3 10 20 English Translation Preface Jo Coenen, Alberto Book review 3 Ferlenga, Hans Kollhoff and S. Umberto Barbieri Architectural design and bOb van Reeth: Transform- 21 urban analysis ers of the European City About the authors and Henk Engel Roberto Cavallo, François collaborators 9 Claessens, Filip Geerts, On redesigning a Dutch city Willemijn Wilms Floet Case study: City Hall 15 extension, Gouda The study of urban form in Henk Engel and Otto Italy Diesfeldt Nicola Marzot

Preface in the European context, other words, ‘Holland’ and stadt in ein gewaltiges Merz- independent field of scient- that urban analysis is only and study of their develop- ‘the Netherlands’ are not kunstwerk verwandelt wer- ific research, as witness the important in a more compre- OverHolland – Architectural ment may make a significant synonymous. The adjective den.’ Kurt Schwitters, foundation in 1998 of the hensive programme of archi- studies for Dutch cities is a contribution to knowledge of ‘Dutch’ presents more of a Schloss und Kathedrale mit ‘International Seminar on tectural training. This more series published by the the European city. However, problem, since it refers to Hofbrunnen, 1922 Urban Form’.3 At the same comprehensive programme I Department of Architecture OverHolland has opted for a the whole of the country time it is realised that the have elsewhere referred to at Delft University of Tech- project-based approach, and English offers no con- The field of typological and connection between typo- as Tendenza’s scientific and nology. The editors plan to focusing on the role of venient alternative. Here, morphological urban analy- morphological urban analy- didactic project.5 If we publish two issues a year. architectural projects in the however, ‘Dutch’ will normal- sis, as we see it today, was sis and architectural design review the sum of all activi- The field of architectural transformation of Dutch ly be used in the same defined with perfect clarity is less self-evident. In an ties in the 1960s and 1970s research covered by the cities. Currently, the main restricted sense as ‘Holland’. in the 1960s and was devel- interview in the same issue which could be held to share series includes both typolog- tasks are restructuring and oped by a group of young of Casabella, Aldo Rossi this common denominator, a ical and morphological renewal. This involves large Italian architects who in the wrote: number of different steps urban studies and the ques- numbers of projects in the Architectural design 1970s became known inter- ‘Urban and typological stud- can be distinguished. One is tion of architectural inter- most varied situations, in and urban analysis nationally by the name Ten- ies have played an important the development of a pro- ventions in the context of communities with Henk Engel denza.1 In a retrospective part in my training. More gramme of typological and Dutch cities. The first issue autonomous powers of deci- which appeared in Casabella generally I believe that they morphological urban analy- explores the problems, and sion, and hence calls for an ‘Die Architektur ist an sich in 1985, Massimo Scolari play an important and fun- sis, another the development reports on the ‘Transformers approach that takes full auf den Merzgedanken am wrote: damental part in the training of a design theory.6 It also of the European city’ confer- account of local settings meisten von allen Kunstgat- ‘For a whole generation, of every architect. The archi- becomes clear that this lat- ence, with contributions by and potentialities. tungen eingestellt. Merz from the early Venetian tecture of the city is no ter has not led to any com- architects Jo Coenen, Alber- The theoretical focus in bedeutet bekanntlich die research by Saverio Muratori longer just the title of a book mon result, but has to Ferlenga, Hans Kollhoff OverHolland will be on pos- Verwendung von gegebenen to the studies in the Veneto but a way of studying and remained bogged down in and bOb van Reeth. sible links between urban Alten als Material für das region carried out by Aldo understanding architecture the different approaches of Randstad Holland, Green analysis and architectural neue Kunstwerk. Der Archi- Rossi, Carlo Aymonino and anywhere in the world. Obvi- the architects involved. As Metropolis and Delta design. The research con- tektur blieb infolge der Constantino Dardi, urban ously nobody ever discovers far back as 1977, in a lecture Metropolis are concepts that ducted over recent decades Schwerfälligkeit des Materi- analysis and the concept of anything new: what they do in Delft, Giorgio Grassi, have been used by planners has yielded a range of con- als, mit dem man Häuser typology have provided a is bring to light some aspect asked about Tendenza, said: to define Holland as a flicting views and insights on baut, nichts anderes übrig, point of reference for design of the discipline: architects ‘(...) in my opinion we can metropolis. Proposals for the the subject, raising all kinds als stets wieder das Alte zu and ideology. (…) This posi- have always studied the city only use this word to denote expansion of towns and of questions that will be verwenden und einzubezie- tion, which Tafuri was to but the study has, so to the ideological and architec- cities, infrastructural works, highlighted and examined in hen in den neuen Entwurf. define as “typological criti- speak, got rather dusty. (…) tural uniformity of people ecological corridors, recre- depth in OverHolland. Dadurch sind unendlich rei- cism”, and which found its But to claim that typo-mor- who display the same inter- ation areas and high-value che und schöne Bauwerke true expression in Rossi’s phological studies represent est in architecture, the city, urban hubs have been graft- Note for the English speak- entstanden; indem für den Architecture of the city, fea- the main vehicle for carrying historical analysis and so on. ed onto this planning model ing reader: Architekten nicht der Stil des tured in the difficult “sixty- forward architecture could Of course their design by landscape and urban The ring-shaped conurbation alten Teiles maßgebend war, eight” period alongside the be just another way of research can take very dif- designers. At the end of this of the western Netherlands sondern die Idee des neuen most progressive ideas of restricting the freedom of a ferent forms.’ 7 chain of virtual productions, is known in Dutch as the Gesamtkunstwerkes. In die- the Movimento Studentesco, young architect’s training. That was at the end of it is the task of architecture Randstad (literally ‘Rim ser Weise müßten unsere which recognised the quality (…) Teaching must assist the 1970s, by which time to supply images and devise City’). It is centred on the Städte, um ein Beispiel zu of its moral firmness and its training, or at least not hin- Tendenza’s scientific and programmatic means of fill- provinces of North and nennen, durchgearbeitet critique of the ancien der it by continually creating didactic project had in fact ing in ‘the shapes’. The prob- South Holland, and in Dutch werden. Durch vorsichtiges regime.’ 2 new myths, as functionalism broken up in different auto- lem here is the lack of a the name ‘Holland’ normally Niederreißen der allerstö- In the past few decades once did and as typo-mor- biographical directions. At concrete vision of things: an refers to this part of the rendsten Teile, durch Einbe- morphological and typologi- phological analysis runs the the same time the Italian archipelago of Dutch cities country rather than the ziehen der häßlichen und cal urban analysis has come risk of doing.’ 4 work was being overshad- in a suburban wetland, Netherlands as a whole. The schönen Häuser in einen to be a normal part of life at Clearly what Rossi is owed by a normative, histori- rather than the fiction of a same distinction has been übergeordneten Rhythmus, many architectural training doing in this retrospect is cising contextualism à la potential metropolis. maintained in the English durch richtiges Verteilen der establishments. To some putting urban analysis into Rob Krier. In about 1980 Dutch cities are unique edition of this series – in Akzente könnte die Groß- extent it has grown into an perspective. He makes clear Rem Koolhaas rightly took up a contrary position. On to architecture as they are and history and ensures the urban analysis restricted to the urban fabric, has These prominent urban the occasion of the 1981 to scientific research. survival of the architectural itself to the formation and managed to retain its indi- features, often constituents exhibition OMA drawings at For this reason I would form beyond the original the subsequent transforma- vidual characteristics. This is of the town which have been the Architectural Association like to recall a piece dating occasion for its construction. tions undergone by the the most important question present throughout its devel- in London, he declared: from 1966 in which Rossi It is the form that is perma- mediaeval city. Muratori’s raised by The architecture of opment, we have termed ‘oma has been concerned first explicitly raises the sub- nent and lays itself open to research showed that in the the city. Rossi believed that ‘primary elements’. The link with the preservation and ject of the relationship changes in function and mediaeval city the relation- the answer to what consti- these primary elements revision of the tradition of between analysis and meaning. ships between topographical tutes the individual charac- establish with an area from so-called functionalism design. In Architettura per i form, plot division and build- ter of a city lies in the reten- being erected on a particu- – exemplified by Leonidov, musei Rossi deals with dif- Architecture of the city ing forms were fixed; build- tion and enrichment of the lar spot and from the perma- Melnikov, the “Berlin” Mies, ferent aspects of the way in Concerning urban analysis in ing forms transformed them- permanent elements in its nence of the town plan and the Wright of Broadacre which designing as an indi- our opinion the conclusions selves within these urban structure, i.e. its the building mass, this link City, the Hood of Rockefeller vidual activity, including the of the Padua research in the relationships while still topography and its monu- between natural and con- Center (…) In the “new” his- subjective element inherent 1960s still provide a good retaining their fundamental ments. Rossi’s new empha- structed facts, is what forms toricist and typological in such activity, can be starting point for further characteristics. According to sis on the role of monumen- the physical structure of the architectures, culture will be thought of in relation to study. Aymonino, like Rossi, Aymonino, however, these tal buildings in the formation town.18 at the mercy of a cruel Pro- architecture as a collective recognised the importance relationships between topo- of urban structure was espe- According to Rossi, the crustean arsenal that will subject, with its own history of the work of Saverio Mura- graphical form, plot division cially significant in compari- interaction between the censor certain “modern” deposited in towns and their tori, whose studies of Venice and building typology are son with Muratori’s earlier topography, the monuments activities with the excuse monuments, but also in and Rome laid the founda- subject to change as a city urban studies. and the area is characteris- that there is no room for unrealised designs, treatises tions for a morphological develops. Research should Rossi believed that the tic not only of the first phase them, while other programs and textbooks.11 urban analysis that allowed therefore not be limited to terms ‘area’ and ‘residential of town forming but also of will be revived artificially, According to Rossi, no the physical dimension of the mediaeval city, but area’ were inadequate to the further development of simply because they fit the school of architecture can urban space its own logic, should be extended to cover explain the creation and the town: forms and types that have do without a theory of alongside the economic, the entire history of the development of the city, and ‘Certain buildings form the been resurrected.’ 8 design. In many cases, how- political and social factors development of the city, needed to be supplemented germ cell of a town, now Yet even for oma the ever, a design theory is which affect the shape of right up to the present day. by other accurately defined and in its further life; despite urban context is the meas- treated as no more than the the city.13 A fundamental This would allow an under- elements which made up a change in or the complete ure of things to come; not, post-facto rationalisation of feature of this approach is standing to be gained not the core of the develop- disappearance of their origi- to be sure, of architectural particular design activities. the distinction between what only of the different phases ment. Here Rossi’s The ar- nal function, they have forms, but of ‘the program- Rossi on the other hand might be called the living through which a city passes chitecture of the city makes become so much a charac- matic imagination to make says that a design theory city and the physical city. in course of its develop- a fundamental distinction teristic component of a par- new insertions into an exist- must be seen as an instant Contemporary research into ment, but also of the char- between primary elements ticular part of the town, that ing lived-in world; insertions in the theory of architecture: the processes involved in acteristics of the different (monumental or topographi- they are seen more as urban that would acknowledge and ‘Before we can talk about a urbanisation generally con- elements which combine to cal) and residential areas, features than as architec- enhance the context they theory of design, we have to siders the physical city to make up today’s city.15 giving a new twist to the ture. Other buildings mark find, and which at best ask ourselves what we result from the operation of Rossi too took the view usual distinction made in the dawn of a new age in would provoke subtle muta- understand by architecture social factors. Muratori on that the physical structure of classical treatises and refer- the town’s history; generally tions, in the tradition of and provide a definition of the other hand, and Rossi a city cannot be reduced to ence works between public they stem from times of rev- modernity’. 9 architecture. Then we need and Aymonino with him, saw a single principle. The buildings and private dwell- olution or preserve a close The position adopted by to consider the criteria the city as an artefact which cityscape is not a ‘unit’, but ings. The architecture of the relationship with decisive oma touched a sensitive which an architectural forms part of an urban cul- shows breaks and contrasts, city analyses this distinction events in the town’s histo- spot, particularly in Delft design needs to satisfy and ture and as such is itself a telling of the use and the on the basis of the differing ry.’19 University of Technology’s the relationship between factor in urban development. history of the city: roles played by the two rela- In connection with this faculty of architecture. The design and the history of Rossi and Aymonino ‘By its very nature a city is tive to the natural situation last class of buildings, Rossi old ideological struggle architecture. In short, we however had objections to impossible to trace back to and the time factor (the referred in particular to the between Traditionalism and have to concentrate on the any normative connection a single basic idea. This is locus).17 work of architects from the Modernism was given a new things that provide us with a between urban analysis and true of the modern metropo- Undoubtedly residential period of the French Revolu- lease of life. This was the sit- concrete understanding of design. In the introduction to lis, but equally true of the areas are a fixed feature in a tion (ca 1800) and the Russ- uation when the first typo- architecture, namely the city, La città di Padova Aymonino concept of the city as the town’s plan, as indeed are its ian constructivists in the logical studies and morpho- its history and its monu- observed: ‘The problem aris- sum of many parts, neigh- monuments. Nonetheless, 1920s.20 Amsterdam’s city logical urban analysis ments.’12 es when Muratori advances bourhoods and districts, all buildings in residential areas hall, now the palace on the started up in Delft,10 where These questions need to the theory that in today’s substantially different from undergo dynamic develop- Dam, designed by Jacob van the connection between be kept constantly in mind urban reality design opera- one another and distin- ment: houses are demol- Campen (1648) is a relevant design and urban analysis when discussing possible tions necessarily arise and guished by different formal ished and rebuilt, their example from a town in Hol- had always been an open connections between urban can be derived from studies and sociological characteris- heights and depths are land. The poet Vondel sang issue. The fact that experi- analysis and architectural of this kind, as a logical con- tics. In fact this very differ- increased and sometimes the praises of this building, mentation has always been design. While treating the tinuation of knowing and entiation is one of the typi- plots are combined to allow describing it as the eighth highly regarded in the city as the field within which acting’.14 As Aymonino saw cal characteristics of a city. greater breadth. Sizes can wonder of the world. And the Netherlands would seem to architecture operates and it, an operational objective It makes no sense to want to also be reduced, by subdi- work of Hendrick de Keyser, be a great advantage, from becomes meaningful, Rossi of this kind frustrates the subject these different areas viding plots or by introducing Amsterdam’s city architect, a scientific point of view. Yet arrived at the notion of the possibility of developing a to a single kind of explana- a housing type containing seems even more worthy of I believe that this experi- ‘monument’ as the key to science of urbanism based tion or a single formal law.’16 multiple dwellings. But the further study. mentalism testifies more to a research into the basic prin- on typological and morpho- When one reviews the form of a monument does Up to now interest in the preference for pragmatic ciples of architecture. A logical analysis. complete history of the not change. Despite any work of De Keyser has main- solutions and the systematic monument demonstrates the This criticism gained development of a city, the changes in use which may ly been concerned with sty- avoidance of theoretical complex relationship extra emphasis because question arises how that occur, the form of a monu- listic questions relating to questions which are as vital between architectural form Muratori’s morphological city, despite drastic changes ment is a permanent feature. the introduction of classi- cism into the Netherlands.21 from the various forms of they derived their right to building. Reverence to their deserve a monumental which they generally accom- A recent study by Jan de normative, historicising con- exist from traditional urban place in the city has meant expression. (…) This monu- modated. Heer on the other hand textualism. Rem Koolhaas structures. They showed the that most examples stick ment of the 20th century is Referring back to the Vit- shows the works of De carried out pioneering work capacity of existing towns to firmly to building lines, cor- the Automonument, and its ruvian tradition, Koolhaas Keyser as elements in the in this area with his Delirious accommodate new nice lines on local buildings, purest manifestation is the observes a conflict inherent new Amsterdam that came New York (1978)23 and the demands, provided that the and wall treatments.’ As an Skyscraper.’25 in the architecture of large into being during the first concept of ‘hybrid building’, buildings, the elements from example of a building in this If, like Alvar Aalto in the modern buildings. Such half of the 17th century which followed the path which they are composed, category with the greatest early 1950s, we link the buildings constantly find through the expansion and blazed by him, became all are transformed. Hybrid appeal to the imagination, hybridisation of buildings themselves required to satis- restructuring of the mediae- the rage. In Pamphlet Archi- buildings provide the archi- Fenton mentions Adler and with the crisis in public fy inconsistent demands: val city,22 so turning the tecture no. 11 (1985) Steven tectural answer par excel- Sullivan’s Auditorium Build- building, and in an institu- ‘that of being a monument – spotlight on De Keyser for Holl and Joseph Fenton lence to new urban develop- ing in Chicago (1887), a tional sense with the blurring a condition that suggests the first time as city archi- launched this concept as a ments. building in which ‘the role of of the boundary between permanence, solidity and tect. The Haarlemmerpoort challenge to the view that a The dialectic of architec- the auditorium as a cultural public and private domains, serenity – and at the same [Haarlem city gate], the building ‘must show what it tural object and urban fabric monument is subordinated then Koolhaas made an time, that of accommodat- Zuiderkerk, Westerkerk and is’. The authors believed that is the central theme of Fen- to the urban fabric’. important observation when ing, with maximum efficien- Noorderkerk [South, West this view is characteristic of ton’s study. His catalogue of The category of buildings he said that the architectural cy, the “change which is life”, and North churches] were both functionalism and the American hybrid buildings that Fenton labels ‘monolith effect of increasing the which is, by definition, anti- landmarks for the new areas alternative provided by the shows that hybrid buildings hybrids’ corresponds to what dimensions of any kind of monumental.’ Koolhaas finds added to the city. The Beurs typo-morphologists. do not just accommodate an Koolhaas’ Delirious New York building is an autonomous the most advanced solution [exchange], built over the Steven Holl presented extraordinarily wide range of calls ‘monoliths’, the Han- factor in all this.26 The new to the conflict between the water on the Rokin, showed Hybrid Buildings as the third functions, but are charac- cock Centre in Chicago building dimensions resulting functional demands imposed Amsterdam as a centre of publication in a series of terised by their exceptional being a good example. from the new techniques on the interior and the rep- world trade. studies. The first two studies, size. This is how these ‘mod- Looked at this way, ‘monolith available to real estate resentative role of the exte- Each of these buildings The Alphabetical City (Pam- ern’ hybrids distinguish hybrids’ can only be distin- developers, whether the rior to be the radical separa- has a tower. To these must phlet Architecture no. 5, themselves from their prede- guished from ‘fabric hybrids’ buildings in question are to tion of interior and exterior be added the spires which 1980) and Rural and Urban cessors, ‘the shops and by their scale; ‘monolith be used for offices, facto- coupled with the abolition of De Keyser erected on frag- House Types in North Ameri- workshops with accommo- hybrids’ are bigger, stand ries, public institutions or the ‘honest’ facade which ments of the old defence ca (Pamphlet Architecture dation over, common at apart from the urban fabric, residential purposes, have ‘speaks about the activities works: the Montelbaans no. 9, 1982) explored the many times and in many cul- and so have a monumental totally upset the classifica- it conceals’. tower, the Munt tower, the possibilities offered by typo- tures and still common aura that ‘fabric hybrids’ tion of buildings into types, The decisive issue here Jan Rodenpoorts tower and logical and morphological today’. Fenton draws a dis- lack. though the traditional hierar- has been what Koolhaas the Haringpakkers tower. urban analysis to the North tinction between ‘fabric In principle the distinc- chy of building types has calls ‘the annexation of the Around 1600 Amsterdam American situation. In Hybrid hybrids’, ‘graft hybrids’ and tion between the two cate- certainly not been eliminat- tower’: the exploitation of had three spires, one on the Buildings, however, Joseph ‘monolith hybrids’. gories of building is only a ed from the way that build- the wealth of architectural tower of the Oude Kerk [Old Fenton came to the conclu- ‘Graft hybrids’, says Fen- matter of syntax. ‘Fabric ings are perceived. A large motifs that the tower type Church], one on the town sion that: ton, are typical of the func- hybrids’ are defined archi- building is still seen as an had to offer.27 The shape- hall and a modest one on ‘The determination of pro- tionalist approach, in that tectonically as elements important building. lessness of the programme the crossing of the Nieuwe gram and form advanced by they reveal the functional from which the urban fabric Prints of historic towns is harnessed by the building Kerk [New Church]. It did typological models of the differences between the is constructed. ‘Monolith show quite clearly the archi- type, an architectural form not take long for De Keyser urban environment appear constituent parts. Frank hybrids’ on the other hand tectural problem to which which demands attention, to add nine more. These mere nostalgia in face of Lloyd Wright’s vertically are anomalies within the Koolhaas refers. The greater regardless of the pro- monuments, old and new, hybrid buildings which defy articulated Price Tower, part urban fabric. Yet these part of the building stock of gramme: together created a powerful categorization by building flats and part offices, pro- monoliths still form part of historic towns consisted of ‘In the deliberate discrepan- silhouette encompassing the type. (…) Hybrid buildings vides a striking example. the urban fabric, by virtue of private houses of modest cy between the container whole town. are a triumph of their Fenton also includes in the both their location and their size. Large buildings were and contained New York’s designers’ ingenuity and dar- same category New York’s content. The monolith domi- reserved for public institu- makers discover an area of Post-Tendenza ing. The individual input of Downtown Athletic Club, nates part or all of a block, tions like the church, the unprecedented freedom. The development of the the architect is evident in Rem Koolhaas’ favourite inflating the typology of the town hall, the weighhouse They … [separate] exterior typo-morphological urban the specificity with which example. ‘Graft hybrids’ can urban fabric from within, at and the exchange in the old and interior architecture. In analysis outlined here offers each building responds to its be distinguished from ‘fabric the same time overriding the centre of Amsterdam. Their this way the Monolith spares not only a range of spe- program and site. The com- hybrids’ and ‘monolith classic distinction between special size makes these the outside world the ago- cialised instruments for fur- binations are limitless. What hybrids’ by the fact that nei- urban fabric and monu- buildings stand apart from nies of the continuous ther research, but also a dif- the hybrid building offers is ther of the two latter show ments and between private the mass of houses and add changes raging inside it. It ferent view of the various a professional tool for deal- on the outside what is going buildings and public works. monumental touches to the hides everyday life.’ 28 approaches to the town that ing with the intricacies of on inside. It can be said of This is the most signifi- urban fabric. The large new held sway during the early the twentieth century city.’24 both of the latter categories cant insight for typo-mor- buildings which began to Absolute urban design days of modern architecture. According to Holl and of building that ‘the pro- phological urban analysis appear in towns at the end In 1982 Rossi wrote in the This subject is crucial to the Fenton, the study of hybrid grammatic elements are provided by Koolhaas in of the 19th century generally introduction to the American consideration of the main buildings can make an subsumed within a continu- Delirious New York: constituted commercial edition of L’architettura della representatives of Tendenza, important contribution to the ous building envelope’. ‘Beyond a certain critical developments of private città: and is always handled with revitalisation of existing ‘Fabric hybrids’, says mass each structure buildings designed to ‘Perhaps no urban construct the necessary critical towns. The great hybrid Fenton, are characterised by becomes a monument, or at accommodate offices, ware- in the world equals that of a detachment. Around 1980, buildings that began to be ‘the affirmation of a form least raises that expectation houses or hotels, alone or in city like New York. New York harking back to the early introduced at the end of the and its envelope and the through its size alone, even combination. The impression is a city of monuments such days of modernism acquired 19th century can certainly subsequent relegation of if the sum or the nature of of monumentalism given by as I did not believe could a polemic character as a be qualified as modern, programme to an inconspic- the individual activities it these buildings was at odds exist. Few Europeans under- way of distancing oneself technologically speaking, but uous appearance in the accommodates does not with the trivial functions stood this during the years of the Modern Movement in tectural objects realised as ‘Einmal auf der Ebene von ularly L’Urbanisme (1925). ben ermöglichen. Denn die The aim of absolute architecture; but certainly singular projects. For Bren- neuen, durchsystematisier- Sedlmayr said that it is char- Abstraktion vom besonderen urban design is to establish Adolf Loos did in his project ner the separation between ten Stadt- und Siedlungsmo- acteristic of designs of this Fall erlaubt es zu zeigen, wie rules for a ‘rational way of for the Chicago Tribune com- urban fabric and monument dellen und zum anderen in kind, ‘that the quality, nature die disparaten Elemente, die building’ for the ‘new city’. petition. That enormous still held good. This made his der Findung primärer Objek- and position of their “parts” eine Großstadt ausmachen, Typological research starts Doric column, which to writing heavy going and te als radikaler Ausdruck (and what happens within in eine beziehungsreiche from the definition and many Europeans may have ‘Darsena Terme’, his design neuer städtischer Funktionen them) are determined by a Ordnung zu dieser gebracht arrangement of the ele- seemed only a game, a contribution to Architettura und neuer Wahrnehmungs- single principle that struc- werden können.’35 ments from which a city is Viennese divertissement, is della metropoli, was pervad- tendenzen im städtischen tures the whole. (…) It is From this point of view constructed, and leads on to the synthesis of distorting ed by European melancholia Szenario.’ from this principle alone that Hilberseimer subjected both the construction of an alter- effects of scale and the and a penchant for religious Brenner rejected norma- the design of both the whole the ‘Satellite city model’, native to the existing city as application of “style” in an sentiment. tive contextualism and and the details derives its promoted by the Garden a whole. New forms of build- American framework.’ 29 Nowhere in his treatise argued in favour of updating true significance.’ 33 City movement, and Le Cor- ing are not developed out of Confronted by the Amer- did Brenner mention Deliri- the second, event-based Following the lecture on busier’s ‘Ville Contempo- thin air: new forms come ican city, and New York in ous New York. Yet the pro- aspect of classic Mod- ‘La Ville Radieuse’ given by raine’ to a critical examina- into being as the result of particular, by 1980 even gramme for his design ernism. The key expression Le Corbusier at the ciam tion and on the basis of this criticism of and changes in Rossi seems to have begun showed remarkable similari- here is radical object. The meeting in Brussels, Fred examination developed his existing forms of building to suspect the unforeseen ties to the Downtown Athlet- ‘radical object’ was to once Forbat explained why this own model for the ‘Vertical and are to that extent based flight of events since L’ar- ic Club, which for Koolhaas again throw architecture kind of theoretical design City’. Hilberseimer attributed on knowledge of the ‘historic chitettura della cittá. The cat- represented just about open to the ‘Zeitgeist’, to ‘the study is important. As Forbat significant experimental city’. The methodology of egorical separation of monu- everything that he had to complex world of urban per- saw it, Le Corbusier’s lecture value to these model stud- this research matches that ments and urban fabric, say in his book. The pro- ception’: made it abundantly clear ies, but also emphasised of the research into urban which Rossi’s book associat- gramme for the club is a ‘Kennzeichen dieser “radika- that ‘wie anders wohnung- that no more than theoreti- design which took shape in ed with the legal and socio- prime example of metropoli- len Objekte” ist ihre spezifi- stechnische Probleme cal value should be attrib- German text books around logical concepts of public tan hedonism. But for Kool- sche Funktion, die sie als aussehen können, wenn der uted to this kind of design: 1900.37 and private, had become haas the really sensational Bauaufgabe der Zeit aus- Weg der Folgerungen, nach- ‘Diese Vorschläge sollen In this approach con- completely uncertain. The thing was that nobody would zeichnen und ihre Gestalt, dem er in der Richtung vom weder Stadtentwürfe noch crete project proposals autonomy of architecture expect anything of the sort die diese Funktion im städti- Einzelnen zum Ganzen ein- Normierungsversuche einer always involve a confronta- had returned to the fore, sin- from the appearance of the schen Kontext monumentali- mal durchschritten war, solchen sein. Beides ist eine tion between a theoretical gle-handedly extending the outside of the building. The siert und ikonografisch ver- nochmals in der entge- Unmöglichkeit, denn es gibt model and the individual mythical dimension of the peculiar pile-up of functions mittelt. (…) Das “radikale gengesetzten Richtung keine Stadt an sich. Städte characteristics of a particu- city. was hidden from view in the Objekt” folgt nicht dem Prin- begangen wird’.34 Taking a sind Individualitäten, deren lar city. A famous example of But ‘the American frame- shape of the building.32 In zip der Anpassung an und close look at housing, not as Physiognomie von dem this kind of design is Le Cor- work’ is by no means the Brenner’s design on the Unterordnung unter histori- a separate category of build- Charakter ihrer Landschaft busier’s ‘Plan Voisin’ (1925), same as the European other hand the bizarre stack- schen Strukturen, es lebt ing but as one of the ele- und ihrer Bewohner und von an application of ‘Une Ville framework. While the study ing of the swimming pool von der Transformation, von ments of the city as a whole, ihrer Funktion im Staats- und Contemporaine’ to the cen- of the architecture of the immediately on top of the der Überlagerung bestehen- Le Corbusier showed that Wirtschaftsleben abhängig tre of Paris, which continues city received all kinds of library – any bibliophile der formaler Strukturen in the choice of building types ist. Es ist lediglich die theo- to provoke violent reactions new, often confusing, would shudder at the sight der Stadt in ihrer histori- is an important factor in the retische Untersuchung und to this very day. Less well impulses from the us, in Italy of the enormous tank of schen Schichtung.’ further development of eine schematische Anwen- known is ‘L’Îlot insalubre’, an at the end of the 1980s the water above the glass ceiling Seeking to identify possi- cities, both for their future dung der Elemente, aus application of ‘La Ville subject seemed to be – was what provided the ble relationships between size and building density and denen eine Stadt sich auf- Radieuse’ to an area in the almost exhausted. Various motif for external expression. urban analysis and architec- for the relationship between baut. Eine Festlegung ihrer 19th-century part of Paris, a attempts were made to do According to Brenner, tural design it is important to the different elements of Beziehungen untereinander. Le Corbusier design dating something about this,30 one the realisation of an urban go rather more deeply into which the city is composed. Ein Versuch, durch Neuorga- from 1936.38 The main prac- such being Architettura della architecture expresses itself the two approaches which Looked at this way, high rise nisation und Neuverwen- tical results of this approach metropoli, Sei edifici pubblici on two levels, relating to one Brenner distinguishes in the offers completely new possi- dung dieser Elemente eine are to be found in urban per Milano (1990), a joint ini- another as structure and architecture of the Moderns. bilities. ökonomischere Durchbil- extensions. The ‘Niddadal tiative by German and Italian event. The structural level The first approach, that of ‘Une Ville Contempo- dung eines Stadtorganismus project’, realised by Ernst architects. The result was an involves the normal propor- the ‘neue, durchsystema- raine’ and ‘La Ville Radieuse’ zu ermöglichen.’36 May in Frankfurt am Main exhibition and a publication tions of urban life: tisierte Stadt- und Sied- were experimental models, Modern architecture and between 1925 and 1930, fig- of designs for six locations ‘Ihr architektonisches Prinzip lungsmodelle’, is primarily and so ‘fiction’, but fiction urban design are generally ures amongst the most suc- in Milan by Klaus Theo Bren- ist das der übergreifenden associated with the work of with a definite aim, precisely seen as breaking with the cessful applications of the ner, Antonio Monestiroli, Ordnung, der Regel, die die Le Corbusier. On the occa- formulated in Ludwig Hilber- history and tradition of the ‘satellite city model’.39 Franco Purini, Hans Kollhoff, Teile miteinander verbindet. sion of the exhibition of the seimer’s Großstadtarchitek- profession. A distinction This approach to the Italo Rota and Christoph (…) Dem gegenüber steht drawings of ‘Une Ville Con- tur as follows: must however be made existing city, envisaging the Langhof.31 die singuläre Rolle architek- temporaine’ in Vienna (1926) ‘Dem Chaos der heutigen between the stylistic introduction of a new regu- In the introduction to the tonischer Objekte im städti- Hans Sedlmayr dubbed this Großstadt können nur theo- approach to architectural latory mechanism for the publication, Klaus Theo schen Kontext. Ganz form of design on the scale retische Demonstrationsver- form which only came into urban corpus, in fact also Brenner appealed to the besonders die öffentlichen of a whole city absolute suche gegenübergestellt vogue in the 19th century determined the programme ‘Architektur der klassischen Gebäude können ein Ereig- urban design. According to werden. Ihre Aufgabe ist es and the typological and the deliberations of Moderne’ to provide a new nis darstellen, das sich her- Sedlmayr, the drawings of rein abstrakt, fundamentale approach to buildings as ciam,40 with the result that impulse to the study of aushebt aus den komplexen ‘Une Ville Contemporaine’ Prinzipiën des Städtebaues elements in the architecture the second approach on urban architecture. What he Strukturen der Stadt.’ are not complete in them- aus den aktuelle Bedürfnis- of the city, characteristic of which Brenner focused was looking for was not so In Brenner’s view, the selves but must be seen in sen heraus zu entwickeln: a significant part of the Vit- attention became virtually much a link with the urban work of the classic Mod- conjunction with the books zur Gewinnung allgemeinen ruvian tradition and updated lost from view. Not one of design side of the work of ernists came about in rela- that Le Corbusier had writ- Regeln, die die Lösung be- in urban design text books Mendelsohn’s Universum- the Moderns, but with archi- tion to the same two levels: ten prior to that date, partic- stimmmter konkreter Aufga- around 1900. Kino and Kaufhaus Schock- en, Gropius’ Totaltheater, communicative force and of the urban fabric. All these base his design on the col- the ultimate status of monu- fen, man verwandelte hier Peter Behrens’ Turbinenhalle, potential critical power from criticisms totally ignored the umn. The free-standing col- ment by driving home the den horizontalen Korridor, Hans Poelzig’s Großes the concepts underlying the exceptional one-off nature umn is a traditional motif: contrast between the ‘exter- wie er in Europa vorkommt, Schauspielhaus and Mies’ transformation’.42 that the client had in mind. the Trajan column served as nal’ and the ‘internal’, in den vertikalen Fahrstuhl- National Gallery, derived its The real question is what Remarkably, the intelligent the motif for Napoleon’s col- between ‘outward form’ en schacht, um den sich die significance from a theoreti- sets off this ‘recomposition’, explanation which accompa- umn in Place Vendôme.’ ‘core form’.48 At least as Stockwerke gruppieren. Die- cal urban model. Each of and where should such nied Adolf Loos’ Chicago Tri- Eureka! Yet a doubt important, Loos’ design for ser Typ breitete sich vollkom- them was a one-off. Unlike ‘transformations’ lead? It is bune entry foresaw the con- remained: ‘This idea immedi- the Chicago Tribune demon- men anarchisch aus, ohne the first approach, the sec- not surprising that Brenner tent of the entries that ately raises architectural and strated the crucial impor- daß man sich um die Orga- ond approach has borne looked to the Moderns for would be submitted by the aesthetic questions: is it tance of the particular urban nisation der Stadt als ganzes fruit in interventions within help here. What is remark- European Modernists. The permissible to build a habit- context to any architectural gekümmert hätte. Das einzi- the context of existing cities. able is his appeal to the the- conclusion drawn by Loos able column?’ Had he (Loos) intervention. Like Hilbers- ge Bestreben war, in Höhe oretical ideas of Ludwig was completely different not himself written twelve eimer, he explained: ‘Es gibt und Pracht der Hochhäuser Radical objects Hilberseimer and Adolf from that of Behne and years earlier: ‘Nur ein ganz keine Stadt an sich. Städte den Nachbarn zu übertrump- The question to be faced is Behne, two theorists of Hilberseimer. kleiner Teil der Architektur sind Individualitäten.’ fen.’ 51 whether the term ‘radical modern architecture particu- First he made a radical gehört der Kunst an: das With this in mind, we can Lissitzky presented the object’ needs to be treated larly lacking in appreciation deduction from the nature of Grabmal und das Denkmal. finally turn to the design for Wolkenbügel as an alterna- as anything more than a for individual creations. Their the task set. The client’s Alles Andere, alles, was El Lissitzky’s ‘Wolkenbügel’, tive to the American sky- label for a series of inci- views on the competition for ambitions could only be einen Zweck dient, ist aus a building that, like Loos’ scraper, tailored to the con- dents. Brenner, as quoted the Chicago Tribune in 1922 realised if the Tribune build- dem Reiche der Kunst ‘Chicago Tribune’, can prop- text of Moscow. For the above.41 (see note 32), gave leave no room for doubt. In ing were capable of becom- auszuschließen?’ 45 Yet Loos erly be called a ‘radical purpose he dissected the a two-part definition: each case their criticism of ing the main symbol of the stuck to his decision. For, as object’. The design was first American type of tower ‘Kennzeichen dieser the results of the competi- city of Chicago, a logo ‘that he said: shown in 1925 at the block: ‘Im Vergleich mit dem “radikalen Objekte” ist ihre tion was directed particularly once seen, pictorially or in ‘Even the most beautiful Novembergruppe exhibition bisherigen amerikanischen spezifische Funktion, die sie at the entries submitted by reality, would never be for- motifs for a skyscraper, in Berlin and subsequently Hochhaussystem liegt die als Bauaufgabe der Zeit the European Modernists. gotten (…), that would for against which no objection at the international architec- Neuerung hierin, daß die auszeichnen und ihre In Berliner Architektur der ever be inseparably linked has ever been made on tural exhibition in Mannheim. Waagerechte (das Nützliche) Gestalt, die diese Funktion 20er Jahre Hilberseimer with the city of Chicago, like these grounds, are derived Le Corbusier presented the von der Senkrechten (von im städtischen Kontext mon- wrote: the dome of St. Peter’s with from empty monuments, as Plan Voisin at the exhibition der Stütze, von dem umentalisiert und ikono- ‘The Chicago Tribune wanted Rome and the leaning tower demonstrated by the classic of L’art décoratif in Paris in Notwendigen) eindeutig grafisch vermittelt’ and ‘Das “the most beautiful and dis- with Pisa’. He then asked example of the mausoleum the same year. As Lissitzky getrennt ist.’ 52 Freeing the “radikale Objekt” folgt nicht tinctive building in the himself how this goal might in front of the Metropolitan wrote: vertical access systems and dem Prinzip der Anpassung world”. This declaration was be achieved. He worked out Building and the example of ‘Aus den Gegebenheiten des the horizontal floors from an und Unterordnung unter naturally taken as a licence what was architecturally the Gothic steeples in front alten Moskauer Stadtsy- one another’s stranglehold historischen Strukturen, es for excessively individual possible and estimated the of the Woolworth Building.’46 stems einen Bürobau für die also had the effect of free- lebt von der Transformation, expression (…) Architects strength of his competitors. For the average Euro- Forderungen der neuen Zeit ing the high-rise from the von der Überlagerung beste- who preferred to be involved Of his ‘modern’ German, pean modernist the sky- zu schaffen, war die Grund- limitations imposed by the hender formaler Strukturen in the expression of new Austrian and French col- scraper was a new building gedanke des Wolkenbügels. urban site: in der Stadt in ihrer his- ideas, found it only too easy leagues, who would certainly type, still lacking formal defi- (…) Wir haben Städte ‘Wenn wir auf einem torischen Schichtung’. The to forget that they were sup- choose new forms, he said: nition. Mies van der Rohe’s geerbt, angefangen in bestimmten Grundstück für definition of radical objects posed to be designing an ‘Ah well, objections will be designs for an office building Moskau bis Samarkand und eine horizontale Planung auf rests first on a functionalist office building, and most raised to these untraditional on Berlin’s Friedrichstrasse von Nowosibirsk bis Alma- der Erde keinen Platz haben, expressionism that Brenner important that a building of forms soon enough. The (1921) and the Glass Tower Ata, die ganz verschiedenen [stellen wir] die erforderliche thought he could derive that kind is not totally inde- owner will soon realise that (1922) showed that the Kulturstufen angehören. In Nutzfläche auf Stützen, die from the Moderns and then pendent of its surroundings. his house is “unmodern”, essence of this building type diesen Städten mußten die als Verbindung zwischen on a concept of formal What happens to a city or because such forms are as lay hidden beneath the his- Bauten, die einer feudalen dem horizontalen Gehsteig transformations introduced street when it turns into a short lived as those of toricising garb in which the Kultur entsprechen, ganz und der Straße, und dem by typo-morphological urban succession of individualistic ladies’ hats.’ American skyscraper was neuen Zwecken dienen. horizontalen Korridor des analysis. buildings? The answer can The rejection of what clothed. In 1925 Van Straßen und Plätzen dieser Bauwerks dienen.’ 53 In reference to this kind be seen all around us. The was the latest strategy at Eesteren accompanied an Städte mußten ein ganz The high-rise proposed of analysis, Anthony Vidler puritanism of my own the time bears witness article in Het Bouwbedrijf on anderes Verkehrstempo des by Lissitzky was no longer spoke of a new paradigm in design, though not submit- above all to an understand- ‘American tower blocks’ with Wochentages bewältigen bound by the limitations of architecture. Architecture ted, (…) can be read as a ing of the laws of communi- photos of a skyscraper und für den Feiertag neue the plot division of the urban was no longer committed to protest against the formal cation: anything that is new under construction and Möglichkeiten schaffen.’49 block and the private owner- the abstract nature of the excesses of the Expression- today will be old-fashioned remarked: ‘The splendidly But, he went on, ‘Wir ship of land on which it was Enlightenment nor to the ists.’43 tomorrow. ‘There therefore open character of the steel können [die alte Städte] based. Yet the proposal was technological utopia of the Adolf Behne’s reaction remains no alternative to construction is totally nicht von heute auf morgen in no sense Utopian. The Modern Movement, but to took much the same line.44 producing a typical Ameri- destroyed by the artificial wegrasieren und “richtig” Wolkenbügel was not to be the reality of the city: ‘The Both Hilberseimer and can skyscraper. At the cloak draped round it, to wieder aufbauen.’ 50 Accord- involved in the private own- existing city supplies materi- Behne wondered what beginning of their develop- create the impression of a ing to Lissitzky the introduc- ership of land. The place for al for classification, and the would happen if the pro- ment specimens were still solid stone building.’ 47 tion of the skyscraper in the the Wolkenbügel was the forms taken by its artefacts posed building were repeat- easy to distinguish, but Loos on the other hand context of Moscow would public domain: over the ages provide a ed several times over. Behne today a layman seeing a pic- saw the levelling effect pro- create the same anarchy ‘Moskau gehört, nach sei- basis for recomposition.’ considered whether the ture of a skyscraper would duced in the American city which he thought character- nem Stadtplan, zum mittelal- Thus design is based on ‘the design might possibly form find it difficult to recognise by the commercial battle for istic of the development of terlichen konzentrischen Typ transformation of selected the ‘basis for a type’, i.e. a whether it came from San public attention. In direct the American city. (wie Paris, Wien). Seine types into totally or partly prototype for a building Francisco or Detroit. The confrontation with its fellows ‘Der Typ des Hochhauses Struktur ist folgende: Das new units which derive their block which could form part author therefore decided to a skyscraper can only attain wurde in Amerika geschaf- Zentrum bildet der Kreml, danach folgen Ring A, Ring 4. Casabella, no. 509-510, di Venezia (1959) and Studi gia urbana e tipologia it is possible to carry on a biography and manifesto’, in: B und die radialen Straßen. 1985, p. 104. per una operante storia edilizia. Atti del corso di precise policy for a city, are Architectura moderna ofte Kritische Punkte sind die 5. Henk Engel, ‘Aldo Rossi, urbana di Roma (1963). See: ‘Caratteri distributivi degli becoming more and more Bouwinge van onsen tyt, Schnittpunkte der großen The Architecture of the City’, Jean Castex, Philippe Pan- edifici’. Anno accademico important. Once these major (Amsterdam 1631). Soest radialen Straßen (Twerskaja, in: The Architecture Annual erai, ‘Typologieën’, in: O 1, 1965/66. Venice 1966. The factors have been dealt with, 1971, pp. 1-13. The only Mjasnizkaja, usw.) mit dem 2001-2002, Delft University 1981(originally 1979). lectures provided the raw residential, recreational, and monograph on De Keyser Ringsystem (den Boule- of Technology. Rotterdam Nikolaus Kuhnert, Soziale material for the general the- cultural structures can be dates from 1930: E. Neur- vards). Hier entstanden Plat- 2003, pp. 18-22. Elemente der Architektur: oretical treatment of the city arranged in an original way. denburg, Hendrick de ze, die eine Nutzung erfor- 6. Aldo Rossi, De architec- Typus und Typusbegriffe im which in fact makes up The The residential problem Keyser, Beeldhouwer en dern, ohne eine Stauung des tuur van de stad, Nijmegen Kontext der Rationalen Architecture of the City – which is more determined Bouwmeester van Amster- Verkehrs hervorzurufen, der (SUN) 2002, pp.129-137. Architektur. Diss. Aachen (1966). The Padua study was by the general solution dam. Amsterdam 1930. an diesen Stellen besonders English edition: The Architec- 1979; Anne Vernez Moudon, only published later, in 1970. adopted for the city – must 22. Jan de Heer, Het archi- dicht ist. Hier müssen zen- ture of the City, Cambridge, ‘Getting to know the built In it Rossi, along with many be taken into consideration tectuurloze tijdperk, de trale Einrichtungen ihren Mass. and London (The MIT landscape: typomorphology’, others, provides his own as it stands today, as a torens van Hendrick de Platz finden. So entstand die Press) 1982. in: Karen A. Frank and Lynda contribution: ‘Caratteri dynamic element doomed to Keyser en de horizon van Idee des vorgeschlagenen 7. Giorgio Grassi, ‘Lezing H. Schneekloth, Ordering urbani delle città venete’. a short life and rapid con- Amsterdam. Amsterdam Bauwerks.’ Delft 1977’, in: Max Risse- Space. New York 1994, The pieces by Aldo Rossi sumption, economically, 2000. If monuments can be lada, Jurgen van Staaden, pp. 289-311. mentioned here have all technologically and psycho- 23. Rem Koolhaas, Delirious thought of as the punctua- Harm Tilman (eds.), Aktie 14. C. Aymonino, ‘Lo studio been republished in: Aldo logically. The bond between New York. New York 1978; J. tion marks of a city, then onder architektuur. Het dei fenomeni urbani’, in: C. Rossi, Scritti scelti sull’ar- man and his home, consid- Castex, J.C. Depaule, P. Pan- what Lissitzky discovered ontwerp van 4 architekten. Aymonino, M. Brusatin, G. chitettura e la città 1956- ered as a bond between erai, Formes urbaines: de was the most elegant of Delft 1977, p. 142. Fabri, M. Lena, P. Loverro, S. 1972, Milan 1975. man and his environment, is l’îlot à la barre, Paris 1977 such marks. Cities are not 8. Rem Koolhaas, ‘Our New Lucianetti and A. Rossi, La 16. Aldo Rossi, De architec- less and less real; but the (Dutch edition: De rationele infrequently compared to Sobriety’, in: OMA, projects città di Padova, saggio di tuur van de stad, Nijmegen awareness of the bond stad, van bouwblok tot ongoing texts, a comparison 1978-1981, catalogue analisi urbana. Rome 1970. (SUN) 2002, p. 62. between man and the socie- wooneenheid, Nijmegen which increases the contrast accompanying the exhibition 15. C. Aymonino, ‘Lo studio 17. The first step on the way ty in which he lives needs to 1984; Amsterdam 2003) between the two approach- OMA drawings at the Archi- dei fenomeni urbani’ (see to this approach can be be constantly reinforced. appeared a year earlier. es to the city which Brenner tectural Association. London note 14). According to found in a contribution by This is why commercial cen- 24. Pamphlet Architecture distinguished in Modern 1981. Aymonino, an important first Rossi to the debate at the tres, universities, cultural no. 11 (1985), p. 41. For a Architecture. The Absolute 9. Elia Zenghelis, ‘Drawings step towards a broader beginning of the 1960s on centres, and public build- comprehensive treatment of Urban Designer adds new as technique and architec- approach to research into city and territory, which ings, will once more take on this subject , see: Leen van chapters, or replaces exist- ture’, in: OMA, projects urban morphology was made clear Rossi’s inten- formal importance as monu- Duin, Henk Engel, Iskander ing sections by new pieces 1978-1981 (see note 8). taken by a study carried out tions in respect to architec- ments in a vaster metropoli- Pané (eds.), Hybride of text. The Radical Urban 10. Two studies have by Rossi of a metropolitan tural design. In Nuovi proble- tan territory criss-crossed by gebouwen en architectuur Architect reviews the text, appeared in book form: area in Milan: Aldo Rossi, mi Rossi outlines a theory of huge public transport net- van de stad, Delft 2001. looking for breaks, lines of Casper van der Hoeven, Jos Contributo al problema dei urban dynamics to the effect works capable of increasing 25. See note 5. communication, boundaries Louwe, Amsterdam als rapporti tra tipologia edilizia that the distinction between and multiplying the number 26. Alvar Aalto, ‘The deca- and critical points, then fills stedelijk bouwwerk. e morfologia urbana. ILSES the architecture of public of movements and contacts, dence of public buildings’, the openings with a comma (Nijmegen 1985) Amsterdam IV.4, Milan 1964. In the lec- institutions and of residential and the level of participation in: Arkkitehti-Arkitekten, no. here, an exclamation mark 2003; and Frits Palmboom, tures given in Venice in sup- building is an objective fact in the spirit of the new city. 9-10, 1953, p. 148; Göran or full stop there. He adds Rotterdam, verstedelijkt land- port of the study of La città that must be taken into The architect presently Schildt, Alvar Aalto, the early new touches, changes the schap, Rotterdam (1987, di Padova, Rossi developed account when considering humiliated by the action of years. New York 1984, par- rhythm and so restores life 1990) 1995. In ‘Recensie various methodological the development of a city: speculators, will once more ticularly chapter 7, ‘The to functions and meanings. Amsterdam als stedelijk aspects in more detail: Aldo ‘We are referring to the new be able to test his mettle multi-purpose building’, pp. bouwwerk. Analyse van een Rossi, ‘Considerazioni sulla dimensions of the metropoli- against the great civil 231-241. Notes methode’, in: Oase, no. 10- morfologia urbana e tipolo- tan area, to the existence of themes, and trace the 27. In Delirious New York 1. See in this issue: Nicola 11, pp. 5-13, Maurits de gia edilizia’ and ‘I problemi the city region as an objec- progress of civilization with Koolhaas mentions three Marzot, ‘The study of urban Hoog and Rudy Stroink give tipologici e la residenza’, tive fact which must be a boldness inspired by architectural mutations form in Italy’; originally in: a good overview of the first both in the reader: Aspetti e taken into account if one is constant advances in tech- which underlay the develop- Urban Morphology, vol. 6, no. typo-morphological urban problemi della tipologia not to work abstractly on a nology.’ Aldo Rossi, ‘Nuovi ment of large American 2, 2002, pp. 59-73. studies undertaken in Delft. edilizia. Documenti del corso city which is more or less problemi’, in: Casabella buildings: ‘1. the reproduc- 2. Massimo Scolari, ‘L’impeg- 11. Aldo Rossi, ‘Architettura di ‘Caratteri distributivi degli traditional, more or less continuata, no. 264, 1962, tion of the world, 2. the no tipologico’ (The Typologi- per i musei’, in: Aldo Rossi, edifici’. Anno accademico capable of redevelopment, included in: Aldo Rossi, annexation of the tower, 3. cal Commitment), in: Scritti scelti sull’architettura e 1963/64. Venice 1964; Aldo but in any case no longer Scritti scelti sull’ architettura the block alone’. Rem Kool- Casabella, no. 509-510, 1985 la città 1956-1972. Milan Rossi, ‘I problemi definable within traditional, e città, 1956-1972. Milan haas, Delirious New York. (special issue I terreni della 1975, pp. 323-339 (originally metodologici della ricerca geographical, economic and 1978, pp. 175-192, partial Rotterdam 1994, p. 82 (origi- tipologia) pp. 42-45. Scolari in: Teoria della progettazione urbana’, in the reader: La for- physical limits. (…) For the English translation in: nally New York 1978). refers here to: ManfredoTa- architettonica, Bari 1968). mazione del concetto di moment the plan for the Ekistics, no. 87, Cambridge, 28. See note 5. furi, Teorie e storia dell’ 12. Ibidem, p. 323. tipologia edilizia. Atti del city-region requires that we Mass. 1963. 29. Aldo Rossi, The Architec- architettura. Rome/Bari 13. In 1950 Muratori was corso di ‘Caratteri distributivi act on the development and 18. Aldo Rossi, De architec- ture of the City. Cambridge, (1968) 1973, pp.190-197. appointed to the chair of degli edifici’. Anno accade- form of the city by strength- tuur van de stad, Nijmegen Mass. and London (The MIT 3. See for the foundation of Caratteri distributivi degli mico 1964/65. Venice 1965; ening the infrastructures (SUN) 2002, pp. 91 and 115. Press) 1982, p. 15. ISUF (International Seminar edifici in Venice and subse- Aldo Rossi, ‘Tipologia, manu- binding the city to its territo- 19. Ibidem, p.134. 30. Marco De Michelis, ‘Alla on Urban Form): A. Vernez- quently, in 1954, to the chair alistica e architettura’ and ry. In this sense, a few ele- 20. Ibidem, p.132. fine di un ciclo/At the End of Moudon, ‘Urban morphology of Composizione architetton- ‘La città come fondamento ments such as road net- 21. W. Kuyper, Dutch Classi- a Cycle’, in: Lotus 81, 1994. as an emerging interdiscipli- ica. His most important dello studio dei caratteri works, transport and cist Architecture. Delft 1980; 31. Klaus Theo Brenner, nary field’, in: Urban Morpho- publications were: Studi per degli edifici’, both in the commercial centres, i.e. all E. Taverne, ‘Salomon de Architettura della metropoli, logy, no. 1, 1997, pp. 3-10. una operante storia urbana reader: Rapporti tra morfolo- the elements through which Bray’s Architectura moderna: Sechs öffentliche Gebäude für Mailand/Sei edifici pubbli- und Bauordnung’, in: Städte- Stadtbauwelt, no. 71, Sep- remains completely individu- 52. El Lissitzky, ‘Alte Stadt Dutch classical style) was ci per Milano. Milan 1990. bauliche Vorträge, 1909. The tember 1981, pp. 273-284; alistic, even where the – neue Baukörper’ (see inserted into the line of The project was an initiative first conference in La Sarraz, Gerhard Fehl, ‘Vom Berliner design connects with large note 49). buildings on the market of the Goethe Institute in where CIAM was founded in Baublock zur Frankfurter collective structures. Despite 53. El Lissitzky, ‘Eine Serie square, behind the City Hall. Milan in cooperation with 1928, was followed by one Reihe und zurück: Ein um 50 the relationship with the von Hochhäusern für This profoundly altered the the city administration. in Frankfurt am Main in 1929 Jahre verspäteter Versuch, street etc. it was a one-off, Moskau’ (see note 50). cityscape, and this is one 32. This is why the classifica- on ‘dwellings for the Exis- Ernst Mays städtebauliche specially created freak; per- reason why the Weigh-house tion of the Downtown Athlet- tenzminimum’; in Brussels in Geschichtsschreibung auf haps even this approach is also an outstanding mon- ic Club as a ‘graft hybrid’ 1930 on ‘a rational way of die Spuren zu kommen’, in: reinforced its emphatically On redesigning a ument. does not seem to me to be building’ and in Athens in UM BAU, Vienna December individual character by the Dutch city Earlier, in 1603, a new very enlightening. 1933 on ‘the functional city’. 1981, pp. 37-56. way the few elements taken Case study: City Hall flight of steps (by Cools, 33. Hans Sedlmayr, ‘Der See: Martin Steinman (ed.), 38. In The Architecture of the from the location were extension, Gouda again in Dutch classical absolute Städtebau I, Stadt- CIAM, Dokumente 1928- City Aldo Rossi considers processed. This can easily Henk Engel and Otto style) had been added to the baupläne von Le Corbusier’, 1939. Basel 1979. the Garden City and the Ville be proved: could Scharoun’s Diesfeldt front side of the City Hall. in: Die Baupolitik, vol.1, no.1, A dissertation by Radieuse to be the two most solution serve as the basis Later on, in 1697, a scaffold Vienna 1926, pp. 16-21. The François Claessens on the important architectural mod- of a type? Scharoun’s design The last two years, the city was erected at the rear (in following issue contained subject of German urban els of modern urban design. for the Tribune building cer- of Gouda has been working classical style). The con- the other parts of the dis- design around 1900 is cur- Aldo Rossi, De architectuur tainly could not, any more on a plan to re-house the struction of the new weigh- cussion: Dr. Karl Brunner, rently in preparation. Mean- van de stad. Nijmegen (SUN) than Bruno Taut’s design, city’s political and adminis- house also extended the ‘Der absolute Städtebau’, in: while the reader is referred 2002, p.132. See also: Henk which might be quite flaw- trative centre. A re-housing civic axis in terms of urban Die Baupolitik, vol.1, no.2, to: Giorgio Piccinato, La Engel, ‘Veertig jaar Unité less constructionally and plan has been drawn up and design. The old weigh-house, Vienna 1926, pp. 40-53. costruzione dell’urbanistica, d’habitation, een nieuwe functionally, but if used as a a general programme of which was an integral part of 34. Fred Forbat, ‘Flach-, Germania 1871-1914. Rome formule van stedelijk wonen’, type – and every modern requirements for a total of the line of buildings on the Mittel- oder Hochbau? Der 1977. German translation: in: Oase, no. 37-38, 1994, building must be able to sat- 15,000 to 20,000 m2 floor north side of the market III. Internationale Kongress Städtebau in Deutschland pp. 32-67. isfy this criterion – the city space. Ten possible loca- square, was demolished für Neues Bauen in Brüssel’, 1871-1914: Genese einer 39. Giorgio Grassi, ‘Das of Chicago would change tions for the new city hall along with two houses in: Wohnungswirtschaft wissenschaftlichen Disziplin. neue Frankfurt e l’architet- into a kraal’. Adolf Behne, have been examined. In immediately west of it, 1930, pp. 489-492. Quoted Braunschweig/Wiesbaden tura della nuova Franco- Der moderne Zweckbau, June 2004, the city council including the buildings on in: Martin Steinmann, CIAM, 1983. See also: Giorgio Pic- forte’, in: Das neue Frankfurt (1923, Munich 1926) Frank- expressed an initial prefer- the land behind. Following Dokumente 1928-1939. cinato, ‘Theorie und Praxis, 1926-1931, Bari 1975. See furt 1964, pp. 46-47. ence for the ‘Station’ site, to Pieter Post’s advice, the Basel/Stuttgart 1979, p. 98. Ideologie und technisches also: Henk Engel, Endry van 45. Adolf Loos, ‘Architektur’ the north of the railway line. authorities clearly also want- 35. Ludwig Hilberseimer, Instrumentarium in der Velzen (eds.), Architectuur (1910), in: Sämtliche It is remarkable that the ed to create a new urban Großstadtarchitektur. Stadtplanung 1820-1914’, in van de stadsrand, Frankfurt Schriften 1. Vienna/Munich possibility of expanding near configuration in which the Stuttgart 1927, p. 13. Stadtbauwelt, no. 66, 1980, am Main 1925-1930. Delft 1962, p. 315. the existing City Hall on the new weigh-house would be 36. Ibidem, p. 20. pp. 181-188. Further 1987. 46. Adolf Loos, ‘Toelichting market square was not con- a free-standing structure. To 37. Looking at the pro- research in this field was 40. See note 37. Chicago Tribune’, originally in sidered in the study of the rear of the weigh-house gramme for the first four carried out by the Lehrstuhl 41. See note 31. English, German translation potential locations. To be space was also made for a CIAM meetings one is imme- für Planungstheorie RWTH 42. Anthony Vidler, ‘The third in: Burkhard Rukschio, sure, there were several smaller square that extends diately struck by the fact Aachen: Juan Rodriguez- typology’, in: Oppositions, Roland Schachel, Adolf objections, relating to such as far as the water by the that the subjects of these Lores, ‘Die Grundfrage der no. 7, 1976, pp. 1-4. Dutch Loos, Leben und Werk. issues as access for cars Zeugstraat. From then on, conferences exactly fol- Grundrente. Stadtplanung translation in: Leen van Duin, Salzburg/Vienna 1982, pp. and availability of land, but agricultural produce could lowed the blueprint for the von Ildefonso Cerdá für Henk Engel (eds.), Architec- 562-564. An enlightening the main one seems to have be delivered directly by rational composition of a Barcelona und James tuurfragmenten, Delft 1991, dissertation on Loos’ think- been its situation in the water and, after being city as described by Hobrecht für Berlin’, Stadt- pp. 71-79. See also: Anthony ing on monuments and heart of the historic city weighed in the weigh-house Stübben: ‘The basic unit of bauwelt, no. 65, 1980, pp. Vidler, ‘The production of history is to be found in: centre. Such an extensive (and taxed), was sold on the urban design is the building 29-36; Gerhard Fehl, ‘Stadt- types’ and ‘The idea of type: Benedetto Gravagnolo, programme at this location market square. site for a single house. The baukunst contra Stadtpla- the transformation of the Adolf Loos, theory and would doubtless lead to The City Hall and Weigh- combination of building sites nung. Zur Auseinanderset- academic ideal, 1750-1830’, works. Milan 1982, pp. 34-41 fierce arguments over the house, together with the creates a block, the combi- zung Camillo Sittes mit in: Oppositions, no. 8, 1977, and 173-175. ‘protected cityscape’. market square and the nation and grouping of built Reinhard Baumeister’, in: pp. 93-113. 47. C. Van Eesteren, The city council has square behind the Weigh- blocks by a network of Stadtbauwelt, no. 65, 1980, 43. Ludwig Hilberseimer, ‘Amerikaanse torenhuizen’, expressed its belief that the house, form a unique monu- streets that takes careful pp. 37-47; Gerhard Fehl, Berliner Architektur der 20er in: Het Bouwbedrijf, 1925, new city hall should be a mental group. During the account of traffic and artis- ‘Englischer Arbeiter-Woh- Jahre. Mainz 1967, p. 51. The no. 12, p. 444. ‘House for the city’. In that seventeenth century, the tic considerations and the nungsbau und Berliner same general line is taken 48. Carl Bötticher, Die Tek- case, of course, the most interior of the City Hall was necessary provision of green Baublockreform um 1890 – by Adolf Behne’s comments tonik der Hellenen, vol. 1. obvious location is in the also reconstructed. The vari- space, creates the city. Yet Theodor Goeckes Beitrag on Hans Scharoun and 49. El Lissitzky, ‘Alte Stadt – heart of the city, where the ous alterations and additions urban design has to be car- zur Wohnungsbau- und Bruno Taut’s designs for the neue Baukörper’, in: El Lis- City Hall now stands. indicate that it was possible ried out in the reverse order. Städtebaureform’, in: Berlin; Tribune building. sitzky, Rußland: Architektur Gouda’s City Hall was to update the monumental First come the routes to be von der Residenzstadt zur 44. ‘It is true that Scharoun’s für eine Weltrevolution. built around 1450, in late heart of Gouda in a striking followed by the main streets Industriemetropole, (Cat. design takes account of the Berlin/Frankfurt am Main/ Gothic style. The free-stand- manner. Whether that and the major areas of dl.1). Technische Universität surroundings, but the rela- Vienna (1929) 1965, p. 38. ing position of the building, achievement can be repeat- green space, then the block Berlin (Hrsg.), Berlin 1981, tionship remains one-sided. 50. El Lissitzky, ‘Eine Serie in the middle of the fan- ed today is an interesting division and the smaller pp. 278-303; Gerhard Fehl The building feeds on its von Hochhäusern für shaped market square, question. The protection of areas of green space, and and Juan Rodriguez-Lores, surroundings and processes Moskau’, in: El Lissitzky, makes it a unique monu- monuments and preserva- finally the allocation of plots ‘Die “Gemischte Bauweise”. them in such a way that par- Proun und Wolkenbügel. ment. In the seventeenth tion of the historic cityscape for building sites’. J. Stübben, Zur Reform von Bebauungs- ticular characteristics are Schriften, Briefe, Documente, century – 1668 to be precise does not, in our opinion, ‘Über den Zusammenhang plan und Bodenaufteilung included in the functional Dresden 1977, pp. 80-83. – a new Weigh-house necessarily mean that the zwischen Bebauungsplan zwischen 1892 und 1914’, in: calculation, but the result 51. Ibidem. designed by Pieter Post (in historic inner city should be mummified and reduced to cillors. The ‘Trommel’ will be decades the shopping area cannot be resolved in terms Alberto Ferlenga (Italy), Jo Coenen – fifteen years the status of a museum and directly linked to the ‘Kwad- has expanded greatly, and of abstract architectural and architect, professor of archi- at work in Maastricht tourist attraction. In an rant’ via lifts. the focus of economic activ- typological formulations – tectural design at the Uni- A review of Jo Coenen’s updated administrative cen- For the people who work ity has shifted to this north- such questions can only be versity Institute of Architec- work clearly shows that he tre, the historic City Hall and in the enlarged city hall ern section of the city cen- resolved at the concrete ture of Venice and above all has been at work in Maas- Weigh-house – as well as there will be parking space tre. The ‘Kwadrant’ marks the level of urban architecture.’ critic, uses the history of the tricht almost without inter- two other monuments, the in the ‘Schijf’ (Disc), a fully link between the new shop- Aldo Rossi, L’architettura Novoli grounds, on the site ruption. From 1986 onwards Agnietenkapel church and mechanised car park for 165 ping area and the old com- della città1 of the former Fiat factory he worked on plans for Hotel de Zalm – could once cars situated in the block mercial centre, the market Over the years the near Florence, as an exam- housing the University of again perform a present-day between the Zeugstraat and square. expression ‘urban transfor- ple of a planning process Maastricht in old properties function, if the risk were Wilhelminastraat. On the Despite all this, a nig- mation’ has taken on a wide that became so entangled in scattered over the old city taken of adding a few new other side of the ‘Kwadrant’ gling doubt may remain as range of connotations. It is the conflict between political centre and on transforming buildings to this group. The will be a parking facility for to whether future genera- an unceasing story of bull- interests and professional the site of the Sphinx- result might well be an even 600 bicycles. To speed up tions will share our views dozers, inner city refurbish- beliefs that the young archi- Céramique factory into an more attractive city centre. car traffic, a new bridge is and will not accuse us of ment, urban renewal, reallo- tects who ultimately had to urban estate providing facili- This study explores a projected across the Blek- seriously damaging the city’s cation and so on. The put the plans into practice ties for living, working and possible way of achieving erssingel, opposite the Lem cultural heritage. However, question is how the city, and were left with hardly a clue. cultural activities. This oper- this. It adds two large-scale Dulstraat. The bridge will unlike the buildings that above all the constantly The result was a collection ation began with a plan to elements to the existing also make it possible to have been constructed in changing significance of the of more or less fashionable establish the medical faculty group of buildings: the reverse the traffic flow for the city centre over recent European city project, can residential buildings. Jo as a new centre on the ‘Kwadrant’ (Quadrant), an the Nieuwmarkt car park, decades, realisation of the be grasped in present-day Coenen (Netherlands) acts periphery, but finally, office building on four sup- which will improve traffic ‘Kwadrant’ would not be an practice. The four protago- as a director of urban devel- through strategic projects ports that floats above the safety. irrevocable step. Since it will nists presented as ‘trans- opment, in which capacity for the University, involved rooftops of the existing An initial study of the be erected on just four sup- formers of the European his main aim is to achieve the city centre itself. The structures – this would structural and, in particular, ports above the existing city’, Coenen, Van Reeth, coherence between town belief in the ability of the house the administrative engineering aspects of the architecture, the latter will Kollhoff and Ferlenga, have planning and architecture, city to adapt to repeated apparatus – and the foundations for the ‘Kwa- remain fully intact. Fifty all had an opportunity to something he also monitors redesign, rooted in a few ‘Rotonde’ (Rotunda), the drant’ indicates that realisa- years from now, when the play a role within this frame- personally. Strikingly, the historic elements, finds central public entrance area tion of this structure will not building has depreciated in work with their architecture, architecture of the buildings expression in a number of with information and service present any insurmountable value, the authorities may and the significance of their designed by him – the jew- different ‘formal’ and ‘infor- counters, located below problems. Further studies decide to dismantle it. But it architectural interventions is els in the plan – is extracted mal’ strategies and culminat- ground between the weigh- will be carried out by final- will probably not come to examined below.2 from the traditional vocabu- ed in the supervision of the house and the city hall. The year students from the Fac- this. There is a considerable The four architects – all lary expressed in his urban design-by-committee for the main entrance to the ulty of Building Technology chance that as this date of whom in their capacities designs. bOb van Reeth Céramique site. Thus this ‘Rotonde’ is situated in the at the Delft University of approaches, despite chang- as professors are engaged (Belgium) often works on a large-scale urban infilling at weigh-house. The Cheese Technology. The realistic ing views, the ‘Kwadrant’ will in research and education scale somewhere between the point of transition Museum on the first floor of content of this proposal is, be considered an irreplace- bearing on this issue – carry an individual building and a between centre and periph- this building can be retained. however, not merely a tech- able jewel in Gouda’s crown out their activities in accor- neighbourhood, small-scale ery formed part of a hybrid The Agnietenkapel will nical issue. The issues that and will itself feature proudly dance with so-called ‘master interventions in which he approach to the city as a become the entrance hall to arise with this project will be on the city’s list of monu- plans’. Master plans turn up acts simultaneously as town whole made up of different the ‘Kwadrant’ and will also related, first and foremost, to ments. in various shapes and sizes, planner and architect. He ingredients, including reuse, retain its present function as rights of ownership, which covering various levels of shares with Coenen the master planning and inter- an exhibition area and audi- will certainly soon get mixed scale and detail and con- need to use architecture to vention in the existing city. torium. up with the issue of whether Jo Coenen, Alberto taining statements about establish the character of a Coenen (1949-) is In the old City Hall, the such a building is even Ferlenga, Hans Kollhoff matters ranging all the way place. His personal style involved everywhere, like a meeting rooms on the upper acceptable within Gouda’s and bOb van Reeth: from the layout of public embodies a highly devel- spider in a web, a kind of floors will be removed, mak- protected cityscape. Transformers of the space, greenery and the oped search for simplicity. Berlage. He heads a firm ing space for the new coun- In our view, realisation of European City properties of a built-up area Hans Kollhoff (Germany) is that has at various times had cil chamber. The existing the ‘Kwadrant’ offers a gen- Roberto Cavallo, François – streets, squares, public the most conventional and branches where buildings staircase will be replaced by uine chance to keep the Claessens, Filip Geerts, gardens, soft landscaping, traditional architect of the were designed and urban a lift and a new staircase most important municipal Willemijn Wilms Floet blocks, building height, four. For him the emphasis is design work carried out, in created. Sanitary blocks will institution, the city hall, in building typology and struc- on tectonics, the relationship Eindhoven, Maastricht, Ams- be constructed in the cellar. the historic centre. The ‘We cannot so easily entrust tural dimensions – to the between architectural con- terdam and Berlin. He is also The existing wedding cham- ‘Kwadrant’ is not only a wor- the values of today’s cities type of architecture. They struction and the logic of Chief Government Architect, ber will be retained and the thy addition to the City Hall/ to the natural succession of therefore provide good materials and detailing. At which means that he has an mayor’s chamber will Weigh-house group, but also artefacts. Nothing guaran- material for testing defini- the Delft symposium he important say in the devel- become a second wedding an important correction to tees an effective continuity. tions of urban architecture stated explicitly that ever opment of building projects chamber. Hotel de Zalm will the somewhat chaotic situa- It is important to know the and for obtaining an under- since his student days he for central government become a café-restaurant tion that has developed mechanism of transforma- standing of the various atti- had been involved, with the (including the choice of and debating centre. The around the Agnietenkapel tion and above all to estab- tudes adopted by architects help of these elements, in architects and the line to be upper floors will be convert- over the course of time. lish how we can act in this towards town planning and building up a consistent followed by the plan). In this ed into political party offices Since the uprising in 1573 situation – not through the the urban context.3 Although body of work in which the capacity he also gives guid- and meeting rooms. A new and the subsequent confis- total control of this process all four architects work in connection between the ance to the ‘Government element, the ‘Trommel’ cation of church posses- of change in urban artefacts, accordance with master building and the ground is Architect’s studio’, a group (Drum), will be built to the sions, the development of but through the control of plans, each of them oper- as crucial as the joins in the of talented young architects rear of Hotel de Zalm, these former monastery the principal artefacts ates at a different frequency cladding. and students of architecture. accommodating the cham- grounds has been highly emerging in a certain period in the bandwidth mentioned On top of all this he is (or bers of the mayor and coun- dynamic. Over recent (...) Questions about values above. was) associated with the faculties of architecture at deal with the urban design Avenue Céramique, a wide more the character of an natural diversity. The blocks Mietskaserne, because the the universities of technolo- task presented. In the case tree-lined avenue forming a ensemble. Coenen’s urban by the river are not very elevation consists of stag- gy in Eindhoven, Delft, Karl- of the Vaillantlaan, a monu- central axis running straight designs often propose build- deep and are treated in dif- gered horizontal strips of sruhe, Archen and Lausanne. mental 19th-century thor- through the new estate. The ing shapes which deviate ferent ways: Cruz & Ortiz continuous parapet walls Coenen has turned out oughfare in The Hague, the link between the Céramique from the norm. One example see their blocks as ‘cut and windows. Individual to be a team player, combin- cityscape was threatened premises and the ‘Wyck’ is provided by the double- loose’; bOb van Reeth, on dwellings are not recognis- ing an engaging personality with fragmentation by small- quarter, its mirror image in sized enclosed blocks on the other hand, used the able in the whole. The gate- with a degree of tenacity. He scale urban renewal. Coe- the old part of Maastricht the KNSM island with round same amount of space to ways are given an individual attempts to reconcile eco- nen designed a package of and the site of the city’s rail- internal courtyards, a motif erect Résidence Sonneville, character by the remarkable nomics and culture, two facade components and an way station, is achieved by whose form was derived a single large complex pro- use of brickwork arches. areas which tend to find accompanying ‘rule book’, means of a kind of bayonet from the monumental circu- viding facilities for assisted The office building on themselves at odds with one which were used by different connection between the lar building at the tip of the living, more appropriate to the Avenue, designed by another, in the way that will architects to compose new Avenue Céramique and island. The doubled size of the idea of an ensemble. Hubert Jan Henket for the achieve the best result. The facades. In the case of the the old through route, i.e. the block creates a volume The side streets have Dutch government, contains market, the project develop- KNSM island in Amsterdam, the town ramparts or Wil- suggestive of the scale and been given a relatively an atrium which though cov- er and the contractor all Coenen put forward the idea helmina Boulevard. Round- silhouette of the old ware- narrow profile to evoke a ered is otherwise compara- want an operation to be of restoring a number of ing the corner leading away houses. Two such blocks feeling of urbanity, while the ble with the courtyards in profitable, which implies, for characteristics of the former from Wyck one gets a head- occur in the plan. One, generously furnished court- the neighbouring housing. example, that costs must be docklands. The result was a on view of the new public developed by the Belgian yards of the ‘circuses’ are The master plan took kept as low as possible. This quay lined with detached hall-cum-library before the architect Bruno Albert, liter- filled with ‘ornamental only a few months to con- is the economic side of the buildings. The north quay road swings left towards the ally follows the form of the greenery’. It might be asked ceive, though after ten years business. Society’s interests consists of smaller residen- Avenue. The Avenue itself is urban design plan, using a whether this idea of Coe- the execution is still not are served by the architec- tial buildings, together form- lined by offices and residen- traditional urban vocabulary: nen’s works in practice: the complete.4 The most impor- tural quality of the new ing a closed facade. Large tial blocks, with shops and a restful brick exterior, cheap execution of the tant change made to the building in relation to its monumental buildings on other urban facilities. expressive alternating stone facades make the streets plan during this period was urban context. This is the the south side and at the tip The drawings for the bands and a colonnade in look a bit shabby. A favour- the zuidknoop containing cultural and political side. of the peninsula are compa- design were prepared in front of the facades facing able exception is once again the Bonnefanten museum Coenen’s formula for drum- rable in scale to the har- three dimensions, showing the courtyard, with decora- Résidence Sonneville. In and commercial buildings. ming up the necessary sup- bour’s former warehouses. the greenery and the shad- tive railings. The other, contrast to the monumental The plan emphasised the port from the market, politi- Coenen’s work for the Uni- ows cast by the blocks of worked out by Hans Kollhoff, courtyard the composition perimeter lines of the blocks cians and designers, versity of Maastricht consist- buildings and revealing the is a development of of the side elevations has an along the Avenue, whereas involves networking, the ed of a strategic plan for the character of the public Coenen’s proposal, based informal character: the ele- the character was eventually maintenance of personal removal and a very modest space. In this way the draw- on an abstract variation on vation is subdivided into determined by detached contacts and personal guid- new addition in the form of ings conjure up a clear pic- the theme of the former smaller units and has a buildings. This area is now ance, all supported by ‘work- an underground lecture ture of what is expected of industrial building, combined greater diversity and plastici- designed as an entrance to shops’. room and a promenade the architecture. The pic- with another incidental ty. Setback surfaces in brick the district: the Avenue has His most important pro- across a historic site. tures express the formal theme, Amsterdam’s Groß- and zinc and variations in been provided with a spa- fessional contribution is as For the new 57-acre logic of the design, in which stadtarchitektur. Recollecting the width of the balconies cious forecourt incorporat- designer and supervisor of estate on the site of the for- the coherence between the the rhythmic facades of and the shape of the roofs ing a roundabout. The cata- master plans, closely moni- mer Sphinx-Céramique fac- arrangement of public Wijdeveld and the Amster- add refinement to the design lyst for this change was Aldo toring the interpretation and tory Coenen looked for ways spaces and the buildings is dam School, Kollhoff decid- of the side elevations. Rossi’s Bonnefanten muse- implementation of his urban to make it part of the inner presented as a natural part ed not to retain the circular Like the block designed um, which in Coenen’s plan design work. Coenen has city. To do this he examined of a hierarchical system: the courtyard, but shaped the by bOb van Reeth, the provided a screen between collected around himself a the existing context to find monumental Avenue volume round a small build- biggest ‘circus’, designed by the boulevard and the long permanent group of Euro- strengths and possible Céramique, the main axis, is ing preserved as a monu- Bruno Albert, is designed as residential building along the pean celebrity architects, points of contact. The bank crowned by a tall block of ment, so reproducing – in an a monumental ensemble, bank of the Maas and pro- who work on the same of the Maas was developed flats (designed by Siza), abstract fashion – directions built of repeating units of vided one component in the projects at different places into a park-like promenade axes at right angles to the concealed in the structure different size. The rhythm of series of blocks along the in the Netherlands: Bruno complementing the existing main axis are terminated by of the islands. the roofs suggests a semi- Avenue. Wiebenga’s old fac- Albert, Jo Crepain and bOb pedestrian area along the archways and raised roofs in On the Sphinx-Cérami- detached style, whereas the tory building was completely van Reeth from Belgium, river. Space to be used for the long residential building que premises successive elevations take four integrated into this same Hans Kollhof from Germany, urban and cultural purposes along the Maas, symmetry is blocks are open at the sides dwellings as a unit. Variation series. Rossi however chose Wiel Arets from the Nether- was planned at both ends of used to create logical cohe- facing the Avenue. The is incorporated into the to use the connection with lands, the Krier brothers the plan area: the Bonnefan- sion, three small towers on courtyards resemble gar- detailing of the corner bal- the Maas as the Leitmotif for from Luxembourg, Mario ten museum is located at the bank of the Maas find dens; Coenen refers to conies. Maisonettes are the museum, and therefore Botta and Luigi Snozzi the foot of the existing their echo along Heugemer- these courtyards as ‘circus- located on the ground floor, turned the tripod through (whom he considers his Kennedy bridge (the zuid- weg, the road bordering the es’, because of their semicir- where the frontage is set 90º, so allowing the Wieben- guru) from Switzerland, A n t o- knoop) and for the side west side of the planning cular ends. He had previous- back behind an arcade, con- gahal to stand on a square, nio Cruz & Antonio Ortiz and nearest the city centre a area, and so on. ly applied the same shape, tributing to the monumental marking the entrance to the Oriol Bohigas from Spain, square was proposed (the The public spaces are rather like a hippodrome, in character of the whole and museum and providing an and Alvaro Siza from Portu- noordknoop) containing a primarily bounded by urban a structuralist housing helping to solve the prob- introduction to the Avenue. gal. Local firms are often library-cum-public hall, a elevations. A typical Coenen design for the Weena in Rot- lem, inherent in a public The white cylinder, with its brought in to support them. theatre, shops, hotel and touch, and a deviation from terdam that evokes associa- courtyard, of creating priva- zinc dome, leans out As the designer of mas- catering facilities and a the traditional form of this tions with Botta. The dimen- cy for ground floor flats. towards the Maas and func- ter plans Coenen acts as a bridge for cyclists and kind of urban design, is the sions of the blocks on the The circus designed by tions as a prominent land- director of urban develop- pedestrians leading to the definition of the spaces two sides of the Avenue vary Matorell, Bohigas and Mack- mark on the boulevard and ment, constantly searching old city centre. The area inside the blocks as semi- in depth and so also in scale ay has more the character of as a beacon for the other for a suitable strategy to itself is characterised by the public, so giving the plan and character, so creating a a ‘superblock’ or Viennese side of the river. Regrettably the relation- city, in which connection he gium and advising on the incorporating the silhouette neville old people’s home on tle accents, inspired by the ship between the district repeats his mantra of cultur- building of government of an old warehouse in the the Céramique site in Maas- floor plan of the dwelling and the river has been com- al sustainability. As he sees buildings and the mainte- composition of the elevation tricht is grouped round a behind, but also by the pletely lost in Luigi Snozzi’s it, it is not always necessary nance of the stock of listed of the tower block, and in grand forecourt, complete building’s position in the city: development of the long to choose a single represen- buildings. He also holds a Courtrai a link was sought with pergola, trees, shrubs, as an urban elevation, a cor- residential building along the tative idea for a city. A build- chair in the department of between the Leieboorden ponds, lamp posts, small ner property, a gable end Maas. While this substantial ing must after all last at least architectural design in Delft and the character of the benches and a large fence. and so on. The gaps are building with its charming four hundred years. If his University of Technology. His 19th-century properties lin- In Leieboorden, the two filled with a standard assort- rhythm and impressively own work is set in this con- hobby horse in all these ing the river. Van Reeth has squares fit in with the park- ment of glass parapets act- long pergola facing the park text, what emerges is a functions is the concept of a masterly way of finding like character of the neigh- ing as French windows or still has the gateways pro- completely individual atti- ‘cultural sustainability’, which solutions for difficult gaps; bourhood. The special thing ordinary windows, or even posed by Coenen, the semi- tude which makes a virtue of implies that government his projects are often less about this project is that Van loggias or bay windows. Win- underground car park means the European city’s perma- buildings must be capable of successful when the context Reeth has treated the out- dows and fences are ‘thinly’ that these gateways no nent state of crisis. In lasting 400 years and is uncomplicated (cf. the side space belonging to the and ‘lightly’ detailed, in con- longer have any connection Antwerp the strategic infill- becoming tomorrow’s monu- projects for the Java island flats as additions to the city, trast with the severe sur- with the ground level. They ing of sites which have ments, must deal economi- and the Vinkhoek, both in as if it were public space: faces of the facade. Light- are not accessible to the remained undeveloped for cally with raw materials and Amsterdam). His urban there are indeed small front ness is achieved not only by public, and no longer corre- years, ranging from craters public space and must architecture is characterised gardens, but they seem slim dimensions and taut spond with the side streets. left by V-bombs to informal respect the city’s ‘footprint’, by simplicity, abstraction, instinctively to form part of details, but also by the posi- The drawing showing the parking places, provides a the morphological perma- lack of pretension and public space, and serve as tioning of the windows in the design situation as realised modest springboard to the nence of the street plan.5 undistinguished unobtrusive- no more than buffers to cre- surface and the reflective suggests a degree of open- gradual infilling of the city. Most recently he has been ness; its aim is to allow pub- ate privacy for the ground properties of the glass. This ness which is not present in Van Reeth believes the working for cultural sustain- lic space to acquire signifi- floor flats. On the bank of effect is also strengthened reality. architect is responsible for ability by devoting himself to cance. This minimalism the Leie stands a block by variation in the depth of The range of instruments the shell (which, as has a careful and well-consid- relates to all levels of scale whose shape follows the the balconies (from the used in Coenen’s urban already been mentioned, ered planning process, with within a project, ranging slight curve in the river. The depth of a drip rail to a full design work is both tradi- must last 400 years) and good clients and architects. from the urban design, the river bank and the green balcony) and the positioning tional and formal. He makes public space. Interiors are Van Reeth claims that he shape of the building mass space provided by the inter- of the balustrades. AWG use of public spaces formed fun to do. His aim is to bring does not know what archi- and the composition of the nal courtyard are linked attempts to find a continuing by modest red brick blocks about the greatest possible tecture is, but is trying to elevations through to the through gateways in the theme for each project that with stone plinths set along change with the least possi- find out. He is particularly detailing and the colour. block. will allow a simple and rest- perimeter lines, axes of sym- ble, but unconventional concerned not to tie himself These aspects are given The building mass often ful exterior to be created metry and monumental intervention. A single build- down to a particular form or particular attention in the consists of closed volumes using minimum resources, accents in obvious places. ing can change an entire personal style. Closer exami- detailed examination and with bland gable or saddle- while at the same time The best bits Coenen city: his Van Roosmalen nation of his work shows its comparison of the following back roofs. In Lombardia avoiding monotony. In Lom- reserved for himself: the (alias Josephine Baker) constant features and sug- housing projects: Lombardia they match the scale and bardia the ‘gaps’ in the ele- public hall-cum-library, a house on the Scheldekaaien gests that he does in fact try (Antwerp), Mariaplaats dimensions of the surround- vation are the same every- block of very luxurious flats is credited with having to stick to one language. (Utrecht), Résidence Son- ing buildings; the volumes where; if the windows and the conversion of an old launched the gentrification Indeed this continuity means neville (Maastricht) and are repeated as individual behind are higher, the differ- factory building into a the- of the waterfront. that his work carries on a Leieboorden (Courtrai). properties, in black and ence in size is taken up by atre. It is striking that the Van Reeth is the head of dialogue with itself, is easier In his urban design work white. Sonneville has a the height of the balustrade vocabulary he chose for Architecten Werkgroep to explain and becomes Van Reeth prefers the infor- stretched saddleback roof, which protects people from himself is very different from (AWG). By now this more valuable. Van Reeth’s mal diversity of small enlarged to fit the whole falling. The houses and resi- the one used in his urban Antwerp-based firm, which approach can be compared squares and routes with a width of the complex, serv- dential buildings on the designs: once freed from like many self-respecting with that of Italian rational- semi-public character. In the ing as the project’s centre Mariaplaats all have virtually that, he indulged himself in a Belgian firms of architects ists like Grassi, who are con- Lombardia project (a combi- (or centre of gravity), an the same windows. In this modernistic idiom, with does most of its building in stantly combining the same nation of shops and alienating abstract version of case variation is achieved colonnades and asymmetric the Netherlands, has more shapes in a different way, dwellings) small squares fol- monumentality. Because the mainly with the aid of colour. compositions of telescoped than 300 designs to its redefining a site and giving it low the existing typology of complex was detailed as a The buildings have been boxes in concrete, plaster, name and has an order book new meaning in a dialogue forecourts originally intend- single brick-built volume with given a black plinth of vary- metal and glass, in joyous ranging from country resi- with its context. Grassi and ed for the stabling of horses; a single roof, it was built as ing height which is also remembrance of Le Cor- dences to hospitals and Rossi often choose an today most of the area is a single building. Mariaplaats applied to the retaining walls busier, the great 20th-centu- from filling gaps in the old archetypal cultural refer- occupied by haute-couture also has a saddleback roof, around raised areas in the ry master, the architect who city to preparing master ence, say a Roman tri- business. For a long time but set back, literally, behind courtyards, the paving and first awoke his interest in plans for abandoned indus- umphal arch, a Dutch ware- Lombardia was a ‘gap’, com- the facades, the raised end the fencing. This plinth ties architecture. trial sites. In recent years the house or, yet more abstract, monly known as ‘the wild elevations and the set-back the buildings together into a firm has expanded its a long narrow plot (Grassi in sea’; what was once a park- balconies. The application of single whole. Unity and iden- bOb Van Reeth – designing sphere of activity and Groningen), a lighthouse, a ing place is now part of a zinc-clad saddleback roof tity are further reinforced in the border area between moved its activities from chimney or a dome (Rossi). Antwerp city centre’s ‘core occurs mainly in combina- simply by having both the urban design and architec- Belgium to the Netherlands. But the references in Van shopping area’. The small tion with views over the old elevations and the paving ture Apart from having his Reeth’s designs are to recol- squares are used by hotel city. finished in orange brick. The bOb Van Reeth, Coenen’s own architectural practice, lections of the site itself. and catering establishments In AWG’s work, eleva- largest inner courtyard is Flemish opposite number, Van Reeth is the first ever Thus the Mariaplaats in and by a vegetable market. tions consist of uncluttered distinguished from lesser speaks with the authority of Flemish government archi- Utrecht is given the struc- In Utrecht, the squares areas with repeated gaps. courtyards by being given a his double function as archi- tect, in which capacity he is ture of a clerical immunity, adjoining the Mariaplaats The ratio between open and white elevation. tect and Flemish govern- responsible for promoting the Riedijkshaven in Dor- provide peaceful communal closed varies. The breaks in Exteriors in the Leieboor- ment architect (since 1999), the cultural and political cli- drecht is given a reference outdoor areas for residents regularity and the detailing den project are more varied: about the simultaneity of the mate for architecture in Bel- to its industrial past by of the garden flats. The Son- are intended to provide sub- windows and loggias differ in width and balconies vary in to the area’s earlier industrial ly after a change of political strong ‘urban emotions’, of chosen on the basis of a European city as the stan- depth. The windows are all history. power in the local authority the kind that someone might selection process published dard for his architecture. In the same single-storey The relatively complicat- a new policy paper on urban experience when faced by in the architectural journal contrast to his colleagues height. The picture is ed history of this master design was prepared which unexpected views over the Casabella, ‘Almanacco del- however, Kollhoff’s research enlivened not only by win- plan began in the mid-1980s, influenced the subsequent river Arno in the old part of l’Architettura Italiana’.8 In an into urban architecture is dows and loggias but also when the last department of bureaucratic treatment of Florence.7 editorial written in 2002 mainly carried out at the by bay windows and extra the Fiat factory moved away the plan. The town planning Subsequently the archi- Francesco Dal Co (director level of the material and roof features. It may be that and the Italian architectural department’s representative tects Gabetti & Isola were of Casabella) described how detailing of the building. As this solution has something historian Bruno Zevi was Gaetano di Benedetto made brought in to handle the he believed the selection of he sees it, this is exactly to do with the fact that this made responsible for direct- known that the authority had development of the project. architects would contribute where the urban quality of project, unlike the other ing the preparation of a adopted a different policy In principle they adhered to to the project’s successful the architecture must be projects discussed here, did master plan. In cooperation for the use of former indus- the basic principles formu- completion. Apart from a demonstrated. not involve a peaceful spot with the local authority it trial areas. In contrast to lated by Krier and designed positive reaction to the Referring to Rossi’s theo- in a busy city but what was was decided that the project Zevi’s pronouncements, the the central park themselves. selection procedure and the ry of the city9, Kollhoff typi- already a quiet little neigh- should contain a municipal basis for the development of The two sections of the method of phasing, Dal Co fied the European city as a bourhood on the edge of park of approximately 37 these locations was to be operation can be identified stressed that it would not be city based on the long term Courtrai’s old centre. As with acres. At the same time the urban morphology of the on the two sides of the park. easy for the designers to (longue durée), on the per- Mariaplaats, a feeling of Leonardo Ricci was commis- historic centre. Faced by this The north-west section is manoeuvre within the plan’s manence of the substance unity and diversity was sioned to prepare a design new vision, the old proposal characterised by the pres- closely defined framework. of its buildings and the phys- achieved by the use of for a new courthouse for was put aside and a new ence of Ricci’s courthouse He also clearly indicated ical legibility of its history. colour: the elevation facing Florence to go in the north- commission prepared for the and sixteen blocks of vari- how the procedural input, These properties are directly the river is white, while other west corner of the site. Zevi Novoli area. ous shapes. The south-east and the plan’s cultural opposed to what he termed elevations are in garish and the landscape architect The new plan, prepared side contains twenty-seven impact in particular, conflict- the ‘tendency to demateriali- orange brick, with mortar in Lawrence Halprin, whom he under the direction of Leon blocks, providing accommo- ed with Halprin and Zevi’s sation’ in contemporary the same colour. The white had invited over from the Krier, retained the idea of dation for example for the original principles. On paper building culture. This ‘disap- elevation facing the Leie is US, realised that the plan the central park, but was university (designed by there appeared to be an pearance’ architecture reminiscent of 19th-century needed a strongly coherent morphologically determined Natalini) and local services. excessive difference in scale results from both the eco- properties, not just because concept because the ratio by small low-rise blocks of In Gabetti & Isola’s master between Ricci’s courthouse nomic forces at work in the of the ratio between open of building to green space not more than four storeys, plan, Krier’s pseudo-organic (some 65 m high, designed city and developments in and closed and the variety was approximately 1:1. Fol- with irregular floor plans and ideas were translated into a in line with the principles of architecture itself.10 of bays, windows and bal- lowing a workshop, they, lining narrow twisting strict zoning plan that was to the Zevi plan) and the low Market forces have led conies, but also because of together with the other streets. Not only did this ref- exercise a considerable blocks in Gabetti & Isola’s to buildings having an ever the details: the combination designers involved who erence to the mediaeval Tus- influence on the design of plan. Another sticking point shorter lifespan, determined of the car park’s basement included Richard Rogers can urban street plan ignore individual blocks. None of was the lack of any relation- only by their economic windows and the grating and Gabetti & Isola, present- the preceding ten years’ the buildings was to have ship between the central depreciation period. Kollhoff stairs leading to the gardens ed the first version of the planning work, it also more than three storeys, the park and the adjoining urban believes that this market are references to the tradi- master plan, in which the embodied a peculiar inter- frontages were required to fabric. logic is not only ecologically tional basement. The projec- heart of the scheme was a pretation of urban transfor- follow the layout of the A bird’s eye view of all irresponsible, but has a tion of the continuous eaves central square, partly cov- mation, including a recon- streets, the heights of the designs prepared by the destructive effect on the reinforces a sense of unity ered by a ring of green struction of something that arcades and subways were young architects invited to spatial structure of the phys- reminiscent of Bruno Taut’s space. All the buildings, had never actually existed. fixed, flat roofs and bal- participate shows that it is ical city (‘Stadtzer- Siedlung architecture in including Ricci’s courthouse, Krier chose not to permit conies were only permitted highly doubtful whether any störerisch’). Kollhoff’s Berlin. were to be arranged along a any direct relationship if they faced the inner court- clear interaction can be cre- answer to this development system of axes radiating between the park and the yards, and so on. According ated between the buildings. is to plead for ‘sustainable Alberto Ferlenga – redevel- from this square. blocks. The theme running to Ferlenga this tightly con- Though all the projects will architecture’.11 opment of the former Fiat The interesting thing through this proposal was trolled zoning plan and the initially seem to share a A primary characteristic site in Novoli about the subsequent devel- not repetition but variation. accompanying standards common appearance due to of the European city is an The fact that the phenome- opment was the disciplinary Krier saw these basic princi- considerably limited the the strict provisions of the architecture which tradition- non of the ‘master plan’ does debate that broke out on the ples as the outcome of a designers’ freedom of action, zoning plan and the stan- ally makes use of stone. not operate in the same way margin of the project. In one process of reinterpretation as he found with his own dardised presentation tech- Kollhoff believes that a sus- everywhere in Europe is of his writings Zevi said: ‘No, which took as its basis the design. Furthermore, refer- nique, it remains a riddle tainable architecture, as apparent from the story that urban design must no longer development mechanisms of ences to the emergence of whether these architectural implied by Rossi’s term ‘per- Alberto Ferlenga tells about suppress architecture. Let the old city centre. Looked the blocks in the old city interventions flow logically manence’, manifests itself the former Fiat site in Novoli, us develop, enlarge and at this way, this version of centre are conspicuous by from the urban design fun- not in glass or aluminium, near Florence. His firm reduce each building instinc- the master plan was an anti- their absence. In mediaeval damentals of the old city but in monolithic forms of designed one of the blocks tively, in complete autono- modernistic answer to mod- Florence spontaneity and centre. Ferlenga does not buildings, constructed in included in the final plan. my.’ 6 These principles can els of the city pivoting on genius loci left no room for tackle this issue, although a brick or stucco. He rejects The project in Novoli is an clearly be recognised in the such basic principles as the alignment, standard heights, trace of dissatisfaction can the ‘incorporeal’ architecture example of urban transfor- master plan coordinated by separation of functions, the symmetry or the rectangular be discerned in his account. of today’s visual culture, mation in which a new use is Zevi: apart from the central relationship between build- arrangements of blocks. In all probability he would which serves only as a sign found for a city’s industrial arrangement already men- ing block and environment In the summer of 2001 have directed the process or billboard, reducing the areas. Industrial relocation tioned, all the buildings have and the major dimensions of Aimaro Isola advised the differently. building to no more than a left an empty site of about a certain degree of autono- the building. However, major project developer and the ‘decorated shed’.12 To count- 79 acres, surrounded by my as regards their shape question marks remain as to local authority to attract a Hans Kollhoff – urbanism er this development Kollhoff post-war urban expansion and relationship to one the randomness of the number of young architects and architectural form attempts to divert attention and, as in Maastricht, another. planned street pattern. to design for the plots in the Like Coenen, Van Reeth and away from the surface of brought about the disap- A few months after the According to Krier the north-west section of the Ferlenga, the Berlin architect buildings to their volume. He pearance of every reference presentation and immediate- arrangement was inspired by park. The architects were Hans Kollhoff takes the has therefore investigated the architectural qualities of Kollhoff believes that the cal forces . The most subtle section of the block to 44 Notes 4. See H. Coenen, Jo buildings viewed as bodies. way in which the elements example of Kollhoff’s devel- cm at the junction with the 1. From Aldo Rossi, L’ar- Coenen: Schetsen, Roughs, Endorsing the reading of of a building are combined, opment of this view is to be cornice, where they turn into chitettura della città (para- Noordknoop Céramique architecture of the 19th-cen- their formal arrangement found in his tower block for thin balusters. Here the phrased). Padua (Marsilio) Maastricht. Rotterdam (NAi) tury architectural historian and the way in which they Daimler-Benz on Berlin’s building seems to free itself 1966; Milan (Città Studi) 2001, in which Coenen gives Wölfflin, he says: ‘Thus we express themselves is pre- Potsdamer Platz.19 briefly from the weight of its 1995, pp. 119-120. Dutch an excellent account, sup- are interested in the position cisely what makes buildings This brick-built Berlin urban architecture, though it translation: De architectuur ported by outline designs for of a building: its proportions, ‘architectural’. Here Kollhoff tower block consists of a remains abundantly obvious van de stad. Nijmegen (SUN) the ‘Noordknoop’, of the whether it is essentially verti- is harking back to the term pile of building volumes that the lightness of contem- 2002, p. 105. English transla- length of time required cal or horizontal, whether it ‘tectonics’, a traditional term which develop upwards from porary architecture is tion: Aldo Rossi, The Archi- before building is possible. rests firmly on its founda- in the profession, last used a block into a tower. The unbearable. tecture of the City. Cam- There were worries about tion, whether it seems to rise by Gottfried Semper in the characteristic massing of bridge, Mass./London (MIT money, programme, policy, from its foundation or float 19th century. Kollhoff receding building compo- Conclusion Press) 1982, p. 96. health and how to direct above it, whether its outlines brought the subject up to nents articulates the building In the work of the Hans Koll- 2. This article is a reflection headstrong architects. are definite or seem to dis- date in 1991 when he organ- vertically into five parts: the hoff, Jo Coenen, bOb van on the symposium ‘Trans- 5. In his lecture at the sym- solve into the air, whether it ised a symposium in Basel main body of the building, Reeth and Alberto Ferlenga formers of the European posium the required lifespan is solid or porous.’13 Archi- on tectonics in architec- divided into three sections, the idea of continuous City’, organised by the urban was reduced to 200 years. tecture is not a representa- ture.17 Tectonics refers on lies between the attachment strategic transformation architecture research group 6. Bruno Zevi, in: Casabella, tion of contemporary volatili- the one hand to the struc- of the building at street level seems not simply to postu- of Delft University of Tech- no. 703, 2002 (special edi- ty and instability, as ture of the building, the rela- via a stone arcade and the late an end point for the nology’s faculty of architec- tion on Novoli-Florence). supporters of the Zeitgeist tionship between its parts culmination of the building European city project nor ture, held on 7 November 7. L. Krier (see note 6). approach would have us and the whole, and on the in a gilt cornice. The first of even to prescribe the same 2003. It looks further into 8. Casabella, no. 703, 2002. believe, but in fact a way of other hand to the relation- these three sections, a com- collection of planning reme- the individual contributions 9. Aldo Rossi, L’architettura expressing the weight and ship between the supporting ponent of the plinth, is a flat, dies. If a city is continually to the symposium made by della città, 19 66 (see note 1). inertia of buildings.14 That is framework and the skin or elongated, horizontally artic- subject to change, where is four professors of architec- 10. Kollhoff, who is currently why Kollhoff’s buildings are cladding. Kollhoff goes along ulated volume, indicating the the urban continuity to ture, Jo Coenen (Maastricht viewed as an anti-avant- monolithic, often executed in with Semper’s view that the downwards force exercised which these architects so and Delft), Alberto Ferlenga gardist, presented a remark- materials which simulate architecture of present-day by the building. Its horizontal often appeal? The idea of a (Milan and Venice), bOb van able argument in favour of stone, preferably in brick. cladding is a fact. In modern character is achieved by city and the associated col- Reeth (Antwerp and Delft) mainly ‘doing the usual thing’ References include the sky- buildings support elements having horizontal elements lective memory seems to and Hans Kollhoff (Berlin and ‘more of the same’. Here scrapers of the Chicago and elevations no longer in the elevation (window need continual revision. Now and Zurich) particularly as ‘doing the usual thing’ (to school, but also the expres- coincide. Elevations are sills, lintels, parapets etc.) that demolition (and recon- regards their views on the which Piraeus forms no sionistic brick architecture of composite constructions, in sticking out from the surface struction) are back on the relationship between the exception, because the strik- the early 20th century, such which the outer skin func- and vertical components agenda, the doubt that architectural project and the ingly sculptural nature of this as the Chile Haus in Ham- tions mainly as cladding. The (piers, window jambs etc.) arose in connection with transformation of the con- residential building on KNSM burg and the architecture of architectonic question which flush with or even below the notorious transformations in temporary city. island in the Amsterdam har- the Amsterdam school, all of Kollhoff believes should be surface. The middle section the past is quick to reassert 3. As a result of the Dutch bour suggests a ‘normal’ which Kollhoff sees as text- put here, is how the support is a transitional volume: its itself. In this context the tradition of meeting the typological development, book examples of Großstadt structure and the skin relate proportions are shorter and deep-rooted work of Kollhoff demand for public housing rooted in the rationality of architecture.15 to one another. In what way higher than the volume and Van Reeth on the one by mass house building, the urban block) refers For him however the is the construction visible in below. Here horizontal and hand and the investigative larger areas which become explicitly to the idea of the urban quality of a building the elevation? Kollhoff dis- vertical divisions melt into manipulations of Coenen available in the neighbour- Großstadt. The buildings’ ref- does not subsist merely in misses the functionalist view one another: the elements and Ferlenga on the other hood of the historic city are erences to Wijdeveld’s Ams- its monolithic stone form, of ‘constructional honesty’ that make up the elevation seem at very least to be often developed at one go, terdam blocks must form a but is ultimately only according to which the con- are interwoven in both direc- instructive references to: no longer for housing associ- ‘Großstadtraum’. Kollhoff achieved by the material and struction is literally made tions. The third section is ‘(…) the natural succession ations, but for the market. speaks of a fascination for the details. Here Kollhoff visible. He prefers the formed by an upright vol- of artefacts resulting from This formula is known as the bricked-up Berlin fire- goes rather further than indicative gesture, in which ume; its height is greater architectural interventions. public private partnership walls as an early source of Coenen, Van Reeth or Fer- the structure is ‘implied’ by than its width and its articu- Because if nothing guaran- (PPP), in which developers his work: the volumes lenga. Ultimately the form of the skin of the building. lation is vertical. In this sec- tees effective continuity, it is arrange to have plans pre- appear rooted in the ground. a stone building is deter- Brickwork lends itself tion the piers are not inter- important to know the pared by urban designers Kollhoff’s tower blocks, mined by the surface treat- supremely well to making rupted by horizontal mechanism of transforma- and architects within limiting including the planned minis- ment. For Kollhoff this main- the structure of a building elements, but climb without tion and above all to estab- conditions imposed in line terial tower blocks on the ly affects the way in which apparent in the elevation. interruption along the sur- lish how we can act in this with the policy of the rele- site of the present Black the components of an eleva- Brick, and the typical brick- face of the elevation, cover- situation. Given that the total vant local authority. First an Madonna in The Hague, tion are combined and con- laying process, provides the ing the vertical joins control of this process of urban design is pre p a red by ascend with a horizontalising nected to one another with best way of articulating an between the 8.1 m long pre- change in urban artefacts is a reputable architect or articulation to form an urban visible or invisible seams or architectural structure: the fabricated parapets, as in doomed to failure, the ques- urban designer. A f te r p o l i t i c a l elevation, above which rises joints. Not surprisingly he bonding of bricks as a form the middle section. The tion that arises is what are approval and legal checking, an increasingly verticalising sees the question of joints of ornamentation.18 It is pre- emphasis on vertical ele- the most important artefacts the design is developed into development deriving its as one to be dealt with pri- cisely the standard dimen- ments indicates the way this emerging in our era. Such a zoning plan and subse- significance from the city or marily in the urban design sions and the joints between section of the building questions can only be quently filled in with specific metropolis: high-rise too is stage. This is particularly rel- the bricks that enable the strives to reach the sky. In resolved at the concre te buildings designed by diffe r- very ‘usual’. evant to the application of support structure to be this section of the building level of urban archite c t u re . ’ 2 0 ent architects under the 11. G. Alicki, L. Ziemke and brickwork, where the issue is ‘shown’: they create an the vertical development is This is the work that Hans supervision of the author of J. Kallfelz, ‘Klinker als Struk- the choice of the type of impression of ‘support’ by reinforced even further by a Kollhoff, Jo Coenen, bOb the master plan and a man- turprinzip des Ganzen’ (inter- joint (flat or concave) and stone ‘walls’ and the diver- narrowing of the piers from van Reeth and Alberto Fer- agement team responsible view), in: DBZ, no. 6, 1998, the colour of the mortar.16 sion of horizontal and verti- 100 cm in the horizontal lenga have already begun. for cost control. pp. 115-120. 12. F. Neumeyer, ‘Tektonik: 20. Paraphrase on Aldo development of urban mor- some common to the early-twentieth century, him, tradition and modernity Das Schauspiel der Objektiv- Rossi, l’architettura della città phology as a disciplinary researchers from different during the Fascist period, in could continue to co-oper- ität und die Wahrheit des (see note 1). field in Italy are to be found schools of thought. This Gustavo Giovannoni’s con- ate within a new concept of Architekturschauspiels’, in: in the research of architects, framework inevitably leads sideration of historical cen- ‘organicity’, in which the his- H. Kollhoff (ed.), Über Tek- urbanists and urban design- one to accept every mor- tres and Giuseppe Pagano’s torical centres were sites for tonik in der Baukunst. Braun- The study of urban ers. This approach has main- phological approach as a studies of the politics of the acts of ambientismo (con- schweig/Wiesbaden, 1993, form in Italy* ly been realized with an ide- sort of algebraical function development of rural settle- textualism), and the new p. 68. Nicola Marzot ological aim.2 So, instead of whose value can only be ments. More recently, Save- expansions could be real- 13. Kollhoff, ‘De mythe van focusing on urban form as determined within a previ- rio Muratori, Gianfranco ized through borgate satelliti de constructie en het archi- This paper demonstrates the complex result of specif- ously identified domain of Caniggia, Paolo Maretto, (satellite quarters). While the tectonische’, in: Oase, no. 47, the strong relationship ic historical constraints, validity. Outside this Sandro Giannini and their former expressed the idea of Nijmegen (SUN) 1997, p. 62. between urban morpholo- each clearly identifiable in approach, different princi- followers placed more continuity with existing 14. P. Vermeulen, ‘Bouwen gy and urban design within intentions and formal results, ples and rules apply that emphasis on urban design, urban structures, the latter als instrument van ver- the Italian traditions of Italian architects and urban- render a given function bridging the gap between used modern technical tools langzaming. Hans Kollhoff’s architecture and urbanism. ists have attempted to inter- insoluble. architecture and city plan- to achieve urban dispersion. verkenning van de tektoniek’, Attention is focused on the pret urban form in its entire- To define the limits of ning through a deeper The main problem in: Archis, no. 10, 1997, pp. work of architects and ty from a unique point of the effectiveness of the understanding of the histori- becomes, therefore, the 32-45. urban planners during the view. That point of view has more important contribu- cal processes by which investigation of the innesto 15. The term ‘Großstadt- twentieth century, the peri- clearly corresponded to the tions to the development of urban structure is modified. (seam) between the new Architektur’ was first intro- od in which urban mor- idea of the city they wished urban form, albeit limiting They also stressed that the quarters and the old urban duced at the beginning of phology and urban design to spread. attention to the twentieth abstract interest in the prob- structure. In this way life and the 20th century by the Ger- emerged in Italy. A com- The interpretation of century, is needed in the lem of the city had been history could be integrated, man architecture critic Karl mon cultural background urban form has mainly been current context in which replaced by an interest in a as in the past. Taking on this Scheffler in his book Die shared by all those con- pursued through an instru- architects and planners are more realistic problem, con- urban design objective, Gio- Architektur der Großstadt. tributing to the field is the mental use of the concept requested to solve ever nected to specific case vannoni began working on Berlin (Bruno Cassirer) 1913, concept of ‘type’ and the of ‘type’.3 Such a use of type more complex and diverse studies considered as the the structure of historic city and subsequently adopted assertion of a close con- inevitably leads to a consis- problems. The multiplicity of basis of a new urban sci- centres, concluding that by Ludwig Hilberseimer in: nection between urban tent diminution in the effec- approaches and theoretical ence. there are no cities that are Großstadtarchitektur. morphology and building tiveness of the interpreta- positions yields a range of Giovannoni is considered truly old or totally new. His- Stuttgart (Hoffmann) 1927. typology. In contrast, differ- tion. In fact, the more an possible devices for solving to be the father of the Italian torically, the strategy of the 16. H. Kollhoff, ‘Architecture ent positions emerge in interpretation follows the a specific morphological urbanistic tradition. It is not seam seems to be a com- today’, in: Domus, no. 756, the interpretation of what historical process involved in problem. by chance that he was the monly-used approach. By January 1994, pp. 72-78. the contemporary city the production of a particu- leader of the group that analyzing specific case stud- 17. The contributions to this should be, and this has, in lar form, the more that inter- Urban morphogenesis as a gradually put together the ies he formulated the well- symposium have been pub- turn, had an influence on pretation determines a con- matter of continuity Law of Urbanism, Number known and fruitful perma- lished in: H. Kollhoff (ed.), the analysis of urban form. textualized system of The Italian morphological 1150, passed in 1942 and nenza dello schema Über Tektonik in der Baukun- For this reason the typo- knowledge. That system has tradition is peculiar in that it still current today.5 His most planimetrico (permanence of st. Braunschweig/Wiesbaden logical debate in Italy has a wide range of possibilities has always acknowledged a important work, Vecchie the planimetric pattern) 1993. The anthology also always had a strong ideo- because every definition of close link between tradition città ed edilizia nuova,6 is a before Pierre Lavedan set includes Kollhoff’s own con- logical component. Instead a type refers to a specific and innovation, with different successful attempt to set out his ‘law of planimetric tribution: ‘Der Mythos der of a common attempt at idea of architecture. The researchers having shown out a contemporary theoreti- persistence’.7 Giovannoni Konstruktion und das mutual understanding, range of ideas offers the an interest in the connection cal and operational treatise also introduced the idea of Architektonischen’, Dutch urban morphology has choice of the most appropri- over a long period. This of urban design. Starting the city plan as a palinsesto translation in: Oase, no. 47, been strongly character- ate solution to a given prob- peculiarity is reflected in the from a historical framework, (palimpsest), whose dense Nijmegen (SUN) 1997, pp. ized by a systematic, lem.4 As a consequence, rooting of design projects in it deals with the principles of stratification of different lay- 56-65. The ‘revival’ of the reciprocal misunderstand- urban form has almost never existing urban tissues, both urban growth and transfor- ers reveals the progressive, subject of tectonics which ing among its followers. been investigated in the in practical and theoretical mation as they emerge from partial accretions and ero- Kollhoff started with this This paper attempts to terms in which it was con- terms. Moreover, the relation an analysis of different geo- sions of the initial implanta- work was confirmed four define the multiplicity of ceived, analyzed, built and between tradition and inno- graphical situations over a tion. Most significantly, he years later by the publication cultural positions within the successively modified over vation, between a preindus- long time-span. His work derived from the study of of Kenneth Frampton’s field according to the par- space and time. Rather it trial and a modern approach matured as he supported urban morphology the idea Studies in Tectonic Culture. ticular design and planning has been investigated more to urban form, finds a fertile the politics of disurbana- of form as the transitional Cambridge, Mass./London goals of those positions, in simply, according to a sub- field of application in typo- mento (disurbanism) put for- stage in a never-ending (MIT Press) 1995. the conviction that the jective idea, sometimes logical studies. Specifically, ward by the Fascists to process of development, of 18. ‘Klinker als Struktur complexity of the current widely shared, about what a typological approach is counter the growth of larger which the form itself pre- Prinzip des Ganzen’ (see urban phenomenon can no the future cityscape should distinguished from all other metropolitan areas and the serves and constantly mani- note 11). longer be confronted from be, according to a predeter- Italian contributions by its increasing pressure placed fests internal traces. From 19. See: U. Brinkmann, a single point of view. mined theory of urban classical concept of archi- on historical centres by the this basis he argued for the ‘Südlich ... Potsdammer design. tecture as a tectonic system, building market. Instead of priority and importance of Platz’, in: Bauwelt, no. 27, From the Italian point of However, even if the Ital- a system legitimized by its promoting the systematic the Piano Regolatore Gene- 2000, pp. 14-19. Kollhoff view, no critical interpreta- ian scene has been charac- derivation of principles and refurbishment of city cen- rale (master plan) for creat- learned from the Pots- tion of an urban phenome- terized by a multiplicity of rules from the practice of tres, replacing the pre-mod- ing the proper conditions for dammer Platz that a shop- non can be considered out- conflicting contributions, it is building, according to a ern urban blocks with new starting and realizing the ping centre is the only sce- side a specific design possible to find some com- strong integration of struc- skyscrapers as proposed by process of urban design nario still remaining which strategy for the phenome- mon themes within the tural, distributional and volu- Le Corbusier, Giovannoni over time. allows a large-scale urban non to be investigated.1 This development of the debate metric aspects. moved towards a strategy of Giuseppe Pagano also design to be carried out ex explains why the most sig- on architectural and urban The foundations of this complementarity between sought to define form as a novo. nificant contributions to the design theory, including approach can be found in new and old. According to temporary phase in a histori- cal process of modification, the contemporary farm- the extent to which the evo- arrangements by updating urban planning. As a conse- nents according to function. even if his intentions were house through its evolution lutionary process is rooted them over the centuries quence, they stress the The famous aphorism ‘form quite different. In fact from the primitive local for- in specific local environmen- according to a ‘handicraft’ importance of architecture follows function’ has some- Pagano is well-known for his mulation; to find a line of tal constraints resulting from approach to tectonics. In as a tectonic praxis and times been interpreted in a intolerance of Fascist rheto- evolution from autochthonal pre-existing urban struc- addition, he put particular urban design as a way of restrictive sense, not without ric. He tried, therefore, to building traditions to Modern tures. In ‘Vita e storia delle emphasis on the concept maintaining formal control some ingenuity, as the support the rationality of architecture; to discover città’,10 Muratori criticized that matters of building are over urban growth, accord- attempt to subordinate a for- Modern architecture as a some kind of eternal law of the contemporary urban sci- mutually related according ing to an ideal of harmony mal process to a merely possible antidote to it. In growth; and to derive aes- ences because of their to a hierarchy of different and organicity in the public functional programmatic order to critically demon- thetics from a logical func- essentially positivistic levels which he terms scale realm of building. This, in sequence that is supposed strate the similiarity, both in tionality. As a consequence, approach to urban design. (scale). As a consequence, turn, leads to a refusal of to be objective. Taken fur- historical and logical terms, houses seem to be deeply For Muratori, the laws that Muratori believed that it was any kind of compromise with ther, according to the posi- between Mediterranean rooted, in their inception, in describe the birth and the not possible to understand the principles of the Mod- tivistic approach, architec- local traditions and the new local conditionings. In addi- transformation of the city the richness of any effort at ernist tabula rasa. They try to ture should be based on international tendencies, and tion, he finds a chain of are not ‘natural’ but emerge building without constant accept just those aspects of laws and principles which so avert attacks from the mutual constraints accord- as the result of precise cul- reference to all the compo- modernity dealing with tech- could, because of their conservatives, Pagano ing to which every modifica- tural behaviour. According to nents that it encompasses nical, social and economic endogenous rationality, be focused on rural settle- tion of a building maintains him, Modernity discarded and to the ensemble to progress that are pertinent assimilated into natural ments. He found in the clear, the memory of the formal the inherited knowledge of which it belongs. In such a to inherited building and processes. This inevitably logical and rational princi- structure of the previous construction, seen as a sys- way, he became the father urban structures. At the leads to an attempt to ples of construction of the state, from an elementary tem, and reduced architec- of Italian architectural ‘struc- same time, they seek to define form through a architecture of rural settle- arrangement to a more com- ture and urban design to turalism’. demonstrate the possibility rational process of disman- ments strong evidence for plex configuration. The form simple technical matters. Muratori set out a unique of critically recovering the tling the old spatial configu- the systematic evolution of is preserved even when the There was no longer any theory that defines all transformation of urban form ration, considered to be the Modern architecture. original functional needs awareness of the inner logic aspects of the human envi- according to a ‘handicraft’ product of old-fashioned Pagano’s idea of ration- cease to apply. In this sense, of the transformation of ronment. It encompasses all approach, re-establishing a prejudice, and rearranging it ality seems, however, to be continuity encompasses tra- buildings that represents the steps of mutual interrela- connection between the cur- according to a universally very different from that pro- dition and innovation. historical rationality identi- tions, from the single build- rent and pre-modern peri- shared rationality. Each moted by the supporters of The same concept of fied by Pagano. This is the ing to the totality of the terri- ods. This effort was original- component should therefore Modernity. To him, the preesistenza ambientale reason why Muratori kept a tory. Each of these, as a ly, and is still to some extent be individualized according rationality or logic of archi- (environmental pre-exis- critical distance from both single aspect, has been sys- today, an attempt to fill the to a specific role in the tecture is not a universal tence) was explored by the model of the Ville tematically developed by gap dramatically opened ensemble in order to obtain system of shared values, Ernesto Nathan Rogers over Radieuse offered by Le Cor- one or another of his follow- during the Enlightenment a common rational goal. independent of time and a period of intense architec- busier and Wright’s Broad- ers: Gianfranco Caniggia period from which Modernity Within the field of urban location. On the contrary, it tural debate during the acre City on the one hand, worked on urban tissues,13 derives. morphology, this approach belongs to the constructive 1950s.9 The subject of much and on the other, the Italian Paolo Maretto on aspects of was followed in Italy mainly process itself. At the of the debate was the conservatives who consid- architectural language,14 Functionalism and organi- by Irenio Diotallevi, Franco extreme, rationality becomes attempt to overcome what ered everything as worthy of Alessandro Giannini on the cism in urban morphology Marescotti and Pasquale synonymous with the intelli- were, by then, considered as preservation. While the for- territorial scale,15 and Rena- The diffusion of Modernity is Carbonara. Diotallevi and gibility of the process the obsolete principles mer are accused of having to and Sergio Bollati on closely related to the resur- Marescotti identified the through which a form is developed by the Modern interrupted the continuity urban tissues.16 This theoret- gence of the problem of the problem of low-income derived from the past once Movement, in particular the between tradition and inno- ical approach was so suc- residence. The increasing housing as their principal deprived of its previous idea of the ‘dwelling for vation, the latter, mainly cessful and fruitful in the demand for a place in which field of interest. Their functional constraints, until it everybody’, in order to reach technicians and historians, interpretation of the pre- to live, owing to the rapid approach, clearly stated in Il is reduced to a simple aes- the idea of the ‘dwelling for have tended to treat the city modern urban structure that, spread of urbanization in the problema sociale, costruttivo thetic matter. Rationality is, each individual’. Within that as an open-air museum. during the 1970s, the resur- second half of the nine- ed economico del- therefore, an attribute of the context, the notion of Starting from such premises, gence of interest in these teenth century, required an l’abitazione23 systematically form, its structure, and the preesistenza ambientale Muratori began working on matters brought forward a urgent solution. The cultural established the design of historical process of trans- clearly expresses the aspira- specific case studies to find new generation of re s e a r c h e r s background to the demand the dwelling according to a formation. tion for continuity between the laws of continuity within who have contributed to the can be found in contempo- series of factors: the con- Pagano also arrived at design, history and regional a transformational process. use of historical knowledge rary fiction and social straints of local climate (for another important result: he specificity. Rogers’s efforts, With Studi per una operante as an operational tool. These inquiries into living and example, prevailing winds, affirmed the priority of ordi- however, lacked rigour and storia urbana di Venezia11 include Giancarlo Cataldi,17 working conditions such as solar orientation, average nary building as the material merely produced an archi- and Studi per una operante Paolo Vaccaro18 and Gian Charles Dickens’s Hard temperatures and humidity); basis from which all institu- tectural and urbanistic poet- storia urbana di Roma,12 he Luigi Maffei.19 Even today, times or Friedrich Engels’s the results of technical tional architecture is histori- ry without a corresponding laid the first stones of his the continuing diffusion of The condition of the working progress (for example, the cally derived. According to analytical method. theoretical structure. the principles espoused by class in England21. This situa- potential of new structural his masterpiece, Architettura If Giuseppe Pagano can Muratori discovered the the school shows the viabili- tion inevitably led to greater systems and artificial materi- rurale italiana,8 the rural be considered to be the first rationality of history through ty of this approach in solving emphasis on the dwelling as als); the efficiency of differ- building is considered to be to posit a general typologi- the reconstruction of the specific problems.20 opposed to the question of ent systems of internal dis- a working tool and the result cal process whose singular process of derivation of All of these contributions the new city which, by con- tribution (according to which of a spontaneous conscious- stages could be traced back both architectural and urban have a common cultural trast, was clearly addressed they start to analyze differ- ness inherited from cultural into different geographical form, from previous built b a c kground which allows us by Le Corbusier and his ent dwelling types as solu- habits passed from one gen- traditions, Saverio Muratori structures to more recent, to understand t h e i r a p p r o a c h model of the Ville tions); and rationality in the eration to the next. On this developed that intuition complex configurations. The to urban morphology and Radieuse.22 As a result, the use of space (in this regard basis it is possible to see the futher. In doing so, he process of derivation retains urban design. They all clearly traditional concept of a the problem of modern fur- objectives of his endeavour: focused on the subject of the traces of a form’s incep- belong to the classical tradi- house is systematically sub- niture has increasing impor- to describe the character of the urban house, showing tion in simple original tion in architecture and divided into its main compo- tance). To Diotallevi and but simply to affirm that ment of the historical city consumed vast areas of derived from the past and to three important attributes Marescotti, the city should rationality is a function that and primitive village, in par- land, as exemplified by the interventions attributed to of the dynamics of urban not limit the conditions of binds social aspirations to ticular by Aldo van Eyck and experiences of the New the rudest modernity, private form: the non-linearity of the life in any dwelling. As a contingent limitations in later by followers of ‘Dutch Town movement in the UK manifestations and public processes of growth, the consequence, the city is terms of functional Structuralism’, had the aim and the French Villes Nou- behaviour, sacred values and adaptability of architectural simply conceived as an demands, technical respons- of finding unifying principles velles.29 A consequence of profane attitudes. All would systems and the non-pre- extension of the same prin- es and expressive values. capable of gathering into a this new attitude was that be combined into an inter- dictability of the results. In ciples, bringing the ‘particu- higher level synthesis and the city gradually tended to nally consistent totality. In La emphasizing these points he lar’ to the ‘general’ according The aspiration to a dialecti- coexistence the modern and disappear into an extensive torre di Babele,32 probably no longer considers the type to an inductive process. The cal synthesis pre-modern traditions. This urban landscape. Vittorio his best-known text, this capable of taking a leading project for a città orizzontale The crisis of the Congrès intention inevitably leads, Gregotti provided an archi- infrastructure acquired the role as an a priori project to (horizontal city)24 clearly Internationaux d’Architecture however, to a form of tectural theory that took up unstable, fabulous consis- be realized in practice. states that city form is the Moderne (CIAM)26 was abstraction due to the differ- these new goals of urban tency of something like a Instead he came to regard it result of an additive process revealed during the Hodde- ent nature of the postulates design in Il territorio dell’ar- Persian carpet expanded simply as the ultimate of combining single units all ston meeting in 1951 when implicit in the two approach- chitettura.30 Here, Tafuri’s into three dimensions or a exploit in the continuing sharing the same spatial the results of its housing es. synthesis finally found both modern interpretation of a development of architectural arrangement, without any policies were examined sys- Manfredo Tafuri pushed a possible metaphor and a medina that encompasses language.36 modification caused by an tematically. The theme cho- the international debate in model in the infrastructure all the scales of building internal hierarchy of public sen for the meeting, the the direction of a new of the wider landscape (terri- and, at the same time, con- The idea of coexistence in spaces. History is not taken ‘heart of the city’, clearly approach to urban design27 torio). According to Gregotti, ceptually, extends beyond urban form into account except in the revealed the shift of interest that sought to encompass a the type, intended as a pre- them. Aldo Rossi must be consid- form of the well-known liter- from an urban model consti- distinctly dialectical synthe- figured formal structure able Costantino Dardi pushed ered to be the source of a ature of social pathology tuted by autonomous archi- sis of the pre-modern tradi- to guide the project, no research into the ‘third level’ very particular interpretation previously mentioned. As a tectural objects to a new tion and the contribution of longer had any historical further, pursuing a total of urban form. According to consequence, this method one based on mutual inter- Modernism, the latter being reasons for existence. Nor abstraction and lightness in Rossi, urban form is the for architectural and urban relation. The emphasis was extensive even in Italy after did it have any critical architecture, interpreted as result of a patchwork in design, if applied to the in fact placed mainly on the the reconstruction period potential at the lower levels an ephemeral installation33 which different features are analysis of pre-modern nature of urban space as and the Istituto Nazionale of scale because of the similar to those used in fairs. stitched together. He envis- urban form, inevitably leads the place of reciprocal con- delle Assicurazioni (INA) increasing frequency of The result is an expression ages a coexistence of differ- to great misunderstandings. nection and principal Casa experience. According transformation that system- of a pure, abstract and neu- ent features, each of which Pasquale Carbonara expression of livability. to Tafuri, historical centres atically erase every contin- tral three-dimensional geom- belongs to a clearly identifi- showed a wider interest in In 1953 in Aix-en- and modern quarters could gent solution, making it etry that makes it possible able interpretation of city building. His goal in Architet- Provence this cultural not be merged within a obsolete as soon as it is to conceive every composi- form; yet no one interpreta- tura pratica25 is, therefore, to change led to the rescinding unique reconfiguration, proposed. Only the logic of tion imaginable in a never- tion is able to encompass all define a theoretical frame- of the Athens Charter, which because of the incompatible settlement location could ending process of unpre- the others within a single work for architecture that all of the participants con- nature of their principles and stand as a permanent factor dictable materialization. image, and no urban design enables individuals to cope sidered to be obsolete in its inner laws. In this, Tafuri fol- in the development process. Rejecting the concept of strategy is able to erase the with the multiplicity and basic principles. Most of the lowed the perspective for- So his interest shifted type because of its historical pre-existing interpretations. complexity of functional criticism was aimed at the mulated by Giuseppe towards features character- constraints, he moved New and existing views can- themes to which modern idea of subdividing the city Samonà, according to istic of the wider landscape towards the idea of configu- not then be gathered cities aspire according to into different functional whose L’urbanistica e as the unique items capable razione (spatial arrange- together into a unique mor- criteria of shared rationality. areas according to the l’avvenire della città,28 the of giving the ‘large scale’ an ment) to establish yet again phological perspective. To Even if he was aware of the metaphor of industrial pro- historical centre became order from which all other an architectural language this end he has pursued the interdependence of struc- duction. This principle was nothing more than a pure decisions regarding building starting from its syntactical urban design strategy ture, function and form, his considered to be the main object of contemplation, derive. From this point, he and grammatical structure. expressed by Law Number interest was evidently direct- cause of indifference flanked by a totally different began to analyze the history Similarly, Franco Purini 167 of 1962, which intro- ed toward the caratteri dis- towards, and dissatisfaction modern city structure. The of urbanism and, as a result, shared Dardi’s interest in duced the peep (Piano di tributivi (distributive charac- with, the public realm. unique solution would moved much closer to a architecture as a processual Edilizia Economica e Popo- ters). With that emphasis, At the last CIAM meeting appear to reside in the con- geographical approach. method of investigating lare) (Plan for low-income spatial arrangement in Dubrovnik in 1956, Team ceptual dimension with an Ludovico Quaroni transformations of abstract housing program). Accord- becomes the most impor- 10 was born, affirming the abstract three-dimensional offered a similar interpreta- geometric systems through ing to this legislation, new tant matter in building and is end of one period and the structure whose neutrality, tion in terms of urban specific formal operations, low-income housing should carried out according to beginning of another. The yet radical Utopianism, could design. He began with a as well as Gregotti’s ideal of act in the cityscape as self- strictly functional principles. Modern tradition was imme- act as a reference system deep analysis of the process the large scale,34 finding a contained, autonomous Carbonara was also con- diately compared to the his- through which it becomes of transformation of histori- recurrent source of sugges- urban features, where resi- scious, however, that ration- torical. Alison and Peter possible to systematically cal urban aggregations, tak- tions in the larger built ele- dential buildings and corre- ality reveals itself in different Smithson, for example, measure the difference ing an approach that shared ments in the landscape, sponding services fit togeth- ways depending on the cul- spoke about the necessity to between the existing many features with that such as viaducts, aqueducts, er. To express the notion, he tural aspirations and institu- learn from the street of the approaches. introduced by his colleague bridges and dikes.35 Purini introduced the concept of tions of the society. He traditional city but also from This conceptual frame- and friend Saverio Mura- stressed the importance of città per parti (the patchwork therefore always attempted that of nineteenth-century work found fertile cultural tori.31 From there, he con- indeterminacy as the key city), an idea clearly enunci- to contextualize the treat- by-law extensions. They ground during the 1960s ceived the idea of the city factor in understanding the ated in L’architettura della ment of a singular functional spoke about the need to and became manifest in the as a fluctuating infrastruc- never-ending process of the città.37 This volume enjoyed theme in its historical frame- rethink the priority of the urban design theory of the ture that systematically growth of urban form. His worldwide success but work, from its origin to the spaces between buildings as ‘large scale’. The architectur- merges together urban voids systematic advocacy of the offers no systematic meth- present. This was not an the basis of any architectur- al debate had, in fact, to and built objects, ordinary ideas of complexity as ods owing mainly to its attempt to root architectural al intervention. The attention face up to the rise of new and institutional buildings, applied to the analysis and inception as a collection of practice in local tradition, paid to the spatial arrange- forms of urbanization that architectural expressions design of urban form points papers written largely during the years of his apprentice- research efforts to finding seems more closely to fit its physical substance and succession: a moment of To illustrate his view, ship as a teaching assistant spatial arrangements indif- that of ‘archetype’. As stated ultimate use. Construing material definition of a logi- Aymonino started with the to Carlo Aymonino in ferent to social, technical in L’Architettura della città, type as a logical entity cal spatial arrangement. Enlightenment period, during Venice.38 Although he wrote and political constraints, and the configurations to which implies the existence of Accordingly, Grassi analyzed which, according to Muratori, of the city as a manufatto relevant to the entire histori- the term type applies are ‘composition’ as a more gen- contrasting situations, using the crisis of architecture and (manufactured), suggesting cal development of the clearly considered primary eral language for design the- different case studies to its progressive loss of identi- the idea of the unity and cityscape. He was not inter- and widely-shared spatial ory, according to which dif- show the specific nature of ty began. As clearly stated in organic nature of the ested in the evolution of the arrangements according to ferent types can be the assumed laws.45 In his Il significato delle città,48 cityscape, this label is more concept of ‘house’ over which all architecture is obtained. The elements of theory of design, the com- Aymonino saw in the rise of appropriately interpreted as space and time because of made. Architectural history the composition are there- ponents he used are derived bourgeois culture the first an attempt to define an its contingency and can then be considered fore ‘components’, ‘parts’ from the history of architec- clear attempt to satisfy urban theory based solely ephemeral value, but he was nothing but a repetition of and ‘totality’. Polesello con- ture, independently of any social demands for which on spatial arrangement, in more generally interested in such archetypal configura- sidered composition to be local constraints. He chose there was no precedent and accord mainly with the con- the residential area, which tions, and their permanence an act of synthesis. He also those components in order which did not permit a com- tributions of architects and encompasses a wider time over time is an implicit legit- affirmed that composition to show the possibility of a promise with the ancien geographers. In fact, he con- span and shows more con- imization of their strength. can use existing types as dialogue between the tradi- régime.49 This inevitably led sidered explanatory interpre- sistency. According to this interpreta- components or parts of a tional and the contemporary. to a search for new proto- tations of urban form based Rossi interpreted the tion, form should be consid- new type or modify existing But obviously, when the quo- types, as opposed to the only on political, social and evolution of the cityscape as ered as a permanent, univer- types. The relation with his- tations derive from a tecton- modification of old buildings economic aspects as insuffi- a dialectical opposition sal and static matter. tory does not, therefore, ic tradition developed over that had normally been the cient, although he was very between elementi primari However, the archetype affect the legitimacy of the time and rooted in a particu- case up to that time.50 aware that those subjects (primary elements) and also refers to the creation of formal procedures. lar place, this approach According to the Marxist were part of the interdiscipli- aree-residenza (residential architecture. In the arche- Polesello clearly inevitably leads to a sort of interpretation, architecture is nary nature of architecture. areas). The former were con- type, creative episodes and expressed his debt to implicit misunderstanding of in fact a ‘superstructure’, in As a consequence, he aimed sidered to be the generators the architectural signs that Enlightenment theories of the sources quoted. other words, an intentional his criticism at functionalism of a specific urban form and are their trace are clearly architecture and urban representation of the eco- and organicism; both capable of accelerating the identified. By reading those design, especially that of The theory of modification nomic, social, and political derived, in his opinion, from urbanization process. In signs, Rossi was able to J.N.L. Durand, adapting them Carlo Aymonino might be values that create it. Thus, a positivistic approach to some, but not all, cases they interpret and discover the in the search for an ultimate considered as the first according to Aymonino, the building in the broad sense. are identified with monu- complex history of the city. abstraction. As a conse- author to attempt systemati- bourgeoisie attempted to The correspondence of form ments and are totally inde- The close relationship quence, the components of cally to legitimate the poten- distance themselves from to function cannot explain pendent of functions that between his particular inter- composition are no longer tial of Modernism to trans- history and give form to a the permanence of architec- change relatively frequently. pretation of urban form and pillars, columns, doors, win- form the historical city in its new model for society. He tural forms over the cen- Primary elements are a theory of urban design dows etc, but primary geo- entirety. It is not by chance also analyzed the Enlighten- turies, even if those forms revealed through formal per- was expressed more directly metric solids; the parts are that he recognized the ment strategy of transform- are updated to confront new manence. In contrast, resi- in the idea of La città analo- no longer vestibules, rooms, importance of Saverio Mura- ing a substantially medieval needs. dential areas undergo a con- ga (the analogous city)40 stairs, courts etc., but merely tori’s work in establishing the city into a modern one by This provided the basis tinuous transformation of and the Tendenza,41 the lat- aggregations of simple strong connection between acting on it in a discontinu- for his criticism of the Exis- internal components, mainly ter becoming a cultural geometries. His approach urban morphology and ous way, through the loca- tenz-minimum (minimum single plots, which he con- movement promoting the can explain many aspects of building typology. Aymonino tion of new institutional space for living) and its cor- sidered irrelevant to urban former. According to the Modernism but obviously shared Muratori’s view about buildings. The disposition of respondence with the idea form, demonstrating their idea of Tendenza, urban cannot be successfully the connection but, at the new buildings within the of Siedlungen (working-class contingent and precarious design is seen as a compo- applied to understanding the same time, was careful to existing city could rearrange quarters). Rossi considered nature. sitional exercise whose com- evolution of traditional set- keep a clear critical distance the way it functions, as was these ideas and their realiza- According to Rossi’s ponents are predetermined. tlements because of the dif- from his attempt to identify demonstrated for the first tion to be merely an attempt interpretation, the concept The meaning of urban analy- ferent nature of the chosen structure with history.46 time by Paule Patte’s aerial to translate a specific politi- of type gives primary ele- sis emerges at the end of parameters. According to Aymonino, to vision of Paris. This specific cal objective into a formal ments a character of perma- the design process from the Giorgio Grassi’s contri- equate the two would be to planning goal led Aymonino goal. The relation between nence and stability that system of relations among bution to urban morphology subordinate current social, to prefer the study of proto- form and function is so endows them with the all the predetermined com- and building typology has a cultural, political and eco- modern and modern archi- close that, once completed capacity to accommodate ponents. similar aim. In La costruzione nomical aspirations to the tecture51 rather than focus- and once the historical limi- changing needs. As a conse- Gianugo Polesello logica dell’architettura,44 he inherited material con- ing on traditional culture.52 tations that prompted the quence, Rossi firmly rejected shared Rossi’s theory of stressed the importance of straints of history. An approach similar to design no longer apply, the the historical dimension of urban design,42 even if he type, independent of its his- Aymonino clearly held to that of Aymonino was taken corresponding urban form type. Type becomes a con- did not share the view that torical use, as the logical the aim of dismantling the by Guido Canella. During the immediately lacks signifi- stant that applies to all architecture is simply the structure and inner rationali- historical monocentric urban 1960s it was already clear cance and reveals its pre- urban facts. Hence architec- result of a continuous ty of form, yet having no model and substituting it that to overcome the princi- carious nature due to the ture, in its individuality, could process of interpretation of necessary relation to the with a decentred strategy. ple of functionalism it was application of an abstract be considered a historical permanent formal configura- functional programme. Form According to that strategy, necessary to focus on the set of rules.39 interpretation of the type, tions.43 According to Pole- appears as the result of an new urban ‘foci’ should be close relation between In contrast, Rossi according to specific con- sello, the type is the ‘struc- arrangement of components scattered far from the old urban morphology and emphasized the importance straints. Architecture is a ture’ of the architectural simply guided by composi- kernel to become the lead- building typology. The con- of Le Corbusier’s Maison historical interpretation of a form. The term ‘structure’ tion and its laws. Laws of ing attractors within new nection between the two Domino as a system of solu- universal concept of type. expresses the system of composition change as aspi- residential areas. For underlines the impossibility tions that enables us to If Rossi believed that components and mutual rations change in the course Aymonino, the New Town of defining architectural solve different problems type does not evolve and relationships that define of time. The constructive experience shows the form simply according to an over space and time. Conse- does not undergo transfor- form, which is seen as a log- aspect came to play a clear potential of this new system inner rationality inherent in quently, he directed his mations, his definition ical matter independent of role merely as a phase in a of urban design.47 the design brief or pro- gramme. In fact, the brief is dom approach to the cre- L’architettura della realtà.56 A according to an evident prej- published in: Urban Morphol- Venezia. Rome (Istituto never ‘natural’ or ‘neutral’, ation of form that avoids any single language can be used udice, has unfortunately ogy, vol. 6, no. 2, 2002, pp. Poligrafico dello Stato) but is always ‘intentional’ sort of evolutionary interpre- in a wider variety of situa- reduced the importance of 57-73. 1959/60. and ‘cultural’ and, as such, tation. Monestiroli expresses tions. The language thus architectural language, in all 1. This concept was clearly 12. S. Muratori, Studi per una systematically changes as the concept of modification becomes a unifying factor, its richness, as the real uni- developed in: G. Samonà, ‘I operante storia urbana di does every specific product and transformation simply to capable of interrelating the fying and historical factor in concetti di standard e di Roma. Rome (Centro Studi of a society. For Canella, this justify reinstating a con- different features of a build- urban morphology and the tipologia nell’urbanistica’, in: di Storia Urbanistica) 1963. led to the identification in structive relation between ing, independently of its theory of urban design. Any G. Samonà, L’unità architet- 13. See, for example, G. the city of a field or matrix tradition and innovation in nature. If buildings are then revisionism should seek to tura-urbanistica. Scritti e Caniggia, Lettura di una città: out of which society mani- order to find urban design differentiated depending on rectify this, with the same progetti: 1929-1973. Milan Como. Rome (Centro Studi fests itself in unpredictable strategies that provide an their function, the language strength that has been evi- (Franco Angeli) 1975. di Storia Urbanistica) 1963; modifications of habits.53 alternative to the functional- takes on special meaning, dent over the last decade in 2. The idea of comparing Caniggia and Maffei, Lettura Accordingly, Canella consid- istic rejection of history. assuming the role of a other disciplinary fields. urban morphological strate- dell’edilizia (see note 4); ered the metropolitan model Referring in particular to the metaphorical connective tis- This task has been even gies according to a single G. Caniggia, and G.L. Maffei, to be the most accurate rep- significant transformations sue. more important over the ideological formation has Strutture dello spazio antro- resentation of the situation that emerged within so- ’90s, during which the inter- unfortunately never been pico. Florence (Alinea) 1981; currently faced by society. called proto-industrial socie- Conclusion national debate systemati- translated into practice. See G. Caniggia, Il progetto del- Architects should, therefore, ty, he defines the implied This review has sought to cally shifted from an over- G. Samonà, ‘Città e territorio l’edilizia di base. Venice move in the direction of suit- consequences for urban demonstrate how, in Italy, whelming interest on the negli aspetti funzionali e fig- (Marsilio Editori) 1984. ing their work to the mecha- planning with precision and the concept of type has historical centres to a more urativi della pianificazione 14. See, for example, nism that drives and creates underlines the correspon- always had a strong and consistent emphasis on the continua’, in: Proceedings of P. Maretto, ‘L’edilizia gotica it. Mass society facilities ding consequences for systematic connection to periphery issue, due to the the Tenth INU Congress. Tri- veneziana’, in: Palladio, no. could then act as the social transformations. For the design of urban form. evidence of the urban este (Instituto Nazionale di 3-4, 1960, pp. 123-201; ‘condensers’ around which a instance, the comparison This conclusion does not, sprawl phenomenon. If the Urbanistica) 1965. P. Maretto, Realtà naturale e new way of living might start between closed and open however, imply a direct cor- first topic outlined the idea 3. For a wide range of inter- realtà costruita. Florence working. Canella, working in city models leads Mone- respondence between the of the organicity and conti- pretations of the concept of (Uniedit), 1980, p. 355; P. the metropolitan area of stiroli to a clear understand- two terms in the different nuity of the historical type see: G. Argan, ‘Sul con- Maretto, La casa veneziana Milan, has constructed the ing of the transformation historical perspectives out- processes of building trans- cetto di tipologia architet- nella storia della città. Dalle opportunity to verify what undergone by current theo- lined in the paper. In fact, if formation, the second one tonica’, in: G. Argan, Progetto Origini all’Ottocento. Venice Aymonino had essentially ries of urban design and urban design, in simple refers to the notion of frag- e destino. Milan (Il Saggia- (Marsilio Editori) 1986, theorized: the idea that new their components. For exam- terms, expresses the inten- mentation and ‘accumula- tore) 1965, pp. 75-81. p. 564. foci can transform the exist- ple, large open green tion to transform buildings tion’ of different urban 4. This concept is systemati- 15. See A. Giannini, Corso di ing city. This accords with spaces, in the shape of pub- and the public realm in design strategies reciprocal- cally developed in: G. Canig- lezioni sul territorio. Rome the interest shown by both lic parks, have progressively response to emerging ly in contrast. In addition, as gia and G.L. Maffei, Lettura (Istituto di metodologia Canella and Aymonino in assumed the connective role expectations and needs, well as the analysis of pre- dell’edilizia di base. Padua Architettonica) 1964; A. Modernist traditions and in that once belonged to build- type has always represented modern context put into evi- (Marsilio Editori) 1978. Giannini, L’organismo territo- the logic of discontinuity ing tissue (tessuto). The the translation of that inten- dence a notion of type 5. The text has obviously riale. Genoa (Istituto di Prog- reinforced by the creation of campus model has over- tion in terms of spatial deeply rooted into the local undergone various modifica- ettazione Architettonica) more and more extensive whelmed the dense city. arrangement. history, through a systematic tions, but the original struc- 1976; A. Giannini, L’individuo infrastructure and greater By always deriving forms Architectural language process of mutation of the ture remains intact. territoriale. Genoa (Istituto di mobility. Consistent with this from the past, independent has always been identified inherited building structures, 6. G. Giovannoni, Vecchie Progettazione Architettoni- attitude toward planning, of local constraints, Mones- as the unifying feature capa- the development of the città ed edilizia nuova. Turin ca) 1980. Canella always tried to ana- tiroli tends to emphasize the ble of transforming the irre- modern city followed a dif- (Unione Tipografico-Editrice 16. R. Bollati, Metodo di let- lyze urban form transforma- importance of architectural ducible specificity of differ- ferent strategy. The type Torinese) 1931. tura delle strutture urbane, tions over time, sharing with language. The existence of ent urban phenomena into simply expresses a specific 7. His first expression of this attraverso le fasi evolutive, others his work as a mem- architectural language transmissible ‘signs’. To and ‘local’ interpretation of was published in G. Giovan- applicato ai centri calabresi ber of the Gruppo Architet- implies that various expres- define the type as a sign ‘global’ models, asking for noni, (1913) ‘La teoria del di Gerace, Cosenza, Reggio tura.54 sions have a generic similar- implies, therefore, establish- widening the conventional diradamento edilizio’, in: Calabria. Ipotesi di lavoro. Antonio Monestiroli takes ity, independent of their ing a direct correspondence solutions to new intellectual Nuova Antologia, 1913, while Reggio Calabria (Istituto Uni- a similar approach to urban specific nature, as is demon- between the formal process, stimuli and modifying the Pierre Lavedan’s law is intro- versitario Statale di Architet- design, as is evident in his strated by the similarity of which is the architectural current approach to urban duced in P. Lavedan, Qu’est- tura) 1976; S. Bollati, Tesi Temi urbani.55 He considers buildings from a given his- language, and the results morphology 57. ce que l’urbanisme? Paris storiche relative alla for- Modernism, however, to be torical period, regardless of obtained through its prac- This means that inter- (Unione Tipografico-Editrice mazione ed allo sviluppo di the result of a transformative their type. This focus on lan- tice. Each type cannot be preting today town plan Torinese) 1926. un aggregato antico attraver- process of the traditional guage is necessary because interpreted according to the structure implies a systemat- 8. G. Pagano and G. Daniel, so la lettura delle sue strut- city through a sort of ‘handi- one must take into account same language. The ideolog- ic work of interrelating the Architettura rurale italiana. ture allo stato attuale. Reg- craft’ method. According to the modifications that ical approach to urban form different evidence of the Milan (Ulrico Hoepli Editore) gio Calabria (Istituto this view, the material forms inevitably arise out of cultur- that entails interpreting all built city to the blurring 1936. Universitario Statale di of the city have been al changes and have differ- building types according to international theoretical 9. See E.N. Rogers, Espe- Architettura) 1976; R. Bollati, deprived of their original rea- ent impacts on existing a unique language rather debate, forcing researchers rienza dell’architettura. Turin Metodo di lettura delle strut- sons for existence in order objects and tissues. A con- than focusing on the rele- to mutually interweave by (Giulio Einaudi Editore) ture urbane, attraverso le fasi to address the needs of cur- sequence of modifications is vant historical ones, seems crossing national boundaries 1958. evolutive. Reggio Calabria rent society, even if that that, for the purposes of to be the source of recur- and sharing values and 10. S. Muratori, ‘Vita e storia (Istituto Universitario Statale might be considered a para- defining an architectural lan- rent misunderstandings in methodologies. della città’, in: Rassegna crit- di Architettura) 1980; S. Bol- doxical statement. Despite guage, language turns out to urban morphology. The sys- ica di Architettura, no. 11-12, lati, Formazione e sviluppo di his identification of a coher- be more wide-ranging and tematic attempt to interpret Notes 1949/1950, pp. 3-52. un aggregato antico. Reggio ent transformative process far-reaching than type, a urban form not as it really * This article is an adapted 11. S. Muratori, Studi per una Calabria (Istituto Universi- in analysis, he takes a ran- point made by Monestiroli in was, but as it should be, version of a paper originally operante storia urbana di tario Statale di Architettura) 1980; R. Bollati, S. Bollati translation as The condition abria (Casa del libro 44. G. Grassi, La costruzione Bologna. La metropoli the preservation of a social and G. Lonetti, ‘L’organismo of the working class in Eng- Editrice) 1980. logica dell’architettura. rimossa, Gomorra, no. 7, memory) constantly change architettonico. Metodo grafi- land, 1892. 35. See the works collected Padua (Marsilio) 1967. (Meltemi Editore) mai 2004, position, and the result is a co di lettura’, in: Studi e Doc- 22. Le Corbusier (C.E. Jean- in F. Purini, Luogo e 45. G. Grassi, L’architettura pp. 63-67. chaotic battlefield in which umenti di Architettura, 1990. neret), La ville radieuse, progetto. Rome (Kappa) come mestiere e altri scritti. friend and foe keep 17. See G. Cataldi, Sistemi Boulogne (l’Architecture 1976. Milan (Franco Angeli) 1979. exchanging forms. Rather statici in architettura. Flo- d’Aujourd’hui) 1933. Pub- 36. See Purini, L’architettura 46. C. Aymonino, Lo studio Book review than the football pitch, the rence (G.e G.) 1972; G. lished in English translation didattica (see note 34). dei fenomeni urbani. Bari S. Umberto Barbieri city has become the scene Cataldi, ‘Il territorio della as The radiant city, New York 37. A. Rossi, L’architettura (Laterza) 1967. of a struggle to achieve two piana di Gioia Tauro’, in: (The Orion Press) 1967. della città. Padua (Marsilio) 47. See C. Aymonino and P. Wim Denslagen, Romantisch conflicting ideals: conserva- Studi e Documenti di 23. I. Diotallevi and F. 1966. Giordani, I centri direzionali. modernisme. Nostalgie in de tion of the old versus devel- Architettura, 1972; G. Cataldi, Marescotti, Il problema 38. Among the most famous Bari (De Donato) 1967. monumentenzorg. Amster- opment of the new, which Per una scienza del territorio. sociale, economico e of these papers are A. Rossi, 48. C. Aymonino, Il significa- dam (SUN) 2004, 255 pp. calls for creativity (p. 17). Studi e note. Florence costruttivo dell’abitazione. ‘Considerazioni sulla mor- to della città. Bari (Laterza) Like a thriller, Roman- (Uniedit) 1977; G. Cataldi, F. Milan (Edizioni Il Poligono) fologia urbana e la tipologia 1974. Andrés Duany, Elizabeth tisch modernisme rushes its Farneti, R. Larco, F. Pellegri- 1974. edilizia’, and ‘I problemi tipo- 49. Ibidem. Plater-Zyberk, Robert Almi- readers through a series of no and P. Tamburini, I tipi 24. See I. Diotallevi, F. logici e la residenza’, in: A. 50. This concept is also nana (eds), The new civic intrigues ranging from ‘the ‘radice’. Florence (Alinea) Marescotti and G. Pagano, Rossi, Aspetti e problemi developed in C. Aymonino, art. Elements of town plan- square disease’ and ‘unman- 1982. ‘Quartiere della Città Oriz- della tipologia edilizia. ‘La formazione di un moder- ning. New York (Rizzoli) nered buildings’ to ‘the self- 18. See P. Vaccaro, Tessuto zontale’, in: Costruzioni Venice (Cluva) 1964; A. no concetto di tipologia 2003, 416 pp. ish romantic’ and ‘nostalgia e tipo edilizio a Roma, dalla Casabella, 1940, p.148. Rossi, ‘Aspetti della tipologia edilizia’, in : C. Aymonino, and imitation’, in which cul- fine del XIV sec. alla fine del 25. P. Carbonara, Architet- residenziale a Berlino’, Rapporti tra la morfologia Wim Denslagen’s book prit and victim – i.e. design XVIII sec. Rome (Centro tura pratica. Turin (Unione Casabella Continuità, 1964, urbana e la tipologia edilizia. Romantisch modernisme and history – assert them- Studi di Storia Urbanistica) Tipografico-Editrice Tori- p. 288. Venice (Cooperativa Libraria opens with an essay on ‘the selves and do battle, with 1968; P. Vaccaro, Cortona: il nese) 1954. 39. The importance of the Universitaria di Venezia) sentimental cityscape’, varying results. Sometimes piano del centro storico e la 26. For a wider perspective set of rules defining building 1966. which – particularly in its one vanquishes the other, sua gestione. Cortona on the urban theories of in the development of city 51. C. Aymonino, Le capitali vocabulary – sets the intel- and sometimes they reach a (Comune di Cortona) 1980; CIAM see E.P. Mumford, The form is also stressed in A. del XIX secolo: Parigi e Vien- lectual tone that typifies this compromise. According to P. Vaccaro, B. Gialluca and CIAM discourse on urban- Rossi, ‘Tipologia, manualisti- na. Rome (Officina) 1975; C. publication. Plunging into the the author, modernisation E. Lavagnino, Cortona strut- ism, 1928-1960. Cambridge, ca e architettura’, in: A. Aymonino Origini e sviluppo ongoing debate on the rela- (tabula rasa) was the leitmo- tura e storia. Materiali per Mass. (MIT Press) 2000. Rossi, Rapporti tra morfolo- della città moderna. Venice tionship between design tif for the reconstruction of una conoscenza operante 27. M. Tafuri, Teoria e storia gia urbana e tipologia (Marsilio) 1971. (particularly architectural European cities (p. 103), della città e del territorio. dell’architettura. Bari (Lat- edilizia. Venice (Cooperativa 52. The most important design) and historical arte- with one or two exceptions Cortona (Editrice Grafica erza) 1968. Libraria Universitaria di exception is C. Aymonino, M. facts, the author offers a (such as Warsaw) where L’Etruria) 1987. 28. G. Samonà, L’urbanistica Venezia) 1966, pp. 69-81. Brusatin, G. Fabbri, M. Lena, review of opinions, acts, ‘sentimental’ reconstruction 19. See Caniggia and Maffei, e l’avvenire della città. Bari 40. A. Rossi, ‘Introduzione P. Lovero, S. Lucianetti and examples and standpoints was opted for instead. In Lettura dell’edilizia (see (Laterza) 1959. all’edizione portoghese de A. Rossi La città di Padova. that illustrate the tension Rotterdam the Laurenskerk note 4); G.L. Maffei, La prog- 29. To understand the cultur- “L’architettura della città”’, in: Rome (Officina) 1970. between architecture (par- church (the architectural ettazione edilizia a Firenze. al atmosphere of this period R. Bonicalzi (ed.), Aldo 53. G. Canella, ‘Relazioni tra ticularly modern architec- object) was philologically Venice (Marsilio Editori) it is important to read G. Rossi. Scritti scelti sull’ar- morfologia, tipologia dell’or- ture) and the conservation reconstructed, unlike the city 1981; G. Caniggia, and G.L. Samonà, La città territorio. chitettura e la città, 1956- ganismo architettonico e of historical buildings. Read- around it, which was Maffei, Il progetto del- Bari (De Donato Editore) 1972. Milan (Città Studi Edi- ambiente fisico’, in: G. ers are presented with infor- redesigned in accordance l’edilizia di base. Venice 1964. zioni) 1975, pp. 443-453. Canella, L’Utopia della realtà. mation about the situation in with the ‘rules’ of mod- (Marsilio Editori) 1984; G.L. 30. V. Gregotti, Il territorio 41. A. Rossi, ‘L’architettura Bari (De Donato Editore) the Netherlands and Ger- ernism. Maffei, La casa fiorentina dell’architettura. Milan (Fel- della ragione come architet- 1965. many – with occasional Romantisch modernisme nella storia della città. Venice trinelli) 1966. tura di tendenza’, in: Boni- 54. G. Canella, Per un’idea di excursions to southern provides a detailed picture (Marsilio Editori) 1990; L. 31. To understand the simi- calzi (ed.), Aldo Rossi, pp. città. La ricerca del Gruppo Europe – during the periods of the century-old conflict Bascià, P. Carlotti and G.L. larity of Quaroni’s approach 370-378 (see note 40). Architettura a Venezia (1968- of reconstruction that fol- between conservation and Maffei, La casa romana nella to the analysis of urban form 42. P. Grandinetti, ‘Gli ele- 1974). Venice (Cooperativa lowed the two World Wars, innovation, with specific ref- storia della città dalle origini to that of Muratori see L. menti del progetto’, in: G. Libraria Universitaria di as well as discussions and erence to the changing for- all’Ottocento. Florence (Alin- Quaroni, Progettare un edifi- Polesello (ed.), Progetti di Venezia) 1984. examples focusing on mod- tunes of twentieth-century ea) 2000. cio. Otto lezioni di architet- architettura. Rome (Kappa) 55. A. Monestiroli, Temi ern architecture and the his- cities and architecture. It 20. The revival of interest in turae. Milan (Giuseppe Maz- 1983, pp. 5-10. urbani. Bari (Laterza) 2000, torical heritage. sheds light on the controver- traditional dwelling types zotta Editore) 1977; L. 43. See G. Polesello, ‘L’ar- p. 82. The picture the author sy and offers a basis for pol- and urban tissues has Quaroni, Il progetto per la chitettura e la progettazione 56. A. Monestiroli, L’architet- paints is one of a titanic icymaking, and for develop- inspired Claudio D’Amato at città. Dieci lezioni. Rome della città e nella città’, in: tura della realtà. Bari (Lat- struggle between two ing conservation strategies. the Politechnic of Bari to (Edizioni Kappa) 1996. Gruppo Architettura, per una erza) 1976. extreme, deeply entrenched However, the direct object bring together a group of 32. L. Quaroni, La torre di ricerca di progettazione 1. 57. N. Marzot, ‘The paradox attitudes – the avant-garde of the controversy – archi- researchers led by Attilio Babele. Padua (Marsilio) Venice (Istituto Universitario of Castel Maggiore. A tabula rasa and the reac- tecture – plays no part in Petruccioli and Giuseppe 1966. di Architettura di Venezia) planned city without any tionary status quo – which, the book other than as a Strappa, all of whom come 33. See C. Dardi, Il gioco 1969; G. Polesello, ‘La com- prescription about urban in varying constellations, are caricature. Designs, design from the scuola muratoriana. Sapiente. Padua (Marsilio) posizione architettonica e la form’, in: A. Petruccioli, M. locked in a battle for urban viewpoints and design theo- 21. C. Dickens, Hard times. 1971; C. Dardi, Semplice, lin- progettazione urbana. Pro- Stella, G. Strappa (eds), The space. Like politics and cul- ries are presented only Londen (Everyman’s Library) eare, complesso. L’acquedot- cedure ed esperienze’, in: U. planned city? Bari (Union- ture (which pursue develop- superficially, providing no 1992; F. Engels, Die Lange to di Spoleto. Rome (Kappa) Trame (ed.), Tipi architettoni- grafica Corticelli Editrice) ment, progress and creativi- basis for extrapolation of der arbeitenden Klasse in 1976. ci e fatti urbani. Venice 2003, pp. 159-165; N. Mar- ty) or the economy and design models in which the England. Leipzig (Wigand) 34. See F. Purini, L’architet- (Cooperativa Libraria Univer- zot, ‘Per un aggiornamento institutions, the public and role, position and meaning 1845. Published in English tura didattica. Reggio Cal- sitaria di Venezia) 1982. del concetto di periferia’, in: public opinion (longing for of the historical heritage are thematised with a view to Instead, the focus is on the examples in which tradition is co-editor of the book A Amsterdam (MA 1996). He the future development of ‘depicting’ capacity of the and continuity are key con- Hundred Years of Dutch worked for various architec- Dutch and other cities and architectural object and the cepts. It is a practical com- Architecture (2003) and edi- ture offices, amongst which the territory. urban configuration, and on pilation of architectural post- tor of the Dutch translation are De Nijl Architecten (Rot- the analytical and other cards which can help of the books L’architettura terdam) en de Architecten The opposite – i.e. an abun- techniques that can specifi- unadventurous, superficial della città by Aldo Rossi Cie (Amsterdam). He teach- dance of models and exam- cally serve to distil visual designers undertake an (2001) and La costruzione es at several Academies of ples that are completely and traditional historical fea- ‘architectural journey’. It is logica dell’architettura by Architecture in the Nether- detached from their histori- tures from the historical also a useful educational Giorgio Grassi (1997). lands, and is now an assis- cal context – can be found artefacts. There is more tool that may stimulate stu- tant professor of architectur- in The new civic art, which emphasis on techniques dents’ curiosity and provide Henk Engel (1949) graduat- al design at the TU Delft. was recently published in used to manipulate the his- them with pointers for more ed as an architect at the Claessens was editor of the the United States. Here torical images than on ones in-depth study. Delft University of Technolo- architecture journal Oase, again, the focus is on the used to give programmes gy in 1981. He is at present and co-editor of the Dutch city and the main desire is and processes a spatial co-director of the architec- translation of G. Grassi’s La for a ‘historical continuity’ framework, or reflections on About the authors and ture office De Nijl Archi- costruzione logica dell’ar- which can be achieved by the behaviour and attitudes collaborators tecten in Rotterdam, with chitettura (1997). His forth- making sure designers are of the modern city dweller. three partners. In 1998 his coming PhD thesis is on the fed with examples that Given the authors’ pref- Nicola Marzot (Imola, Italy, office had an exhibition on German handbooks of realise the ideal of ‘tradition- erence for tradition and con- 1965) graduated in 1994 as their work in the NAi, which urbanism around 1900. al urbanity’. tinuity, the choice of Robert an architect at the faculty of was accompanied by the Taking Werner Hege- Krier as the example to fol- Architecture, university of publication Als we huizen Filip Geerts (Antwerpen, mann and Elbert Peets’ The low almost goes without Florence. Since then he bouwen, praten en schrijven 1978) graduated cum laude American Vitruvius: an archi- saying, theoretically as well worked as a teacher and we (NAi 1998). Engel is an from Delft University of tect’s handbook of civic art as practically. There is too researcher at the architec- associate professor of Archi- Technology in 2001 with a (published in 1922) as their much emphasis on the for- ture faculty of the universi- tectural Design in Delft, and design for an airport. He is starting point, the authors, mal properties of the histori- ties of Florence, Ferrara and teaches at several Acade- since associated in UFO- who are linked to the New cal artefacts, and too little Bologna. In 2000 he finished mies of Architecture in the architecten (Amsterdam), Urbanism movement in the on their programmatic and his PhD at the faculty of Netherlands. He was visiting primarily collaborating with United States, present a vast technical features. The pur- Civil Engineering, university lecturer in Liverpool, Milan, S.U. Barbieri on the Wiener- quantity of urban artefacts, suit of historical continuity is of Bologna. Now he is assis- and Pescara. He wrote project (Grassi/Barbieri) in arranged in chapters with linked to a desire to tant professor in architectur- extensively on various topics Amsterdam. He received impressive titles such as redesign urban space in al composition and urban concerning modern and several honorable mentions ‘Pattern of urbanism’, ‘The accordance with the ‘clas- design at the faculty of urban architecture, and in design competitions. He is public realm’, ‘The private sicistic’ paradigm. The aim is architecture of Ferrara. He is worked on several exhibi- now an assistant professor realm’ and so on. There are to restore vanished spatial an editor of the Italian jour- tions, amongst which are in architectural design in brief (one-paragraph) intro- and other hierarchies and nals Paesaggio Urbano and Frankfurt am Main (1987), Delft, and also taught at the ductions to the eighteenth- re-establish the dialectic Archingeo, and the interna- Colour and Architecture Academy of Architecture in and nineteenth-century between architectural tional journals Urban Mor- (1986) and the work of De Amsterdam. Geerts is editor graphic material (mainly objects which acquire their phology and Opera/Progetto. Stijl en J.J.P. Oud. of the journal Oase, and was design sketches), some of it meaning through composi- He also is the author of sev- co-organiser of the design by architects from the us tional acts and situational eral papers on urban design, Roberto Cavallo (1967) manifestations Indesem but most of it from Europe. properties. The large num- presented at national and graduated in 1991 with hon- 1998 in Delft and EASA The new civic art follows bers of references (to Aalto international conferences. orable mention as an archi- 2000 in Antwerp/Rotterdam. the current trend for richly and Tessenow, and even the Since 1994 Marzot works as tect at the TU Delft, where illustrated design manuals: Amsterdam School and the an architect (from 2002 he is now an assistant pro- Willemijn Wilms Floet (1962) vast compilations of varied young Le Corbusier) make together with Luca Righetti fessor Architectural Design studied architecture at the artefacts which are present- the book stylistically hard to in the office Performa A+U) since 1996. In 1996 he faculty of architecture, TU ed ‘neutrally’ – i.e. shorn of grasp, and the lack of theo- on several housing projects became partner in Studio di Delft, where she is working their historical and architec- retical reflection makes its and public buildings. Architettura in Amsterdam as an assistant professor tural context – as material cultural position a hybrid (since 1999 Studio Architec- since 1990. Her expertise is for acts of design. Yet the one. S. Umberto Barbieri (1945) tuur & Interieurarchitectuur), documenting and analyzing taxonomy is not random: the Detached from their his- studied architecture at the where he worked on proj- architectural projects. She selection of objects is guid- torical and theoretical archi- Delft University of Technolo- ects for the Bonnefantenmu- worked on the publication A ed by a wish to produce a tectural context, the forms, gy, where he is currently seum in Maastricht, the city- Hundred Years of Dutch compilation that focuses on structures, types and materi- professor of Architectural office Laak in Den Haag and Architecture (2003) and is historical and traditional fea- als are reduced to mere Design. He is a visiting pro- popcentre Paradiso in Ams- co-author of the Zakboek tures. The historical element ‘depictions’ which can be fessor at various internation- terdam. His research and voor de woningbouw en prevails over avant-garde manipulated, processed and al universities, and editor teaching focuses at the woonomgeving [Reference- originality. used as ‘ready-made’ and collaborator for maga- moment on the transforma- book for housing and hous- This book prefers con- objects in a variety of con- zines like Opera, Casabella, tion of railway areas in ing environment] (2001). As vention to invention, and for- texts (from inner-city loca- Archis, Oase. As architect he Dutch cities. a self employed architect mal models to spatial frame- tions to peripheral and rural worked together with Aldo she won the Henk Overduin works and artistic situations) and for a variety Rossi on the Bonnefanten- François Claessens (1967) Prize of 1998 for the recon- processes. Accordingly, of programmes. museum in Maastricht studied architecture at the struction of a private house readers will search in vain This manual is useful for (1989) and with Giorgio TU Delft (MSc 1994, with in The Hague and of a beach for ‘spowl of contents’ or those seeking to explore the Grassi on the Wienerblok in honorable mention) and phi- pavilion in IJmuiden. ‘mappings of shapes’. architectural repertory of Amsterdam (2000). Barbieri losophy at the University of