UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
Date:______
I, ______, hereby submit this work as part of the requirements for the degree of: in:
It is entitled:
This work and its defense approved by:
Chair: ______
Designing with Technology: Challenging the Perception of the Building Skin
A Thesis submitted to the Division of Research and Advanced Studies of the University of Cincinnati
in partial fulfi llment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Architecture in the School of Architecture and Interior Design in the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning
May 29, 2008
by
Jacqueline Elaine Squires
Bachelor of Science in Architecture, May 2006 Ball State University (Indiana)
Committe Chairs:
Rebecca Williamson George Thomas Bible
Abstract ABSTRACT
The building envelope is a complex system of layers that acts as a skin of the building, addressing both functional and expressive issues. The functional characteristics of the building are the technical aspects such as structure and protection. The expressive aspects give the building its character, dictate the level of interaction with the user, and can refl ect cultural values. Contemporary buildings usually either mask the technical aspects within the envelope, or apply them to typical building construction methods. This thesis investigates the relationship between function and representation. It considers technology as a key infl uence in design solutions that allow technical and expressive aspects of the building to read simultaneously. Explorations of blurring and layering create a series of relationships between the interior and exterior and between technology and the users. This design approach challenges the perception of the role of technology in design.
iii Wis erat, quam, sumsandipsum vel et dolore min veliscilit wis er sequis elit, sustionummy nisi. Quat. Iquipis molorpe raesequismod minci bla faci blam, quat vel euisl ulput wiscilla feum augiam vendiam etuerat. Ut in henibh eu feugait la amconsenim in eumsandreet et velit wisim zzriure ero exerit adit prat dolum eliquat. Duis augait, quat loreet nummodo lendre et lummolor incing ea faci el eum dolor susciduis accum quam velit vel irit nis ent euis exer in vel il duisit auguer sit autet ilit wisse commodiam, quisl essed do ea faccum quis nim quis nit nulla facillam del ullaore dipis duissendip euisit praesed mod tio eugue faccumsan ullam, veliqua mconsectet ut et autpat. Cillamc ommolent am alisi ex etum essequisi. Unt num inisim irillum dolorer iliquamet ipsum zzriureet augait nit et adipis dip ercipsum velit wissit aut lum et lum ver in vel ulluptat. Is am nulla con ex euisi. Elessit exeraesto od magna feummodigna conse dolorpe riliquam nulla facidunt adionum alisl elit elesequat, sit nonsed magna feugue vullaoreetue er sequat. Duisi blamcoreetum quiscin ea consent wisim ipsum iriuscin vel ullam vendre do Table of Contents Abstract iii List of Images vi
Section I: Designing with Technology Overview of the Problem 1 Goals and Process 2 Thesis Statement 3 The Building Envelope 4 Scale 6 Section II: Building Analysis Introduction: Scale and Transparency 8 Residential Scale 8 Mid to Low Rise 17 High-Rise 21 Product Design 23 Conclusion 27 Section III: Designing the Building Skin Design Guidelines 28 Site 30 Program 35 Building Design 36 Section IV: Conclusion 38
Appendix A: Understanding the Image The Role of the Image 41 The History of the Image 45 Appendix B: Technology and Design Perception of Technology 48 Nonart Images 50 The Image/Role of Technology 51 Technology in Fountain Square 53
Bibliography 55 Glossary 58 Index 60
v List of Illustrations
1. 9900 Wilshire, LEED Gold: http://la.curbed.com/ archives/2006/03/9900_wilshire_u.php 2. Gaia Napa Valley Hotel & Spa, LEED Gold: http://www.hotel- online.com/News/PR2006_4th/Dec06_WenChang.html 3. Chicago Skyline: http://www.visitusa.com/illinois/photos/illinois- cities.htm 4. Integration of technology in suburban home: http://www.induca. com./building.htm 5. Pompidou Center in Paris, France: http://www.parisdigest.com/ monument/centrepompidou.htm 6. Diagram of layer relationships: image by author 7. Layers of building envelope: image by author 8. Pearl River Tower: http://www.som.com/content.cfm/pearl_river_ tower Wind turbine location: http://www.som.com/content.cfm/pearl_ river_tower Wind turbine generator detail: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/ showthread.php?t=410543 9. Applied solar panels: http://www.house.gov/inslee/photos/solar. html 10. Radiant fl oor heating: http://www.radiant-concepts.com/ applications/index.html 11. Transfer grill and jump duct: http://www.buildingscience. com/documents/primers/plonearticlemultipage.2006-11- 17.4476388816/section-2-the-basic-hot-humid-climate-house/ view?searchterm=osb 12. Plumbing systems being installed during construction: photo by Eric Stear 13. Electrical systems embedded in walls with simple interfaces: http://www.modernss.com/shopping/family_sale_0_familyid_ 3268_cat_539 14. Sink types: http://www.wise4living.com/hgsink/laundry.htm 15. Sink types: http://www.1appliance.co.uk/store/customer/home. php?cat=105
vi List of Illustrations
16. Sink types: http://mocoloco.com/archives/000324.php 17. Lighting fi xture types: http://www.deadprogrammer.com/month/ 2005/06?page=2 18. Lighting fi xtures: http://home-merchandise.com/lighting. php?start=10396 19. Lighting fi xtures: http://itreusa.com/products.php?category=6 20. Solar panels applied to roof: http://www.midamericasolar.com/ 21. Residential solar farm: http://www.phys.ufl .edu/~liz/power.html 22. Santa Clara University 2007 Solar Decathlon house: www. solardecathlon.com 23. “Stealthy solar,” Technische Universitat Darmstadt: www. solardecathlon.com 24. Light canopy concept, Cornell University: www.solardecathlon. com 25. Low roof pitch, University of Cincinnati: photo by Eric Stear 26. Evacuated tube south wall facade, University of Cincinnati: photo by Eric Stear 27. NOLA shotgunLOFT entry: http://competition.globalgreen.org/ 28. NOLA shotgunLOFT interior: http://competition.globalgreen.org/ 29. Photovoltaic panels as shading devices over roof patios: http:// competition.globalgreen.org/ 30. Photovoltaic panels as shading devices over roof patios: http:// competition.globalgreen.org/ 31. Section of Genzyme Center: http://leedcasestudies.usgbc.org/ images.cfm?ProjectID=274 and diagram by author 32. CBF Merrill Environmental Center: http://leedcasestudies.usgbc. org/overview.cfm?ProjectID=69 33. 318 Sentinel Drive, LEED gold certifi ed: http://www.copt.com/ properties/propDetail.asp?id=129 34. Pompidou Center: http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/pompidou/ index.htm 35. “The Tube”: http://www.oma.nl/ 36. Diagram of the three incohesive exterior shapes: image by author
vii List of Illustrations
37. Diagram of the fl uid internal space: image by author 38. Underside of tube creating ceiling: http://webservices.iit.edu/iit_ news/MTCC_gallery.asp 39. Hybrid spaces: http://www.oma.nl/ 40. Sun path diagram: http://archrecord.construction.com/features/ digital/archives/0612casestudy-1.asp 41. Beacon on light and modernity: http://www. worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln. projectview&upload_id=1034 42. Lighthouse Tower: http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index. php?fuseaction=wanappln.projectview&upload_id=1034 43. iMac profi le: http://www.apple.com/imac/ 44. Sleek automobile aesthetic: http://images.google.com/ imgres?imgurl=http://joshua 45. SmartWrap enclosure: http://www.kierantimberlake.com/ research/smartwrap_research_3.html 46. Wall diagram: KieranTimberlake Associates LLP. “SmartWrap TM: From Parts to Pixels.” 2007. 47. Interstitial space between wraps: photo by Elliott Kaufman 48. Thin fi lm screen enclosure: image by KieranTimberlake Associates 49. Diagrams showing layer separation: image by author 50. Site seen from Central Parkway: image by author 51. Historic Over-the-Rhine: http://www.irhine.com/index. jsp?page=home_suders062903 52. Renovations and vacancies: image by author 53. View of south facade: image by author 54. Site fi gures: image by author 55. Site fi gures: image by author 56. Site fi gures: image by author 57. Site fi gures: image by author 58. Site fi gures: image by author 59. Site fi gures: image by author 60. Wind rose for Cincinnati: image by author
viii List of Illustrations
61. Hardware jewelry: image by author 62. A series of layers: image by author Wall section concept for automatic louvers: image by author 63. South facade showing louvers: image by author 64. Clothing imagery: http://inventorspot.com/articles/dhl_or_ups_ 9154 65. Billboard imagery: http://www.ibc-colorado.org/creativeglobalads. html 66. Los Angeles skyline: http://www.airportcommuter.com/los_ angeles/ 67. New York City skyline: http://www.kvammetravel.com/ NewYorkCityTour2007.htm 68. Crown Fountain, Chicago: http://gochicago.about.com/od/ attractionsandlandmarks/ss/millennium_park_7.htm 69. Eiffel Tower, Paris: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/86ff7/ cc416/ 70. Eiffel Tower, Las Vegas: http://www.paris.org/Monuments/Eiffel/ 71. Venturi’s duck: Venturi, Robert, Denise Scott Brown, and Steven Izenour. Learning From Las Vegas. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1972. 72. Venturi’s decorated shed: Venturi, Robert, Denise Scott Brown, and Steven Izenour. Learning From Las Vegas. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1972. 73. Motherboard: http://64-bit-computers.com/category/64-bit- reviews 74. Fountain: http://arthistorian.wordpress.com/2007/08/ 75. Fountain Square, Cincinnati: image by author
ix Section I: Designing with Technology
OVERVIEW OF THE PROBLEM
Buildings consume a large portion of energy and resources. In the United States, they account for 36% of our nation’s total energy use, 65% of our electricity consumption, 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, 30% of waste output, and 12% of potable water consumption.1 High performance buildings are beginning to cut these numbers down, while becoming a trend in architecture under names such as sustainable design, LEED certifi ed buildings, and Cradle-to- Cradle awareness. This trend has gained popularity both in terms of an environmental issue of statistics and a symbolic representation of cultural values. However, these new building philosophies are not synonymous with highly aesthetic design. LEED certifi cation, for example, is a rating system based on the measurable impact of the buildings performance. It is a quantitative, but not necessarily a qualitative categorization of the impacts of design and construction. This difference between function and aesthetics can be seen by the variety of buildings that are certifi ed under the same level, but vary Fig. 1: 9900 Wilshire, LEED Gold greatly in their outward appearance, such as the gold certifi ed 9900 Wilshire and the Gaia Napa Valley Hotel & Spa. The qualitative categorization of aesthetics, especially those addressing the expression of technical components, is diffi cult to identify globally, but is being explored with various levels of success throughout the building industry. Part of the success is in the effi ciency of the building and the other part is in the refl ection of cultural ideals. These trends have touched a multitude of disciplines for various reasons, currently fi nding the most prevalent applications Fig. 2: Gaia Napa Valley Hotel & Spa, in marketing and engineering where cultural values and effi ciency LEED Gold
1 U.S. Green Building Council, “Building Impacts,” USGBC, http://www.usgbc.org/.
1 Section I: Designing with Technology
are the main incentives. Engineering in particular continues to develop new technology that is increasing more effi cient. At this point, however, there is a gap that occurs between the role of architecture within the cultural aspects of design and its relationship with the technical elements of effi cient engineering. Architecture, based on both aesthetics and feasibility, has a unique role in the development and perception of future design. It must create a language that enforces the cultural benefi ts of the built form without sacrifi cing the identity of the technology. “Eco-aesthetic architecture is individualistic, encouraging creative interpretations of ecological models as the basis for a new aesthetic.”1 The current design strategy in regards to technology still lacks in this “creative interpretation.” Innovation of architectural concepts must merge technology and aesthetics, bringing together the unique advantages of each. Technology must make a stronger connection to society by being more engaging within the building and with the users. Building design must be further understood in its complexity as a skin, unifying the functional and expressive roles of the façade.
GOALS AND PROCESS
The goal of this thesis is to simultaneously address the issues of imagery and the role of the current environmental trends by understanding the restraints of the environment and current technologies as they apply to architecture. The image of the city is important in defi ning a sense of place, representing cultural values and trends of the time. Architecture is one component in developing that image, but must also balance it with innovative technology. This Fig. 3: Chicago Skyline balance can be realized by challenging the current perception of technology and the building envelope into a design that is neither independent nor dominated by technology, while maintaining an artistic identity. In order to achieve this goal, the process was to fi rst understand the role of the image throughout history, especially in
1 Simon Guy and Francis Farmer, “Reinterpreting Sustainable Architecture: The Place of Technology,” Journal of Architectural Education, vol. 54, no. 3 (Feb. 2001): 141.
2 Section I: Designing with Technology cities today, (see Appendix A) and then to identify the way technology has been used and perceived with regards to image and cultural values (see Appendix B). Turning to the more technical aspects, the investigation focuses on gaining an understanding of the role of the building envelope and how the user interacts with it. Through an analysis of current practices and building designs, the major tendencies towards designing technology into buildings and the major fl aws within those tendencies were evaluated. This included a study of buildings at all scales from skyscrapers to residential homes. The evaluation produced a gap in integrated design strategies at the small urban city scale. The intent is to tighten this gap by combining the functional and expressive characteristics of the building envelope through a changed perception of the role of the building as a skin. The result creates dynamic, interactive spaces that engage the user and utilize the ability of technology to defi ne space and create expression.
THESIS STATEMENT
Architecture links together concept and experience, space and use, structure and image. By developing a language of integration of these elements, new social and urban conditions are presented that expresses cultural, scientifi c, and social values without isolating technology from the user. This will be explored by designing with technology to infl uence form and incorporate occupiable interstitial spaces. Technology and design will be blurred, becoming an interface between the building and the user. The various approaches in expressing technological systems in buildings has occurred at all scales with multiple degrees of success. For the most part, the expression of technology has either been integrated as in the typical suburban house, celebrated as in the Pompidou Center, or used with indifference as in some LEED buildings. Integration represents technology as something that should be masked so that only the sleek encasement shows its face. There is a sense that society does not want to understand the inner Fig. 4: Integration of technology in workings of the technology, or that the perception is of a “back of suburban home
3 Section I: Designing with Technology
house” mentality. On the other hand, celebration is a very forward statement of the building as a machine. It dominates the whole sense of the building with little regard to the humanistic or cultural aspects. The third method is one of indifference, found in certain applications of particular building components. Instead of working with the component as an integral design element, it is merely applied to the building at face value. This attitude can be seen in most uses of photovoltaic panels on the roofs of buildings. Fig. 5: Pompidou Center in Paris, France The use of technology as a design element, an integral part of the architectural statement, is lacking in most current designs. In order to achieve this, the possibilities between integration and celebration must be defi ned as a new middle ground. It is the opposite of indifference in that the elements become a part of the design. The technology neither dominates nor is hidden, but forms a part of the holistic design strategy. The envelope is seen as a whole, and then visually broken down into individual components. Cultural values and technology must overlap and blend together, strengthening the relationship between interior and exterior spaces and between function and beauty.
THE BUILDING ENVELOPE
The blurring of technology into a seamless design strategy necessitates an understanding of the complexity of the role of the enclosure system. This complexity enhances design possibilities by offering alternative solutions throughout the building. In this way, it is a challenge to the traditional perception of the envelope, altering the expectations of it from both interior and exterior perspectives. The building envelope as a form and façade creates the fi rst impression that people have of the space it occupies. First impressions create a solid base of the lasting perception of what the building is and its role in the greater context, whether that be cultural aspects or the identity of the tenants and city. On one hand, the envelope becomes an image, but as architecture its must go beyond the image. (See Appendix A for more on the role of the image). The envelope becomes an object, defi ning the spaces of the building and
4 Section I: Designing with Technology thereby creating restraints. The restraints are understood through the level and type of information that is presented. Transparency, for example, allows for a certain understanding of the building, resulting in a perceived relationship between the interior and exterior. At a more complex level, the building envelope goes beyond an object becoming a skin. It takes on both functional and Fig. 6: Diagram of layer relationships expressional characteristics. Skin, itself, is a complex organ made up of multiple layers of tissues that guard the underlying systems. Its most important role is to protect, but its other functions include insulation, regulation, sensation, synthesis, absorption, aesthetics and communication. The latter two being the expressional characteristics that act as an interface. The multitude of layers in skin continues past what is visible. With this in mind, skin must regulate the functions that take place between the inner and outer layers while forming a series of restraints. Likewise, a building envelope must perform these Fig. 7: Layers of the building envelope same functions, going beyond just the visible façade. The building envelope must not be considered as merely a shell, but as a series of functional and active layers that infl uence the quality and expression of the building. The functional aspects are the technical and structural systems ranging in complexity from electrical wiring and a simple monolithic wall construction, to self-ventilating shaded double wall façade systems. These elements give the building structure and allow it to breathe. The expressional characteristics infl uence the level of information presented and understood. The building acts as a boundary that controls the fl ow of natural elements, data, and information. Whether these systems are masked or exposed and the treatment of their expression dictates the levels of understanding and interaction that can occur. The envelope is more than just four walls in which the technology is separate from the users and spaces. Technological elements begin to create space instead of being masked by the walls or applied onto the walls. As an integral part of the expression, technology brings a major infl uence to the design. The envelope, utilizing the technical components within the interface, will begin to articulate the properties such as illumination, information display, transparencies, structure, weathering, and generation of power, alongside the issues of programming, circulation, fl exibility, comfort, and interaction. This combination of roles strengthens the
5 Section I: Designing with Technology design and allows the user to interact with technology in new ways, bringing a different perception and understanding of the building systems.
SCALE
The representation of technological expression has had different implications depending on the building scale. On one hand, there has been a recent trend emphasizing green skyscrapers. This attention has led building design at the high-rise level to more thoroughly investigate ways to mesh technology and design. Examples of such buildings are prevalent in the booming economies of places such as Dubai and China. These areas of vast construction are epicenters to building imagery and integration of environmental concerns that go beyond the typical implications of architecture in smaller contexts. A few examples of these developments include the Pearl River Tower in Guangzhou, China designed by SOM, and the Dubai International Financial Centre Lighthouse Tower by Atkins. (See Section II.) In these buildings the technology has successfully become an integral part of the design strategy with the designers utilizing technologies such as wind turbines and BIPVs to help defi ne the image of the building. Instead of being added on, the technology is hard to distinguish at fi rst glance from the overall composition of the building. Skyscrapers are the fi rst type of building to really achieve this goal, and there are multiple reasons for this. The clients that are funding these projects usually have more money and impact on society than a typical offi ce building or residential home. This, in combination with the mere height and prominence that these buildings command, allow the building to speak a different language. High-rises are automatically part of the identity of the city. The environmental factors skyscrapers encounter also put them on a separate playing fi eld. Wind velocity, structural challenges, and energy consumption are far more extreme at these heights than they would be on 4-5 story buildings. On the other end of the scale from high-rises are residential Fig. 8: Pearl River Tower with wind houses. The use of technology in homes, when it is not completely turbine generators
6 Section I: Designing with Technology
masked, is often used with indifference to design. Using the example of photovoltaic panels, most applications are simply that – applications. They tend to be “stuck on” without a sense of overall composition. Most homeowners are looking to the technology for economic savings. Design vocabulary is not a high priority. Occasionally, the PVs are not applied to the roof, but are instead located off to the side in a solar farm. In this case there is little relation of the technology to the building itself. They are two separate Fig. 9: Applied solar panels entities. Between these two extremes are the 2-7 story buildings that are trying to be “green.” Often corporate workplaces, these building designs may be categorized as part of the green wash phenomena. At this scale, buildings often achieve a level of success through a design that is more environmentally friendly (as shown in the increased number of LEED certifi ed buildings), but the visual aesthetic of exterior elements is usually lacking in creating a contemporary and culturally accepted aesthetic. This low-density urban building does not have the same magnitude of impact on the environment or image presence that a skyscraper has, nor does it have the land that a residential solar farm takes advantage of. It does deal with issues of neighboring buildings and cultural implications. There is a strong relationship to the immediate surroundings and cultural and urban conditions. This environment is becoming more important each year. Over half the world is now living in urban areas1, and these areas are not always big cities with giant high-rises. There is a demand for smaller scale urban buildings to be designed, both in respect to the user and to the environment. The thesis explores the demand at this scale further by designing with technology through a vocabulary of blurring, meshing, layering, and engaging multiple building components into a unifi ed experience. The buildings envelope can enhance relationships between the interior and exterior as well as create interstitial occupiable spaces.
1 According to North Carolina State and the University of Georgia scientists, as of Wednesday, May 23, 2007, the earth’s population is more urban that rural. This is the fi rst time in human history the majority of people are living in urban environments. (North Carolina State University, “Mayday 23: World Population Becomes More Urban Than Rural,” ScienceDaily. http://www. sciencedaily.com /releases/2007/05/070525000642.htm.)
7 Section II: Building Analysis
INTRODUCTION: SCALE AND TRANSPARENCY
Architecture is typically looked at according to such issues as typology, material use, height, and style. These adjectives address the appearance, the expressive characteristics of the building envelope. Architecture should also be analyzed according to what it is trying to do. It is a combination of actions such as displaying, attracting, responding, organizing, and internalizing. Each verb describes a function of the building envelope. Combining a series of operations creates an architectural language that can be read simultaneously as an expression and a function. Within contemporary architecture today, various methods of approach have been taken in terms of the buildings operations. Through a critique of a categorization of these major design tendencies and the subsequent failings, it becomes evident that the current solutions have not yet fully explored the possibilities. These solutions can be simplifi ed into two main approaches: the scale of the building, and the degree of visual transparency of the building skin. The scales addressed are high-rise, mid to low rise, and residential. The degree of transparency is the range of elements that are masked by the building envelope versus those that are fully exposed. The following analyses will include a critique of contemporary design solutions in regards to these two issues.
RESIDENTIAL SCALE
Residential houses are designed to meet the demands of the owners, often refl ecting their personality. Built for the average person,
8 Section II: Building Analysis
houses tend to have a traditional method of construction both in terms of function and expression. People know what they are used to and what they like. In the design of a residence, owners are not always willing to take chances or to sacrifi ce change for a new way of living, whether or not the change may be for the better. For this reason, the level of design sophistication is often lacking for two reasons: budget
and perception of the “home.” Fig. 10: Radiant fl oor heating
Suburban House The typical suburban house is traditional both in the visual expression and the active role of the building envelope. The house is made to protect and perform. When discussing technological advances in architecture, therefore, the typology of the suburban house rarely comes to mind. In reality, however, there is a vast amount of technology that must be coordinated in order to function as a house is expected. The difference in this case is that the appearance of technology is only expressed as a masked object, hidden by the outward expression of clean, sleek coverings. This internalized integration of the building components within the walls and fl oors is used for HVAC systems, plumbing and electrical wiring, and can be seen in the packaging of household fi xtures. The HVAC systems are integrated from the beginning design stages, allowing the buildings systems to be masked in the walls and fl oors. Radiant fl oor heating systems and sub fl oors for example, can be masked under any type of fl ooring. Other than the warmth Fig. 11: Transfer grill and jump duct the user might perceive, there is no outward sign of the zoning layout or layered components used in radiant heating. Another example is the transfer grills embedded in the wall construction, and located out of the way of furniture on interior of the room. Jump ducts used to relieve pressure differences between spaces are also hidden components within the wall construction. The duct lies above the ceiling with tactfully exposed grilles allowing air to transfer. Plumbing systems range from hot and cold water to natural gas to draining and venting systems. These are also usually imbedded within the walls and fl oors, and must be coordinated in order function effi ciently. Piping and draining systems are built into the fl oor where Fig. 12: Plumbing systems being they remain out of sight when spanning from one point to another. installed during construction
9 Section II: Building Analysis
Because they are hidden, it eliminates the need to spend time and money on designing attractive piping systems. Function here is key, and only the outlets and points of access need to be more carefully detailed. The only visible evidence of the piping on the interior of the house are the fi xtures and the point at which the pipes meet the appliance (which is usually hidden by the appliance itself after installation). The systems are not as thoroughly disguised on the exterior of the house, where access to the fresh air and meters are necessary. However, they are usually located on the backside of the Fig. 13: Electrical systems embedded in walls with simple interfaces house or in another location with low visibility. Electrical systems contained within the walls, have an outward expression in the light switches. Familiar diagrams of circuits and wire connections for the electric systems are translated into the built form within the framework of the walls. The interface between the user and the electrical web of wires become the breaker panel and electrical boxes, which mask the inter-workings of the electrical system from the user. Switch plate covers further conceal the electrical boxes and any remaining reminder of what goes on when turning on a light. Switch plate covers vary in visual appearance including the traditional plain covers, decorative image-based covers, and high-tech touch panels. Each one conceals, but creates a slightly different aesthetic implication. The features in a house have become progressively more expressive and even sculptural. The sinks used in houses vary from functional to sculptural. A utility sink is made to function. It hides the plumbing and the inter-workings of the water, but stands on its own, often unrelated to the other household items. Other sinks have progressed in design expression into stainless steel fi xtures recessed into the countertop, so that all that can be seen from afar is the faucet head. The appearance gives it a sleek, contemporary look, while also being more sanitary/functional. Some sinks go one step beyond the function of a typical sink to a sculptural element used for display. They are used more for appreciating than for actually cleaning. Likewise, lighting fi xtures have developed in a similar manner. A Victorian ceiling fi xture with ornate detailing, leaves the light bulb completely exposed. Over time, the bulb itself has been Fig. 14-16: Various sink types from hidden behind an encasement of expression. As more effi cient bulbs utility to sculptural
10 Section II: Building Analysis are invented, such as fl uorescents, the bulbs themselves are being exposed as an artistic expression. A typical suburban house has taken great care to mask the technology and inter-workings of the various systems within the house. Through the cavities in the walls and fl ooring, much of the wiring and piping has been masked and runs smoothly unbeknownst to the users of the building. Objects that are visible to the user have been neatly packaged in order to hide the functions. These products have often taken on a design element of their own, as can be seen in the development of lighting fi xtures and even the required size of the space needed to hide the technology (electrical rooms and mechanical closets). While it is true that the technology has been successfully masked, it does bring up the question of whether or not it has been integrated and to what degree that is important. Mechanical closets and basements are usually just hidden behind doors or put into the basement. While this is in itself is not a problem, it is important to understand the difference between something that is masked and something that is integrated, and even something that is celebrated (light fi xtures). It also brings up the question of Fig. 17-19: Light fi xtures showing various levels of exposure and perception and acceptance. Vents and typical outlet covers have sculptural qualities become everyday objects that people do not look twice at. They are what they are and they must exist in order to get electricity, air fl ow etc. But overall, the success in the masking of technology comes in the fact that people do not realize the complexity behind turning on a light switch or adjusting the temperature on the air conditioner control. These objects and systems have created an interface that the user is comfortable with, while allowing it to serve a purpose. This is accomplished because technology is continually evolving and using new materials that allow the technology to become better, smaller, and more effi cient - more easily able to be masked. Essentially, the design is that of a sleek package design. If designers can so effi ciently solve the problem of fully integrating the systems and “dress up” the container, it should also be possible to utilize the technology as a design component of an outward expression, becoming more than just packaging artists. If this argument is also applied to solar technologies, the opposite action is taken. Instead of masking the technologies,
11 Section II: Building Analysis such as photovoltaic panels, they are merely applied either to the roof or off to the side on a solar farm. The method changes from masking to applying. The building is still interested in performance over aesthetics. The success of the application technique is in the effi ciency of the panels. The angle is usually set close to the ideal angle, and the return on the investment rewards the owner when energy costs are calculated. What is lacking is the level of interaction. The solar farm has no connection to the building or its users. Similar Fig. 20: Solar panels applied to roof to the technology embedded in the walls of the house, the panels are removed to a side location, out of sight. On the roof, there is no sense of integration, no desire to enhance the overall image through the use of the panels. Houses are being designed to assimilate passive systems within the design, but little has been adjusted to adapt the design to the developments of active systems. Additionally, the solar farms as a solution will not translate to all settings. In areas where land is scarce, such as cities, this is not a viable option. In Fig. 21: Residential solar farm other words, in more densely populated areas, the solar technology cannot be hidden. This leaves the solutions of either applying it to the house, bringing the technology to the forefront of the view, or to develop a new strategy in order to blend the technology into the overall design of the house. This technique will neither hide, nor call additional attention to, the panels.
Solar Decathlon 2007 The Solar Decathlon competition takes a different approach to the relationship between technology and user. Instead of always masking the technology, the houses in the competition often look to either celebrate it or design it in such a way that it is overlooked. This is done with varying degrees of success. The goal of the competition is to design a house that is one hundred percent solar powered while having a marketable design strategy. These houses are not only appealing for using an alternative energy source, but also to introduce the public to new and innovative ways to incorporate solar powered technology within the home. According to the Solar Decathlon website:
“The Solar Decathlon is a competition in which 20 teams of college and university students compete
12 Section II: Building Analysis
to design, build, and operate the most attractive, effective, and energy-effi cient solar-powered house. The Solar Decathlon is also an event to which the public is invited to observe the powerful combination of solar energy, energy effi ciency, and the best in home design… students absorb the lesson that energy is a precious commodity. They strive to innovate, using high-tech materials and design elements in ingenious ways… Today’s solar houses connect with nature to take advantage of heat and light from the sun and cooling breezes and shading. But they crank this natural advantage way up by using the newest products and technologies on the market… Here, nature and technology join together in 20 solar homes unlike any you’ve ever seen.”1
The description is mostly accurate, but a little exaggerated in its market appeal to sell the idea of solar energy (the competition is funded in large part by BP, a major manufacturer of photovoltaic panels). The competition is a chance for students and the general public to learn about new solar technologies, how they work, and how they can be implemented in a home. The website claims that the teams aim for the most attractive house – the best in home design. This perception of the best home design is rather subjective and arguable. The houses that ranked high in the overall 2007 competition were “homey.” They didn’t challenge the image of solar technology within the house. Most of the time, these houses did the opposite – they masked it. Looking at the designs of Maryland and Santa Clara, the second and third place overall winners, they look very much like a typical house (minus the photovoltaic panels applied to the roof). In many ways, the “ingenious ways” of using high-tech materials and designs is lacking when it comes to many of the main elements such as the PV panels and evacuated tubes. The house design is not refl ecting the innovative nature of the technology. The two main contests in the competition are architecture and engineering. Points for architecture are awarded based on “fi rmness, commodity, and delight,” and look for high-performance Fig. 22: Santa Clara University 2007 houses that “integrate solar and energy effi cient technologies Solar Decathlon house
1 US Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon, “About Solar Decathlon.” Solar Decathlon, http://www.solardecathlon.org/about.html (accessed March 9, 2008).
13 Section II: Building Analysis
seamlessly into home design.” 1 The engineering jury “checks under the hood”2 when evaluating the building systems of each house. These two descriptions seem to emphasize a masked integration of the technology. The competition calls for innovation and engineering marvels, but still implies that it is hidden. This presents the question of whether or not this is the right direction to increase residential (or other) use of the technologies. The Darmstadt, Germany submission Fig. 23: “Stealthy solar,” Technische had perhaps the best example of integrating the technology in a Universitat Darmstadt visible, but not overwhelming aesthetic. The fl at solar electric panels on the roof cannot be seen from the curbside and the team embedded shutters with small PV panels that collect the sun’s energy from three sides of the house. People loved the house because it was different yet understandable. One visitor describes her perception of what a solar house should be:
“The competition winner designed by Germany’s Technische Universitat Darmstadt, was a stunner, in no small part because it didn’t look like a solar house. There were no impossible-to-ignore shiny solar panels attached to the roof, no appendages jutting into the sky. This house was stealthily solar, without ducts or mechanical structures announcing its techno-geek heart.” 3
This house presented solar technology in a way that the community had not seen before. The house was a box that housed the complexity of engineering beneath the detailing of architecture. It changed the image of what a solar powered house could be, but it did so by bringing back the shutter, a traditional housing element. The innovation was really just a renovation. The “stealthy solar” is in contrast to the Cornell design, which used the “light canopy” concept as a way to increase adaptability of the structure. They created an enclosure, separate from the house, where all the solar electric Fig. 24: Light canopy concept, Cornell and solar thermal technologies were applied. It was a completely University
1 US Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon, “Architecture.” Solar Decathlon, http://www. solardecathlon.org/contest_architecture.html. 2 US Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon, “Engineering.” Solar Decathlon, http://www. solardecathlon.org/contest_engineering.html. 3 Elizabeth Razzi, “Sampling Solar’s Furture in Home Design,” The Washington Post, November 17, 2007.
14 Section II: Building Analysis separate component from the house beneath. This is the more typical perception of the solar house – panels at optimal angle for the sun (typically around 45 degrees for the competition), and attached evacuated tubes. There is another approach that could be taken to utilize the technology in a method that it is neither hidden nor a separated element. The University of Cincinnati made an attempt to do this Fig. 25: Low roof pitch, University of in their submission, but was not entirely successful. The roof pitch Cincinnati of the house is lowered so that the panels are visible but do not call attention to themselves in the same way as in the Cornell design. While many people commented on the fact that it was a successful design approach, it greatly hindered the effi ciency of gathering sunlight. This house also made an attempt for innovative design strategies in the treatment of the south façade. The wall of evacuated tubes challenges the perception of residential siding. Described by Fig. 26: Evacuated tube south wall facade, University of Cincinnati the architects as “sexy,” it was perceived by the public as “intriguing.” The overall consensus from the public was that it was something new and innovative that they were fascinated by, but they would not want it on their house. In the public’s mind, it succeeded as an exhibition piece, but not as a residential solution. Perhaps this is where the Cincinnati house found its mark, as an exhibition house in contrast to a traditional house. While the evacuated tube wall may be the start of a change in perception, it is still essentially a separate element attached to the structure. Although as the south side of the façade, the evacuated tube boundary develops a connection as an extension of the structure and a visual barrier for the porch. The technology begins to defi ne the spaces within, forcing an interaction with the user. The Solar Decathlon is a beginning; an arising of awareness of what is currently available in solar technologies and to some extent, what is to come. But the nature of the competition limits its role in challenging the technology to become more than an application. The teams that win are the teams that cater to the public’s aesthetic preferences, traditional preferences that currently view technology as unappealing and something to be hidden away. Perhaps in 2009 a house will emerge that combines the familiar aesthetic appeal of Germany’s clean integration with Cincinnati’s challenge of the façade
15 Section II: Building Analysis aesthetic creating a design that utilizes high-tech materials in truly innovative design solutions.
Innovation And Familiarity There is a level of design/exposure that exists between the traditional suburban home and the high-tech Solar Decathlon exhibitions. In 2006 a design competition to rebuild New Orleans encouraged designers to integrate sustainable design technologies while incorporating elements of the past to create a local sense of place. The visual aesthetic of these houses has more creativity than Fig. 27: NOLA shotgunLOFT entry the typical home, but without drastically challenging the notion of a house façade. The successes of this competition were that it looked at design in a small-scale urban setting, calling for contemporary architecture and the latest technology while still being achievable and accepted by the public. It was something that could be understood and Fig. 28: NOLA shotgunLOFT interior appreciated through a connection between progressive architecture that incorporated the latest construction and energy saving technologies, and a respect of the heritage of the place. These projects were aiming for a balance of sustainability and affordability to form a productive dialogue within the community. There is a great deal of attention to the exterior skin, creating variation in the façade as well as involving the user in the space, whether that is on the sidewalk or on the interior spaces. Where the projects do not reach full potential is in the use of photovoltaic panels. However there is a visible level of progress from the application technique of the suburban home. Several of the housing blocks use the panels as a shading device over a rooftop garden. Some designs use a traditional pitch roof structure, with the ideal pitch for maximum effi ciency for the panels. This creates a usable space, but is still not fully considering a change of roof design to accommodate the new technology. The design looks forced because the technology is not an integral part of the overall design. Other submissions, such as the NOLA shotgunLOFT were more successful in moving away from the applied concept and towards the creation of space. From the street view, the panels are visible, Fig. 29-30: Photovoltaic panels as but it takes a second look to realize what they are. As a series of shading devices over roof patios
16 Section II: Building Analysis trellis like structures, the panels contribute to the overall layered aesthetic, without calling attention to the technology as separate from the other elements of the façade. In a neighborhood setting it allows the technology to be seen, but it also maintains a certain level of familiarity and comfort in the language of a residence.
MID TO LOW RISE
The range of exposed technology to masked technology has the greatest degree of variation in contemporary structures at the scale between high-rise and residential. The perception of these buildings plays a large role in how and what they communicate and the impact of their presence on the surrounding area. Unlike the personal residence or the dominance of the skyscraper, the middle range must try to create a presence as well as relate to the personal scale. Various attempts have been made to incorporate innovative technology with design, all with various degrees of success. The Genzyme Center designed by Behnsich, Behnisch & Partner is attentive to design and the client in its use and understanding of both passive and active systems throughout the building. It is one example of a building that allows the new technology to infl uence the form of the spaces in the building. Designed from the inside out, it functions by internalizing its attention to detail and performing effi ciently. These functions are expressed through a series of design solutions utilizing natural light, views of the outdoors, an “open feel,” and extensive shared spaces. This creates a connection between the building skin and the users within. In this case, the skin is more than just a façade. It is a breathing, living, Fig. 31: Section of Genzyme Center layer that penetrates into the interior. The Genzyme Center focuses showing passive and active systems the design on the user of the interior of the building, succeeding in creating an interior environment in which people can enjoy and realize the benefi ts of the technology. The automatic shades, natural ventilation, and light well begin to defi ne spaces. Other buildings of this scale include a collection of LEED certifi ed buildings. LEED certifi cation is based on a point system in
17 Section II: Building Analysis
order to evaluate the impact of the building on the environment. While it has encouraged the architecture and construction industries to push the limits of environmental design, it does not have any criteria in judging the aesthetics of buildings. A gold certifi ed building is not unanimous with any particular aesthetic value. The CBF Merrill Environmental Center and 318 Sentinel Drive are both LEED rated buildings located in Annapolis, Maryland. Platinum and gold certifi ed Fig. 32: CBF Merrill Environmental buildings, respectively, these two differ immensely in aesthetics even Center, LEED platinum cerfi fi ed though their environmental impact is relatively similar. The Merrill Environmental Center creates an outward image of sustainability, exposing many of the elements that gave it the platinum rating, such as the rainwater catchment system. The Sentinel Drive building is at the other end of the spectrum, masking any technology that it can.
The “corporate offi ce feel” remains apparent and there is little outward Fig. 33: 318 Sentinel Drive, LEED gold display that would lead to an understanding of how the building works. certifi ed Both buildings are isolated on their site. There is little interaction between the surrounding area and the building, leading to a small role in the infl uence of the architecture on the cultural identity of the area. Even through both are highly effi cient, according to LEED, their designs take two completely different approaches. The Pompidou Center in Beaubourg, Paris was designed with the exposure of the technology as the main concept, both in appearance and as an organizing system. This building is at the other end of the transparency spectrum of Sentinel Drive, celebrating the technology in an overexposure of the systems. Locating the systems on the exterior of the building is done at the cost of effi ciency, which is the opposite of why the technology is typically exposed. The resulting visual appearance is overwhelming, as the series of piping becomes a celebration rather than an integral component of the building façade. The design was meant to revolutionize the perception of the building envelope, the notion of a museum, and the understanding of building systems. Unlike the corporate image of a concealed container, the Pompidou Center creates an image of the machine, exposed for all to see. It is successful in gaining attention and bringing people to the site, but is often reported as an unfriendly application that turns its Fig. 34: Pompidou Center back on the culture that surrounds it.
18 Section II: Building Analysis
The McCormick Tribune Campus Center Similar to the Pompidou Center, the McCormick Tribune Campus Center at IIT is designed to challenge the perception of technology and its role in infl uencing the building façade. OMA, however, fi nds a balance between celebration and internalization by addressing the relationship between the “L,” the building form, the users experience, Fig. 35: “The Tube” and role of the student center on the overall campus. The “L” becomes a major design challenge because of its location and the acoustical issues it generates. The solution was a stainless steel tube around the track that acts as an acoustical buffer to the noise,1 and becomes a crucial part of the Center and the campus image. The use of “The Tube” is neither wholly expressive nor purely functional, but a combination of the two. Rem Koolhaas rejected the idea of using the building as a shield to the “L.” He wanted something more symbolic that would connect the “L” to the building itself, creating an interaction between the train and the building and between the building and the user. Technically, the 530-foot elliptical tube is encased in corrugated stainless steel and rests on a series of concrete columns. The columns descend over 60 feet into the bedrock reducing the vibration. The tube muffl es the passing train noise from an average 120 decibels to approximately 70-80 decibels outside the building and less than 70 decibels inside the building.2 While the tube does not completely block all the noise and vibrations, it does lower them to an acceptable level. As an expressive element, the tube takes on a role aside from Fig. 36: Diagram of the three muffl ing sound. On the exterior, the orange tube is an icon for the incohesive exterior shapes building and campus. It begins to communicate the dynamic urban condition of the campus, bringing transportation into the heart of the student center. As an icon, the tube becomes the main feature of the building exterior. There is arguably little cohesion between the building and the tube. Seen from the exterior, the tube is the Fig. 37: Diagram of the fl uid internal only element that really stands out, while the building fades into space
1 The sound of the trains reaches 110 decibels, 25 decibels above the threshold of pain and the trains speed by once every ten to fi fteen minutes. 2 Thom Karmik, “The McCormick Tribune Campus Center Fact Sheet: Highlights of IIT’s New Campus Center Complex.” IIT Newsroom. http://webservices.iit.edu/iit_news/MTCC_building_ fact_sheet.asp.
19 Section II: Building Analysis
the background. What is lacking on the exterior is cohesion with the overall image of the building. In this application the “L” is still a separate object, celebrated for the technical challenges that it presents. It is in the interior where the relationship between the tube and the building become one object, creating an overall image. The underbelly of the corrugated steel tube fl ows into other materials and spaces by becoming a part of the building’s ceiling. It dictates circulation fl ow and adds another layer of information. On the Fig. 38: Underside of tube creating ceiling interior, Koolhaas uses multiple layers of program, ceiling heights, materials, and fi nish in order to tell a story. The users are able to understand the overall experience quickly, but are then allowed to explore each element at a different time and speed. In this way Koolhaas is responding to the needs of the students. “People say the interior is going to feel like being inside a pinball machine,” says architecture dean Donna Robertson. “But 18-year-olds really have a different way of engaging with the world than you or I. They’re used Fig.39: Hybrid spaces at fl oor level to responding to multiple layers of information, and their response change level is incredibly quick. They get this right away, and they love it.”1 In this way, each of the programmatic requirements are able to interact with each other creating a series of hybrid spaces that come alive at different times of the day and year. The layers of information allow the building to respond to the users, offering a new experience of typical programmatic elements. The McCormick Tribune Campus Center is an interesting study of the relationship of technology, expression, and experience. The site restraints demanded an innovative technological concept for the train enclosure while creating a high-profi le design in the center of campus. The challenges that the building was presented with were largely successful, especially in creating a campus image, a dynamic and experiential building, and muffl ing the “L.” While it does not deal with the typical building technologies that have been studied in other aspects of this thesis, it does address the issues of masking, celebration, layering, and iconography. The “L” is celebrated as a unique feature of the building. Its uniqueness and the aspiration not to mask the trains, but to incorporate them into the design are similar to the goals of this thesis.
1 Lynn Becker, “Of Mies and Rem,” Chicago Reader, September 26, 2003.
20 Section II: Building Analysis
The mid-range scale is the most widely varied in terms of typology and technological integration. The Genzyme Center is a twelve story corporate offi ce, lingering on one end of the mid-range scale. The McCormick Tribune Campus Center is a one-story student center at the other end of the scale. Each of these projects is successful at understanding the building envelope as a skin: using technology to infl uence the form and spaces of the program to become a defi ning expression for the building. The goal is to utilize these successful design solutions at a small urban scale, where the gap in innovation and expression still remains. The challenge is how to convert these principles from one scale to the other, allowing the technology to guide the form and function, creating a multi- layered interface. The overall image of the building will be able to be understood at fi rst glance while each individual element will allow for further exploration on a more detailed and personal level.
HIGH-RISE
Skyscrapers, as a whole, have most extensively explored the relationship between the technical and expressive characteristics of design, creating a variety of solutions that blend the two aspects of the building skin into a gestalt aesthetic. These buildings use technology as a way to organize, integrate, display, and attract. The 71-story Pearl River Tower, located in Guangzhou, China is expected to be the world’s most energy-effi cient offi ce tower upon completion. It allows the technology to speak to the form and organization of the design. The sleek, aerodynamic form was Fig. 40: Sun path diagram of Pearl developed through a careful understanding of solar and wind patterns River Tower Plan around the site. The building optimizes the solar path and utilizes the sun to its advantage. It minimizes the interference of wind forces by using them to relieve the structural burdens imposed by high-wind pressures. This materializes into the sculpted form that directs wind to a pair of openings at its mechanical fl oors. The openings function technically to capture wind power, and aesthetically break up the massive scale of the building. The turbines blend seamlessly into the
21 Section II: Building Analysis tower’s architecture as warped cavities. Roger Frechette, director of MEP sustainable engineering at SOM describes the relationship between aesthetics and function: “The more we can blur lines, the closer we can get to true integration,” an integration that is missing in many contemporary designs. Similar in concept, but using a different set of solutions, the Lighthouse Tower in Dubai creates an image of its own through a Fig. 41: Beacon of light and modernity display of lighting techniques and wind turbines. The goal was to create a beacon of modernity. The building will be characterized by external lighting features as well as various techniques for renewable energy and reduced carbon emissions. The building aims to be a lighthouse for the existing precinct, creating a unique presence in the skyline. It also integrates large wind turbines to generate energy. Unlike the Pearl, the wind turbines are not as seamlessly integrated, but they are a main component to the design. This Fig. 42: Lighthouse Tower outward expression of the turbines still allows coherence between the technical and the expressive. The façade is fi rst seen as a whole, almost artistic composition, and then the individual features can be identifi ed. The skyscraper as a typology has succeeded in creating a building skin that can be read simultaneously for function and expression, fi nding a balance in the level of exposure within the skin. The building creates an image of identity for the city, users, and companies while changing the perception of the aesthetic of technology. Buildings at this scale, however, address issues that are not as relevant to other scales. Thereby creating a challenge to adapt the successful design approaches at this scale into a feasible and applicable concept at smaller scales. High-rises have an inherent iconic value because of the mere height and prominence in the landscape. A small-scale building does not have the same demanding presence. The height of the building also introduces technical issues such as high wind speed that is also not as relevant in smaller buildings. However, the main concept of integrating technology within design is a goal that can be projected at every scale as a harmony between exposed and masked continues to be explored.
22 Section II: Building Analysis
PRODUCT DESIGN
The implications of exposure versus masking within the skin are relevant to a variety of disciplines. The current trend in product design is to reveal very little of the internal functions by masking them in a sleek casing. The perception of this seamless skin is simplicity. The products seek to streamline, perform, hide, and excite. This “user-friendly” concept is evident in the Apple product line, including computers, iPods, and most recently, the iPhone. The mentality of our culture is that if it looks clean and simple it must be, and therefore is also easier to use. Bigger is no longer synonymous with better. In reality, the layers under the skin are becoming more complex, but the use of new technology allows the products to become smaller and more effi cient allowing the current aesthetic trend to be realized. The automobile industry is another example of capitalizing on the stealthy aesthetic. Is a complete masking necessary though, and is it the best way to allude to a sense of high-tech gadgets? Lighting fi xtures Fig. 43: iMac profi le have taken a slightly different approach. The image of the product is still sleek and simple, but the technology (in this case, the light bulb) is revealed as a part of the sculptural element. New technology has developed various bulbs types that have been able to infl uence the overall form of the product design. In a similar manner, SmartWrap is a material that uses the technology to infl uence the design. Instead of a sculptural piece, it focuses on the experience. By utilizing the layers of construction techniques, this product is used to create an exhibition space, expanding the role that technology can have over the relationship between the building spaces and the experiential interaction with the user. Fig. 44: Sleek automobile aesthetic
SmartWrap KieranTimberlake Associates is known for their work on prefabricated building elements and challenging the traditional methods of construction. In their work, the fi rm has explored a variety of ideas about technology and the building envelope, many of which are illustrated in the SmartWrap prototype project. This project deals with technology of the wall system by adapting the traditional
23 Section II: Building Analysis
methods of wall construction. In their words, they “sought a design and fabrication process which would allow more direct architectural oversight into the matter of infrastructure. The process would be one where the design of systems is as much an artistic element as the proportioning of windows.” 1 The exploration started with four basic questions: to what extreme can the technical attributes of a wall be pushed, what are the expectations of an enclosure systems, how can the design and fabrication of systems be expressed/represented in the articulation of surface detail, and what is the architect’s role in the creation of products? The question of what the enclosure system is, is perhaps the most relevant to this thesis. It is a challenge to the traditional Fig. 45: SmartWrap enclosure perception of the envelope while incorporating the technical details of the wall components. Knowing that the fi rm would only be able to tackle a certain number of issues within the program of the new wall system, the properties were defi ned as “some degree of shelter, weather resistance, view out or in, natural and artifi cial illumination, information display, generation of power, transparent or translucent, and insulation comparable to existing wall construction.” 2 Issues not addressed include some major elements including security, structure, moisture Fig. 46: Composite wall of segregated functions vs. compressed advanced and weathering over time. These elements were left out due to time composite SmartWrap considerations, but would need to be fi gured out if SmartWrap is to become more than an exhibition. The substrate was made out three components. The organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) provide the “interactive component” of data and images, thin-fi lm photovoltaics provide the power generation, and thin-fi lm batteries were included optimistically to store energy for cloudy days. The electricity is moved by means of a silver conducting ink printed onto the substrate. KieranTimberlake are hopeful about the implications of this ink. “Imagine being able to print a building’s electrical wiring rather than punching it through structure or conduits. A universal network of electricity could be available anywhere on a wall.” 3 The combination of these elements combines issues of design
1 KieranTimberlake Associates LLP, “SmartWrap TM: Building Envelope of the Future,” http:// www.kierantimberlake.com/research/smartwrap_research_8.html#. 2 KieranTimberlake Associates LLP, 1. 3 KieranTimberlake Associates LLP, 1.
24 Section II: Building Analysis and technology, allowing the architect to create a palette of “pixels of infrastructure” rather than just color. One of the obstacles that the design team ran into was the issue of thermal comfort and insulation. Aerogel was selected for its R-value, but it could not be coated in the way that would allow a single layer of printing surface. So the substrate is separated from the Fig. 47: Interstitial space between wraps aerogel layer by an airspace. This caused a change in the concept of a single printed surface, but it was a functional issue that could not be ignored for the sake of a concept. After the installation was complete, KieranTimberlake found many issues that still needed resolution before SmartWrap were to become a viable product. These included attachment details, weatherproofi ng and sealing, energy consumption, adjustability, and the technical hurdles of large-scale printing. The conclusion of the exhibition left KieranTimberlake with these thoughts about perception of enclosure:
“The idea of a fi lm enclosing a building is asking a lot in terms of durability, weather, and cultural expectations. Such a thin skin may not satisfy our personal sense of architectural enclosure. SmartWrap confronts our traditional notions of edge, line and its relationship to structure when considered for its spatial potential.” This leads to some questions for architects: how is interstitial space collapsed, expanded, or re-oriented when we consider deployment. What if there were multiple planes of enclosure: a rainscreen rather than a hermetic enclosure? Perhaps the line of enclosure is sometimes perpendicular to edge conditions rather than parallel. The demarcation (lines) of shelter can be many and oblique, some parallel, some perpendicular. A line can have depth. The interstitial can be occupied… Rather than wondering how SmartWrap becomes re-oriented to our accustomed notions of enclosure, it might also be productive to consider how enclosure is re-oriented to SmartWrap?” 1
This research and design/build prototype addresses some interesting issues that should be further explored. It is looking at the current restraints on wall construction and how the technology of
1 KieranTimberlake Associates LLP, 1.
25 Section II: Building Analysis today can be used to push those limits. It questions the traditional expectations of the enclosure system by designing the systems into an articulated thin skin component. Functional aspects of the building skin are combined with a level of information and data that is portrayed along side the illumination of the imagery. The process that KierenTimberlake went through in order to produce this new form is a guideline to further studies on the building envelope. It addresses many questions that cannot be answered immediately, but gradually through the exploration of design. Can a thin fi lm skin create a sense of enclosure both in terms of durability and cultural expectation? How does that translate into other forms of enclosure? The current expectation of enclosure systems is beginning to be expanded in terms of form (think folds, blobs, and Fig. 48: Thin fi lm screen enclosure boxes). Can this same thinking be found in the fabrication of systems as a surface detail, or even beyond just the surface and into the defi nition of spatial qualities? If an interstitial space can be occupied, what are the implications of collapsing, expanding, and re-orienting the space and structure? It also addresses the notion of layering and multiple planes of enclosure as in rainscreens and hermetic walls. This thesis will explore these ideas further, striving to understand how technology can create spaces and how it affects the overall composition of the building and program. The prototype was under certain time and budgetary restraints, but ignoring the issues of security, structure, and moisture seems like a major oversight. Architecture is about shelter and shelter is structure, not merely just a façade. The issues that KieranTimberlake did address: views, artifi cial and natural illumination, information display, generation of power, and insulation where achieved relatively successfully in the fi nal design. The next step is to combine these concepts with structure and moisture beyond and exhibition and into an inhabitable building. The idea of dwelling in a thin surface or in interstitial spaces is not unique to KierenTimberlake.
“To tell the story of the white wall is to dwell on nuances, to dwell on and in the very thinness of the surface. Indeed, it is to follow those architects who
26 Section II: Building Analysis
have argued that the surface is the only place to dwell.” 1
The idea of the surface as a place to dwell creates an interesting implications and restraints. In order to dwell, there must be more than a just a surface. The space created by multiple surface planes could create a new type of programmatic space. With the layered effect, it would allow dwelling in “the very thinness of the surface.” In essence it would be an extension of the current interstitial and unoccupiable spaces in the building, creating another layer of depth and understanding about the building envelope and the experience of moving through the space.
CONCLUSION
The goal is to adapt design to the demands of new technology instead of trying to apply the new technology to traditional design solutions. Skyscrapers, at one end of the scale spectrum, have been successful in fi nding a balance between function and expression, integrating them together to form a cohesive design while maintaining effi cient systems. At the smaller scales, the Genzyme Center, the IIT student center and SmartWrap are challenging the perceptions of the way technology can begin to manipulate space and create an active building envelope. At each scale, the level of transparency of the envelope through masking, celebrating, applying, and blending has also infl uenced the relationship between function and expression. Small urban scale buildings are lagging behind in this exploration and must learn from these cues, adapting them to fi t the restraints and challenges of the particular sites and clientele.
1 Mark Wigley, White Walls, Designer Dresses, (Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1995), 112.
27 Section III: Designing the Building Skin
DESIGN GUIDELINES
“How can design utilize the opportunities of current industrial production so that the practice of architectural representation is neither independent of nor subjugated to the domination of technology?” 1
This is the core question of the thesis, which is explored through a variety of solutions to understand the relationship between representation and function. Technical components and their restraints are the forerunner of the design guidelines. The technology seeks ways to mold to the design instead of merely adapting to it. The technology capitalizes on the opportunities to develop an architectural vocabulary that is “neither independent of nor subjugated to the domination of technology,” without sacrifi cing the innovation of building design. This relationship is investigated through a variety of methods including designing the façade as an interactive component of the building and by considering the spatial potentials of the building envelope. The façade is treated as an interactive component of data and imagery, engaging building components, climatic restraints, and user perception. This is done through the techniques of blurring, meshing, layering and engaging depending on the situation and the material or system being addressed. In this way, the technology begins to infl uence the design not as an application to the exterior façade, but as a creator of form and an interface of information. Blurring deals mainly with the exterior elements. It is the idea of making things less distinct. In this way, components that were typically applied to the
1 David Leatherbarrow, Mohsen Mostafavi. Surface Architecture. (Cambridge: The MIT Press, 2002), 6.
28 Section III: Designing the Building Skin
façade begin to read less distinctly and become part of a cohesive overall image. Meshing is an interlacing of elements, with each one strengthening the other. This is an integral part of creating a relationship between the inside and outside. Layering looks at the structure of the wall, understanding the method of construction and exploring the implications of pulling components apart. By separating the layers, it creates interstitial spaces and that penetrate through the building. Engagement is the interaction between the user and the building technology. It is a means to establish a connection with or activate appreciation through involvement. This includes visual, perceived and tangible interactions. Understanding the building envelope as a series of layers infl uences the variety of spaces created, whether occupiable or unoccupiable, main or interstitial. The skin guides the creation of these spaces by collapsing, expanding, and re-orienting them to fi t the needs of the space and the technology. Multiple planes are used to create enclosures with varying depths and transparency. Rather than wondering how technology becomes re-oriented to the accustomed notions of enclosure, it will be considered how enclosure is re-oriented to technology.1 Designing with technology helps to inform the user and dictate movement throughout the building. This increases the level of understanding and the acceptance of new technical design features. Once society is more familiar with an object or idea, it begins to fade into the background. As people begin to better understand the technology and begin to see the potential it has within design, their perception of its affects in the space or environment will become more accepting. Instead of becoming an application, the technology will be Fig. 49: Diagrams showing layer separation and the spaces created a part of the whole, adding to the beauty of the building, a beauty as Alberti defi ned, “that which is reasoned harmony of all the parts within a body, so that nothing may be added, taken away, or altered, but for the worse.” 2 These techniques combine with each other throughout the design process to create space, inform the user and the design, and maintain the role of creating a boundary and protective enclosure.
1 KieranTimberlake Associates LLP, 1. 2 Leon B Alberti, On the Art of Building in Ten Books, transl. Joseph Rykwert, N. Leach, R. Tavernor. (Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press. 1991), 156.
29 Section III: Designing the Building Skin
SITE The relationship between architectural representation and the degree of transparency of technology is a universal issue. It is not a design problem that is specifi c to a particular city or site. As discussed earlier in the analysis of the current strategies of this relationship, there is a gap at the small urban scale, and it is this scale that the design will focus upon. In 2006, Cincinnati had a population of about 332,000 people, and was Ohio’s third largest city, and the 62nd largest in the United States. For several decades the Census Bureau had been reporting a steady decline in the city’s population. In 2006, for the fi rst time in over half a century, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that the City of Cincinnati had actually gained population, with an increase of over 20,000 people in 2005. This corresponds to the recent trend of the majority of the population living in urban areas. Architecturally, Cincinnati has world-renowned projects including the Contemporary Arts Center by Zaha Hadid and the multiple buildings on the University of Cincinnati campus by architects such as Peter Eisenman, Frank O. Gehry, Morphosis, and Bernard Tschumi. The city of Cincinnati is a relatively small urban environment that benefi ts from an appreciation of contemporary architecture and a strong pride in its history. The site is just north of the central downtown area in Cincinnati, Ohio on the corner of Central Parkway and Vine Street. It is at the southern edge of Over-the-Rhine, a 360-acre district that is recognized on the National Historic Register. About 7,000 people currently reside in Over-the-Rhine but at one time, over 50,000 people lived here.1 Over-the-Rhine is a neighborhood rich in its diversity and history, creating a sense of identity and a refl ection of the cultural values at both a city scale and a neighborhood scale. The overall architectural character is composed of compact streetscapes with a variety of historic architectural styles. Buildings usually incorporate retail storefronts on the fi rst level and residences on the upper levels. Fig. 50: Site seen from Central Parkway
1 Over-the-Rhine Chamber, “OTR Profi le,” Over-the-Rhine, http://www.otrchamber.com/otr_ profi le.
30 Section III: Designing the Building Skin
The southern edge of the district, adjacent to Central Parkway, displays a different character than the majority of the historical area. This was initially due to its proximity to the canal and then to Central Parkway. In this area, a mixture of older signifi cant buildings, surface parking lots, and buildings of a various periods break the cohesiveness of the historic built environment, creating a more eclectic image. 1 In addition to the cultural implications this site has on the Fig. 51: Historic Over-the-Rhine community, it is also ideal for a variety of other reasons including its visual presence in the city, the southern wall exposure, and the ability to act as a gateway. The heavier traffi c that runs along Central Parkway heightens the visual presence the building will have within the city. Vine Street also has a fair amount of traffi c and is a two way street at the location of the site, increasing the visual and physical access to the building. The largely exposed south façade that faces Central Parkway and the relationship to its neighbors will be ideal for explorations of solar technology. There is currently one neighboring building to the north and 15-45 feet of open space on the east and west respectively. This location is also conducive for dealing with the urban implications of architecture and its use of technology. Solar technology, in particular, is often used in rural lands or areas where there is a lot of property to utilize. In a city, very little of the site is left undeveloped. This forces the solar technology to take advantage of other surfaces such as the roof and façade, which further pushes the issues of perception, masking, and celebration that have been discussed. Located at the southern end of the historic Over-the-Rhine district, it has the potential to become a gateway between the downtown and the new activity that is taking place along Vine Street and into Over-the-Rhine. An analysis of the building construction and use along Vine Street indicated that many of the buildings at Vine and Central Parkway to about 13th Street are being renovated and new businesses are moving in. This area is growing with a gradual change from run-down, vacant lots into new retail and condo buildings. The juxtaposition of the historical facades and the new construction has
1 iRhine, “Central Commercial-Residential…,” Over-the-Rhine, http://www.irhine.com/index. jsp?page=district_central.
31 Section III: Designing the Building Skin
interesting opportunities for design restraints and explorations as well. This mix will create an interesting challenge in the context of the proposed building and its role within the Over the Rhine district. Being on the corner of this rapidly changing area, it will be the fi rst/last thing that observers will see, emphasizing its role as a gateway. A further analysis of the surrounding context provided insight into design implications for the chosen site. Along Central Parkway and Vine Street, the use of a grid is very constant on each building facade. Within the grid structure, however, there are multiple variations within the grid dimensions and certain instances where it is non-existent. The dimension of structural bays is not what is important in creating unity along the street façade, but the fact that the grid can be seen on at least some part of the building. Floor heights also very from building to building but tend to fall within a fi ve-foot range of each other. Reasons for these variances include the type of building construction used and the program within the space. These two guidelines of the grid and constant fl oor heights are infl uential in the proposed design. The fi rst fl oor ceiling is at 15 feet allowing the retail to have a more open feel and fl exibility within. The offi ces Fig. 52: Renovations and Vacancies along Vine Street on the second and third fl oors have a fl oor to ceiling height of ten feet. The structure is based on a 30-foot by 30-foot grid, which is refl ected on the facades on almost all surfaces of the building. Within the grid there is a small level of play that breaks the grid without overriding its presence. Many of the buildings in this area also have a pedestrian friendly entrance and storefront windows. This guideline was also taken under consideration in the design of the façade and the interplay of layers. The rainscreen creates an overhang above the entrances to the fi rst fl oor that creates a level of enclosure and invites the pedestrian in. Fig. 53: View of south facade With the growing interest in the area and the recent construction and renovations, the clientele of the area is also changing. Stores such as Mica and Park + Vine and the art galleries are tailored to the needs of the “cultural creatives.” In some ways, these stores are challenging the big box retailers in a similar manner that this design proposal challenges the role of technology in architecture. Located in this rapidly changing area, this will be an ideal site to challenge the perception of what technologies can look
32 Section III: Designing the Building Skin
Site Images and Advantages
- gateway to Vine Street
- visual access from Central Parkway and Vine Street
- corner lot with large south facade
- mix of new construction and historic fabric
- increased interest in area
- consumers that are interested in environment and creative arts
- many program opportunities
Fig. 54: Site images and advantages
Central Parkway (dotted blue) is the main circulation pathway. North/South streets provide secondary circulation paths usually providing only one-way access, except for Vine Street. While sidewalks exist along all the streets, main pedestrian pathways are found along Vine Street and Main Street where much of the new retail/condos are being built.
Fig. 55: Circulation paths
33 Section III: Designing the Building Skin
Fig. 56: Vine Street elevation looking West
Fig. 57: Vine Street elevation looking East
Fig. 58: View along Central Parkway from looking South from Vine Street
Fig. 59: View along Central Parkway from looking North. Analysis of grids on existing buildings
34 Section III: Designing the Building Skin like, how they can be used in an everyday setting, and how they can create a sense of space.
PROGRAM
The building program for this design problem has less to do with the typology of the building and more to do with the overall attention to the façade and the character of the spaces created. Therefore, the program itself is a loft space, able to adapt to various needs of the tenants that might use the space. This unspecifi ed program is also ideal for illustrating that designs infl uenced by technology can be applicable anywhere by anyone. It is not just for “tree-huggers” or major corporate headquarters in large city skyscrapers. While there are no specifi c clients or uses for the proposed building, there are some general organizational factors that the building maintains. The downtown location, slightly north of the business district, suggests a mixed-use building. Most of the buildings on Vine Street are retail on the fi rst fl oor and apartments/ offi ces on the upper fl oors. Similarly the new structure is three stories high with public access below and private use above, in accordance with the context. The public space consists of double height and single height spaces, which creates a variety of spaces within the fl oor plan. Much of the design is done through sectional drawings, emphasizing the relationships between technology, spaces, and the outdoor environment. As discussed previously, the existing fabric of the Vine Street corridor near Central Parkway is rather collaged. The characteristics that are consistent are material and height. The building material is usually brick, (although other elements are introduced) and the height of the buildings is within two to fi ve stories high. The form of the buildings is traditional and rectilinear. The buildings along Central Parkway (that this site faces) offer a different aesthetic variety than the buildings on Vine Street creating the opportunity to enhance the cohesiveness of the fabric on Central Parkway while relating to the traditional and contemporary buildings along Vine Street. The form
35 Section III: Designing the Building Skin and façade treatment of the proposed building are adapted from traditional construction methods into a form that is directed by the climatic and technical factors so that it speaks to the ideas of function, effi ciency, and expression. This includes optimal sun angles and prevalent wind patterns. The façade and building form will aim to speak a language of design and technology, producing a coherent and contemporary aesthetic of its own.
BUILDING DESIGN To begin the design process, a brief study of hardware was done to investigate the way its perception could be changed and g challenged by introducing a different use. The parts were assembled in atypical ways into a form of wearable technology. In the jewelry, the hardware disappeared into the background; instead of seeing a bolt and a lap link on a cable, the initial image is a necklace. Likewise, the rings are not seen as washers, o-rings, and joint fasteners, but as a wearable object. It is only upon further investigation that the parts of the whole are understood to be hardware. Similarly, the building design project aims to achieve this same association – the idea that the building will read fi rst as an overall image and then as a series of layered technical components. The difference being that the Fig. 61: Hardware jewelry hardware of the building will still be performing the role it was made to perform. As discussed earlier, the proposed building is a three-story loft space with the opportunity for three tenants on the fi rst fl oor and one on each subsequent fl oor. The basic organizing principle for the plan goes back to the idea of the building as a skin. The north and south ends of the building are the activated zones bordering the main space between them. In this way the building becomes a series of layers including the core, the main space, and the transition zone. Within the transition zone, the layers are subdivided further including the occupiable transitional space and the façade itself. The façade is then broken down into another set of layers including the thermal barrier, the louver system, the rain screen and the structure (which also supports the lighting mechanisms). Throughout the zones there Fig. 62: A series of layers
36 Section III: Designing the Building Skin are particular areas that lend themselves to crossing through layers. This is done through the use of light wells, movable walls, and open spaces. The users are therefore free to manipulate the space to fi t a particular need. The south façade is multi-strategy approach to building construction. It takes into account both passive and active solutions as well as automatic and manual control systems. The double skin wall and rainscreen uses natural ventilation through the stack effect to regulate the temperature inside the building. In the summer the wall cavity will collect the heat and act as a buffer between the sun and the interior, keeping the inside temperatures cooler. The air in the cavity rises up and is released outside the building. When the cavity is heated in the winter, the heated air will enter the building through vented openings. This warm air will help to cut down on heating costs within the building. The louvered system within the cavity is an automated system that is programmed to follow the sun, for optimum shading angles depending on the time and season of the year. However, because users often like to feel in control of Fig. 63: Wall section concept for their environments, the louvers can be overridden, adjusting to the automatic louvers needs of the user. When this occurs, the building is able to act as a communication device. The elevation indicates the time/month through tilt of the louvers as well as how the building is being used and how people are manipulating the system. The louvers could also be equipped with building integrated photovoltaic panels, which would add another active layer to the complexity of the building skin. The south façade acts as a method of communication, indicating the technology being used or overridden in the building. It also has a sense of image representation that is always changing yet compatible with the context. This building mixes the tectonics of effi cient construction with the innovation and artistic quality of design. The user is able to experience this building by existing within the building façade (the occupiable spaces between the façade and the main space), and understand the technology by being a part of the tectonics of the active and passive systems.
Fig. 64: Facade showing louvers with various degrees of manuel override
37 Section IV: Conclusion
REFLECTION The basis of this thesis is the exploration of the relationship between technology and representation. Designing the building envelope as a skin enhances its role, becoming something that not only protects but also creates space and acts as an interface of data and image. After studying the current practices and ideas involving this relationship, a gap was revealed at the small urban scale. Techniques such as blurring, celebrating, integrating, and layering are not new, but the use of them at this scale has not been satisfactorily explored. In order to understand the implications of the techniques, the building envelope must be treated as a skin, responsible for both functional and expressive roles. By designing a building in a manner that combines these roles, the functional aspects become expressive. The technology begins to infl uence the creation of space and form, dictating the level of information transferred. This type of expression engages the user with the building and the technology, allowing them to become an integral part of the relationship while developing an understanding and familiarity. A change of perception plays an important role as technology continues to advance and the state of the environment continues to raise alarm. This is especially true in the city landscape as the world becomes more and more urban. More people will be looking for an identity to their city/neighborhood/street and architecture has a large infl uence on that identity. The process of this thesis started out as a study of the image and the perception of technology in today’s society. This led to further development of the role of the building envelope, and its connection to function, aesthetics, and cultural values. These explorations were a result of the analysis of projects such as SmartWrap, the Pearl,
38 Section IV: Conclusion the Solar Decathlon, the suburban house, and McCormick Tribune Campus Center that have been designed by various methods to utilize technology as an integral part of the design. Through new technology in materials, building methods, and product effi ciency, the challenge of fi nding new and better methods to build in response to the environment can continue to advance. Technology will always be used in conjunction with building, and the technology will continue to change and be upgraded. Design, too, must always be adapting to the new implications and demands placed upon it by an ever changing world. A conscious effort must be made to design with the technology instead of masking it or treating it as an application. It must also engage the user and allow for individual manipulation. This relationship will strengthen the whole design allowing it to communicate the functional, aesthetic, and cultural responses.
39 Appendices
40 Appendix A: Understanding the Image
THE ROLE OF THE IMAGE
In order to fully understand where the image is now and what role it plays in the built environment, one must fi rst understand the implications of an image in general and the dualistic nature that it has on society in the information it presents. The role of the image has a long history as it progresses from a mere representation of an object to a guiding force in defi ning society’s values. With this knowledge base, it will be better understood how the image has been able to achieve the power to manipulate society, as well as what implications it holds for architecture and the designing of spaces in this image- focused culture. The urban landscape has come to be a representation of cultural values and fashions; symbols of times past and present it has become a “public conversation” 1 that engages its users. Architecture plays a large role in this urban fabric and cultural representation. Starting as a form of shelter, building has progressed into design addressing issues of identity and cultural values. These new roles have gained architecture more popularity, but bring to question the division between shelter and sculpture. Bernard Tschumi comments, “Never has the fi eld been more celebrated. Titanium temples of culture and translucent masterpieces appear ubiquitous, while architects have become successful media demigods, busy revitalizing the image of cities in a global economy.” 2 There is a desire for buildings to become an iconic image, and within that is the representation of cultural values. Architecture must not just
1 Barry Richards, Iain MacRury, and Jackie Botterill, The Dynamics of Advertising. (Singapore: Harwood Academic Publishers, 2000), 3. 2 Bernard Tschumi, “Intro,” in The State of Architecture at the Beginning of the 21st Century, ed. Bernard Tschumi and Irene Cheng (New York: The Monacelli Press Inc., 2003), 2.
41 Appendix A: Understanding the Image follow trends, but must manipulate them. Otherwise architects risk becoming merely “packaging artists.” 1 Images are everywhere – billboards, buildings, television, clothing, etc. This infl ux in imagery (and therefore information) has various implications on meaning and perception in our lives. Baudrillard takes the stance that “We live in a world where there is more and more information and less and less meaning.” 2 The information that is represented can create a distortion or manipulation between the viewer and the perceived meaning, often resulting in a dualistic response to the stimuli. It is the dualistic response that is so appealing to the viewer. The initial implication is often straightforward and familiar. It allows the viewer to fi nd comfort in the image and its message in the larger context of the general public (fi nding strength in numbers) and providing a solution to their anxiety. The secondary message, ironically, changes from this initial perception of familiarity Fig. 64-65: Clothing and billborad into something quite the opposite. It looks at identity and individuality imagery expressing a meaning of its own; challenging the divide between the signifi ed and the signifi er. The role of the image can be identifi ed in the following pairs: identity versus indistinction, belonging versus individuality, information versus manipulation, real versus virtual, and continuity versus innovation. Identity versus indistinction is apparent when studying the image at both the global and local level. Iconography in architecture brings identity to the individual building/city, creating a landmark that people understand and associate with. Yet, at the same time, a vast number of iconic buildings can mesh together creating an overall image that is common and universal. Rem Koolhaas says that globalization makes us strangers everywhere,3 but identity and indistinction can be interpreted the opposite way, globalization makes us feel at home anywhere. Identity is found at a global level while indistinction is found at a local level. The iconic buildings are unique
1 Stephen Kieren, and James Timberlake, Refabricating Architecture : How Manufacturing Methodologies are Poised to Transform Building Construction. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004), 7. 2 Jean Baudrillard, “The Procession of Simulacra;” “The Implosion of Meaning in the Media,” in Simulacra and Simulation. (Ann Arbor, Michigan: The University of Michigan Press, 1994), 34. 3 Bo Gronlund, Rem Koolhaas’ Generic City. (Copenhagen: The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, 2003), 9.
42 Appendix A: Understanding the Image to each city creating a local architecture and local identity. There are aspects, however, that do emphasize the globalization aspect of the city. Gas station signs, billboard ads, and commercial corporations are universal in both content and imagery. The familiarity of the product is important to the clientele. When going to McDonald’s people know exactly what they are getting whether in New York, Las Vegas, Prague or Shanghai. Therefore the identity factor is the individual icon of a particular city or company. The indistinction factor is the loss of meaning when these icons are blurred together en masse. Belonging versus individuality is related identity and deals with the need to feel part of a larger group (familiarity) while still Fig.66-67: Los Angeles and NYC skyline illustrating identity and having distinct characteristics. The concept of branding considers indistinction these ideas, expressing an individual image for each company, but allowing the user to feel apart of the company through familiarity with that image and its meaning. The universal understanding of a particular image provokes a sense of belonging because consumers can relate to one through the message of the image. Simultaneously, they also feel like an individual because the overall understanding of the image on their everyday life is unique to the specifi c experiences and perceptions. An example of this is Times Square. There is a certain image that Times Square evokes that is fairly universal. The chaos and energy of the street scene is universal, but each person has their own experiences and memories that change the perception of the place. Each person is affected in a different way by the imagery projected. Information versus manipulation is associated with the increased role of the image to not only inform but also persuade. Gwendolyn Wright says, “Language provides a powerful means for clarifi cation, communication, and inquiry, but also for obfuscation and self-deception; to use it effectively requires self-conscious exploration and precision, as well as play and surprise.” 1 The image has a similar function to that of language, an so there is a tension between communication and deception or information and manipulation. The
1 Gwendolyn Wright, “Speaking of Globalization and Criticism,” in The State of Architecture at the Beginning of the 21st Century, ed. Bernard Tschumi and Irene Cheng (New York: The Monacelli Press Inc., 2003), 90.
43 Appendix A: Understanding the Image image has become something that informs and communicates the values of today’s society. However, because of its popularity and success, it also has the power to manipulate. Images are meant to be understood at a subconscious level, linking aspects of the public and private lives. This infi ltration into every aspect of life leads to a greater susceptibility to the manipulation that comes masked by power and play. There is level of knowledge that is implicit in the image and its power. If language is an interface to knowledge, then it follows that architecture is also an interface of knowledge. Sanford Kwinter emphasizes this saying, “We need to face the fact that architecture is fast becoming part of the knowledge industry. ‘Design’ is becoming increasingly dissociated from simple ‘building’ and increasingly associated with the production of intellectual property: ideas, routines, contexts, entire social and cultural environments.” 1 He goes on to say that the knowledge system is being reshaped inseparably from the transformation of the material environment. Architecture is at the position that it can take advantage of this reshaping if it can take advantage of the way the material environment changes the perception of the space. Real versus virtual is becoming more important as the image is becoming less about the material realm and more about media technology. Real implies a presence; virtual implies an absence. In reality, the difference between true and false is always clear. There may be a masking of the truth, but the line between the true and false is still decipherable. Simulation, on the other hand threatens this difference between the true and the false, the real and the imaginary. The real disappears. People relate to real life through the interface of virtual imagery. Whether this loss of reality is a bad thing is arguable, but the concern is that the space “becomes an exotic theater rather than an actual place.” 2 One reason for the popularity of the virtual is because simulations ignite questions and fascination with the Fig. 68: Electronic images draw unknown. Electric media/images on facades draw people’s attention attention at Crown Fountain, Chicago
1 Sanford Kwinter, “Four Arguments for the Elimination of Architecture (Long Live Architecture),” in The State of Architecture at the Beginning of the 21st Century, ed. Bernard Tschumi and Irene Cheng (New York: The Monacelli Press Inc., 2003), 94. 2 Rem Koolhaas and Hans Ulrich Obrist, “Relearning from Las Vegas,” in Harvard Design School Guide to Shopping Volume 2, ed. Chuihua Judy Chung, Jeffery Inaba, Rem Koolhaas, Sze Tsung Leong (Köln: Taschen, 2001), 616.
44 allowing different interpretations to be derived. Even though each interpretation may be contradictory, they are, in a sense, all true. The reality of the space is no longer important as long as the medium can entice and draw attention. This notion of the virtual also relates to the identity/indistinction relationship. The duplication of an object will render both the original and the replica artifi cial. Anything can now be experienced anywhere. Disney and Las Vegas thrive on this outlook.
In these places, one can visit Bellagio, the Eiffel Tower, and any Fig. 69: Eiffel Tower, Paris country in the world (Epcot) within the time it takes to walk 5 blocks. In one sense, these places create a mockery of the original. In another sense, it allows access to places that might not otherwise be experienced. The Bellagio hotel is more commonly understood than the actual city in Italy, which questions the validity of each Bellagio and which is more real. In this culture of real versus virtual are we experiencing a loss of information and truth? Either way, this attitude refl ects a value of society that ultimately comes back to the role of the Fig. 70: Eiffel Tower, Las Vegas image. The image is a crucible of dichotomic relationships that have come to defi ne the values of society. Their implications leave a challenge for architecture to create a space that addresses these issues. Levrat explains, “Architects can reveal the interactions between different but coexisting dimensions. We should produce spaces that perform as interfaces between users and their environments, questioning the relationships between individual experiences of space and dislocated surfaces of information.” 1
THE HISTORY OF THE IMAGE
One of the most fundamental and well-known arguments dealing with the image is that of the duck and the decorated shed, the symbol and the representation made famous by Robert Venturi. Venturi claims “signs are more relevant/signifi cant than buildings… and mass”. True earlier and can still be applied today. “Building,
1 Frederick Levrat, “Architecture as Interface,” in The State of Architecture at the Beginning of the 21st Century, ed. Bernard Tschumi and Irene Cheng (New York: The Monacelli Press Inc., 2003), 116.
45 Appendix A: Understanding the Image sign, art – they’re all one.” 1 Venturi’s thoughts on iconography are that it denotes the use of symbols in a work to make clear the signifi cance of what it depicts. Iconography, ornament, and sign are the essential architectural elements for our time - the information age. In other words, the ornament of today should provide information. Las Vegas, being the main precedent of Venturi’s studies was the absolute advertising city. The advertising does not decorate the walls and streets, but rather effaces them, creating a space of the hyperreal that leaves us at once empty and awestruck. The meaning of each sign is not what is important. It is the overall effect of the imagery that remains in the mind even after the sun comes up and the lights of this
nocturnal city fade away. Fig. 71-72 Venturi’s duck and decorated Theories of semiology and the decline of new building shed construction in the late 1960s and early 1970s emphasized the role of architecture as a creator of an identity image. Many young architects were out of work and left with only writing and theoretical speculation. This lack of work fueled the perception of the architect’s “diminished social role” and the decreasing value of architecture as a “redemptive social power.” 2 Instead, architecture’s main role became a source of communication as a cultural object. The image and meaning of architecture was its saving face in society. There was also an emphasis on meaning, stimulated by semiology theories of the time. It is partly due to this method of thinking that brought the image and architecture from the real into the virtual. Eisenman describes his objective as “architecture as independent discourse, free of external values – classical or any other; that is, the intersection of the meaning-free, the arbitrary, and the timeless in the artifi cial.” 3 Similarly, Tschumi states “La Villette … aims at an architecture that means nothing, an architecture of the signifi er versus the signifi ed, one that is pure trace or play of language.” 4 The role of architecture in the meaning-free era placed an emphasis on form, taking on many qualities found in the arts. This sculptural approach has found roots
1 Koolhaas and Obrist, 614. 2 Mary McLeod, “Architecture and Politics in the Reagan Era: From Postmodernism to Deonstructivism.” in Architecture Theory Since 1968, ed. Michael K. Hays. (New York: Columbia Books of Architecture, 1998), 683. 3 McLeod, 684 4 McLeod, 684.
46 Appendix A: Understanding the Image in public appreciation, but still poses questions as to the direction it is headed. In an interview with Rem Koolhaas and Robert Venturi, they discuss the role of architecture as sculpture:
RK: There is an interesting issue here in the name of what is happening and what is relevant. You are proclaiming the death of architecture: a shift from form to iconography that you say is totally recognizable. But how do you account for the enormous popular appeal of form making, of architects who are putting entire cities on the map by doing sculpture? RV: We’re not proclaiming the death of architecture but its rebirth: we’re proclaiming the death of sculpture as architecture. We’re also saying let’s not forget that architecture, fundamentally, is shelter and not sculpture. Abstract expressionism in the mid-century was a wonderful and vital invention, but we think it’s not relevant or signifi cant now -especially in architecture. 1
Architecture must do more than simply propose an idea. It must root itself in reality. In other words, it must introduce a problem and offer immediate or semi-immediate solutions. Alberti said, “The arts were born of Chance and Observation, fostered by Use and Experiment, and matured by Knowledge and Reason.” 2 It is through these six elements that architecture must be re-created using the innovations of our time in a manner that is inherent to both sculptural beauty and function, resulting in a coherent vocabulary.
1 Koolhaas and Obrist, 594. 2 Leon B Alberti, On the Art of Building in Ten Books, transl. Joseph Rykwert, N. Leach, R. Tavernor. (Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press. 1991), 157.
47 Appendix B: Technology and Design
PERCEPTION OF TECHNOLOGY
In this age of information, technology has penetrated almost all aspects of our lives. Like the image, it bombards us with its presence. The applications range from small-scale gadgets to complex systematic elements, and from visible exposure to neatly masked packages. Today, technological advances and innovative materials are becoming more and more diverse, specialized, and abundant. However, architecture as profession has been slow to respond to these new advances. Much of the reason has to do with economic issues. Clients are not giving architects money to research, and there is usually no department within fi rms for research and development. Because of this, much of the research into new materials comes from the engineering fi eld; a fi eld that is more interested in performance than aesthetics. Architecture often takes these innovations at face value, or with only a slight alteration to fi t them into design. However, other industries, such as the automobile industry, have been able to take advantages of these innovations to enhance certain features and improve overall quality while still incorporating design elements into the product. In many cases, the exterior casing masks these new technologies, so the user does not see it. These new projects and materials are often designed to be used “invisibly” with no outward indication of their properties. This can be seen in the sleek designs of cars and Apple products among others. Consumers have a certain fascination with the clean appearance, as seen in the increased popularity of the new iPhone and iMac products. No longer are telephones attached to a wall with dials and cords, instead all the
48 Appendix B: Technology and Design workings are located inside and out of sight. The appeal of the stealthy product and the disdain for seeing the way things work is in part due to the perceived notion of technology as something ugly and messy. It is the “back of house” that should remain hidden. The image of technology then, is one of complexity and inartistic appearance. If this perception is to be changed, technology must take on the qualities of art and image without losing effi ciency and productivity. Nicholas Negroponte, a director of the MIT Media Lab states, “There is a perceived polarity (however artifi cial) between technology and the humanities, between science and art, between right brain and left.” 1 Architecture has the ability to address this polarity, and change this perceived distinction. The polarity described by Negroponte deals with the issues of perception. Walter Benjamin quotes Marinetti’s manifesto on the Ethiopian colonial war in a challenge of typical perception:
“… War is beautiful because it establishes man’s dominion over the subjugated machinery by means of gas masks, terrifying megaphones, fl ame throwers, and small tanks. War is beautiful because it initiates the dreamt-of metallization of the human body. War is beautiful because it enriches a fl owering meadow with the fi ery orchids of machine guns. War is beautiful because it combines the gunfi re, the cannonades, the cease-fi re, the scents, and the stench of putrefaction into a symphony. War is beautiful because it creates new architecture, like that of the big tanks, the geometrical formation fl ights, the smoke spirals from burning villages, and many others… Poets and artists of Futurism! … remember these principles of an aesthetics of war so that your struggle for a new literature and a new graphic art … may be illumined by them!”2
This excerpt takes war, a very negative and often grotesque image, and changes it into something poetic. The imagery of the “metallization of the human body,” and the sound of gunfi re and cannons as a symphony alters the very essence of what war is perceived to be. It is not a time of death (in this description), but an
1 Francois Penz and Maureen Thomas, ed., Cinema & Architecture: Melies, Mallet-Stevens, Multimedia. (London: British Film Institute, 1997), 152. 2 Walter Benjamin, The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, http://web.bentley. edu/empl/c/rcrooks/toolbox/common_knowledge/general_communication/benjamin.html.
49 Appendix B: Technology and Design inspiration for new kind of literature and art. If war can be perceived in such an artistic manner, it can be assumed that technology can as well. Society’s perception of technology has been the guiding infl uence on the way it is used in design. As discussed above, the perception is one of complication and unattractive appearance, and so it has been hidden, masked beneath a skin. But can it exposed in an artistic manner? Can it become the ornament of the 21st century, an ornament of intellect? Can it be beauty? On Heidegger’s discussions of the Greek temple, he comes to the conclusion that materials must not disappear but be brought forth to show their true identity. He claims that architecture re-presents the materials,1 bringing out the beauty of their natural properties that should be shown and experienced. If this same thinking is applied today, the technology should be presented as it is instead of being masked. The design challenge is how to present it in a way that evokes beauty without losing the integrity of the object.
NONART IMAGES
Items such as graphs, maps, money, seals and stamps, astrological charts, technical and engineering drawings, scientifi c images, and text are all representational images that can be classifi ed as “nonart” images: “whatever contemporary art history does not study.” 2 These informational images “say less about pictures and more about the current shape of the disciplines that study them.” 3 Unlike most paintings, these images are bound by utilitarian function, but still have an artistic quality within their complexity. They can be perceived to be beautiful (arguably more easily by those who know what they represent) even though they are created for the purpose of information in a utilitarian sense. Technology, in general, has been around a long time and is a Fig. 73: Motherboard
1 Karsten Harries, “Representation and Re-Presentation,” in “The Ethical Function of Architecture. (Cambridge: MIT Press, 1997), 121. 2 James Elkins, The Domain of Images. (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 1999), 2. 3 Elkins, 2.
50 Appendix B: Technology and Design very familiar and often overlooked manifestation of a problem. People no longer think about what happens when fl ipping a light switch or turning on the faucet, it is just a part of the routine. Something routine is very rarely seen as something artistic. “An obvious way of transforming something familiar into an aesthetic object is to literally re-present it by displacing or transplanting it, as we do when we carry it into a new environment, place it on a pedestal or put it into a frame.”1 Examples include Duchamp’s urinal fountain and Jackson Pollack’s paintings. What we look at fi rst is not the object itself, but the way in which it is re-presented, in this case, the isolation and the application. If this idea of representation in combination with nonart Fig.74: “Fountain” images is related to technology, there is opportunity for a change in the notion of what technology is or rather can be. Harries says that in order to re-present something it must be taken out of context in order to draw attention to it. This conclusion is only one solution to changing perception. Like the image, embellishment is another option. If an object is taken out of its context in order to draw attention to itself, any prior use that it had has probably also been displaced. Instead of framing the object or putting it on a pedestal, embellish it and bring forth its true identity. Perfect the detailing and the craft will become art. Light fi xtures are an everyday example of this. They function as they always have, but there are now designer light fi xtures that are both a source of light and form of sculpture. The beauty comes through the way it is detailed, not in the fact that it draws attention. Whether or not it draws attention is unimportant. Technology can become a source of pleasure and play, something to be stretched to new possibilities, and a new image in society.
THE IMAGE/ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY
Alberti had three conditions to every constructed object: appropriate to its use, lasting in structure, and graceful and pleasing in appearance. He made note that “all care, all diligence, all fi nancial
1 Harries, 123.
51 Appendix B: Technology and Design consideration must be directed to ensuring that what is built is useful, commodious, but also embellished and wholly graceful, so that anyone seeing it would not feel that the expense might have been invested better elsewhere.” 1 Ornament of the twenty-fi rst century should have a purpose. It should inform the user about the systems, while simultaneously enhancing the aesthetic quality of the space. There is currently a gap between the application of technology on the skin of the building and its relationship to the interior space. Presently, if the technology is exposed, the public perceives the technical aspects of the building skin as an application. There is little visible interaction between the way they use the building and the impact of the technology. If this technology or ornament were incorporated into the design so people could interact within it, there would be a better understanding of its use and a new appreciation. The goal is to create designs that blur the technology with the building design, so that the initial perception is a whole image. This image could then be broken down into a series of parts and spaces. This contrasts seeing the technical applications as separate objects fi rst, eliminating an overall vision of the building. Looking at the façade in this way emphasizes its role in the overall composition of the building both inside and outside. The importance of the wall goes back in history to Semper, who claims that the carpet wall was “the most important wall in the general history of art.” 2 Unlike Laugier who looked back to the Greeks, Semper understands that materials and techniques are going to change. He says, “The material of the carpet wall can change over time and still be successful if the reason is for greater durability, better preservation of the inner wall, economy, the display of greater magnifi cence, or any other reason.” The wall represented the “carnival spirit” of the building. 3 The material has advanced from the traditional carpet wall, but the sense of a carnival spirit or any spirit has arguably been lost. Current applications on the building envelope have led to more of a
1 Alberti, 156. 2 Gottfried Semper, “The Four Elements of Architecture” and “Style in the Technical and Tectonic Arts or Practical Aesthetics,” in The Four Elements of Architecture and Other Writings, transl. Harry Francis Mallgrave and Wolfgang Hermann. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989), 103. 3 Semper, 104 and 257.
52 disassociated spirit than one of play. One must be careful, however, not to design a mere window dressing. The function must still be applicable, but the vocabulary should become more interactive. If building technology remains to the general public as a bombardment of scientifi c facts and fi gures, the aesthetic appeal will be lost. Perceptions of technology that have been well received are those that are masked, hidden and out of view. Apple products and automobile designs are good examples of the sleek, clean aesthetic. However, not all aspects of design can be hidden. Solar powered products, for example, must be exposed to the sun with the position for optimal performance set by geography and nature. These restraints have geared many architectural designs regarding solar power to simply add on the objects. They are effi cient, but not highly regarded for their aesthetic value. In a description of a solar house in the 2007 Solar Decathlon Competition, one visitor describes her perception of what a solar house should be:
“The competition winner designed by Germany’s Technische Universitat Darmstadt, was a stunner, in no small part because it didn’t look like a solar house. There were no impossible-to-ignore shiny solar panels attached to the roof, no appendages jutting into the sky. This house was stealthily solar, without ducts or mechanical structures announcing its techno-geek heart.” 1
This house tried to mask the technology and the public generally received it, but masking should not be the only solution for the future of technologies. The answer should lie less in the integration or masking, and more in the careful design blending of how it relates to the overall image of the building and its context.
TECHNOLOGY IN FOUNTAIN SQUARE
Fountain Square, located at the corner of Fifth and Vine Street is in the middle of downtown. The square has recently undergone
1 Elizabeth Razzi, “Sampling Solar’s Furture in Home Design,” The Washington Post, November 17, 2007.
53 Appendix B: Technology and Design major renovations to become a place for the community to gather, celebrate, and connect as a city. There are many features of the plaza including an ice rink, stages, restaurants, a water wall, and a video board. The video board is 24’ x 42’ color LED board located above the Macy’s building. It is one of the new additions to the square and is meant to enliven the area by:
“promoting Cincinnati and regional attractions and Fig. 75: Fountain Square, Cincinnati events with locally produced programming, enhancing Fountain Square events, such as live concerts and shows, informing visitors about Cincinnati’s history and future, entertaining Fountain Square visitors by leveraging existing content from all sources, and broadcasting news, service announcements, emergency information, and other important items.” 1
The long-term vision for the board is to showcase non-commercial content including the region’s history and to provide information on current activities and events. The commercial television will be limited to news, Bengal and Reds games, or special events. The video board creates a unique relationship between the people of Cincinnati and Fountain Square, however, it is not always the relationship conceptually envisioned. Observing the space during a Bengal’s game being aired on the video board created an interesting scene. There was a gathering of about fi fty people within the square, all watching the screen. Some were sitting at tables, others on the fountain, and some were milling about the square. A variety of people within the square ranged from homeless men to groups of teenagers, a few families, and quite a few strangers sitting at tables by themselves. It brought the community together, but seemingly only in proximity. People were not talking or moving about, nor where they taking interest in anyone around them. They were transfi xed on the television, in their own world. All the distractions and sounds of the city life were being ignored. The use of the plaza was not one of interaction, but a holding place. The square felt dead, even though there were close to fi fty people occupying the space. The fountain, typically the main feature of Fountain Square, was on the peripheral of the space that afternoon. All eyes were focused on the television
1 Fountain Square Management, “Video Board.” Fountain Square, http://myfountainsquare. com/video/main.
54 and the fountain (typically a dynamic object) became a static statue on which to sit, or an obstacle blocking the view. The video board, a form of technology, was dictating the actions of the users depending on time and place of the interaction. The notion of a place to “gather, celebrate, and connect” was rather shallow in this particular moment. People were gathered, but only in proximity. The celebration was not an outward one (perhaps it would have been if the Bengals were winning). The television screen did serve as a device for making connections, but even this role was not a lively one. It connected a diverse group of people in the square who would not normally all be gathered somewhere, but there was no connection between the strangers. It was a physical connection more than a mental one. The screen also connected the city through pride, emphasizing the support of hometown sports team. In this particular application, technology was able to gather people into a space that otherwise would have been empty, but it was not able to create a stimulating interactive space in the social context of the city.
55 Bibliography
Alberti, Leon B. On the Art of Building in Ten Books. Transl. Joseph Rykwert, N. Leach, R. Tavernor. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press. 1991. Baudrillard, Jean. “The Procession of Simulacra;” “The Implosion of Meaning in the Media;” “Absolute Advertising,” “Ground- Zero Advertising.” In Simulacra and Simulation. Ann Arbor, Michigan: The University of Michigan Press, 1994. Benjamin, Walter. The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, http://web.bentley.edu/empl/c/rcrooks/toolbox/ common_knowledge/general_communication/benjamin.html, (accessed August 27 2007). Elkins, James. The Domain of Images. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press. 1999. Fountain Square Management, “Video Board.” Fountain Square, http://myfountainsquare.com/video/main (accessed March 10, 2008). Gladwell, Malcolm. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference.1st edition ed. Boston, New York, London: Little, Brown and Company, 2000. Gronlund, Bo. Rem Koolhaas’ Generic City. Copenhagen: The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, 2003. Guy, Simon and Francis Farmer. “Reinterpreting Sustainable Architecture: The Place of Technology.” Journal of Architectural Education, vol. 54, no. 3 (Feb. 2001): 141-146. Harries, Karsten. “Representation and Re-Presentation.” In “The Ethical Function of Architecture. 119-130. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1997.
56 Bibliography iRhine. “Central Commercial-Residential…” Over-the-Rhine. http:// www.irhine.com/index.jsp?page=district_central (accessed March 11, 2008). Karmik, Thom. “The McCormick Tribune Campus Center Fact Sheet: Highlights of IIT’s New Campus Center Complex.” IIT Newsroom. http://webservices.iit.edu/iit_news/MTCC_ building_fact_sheet.asp (accessed March 10, 2008). Kieran, Stephen, and James Timberlake. Refabricating Architecture: How Manufacturing Methodologies are Poised to Transform Building Construction. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004. KieranTimberlake Associates LLP. “SmartWrap TM: Building Envelope of the Future.” http://www.kierantimberlake.com/research/ smartwrap_research_8.html# (accessed March 3, 2008). Koolhaas, Rem, and Hans Ulrich Obrist. “Relearning from Las Vegas.” In Harvard Design School Guide to Shopping Volume 2, edited by Chuihua Judy Chung, Jeffery Inaba, Rem Koolhaas, Sze Tsung Leong, 590-617. Köln: Taschen, 2001. Kwinter, Sanford. “Four Arguments for the Elimination of Architecture (Long Live Architecture).” In The State of Architecture at the Beginning of the 21st Century, edited by Bernard Tschumi and Irene Cheng, 94-5. New York: The Monacelli Press Inc., 2003. Leatherbarrow, David, Mohsen Mostafavi. Surface Architecture. Cambridge: The MIT Press, 2002. Levrat, Frederic. “Architecture as Interface.” In The State of Architecture at the Beginning of the 21st Century, edited by Bernard Tschumi and Irene Cheng, 116. New York: The Monacelli Press Inc., 2003. McLeod, Mary. “Architecture and Politics in the Reagan Era: From Postmodernism to Deonstructivism.” In Architecture Theory Since 1968, edited by Michael K. Hays, 680-685. New York: Columbia Books of Architecture. 1998. North Carolina State University. “Mayday 23: World Population Becomes More Urban Than Rural.” ScienceDaily. http://www. sciencedaily.com /releases/2007/05/070525000642.htm (accessed March 4, 2008). Over-the-Rhine Chamber. “OTR Profi le.” Over-the-Rhine. http://www. otrchamber.com/otr_profi le (accessed March 11, 2008).
57 Bibliography
Penz, Francois, and Maureen Thomas, ed. Cinema & Architecture: Melies, Mallet-Stevens, Multimedia. London: British Film Institute, 1997. Razzi, Elizabeth. “Sampling Solar’s Furture in Home Design.” The Washington Post, November 17, 2007. Richards, Barry, Iain MacRury, and Jackie Botterill. The Dynamics of Advertising. Singapore: Harwood Academic Publishers, 2000. Semper, Gottfried. “The Four Elements of Architecture” and “Style in the Technical and Tectonic Arts or Practical Aesthetics.” In The Four Elements of Architecture and Other Writings. Transl. Harry Francis Mallgrave and Wolfgang Hermann. 101-110, 247-249. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989. Tschumi, Bernard. “Intro.” In The State of Architecture at the Beginning of the 21st Century, edited by Bernard Tschumi and Irene Cheng, 1-5. New York: The Monacelli Press Inc., 2003. US Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon, “About Solar Decathlon.” Solar Decathlon, http://www.solardecathlon.org/about.html (accessed March 9, 2008). US Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon, “Architecture.” Solar Decathlon, http://www.solardecathlon.org/contest_architecture. html (accessed March 9, 2008). US Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon, “Engineering.” Solar Decathlon, http://www.solardecathlon.org/contest_engineering. html (accessed March 9, 2008). U.S. Green Building Council, “Building Impacts.” USGBC, http://www. usgbc.org/ (accessed March 9, 2008). Venturi, Robert, Denise Scott Brown, and Steven Izenour. Learning From Las Vegas. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1972. Wigley, Mark. White Walls, Designer Dresses. Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1995. Wright, Gwendolyn. “Speaking of Globalization and Criticism.” In The State of Architecture at the Beginning of the 21st Century, edited by Bernard Tschumi and Irene Cheng, 90-1. New York: The Monacelli Press Inc., 2003.
58 Glossary
Architectonics – the science of architecture, which has become progressively introverted in regards to the use of internal technical equipment, an exhibition hall of science and technology Architecture – more than shelter; a sum of knowledge capable of organizing and creating society’s space and time; part of the knowledge industry Art – the skill and technique involved in producing visual representations; decontextualization of the art object through its removal from the circulation of reality Beauty – that in which something cannot be added, taken away, or altered but for the worse (Alberti) Blur – to become less distinct; a vague impression Commodity – an artifact of use bought and sold by economic demand (Kieren and Timberlake) Crucible – a place or situation in which different elements interact to produce something new; a set of circumstances where people or things are subjected to forces that test them and often make them change Icon – something widely and uncritically admired; an artifact that becomes a brand through mass popularization Image – spans the material realm of usage and the cultural realm of values and ideas; a kind of public conversation Informational Images – convenient labels that say less about pictures and more about the current shape of the disciplines that study them. Integrate – to combine two or more objects, sometimes causing a loss of identity through assimilation and other times creating a gestalt aesthetic
59 Glossary
Interface – a common boundary shared by two devices or people across which data or information fl ows; the medium through which we interact to see our world Mesh – an interlinked arrangement; to work well together; a series of elements that work in union to strengthen the whole; to bring into harmony (mesh with) Nonart – visual images that are not obviously artworks, popular images, or religious artifacts; bound by the necessity of performing some utilitarian function; not studied in contemporary art history Ornament – something that is attached or additional, displayed for its beauty Representation – imitate something that already exists; a description, account or statement of something real or alleged Re-presentation – to reveal an object’s true properties and it’s potential Skin – a complex organ made up of multiple layers of tissues that guard the underlying systems; a boundary responsible for functional and expressive characteristics; a place to dwell Technology – when discussed, it is not in terms of architecture but in terms of engineering, an engineering that propels us beyond limits; must become a source of pleasure and play, something to be stretched to new possibilities
60 Index
318 Sentinel Drive, 18 Aesthetic, 1-3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 14-18, 21-23, 29, 35-38, 47-48, 50-52 Alberti, Leon B., 30, 46, 50 Apply, 4-5, 7, 11-14, 16, 27, 29, 44, 49 Atkins, 6 Behnsich, Behnsich & Partner, 17 Benjamin, Walter, 48 Blur, iii, 3-4, 7, 21, 28-29, 37, 42, 51 Building envelope, iii, 2-5, 7-9, 18, 21, 23-24, 26-29, 37, 51 CBF Merrill Environmental Center, 18 Chicago, 2, 43 Cincinnati, 15, 30-31, 53 Cornell University, 14-15 Crown Fountain, 43 Culture, 23, 25-26, 31-32, 37-38, 40, 43-45 Eiffel Tower, 44 Engage, 3, 29, 37, 40 Evacuated tubes, 13, 15 Exposed, 5, 8-11, 16-18, 22-23, 31-32, 47, 49, 51-52 Expressed, iii, 1-6, 8-11, 17, 19-22, 24, 27, 35, 37, 41-42, 46 Façade, 15, 32-33, 43 Fountain Square, 52-54 Function, iii, 1-5, 8-9, 11, 17, 19, 21-23, 26-28, 35, 37-38, 42, 46, 50, 52 Genzyme Center, 17, 20, 27 Harries, Karsten, 50 Identity, 2, 5-6, 18, 22, 31, 37, 40-42, 44-45, 49-50 Image, 2-3, 5, 7, 10, 12-14, 18-24, 26, 28-31, 37, 40-51 Indistinction, 41-42, 44 Integrate, 3, 9-11, 13, 16, 21-22 Interface, 3, 5-6, 10-11, 21, 28, 37, 43-44
61 Index
Interstitial, 7, 25-27, 29 KieranTimerlake Associates, 23-26 Koolhaas, Rem, 19-20, 41, 46 Las Vegas, 42, 44-45 Layer, iii, 5, 7, 9, 16-17, 20-21, 23, 25-29, 37 LEED, 1, 3, 7, 17-18 Lighthouse Tower, 6, 22 Mask, iii, 4-6, 8-14, 17-18, 20, 22-23, 27, 32, 38, 43, 47-49, 52 McCormick Tribune Campus Center, 18-20, 38 Mesh, 6-7, 28-29, 41 New Orleans competition, 16 NOLA shotgunLOFT, 16 Nonart, 49-50 Over-the-Rhine, 31-32 Pearl River Tower, 6, 21-22, 38 Perception, iii, 2-4, 6, 9, 11, 13-15, 17-18, 22-25, 27-30, 32, 42-43, 45, 47-52 Photovoltaic panels, 4, 6-7, 12-14, 16, 24 Pompidou Center, 18, 34 Reality, 43-44, 46 Representation, 44, 49-50 Residential home, 3, 6-9, 12, 14-15, 17 Restraint, 2, 5, 20, 25-28, 32, 52 Santa Clara University, 13 Scale, 3, 6-8, 16-17, 20-22, 25, 27, 30-31, 37 Sculpture, 10-11, 23, 40, 45-46, 50 Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, 6, 21 Skin, iii, 2-3, 5, 8, 16-17, 21-23, 26, 29, 37, 49, 51 SmartWrap, 23-25, 27, 38 Solar, 7, 11-15, 21, 32, 52 Solar Decathlon 2007, 12-16, 38, 52 Suburban house, 3-4, 9, 11, 16, 38 Technische Universitat Darmstadt, 14, 52 Tschumi, Bernard, 31, 40, 45 Urban, 3, 7, 16, 19, 21, 27, 31, 37-38, 40 Venturi, Robert, 44-46 Virtual, 41, 43-45 Wright,Gwendolyn, 42
62