Through this paper a comparative representation on the definition and background of the evolution of critical regionalism will be explored. Moreover through this essay, the arguments of how ‘Ando’s’ architectural approach is of a ‘critical regionalist’ manner will be examined significantly.
The definition of critical regionalism is a direct approach to architecture that strives to oppose ‘placelessness’ and the apparent lack of identity and character in modern architecture through the use of building's geographical context. The term ‘critical regionalism’ was first established as a concept in the 1980s through papers written by Tzonis, Lefaivre and Kenneth Frampton. Throughout Frampton’s writings he mentions and somewhat commemorates Tadao Ando as a critical regionalist and uses the specific advance as a theory to discuss Ando’s architecture (Frampton, 1983).
Regardless of this ‘label’, Tadao Ando has not used the term “critical Regionalism” in relation to his work, nor has he made any objection about the term being labelled to him. In addition, Frampton’s article “Towards a Critical Regionalism” fails to mention Ando and this provokes an array of questions about whether an appropriate term to describe the architecture of Ando is “critical regionalist” (Frampton, 1983). Furthermore an alternative label, “concrete regionalist” was devised and formulated by Catherine Slessor, currently an editor of the Architectural Review (Slessor, 2000). This expression “concrete regionalist” illustrates Ando’s somewhat poetic and insightful adaptation of concrete with reference to the context of the local area, therefore reducing the ‘critical’ characteristics of both Ando’s theoretical and practical approach towards architecture (2000, p....
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... critical history’ – Kenneth Frampton
‘Towards a Critical Regionalism’ - Kenneth Frampton
‘The Geometry of Human Space’ – Tadao Ando
‘Border Literary Histories, Globalization, and Critical Regionalism’ - José E. Limón
‘The edges of the earth: critical regionalism as an aesthetics of the singular’ - Warwick Mules
‘Tadao Ando: The Yale Studio and Current Works’ – Kenneth Frampton
‘Shaking the Foundations: Japanese Architects in Dialogue’ - Christophe Knabe and Joerg Rainer Noennig.
‘The Japanese New Wave’ - Kenneth Frampton
‘Towards a Critical Regionalism: Six Points for an Architecture of Resistance’ - Kenneth Frampton
‘Concrete Regionalism’ - Catherine Slessor
‘Universal Civilization and National Cultures’ - Paul Ricoeur
‘The Grid and the Pathway’ - Alexander Tzonis and Liane Lefaivre
‘The South in Architecture’ - Lewis Mumford
By giving the biographies of architects Richard Neutra and Robert Alexander, Hines does nothing to remedy his aimless writing. He writes that Neutra had a variety of experience as an archi...
In literature, both regionalism and naturalism are derived from realism. Regionalism describes specific regional landscapes and reveals that area’s form of communication and customs. On the other hand, naturalism focuses more on society, the environment, spirits, and the concepts that are beyond what our brains are capable of comprehending; more or less, the facts. Although both make for a diverse set of literature work, they seem to interlink in ways. For instance, both regionalism and naturalism expose the reality of life and the struggles that humans face.
Throughout history, architecture has been employed in the service of politics, as symbols of the state. Architecture is therefore shaped by the national traditions in the pursuit of projects of identity, modernity, power, and prestige. A building is not merely a walled structure, but a metaphor for national ideology as it embodies the civic life of the citizens that it houses, as well as the ideals of the nation within which it resides. This paper will explore three varying architectural periods and examine the interaction between nationalism and the building styles that developed either as a means to express it.
This explains why for ‘many directors, commercial and industrial architecture are just a necessary shell for their business processes’ (Susanne-Knittel Ammerschuber (2006) pg10). They consider dimensions for example surfaces, floor levels and converted space to be the stand out feature of this corporate architecture. Through doing this, the architectural ethos is overlooked during design. The architectural potential is therefore limited as it tends to overlook the surrounding context; the urban environment, local identity as well as the surrounding landscape design. Instead it...
Sean Godsell’s career as an architect has been inspired by his interest in Asian architecture and it’s geographical immediacy to Australia, in particular the use of spatial devices within a structure. He talks of 'the connected plan', an interior that can be divided, traversed, or opened up at will. (INTEXT REF) This topic discussed in detail throughout the essay. When studying both localized and regionalist approaches to design it is clear that Godsell has taken on board all areas of this topic and his broad oeuvre represents this. There is an evident focus upon a localized approach to architecture, with his projects an observable response to their immediate surrounds in the landscape. In particular Godsell’s Glenburn house and The Carter Tucker House. Regionally speaking, as already mentioned, it is evident in almost all of Godsell’s works that he reflects upon and draws inspiration from neighboring Asian countries, drawing key elements and applying them respectively to his localized approach. Some prime cases of Godsell’s regionalist approach are his Peninsula house and also the St Andrews Beach House. Godsell; all the while responding to local and regionalist influences has put a lot of time into creating entirely flexible public dwellings, emergency housing, which can be adjusted and enhanced to whatever conditions they are placed in. This paper will draw examples of emergency housing from Future Shack, Park Bench House and also Bus Shelter House.
In R.T. Legates, & F. Stout (Eds.). (2009).The City Reader. (4th Ed.) New York, NY. Routledge.
Sometimes the best revolutions are those that are forgotten. At least in the short run. And so it is with Robert Venturi, a revolutionary and remarkable architect. While he may not be as celebrated as Frank Lloyd Wright, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, or Louis Kahn, Venturi leaves behind a forceful intellectual legacy that is perhaps more durable than any building. By condemning the functionalism, simplicity, and orthodoxy of modernism in Contradiction and Complexity in Architecture (1966), he instigated an enduring architectural rebellion. This rebellion continues to run its course today. Notably, Venturi’s ideas sparked and profoundly influenced postmodernism, an international style whose buildings span from the beautiful to the gaudy and vulgar. Ultimately, Venturi’s alternative to modernism succeeded because he prized human experience and the interaction of individuals with architectural forms over a rigid, doctrinaire ideology.
Furthermore, Tony Harrison’s V explores the relationship between centres and margins through language. Harrison uses language in order to not only give voice to the working class, but also to challenge dominant ideologies and dominant voices which are bound up with the use of Standard English. Previously discussed in reference to The Lonely Londoners, Standard English is associated with power and elitism and thus ‘places as subordinate all the utterances that are literally or figuratively between inverted commas’ (). This is challenged in V. in which the privileged voice of the eloquent bourgeois poet () and the working class ‘skinhead’ argue. Harrison was concerned with issues of articulation and voice, this is clear throughout his poetry and he discusses this in an interview: ‘And that the idea of articulation, expression, became for me absolutely vital
Bilham-Boult, A., Blades, H., Hancock, J., Keeling, W. & Ridout, M. (1999). People, places, and themes. Oxford: Heinemann.
The essence of modern architecture lays in a remarkable strives to reconcile the core principles of architectural design with rapid technological advancement and the modernization of society. However, it took “the form of numerous movements, schools of design, and architectural styles, some in tension with one another, and often equally defying such classification, to establish modernism as a distinctive architectural movement” (Robinson and Foell). Although, the narrower concept of modernism in architecture is broadly characterized by simplification of form and subtraction of ornament from the structure and theme of the building, meaning that the result of design should derive directly from its purpose; the visual expression of the structure, particularly the visual importance of the horizontal and vertical lines typical for the International Style modernism, the use of industrially-produced materials and adaptation of the machine aesthetic, as well as the truth to materials concept, meaning that the true nat...
The author explains architecture as an identification of place. Architecture starts with establishing a place. We define ‘place’ as a layout of architectural elements that seem to accommodate, or offer the possibility of accommodation to, a person, an activity, a mood, etc. We identify a sofa as a place to sit and relax, and a kitchen as a place to cook food. Architecture is about identifying and organizing ‘places’ for human use.
The book as a description of modern architecture, its styles and influence succeeds but falls short as a prescriptive methodology. His work is still recalled for the need by modernists to categorize everything into neat little boxes, not necessarily for the sake of uniformity, but for sake of some ambiguity. The ambiguity may be the triumph of this book as post modern architecture era is supposed to create more questions than the answers.
In chapter one of Frampton’s writing, “Cultural Transformations,” he describes how changes in society create new architectural styles due to new cultural needs. Frampton starts by explaining the relationship between man and nature in different architectural styles. Man and nature were distinct entities; however, for the sake or ornamentation in architecture, the two were constantly combined. This idea soon changes with Baroque architecture where man and nature started to be distinctly separate, and this later leads to the Neoclassical style which shows an increased desire for man to have control over nature (Frampton 1). Neoclassicism essentially stems from a new cultural formation that grew from the life styles of declining aristocracy and the rising bourgeoisie, and this transition leads
In this essay I will discuss how concrete regionalism was presented in the work of Le Corbusier who is the most classic example of this movement, Oscar Niemeyer, and Antoine Predock . With each architect having a highly individual vision that has created unique buildings for people and their environment. These architects each has combined vernacular buildi...
Tadao Ando is an architect of light, a master of space, and a builder for mankind. His work, realized primarily in precisely finished reinforced concrete, unifies building and nature to create a deep sense of sanctuary. Ando was born in Osaka, Japan in 1941. From the age of 10 to 17, he was employed as a carpenter, learning to work in wood in the Japanese tradition. His interest in architecture began when he obtained a book of Le Corbusier sketches when he was about 18. Ando is a self-taught architect. He apprenticed for brief periods with local designers and city planners, but primarily developed his skills by reading extensively, studying Japanese shrines, temples and tea houses, and making study