Complementing by Completing

            According to Cedric Price, there are six strategies that can be used to modify existing buildings. These consist of: reduction, addition, insertion, connection, demolition, and expansion. After studying many examples in class, I came to the conclusion that in my opinion, reduction and demolition are not as effective strategies as the rest of the six. The point of complementary architecture is to take an existing structure, and complete it by modifying it. In the cases of reduction and demolition, you are not completing a design but taking away from it. The remaining four strategies really stood out to me because they are the most effective of the group. There is an example of each strategy that really interested me, which is what I’d like to talk about in this post.

            The first example that I’d like to talk about is an example of addition, which is Eberstadt’s Rucksack House. This structure is a 9 square meter room that can be added to any existing residential building. The point of the design is to add extra space to cramped apartments. It is classified as an addition because there in an existing structure and the Rucksack House can be attached or added with no other modifications to the existing design. There are a few reasons that make the design a good one. It provides not only extra space, but a lot of natural light as well. It has built in furniture for further space saving and it is practical as well as cost efficient and sustainable. This is a great instance of how addition technique can be a simple yet exemplary way to modify a building.

            The next example that I’d like to talk about is Wendt’s Wohlfahrt-Laymann House, which is an example of expansion. The design for this modification was based off of a need for a permanent expansion to a cottage. However, the owners did not want to do extensive renovations. The resulting design was a sort of shell that was built completely around the existing house with minimal renovations to it. The shell completely transforms the building on all sides by adding more space. This example is particularly interesting to me and I find it very effective. The point of complementary architecture is to complete a building. The first building was too small, and the second structure completes the building by adding more space, and complementing the programmatic design as well as the aesthetic appeal.

          

  

Selective Insulation is a project by Davidson and Rafailidis and it is a perfect example of insertion. The design process began because of a need for insulation within the larger existing structure. It is a large drafty building with little insulation so smaller pockets of warm workspace were inserted in order to fix the problem. It is a very sustainable design because you save energy by not heating the entire room or renovating in order to re-insulate the building as well as using minimal materials. The structures created also serve to organize the space.  In my opinion, the project is effective because it completes the original building by solving the issue that was being taken into consideration and making the design better.

          

  The final example that I would like to talk about is the Spiral House by Powerhouse Company. This renovation is an example of connection. This structure connects the existing farmhouse to the site, and connects the public and private spaces. Originally the owners wanted more space as well as guest rooms. Beforehand, the farmhouse was a classic design and the new design is extremely innovative, yet simple. On their own, neither would be anything special but they work extremely well together to create a programmatic spiral with a patio in the middle. This complementary relationship is very effective in addition to reaching the predetermined goal.

            Each of these new designs completes the overall design, which is what makes them complementary architecture. I chose these examples because to me, they exemplify beautifully the four most important ways that you can modify a building. I think that each of these is well designed and innovative. I learned from studying these examples that there are many techniques to modify buildings and that some work better than others.