LECTURE 11
ARTICLE READING
Is context today more important, less importance, or of the same importance as it was a century ago? Compare one contemporary case study and one case study from roughly a century ago.
Understand the local context are important for designer to produces a good building design, this concept has existed long before and it still play an important role in today’s architecture. It proved that context is still as important as what It was a century ago.
Context in architecture is a principle of design in which the structure is designed in response to its specific urban and natural environment. In an architectural sense, context can be defined as giving meaning to the various parts of a building through reference to its wider surroundings. Context are classified into two, physical and non-physical. Roads, building and land contour are example for physical element while non-physical elements are weather condition, local culture, as well as political constraints.
To me, context and architecture are inseparable and it still as important as the past. The context determines the architectural style, building material selection and site layout, which is very important in creating an effective design. All these promote continuity between the building and local circumstances.
The house was meant to compliment its site while still competing with the drama of the falls and their endless sounds of crashing water. The power of the falls is always felt, not visually but through sound, as the breaking water could constantly be heard throughout the entire house. The materials of the structure blend with the colorings of rocks and trees.
Twentieth century architecture has been dominated by the use of new technologies, building techniques and construction materials. All the new exploration has lead to a new concern of design called regional architecture style. Regional architecture style developed during the late-1960s, it suggested that architecture should have reference to its particular physical, cultural and political contexts. It is built by architects integrating the local available resources with modern ones. This development was inspired by the recognition by architects of the importance of restoring harmony between people, artifacts and nature within a modern context. Until now this concept are still widely used by architects all over the world.
Without changing much of the concept, regional architect has slowly evolved to another level which named Critical regionalism, which widely used in contemporary architecture nowadays. is a regional architecture approach that seeks universality. It should seek to adopt modern architecture critically for its universal progressive qualities, at the same time as considering and valuing responses particular to the context. It seeks to respond to the lack of meaning in modernism by using contextual references to assume a sense of place and meaning.
CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE
20th CENTURY'S ARCHITECTURE
FALLING WATER (1939)
In architecture nowadays, does context playing the same important role as it in the past? I believe it does. Sayama Forest Chapel designed by Hiroshi Nakamura. It is located in a nature-rich environment adjacent to the water conservation forest, and the site itself is in front of a deep forest. She envisioned an architecture that reflects on the way of life as it lives by the water conserved by the forest, and eventually returns to this place after death. Thereupon, she found the forest to be the subject of prayer that is mutual to various religions and conceptualized an architecture that prays to the forest while surrounded by trees.
Falling water was one of the most recognizable architecture in the world, it is a great example of contextual architecture in the 90’s. According to Frank Lloyd Wright, it was built to redefined the relationship between man, architecture, and nature. Falling water is located among the woods area, with a river over.
Economical condition at those days allows the wide usage of concrete construction , therefore he invented a cantilever fully constructed by concrete , but not considering about the manipulated of context. But , It is still context considered as we seen at those days , glass is used / openings are everywhere , so there is no medium in between human and site .
The architect want to create a space that devotes to the forest that is transcendent in its existence, by tilting the wall inward to avoid the tree branches and leaves. The patterns and seams of the slate extend towards the vanishing point deep into the forest to help one concentrate the mind on the forest. Using origin of the materials which can found by the site, which is timber to create sense of building blending int the site and to show respect to the existing context of site. With this, the house will show the same language as the site does.
SAYAMA FOREST CHAPEL (2013)
CONCLUSION
In a nutshell, from the comparison, I think that context for both contemporary architecture and architecture of century ago are of the same important. Difference era required difference type of concern in context, it brings the unity and relationship between the building and its surrounding. It also provide the identity of the building itself.