Case Study: VIEW HOUSE, Johnston Marklee Arraigada
Reading: MARK WIGLEY – The Architecture of Atmosphere
Architects have always controlled the environment in one way or the other, either by trying to avoid it entirely with the intention of preserving it, or by manipulating it. This manipulation is often done by playing with the immediate atmospherical conditions like lighting, ventilation, view to alter the atmosphere to the architect’s design.
The View House in Rosario, Argentina is an example of architecture which primarily tries to redefine the atmosphere by regulating the boundary between the internal and external environments. The four main ‘picture windows’ created by subtraction of four basic geometric shapes from a single main mass tries to thin out this boundary, at the same time preserving the privacy from neighboring plots. The architect tries to bring the atmosphere of the exterior into the interior by strategically placing the glazed faces and integrating them with the rotational circulation pattern of the interior. This provides framed views of the surrounding landscape. However, while ensuring an almost 360 degree view of the surrounding, the house eventually falls short on privacy (which was a main design goal) since the pattern of development around it in future cannot be predicted accurately.
In his book Mark Wigley tries to explain the intimate relationship between the architect and atmosphere. Every architect tries to take control of the atmosphere intentionally or unintentionally because it is an inevitable consequence in the process of designing. Architecture is defined by atmosphere. Every building has its own atmosphere. How it differs from its surrounding natural atmosphere depends on the architect. Wigley states that architects imagine themselves to be in control of the atmosphere. It is however only an illusion. Atmosphere is intangible, it cannot be addressed or controlled. The only real control that the architect exercises on the atmosphere is through the drawings of his buildings, through various ways of representation.
As for my topic of interest I am very interested in designing with nature. Also, the concept of embedding digital fabrication into a specific natural environment to create a potential social space is very fascinating for me.
Image References:
Image 1 - http://kingkongkoh.wordpress.com/2011/07/27/review-atmosphere-as-the-subject-matter-of-architecture/
Image 2 – http://www.arcspace.com/bookcase/atmosphere-/