The Changing Shape of Architecture: Further Cases of Integrating Research and Design in Practice

207 Pages·2019·179.768 MB·English

by  Michael U. Hensel (editor), Fredrik Nilsson (editor)

The Changing Shape
of Architecture
The discipline of architecture is currently undergoing a significant Works undertaken by OCEAN are included in the Prints and
change as professional practice and academia seem to be Photographs Division of the Library of Congress in the United
transforming one another specifically through succinct research States and the FRAC Centre (Fonds Regional d’Art Contemporain)
undertakings. This book continues the discussion started in The in Orléans, France, and have been exhibited at various Venice
Changing Shape of Practice – Integrating Research and Design in Architectural Biennales. Hensel has co-pioneered the field of
Architecture on architectural offices’ modes of research and lines research-by-design in architecture and has an extensive track-
of inquiry in architecture and how they reshape practice. The book record in research, research strategy development, implementation
aims to contribute to the mapping and discussion on research in and assessment. He has authored, co-authored and edited
architectural practice and its transformational impact and gives numerous books and journals, including Performance-oriented
input to the discussions on where the architectural profession is Architecture – Rethinking Architectural Design and the Environment
heading. (2013), Grounds and Envelopes – Reshaping Architecture and the
Built Environment together with Jeffrey P. Turko (2015), and The
In this second volume, various research initiatives and modes Changing Shape of Practice – Integrating Research and Design in
in architectural practices are portrayed. The book also includes Architecture with Fredrik Nilsson (2016).
contributions that broaden the scope and put the developments
into larger contexts, and present an overview of developments Fredrik Nilsson is an architect, Professor of Architectural
from different regional perspectives and of various social aspects Theory, and Head of the Department of Architecture and
of architecture. It also relates the developments in practice to Civil Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology. He
educational efforts and to initiatives where the more traditional was Head of Research in Practice at Älvstranden Utveckling
role of architects is challenged. AB 2017–2018, and has a background as Partner at White
Arkitekter, where he worked 2000–2017 and was Head of
The contributions include chapters by Walter Unterrainer, Anthony Research and Development 2007–2014. His research is directed
Burke, Renée Cheng and Andrea J. Johnson, and Michael U. Hensel, to developments in contemporary architecture, architectural
and on the practices atelier d’architecture autogérée, Helen & Hard, theory, architectural methodology and practice, especially the
MVRDV and The Why Factory, NADAAA & Nader Tehrani, Nordic – epistemology of architecture and interaction between theory,
Office of Architecture, Schmidt Hammer Lassen, Skidmore, Owings conceptual thinking and design work, aiming to reinforce
& Merrill, Void, Sarah Wigglesworth Architects, and Älvstranden exchange between research and architectural practice. He was
Utveckling. director of the strong research environment in architectural
theories and methods ‘Architecture in the Making: Architecture
Michael U. Hensel, Prof. Dr., is a practicing architect, researcher, as a Making Discipline and Material Practice’ funded by the
educator and writer and chair of Digital Architecture and Planning Swedish research council Formas 2011–2017. He is author and
at the Technical University in Vienna. In practice, research and editor of several books and frequently publishes in academic
education his work currently focuses on three main themes: [i] and professional contexts. Among his recent publications
performance-oriented architectures, [ii] integrative information- are The Changing Shape of Practice – Integrating Research and
based design, and [iii] interdisciplinary and practice-oriented Design in Architecture with Michael U. Hensel (2016), and
integrated research and teaching in architecture. His architectural Perspectives on Research Assessment in Architecture, Music and the
works are experimental and innovation-focused. He is founding Arts – Discussing Doctorateness with Halina Dunin-Woyseth and Nel
and acting chairman of the OCEAN Design Research Association. Janssens (2017).

The Changing Shape
of Architecture
FURTHER CASES OF INTEGRATING
RESEARCH AND DESIGN IN PRACTICE
Edited by
Michael U. Hensel and Fredrik Nilsson
First published 2019
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2019 Michael U. Hensel and Fredrik Nilsson.
The right of Michael U. Hensel and Fredrik Nilsson to be identified as
the authors of the editorial material, and of the authors for their
individual chapters, has been asserted in accordance with sections
77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted
or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic,
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Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Hensel, Michael U., editor. | Nilsson, Fredrik, 1965- editor.
Title: The changing shape of architecture : further cases of integrating
research and design in practice / edited by Michael U. Hensel and
Fredrik Nilsson.
Description: New York : Routledge, 2019. | Includes bibliographical
references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018044813| ISBN 9781138240254 (hardback) |
ISBN 9781138240285 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781315284095 (e-book)
Subjects: LCSH: Architectural practice. | Architecture--Research.
Classification: LCC NA1995 .C42 2019 | DDC 720.1--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018044813
ISBN: 978-1-138-24025-4 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-138-24028-5 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-28409-5 (ebk)
Typeset in ITC Officina Sans by
Servis Filmsetting Ltd, Stockport, Cheshire
Contents
Acknowledgements vii
List of contributors viii
CHAPTER 1 Current changes in conditions and contexts for architectural research and practice: a brief introduction 1
Michael U. Hensel and Fredrik Nilsson
CHAPTER 2 Emerging exit strategies 14
Walter Unterrainer
CHAPTER 3 Prototyping practice 23
Anthony Burke
CHAPTER 4 Consortium for Research Practices: closing the knowledge loop between education and practice through research 31
Renée Cheng and Andrea J. Johnson
CHAPTER 5 Evolving contours in rethinking – reskilling – retooling: life-long learning, research capacities and lateral networking 43
Michael U. Hensel
CHAPTER 6 atelier d’architecture autogérée: transgressive practices for resilient urban agency 59
Doina Petrescu, Constantin Petcou and Fredrik Nilsson
CHAPTER 7 The research and relational designs of Helen & Hard 69
Siv Stangeland and Michael U. Hensel
CHAPTER 8 MVRDV + The Why Factory: factoring the why in design practice 92
Winy Maas, Javier Arpa and Fredrik Nilsson
CHAPTER 9 On the necessity of messy research: Nader Tehrani 101
Brandon Clifford
CHAPTER 10 Nordic – Office of Architecture: an account of current research efforts 111
John Arne Bjerknes, Kristine Andrule, Marcus Enskat, Christian Henriksen, Bridget White and John Christer Høiby
CHAPTER 11 Schmidt Hammer Lassen: giving and gaining – co-creating knowledge and exploring practice at SHL 125
Trine Berthold and Fredrik Nilsson
CHAPTER 12 Skidmore, Owings & Merrill: building on the legacy of technological and architectural innovation 137
Daniel Cashen and Neil Katz
iv | v
| Contents
CHAPTER 13 Into < > out of the Void 147
Joakim Wiig Hoen and Michael U. Hensel
CHAPTER 14 Ideal pragmatists: research work at Sarah Wigglesworth Architects 156
Sarah Wigglesworth
CHAPTER 15 Designing fusion points of urban design, practice and research: the case of Älvstranden Utveckling and
RiverCity Gothenburg 165
Fredrik Nilsson, Lena Andersson and Åsa Swan
Bibliography 181
Index 185
vi | vii
Acknowledgements
This book continues the discussion started in The Changing We sought, wherever possible, to obtain the contribution of
Shape of Practice: Integrating Research and Design in Architecture authors that are external to the portrayed practices or to pair the
published in 2016, which was the first book that derived from former with authors from within the practices. Due to the different
several years of sustained research effort and a paralleling character and content of the contributions this was not possible in
symposium series that continues now into its fifth year. We would all cases. It is our sincere hope that this quite diverse handling is
like to thank our collaborators Walter Unterrainer and Murray adequate and gives justice to each contribution and its usefulness
Fraser, who have joined the project and generously contributed to to the reader.
its development.
We would also like to forward our warmest thanks to all colleagues
We would like to extend our special gratitude to Francesca Ford, and students that have given us input and feedback in discussions
commissioning editor of Routledge, for her persistent support and on this project and the previous books in different contexts during
enthusiasm for this project that made both the previous and this these years. We are grateful for the support we have received
book possible. We thank the contributing authors and practices from our universities, Technical University Vienna, Oslo School of
for their generosity and insightful contributions, our committed Architecture and Chalmers University of Technology, and for the
project editor Trudy Varcianna and production editor Elizabeth funding from the Swedish Research Council Formas in relation to
Spicer for support and patience, and our copyeditor Victoria Brown the research environment ‘Architecture in the Making’ in which
for her committed work and attention to detail. parts of this research have been conducted. We would also like to
thank the Technical University Munich for continued support.
As such this book follows up the discussion set out in Design
Innovation for the Built Environment: Research by Design and the Producing this second book has again been extremely informative
Renovation of Practice (Hensel 2012) and The Changing Shape of and contributes to a better understanding of the ways in which
Practice: Integrating Research and Design in Architecture (Hensel practice is changing due to an increasing amount of research
and Nilsson 2016) with particular focus on how current modes in practice. These changes reshape the architectural profession
of research and lines of inquiry in architectural practices impacts as well as the educational, academic and societal contexts of
upon the reshaping of practice. In addition to portraying more architecture. We look forward to further developments in the field
practices we also asked for a series of contributions that portray and the related continual transformation of architectural practice
developments of practice from a larger or a regional perspective and hope that this second book contributes to an understanding of
and that relate developments and needs in practice to educational where practice is moving.
efforts.
vi | vii
Contributors
Contributors
Contributors
EDITORS council Formas 2011–2017. He is author and editor of several
books and frequently publishes in academic and professional
Michael U. Hensel, Prof. Dr., is a practicing architect, researcher, contexts. Among his recent publications are The Changing Shape
educator and writer and chair of Digital Architecture and Planning of Practice: Integrating Research and Design in Architecture with
at the Technical University in Vienna. In practice, research and Michael Hensel (2016), and Perspectives on Research Assessment
education his work currently focuses on three main themes: [i] in Architecture, Music and the Arts: Discussing Doctorateness with
performance-oriented architectures, [ii] integrative information- Halina Dunin-Woyseth and Nel Janssens (2017).
based design, and [iii] interdisciplinary and practice-oriented
integrated research and teaching in architecture. His architectural
works are experimental and innovation-focused. He is founding
and acting chairman of the OCEAN Design Research Association. CONTRIBUTORS
Works undertaken by OCEAN are included in the Prints and
Photographs Division of the Library of Congress in the United Lena Andersson is CEO of Älvstranden Utveckling AB and
States and the FRAC Centre (Fonds Regional d’Art Contemporain) an architect educated at Chalmers University of Technology,
in Orléans, France, and have been exhibited at various Venice Gothenburg. She has a long experience as a practicing architect,
Architectural Biennales. Hensel has co-pioneered the field of having worked at architectural offices such as Lundberg Arkitekter
research-by-design in architecture and has an extensive track- and Arkitektstudion in Gothenburg, but has for several years
record in research, research strategy development, implementation mainly worked in client and developer roles. Before starting as CEO
and assessment. He has authored, co-authored and edited at Älvstranden, she was Head of Project and Land Development at
numerous books and journals, including Performance-oriented HSB in Gothenburg. HSB is one of the leading housing companies
Architecture: Rethinking Architectural Design and the Environment in Sweden, a cooperative owned by the members, which develops,
(2013), Grounds and Envelopes: Reshaping Architecture and the builds and manages housing for over 1 million people. At HSB
Built Environment together with Jeffrey P. Turko (2015), and The Lena worked with strategic property business, early stages of
Changing Shape of Practice: Integrating Research and Design in design processes and detailed development planning with a focus
Architecture with Fredrik Nilsson (2016). on dialogue processes, for instance in developing new design and
planning approaches in the project for Nya Hovås, Gothenburg.
Fredrik Nilsson is an architect, Professor of Architectural She worked mainly with housing but with a broad perspective on
Theory, and Head of the Department of Architecture and urban development. At Älvstranden Lena contributed to the large
Civil Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology. He expansion of the company, and its strong profile on sustainable
was Head of Research in Practice at Älvstranden Utveckling development and urban design.
AB 2017–2018, and has a background as Partner at White
Arkitekter, where he worked 2000–2017 and was Head of Kristine Andrule is an architectural technologist, BIM specialist
Research and Development 2007–2014. His research is directed and techno-anthropologist working at Nordic — Office of
to developments in contemporary architecture, architectural Architecture. Her work is of an interdisciplinary research nature
theory, architectural methodology and practice, especially the and combines both Technology and Social studies. Her Masters
epistemology of architecture and interaction between theory, thesis from Aalborg University (AAU) investigated knowledge
conceptual thinking and design work, aiming to reinforce exchange exchange in the BIM environment and how different experts
between research and architectural practice. He was director of produce and transmit architectural information. Her versatile
the strong research environment in architectural theories and approach has given her insight into the actions, challenges and
methods ‘Architecture in the Making: Architecture as a Making needs of different people and cultures within the architectural
Discipline and Material Practice’ funded by the Swedish research community. Through studying online communities during her
viii | ix
Contributors |
education, Kristine developed a keen interest in exploring and Science and Technology, and is a frequent speaker for the National
identifying human interactions and technology in intersectional Association of Norwegian Architects’ Architectural Academy
spaces. A key member of Nordic’s research group, she uses and SINTEF’s (the largest independent research organisation in
her interdisciplinary background to build bridges between the Scandinavia) post-graduation programmes. He is also in charge of
technological expert cultures and users of the new technologies Nordic’s resource group for early phase design.
within the architectural field.
Anthony Burke is a Professor of Architecture and Associate Dean
Javier Arpa is the Research and Education Coordinator of the Why in the Faculty of Design Architecture and Building at the University
Factory, TU Delft, and holds a position of lecturer at the University of Technology Sydney and director of Offshore Studio. A graduate
of Pennsylvania. Javier has been guest lecturer at Harvard and of Columbia University, Anthony is recognized internationally
Columbia Universities in the USA, ENSA-Bellevile and ENSA- for his work in architectural design, curation and commentary,
Versailles in France, and IE University in Spain. He was the curator specializing in contemporary design theory at the intersection of
of the exhibitions ‘Paris Habitat’ and ‘Paysages Habités’, both held technology, urbanism and practice. Anthony combines scholarly
at the Pavillon de l’Arsenal in Paris, and is the author of Paris research with design practice and curation. He has published
Habitat: One Hundred Years of City, One Hundred Years of Life. In several books and many articles on Architecture, and is the founder
2013, he co-organized the conference ‘The City That Never Was’ in and chair of Open Agenda, an annual speculative design research
cooperation with the Architectural League of New York. As lecturer competition, exhibition and publication for emerging Australian
and researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, he is currently architects. In 2012 Anthony co-directed the Australian Pavilion
conducting the research project ‘Africa: An Atlas of Speculative at the Venice Architecture Biennale, presenting Formations; New
Urbanization’, and curated the exhibition ‘African Speculations’ at practices in Australian Architecture. In 2013 Anthony curated
the Kuala Lumpur Architecture Festival in 2017. Javier was Editor the Architecture and Design Symposium Architecture Makes the
in Chief for a+t research group, and he is the co-author of a+t’s City for the fortieth anniversary celebrations of the opening of
Density, Hybrids, Civilities, In Common and Strategy series. He the Sydney Opera House. He has been exhibited at venues such
has worked for a number of architecture firms in Argentina, The as SFMoMA, the Venice Architecture Biennale, Beyond Media in
Netherlands, Spain and France, and led several urban planning Florence and the Beijing Architecture Biennale. Anthony currently
projects in China. chairs the Droga Architectural Residency Committee, and is a
regular contributor to architectural media and public forums as an
Trine Berthold is an architect and partner of LOOP architects, animated advocate for design and architecture.
and was partner at the global architectural firm Schmidt Hammer
Lassen Architects 2003–2018. She has led some of Schmidt Daniel Cashen is an Associate Director at Skidmore, Owings &
Hammer Lassen’s most significant competition wins for cultural and Merrill LLP (SOM). With more than 8 years of experience at SOM,
civic projects, including the Karlshamn Culture House and Library he has contributed to some of the firm’s most high-profile projects.
in Sweden; the Sir Duncan Rice Library in Aberdeen, Scotland; His approach focuses on an ‘integrated design’ workflow, in which
and the Sports and Culture Campus of Gellerup located outside of a project’s planning, site constraints, performance parameters, and
her hometown of Aarhus, Denmark. Trine was a key figure in the design criteria are consolidated into a singular, synthetic product.
development of Dokk1/Urban Media Space in Aarhus, Scandinavia’s He leads SOM’s New York office in research on virtual reality and on
largest public library, which represents a new generation of advanced visualization and simulation. The goals of this research
modern hybrid libraries. Known for her use of drawings as a are to streamline the early phases of design, to improve SOM’s
tool for communication and development of architecture, Trine ability to solve complex problems, and to enhance communication
initiated the annual, international student competition ‘Drawing between architects and clients. Daniel’s projects mainly include
of the Year’, focused on architectural drawing and launched at the mixed-use high rises and are concentrated in China and the MENA
Aarhus School of Architecture in 2013. Trine was Vice Dean of the region. Through his work, he has extensive experience with a wide
Aarhus School of Architecture 2014–2017, with a special focus on range of contextual constraints as they relate to each respective
international partnerships. She lectures regularly about libraries market. Projects for which he has applied his integrated design
and architecture across the globe. methods include the Guiyang Cultural Plaza Tower in Guiyang and
the Hangzhou Wangchao Center in Hangzhou, which are both in
John Arne Bjerknes is a partner and design director at Nordic — China. Daniel received his Master in Architecture AP degree from
Office of Architecture. He has extensive experience in design, the Harvard Graduate School of Design, has served as a guest critic
development and planning of projects within a variety of sectors in several schools, and is an active contributor to the Council on
and sizes. He is engaged as a diploma examiner and lecturer at Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
the Department of Architecture at the Norwegian University of
viii | ix