Contemporary Surface Architecture : The correspondence between surface and space

This thesis aims to investigate aspects of contemporary architecture that concentrate on the role of surface, in sense of demateriality. The word 'demateriality' denotes the spatiality rather than a physical substance; it does not refer to the actual absence of matter or the abolishment of the solid materials of construction. Rather it describes the phenomenal perception of a particular spatialisation that the surface creates through either the way it is formed or through the optical quality of its materials. The terms surface and surface architecture discussed in this thesis thus have specific meanings beyond the generally received understanding of 'architectural surface', 'material surface' and so on. What is focused on is the particular role of surface architecture as a spatial boundary, especially between inside and outside spaces. In this context, the research aims to explore the correspondence between the surface and space, between the forms of the surface and the experience that they induce. As a programme of PhD with design, this research includes both theoretical and practical approaches, including a design research project supported by an extensive literature review and theoretical argument. The thesis mainly consists of five parts. It begins from an Introduction including subject and questions, context, definition and methodology of the research. Chapter One is about a critical review of history of surface-space architecture, both in theory and design will be considered first. This will mainly focus on the architecture of 20th century modernism. Chapter Two focus on contemporary theories and practices of surface architecture, as well as the conception of surface in other intellectual areas such as philosophy and cultural theory. Based on a rigorous theoretical framework built by the historical and contemporary research, a series of design works will be developed in Chapter Three, and attempt to offer a further understanding and rethinking of the knowledge gained from the first phase. Finally, at the end of the thesis, there is a brief Conclusion

Drawing Futures

Drawing Futures brings together international designers and artists for speculations in contemporary drawing for art and architecture. Despite numerous developments in technological manufacture and computational design that provide new grounds for designers, the act of drawing still plays a central role as a vehicle for speculation. There is a rich and long history of drawing tied to innovations in technology as well as to revolutions in our philosophical understanding of the world. In reflection of a society now underpinned by computational networks and interfaces allowing hitherto unprecedented views of the world, the changing status of the drawing and its representation as a political act demands a platform for reflection and innovation. Drawing Futures will present a compendium of projects, writings and interviews that critically reassess the act of drawing and where its future may lie. Drawing Futures focuses on the discussion of how the field of drawing may expand synchronously alongside technological and computational developments. The book coincides with an international conference of the same name, taking place at The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, in November 2016. Bringing together practitioners from many creative fields, the book discusses how drawing is changing in relation to new technologies for the production and dissemination of ideas

The generative, analytic and instructional capacities of sound in architecture : fundamentals, tools and evaluation of a design methodology

Premi extraordinari doctorat UPC curs 2017-2018, Àmbit d’Arquitectura, Urbanisme i EdificacióThe disciplines of space and time form two domains to which it is daring to compare, since it is obvious that they are of a different nature. Music happens in time, while architecture happens in space. However, from the first treatises on both architecture and music, repeated calls for comparison, complementarity and influence of both disciplines can be read, at least to the observation of certain common orders between the two domains. In this doctoral thesis we do not question this whole theoretical corpus that has been enriching the relationship between both disciplines. We received it and joined that stream of knowledge. What we do notice, however, is the almost impertinent question that follows: can sound help the architect in his daily tasks? And, therefore, what are the contributions of sound to the architect? To do this we must seek the connection in the principles of both arts, where we can detach ourselves from time and space, and approach the most universal of art forms. The architect, in his daily work, is faced with three particular tasks: the architectural project, the architectural analysis and the teaching of architecture. Each of the three tasks is connected with the other two tasks: the project is carried out again with the analysis and transmitted to the new architect; the analysis supports the project decisions and gives tools to the disciple; and the teaching has the project as its purpose and the analysis as its method. The thesis presented here shows what sound offers to the task of the project, to that of analysis and to that of teaching. These three tasks are approached from three premises: theoretical foundations, tools and evaluation. The interaction of the three tasks with the three premises gives rise to nine lines of work that articulate the chapters of the thesis. The first, fourth and seventh chapters approach the three tasks from the premise of theoretical foundations, foundations that perhaps because they are obvious, have been ignored or overlooked but which constitute the nature of both disciplines. The first shows, by the hand of two 20th century authors - the architect Dom Hans van der Laan and the composer Olivier Messiaen - that creation in both disciplines is of a systematic nature. The fourth one revaluates the analytical systems of representation of form both in architecture and in music which, starting with the basic characteristics of its elements, lead to a symbolic notation and a tool for the analysis of the work: the plan and the score. The seventh introduces the student of architecture to the growing separation between music and architecture that has been accentuated to this day. The second, fifth and eighth chapters approach the three particular tasks from the premise of tools, working tools that help to understand more directly the influence of architecture on sound. The second places virtual reality and auralization techniques at the service of the architectural and urban planning project, enhancing the sound experience in these projects. The fifth deals with the acoustic analysis of exterior spaces and their relationship with the urban configuration of these spaces. The eighth section presents the study of acoustic heritage as an educational tool. The third, sixth and ninth chapters deal with the three tasks from the premise of evaluation, a check that ensures the influence of sound on them through teaching experiments. The third argues and exemplifies that a sound landscape can be the engine and generator of an architectural design. The sixth one reviews the methods for evaluating the subjective and objective parameters of architectural acoustics. The ninth shows that in teaching sound to architects, "learning by listening" should be given priority over "passive learning".Las disciplinas del espacio y del tiempo forman dos dominios a los que resulta atrevido comparar, pues es obvio que son de naturaleza distinta. La música ocurre en el tiempo, mientras que la arquitectura en el espacio. No obstante, desde los primeros tratados tanto de arquitectura como de música, se pueden leer repetidas llamadas a la comparación, al complemento y a la influencia de ambas disciplinas, cuanto menos a la constatación de ciertos órdenes comunes entre ambos dominios. En esta tesis doctoral no ponemos en cuestión todo este corpus teórico que ha venido enriqueciendo la relación entre ambas disciplinas. La recibimos y nos unimos a esa corriente de conocimiento. En lo que sí reparamos, en cambio, es en la pregunta casi impertinente que surge seguidamente: ¿puede el sonido ayudar al arquitecto en sus tareas diarias? Y, por tanto, ¿cuáles son las contribuciones del sonido para el arquitecto? Para ello debemos buscar la conexión en los principios de ambas artes, allí donde podemos despegarnos del tiempo y del espacio, y acercarnos a la más universal de las formas de arte. El arquitecto, en su tarea diaria, se enfrenta a tres tareas particulares: el proyecto arquitectónico, el análisis arquitectónico y la enseñanza de la arquitectura. Cada una de las tres tareas está conectada con las otras dos: el proyecto se reconduce con el análisis y se transmite al nuevo arquitecto; el análisis soporta las decisiones de proyecto y da herramientas al discípulo; y la enseñanza tiene como fin el proyecto y como método el análisis. La tesis aquí presentada pone de manifiesto lo que el sonido ofrece a la tarea del proyecto, a la del análisis y a la de la enseñanza. Estas tres tareas son abordadas desde tres premisas: los fundamentos teóricos, las herramientas y la evaluación. La interacción de las tres tareas con las tres premisas da lugar a nueve líneas de trabajo que articulan los capítulos de la tesis. Los capítulos primero, cuarto y séptimo abordan las tres tareas desde la premisa de los fundamentos teóricos, fundamentos que quizá por ser obvios, se han obviado o pasado por alto pero que constituyen la naturaleza de ambas disciplinas. El primero muestra, de la mano de dos autores del siglo XX -el arquitecto Dom Hans van der Laan y el compositor Olivier Messiaen- que la creación en ambas disciplinas es de naturaleza sistemática. El cuarto revaloriza los sistemas analíticos de representación de la forma tanto en arquitectura como en música que, empezando por las características básicas de sus elementos, conducen a una notación simbólica y una herramienta de análisis de la obra: el plano y la partitura. El séptimo presenta al estudiante de arquitectura la creciente separación entre la música y la arquitectura que se ha venido acentuando hasta nuestros días. Los capítulos segundo, quinto y octavo abordan las tres tareas particulares desde la premisa de las herramientas, útiles de trabajo que ayudan a comprender de modo más directo la influencia de la arquitectura en el sonido. El segundo sitúa la realidad virtual y las técnicas de auralización al servicio del proyecto de arquitectura y urbanismo, potenciando la experiencia sonora en estos proyectos. El quinto aborda el análisis acústico de espacios exteriores y su relación con la configuración urbana de estos espacios. El octavo presenta el estudio del patrimonio acústico como herramienta pedagógica. Los capítulos tercero, sexto y noveno abordan las tres tareas desde la premisa de la evaluación, comprobación que asegura mediante experimentos docentes la influencia del sonido en ellas. El tercero argumenta y ejemplifica que un paisaje sonoro puede ser el motor y generador de un diseño arquitectónico. El sexto realiza una revisión de los métodos de evaluación de los parámetros subjetivos y objetivos de la acústica arquitectónica. El noveno muestra que en la enseñanza del sonido para los arquitectos debe priorizarse "aprender escuchando" antes que el "aprendizaje pasivo".Award-winningPostprint (published version

The generative, analytic and instructional capacities of sound in architecture : fundamentals, tools and evaluation of a design methodology

The disciplines of space and time form two domains to which it is daring to compare, since it is obvious that they are of a different nature. Music happens in time, while architecture happens in space. However, from the first treatises on both architecture and music, repeated calls for comparison, complementarity and influence of both disciplines can be read, at least to the observation of certain common orders between the two domains. In this doctoral thesis we do not question this whole theoretical corpus that has been enriching the relationship between both disciplines. We received it and joined that stream of knowledge. What we do notice, however, is the almost impertinent question that follows: can sound help the architect in his daily tasks? And, therefore, what are the contributions of sound to the architect? To do this we must seek the connection in the principles of both arts, where we can detach ourselves from time and space, and approach the most universal of art forms. The architect, in his daily work, is faced with three particular tasks: the architectural project, the architectural analysis and the teaching of architecture. Each of the three tasks is connected with the other two tasks: the project is carried out again with the analysis and transmitted to the new architect; the analysis supports the project decisions and gives tools to the disciple; and the teaching has the project as its purpose and the analysis as its method. The thesis presented here shows what sound offers to the task of the project, to that of analysis and to that of teaching. These three tasks are approached from three premises: theoretical foundations, tools and evaluation. The interaction of the three tasks with the three premises gives rise to nine lines of work that articulate the chapters of the thesis. The first, fourth and seventh chapters approach the three tasks from the premise of theoretical foundations, foundations that perhaps because they are obvious, have been ignored or overlooked but which constitute the nature of both disciplines. The first shows, by the hand of two 20th century authors - the architect Dom Hans van der Laan and the composer Olivier Messiaen - that creation in both disciplines is of a systematic nature. The fourth one revaluates the analytical systems of representation of form both in architecture and in music which, starting with the basic characteristics of its elements, lead to a symbolic notation and a tool for the analysis of the work: the plan and the score. The seventh introduces the student of architecture to the growing separation between music and architecture that has been accentuated to this day. The second, fifth and eighth chapters approach the three particular tasks from the premise of tools, working tools that help to understand more directly the influence of architecture on sound. The second places virtual reality and auralization techniques at the service of the architectural and urban planning project, enhancing the sound experience in these projects. The fifth deals with the acoustic analysis of exterior spaces and their relationship with the urban configuration of these spaces. The eighth section presents the study of acoustic heritage as an educational tool. The third, sixth and ninth chapters deal with the three tasks from the premise of evaluation, a check that ensures the influence of sound on them through teaching experiments. The third argues and exemplifies that a sound landscape can be the engine and generator of an architectural design. The sixth one reviews the methods for evaluating the subjective and objective parameters of architectural acoustics. The ninth shows that in teaching sound to architects, "learning by listening" should be given priority over "passive learning".Las disciplinas del espacio y del tiempo forman dos dominios a los que resulta atrevido comparar, pues es obvio que son de naturaleza distinta. La música ocurre en el tiempo, mientras que la arquitectura en el espacio. No obstante, desde los primeros tratados tanto de arquitectura como de música, se pueden leer repetidas llamadas a la comparación, al complemento y a la influencia de ambas disciplinas, cuanto menos a la constatación de ciertos órdenes comunes entre ambos dominios. En esta tesis doctoral no ponemos en cuestión todo este corpus teórico que ha venido enriqueciendo la relación entre ambas disciplinas. La recibimos y nos unimos a esa corriente de conocimiento. En lo que sí reparamos, en cambio, es en la pregunta casi impertinente que surge seguidamente: ¿puede el sonido ayudar al arquitecto en sus tareas diarias? Y, por tanto, ¿cuáles son las contribuciones del sonido para el arquitecto? Para ello debemos buscar la conexión en los principios de ambas artes, allí donde podemos despegarnos del tiempo y del espacio, y acercarnos a la más universal de las formas de arte. El arquitecto, en su tarea diaria, se enfrenta a tres tareas particulares: el proyecto arquitectónico, el análisis arquitectónico y la enseñanza de la arquitectura. Cada una de las tres tareas está conectada con las otras dos: el proyecto se reconduce con el análisis y se transmite al nuevo arquitecto; el análisis soporta las decisiones de proyecto y da herramientas al discípulo; y la enseñanza tiene como fin el proyecto y como método el análisis. La tesis aquí presentada pone de manifiesto lo que el sonido ofrece a la tarea del proyecto, a la del análisis y a la de la enseñanza. Estas tres tareas son abordadas desde tres premisas: los fundamentos teóricos, las herramientas y la evaluación. La interacción de las tres tareas con las tres premisas da lugar a nueve líneas de trabajo que articulan los capítulos de la tesis. Los capítulos primero, cuarto y séptimo abordan las tres tareas desde la premisa de los fundamentos teóricos, fundamentos que quizá por ser obvios, se han obviado o pasado por alto pero que constituyen la naturaleza de ambas disciplinas. El primero muestra, de la mano de dos autores del siglo XX ?el arquitecto Dom Hans van der Laan y el compositor Olivier Messiaen- que la creación en ambas disciplinas es de naturaleza sistemática. El cuarto revaloriza los sistemas analíticos de representación de la forma tanto en arquitectura como en música que, empezando por las características básicas de sus elementos, conducen a una notación simbólica y una herramienta de análisis de la obra: el plano y la partitura. El séptimo presenta al estudiante de arquitectura la creciente separación entre la música y la arquitectura que se ha venido acentuando hasta nuestros días. Los capítulos segundo, quinto y octavo abordan las tres tareas particulares desde la premisa de las herramientas, útiles de trabajo que ayudan a comprender de modo más directo la influencia de la arquitectura en el sonido. El segundo sitúa la realidad virtual y las técnicas de auralización al servicio del proyecto de arquitectura y urbanismo, potenciando la experiencia sonora en estos proyectos. El quinto aborda el análisis acústico de espacios exteriores y su relación con la configuración urbana de estos espacios. El octavo presenta el estudio del patrimonio acústico como herramienta pedagógica. Los capítulos tercero, sexto y noveno abordan las tres tareas desde la premisa de la evaluación, comprobación que asegura mediante experimentos docentes la influencia del sonido en ellas. El tercero argumenta y ejemplifica que un paisaje sonoro puede ser el motor y generador de un diseño arquitectónico. El sexto realiza una revisión de los métodos de evaluación de los parámetros subjetivos y objetivos de la acústica arquitectónica. El noveno muestra que en la enseñanza del sonido para los arquitectos debe priorizarse "aprender escuchando" antes que el "aprendizaje pasivo"

Sonosentio

This project researches a new spatial design paradigm for the process of creating unique, sonically derived geometric compositions. The research presents a proposal to diverge from the existing computational measurement and evaluation techniques for sonic design that, while appropriate for analysis of design outcome, do not encourage interactive, creative design to be undertaken with related disciplines. Current sonic design practices for geometric form rely on the measurement of pre-existing spatial models. These models are typically derived from either an existing known architecture or a visually conceived concept for the creation of sonic space. The process of measurement and computational estimation is then used to prepare an auralisation that provides a simulation of the sonic experience of the space being designed. This positions the sonic comprehension of the design at the final stage of process and places greater emphasis on the computationally derived estimates of subjective experience for interdisciplinary communication. The research considers the process and precedence of sonic design and proposes a parametric technique that provides a unique, interactive spatial design environment operating in a sonic context. The process is conceptualised in a sonic sketching paradigm of brush, palette and canvas that offers an intuitive interface to design professionals. The evolving conceptual design developed within the spatially realised sonic environment is translated into a visual context by geometric data. The goal of this research is to investigate the process of creative sonic design to consider an experiential process that enables a more interactive, collaborative foundation for multidisciplinary conceptual development

Heritage Patterns—Representative Models

The Heritage Patterns—Representative Models issue of Heritage welcomed twelve articles that discussed traditional and contemporary methodologies, as well as scholars from different backgrounds who intended to seek patterns of tangible heritage and its underlying principles to understand the diversity of heritage approaches. The Special Issue aims to research the patterns in heritage and the underlying rules that define tangible heritage as a universal value in spatial coexistence, economics, urban life, and design via case studies and theoretical proposals that could be implemented in the future. The pattern language and the heritage phenomenon could act as a base of observation to deduct logic and create generative algorithms (generative design); to understand the importance of spatial connection with tangible heritage and urban forms (space syntax, urban morphology, and urban morphometrics) and its visibility; as well as archaeological, architectural, and urban heritage. Based on the UNESCO-ICOMOS doctrines and the examination of morphological regions, urban morphological research and its different layers (urban forms, structural components, built environment, urban tissue, and their interaction) act as a background and foundation for general urban heritage conservation and protection proposals, and also as the base of specific interventions in the built environment caused by natural disasters

Sensory Urbanism Proceedings 2008

This book contains papers from the January 2008 conference, Sensory Urbanism, held by the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK. Papers deal with issues surrounding the sensory perception of urban design and how to design better for all the senses. The book is illustrated throughout, and contains 26 papers from fields including architecture, urban design, environmental psychology, urban design, planning, sound design and more

Species of Theses and Other Pieces

»Dimensions. Journal of Architectural Knowledge« is an academic journal in, on, and from the discipline of architecture, addressing the creation, constitution, and transmission of architectural knowledge. It explores methods genuine to the discipline and architectural modes of interdisciplinary methodological adaptions. Processes, procedures, and results of knowledge creation and practice are esteemed coequally, with particular attention to the architectural design and epistemologies of aesthetic practice and research. Issue 3, »Species of Theses an Other Pieces«, is concerned with the form of the doctoral thesis in practice-oriented research. In reference to George Perec's »Species of Spaces and Other Pieces«, this issue takes the love for playing with forms, genres, and arrangements as its program

Regeneration of the Built Environment from a Circular Economy Perspective

This open access book explores the strategic importance and advantages of adopting multidisciplinary and multiscalar approaches of inquiry and intervention with respect to the built environment, based on principles of sustainability and circular economy strategies. A series of key challenges are considered in depth from a multidisciplinary perspective, spanning engineering, architecture, and regional and urban economics. These challenges include strategies to relaunch socioeconomic development through regenerative processes, the regeneration of urban spaces from the perspective of resilience, the development and deployment of innovative products and processes in the construction sector in order to comply more fully with the principles of sustainability and circularity, and the development of multiscale approaches to enhance the performance of both the existing building stock and new buildings. The book offers a rich selection of conceptual, empirical, methodological, technical, and case study/project-based research. It will be of value for all who have an interest in regeneration of the built environment from a circular economy perspective

Powerskin Conference: Proceedings

The “third skin†of human beings – the building envelope – has a long history of development with a major impact on architecture. As an interface between inside and outside, facades not only determine aspects such as performance and energy efficiency, they also determine the aesthetics of buildings and cities; to the extend that they can create cultural identity. The invention of the curtain wall made facades independent from the building structure, but it remained an important – yet passive – element.  Powerskin Conference: Proceedings, January 19th 2017– Munich &nbsp