03718 - Architectural Composition I (B)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student acquires the different ways of experiencing the architectural project as an intervention and transformation in the city, in particular by reflecting on the relationship between existing urban structures and the surrounding green space. With a critical reflection on the sustainable use of resources architectural typologies are investigated in order to evaluate their performance in regard to their regenerative potential. The student, through the development of the project, is able to design diverse typologies at different scales, from traditional to modernist solutions aiming at the revision and hybridization of contemporary and historical architectural language for the realization of the new paradigm of the 'regenerative city'.

Course contents

The Regenerative City

The studio is centered around the question regeneration in regard to the development strategy of the site, which consists of a large green area and an existing context marked by industrial buildings and residential types.

On the backdrop on the current debate on sustainability the regenerative use of ressources and the maintanance of green space is set as the main intentions for the project development.

Therefor the existing structures have to be reused as much as the selected program allows a trasnformation. In order to keep the existing green spaces and maintain the permeability of the ground, the footprints of the buildings have to be minimized, and new green spaces added.

In reference to post-war modernism (based on the research of architecture references from the 1950s to 1970s) the modernist approach is revised in order to develope hybrid typologies between locally specific component types and modernst/contemporary language.

Beyond the given task for the site the studio 'The Regenerative City' is also addressing the question: How can architectural typologies be developed according to context specific as well global conditions?

Readings/Bibliography

- FRAMPTON, Kenneth; Storia dell'architettura moderna, Zanichelli 1982

- GEHL, Jan; Vita in città: spazio urbano e relazioni sociali, Maggioli 1991

- KAHN, Louis; Forma y Diseño, Nueva Vision 1965

- LYNCH Kevin; Progettare la città: la qualità della forma urbana, ETAS libri 1990

- MONEO, Rafael; La solitudine degli edifici e altri scritti, Allemandi

Teaching methods

The teaching is organized in three phases, an itroductory research phase in the beginning followed by a concept design phase, and the development of the project design (up to the details and the performative qualities).

1 During the research phase the students analyze an exsiting reference buildig, which serves as a template to find conceptual ideas and the main guiding questions for architectural develoment.
The site research is undertakenn on the basis of a photographic research and the production of a site model in scale 1/100.
For the programmatic cosntellation of the mixed use project, a distribution of the spatial program is defined.

2 The concept design phase is marked by the schematic development based on coherant conceptual approach. The concept describes the main intentions of the project, whereas the project narrtive is determining athospheric and other perfomative qualities including emational aspects.

3 In the design phase the project is elaborated on the basis of the established concept and translated into materiality and detail. A special focus is put on the performative qualities and the user experience.
With an emphasis on graphic representation the final phase is not only serving for the elaboration of the presentation (communication to an external audience), but also for deepening the design tools and finding an architectural expression through the cultivation of drawings, models and other visual representations.

Assessment methods

The assessment is based on the evaluation of the final presentation but als of the whole research and design process according to the following distribution:

10% Research development (reference + site)
20% Concept development
30% Design development
40% Final presentation

 

Office hours

See the website of Rainer Hehl