AC A4 architecture explore and expand

• CKV
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 4

ARCHITECTURE

Architecture explore

“Architects are artist who design.”

A practitioner of architecture is called an architect. Every building has been designed by an architect. As an architect, you cannot just have a house built, you will need a client first. This could be a company, a township or a family. The architect tries to design the building in such a way that it is easy to live, work and do daily things in. 

Architecture is not just about designing buildings, but also about designing cities, landscapes and interiors. Architecture is always about space: the space within a building, but also about the influence of the construction on the surroundings and public space. 

                                          LEARNING GOALS

1. You know the architecture genres and characteristics.
2. You know the difference between traditional and innovative methods.
3. You can apply the characteristics in the in-depth assignment of your choice. 

Go to the next slide and watch the video of the Markthal in Rotterdam. There are some question to be made while watching.

01:03

Which four functions are in the Markthal

1. Houses, Offices, Market, Station
2. Houses, Offices, Station, Parking
3. Houses, Offices, Market, Parking
4. Houses, Market, Station. Parking

01:28

Why is it necessary for the facade to be able to move 70 cm?

01:47

The roof is 10.000m2 and the artwork consists of 4000 plates. How many m2 is one plate?

1. 2500m2
2. 250m2
3. 25m2
4. 2,50m2

Explore  

Today, the tiny houses have become a hype. You will find many examples of this on the internet. The movement, which started in America 10 years ago (locally), has become a trend all over the world (globally).

View the tiny houses on the next slide.

                                                          mooi of lelijk?                                                      

https:

In which of these houses would you like to live?

1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 

If you would design a house yourself, what conditions should your house meet?

 Architecture movements

Read the movements and answer the question on the next slide.

Structuralism

This movement started in The Netherlands as a response to modernism and puts small scale and human sizing first. Structuralism does not know crisp shapes, but rather integrated blocks with plenty of variety, like the KUBUS houses (1964) by Piet Blom in Rotterdam. The houses are tilted and balanced on a corner. Blom calls his design “Stedelijk Dak” (Urban roof) with the structure of a forest, in which people can live like birds in a nest. 

Post-modernism

This international movement also responds to the crisp, functional designs of modernism. Characteristics of postmodern architecture are extravagant colors, free shapes, playful details and the use of styles from the past. The Groninger museum (1994) by Mendini is a well-known example of this in The Netherlands. The Museum consists of three independent islands, each with their own function, shape and building style. Together they form a surprising and multicoloured building. 

Super-modernism

This international movement goes back to crisp and industrial design. However, thanks to computers, it uses striking shapes as well. This results in large scale, sensational buildings which make a statement: Look at me! An example of this are the former ING headquarters. This aluminum and glass shoe is a real eye catcher on the highway near Amsterdam. The building stands on 16 steel pillars and has a transparent glass façade. The nose of the shoe holds an auditorium with 250 seats. 

Modernism

This international movement has been pleading for functional and business architecture with modern industrial materials like concrete and steel, since 1920. “Form follows function” is the basic principle. This results in buildings without decorations, because these are unnecessary. A famous example is the Van Nelle Factory by Brinkman and Van der Vlugt (1931) which has been on the Unesco World Heritage list since 2014. A palace of steel and glass for modern workers, where they can work surrounded by light and space. 

Neo-traditionalism

At the end of the twentieth century, another counter-response to modernist architecture started in The Netherlands. Neo-traditionalism (also known as retro-architecture) returns to the building styles from the past, including canals and squares. Characteristics are a small scale and a village atmosphere. An increasing number of new Dutch housing estates are being built in this traditional Dutch style. Some architecture critics call this style “de nieuwe truttigheid” (the new frumpiness). 

Modernism: This international movement has been pleading for

functional and business architecture with modern industrial materials

like concrete and steel, since 1920. “Form follows function” is the

basic principle. This results in buildings without decorations, because these are unnecessary.

Structuralism: This movement started in The Netherlands as a

response to modernism and puts small scale and human sizing first.

Structuralism does not know crisp shapes, but rather integrated

blocks with plenty of variety, like the KUBUS houses (1964) by Piet

Blom in Rotterdam.

Post-modernism: This international movement also responds to the

crisp, functional designs of modernism. Characteristics of

postmodern architecture are extravagant colours, free shapes,

playful details and the use of styles from the past.

Neo-traditionalism (also known as retro-architecture)

returns to the building styles from the past, including canals and

squares. Characteristics are a small scale and a village atmosphere.

An increasing number of new Dutch housing estates are being built

in this traditional Dutch style.

Super-modernism: This international movement goes back to crisp

and industrial design. However, thanks to computers, it uses striking

shapes as well. This results in large scale, sensational buildings

which make a statement: Look at me!

 ARCHITECTURE characteristics.

Read the characteristics en do the assignment on the next slide.

Function

Traditionally, the shape of a building revealed its function. A church had a bell tower and a courthouse had a stately, classical entrance with pillars. Nowadays, very few architects design traditional, recognizable buildings. As a result, it is not so easy to recognize whether a building is meant to be lived or worked in from the outside. Less traditional buildings often still have an exterior that matches their function. 

Form (shape)

Classical buildings often have symmetrical shapes, a stately façade, a central entrance and ornaments (decorations) that enhance their status. Modernism breaks with this tradition. People no longer build facades that have no connection in form or exterior to the space behind it. Modernists honestly portray how they work: the function determines the form. 

Surroundings

Sometimes, new architecture plays well with the existing surroundings. A new building merges with the rhythm of the façades of the surrounding buildings, for example, by having the same height, shape, colors and materials. But an architect can also choose contrast, and design a building that differs strongly from its surroundings. 

Material

The materials contribute significantly to the appearance of a building. Bank buildings often use fancy materials such as marble. For centuries, masonry and brick have determined the appearance of buildings. In the 19th century, reinforced concrete, steel and glass gave architects unprecedented possibilities. This allowed for bigger and lighter constructions to be designed. 

Construction

 Literally, construction means the assembly of different parts. In architecture, the construction makes sure the building stays upright. The walls, floors and foundation carry the weight together. Skeleton construction is most commonly used in modern architecture. Here, a skeleton of steel and concrete pillars carries the weight and keeps the building upright. 

To do 

You are instructed to design a building in a certain genre. First consider what the function of the building should be. Choose a genre and determine what shape your building will take. Sketch the building, note the proportions. Write down the function and also which materials you will use. Please submit.

 

 ARCHITECTURE EXPAND

In expand, we look at architecture from the perspective of tradition and innovation.

Traditional construction is a construction method in which the outer facades are built brick by brick on the construction site. Concrete floors are also used, which ensures a solid foundation for the house. It is a solid form of building that is most commonly used in the Netherlands.

Innovative construction means that new techniques are used to construct buildings in an energy-neutral and sustainable manner, among other things. Also think of houses that are built with a 3D printer, for example.

Assignmnet:

 Read the texts and and view the accompanying images on the next slide. (you can move and enlarge the images)

 Choose three of the buildings and analyze them based on the five characteristics: Function, Form, surroundings, material and construction. Write it down on an A4 sheet of paper and hand it in.

The courthouse of Rotterdam (1996) has a sturdy, solid square with walls of big blocks of natural stone as its basic form. This creates a strict, closed and authoritarian appearance, which fits in well with a courthouse. 

The Italian architect Massimiliano designed a drop-shaped entrance for a shopping mall in Eindhoven in 2003. This blob consists of convex and hollow shapes, which make the façades and the roof merge seamlessly. The curved glass front creates impressive light reflections. 

The Rokin in Amsterdam has an office that fits in well with its environment in terms of height and façade layout. But this post-modern building distinguishes itself through its playful references to classical architecture and the striking colours and materials, such as shining granite and mirrored glass. This curved, coloured glass reflects the surrounding monumental buildings. 

In 1933, fabric merchant Schunck from Heerlen, had a department store with big glass fronts built. This is a famous example of modernistic architecture in The Netherlands. It is made of concrete, steel and glass and has crisp shapes. Glass can display the merchandise well in daylight. However, it also gives the department store a modern appearance. The public respectfully calls the building “the glass palace”. 

Nowadays, computers can calculate deviant, ingenious constructions. In Arnhem, the whole roof of the train station is carried by a spectacular twist. This construction provides direction for the flows of travelers and it is iconic for the shape of the station hall.