecture a manifesto is used to create rules, guidelines or statements that are in a way the architect s own brief towards how they design. It involves giving a part of yourself and taking a stance to create unique architecture. The problem with this is that architects write about designing green buildings, but is that a moral objective and not part of their own thesis? There is a fine line between the two, as when does the manifesto become a document prescribing the moral objectives of the architect? All these questions can only be answered by the individual themselves as there is no black and white answer. In my opinion, the dividing line between a manifesto and a set of moral obligations is when the architect thinks about anything but themself. Manifestos are therefore the icing on the cake, but this should not be taken literally, due to the use of the manifesto throughout the design process and not just at the end. There are two types of manifestos, ones that create a process into which the architect churns out an answer and another in which the final product needs redeeming properties. 4.3 Can rules be broken? Rules in the built environment that cannot be broken include the building codes and legislation of local governments, state governments and federal governments. Rules or boundaries like the brief, moral obligations and manifestos are not cast in stone, they are developed. When two different origins of rules apply to the same building, clashes will most likely occur. It can go either of two ways; the designer could either break the rules of the brief or moral obligations and lose the validity of the building or break the rules of the manifesto and lose the integrity of their beliefs. Whichever they choose some sort of loss from the design will occur. The designing of a manifesto to work simultaneously with the other origins would help the validity of using a manifesto, yet as the brief and moral obligations can rapidly change, the manifesto becomes a real constraint, a detrimental process that can lead to a poor design. This is shown in the late modernist manifestos - the buildings didn t last long as they could not function properly. The real world isn t black and white and as a suitable conclusion the theory doesn t occur. In practice some architects design the building and analyse their building by creating a manifesto, showing a branding exercise. This can show a distinction between firms and make sense into what they are accomplishing.

9 4.4 Does architecture need more rules? A big question in the theory between using manifestos or not is: does architecture need to be restricted? Guidelines given by the government, the client, the site and the physical properties of the environment are already restricting the building. On the one hand some amazing architecture has been created by having no restrictions; many works by Frank Ghery provide great evidence of this, including his Bilboa art gallery, which is regarded as a beautiful sculpture creating interesting and inviting spaces to inhabit, where the brief allowed him to explore with little or no government regulation. Whereas on the other hand, rules and regulations can help manipulate a building to work with the site and context as MVRDV shows in their Wosoko house. By physically cutting and pasting boxes due to height restrictions and overshadowing they create a cantilevered work of art that is a creative and positive space to inhabit. These rules and regulations can apply towards the manifesto. 4.5 My knowledge of architecture As a second year student, I believe that my manifestos are drafts that will rapidly change and contrast. The first manifestos should be analysed not quoted upon or else the student will seem like a hypocrite contradicting themselves. Student knowledge of architecture is limited and still being acquired and manifestos are essentially thinking exercises in what they want and like and the ability to be able to put in words on paper. Mature architects that have been studying and practising for decades have a broad knowledge of architecture; due to this their manifestos are more stable and they scarcely change. As this is the case a mature architect should be quoted upon, not to criticise what they said or did, but to give answers upon why they design in a certain way, as through their words on the manifesto all their experiences and choices in life will be available to analyse and interpret, by the architect and by learning students. Manifestos can almost be self-fulfilling for architects, to prove to themselves that there is something behind the way they design. 4.6 Should manifestos be used for one building or many? The theory behind this paragraph should not be of question as the definition of a manifesto is of an architect s beliefs throughout his career not simply one project. By creating a manifesto for each project is it not just an extension of the brief? Yet as said in the above paragraph, many manifestos should be created by young students, to be able to be analysed as it allows the student to put their theories on paper and is a great way to learn about oneself. As the architect grows and matures the manifesto should become clearer to them and should apply to more of their buildings. More aware of how you want to work, what you say is what you do and what you do is what you say.

10 4.7 Making rules of architecture As architecture is a study that can never be learnt but understood only to a certain extent, can a theorist in such a grand topic create rules? To answer the question it has to be split into three sections; function, form and process. The function of a building will always be defined by the client and the brief, so as to have more rules, the manifesto needs to allow for change and encompass all types of buildings. Form is one of a requirement in which the client and/or the architect will choose. As said above if the manifesto isn t open to any form then such a design could not exist. Processes encompass a system, to which a building is designed. If the manifesto can help with the way in which a building is designed, built or evaluated any building can be created. With such a broad study, genres and styles branch out from the pre-existing older genus. Within these genres, rules and implementations govern them; because of this the genus that the architect believes in is primarily present in their manifesto. To have a building that does not consist of one genus or many is impossible.

11 5.0 CONCLUSION In these two assignments I have learnt a lot upon how I design and the reasons for it. I have a great appreciation for creating manifestos and also critiquing other people s work, as they have different answers that I did not come up with. What is learnt from reading this critique is that there is a distinction between feeling at home in a culture and feeling at home in the environment. The architect applies a critical regionalism style in a different setting and approaching that look that is very shallow in its location. By being an aesthetically devoted designer he has misinterpreted critical regionalism believing that such a rural design can work in the urban landscape. Critical regionalism is a methodology not a style.

12 6 BIBLIOGRAPHY Books: Glenn Murcutt and Philip Drew touch this earth lightly: Glenn Murcutt in his own words Sydney, Australia: Duffy and Snellgrove, 2001, p.69 Tadao Ando Buildings Projects Writings New York, USA: Rizzoli, 1984, p26. Lewis Mumford The South in Architecture - The Dancy Lectures Alabama College 1941, Warwickshire, England: Read Books, 2007, p.30 Francoise Fromonot Glenn Murcutt building and projects London, England: Thames and Hudson, p.148 Edited Books: Tadao Ando Beyond Horizons in Architecture in Charles Jenks and Karl Kropf s, Theories and Manifestoes of Contemporary Architecture, West Sussex, England: Wiley, 2006, pp Kenneth Frampton Towards a Critical Regionalism: Six points for an Architecture of Resistance in Hall Fosters, Postmodern Culture, Sydney: Pluto Press, 1989, pp Video: Tim Clark, Janne Ryan Glen Murcutt: The Mind of An Architect Episode Three, Corrugated Dreams: Australian Broadcasting Cooperation, Sydney, 2000