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Rethinking the Role of Context and Contextualism in Architecture and Design

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Rethinking the Role of Context and Contextualism in Architecture and Design Rethinking The Role of Context and Contextualism in Architecture and Design Gültekin Çizgen Submitted to the Institute of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Architecture Eastern Mediterranean University September 2012 Gazimağusa, North Cyprus i Approval of the Institute of Graduate Studies and Research Prof. Dr. Elvan Yılmaz Director I certify that this thesis satisfies the requirements as a thesis for the degree of Master of Science in Architecture Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özgür Dinçyürek Chair, Department of Architecture We certify that we have read this thesis and that in our opinion it is fully adequate in scope and quality as thesis for the degree of Master of Science in Architecture. Assoc. Prof. Dr.Türkan Uraz Supervisor Examining Committee 1. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hıfsiye Pulhan 2. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özgür Dinçyürek 3. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Türkan Uraz ii ABSTRACT It is obvious that many popular products and understandings of contemporary architecture have left contextual design behind. Context is simply sacrificed to build an artificial identity and brand. Both on urban scale and on building scale insensitivity towards context in design have not been able to produce quite positive results. With this concern, this study is discussing contextuality in architecture within the framework of product, design and designer (architect). In this sense, necessity of how contemporary design‟s context should be dealt within the framework of ethical responsibility, in addition to the artistic aspects of the profession is emphasized and contextual design is reviewed. The subject has addressed some contextual design approaches of the period from 20th century to the present with criticism. In addition to pervasive studies that describes contextual design on the basis of known, concrete facts of environment (especially related with architectural characteristics), the study also attempted to reveal different aspects of contextuality by discussing the subject in line with designer‟s personal attitudes and the basic arguments of design activities. In the study, the relationship of architecture with context from 1900s until today is scrutinizingly deliberated and prepared a ground for discussion. Different attitudes demonstrated against context corresponding to the periods of “Modernism”, “Post Modernism” and “Deconstructivism” has been brought to the present and extensions/provisions of these attitudes are conveyed to contemporary discourse. Contemporary contextual architecture is scrutinized in relation to design activity and design product and related background is interpreted. Accordingly, guidelines, iii strategies of contextual design, architectural habits and extensions from the past are critically discussed. In addition to studies that have widely discussed contextual design with guidelines and strategies, this study addresses contextual design within the framework of designer‟s attitude. These attitudes are referred to as empathic, sympathetic and Independent. Although sympathetic attitude is superior compared to others, it is emphasized that considerations of the designer (architect) towards context is the most important point for the sake of contextual quality. In other words, it is underlined that whichever attitude is followed, the most important aspect determining success of the contextual design is contextual consideration of architect. As well as obedience to the context accepting it as a set of requirements to be complied with, an opinion that can be presented that accepts it as a tool in the design. In addition, in this study, “design concepts” derived from context is interpreted as extensions of attitudes and considerations revealing original examples that are strong and based on interpretation sampled on selected products. Keywords: Contextual Design, Contextualism, Attitude, Consideration, Concept and Ethics iv ÖZ Günümüz mimarlığında populer olmuş bir çok ürün ve anlayışın bağlamsal tasarımı artık geride bırakmış oldugu aşikardır. Bağlam yapay bir kimlik ve marka yaratmak uğruna adeta feda edilmiştir. Gerek kentsel ölçekte, gerekse bina ölçeğinde olsun tasarımdaki bağlama karşı duyarsızlık pek de olumlu sonuçlar ortaya koymamaktadır. Bu çalısma tam da bu endişe ile mimarlıkta baglamsallığı, ürün, tasarım ve tasarımcı(mimar) çerçevesinde ele alarak tartışmaktadır. Bu anlamda günümüz tasarımında bağlamın nasıl etik bir sorumluluk çerçevesinde ele alınması, ve bu arada mesleğin sanatsal ve artistik boyutunun da gözden kaçmaması gerektiği üzerinde durulmuş ve bağlamsal tasarım tekrar gözden geçirilmiştir. Konu hem 20yy.dan günümüze kadar olan süreçte hem de günümüzdeki bazı bağlamsal tasarım yaklaşımlarını kritik ederek ele alınmıştır. Bağlamsal tasarımı çevrenin özellikle mimari özellikleriyle ilgili olarak, bilindik somut doğrular üzerinden ele alan, ve tanımlayan, yaygınlaşmış çalısmaların yanında, konuyu tasarımcının kişisel yaklaşımları ve tasarım faaliyetinin temel argumanları doğrultusunda ele alarak, bağlamsallığın farklı yönlerini ortaya çıkartmak denenmiştir. 1900'lerden günümüze kadar uzanan mimarlığın bağlamla ilişkileri araştırmacı bir tutumla ele alınmış, konu üzerinde tartışmayı besleyen bir zemin hazırlanmıştır. 'Modernizm', 'postmodernizm' ve 'dekonstruktivizm' dönemlerine tekabul eden bağlama karşı sergilenen tutumlar günümüze taşınmış, bu yaklaşımların uzantıları/karşılıkları konuyla ilgili güncel söylev ile aktarılmıştır. Günümüzün bağlamsal mimarlığı konusu tasarlama faaliyeti ve tasarım ürünü ilişkisi içinde v irdelenerek konuyla ilgili geriplan bu açıdan okunmaya çalışılmıştır. Bu dogrultuda bağlamsal tasarımın uygulamalarına yönelik ön görüler, stratejiler ve gecmişten gelen mimari alışkanlıklar/uzantılar eleştirel gözle ele alınmıştır. Bağlamsal tasarımı öngörüler veya stratejiler ile pek çok defa ele almış çalışmalar yanında bu çalışma tasarımcının tutumu çervesinde bağlamsal tasarımı ele alır. Bu tutumlar; Empatik, sempatik ve özgürlükçü olarak adlandırılır. Bunların arasında sempatik tutum diğerlerine kıyasla daha üstün bir konumda olsa da, bağlamsal kalitenin sağlanması açısından bunlardan belki de daha önemli olanın, mimarın(tasarımcının) bağlama yönelik bakış açısı olduğu vurgulanır. Diğer bir deyişle, herhangi bir tutum tercih edilmiş olsa bile, bağlamsal tasarımdaki başarıyı belirleyecek olan en önemli unsurun mimarın bağlama bakış açısı olduğunun altı çizilir. Bu bakış açısı, Bağlama sadece uyulması gerekli zorunluluklar seti olarak itaat etmenin yanısıra, onu tasarımda bir araç olarak görüp yorumlayan görüş olarak ortaya konur. İlave olarak burada, contexten türeyen tasarım konseptleri, bağlamla kurulan güçlü, yoruma dayalı ve genellikle özgün örnekleri ortaya çıkaran bakış açıları ve tutumları, bir uzantısı olarak değerlendirir ve seçilmiş ürünler üzerinden örneklenir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Bağlamsal tasarım, Bağlamsalçılık, Bağlamsal Tutum, Bağlamsal Bakıs açısı, Bağlamsal Kavram and Etik vi DEDICATION Dedicated to my family and my lovely fiance vii ACKNOWLEDGMENT I would like to express my gratitudes; to my family and friends who always believed in me and to my fiance who kept me encouraged and shared my stress. and lastly to my supervisor Assoc. Prof. Dr. Turkan Ulusu Uraz, she was to one who guided me throughtout the study and spent all of her time for me. I would never forget her support and trust in me, I really owed to my dear supervisor. I wouldn't be able to achieved anything without her experiences and contribuitions. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................... iii ÖZ ........................................................................................................................... v DEDICATION....................................................................................................... vii ACKNOWLEDGMENT ....................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................ xi 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Aims and Objectives ....................................................................................... 2 1.2 Problem Statement.......................................................................................... 4 1.3 Methodology .................................................................................................. 6 1.4 Limitations ..................................................................................................... 7 2 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY ..................................................................... 9 2.1 Introductory Literature .................................................................................... 9 2.1.1 What is Context, Why It is Important? .................................................... 9 2.1.2 Definition of „Context‟ in Architecture ....................................................11 2.2 The Role of the Context in Architecture .........................................................19 2.2.1 Contextual Discoveries/Responses ..........................................................20 2.2.1.1 Pragmatic Attitude ...........................................................................22 2.2.1.2 Sincere and Modest Relations ..........................................................27 2.2.1.3 Adaptive Approaches
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