Evoking Reactions

By: Tyler Norton

What should be the main goal that architecture aims to accomplish? Adolf Loos once said, “Architecture arouses sentiments in man. The architect’s task therefore, is to make those sentiments more precise.” Some would disagree with Loos. Many think that sustainability, function, and form, among others, should be the main focus. While these are all important aspects of architecture, I agree with Mr. Loos. Architecture should be all about tailoring to people’s wants and needs and seeking a reaction from each individual who experiences the building. Without the individual, there is no reason for architecture to exist. There are plenty of examples of buildings that do just that and each architect accomplishes this fundamental goal in different ways.

One building that does a beautiful job of triggering a reaction is Le Corbusier’s Beistegui apartment. This work has a distinct surrealist style, especially the garden area. By definition, the aim of surrealism is to evoke emotion by stimulating the subconscious. The Beistegui garden does this in multiple ways. For instance, surrealism focuses on the incorporation of spontaneity, the emphasis on irrational, and representing things as they usually aren’t. The fireplace located in the garden meets all of these qualifications. The fireplace is irrational because a fireplace would never actually be found outside except in surrealist architecture. Le Corbusier generates a reaction from the individual by provoking the subconscious through surrealism.

Although it is not technically architecture, Maurice Nio’s 2004 Touch of Evil project is another example of architects evoking reactions from the public. The point of this project was to give expression to the technical spaces throughout cities and to bring life to a normally anonymous space. The red plastic covering the otherwise completely gray space provides and unexpected relief from the normally monotonous continuity of the city’s technical space. This evokes surprise from the viewer and invites creativity and imagination. As mentioned in class, the structure could not be changed; it just had to be added to. Therefore, Nio had to get creative. Instead of changing the architecture, he had to change the way people perceived the space. As well as provided unexpected relief, he also added the sense of touch to the experience. People are able to feel the texture of the red covering, which in turn adds to the moment. All and all, the way that Nio artfully induces a reaction from the individual is by changing the perception of the area.

           

            The final example that I would like to talk about is the Moses Bridge by RO&AD architects. Aside from being inventive and aesthetically appealing, it is also a great example of architecture that creates a reaction. It is interesting even to people who have no background in architecture. It evokes emotion and delight from the visual aspect but it is also very well thought out and focuses on the local culture and history. The bridge was designed to be “invisible” because the area was originally a fort and the architects wanted to keep the idea of a moat separating the enemies. Another way that the bridge connects to the individual is the idea of Moses. With the Biblical reference, it further evokes emotion from the viewer.

           

            In conclusion, all three of these examples seek to create a reaction by stimulating the subconscious, changing perception, and evoking emotion respectively. This is important because the reaction of the viewer is what connects architecture to its target audience: the individual. Without the individual, architecture would have no purpose. That is why the main goal of architecture should always be to focus on the reaction of the person experiencing it.

 Sources:

http://www.landezine.com/index.php/2011/11/moses-bridge-by-road-architects/

Interaction & Landscape

by Alessandro Giulio




INTRODUCTION
What is understood by the term ‘interaction’ in the context of landscape? We could essentially argue that we interact with nature every time we find ourselves in open landscapes. As true as that may be, we have grown accustomed to our very own changes in nature when we built bridges to cross rivers or built tunnels to cut through mountains. When was the last time you swam across a river or hiked over a mountain? The idea of doing so is quite impractical to most and thats understandable. In a sense, we have forgotten the true interactions between us and landscape.



THE MOSES BRIDGE
Originally dating back to the 17th century, the West Brabant Water Line served as a defensive moat until the 19th century. Located in Halsteren, the Netherlands, the West Brabant Water Line offered the first line of defense for several fortresses. In 2011, architects at RO&AD unveiled their restoration of the West Brabant Water Line bridge. Unlike our preconceived idea of the bridge, RO&AD designed a bridge to cross the West Brabant at the waters edge. The Moses Bridge, as RO&AD called it, allows for visitors to traverse the West Brabant on their way to Fort de Roovere. Presently, the Fort de Roovere hosts recreational grounds for cycling and hiking in Halsteren.

SENSORY
The Moses Bridge is, without a question, a sensory experience between user and nature. The project’s concept is as awe-provoking as its execution. The Moses Bridge was carefully designed to maximize sensory experience and minimize strain on natural impact. From a distance along the banks of the West Brabant, the Moses Bridge is practically immersed within the landscape. Upon crossing, RO&AD continue to inspire the sensory journey across the West Brabant. The width of the Moses Bridge is wide enough to suggest the importance of individual experience. The Moses Bridge gently steps along with the existing sloping terrain. A rich contrast in materiality marks the division between design and nature. Along the entire length of the Moses Bridge, you move leisurely with the earth and waters edge at arms reach.




PRACTICALITY
Perhaps an equally inspiring feature of the Moses Bridge is the execution of the project itself. There are reasons why this sort of ‘bridge’ isn’t done so often. As suggested before, the width of the Moses Bridge is small enough for ‘two-way’ traffic, a ideal reason for reducing the amount of excavation of earth. The stepping portion of the Moses Bridge is designed so that there is never a loss of connection to the ground plane at your arms reach. The Moses Bridge is predominantly constructed of Accoya wood and that when treated with a non-toxic anti-fungal coating is far more durable than most tropical woods. The entire stretch of the Moses Bridge is designed with pure forms and minimal variety of materials. From one side to the other, connection between earth/bridge and water/bridge is warmly complimented by selected materiality.

Forms of the Biennale

by Fielding Lowrance

My experience in Venice at the Biennale was one of the most enriching experiences I had while on my ten day extended travel around the north of Italy.  The first portion that we visited, which included expositions that related specifically to architecture, was particularly interesting.  We had only a very short period of time in which to take in a very large number of expositions, a fact that I found rather overwhelming and which led to a bit of a sensory overload. However, I still came away with some observations that have enhanced, and in some cases changed the way in which I think about architecture.

              

           The exhibition that had the greatest impact on me personally was certainly not the most sensational. However, the simplicity of the nature in which the idea behind the exhibit was conveyed lent power to the idea itself. The exhibit was one of the first that we viewed and was simply a darkened room with black and white images and text projected on each of the walls. The black and white, highly contrasted images immediately called attention to the architectural forms that they depicted. The fact that the framing of the images often took the subject out of the context of the entire building heightened the affect. There was written underneath each image the name of the building, and a description of the form: regulated, wavy, geometric, etc. A slide with text explained the difference between affect and meaning of form. While meaning is specific to the individual and dependent upon that individual’s biases, affect is the influence that the form has and has a closer relation to the form itself.

This idea colored many of the observations that I made later that day, and even influenced some of my previous experiences upon reflection. For example, in one of the later exhibits participants were asked to vote on what emotions certain buildings made them feel. The results were displayed on panels located throughout the room. Some buildings generally evoked similar responses. For example a rigid looking concrete government building elicited primarily anger and very few feelings of freedom. However, the responses to some buildings varied, or had votes split between similar responses such as happy and free. This reiterated the idea that the same forms can carry different meanings for different individuals.

The theme of the relationship between architecture and the people who populate was also present in many of the other exhibits I viewed that day. One that comes to mind in particular was another room that made heavy use of projectors. However, this room, presented full color images on all for walls, depicting large groups of people in states that varied from peaceful to highly agitated/protesting. On the floor cities were depicted coming together and dispersing in time with the images on the walls. This illustrated the role that populations play in the construction and destruction of a city environment and the cyclical nature of these developments.

Touch of Red

By Abbie Gentry

The area beneath bridges has always had a bad reputation. In children’s fairytale stories, it is where dark creatures lurk and wait to snatch up some unfortunate soul. In large cities, it is the location where the homeless population congregates and suspicious transactions occur. The region beneath a highway in Pijnacker-Nootdorp in the Netherlands attempts to remedy this ill-fated status. However, while this particular project may not have an actual troll like the one under the Fremont Bridge in Seattle, it does have a ‘Touch of Evil’ …which also happens to literally be the name of the project.

The ‘Touch of Evil’ takes up a 2000 square-metered stretch of land beneath highways and train tracks. It appears to be an ordinary passageway where walkers, runners, and bikers are free to go about their business. The difference between this underpass and other tunnels lays, however, in the huge splashes of red upon the concrete walls. These vibrant, splattered splotches liven up the atmosphere to create a fun and whimsical environment. There is fluidity and motion in the red forms. It has been described as such: “In front of us a big red stain etches concrete surfaces. The smooth gray walls twist, bend, as when a finger touches the surface of the water and a series of waves begin to come alive” (Nio Architecten). There is even a level of third dimensionality to the ribbons of red. In some places the red wrinkles and bulges to give the area not only a brilliant color but also texture.

Maurice Nio, founder of NIO Architecten, aimed to create an environment that is safe and comfortable; though perhaps not too comfortable. There is a sense of childlike wonder and untamed energy associated with this passageway. Within this space there is even a sign that reads “Touch of Evil is a tunnel that you will never understand, even if you follow every day of your life” (Nio Architecten). Moreover, there is the nature of the materiality and color that creates quite the paradox. Red is a warm color; the color of life, passion, and energy. It is “bold, strong, and demands a response… It’s all about movement and flow and making a statement” (Munoz). Concrete, on the other hand, is more often than not linked with the feeling of coldness and harsh, industrial environments. It seems ironic that the two extremes are paired. However, this is not done by accident. In response to its seemingly conflicting nature, Nio says, “This is my dream. Infect the soft with the hard. Limit the lens. The virtual with the real. Intelligence with stupidity” (Nio Architecten). Furthermore, “the project was conceived by the thought about filling the “technical spaces” of our cities with life and expression, the “soulless with a soul” (Gianotti). He takes an ordinary, emotionless, utilitarian space and transforms it into an energetic, personable space. He, in effect, “transforms an out-of-the-way and apparently insignificant place into an experience capable of redeeming a desolate, anonymous location, formerly soulless and slovenly (Touch of Evil).

It is interesting to think that merely adding color to something as bland as an underpass can cause such a stir. It does not change the reality that it is still simply a passageway under a busy highway. However, it completely changes its perception and the over-all experience.

Sources Cited

Gianotti, Andrea. “AD Interviews: Maurice Nio.” ArchDaily. 26 May 2010. Web. 31 September 2012. < http://www.archdaily.com/61429/ad-interviews-maurice-nio/

Munoz, Frances. “Color Theory Series: Red.” SW Creatives, LLC. 18 February 2010. Web. 1 October 2012. < http://www.swcreatives.com/_blog/SWC_Blog/post/color-theory-series-red/>

“Nio Architecten. Touch of Evil.” Arch’It. 1 June 2005. Web. 31 September 2012. <http://architettura.it/architetture/20050601/index.htm>

“Touch of Evil – Nio Architecten. Pinacker, 2004.” Floornature. 18 September 2007. Web. 31 September 2012. <http://www.floornature.com/projects-housing/project-touch-of-evil-nio-architecten-pijnacker-2004-4922/>

Hit Home with the Biennale

By Francisco G. Zambrano

            

"Architecture is not only what it looks like, 

but also what it does." 

-Venice Biannale Poster

Fig.1: The entrance to the Architecture Biennale.

     

            Well where to even begin? For those of you who have not read the other blog posts, the Venice Biennale is an exposition that occurs ever two years with events that show case contemporary art exhibitions ranging from film, dance, art and architecture. The two most popular events are the film and architecture exhibitions. The theme for this years architecture exhibit was “common ground” and was lead by David Chipperfield. The reason for the theme was that David wanted to show how even though architects vary in origin, beliefs, styles and ideology, we, even students, share a common ground. This “common ground” means many things such as the earth, the common goal of an architect, methods of approach, design ideas etc.. Many of the exhibits managed to capture your attention and embrace you in their ideas and designs. Obviously some more than others, yet this is what they all tried to accomplish. Their “common ground” was to cause an effect to their surroundings and visitors.

Fig.2: Norman Foster exhibit at the Biennale.

            The first project to really absorb me and make an impact was the Norman Foster project. After walking through a narrow dark corridor, you turn into a dark room with sound of construction, destruction, accidents, people yelling, protests, all accompanied by large images projected onto the walls that would change at random time intervals. Apart from all of this, there were also moving words projected onto the floor. While being in this room, you are simply overwhelmed with all of imagery and noise that is going on around you. Then, after being in the space for a while and taking it all in, you start making sense of all of the chaos. The photographs, which were all taken by architects, photographers, writers and journalists from around the world, are of historic public spaces from the western world and major growing places in Asia and South America. With all of the chaos going on in the images, you get the idea that we, as well as the names of architects, designers, landscape architects, etc. that are being projected on the floor and yourself, are all responsible for what is going on. Likewise, this is our common ground, and we must all figure out a way to resolve this. I found this exhibit very fitting for the entrance to the exhibition, or as Norman Foster called it, a gateway.   

Fig.4: Objects from the pilgrimage..

Fig.3: Footage from the film
about the pilgrimage.

          One exhibit though that was not as immersive as others but that really hit the whole common ground message to me was that of the Pilgrim’s Route that is based in the mountain range in Jalisco, Mexico where I am from. My mothers’ family has attended this pilgrimage since my mother was four. She would tell me stories of how they would camp out under some tree, and if they were lucky enough, they would stay at a relative’s home and sleep on the floor. She told me about how they would walk through the rough mountain range for a whole week and when they reached the church, their feet would be so sore from so many blisters that they could not go up the stairs to the church entrance. She explained how they would cookout under trees and use the restroom out in the bushes. She would tell stories of some of the people whom they would meet on the way and their stories. These were stories that I could only perceive through my mother since I have never been. Yet now, I was seeing what they experienced on a projection a thousand miles away from where it happened. It blew my mind that I was in Venice, across the Atlantic Ocean, and here was a piece of home. Home being a place in the middle of no-where which no one had ever heard of, yet here in Venice, it was being displayed amongst projects from places of much higher recognition. It made me aware that it does not matter where you are or where you come from, some how we are all connected. Everyone’s problem is some how your problem, and believe it or not you can make a difference.

            

            The Biennale was a wonderful experience, one that I am grateful to have lived. Not only because of the really cool exhibitions, but because it really got through to me how we all have the responsibility of what happens to others on this world. We must think more of how our projects will not only affect the local area, but also how it will affect those who are not. We must go truly move from a local mentality to a world mentality, because we are now in the twenty-first century.

Fig.5: Clip from the pilgrimage video.

"Why are you here for Chuy?" 

-Pilgrimage Video

            

Biennale: Exploring the Pavilions

by Nick Tafel

Going to the Biennale during our stay in Venice was a very interesting and exciting experience for me as a young student of architecture.  I walked through the doors with no idea as to what was going to be there.  The exhibits for contained as part of the Biennale were fantastic but more so than the exhibits, I enjoyed the pavilions as their own pieces of architecture completely independent of what was inside them.  It was immensely interesting to walk through this small town of architecturally diverse buildings that each had their own charm about them.  I would like to examine a few of these Pavilions and their own architectural charm.  I enjpy that the creators of the Biennale were this sensitive to the work that was being put on display.  This allows the viewer to not only enjoy the work that is on display but also enjoy the space that they are exploring.

The first Pavilion that I noticed to be architecturally appealing to myself was the pavilion that represented the Nordic Areas of Europe.  It consisted of one simple large space for the exhibition and large sliding glass doors for the public to enter through.  The genius in this building came through in the treatment of the light and also the pavilion’s obvious connection to nature.  Immediately upon walking into this pavilion, I was impressed with the space as a space that was conducive to displaying work well.  In my sketch you can the Brie-solel on the top of the building that interact with the normal day lighting of the space and allow for a very soft, easy light to gently cast onto the works that are being displayed.  The connection to nature is very evident as a tree grows directly through the building in the front.  Also, the large sliding glass doors on the sides allow for the exhibition space to feel like it is an indoor/outdoor space.  While it feels similar to an outdoor space, the building still offers the protection of harmful sunlight and the elements. 

Another Pavilion that I was impressed with was the Brazilian pavilion.  The exterior materiality was refreshingly simple and refine and the use of the cantilever over the doorway provided for a nice entry condition.  The exterior consisted of dark wooden panels arranged vertically.  The concrete mass that is cantilevered out over the doorway in the middle allows for the rhythm of the wooden panels to be broken up.  The hollow concrete mass that hovers above the door is quite impressive for the shear fact that it is reinforced concrete rather than steel or something more conventional.  It gives you the feeling that, at any point, the whole building could topple onto its side.

For me, the Biennale was the most interesting when I had the chance to explore the pavilions from different countries.  They were small, architecturally interesting buildings on their own.  In my opinion, many of these little buildings could stand alone with no exhibit and still be interesting enough to stand on their own as an exhibit.  

LIVING IN A STEAMSHIP

VILLA SAVOYE

Le Corbusier

(written by: Jennifer Lenn)

       Imagine living in a steamship. Yes, a steamship. The idea does not, at first, appear very "cozy". At first glance, a steamship is not built for person to live, but rather for a person to work. The steamship is a design brought about by the need to transport goods and therefore is a machine for transportation. A "machine" is most likely the last thing that would come to mind when someone is piecing together their dream home. The sole purpose of a machine is to fulfill the duties for which it is intended to master and lends itself to only existing in order to serve as a functioning element of human society. In 1929 this idea of mending the concept of "machine" and "house" was pioneered by a Swiss designer, urbanist, writer and architect by the name of Charles-Edouard Jeannereet or more familiarly known as Le Corbusier. 

       The Swiss architect, who later became a French citizen, immersed himself in his fascination with the machine age of the 20th century. He particularly was interested in the technology of the steamships because of the innovative engineering and the modularity of their design. Le Corbusier felt that the steamship not only was inspirational in its engineering but also in the concept of its design. Being the "machine" that it is, the steamship holds only what is necessary to serve its function; no more and no less. Corbusier sought to expose the parallel of this concept between machines and architecture. So much so that he published his "Five Points of Architecture", where he clearly defines the necessary components of architecture in the form of a simple list. 

Corbusier's five points are these: 

1. Pilotis (slender columns)

2. Flat Roof Terrace

3. Open Plan

4. Ribbon Windows

5. Free Facade (a facade that is free of structural members)

       In addition to his "Five Points of Architecture", Corbusier also designed one of his greatest contributions to the modern architecture of the 20th century. He designed a house emulating his five points to create a modern take a French country house located in Poissy, France. With his inspiration from the steamships he designed a house that illustrated the sole necessity of each of his five points so perfectly, in fact, that it describes his famous statement, " The house is a machine for living." 

       PILOTIS  The pilotis serve as the structural support for the upper level of the villa. Their slender design creates a subtle reference to the surrounding trees. As the pilotis become part of the surroundings, the upper portion seems to be floating above the picturesque background. In order to add to the visual and structural strength of the pilotis, the core piece in the center exists as the central location of the plan but is also painted green to fade into the background which enhances the "floating" of the upper portion. The placement of the pilotis defines a circulation for an entrance which wraps around the entire building and directs you inward to the main portion. Corbusier accommodates for the owner's vehicle by providing a wrap around driveway leading into a garage on the lower level where the rest of the maintenance and service areas exist. 

       FLAT ROOF TERRACE The flat roof terrace on the top of the upper portion of the building reclaims the green area of the building footprint. Corbusier uses this space for domestic purposes such as gardening, relaxation, and entertainment. 

       OPEN PLAN The open plan is made possible by illuminated load bearing walls that allow for an open circulation through out the majority of the house. While it is an open plan there are clearly defined thresholds between public and private spaces.

       RIBBON WINDOWS The white facade is delicately dressed with the seamlessly bending ribbon windows. These windows negate any form of hierarchy that may have possibly existed between the void  FREE FACADES. They also inhibit the perception of interior and exterior from the outside. They do not fully become clear until they are experienced from the inside. 

       Throughout the entire space the visitor's experience is completely defined by Corbusier's ability to use the promenade to control the views and movement of the visitor. Using the pilotis, Corbusier sets up an approach to the building that makes it appear to be floating within a picturesque scene. At a closer view, the visitor is welcomed by an obvious path regulated by pilotis that direct you around the house to the main entrance. Once inside, the plan is more open and allows for more interaction with the spaces but eventually forces an upward movement to the green terrace. The roof terrace contains a ramp that eventually slows the visitor's pace to give attention to the views and enforce a more intimate pace by which the views can be more appreciated. 

REFERENCES: 

http://www.ultimatehouse.tv/article.php?id=2

http://www.archdaily.com/84524/ad-classics-villa-savoye-le-corbusier/

Finding Opportunity in Unexpected Places

By: Emma Lyne Pouch

            Traveling takes you to the places you’ve always dreamed of seeing, the sites you have only been able to experience through pictures and settings that you only come across when wandering. Often times we are not prepared for the journey before us and something takes us completely by surprise. In my most recent travels to Venice, the Biennale was that experience that continued to take my breathe away as I turned every corner and ventured through each individual exhibit.  They succeeded in finding the perfect combination of lighting, materials, media and arrangement that kept my camera snapping and my eyes focused on each project, yet excited for what was still to come. The exhibition that undoubtedly captured my attention was Grounds for Detroit due to the way it took a single space and gave it a new rendition showing the opportunity to a part of the city in decay.

            This project began with five architects coming together and buying an abandoned single-family house located at 13178 Moran Street in Detroit. The house cost $500 paid in cash at auction and from there they let their minds wander and discover the potential of what that space could be. What we see of this project is not a livable home but concepts to give a new perspective to the existing. As you walk into the space you notice on the floor the original plans revealing the earlier condition. In this we see the kitchen, dining room, bathroom and bedrooms that are outlined with a metal frame to represent the past as the new interiors put forward the ideas for the future.

            It is in these interior spaces where I find the most intriguing elements. They take shaping space to a new level giving it an entirely new purpose. Upon entering the exhibit we find on our right an outline of what was once a garage implied by a delicate yet dark form floating in space and casting shadows on the ground below.  It is mysterious and haunting, resembling the run down feel of the current condition of the neighborhoods near Moran Street in Detroit. But as we look to the left we see a house suggested by the mesh-covered frame, yet the first thing my eye noticed was the variety in materials. The sculpture like space creates an abstract form with forced perspective and opposing walls of wood and mirrors with slats that challenge the mind and make you question what is actually before you. As you walk around the space you find each room filled with new materials, colors and perspective that leave you wondering, “What is this?” We may not understand at first glance but it isn’t supposed to be easy. It is to spark new ideas and create a spirit for a place that is dead. To make us rethink what has so long been set in stone when giving purpose to space. This select group of architects molds a space to form future opportunities.

            To conclude this exhibit the back walls that you view before leaving this space supplies a collection of different medias that show the real transformation happening in Detroit. They put on display the new approach of architectural practice and reveal how our imagination can revitalize a city. In Diego Hernandez’s blog he states, “Architecture is cast as a means rather than an ends- a means to finding opportunity rather than solving problems- a technique that resonates with the contemporary condition of a city like Detroit.”

 http://www.archdaily.com/272445/venice-biennale-2012-13178-moran-street/