MT. Marseille an Archipelago. Strategies for Integrating Residential Communit...
Theory of architecture
1. THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE
DECONSTRUCTIVISM
POST MODERNISM
PARAMETRIC DESIGN
FUTURISTIC DESIGN
CYBERTECTURE
PRESENTED BY :
KRISHNA JHAWAR
09 B
B.ARCH 3RD YEAR
VASTU KALA ACADEMY
2. DECONSTRUCTIVISM
Deconstructivism is an architectural style which contradicts the conventional methods
of architecture to create a structure,which though aesthetically odd is functionally
equivalent to the buildings made by general methods.Find out more about this
different and thought provoking method.
INTRODUCTION
Deconstructivism is a type of architectural style, which unlike conventional
architecture, breaks all the rules of construction theory. Developed in late 1980‟s,
deconstructivism was started by a group of architects known as the deconstructivists,
who were impressed and influenced by the thinking and principles of French
Philosopher Jacques Derrida.
According to the deconstructivism style, a building is designed in parts. The
architecture seems as if it is done in bits and pieces, in a haphazard manner, without
any importance given to logic or architecture norms. A building constructed by
deconstructivism style reflects discordant pieces joined together to form unrelated
abstract forms.
Deconstructivism focuses on changing the conventional rectilinear lines of a normal
architectural building into non-rectilinear lines, transforming the external features of
the building into distorted shapes and fragmented features.
DECONSTRUCTIVISM PHILOSOPHY
Initially architecture had two main facets – modernism and post-modernism. These
two schools of architectural thoughts ruled almost all form of architectural styles.
However, deconstruction, which came later, followed an approach that held the
conventional architecture norms upside-down.
Deconstruction, as the name suggests, intends to disarrange the architectural styles,
refuting modernism and post-modernism references. For e.g. in post modern style,
ornamentation of the building was to decorate the architectural structures in regards
to functional characteristics and using appropriate geometrical shapes and lines.
However, deconstructivism works exactly opposite to this. It believes in removing the
ornamentation of the building from the functional aspects and instead using irregular
3. geometrical shapes, complicating the exterior features and yet attaining the
functional and structural characteristics needed by a building.
The Philosophy behind this architectural school of thought comes from the French
Philosopher Jacques Derrida, who believed that architecture is a kind of language for
communication using the linguistic philosophy. According to Derrida, the contradicting
ideas such as presence and absence, solid matter and void etc. also occurs in
architecture; and just as a building can be constructed using the conventional laws of
architecture, non-conventional methods or deconstruction can also be used in a
building a functional structure.
Deconstructivism is also affected by the architectural style of the Russian
constructivism movement that started in the 20th century. Constructivism at this time
also followed the same pattern of deconstructivism, which involved assembling
abstract forms of irregular and disjointed geometrical shapes. However,
constructivism did follow the ornamentation of buildings up to certain extent whereas
deconstructivism staunchly refuted it.
EXAMPLES
Buildings such as Turning Torso in Malmo, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Spain,
Mit‟s Stata Center, and the Vitra Design Museum in Weil-am-Rhein are a few
structures made from deconstructive architectural style.
Chin Crystal by Daniel Libeskind Performing Art Centre by Zaha Hadid
4. Many modern buildings are also being build by deconstructivism. Also, with the
advancement in computer aided designing systems, planning and designing such
buildings have become easy. 3-D designs and simulating the post construction effects
have helped deconstructivism greatly. The present technological advancement has
made designing buildings with such complex shapes extremely easy.
Thus, though unconventional is style and odd in looks, deconstructivism has found its
own place in the world of architecture by building structures that are not only
functionally and structurally stable but also unique and attractive.
5. POSTMODERN ARCHITECTURE
Postmodern: a challenge to (or rejection of) modern truth claims about language,
culture, history, and identity, even truth itself; tolerance of contradictions; loss of
faith in grand meta-narratives (stories) that try to explain origins, morality,
meaning, or destiny.
The modernist architectural aesthetic was based on the principle of "form follows
function." Instead of designing a structure around some pre-existing meaning or form,
the function of the building should have priority. As those who worshiped in
traditional [cross-shaped] churches were always reminded, worship is a matter of
being gathered into his cross. The modernist approach to church design would first
ascertain the practical functions the building needed to fulfil – accommodate a
certain number of worshipers, classrooms for Sunday school, etc.
Those who built the Pruitt-Igoe housing project in St. Louis designed a form to follow
the function of solving the housing problems of the urban poor. Designed according to
every modernist principle, the project proved unlivable. In 1972 the city dynamited
Pruitt-Igoe, marking the end of modernism in architecture.
Disillusioned with the modernist dogma that the present is always the best, architects
and the public they serve rediscovered the value and beauty of the past. They started
restoring old buildings. Whereas modern architecture is abstract, postmodern
architecture is referential. Modern buildings look typically drab in their concrete and
steel. Postmodern high-rises often flaunt bright colors and rich decorative detail. The
ornamentation is flagrantly non-functional and often draws from past styles. A
contemporary building may include Art Deco touches from the 1920s or updated
classical columns or simplified Victorian bric-a-brac.
Postmodern architect Robert Venturi, author of Learning from Las Vegas, celebrates
buildings that frankly cater to the whims and fancies of ordinary people (such as the
gaudy luxury of Vegas hotels). He sees nothing wrong with buildings that are playful,
funny, or in conventionally bad taste.
AT & T Headquarters by Philip Johnson Post-Modernist Architect Robert Venturi
6. Much postmodernist architecture is like the New York City AT&T building (Philip
Johnson, 1978). It pilfers various historical styles and works them into a pastiche (the
characteristic post modernist form), void of coherence or meaning. The combination
of discordant styles (modernism, baroque, classicism) is a sort of joke. By lifting these
incompatible styles out of history and tacking them together, the styles lose their
significance. History is reduced to a smorgasbord of styles, to be sampled according to
one's taste. The effect is to deconstruct style and relativize history.
Some postmodernist architects have set about overtly deconstructing their own
designs, mocking both their forms and their functions. James Wine designed a series
of Best stores that made people driving by do a double take. One of his stores in
Milwaukee looked as if it were falling apart. The front wall was apparently peeled
away in a pile of bricks, revealing shelves holding plastic replicas of lamps, toasters,
and Barbie dolls. A customer would walk past this facade, past the plaster replicas,
through the glass doors, and into the store with its shelves of real lamps, posters, and
Barbies. With its fake rubble and gaping hole, the store was designed as a parody of
itself, not so much a construction as a deconstruction.
Contemporary architecture has a curious feature, the confusion of interiors and
exteriors. If you walk from the street into a new office building, the first thing you
see inside may well be trees! Many buildings today include atriums complete with
trees, nature paths, and bright sunlight.
Just as the atrium brings the outside inside, many postmodernist buildings bring the
inside outside. Structural framework such as beams and ventilation ducts may appear
on the surface. An extreme example is the Pompidou Center in Paris (1977). Support
beams, tie-rods, and the plumbing appear to be on the outside of the building,
painted in bright garish colors. An escalator snakes along the exterior of the building.
It is as if the building were turned inside out. The effect is unsettling, like looking at
a man but seeing only his insides - his lungs, blood vessels, and red guts.
What has been happening in architecture illustrates what has been happening
throughout the arts and the culture since the collapse of modernism. The post modern
rejection of absolutes, it's triviality and relativism, and its penchant for self-
gratification all undercut Christianity. The temptation is to capitulate to the new
mind-set rather than work to redeem it. But the postmodern age also has room for
Christianity in ways that modernism did not. The postmodern openness to the past, its
rejection of narrow rationalism, its insistence that art refers to meanings and context
beyond itself – these insights are all useful to the recovery of a Christian worldview.
7. PARAMETRIC DESIGN
The advent of the industrial revolution, mass production and large-scale
manufacturing industries during the last two centuries has had a revolutionary effect
on architecture. The fathers of modern architecture, such as Le Corbusier, Mies Van
Der Rohe and Walter Gropius were inspired by the automobile factories and methods
of the era; this gave birth to the computer as a design tool.
Parametric design is a method of intelligently designing architectural objects based
on relationships and rules using the computer. These are defined in parametric
software and are easily manipulated to quickly generate multiple iterations of the
design in 3D. This month, I've selected 10 buildings that use parametric design either
as a whole, or on part of the building. As you can see, the use of this tool has allowed
for more complex free form shapes as well as multiple reactive yet repeating
elements to be created.
Parametric design has been pioneered by architects such as Frank O. Gehry, Zaha
Hadid who begun to exploit digital technology originally developed for the automotive
and airplane industry for architecture.
Walt Disney Concert Hall by Frank O.Gehry Gunagzhou Opera House by Zaha Hadid
Bird's Nest by Herzog De Meuron Water Cube by PTW Architects
8. Offering new ways of controlling form, parametric design allows architecture to react
to its context, the environment and rules and regulations, enabling a completely
digital workflow from design to manufacturing.
With the use of parametric software, architects are able to study relationships and
incorporate basic aspects of the actual construction including material, manufacturing
technologies and structural properties into the design process. It has allowed for
architectural design to become an iterative, generative and reactive process rather
than one of evolution; some argue that this is closer to nature, as D'Arcy Wentworth
Thompson book On Growth and Form he argues, "an organism is so complex a thing,
and growth so complex a phenomenon, that for growth to be so uniform and constant
in all the parts as to keep the whole shape unchanged would indeed be an unlikely
and an unusual circumstance. Rates vary, proportions change, and the whole
configuration alters accordingly."
Such tools transform complex issues into rational, simple decisions. But this trend
toward complexity leads to new design problems, requires a deeper understanding of
geometry, mathematics and computer software; the architect mustn't forget that he
must be a master of and control the tool, rather than the other way around.
9. FUTURISTIC DESIGN
Bold, bio-inspired, vertical and sustainable: those are the traits that architecture of
the future will share, if you go by the trends in current cutting-edge concept designs.
While some of these architectural concepts will never become reality, others are
already in progress or slated to begin construction soon. From a sparkling urban farm
inspired by a dragonfly‟s wing to a dystopian concept that embraces genetic
engineering, here are 12 amazing designs that give us a peek into what the future
may bring.
The Songjiang Hotel by Atkins Design makes use of a beautiful water-filled quarry in the
Songjiang district just outside Shanghai in China. This innovative design features a green
roof, geothermal energy and underwater areas including a restaurant and guest rooms.
The quarry provides an ideal setting for sports and leisure including swimming, water
sports, rock climbing and bungee jumping. The Songjiang Hotel was originally slated to be
completed by May 2009, but as of now it‟s still just a concept.
By making apartment buildings entirely vertical, we could enhance the livability of urban
residences and provide lush green gardens for each apartment dweller to enjoy. The
Origami by Kann Finch, designed for Meydan City in Dubai, would give each apartment an
open quality that extends the internal living areas to extensive balconies with uplifting
10. window walls. A patterned solid/glass screen gives the building visual interest from the
outside and provides shade and privacy for the residents.
Italian architect David Fischer designed the Dynamic Tower Skyscraper so that each of
its 80 floors would rotate according to voice command. Fischer wanted to design a space
where you could enjoy the sunrise and sunset from the same room. The rotation takes up
to 3 hours and is powered by solar panels and 79 wind turbines, with one turbine located
between each floor. Almost the entire structure will be pre-fabricated offsite.
Construction is due to be completed by the end of 2010.
Singapore-based design firm Design Act created the „My Dream, Our Vision‟ concept for
the World Expo 2010 Singapore Pavilion Competition. It uses permutated cubes to
generate a pixelated-looking sculptural building that that looks like an illuminated „digital
cloud‟ hovering over a constantly changing green pasture. Designed to present Singapore
as the ideal example of a city that can transform the lives of everyone who comes into
contact with it, the „My Dream, Our Vision‟ concept encourages visitors to post their
dreams inside.
11. CYBERTECTURE
Cybertecture is a term coined by Japanese Architect James Law who runs his firm James Law
Cybertecture International.He is also known for his revolutionary,highly futuristic
Cybertecture Mirror. He says, “In the 21st Century, buildings will be different from
20th Century. They are no longer about concrete, steel and glass, but also the new
intangible materials of technology, multimedia, intelligence and interactivity. Only
recognizing this will bring a new form of architecture to light, namely a
Cybertecture.”
Japanese Architect James Law Cybertecture Mirror
The concept was inspired, according to the designers, by considering the world as an
ecosystem allowing life to evolve. Elements of the design and intelligence systems
will work together to give the building‟s inhabitants the „best space to work in‟. And
this includes monitoring their health. Within the building, there will be a series of
innovative systems such as „cybertecture health‟ in the washroom which is designed
to keep track of the inhabitant‟s health including blood pressure and weight. The data
collected may be retrieved and sent to a doctor if deemed necessary.
Technology and the working environment are united in the use of „cybertecture
reality‟ which allows you to customize your favorite view and have real time scenery
all around the world instead of the view the user currently has.
THE EGG
James Law have been commissioned by Vijay Associate (Wadhwa Developers) to
create an office unlike any other in Mumbai, India. The 32,000 sq m egg-shaped build
will accommodate 13 floors of offices bringing together iconic architecture,
environmental design, intelligent systems, and new engineering to create an awe-
inspiring landmark in the city.
12. The egg itself is orientated and skewed at an angle to create both a strong visual
language and to alleviate the solar gain of the building, also there is a sky garden on
the top of building which performs thermolysis (the dissipation of heat from the
surface). PV panels will be installed on top of the building and a wind turbine on the
sky gardens will generate electricity. A water filtration system will also be
incorporated into the building to recycle grey water for flushing and irrigation
purpose.
By using this “Egg” shape, compared to a conventional building, the structure has
approximately 10-20% less surface area. Within the building, an innovative structure
derived from the skin of the egg creates up to 30m spans of columnless floors. The
architecture is sleek and computer designed, with engineering that creates a building
of high quality and geometric sophistication. It is hoped this building will act like a
“jewel” for the new Central Business District of Mumbai, and will be a worthy
neighbour to other esteemed buildings in the district. The building is due for
completion by the end of 2010.
OTHER PROJECTS IN PROGRESS
THE IPAD TOWER
The iPad Tower (also known as The Pad) was originally inspired by the Apple‟s iPod
sitting on a dock and Omniyat Properties decided to take on the challenge and
construct this 26-story luxury tower (may I say I was actually hoping for 2600 story?).
The iPad Tower in Dubai – one of the strangest and unique buildings in the world, is
totally a Cyber-based structure, a completely modernized digital world of high
standard technology.
13. The iPad Tower contains over 231 intelligent apartments with more than half looking
over the picturesque Business Bay area of Dubai whilst the remaining looking towards
the center piece of Dubai, the Burj Dubai Tower. The mega project cost 3 billion
Dirhams ($800 million).
THE IPAD TOWER,DUBAI THE CAPITAL,MUMBAI
THE CAPITAL
The new commercial complex located in Mumbai, India ”The Capital” deliberately
reveals her calmness, gracefulness and elegance. It is an extremely challenging work
to develop a revolutionary design concept for an office with AAA- grading and
achieving over 80% efficiency simultaneously. It integrated the sustainable concept,
form and functionality that inspire the office building design and urban context in
India like never before.
For the building enclosure, there are three major features in the building. An
incredible stepped-in glazed valley façade is created at the West elevation of the
building. The facade is stepped while each floor supported by feature columns and
cantilevered in a way that the building itself act as a shading device. A masterpiece
egg shape structure inscribed inside the wonderful sky lobby at the East elevation.
There are natural waterfalls and vegetations situated on both sides of the sky lobby.
They enhance the cooling effect of the atrium. People can also enjoy the beautiful
scenery in this communal space. The sparkling LED stripes protruded on the facade of
“The capital” do not only act as an urban information display device, but also play
the role of sun shading devices. The interior and exterior cladding system are adopted
PVDF coating which are easily maintain and UV resisting.