Towards a Critical Regionalism: Six Points for an Architecture of Resistance

1. BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE
THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC61303
SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (August 2017)
Name: Lai Tzexiuan ID No.: 0318056
Lecturer: Mr. Prince Tutorial Time: 10 a.m.-1
p.m.
Reader/Text Title: Towards a Critical
Regionalism: Six Points for an Architecture of
Resistance
Synopsis No: 4 (B)
Author: Kenneth Frampton
Based on the article of Towards a Critical Regionalism, Kenneth Frampton argues on the importance of
public spaces and realm of architecture place-form response to human in urban context. Place-form of
architecture in Critical Regionalism refers to how a building is placed or situated onto its site context and
how building is designed response to cultural and natural aspects of the site.
According to my opinion on Critical Regionalism, I agree on Kenneth Frampton’s essay which mention the
importance of architecture has to be design in response to its context. A building that responded to both
natural and cultural aspects of site contexts is able to evoke a sense of belonging to the building site or
place. As an example, a building which ‘sits’ onto a mountain site following the geological mountain
topography as ifit is part ofthe mountain. Moreover, the design ofappropriate openings and ventilation are
able to reflectthe nature and local climate condition. For instance, the use of low thermal capacity materials
and openings for cross ventilation clearly reflects that characteristics of tropical architecture. The
considerations of natural and cultural in response to site context in architecture are important to avoid any
conflict with the contexts.
In addition, cultural response towards the site context can be shown through architectural poetics or
intangible feelings. I agree on Critical Regionalism which states the importance of visual and tactile of
human senses to create tangible and intangible experiences within a building. For example, the placements
of rooms and courtyards of Chinese courtyard house, “Deep Deep House” are placed accordingly to the
paintings of mountain, river, pavilion and lake of the Chinese literature landscape painting. This shows that
the mountain, river, pavilion and lake ofthe landscape are visualized as rooms and courtyards ofthe house.
Whereby, the tactile sensitivity within the house on the soft and hardscapes of gardens and timber
construction materials express the natural and cultural origins of the inhabitation of ancient Chinese
courtyard house. Architectural poetics are sometimes important to human as they stimulates the senses of
human in order to express the identity and to convey significant messages of a place.
Word Count: 358 Mark Grade
Assessed by: Date Page No.