Focus:
Research, documentation, and analysis of a precedent project or building designed in an urban context.
Analysis of urban design theory and architectural design features in the precedent project.
Understanding of the scale, architectural design features, and urban relationships as a precedent study for the students’ studio design projects.
Introduction:
The Special Topics studio includes a precedent project study related to the understanding of the students’ design project to the vision of other architects and their work. The precedent study is a requirement for NAAB accreditation for this course.
The Special Topics studio is intended to permit students’ exploration into design issues, as well as cultural and political references, to a special architectural and urban discovery, something not possible in previous architectural studios. The goal is to bring greater and deeper design involvement to projects in preparation for the thesis in the next term.
Several of the most visionary architects have in recent years brought their understanding of architecture into the context of historical cities — in their pursuit of an architecture and urban design that confronts as well as embodies the meaning of “place” in these cities. Venice and Berlin have been the cities in this “field of exploration and vision” for these architects in the recent past. And now, Istanbul, offers itself for vision and discovery by architects into the special meaning of the city and its region.
We will look at the work of John Hejduk, Raimund Abraham, Peter Eisenman, Bernard Tschumi, and Lebbeus Wood in their designs for a new expression of architecture in historical cities.
Preliminary Study of Precedent Architecture:
At the beginning of the term, students will be assigned one drawing that illustrates their understanding of the project of one of the architects in our study. However, prior to traveling to Istanbul, it is important to look at these precedent projects, for their vision, scale, 3-D form, and graphics. The goal is for students to fully understand these works, as they begin their own design projects during the travel in Istanbul.
A number of books have been placed on reserve in the Wentworth Library. See the attached list of books. These books offer in depth portrayals of the architects’ cultural and architectural vision, and their use of a very sophisticated graphics to convey the meaning and expression of their designs. It is important to understand the quality of graphics that propels their designs to an experience of reality for the observer.
1. Familiarize yourself with the books and projects on reserve in the library prior to our trip.
2. Study the book on the Turkish house on reserve in the library, a very important concept to urban form, fabric, culture and life in Istanbul.
Precdent Project References
JOHN HEJDUK
Victims II
Pewter Wings, Golden Horns, Stone Veils (1,2, 12-19, 258-302)
The 13 Watchtowers of Cannaregio (Venice, Italy)
Mask of Medusa (82, 350-354)
Berlin Masque (Berlin, Germany)
Mask of Medusa (138-153)
RAIMUND ABRAHAM
Nine Projects for Venice (Venice, Italy)
[Un]built (140-155)
The New Acropolis Museum (Athens, Greece)
[Un]built (196-201)
PETER EISENMAN
Submission, International Design Seminar in Cannaregio, Venice (1979)
Cities of Artificial Excavation (46-71).
Article about exhibit
http://www.cca.qc.ca/en/explore?event=2642
BERNARD TSCHUMI
Acropolis Museum (Athens, Greece)
The New Acropolis Museum
LEBBEUS WOODS
Underground Berlin (Berlin, Germany)
Architectural Monographs: Lebbeus Woods — Anarchitecture: Architecture is a Political Act
http://lebbeuswoods.wordpress.com
(Text above by Professor Weldon Pries.)