PERCEPTIONS OF ARCHITECTURE: A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF THE OPTIONS FOR THE DESIGNER

Transcription

1 PERCEPTIONS OF ARCHITECTURE: A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF THE OPTIONS FOR THE DESIGNER A Dissertation Submitted to the University of Moratuwa As a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in K.B. SENARATNE Department of Architecture University of Moratuwa July

2 ABSTRACT Architecture today has many perceptions especially from the designer's point of view, each of it which is unique in its own design conceptions and manifestations. These perceptions, strictly adhered to by many architects, sometimes fail in various situations as the perceptions held by the designer is not entirely compatible for the particular design situation giving rise to loss of faith in architecture by the society as they fear that architecture is not capable of dealing with the direct issues in question. Therefore, this study intends to reveal such options/perceptions, their design process, its applications and manifestations in products, in order to explore and gain an understanding of their potentials and weaknesses, which in turn allows designers to be more flexible in applying the most suitable design perception for the most appropriate situation. The study revealed that many of these perceptions held by architects revealed as non-designer perceptions which fail naturally when applied for design purposes. Therefore, the study attempts to classify these major perceptions available in its operating depth and level of performance, enabling designers to transcend their personal biases to operate at the most appropriate level demanded, thus bringing out the best possible solution to a design problem. However, in doing so, the perceptions are looked at from a designer's point of view and will also be examined in terms of their 'product making process'. ii

3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I acknowledge with deepest gratitude Archt. Vidura Sri Nammuni, my tutor, for the valuable comments and guidance that enlightened me at various stages of the course of this study, that made this limitless area of study, somewhat comprehensible. I also wish to extend my gratitude to my dear friends Shayan for helping enormously with the formatting and Prasanna who made the photographs possible, with the help of Ruwan, and also Nirmala and Hemal for the inconveniences I caused them continuously. I have no words to express my gratitude to my dear parents and especially my dear brother for bearing with me, my temperaments, optimistically. iii

4 CONTENTS. ABSTRACT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF PLATES Page ii iii vi vii INTRODUCTION l.need of the Study 01 2.importance if the Study 01 3.Intention of the Study scope and Limitations 01 5.Methodology 02 CHAPTER ONE; ARCHITECTURE AND MAN What is Architecture? Responsibilities of Architecture Social Responsibilities Physical Responsibilities i. Function ii. Context Ecological Responsibilities Technological responsibilities 15 CHAPTER TWO; THE EVOLUTION OF THE CONCEPT OF ARCHITECTURE Primitive Architecture 2.2. Vernacular Architecture 2.3. Grand architecture 2.4. Western Culture Western Concepts of Architecture 2.5. Eastern Culture Eastern Concepts of Architecture CHAPTER THREE; THE DIFFERENT PERCEPTIONS The Non Designer Perceptions Architecture as a reaction to qualitative needs Architecture as well Planned Building Architecture as Well Engineered Building Architecture as Buildings that heightens Emotions Architecture as Elegant Building iv

5 Architecture as Animated Building Architecture as a sum of Commodity, Firmness and Delight. 31 > 3.2. The designer Perceptions Architecture as a Result of Orchestration of Spatial Progression i. Clarification i. a. Architecture as a result of Articulation of Space ii. The Design Process iii. The Advocates iv. Examples v. Examination Architecture as the sum of Form and Shape i. Clarification ii. The Design Process iii. The Advocates iv. Examples v. Examination Architecture as Meaningful Building i. Clarification L a. Architecture as Expressive Building L b. Architecture as a Sum of Language and Message ii. The Design Process iii.the Advocates iv.examples v. Examination Architecture as Contemplative building i. Clarification ii. The Design Process iii.the Advocates iv. Examples 61 * v Examination 64 CONCLUSION 66 REFERENCES 68 4 V

6 LIST OF FIGURES PAGE No Well Planned Activities Human Building, Louiseville - Form in the Making 44 vi

7 LIST OF PLATES PAGE No. Chapter One 1.1. Stonehenge, England - Sacred Center of Community Rabat, Morocco - Free Enterprise City Making Lighthouse - Form Follows Function Chartres Cathedral - Significance of Religious Buildings Cathedral of Stececile, France - Required Spatial Quality Lotus Temple, India - Symbolic Expression Machu Pichu,Peru - Cities Shaped by Topography Street in Amsterdam - Conformity to Built Fabric Falling Waters U.S.A. - Merging with the Natural Environment..the Tempo 12 l.lo.house in Tuscany, Italy - Conforming to the Natural Rhythm Mortuary Temple of Queen Hutshepsut, Egypt - Perfect Harmony Kandalama Hotel - Ecology and Building in Perfect Harmony Lunuganga Gardens - Capturing the Spirit of Place H.Subodhi - Accentuating the Spirit HongKong & Shanghai Bank.HongKong - Technology of Production 15 Chapter Two 2.1.Primitive Stone Construction - Ggantija New Grange, Ireland - Passage Grave Folk Tradition - Cultural Representation of Common Man Taj Mahal, India - Grand Tradition - Impressive representation of the Elite' Sanchi, India - The Spiritual Quest Center Le Corbusier, Zurich - Busy, Vibrant kohause,Frankfurt - Quest for Technological Perfection Triton Hotel - Contemplative, Minimal Lunuganga Gardens - Calm, Spiritual 24 Chapter Three 3.1.Madison Do-Mino - 'Structural' Approach Airship Hangers, France - Engineering Achievements High Tech - Extremely Engineered Harmony With Nature - Sentimental The Akropolis, Parthenon - Timelessly Elegant AT&T Building - Animated Meaning Church of Oulu,Finland - Human Form Animated Drama Movement Architecture Space lo.journey of Life Lunuganga Gardens - Eccence of Spirit University of Ruhuna - Higherarchical Arrangement of Mass 36 Vll

8 3.13.Universiry of Ruhuna - Entering H.University of Ruhuna - The Drama Along the Path University of Ruhuna - Rhythm University of Ruhuna - Repetition University of Ruhuna - Sense of Spatial Expansion University of Ruhuna - Framing Vistas University of Ruhuna - Dramatic Play of Light Universty of Ruhuna - Harmony with Environment University of Ruhuna - The Sense of Place at it's Highest University of Ruhuna - Infinite Journey Kandalama Hotel - Experiencing the Spirit of Place - The Whole Tangalle Bay Hotel - The Beginning Tangalle Bay Hotel - The End Project for Cenotaph for Sir Isaac Newton - Extreme Abstraction resulting in Pure Geometry Gugenheim Museum,U.S.A.- Breakthrough Concepts of Form Making - The Essential Fransworth House, U.S.A. - Pure Form German Pavilion, Barcelona - Pureness German Pavilion, Barcelona - Simple Crown Hall.Illinois - Cubic Form Villa Savoye, France - Merging Cubes and Curves Villa Savoye, France - Sculptural Attitude Court Building, Chandigar - Sculpture Ronchamp Chapel, France - Power of Form Ronchamp Chapel, France - Spiritual Sensation Ronchamp Chapel, France - Interpretations Falling Waters, Pensylvania - Capturing the Essence Falling Waters, Pensylvania - Enhancing the Surrounding Sydney Opera House, Australia - Abstract Expression Pompedou Center,France - Using Hightech Palette to express Meaning Piazza D' Italia, Louisiana - Limited Classical Language Creatively Exploited House VI, Washington - Revealing Reality House VI, Washington - Abstract Manipulation of Form House in Santa Monica - Deconstrucive architecture-expressing True Nature House in Santa Monica - Nothing is 'Finished' in Reality Pompedou Centre,France - 'Back Up' Service for Human Activities Lloyd's Building - Inside Out 3.49.Triton Hotel, Ahungalla - Dramatic Arrival 3.50.Triton Hotel, Ahungalla - Spiritual Relaxation rather than Physical 3.51.Kandalama Hotel - Spiritual Experience 3.52.Church on Water, Japan - Simplicity...God Without Glorification 3.53.Church on Water, Japan - Magical Feeling of Enlightenment 3.54.Church on Water, Japan - God and You 3.55.Salk Institute, La Jolla - Simplicity 3.56.Salk Institute, La Jolla - Pureness of Form viii

9 3.57.Salk Institute, La Jolla - Minimalist Environment...Spiritual IX

10 INTRODUCTION

11 1 INTRODUCTION. l.need of the Study. The architectural profession is facing a crisis today due to the fact that architecture created by architects do not seem to fulfill the expectations demanded of it in terms of society and people. The main cause for the above phenomenon is the inappropriateness of the individual perceptions of architecture that each designer is strongly attached to. Some of these perceptions seek to glorify the individual's ideals, while sacrificing other, more important factors, which eventually creates a negative impact on the society, and the profession of architecture. It is argued here that it is wrong or inappropriate perceptions of architecture that has more than any thing else caused the current alienation of society from architecture. The problem today is that contemporary knowledge has increased the variety of such perceptions, creating a critical problem for practitioners of architecture. 2.Importance of The Study Therefore it is necessary to highlight and explore all available perceptions so as to expose the designers to other more appropriate options and to identify the strengths, weaknesses and potentials unique to each perception and the approach to design intrinsic to that perception, this should provide the designers with an in depth knowledge of the different options available in order to make them more adaptable and flexible in specific situations. 3.Intention of The Study. The intention of this study is therefore, to investigate and reveal a range of available perceptions (as different options) for specific situations, thus revealing the potentials as well as their manifestation in the product, in a critical manner, so as to provide designers a comprehensive yet concise knowledge of these perceptions. For eg. Architecture perceived as a science in a broader sense, would give out a product which is more functional and rational in terms of practicality, but may quite possibly lack in expression and meaning, whereas when it is perceived as a form of art, the product would be more meaningful and expressive object/artifact, but may lack in functional and practical attributes, where, in both cases, it's 'making' is clearly manifested in the product. This study, therefore is an introductory attempt an initiation to classify designer perceptions of architecture, and in doing so, creating a threshold in order to understand their depths and their levels of operation in a critical manner, thus providing a comparative understanding of the perceptions discussed. 4.Scope and Limitations. However, when doing this, it is important to note that the perceptions that will be examined are those available to a designer as against those of a critic or historian. For eg. What a critic would perceive is the product/a finished building whereas in this case, the perception is the architect's own idea of architecture which would initially 'create' the product that is. The different perceptions too, would be examined in terms of their 'product making process' and not with an objective of exploring and explaining

12 2 the relative discipline in much detail. It is important to note that the number of perceptions that exist regarding architecture is very large and beyond the scope of this dissertation, but it is evident that almost all of these perceptions can be easily classified, in principle, under a few major schools of thought. Therefore, this dissertation would deal mainly with these major schools of thought that represent the other numerous variations classified under them, in general; in principle 5.MethodoIogy. The study has been carried out primarily through literature available on various perceptions of architecture, which would be studied to extract the fundaments of each option and then its interpretations and manifestations in the product. In addition, the writer's own exposure to different perceptions held by colleagues, practitioners and teachers will be used as a resource. Finally, these factors will be critically discussed in. order to refine the usage of options and to establish their specific-ness to situations. 4