Architectural project – Sou Fujimoto, Final Wooden House
Concept – Primitive Instincts
Theoretical Framework – Primitive Future
Category Archives: Joel Kahn
Digital Logics – T6 – Parametricism – A new Global Style for Architecture and Urban Design
Architecture has always been adapting to the needs of societies and its social demands of living. With the technological advancement of architecture in the last century, it has gone through many short lived episodes such as Postmodernism, Deconstructivism and Minimalism. Le Corbusier believed that architecture through the use “the straight line and right angle allows man to conquer nature”, stating that; “the curve is ruinous, difficult and dangerous”. However evolving from the previous Avant-grade styles and entering the new digital age, technology allows us to generate, mimic and understand the “chaotic” order of nature through the use of digital tools such as design systems, scripting techniques simulation and form-finding tools.
Parametricism – A new Global Style for Architecture and Urban Design, written by Patrik Schumacher, the leading pioneer behind the development of parametrics, describes how architects can redesign urbanism through the use of these parametric design techniques. With the continuous complexity and new needs of a post-fordist society in urban space, parametrics is a new and widely used systematic design to understand complex form finding through a variations of morphologies. Optimising the urban layout while simultaneously allowing for mass customisation.
Parametrics allows for visual understanding of how a single element can affect the overall system of the design itself, whether this is on a small interior scale or the layout of an urban society. This is generated through complex models and lawful material computation. Schumacher believes that to continue Parametricism as the innovative way to design architecture, is by exploring and evolving its complexities and understanding. He explains by developing the sub-systems, deep Relationality (interior and exterior relations), Parametric Figuration, Accentuation and responsiveness allows for a highly developed system that will bring us into a new Avant-garde style architecture for the digital age.
In this new digital age of architecture, parametrics will undeniably become the next advanced and exciting way of generating designs both in an architecture and in urban scale. With the continuous and rapid advancement of technology only time can tell where Parametricism will lead us in the near future. However, I believe that Parametrics is not the “dominant, single-style for avant-garde practice today” as Schumacher states. But another aesthetical architectural form, generated by the help of modern technology in our digital age. Off course if Parametricism continues to develop, it can become a major style in multiple factions of design, but architecture is ever evolving and another “avant-garde style” can take its place in the near future.
The emerging idea of mass production in a post-fordist society where design in architecture allows for mass customisation, is an intriguing and exciting idea that I personally find very interesting. Everything must be designed for the general population, however architecturally each individual person wants their own customisation for both interior and exterior design of their home. The concept of Parametricism; general design with mass customisation is of great interest to me and I can see myself continuing to develop that concept in the near future.
Image source: http://610f13.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/thepatternsofnatureseries2.jpg
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Relational Logics – T6!
The text Primitive Future, written by Sou Fujimoto relates architecture to the importance of lighting and materials, and how they drastically affect the function and atmosphere within of spaces.
Fujimoto describes gradation as the “key to future architecture”. Believing that “between white and the black there is an infinite colour range” (Sou Fujimoto, Primitive Future, 2008, P. 130). He believes that the gradation between spaces are affected by internal and external environmental factors that can create an infinite number of functions and possibilities within a space.
The Wall House located in Lampa, Chile, designed by FAR (Frohn & Rojas), highlights the importance of Fujimoto’s theory of gradation though the use of materials and lighting, drastically affecting the structural layers and spaces in the building itself. Each layer offers a very specific structural, functional and atmospheric climate which contributes to the intelligent hierarchy of the building.
The hierarchy integrates gradation of the spaces within the building through the use of density in materials. Fujimoto describes the layers of gradation much like a cave, the mouth being the most public and brightest, while the darkest and most private spaces are in the rear of the cave. This similar context is connected to The Wall House.
Starting at mouth of the cave, the exterior layer of the building, “soft skin” is a fabric membrane that covers the building and filters out the solar energy hitting the structure, simultaneously allowing for plenty of views and natural light to flood the interior. The second layer consists of the “Milky Shell”, a folding translucent skin constructed of high-insulation polycarbonate panels, which filters the harsh Chilean sun, registers external shadows while simultaneously flooding the living and master bedroom with natural light. Travelling deeper into the cave, the third layer “Stacked Shelving” build from engineered wood, formwork panels and plywood allows for both public (kitchen and dining) to be revealed and private spaces (guest room) to be hidden within the structure allowing minimal natural lighting to enter each space through solids and voids. Continuing into the darkest part of the cave and the final layer “Concrete Cave” which consists of two introverted concrete bathrooms, the core of the structural system. Implying a cave-like atmosphere for the inner and most private domestic function of the building.
The Wall House uses lighting and material (density from thin to thick) to create a journey into the rear of the “cave”. Creating an ever-changing atmosphere in both public and private spaces the deeper you journey in to the house, highlighting the importance of gradation not only through lighting but also through materiality and circulation.
On a personal level, the gradation between public and private spaces through the use of light, material and circulation fascinates me. Depending on these factors, it allows an individual or a group to feel comfortable, safe and relaxed or the complete opposite. These internal and external environmental factors greatly affect each individual’s lifestyle, both physically and emotionally and understanding of local architecture itself.
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