The Language of Architecture 26 Principles Every Architect Should Know

227 Pages·2014·25.66 MB·English

by  Andrea Simitch

the
language
of
architecture
Dedication
To all of our students, from whom we have learned so much. And to Eva and Dax, who have not only
tolerated but infinitely enriched our endless excursions in the interest of architecture.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Simitch, Andrea, author.
  The language of architecture : 26 principles every architect should know / Andrea Simitch + Val Warke.
       pages cm
  Summary: “Learning a new discipline is similar to learning a new language; in order to master the
foundation of architecture, you must first master the basic building blocks of its language - the definitions,
function, and usage. Language of Architecture provides students and professional architects with the
basic elements of architectural design, divided into twenty-six easy-to-comprehend chapters. «-- Provided
by publisher.
  ISBN 978-1-59253-858-4 (paperback)
 1.  Architecture.  I. Warke, Val K., author. II. Title.
  NA2550.S56 2014
  720--dc23 2014008552

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
ISBN: 978-1-59253-858-4
Digital edition published in 2014
eISBN: 978-1-62788-048-0
Design: Poulin + Morris Inc.
Page layout and production: tabula rasa graphic design
Cover image: Pezo von Ellrichshausen/www.pezo.cl
Photo: Cristobal Palma
Printed in China
Andrea Simitch and Val Warke
With essays contributed by
Iñaqui Carnicero
Steven Fong
K. Michael Hays
David J. Lewis
the
Richard Rosa II
Jenny Sabin
Jim Williamson
language
of
architecture
26 Principles Every
Architect Should Know
contents
Introduction
6
ELEMENTS PHYSICAL SUBSTANCES
1 Analysis 7 Mass
8 64
2 Concept 8 Structure
18 72
3 Representation 9 Surface
26 82
10 Materials
GIVENS 88
4 Program
36
EPHEMERAL SUBSTANCES
5 Context 11 Space
48 100
6 Environment 12 Scale
58 108
13 Light
116
14 Movement
124
CONCEPTUAL DEVICES CONSTRUCTIVE POSSIBILITIES
15 Dialogue 24 Fabrication
132 196
16 Tropes 25 Prefabrication
138 202
17 Defamiliarization
144 CONCLUDING
26 Presentation
208
18 Transformation
150
Glossary
216
ORGANIZATIONAL DEVICES
19 Infrastructure Bibliography
156 217
Contributor Directory
218
20 Datum
164
Photographer Credits
219
21 Order
172
Index
220
22 Grid About the Authors
180 224
Acknowledgments
224
23 Geometry
188
introduction
It is our hope to stimulate old and new interests in architecture, to share an enthusiasm for some venerable sheds
and evocative cathedrals, and to introduce the limitless poetics that can be composed in architecture’s language.
Tireless debate has always focused on the the stop near my home.” But it is clear that our elementary concept of the meaning of
qualities that could cause a building to be those constructions we describe as “works of “dog” becomes complicated by the various
described as “architecture.” Nikolaus Pevsner, architecture” tend to convey countless levels affects of context, by our knowledge of
who famously declared that “A bicycle shed of meaning to numerous unique observers dramatic genres, of precedent, of poetic
is a building; Lincoln Cathedral is a piece of over an indefinite number of years. Perhaps, language, and, if heard during a perfor-
architecture,” assumes that human habitation then, architecture might be understood to mance, by the actor’s verbal and physical
is a characteristic of all buildings, while be comparable to a “thick,” poetic language. inflections. Clearly, Shakespeare’s “dog” is
architecture transcends building because of One of the traits of any language is much more than that furry four-legged beast
its aesthetic aspirations. Other arguments that it provides a system that can convey once in the room.
have been based on issues as indeterminate meaning. When being introduced to a new Meaning in architecture is similarly
as emotional resonance (in other words, language—when one first learns to speak as complex, both profound and open ended.
architecture, unlike building, stirs our an infant or when one attempts to learn a Such meaning is inevitably compounded by
emotions), as reductive as professionalism second language—meaning is generally architecture’s lengthy processes of production,
(architecture is by architects), as evaluative direct and singular. To the infant, a “dog” is by the vast array of individuals responsible for
as historical appraisal (architecture is what a the furry four-legged beast in the room. To every stage of that production, by the final
culture has deemed as significant, or what the first-time speaker of Italian, “cane” is construction’s relationships with its various
has proven to be significant through time), directly associated with one among that contexts, by its interrelationships with other
and as limitless as inclusivism (all construc- general group of animals we know as “dogs.” known elements of architectural expression,
tions are architecture, perhaps even those by However, after becoming familiar with more and by the unique pasts and presents of each
other species, such as the hives of bees or complex levels of language—with poetry, individual who observes the final construc-
the dams of beavers). slang, mythology, and allegory, for example— tion. Architecture is further complicated by
Parallel to these discussions, analogies a more sophisticated notion of meaning is the fact that each design is a testing ground
to language have been frequent, varied, and required. For example, when Shakespeare for a number of associated concepts drawn
inevitable throughout the history of archi- has Hamlet say: from history, theory, technology, and even
tecture. The fact is that every building, from representation. For this reason, many attempts
a bicycle shed to a bus stop, is capable of “Let Hercules himself do what he may, at defining a language of architecture have
meaning something to someone: “Here, I can The cat will mew and dog will have his day.” necessarily been reductive. Like textbook
protect my bike from the rain,” or “This is Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act V, Scene 1 translations of elementary Italian, they
become simple exercises in decoding, with but more ephemeral substances—space, scale, We address this book to several
no regard for syntax, idioms, voice, genre, light, and movement—that serve to make different audiences. For those just com-
and so on. the physical substances legible. Four chapters mencing studies in architecture, we hope to
For these reasons, this book is not on the conceptual devices that frequently introduce the potential breadth and depth of
intended to be an exhaustive or definitive contribute to what might be understood as the field while showing some of the works—
lexicon of architectural ideas. Such an effort the poetics of architecture—dialogue, tropes, by both students and well-known practitio-
would be futile. It is instead an introduction defamiliarization, and transformation—are ners—that might inspire or even provoke.
to what we believe—after over sixty years followed by five chapters that discuss the Those who have already embarked on one of
of combined experience in architectural operations of architecture’s diverse organiza- the various aspects of architectural practice
education—to be some of the more vital tional devices: infrastructure, datum, order, might find in the text a series of subtle
fundamentals of architectural design. Just as grid, and geometry. Finally, two chapters reminders, a mine of possibilities. Each
the English alphabet is arbitrarily limited to concerning some of the considerations chapter includes a short essay that brings
twenty-six letters, we have limited ourselves an architect might have for the implicit greater depth to the chapter’s theme and
to just twenty-six elements, each described possibility of construction—fabrication may suggest further inquiry for those
in its own chapter. and prefabrication—are followed by a final interested in architectural history, theory,
We have organized the text so that we chapter on what is usually the culmination or criticism. And finally, for those of our
begin with three chapters that introduce the of the design process for most architects colleagues interested in developing a
essential elements one needs to develop a and students of architecture: presentation. curriculum in beginning design, we intend
visual language and the skills for critical And we illustrate these chapters each chapter to germinate an idea that
thinking: analysis, concept, and representa- throughout with some of the more might foster its own design exercise or that
tion. We follow with three of the elements distinctive and expressive examples of could suggest more elaborate problems
that are generally considered to be among architecture’s language. From the gran- when combined with other themes. 6
the givens of any design process: program, diloquent to the slang, from the epic to In short, it is our hope to stimulate old
context, and environment. Then, we turn to the everyday, projects are culled from and new interests in architecture, to share
7
what might be considered the substances of the great masters of architecture, from an enthusiasm for some venerable sheds and
architecture. After introducing the physical notable contemporary practitioners and evocative cathedrals, and to introduce the
substances—mass, structure, surface, and from students around the world who have limitless poetics that can be composed in
material—we consider the equally palpable, confronted these issues in their studies. architecture’s language.
Analysis is the process of exploration and
E
R
U
T discovery with which an architect develops
C
E
T
I
H
C a familiarity with the assumptions,
R
A
F
O
E expectations, and conditions that are
G
A
U
G
N
given and then establishes the conceptual
A
L
E
H
T
lens through which all design decisions
are subsequently made.