Reprogramming_ Adaptive Re-use:
"Form follows Function" [106]
The article by McMorrough, "Notes on the Adaptive Re-use of Program" was a solid read that gives the reader both sides of the fence; the concrete architectural principle of form follows function as well as the concerns with programmatic failure. Either side that an architecture chooses to perceive the idea of program as, doesn't really matter because like it or not, first part of the process or second, it one if not the largest aspect of a project and has to be addressed. What I found most intriguing about the article was McMorrough's contemplation of adaptive re-use; "how the notion of program's instrumentality is used and re-used, affirmed and rejected, through a series of containment strategies by which architecture delineates itself." [107] To further agree with him on the main goal when starting with a programmatic process is that a clear relationship between the programmatic source is directly manifested on the form of the building, and thus the difficulty that programmatic failure presents won't be an issue.
Just a side note, in case anyone from the "place" side of things is reading this, the program exercises at the end of this reading are quite simple, however I think they can be wonderful resources for future processes, I would take a look if I were you.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
response 2 _ Silvetti
"The Muses are not Amused"..... i think my head hurts?
This article does not stir up any internal angers that I have, or even enough interest to question his logic and reasoning for these four categories and their "definitions". Instead I find myself questioning the tools and methods of the architectural education process today. I think some of Silvetti's broader concerns, "a progressive dissipation of the centrality of our mission as educators to teach and learn rigourously and vigorously about form-making and its consequences, a process that is slowly becoming secondary and peripheral," [22] are very valid; I think that the process of architecture students has become impaired due to new technologies and the lack of historical precedent. I am not about to start a debate about hand vs. digital or how many "building studies" we should all do, in fact I am a strong believer in advancement; however it is the steps we have taken to misuse these technologies that I question. Somewhere I think the necessary constraints that a hand produced processes encompassed are SOMETIMES, not always, lost in its transition to the digital world.
In my experience and understanding of form making, I find it most easily manifested when derived by all the other aspects of the process. For this to be such an easy transition [which it hardly ever is], I've needed the foundations of historical precedent, my understanding and analysis of the landscape in which the project is being implemented, the overall comprehension of the building's function, and a large part of form making is intuitive. Perhaps its this last piece of the puzzle that Silvetti and others question when defining the problems within the process of producing form. However, in my opinion, one of the greatest attributes that a good architect has is his intuition to create something based on all other factors that fits the context of a landscape and creates a lasting experience.
This article does not stir up any internal angers that I have, or even enough interest to question his logic and reasoning for these four categories and their "definitions". Instead I find myself questioning the tools and methods of the architectural education process today. I think some of Silvetti's broader concerns, "a progressive dissipation of the centrality of our mission as educators to teach and learn rigourously and vigorously about form-making and its consequences, a process that is slowly becoming secondary and peripheral," [22] are very valid; I think that the process of architecture students has become impaired due to new technologies and the lack of historical precedent. I am not about to start a debate about hand vs. digital or how many "building studies" we should all do, in fact I am a strong believer in advancement; however it is the steps we have taken to misuse these technologies that I question. Somewhere I think the necessary constraints that a hand produced processes encompassed are SOMETIMES, not always, lost in its transition to the digital world.
In my experience and understanding of form making, I find it most easily manifested when derived by all the other aspects of the process. For this to be such an easy transition [which it hardly ever is], I've needed the foundations of historical precedent, my understanding and analysis of the landscape in which the project is being implemented, the overall comprehension of the building's function, and a large part of form making is intuitive. Perhaps its this last piece of the puzzle that Silvetti and others question when defining the problems within the process of producing form. However, in my opinion, one of the greatest attributes that a good architect has is his intuition to create something based on all other factors that fits the context of a landscape and creates a lasting experience.
Monday, September 7, 2009
1 + 3 + 9
1 _ architecture will be the main player in a more physically, mentally and socially healthy tomorrow.
+
3 _ given the current well-being of individuals today and the overall predicament of societies in general, there is a dire necessity for public health. modern medicine is a brillant and evolving tool that comes to aid many of these issues, however public health seeks to improve lives through prevention. architecture designed to house and inspire such programs will become the foundation for improved current and future health conditions.
+
9 _ an understanding of the evolution of sport as entertainment instead of activity has thus seen individuals become spectators instead of players. increases in deaths realting to health concerns rise every year, as does the number of structures that house our favorite fast food restaurants that are placed quite abundantly within our urban landscapes. erasing these popular imentities is not in the spectrum of do-able, however efforts to parallel these constructions with an equal number of health facilities that inspire a more positive outlook on the future of our well-being is do-able and should become a major priority. physical culture has always had an unchallengable presence in society. through historical precendent relating to fitness facilities and health care programs, this will aid in guiding an overall programmatic nature of the project. these landscapes and activities have been molded by the society that resides in its context. "Sport is both a relection of the civilisation in which it functions and integrally related to that society's political and social needs." realizing that sport can convey an ideology, the fusion of architecture for sport holds an incrediable amount of potential for the future of individuals and societies. the main aim will be to find reason and justification for the implementation of sustainable health facilities within both urban and rural societies to increase and encourage participation to insure a healthier future.
+
3 _ given the current well-being of individuals today and the overall predicament of societies in general, there is a dire necessity for public health. modern medicine is a brillant and evolving tool that comes to aid many of these issues, however public health seeks to improve lives through prevention. architecture designed to house and inspire such programs will become the foundation for improved current and future health conditions.
+
9 _ an understanding of the evolution of sport as entertainment instead of activity has thus seen individuals become spectators instead of players. increases in deaths realting to health concerns rise every year, as does the number of structures that house our favorite fast food restaurants that are placed quite abundantly within our urban landscapes. erasing these popular imentities is not in the spectrum of do-able, however efforts to parallel these constructions with an equal number of health facilities that inspire a more positive outlook on the future of our well-being is do-able and should become a major priority. physical culture has always had an unchallengable presence in society. through historical precendent relating to fitness facilities and health care programs, this will aid in guiding an overall programmatic nature of the project. these landscapes and activities have been molded by the society that resides in its context. "Sport is both a relection of the civilisation in which it functions and integrally related to that society's political and social needs." realizing that sport can convey an ideology, the fusion of architecture for sport holds an incrediable amount of potential for the future of individuals and societies. the main aim will be to find reason and justification for the implementation of sustainable health facilities within both urban and rural societies to increase and encourage participation to insure a healthier future.
Monday, August 31, 2009
response 1_Mateo
Jose Luis Mateo, in my opinion, is a very daring individual for taking on the challenge of describing and attempting to define an architectural process. Agreeing or disagreeing with his methods and delineation was not my focus when reading this article. Instead, trying to comprehend a fellow architect's thoughts on the importance of a process is one of the most intriguing aspects of architecture.
Mateo's breakdown of the architectural process is defined through three main stages driven with a fixed direction. While I find his overall approach, that is composed from an abstracted idea to a "phantom" with a skin, fairly successful, I think Mateo has almost over-simplified the process, or perhaps intentionally left his steps open for additional stages and these act as guidelines. The most resonating part of this article for me, is his references to this idea of an "organism". Particularly his concept of a process paralleling contamination; "it is like the organic growth of cells which little by little fill the organism eventually to give it flesh and body." [1]
The architectural process thrives on growth; the most difficult part of the process is that there are so many irresolute factors [inspirations, ideas, landscapes, skins, structures, textures, etc.], especially from project to project. The thing I've found in my short architecture experience is that during a project the key is movement; trying new things, realizing when something fits and something else fails, but with this movement comes growth. The growth of knowledge, rigor, problem solving and a greater resolution.
Mateo's breakdown of the architectural process is defined through three main stages driven with a fixed direction. While I find his overall approach, that is composed from an abstracted idea to a "phantom" with a skin, fairly successful, I think Mateo has almost over-simplified the process, or perhaps intentionally left his steps open for additional stages and these act as guidelines. The most resonating part of this article for me, is his references to this idea of an "organism". Particularly his concept of a process paralleling contamination; "it is like the organic growth of cells which little by little fill the organism eventually to give it flesh and body." [1]
The architectural process thrives on growth; the most difficult part of the process is that there are so many irresolute factors [inspirations, ideas, landscapes, skins, structures, textures, etc.], especially from project to project. The thing I've found in my short architecture experience is that during a project the key is movement; trying new things, realizing when something fits and something else fails, but with this movement comes growth. The growth of knowledge, rigor, problem solving and a greater resolution.
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