Master’s Thesis
“Child-Oriented” Architecure from the Perspective of Environmental Psychology
Student: Amirmohammad Adami
Supervisor: Prof. Alison Aurorarosa
Co-supervisor: Prof. Michele Roda
Polimi - Politecnico di Milano
June 2022
“The need to form architectural space which is not just functional but supports young children’s learning and their sense of psychological well–being and develops their spatial and bodily awareness, is fundamental.”
-Mark DudekContent
Abstract
Introduction
Methodology
Analysis
Framework
Psycological analysis
Educational analysis
Norwegian building
Nordic identity
Tectonics in Architecture
Initial case studeis
Programme
Case studies
Room program
Place
Between sea and fiord
Tungenes
Mappings
Climate
Tungenes and Tungevagen Registrations
The journey the sea
the sky
Institution of light
Illuminating the landscape
Maritime presence
The mix of scales
Sections and Surfaces
Regional Culture
History and cultural landscape
Education
National tourist route
summary
Vision
Ideation
Concept
Site plan
Elevation
Exploded plan
Plan
Section
Masterplans
Visualization
Conclusion
Bibliography
Abstract Introduction
The present study is about child-oriented architecture from the perspective of environmental psychology. Due to the importance of the users of any architectural space and lack of attention of architects and being unfamiliar with the psychological characteristics of specific users, such as children. it is needed to have a proper perception of their understandings of spaces and their needs for architectural spaces specifically to them. children’s tendency to especial environmental graphic features such as light, color, and form should be studied and this research aimed at an environmental psychologically-physically design to develop children emotionally and physically.
It was suggested in designing a place for children different factors such as creating various spaces based on the children’s ages to release their energy, applying light and colors appropriate to children’s emotions in inner and outer decoration, and considering architectural criteria and standards for children, etc, should be regarded.
Keywords: architecture, child, psychology, space
Today, in architecture and urbanization, the physical design of spaces is not the only goal, but considering all human aspects of spaces has a significant effect on designing that space. In today’s architecture even improving urban structures such as highways, bridges, etc. are among the most important measures of any society. Therefore, imagery of the importance of the human factor effect on the other constructions related directly to human beings can be seen. Among them, spaces designed for children are more important than other spaces. As developing urban infrastructures to improve and develop cities towards correct and sustainable development, designing proper spaces for children who are the following generation in the community is important in directing human society toward an ideal and healthy community. Preparing and building places for children needs new thoughts and looks because children are more affected than adults by their surrounding environments. According to the experts in children’s affairs, the social, emotional, psychological, and physical growth of children is highly affected by the environment quality. Experts believed that architects should be careful enough for children’s design because the goal of designing specific environments for children, creating interesting spaces for them can grow their abilities and creativities not putting an end to their needs. Recognizing the psychologicalphysical characteristics of children to design an ideal environment for them is important because without understanding children and their needs in terms of psychology, children’s growing stages and their emotional, social,
and movement features at different ages, the designed environment can not be that much effective.
Methodology
The method of the project creates a base for an academic approach and ensures a comprehensive and thorough process. as a framework project the integrated design process by Mary Ann Knudstrup is used as a method (Knudstrup, 2004) This method was developed at Alborg University to describe the iterative processes required to achieve a design outcome that is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also functionally and technically pleasing. By early incorporation of these themes and requirements as design parameters, a multidisciplinary design solution can be achieved. The process is divided into five phases; an iterative loop between each phase, as well as a variation in the methods applied, ensures a methodological triangulation in which various scientific theoretical methods in architecture and engineering are proposed. The project intends to take a phenomenological approach in areas where this is appropriate. “A great building must begin with the unmeasurable must go through measurable means when it is being designed and in debt and must be unmeasurable” (L.kahn)
Problem Phase
A hermeneutic document analysis establishes a framework for subsequent comprehension during this phase. The concepts of tectonic and Nordic architecture are comprehensively evaluated, to serve as a jumping-off point for the project’s future development.
Analysis Phase
Along with the problem phase, this phase sheds light on the given Constants that
serve as the project’s foundation. This phase analyzes the site, the geographical context, the cultural context, and examples of built works that address specific aspects of the project ’s objectives. The analysis employs both hermeneutic document analysis and logical studies, as well as analysis of weather data, topography, etc. since the experience of the site is of particular importance in the notion of Nordic architecture, a method for experiencing and mapping on site is developed in order to form a basis for further work in the sketch phase.
Sketch Phase
The sketch phase aims to incorporate the potentials and challenges identified in previous phases and to create bits of meaning that can provides a framework for a design. To establish a conceptual design process, a combination of analog and digital tools is used. Hand sketches and physical models are supplemented by digital representations and tools acquired during the third semester of the master of sustainable architecture and landscape design program’s course “IC Landscape Representation and Modeling.” Similarly, various methods of architectural representation, such as plan, section, perspective, and detail, are used to evaluate the designs’ qualities. Due to the fact that this is a thesis project, a particular emphasis is also puts on the ability to use immediate impressions of an idea based on intuition experience and accumulated knowledge, rather than reason and measurable qualities to select between different proposals. “I’m
actually looking for the naïve moment in the first encounter .. the first impressions, the naïve impressions, they are really genuine.”
(Zumthor, in Lousiana 2012, p66)
Synthesis Phase
The solutions studied in the Sketch phase are combined in this phase to create a unique and expressive work that incorporates as many of the potentials and visions introduced in the initial phases as possible. The atmosphere and physical experience of the building are critical, and iterative loops between the sketch and synthesis phases at all scales should facilitate and experience the final project as a ‘whole’.
Presentation Phase
During this final phase, the completed project is introduced using a variety of architectural methods considered suitable for conveying the final proposal’s atmosphere and experience. The presentation material should illustrate the project’s aesthetic, functional, and technical characteristics.
Understanding Children Perception towards Built Environment
The psychology of the environment
The psychology of the environment has been come up since 1960s in 20th century. This field of psychology is about territorial behaviors, density and crowds and environmental stress makers. It is a branch with close relation to architecture, perspective architecture and urban design (Luc, et al, 2002). The psychology of the environment can be assumed as a scientific interdisciplinarity branch studing the mutual relationships between physical environment and human’s behaviors. Considering the mutual relationship between the two elements ( environment/ behavior) is deriven from Winston Churchill’s the popular speech expressing “ we construc buildings and after the buildings we are built”.
Child definition
Child is a mature and human’s son or daughter who has not been fully grown and is an independant creature from individual features point of view put in the growth and development trend in which they have not reached to a level to be called matured but th y are originally and naturally dynamic and potentially to be developed. The child’s communication to the environment Barker, founder of “echologic psychologist” belives there is a specific relationship between physical aspects of architecture and behavior of physical-behaviory stations which expresses them with the same concepts (Mortazavi, 1988), (Young, 1990). In all alive creatures and according to the law of affecting and to be affected in the environment, the tendency to compromise the environment is
available, so that child tries to compromise with the environment in which they live. At first child tries to compromise the environment with their inner system and intelligence but since it is not possible for ever and child runs into problems and cases not appropriate with their previous experiences, they try to be in line with new experiences (Moghadam, 1987).
According to Piyage, mental capabilities that a child owns in certain age, enable them to show different emotional behaviors. In fact there is a direct relationship between child’s growth and learning. Piyage names four factors help child’s mental growth as follow:
1. Emotional feelings which are motivations for learning;
2. Physical growth which child can gradually understand more;
3. Experiences which child learns to find out for themselves;
4. Social exchange or effective interaction with others especially parents, teachers, and playmates.
To teach childeren, work with them and even love them awarness and knowing their growth stages, emotional, psychological, and social needs in different ages is essential and by complete recognition of childeren’s world and their needs, correct training in safe and rich environment appropriate with their needs can be obtained. Therefore, in this section it was tried to study childeren’s psychological features from their drawings, the effect of colours on childeren and their application in designing spaces belong to them and the environment of childeren’s lives in today’s cities.
Objectivity and subjectivity in childeren architecture
Today, the most importan issue in architecture is the identity of architecture space and understanding it by users. To achieve this goal defining and re-introducing the environment and receiving its messages are needed. To do this there are different ways including experiencing the space by which objectivities can be achieved and compare them with primairy thoughts and form them. Subjectivity is inner theories understood while objectivity is understandable phenomenons exist independently. In fact objectivity is available in dreams and has little effect on facts unless it is changed into a look through activating and predictable ways. On the pther hand, subjectivity is the fact of evry thing and dreams and fictions together can promote it. most of the people perceive objectivity easily in architecture spaces and in two beds of experimental and geometrical spaces (Falamaki, 2002). According to Piyage, child can understand the environment with specific feature through passing developing and forming mental picture in relation to basic pictures. The most importan features are:
1. Child’s feeling perception to things is ambigious and popular and is considered without any controls unless through a quick stimulus;
2. Child’s feeling perception is slow because it depends on natural motivation and the rate of outter stimulus effect on them;
3. At first, child does not trust mental faces which means they use their past expereiences less;
4. Child mixes fictions and facts, for example they believe they see something but do not lie;
5. Child’s perception is at first highly limited to place and time and if effective on environmental and cultural factors in growing childeren (Shoarinejad, 1993).
Child’s spatial perceptions
To put simply, child’s spatial perceptions is how a child see the world and understand it. The purpose of recognizing the perceptions is to find a way to strengthen child’s feeling perceptions and improve the quality of the the child. Child’s spaces should be a creative one. they can undrstand the other concepts of geometry including translucency and climatic geometry. Children in younger ages have difficulties in distinguishing different perspectives of something which is called spatial self- centralization. Piyage accidently found that this phenomenon is the first feature of child’s spatial perspective. There is the concept of place is in time in child’s imagination in younger ages as well.
Exploring spatial relations
Piyage studied the exploration of spatial relations by childeren. He called this relations as “Spontaneous Geometry”. An infant child has no certain perception from the spatial relations or different shapes first. Child along with their growth and connection with the environment and working gets familiare with different geometric things and simulates them. In categorizing geometry it is divided into three main categoties: climatic geometry talking about shapes and angles; translucency
geometry talking about perspective issues and finally topologic geometry talking about vicinity and integration concepts. Piyage through a simple experiment found that childeren develop geometric concepts in reverse chronological order of their discoveries (Mahdizadeh, 2006). He found that that when children dominate the concepts of topologic geometry, they can undrstand the other concepts of geometry including translucency and climatic geometry. talking about shapes and angles;
Spatial ownership
The need to own a space in child is a fundamnetal need and is seen in all ages. The attractiveness of different spaces at home or school determined by various devices are by the fact that they are trying to possess them.
Children of all ages are at home or school in an attempt to own a part of space. Each child asks their own rooms. At schools many children are unhappy for not having their own spaces. They prefer smaller and more intimate spaces. When the play area is diverse and full of signs and symptoms, it is easier to determine the scope for the child.
Child’s senses and perceptions growth in the environment
In a child’s room, all cases including lighting, temperature, color, safety and hygiene should be regulated and controlled. Thus creating a favorable environment in terms of health and environmental monitoring, is necessary. As mentioned, in general, most children make contact with the environment through the senses. In the first years of growing, two main
tools of the child’s cognitive change into visual and tactile senses. In these years changes in light and color and sounds features that child is constantly dealing with them, is very important and the diversity of audio visual stimuli has been demonstrated (Mahdizadeh, 2006). A new space wil be defined for the child by their growth and development. The space’s play space is the most important and stable element in the child’s development of creativity and imagination. It can be said that child learns the life experiences along with playing. In designing environments for children their needs should be considered carefully. For example, children have very different needs during the day and night. Space in which they spend at night should give them a sense of peace and security while space in which they spend in their daily lives should be full of variety and excitement and give them different skills. In all spaces designed for children, color and light play important roles. These two factors, if were well used, could bring them calm, friendly and at the same time dynamic and funny environment. In general, the most basic and important principle in designing a space for children, considering their needs and interests are prior to determined standards. The perfect environment could guarantee the chil’s coach efforts to provide a quiet, loving and healthy life for children.
Children’s games and drawings
Children are directly experienced the space when trying to perceive them and even the try to symbolisze the environment. These
symbols and all the activities and actions of their behavior are aids to get the best possible situation. Children show the symbols in their games and drawings best, in other words, children’s game is their efforts to touch and feel and cotrol the world and become familiar with it (Behroozfar, 2001).
Objectivity and subjectivity in children
architecture (childish games)
Given the importance of the games, the game space should meet needs child’s needs in all areas of development, physical growth, cognitive, social and emotional fields. In asimple classification, child’s needs and desires to variety of games can be classified in each age group:
Children ages 6-8: During this period, children have a strong desire to work full mobility and high physical activities which help to organize and develop their physical skills.
Children ages 6-8: In these ages they are classified into groups without supervision by approaching adolescence time and younger children tends to increase or show off their power and stability and physical harmony in a team and through holding sports matches.
On one hand from the field of psychological perception games are classified into three categories and classes: training or skill games, symbolic games and regular games (Piyage, & Inhalder, 1992). Designers also classify children’s games from the perspective of a variety of physical activities and needs and application environments in the following groups:
a) Games with high physical activity such as jumping, running, cycling, crawl, climbing.
b) Innovative games such as playing with sand, plants, grass, water, sand and clay;
c) Intuitive games, such as tactile, visual, sound and smell experiences;
d) Games in solitude and silence: social gaming spaces should be separated from individual games.
Children’s play space
Playing leads child to the growth of the social context of the child’s personality. They should follow social issues and legal rules in group games. Various games have different effects on the child’s emotional growth.
In action games, children are developed learn self-developement, self- satisfaction, self-esteem, acceptance of rules, sense of adventure, art, patience, awareness and selfcontrol. Spontaneous games promote a sense of freedom, power, defense of individual rights, the ability to inhibit the growth of their aggression in children. structural games raise accuracy and stamina to children. That’s why good design and good planning of playgrounds, creates children various possibilities for achieving various objectives (Piyage, & Inhalder, 1992). Game spaces like any other spaces designed for children, are better to have features as follow:
• Have soft surfaces;
• Are directly connected with bedrooms;
• Create the sense of happiness and excitement;
• Have amusing and soothing colours.
Childish drawings
Another category of children’s symbolism and
their mental imagery from the environment is formed in their drawings. children’s painting takes shape. Drawing and doodling and basically any activities could represent a form of primitive art and one of the more creative play because it provides the ability to abstract perception and mental complex states. Children’s drawings for his development in the diagnosis of recognizing objects and the distinction between them have two contradictory features: 1. Are weak to express some elements visible is not important for them. 2. bring elements that are important, but not visible (Ferrari, 1991).
Childish drawings
Another category of children’s symbolism and their mental imagery from the environment is formed in their drawings. children’s painting takes shape. Drawing and doodling and basically any activities could represent a form of primitive art and one of the more creative play because it provides the ability to abstract perception and mental complex states. Children’s drawings for his development in the diagnosis of recognizing objects and the distinction between them have two contradictory features: 1. Are weak to express some elements visible is not important for them. 2. bring elements that are important, but not visible (Ferrari, 1991).
Features of special spaces for children (tips on children architecture design)
Environment designed for children should include the following spaces:
1. Natural spaces such as trees and water and live creatures which form the most basic and important space for the children;
2. Open spaces and wide spaces in which children could run freedomly and release their internal energy.
3. Road spaces, roads before the presence of cars were children’s main play ground. They are places in which children meet each other and a network which connects various spaces together;
4. Spaces for adventure, these spaces are filled with complexity that strengthen children’s power of imagination due to being in this environment;
5. Play structure spaces are spaces designed with game structure and children’s games and playing become important in them. The spaces are known as playground (Mahdizadeh, 2006).
Classifying the quality criteria for childcentered environment
Elements forming the space can be divided into the following categories, and finally to look at them from the perspective of a child:
• Organizing;
• Time and route;
• Part and the whole;
• Form;
• Coordination, scale and ...;
• Light;
• Colour;
• Signs.
The impact of environmental conditions(brightness)
Light is one of the architectural principles to provide visual comfort space that its psychological effects in humans are different. Researches have proven that natural and transparent light has positive impact on children’s senses based on children’s point of view these spaces are friendly and joyful.
1. Good and proper lighting in spaces causes increased Children’s appetites;
2. Accuracy and concentration increase and eye health and vision ability are preserved and prevents nervous exhaustion.
3. Create variety and space emphasis. Since children’s adoption to tolerate stress and exhastion is less, sharp contrast from the lighting, whether artificial or natural, which causes fatigue and stress should be avoided.
As a result, soft light equitability about children’s spaces seem desirable.
The effect of colors on children and its application in designing their own spaces
From the aesthetics aspect, creating a favorable and attractive landscape spaces can prevent the anguish and depression in humans. In this regard, the use of paint and a nice painting and coordination as well as timely and measured contrast between the colors in public spaces are remarkable and creates a sense of peace and joy in the viewer. It is clear that these effects in children are more and more important. On the other hand, in psychological studies of children by analyzing their paintings, valuable conclusions regarding the use of color by the
child, the link between flowers and children’s imagination, the prospect of developing the use of color and symbolic aspects of any colors and combination of colors in the paintings of children, have been obtained (Shaterian, 2008). Although, the pleasure of watching a color is due to the nature of human aesthetics. But it rarely happens to react the color of a paiting while standing next to them. Because the value of a art work is more in tune and deliberate contrast between the different colors used in it. This is similar to the phenomenon of music that combines different set of sounds, smooth or strident tone to be heard. The designers of spaces specific to children cannot be indifferent with valuable and important conclusions in recognizing colors and their impacts on children (Alaghbandrad, 2002). The predominance of color and form Most children under school age, the the ages between 3 to 6 years show strong interest to colors, but at the age of 7 to 9 years pay attention to forms, and this interest is maximized at age 9 years old. As the child grows up, the tendency to nature and form are increased. But in a survey, about 10 percent of pre elementary children have shown that they tend to dominate the form to the colors. Children who overcome a form more than the colors in terms of IQ are more clever than alleged color groups. But some theorists believe that ingenuity and creativity are more in alleged color groups. Studies on documents related to children in relation to the colors showed, the color orange, and then red and pink are favorite colors for children between
the ages of 3 to 6 years old. According to Alshler, applying colors with awarness and knowelege of its relationship with the child’s life excietement is concluded that red color is superior color for children and overally for children act based on their emotions. As they become older and are able to control their feelings, they get interested in cold colors. Researches showed that red color has two contrasting features: first the feeling of affection and love, and the second induces a sense of attack and hatness because red colors are closely associated with very intense feelings. Blue is associated with emotional control. Researchers have found that children are also interested in brown. However, scientists have discovered the fact that children who have a tendency towards blue, may have very severe emotions in some cases that modify it or change its direction (14).
The predominance of color and form
Most children under school age, the the ages between 3 to 6 years show strong interest to colors, but at the age of 7 to 9 years pay attention to forms, and this interest is maximized at age 9 years old. As the child grows up, the tendency to nature and form are increased. But in a survey, about 10 percent of pre elementary children have shown that they tend to dominate the form to the colors. Children who overcome a form more than the colors in terms of IQ are more clever than alleged color groups. But some theorists believe that ingenuity and creativity are more in alleged color groups. Studies on documents related to children in relation to the colors
showed, the color orange, and then red and pink are favorite colors for children between the ages of 3 to 6 years old. According to Alshler, applying colors with awarness and knowelege of its relationship with the child’s life excietement is concluded that red color is superior color for children and overally for children act based on their emotions. As they become older and are able to control their feelings, they get interested in cold colors. Researches showed that red color has two contrasting features: first the feeling of affection and love, and the second induces a sense of attack and hatness because red colors are closely associated with very intense feelings. Blue is associated with emotional control. Researchers have found that children are also interested in brown. However, scientists have discovered the fact that children who have a tendency towards blue, may have very severe emotions in some cases that modify it or change its direction (14).
No.
Excited emotions
Imaginery-creative imagination
Caller
Innovation and complexity
The place of use
Child’s play space
Entrance emphasis points and pausing space
Convex
Suggests the status of rejecting
Softness and comfort
Comfort and mobility
Children love the spaces
Passage
Angular and broken forms
Hard
Specifications
warm color and stimulating Passion and love, sincerity
Energizing and stimulating color indicating Love and romance
Expresses the sense of relief - represents peace, security and order-expresses the feeling of sorrow, introspection and isolation in some people
Warm and happy color- stimulating thought- making eyes bored more than other colors
Cool color and a symbol of nature - represents peace, happiness, health and jealousy, gaining the ability to read
The most spiritual color represents harmony between reason and emotion and border between spirituality and materialism
How to use it in spaces
Using it in the environments of game, show and sport
For Educational spaces in elementary school – due to the prevention of drowsiness and lethargy in children ... lively, invigorating, warm peace of the children
Its combination with other colors and use it in the space of rest
It is better to use the color with combination with other colors inclasses and educational spaces
To make interior decoration happy and bright
For decorating studying rooms, educational spaces and a place needs consentration.
Pale violet spectrum in space and educational environment, gives peace and happiness. as a result it can be used practical and craft classes.
Analysis
Montessori method is a theoretical educational method on which the design proposal is based on. Italy’s first female doctor, Maria Montessori developed the Montessori teaching method as a tool, to change society and to help people to have a better life.
Educational approach
She was a doctor scientist who observed children to see how they developed. Shop serve the behavior and a spotted that the children were playing with the bread at meals, making little balls. It was the manipulation of the bread that made her think that if the children have something to play with, they may develop better skills. So she developed the learning materials which are kind of foundation of the Montessori legacy today.
The key aspects of her philosophy are the facts that the children learn by doing values of the Montessori approach are in following the child, so she believed that children have the capacity of teaching themselves. This makes her method fundamentally different from the other. YouTube 2014 excellent BBC documentary on this great Italian pedagogue. Included in the series extraordinary women”. She found ouch that’s concentration is the key in Child learning, so the environment should be prepared in such a way to foster the concentration of the child.
In Montessori method teachers are not standing in front of and giving the lecture, they are not in charge every minute of the day. Teachers are guides, so they are not teaching the child as much as assisting the child in teaching itself by introducing new concepts and giving the tools to discover the knowledge on its own.
The environment is set up in a way the teachers can observe and take a step back. Children are coming in the kindergarten and the teacher is the one who presents a range of activities from which children are choosing.
It is the way how the child learns to be in charge of his own learning. There is freedom with responsibilities. Another way of saying is that there is choice with limits. The choices and limits are coming from the adults in the classroom. The adult redirects the child if it is not doing right or introduces something new if this is the writing that needs to happen at that time.
Children in Montessori classroom are having uninterpreted access to the materials for three hours and they are playing and doing till they finish. Montessori materials are selfcorrecting. They are carefully sequenced so that each activity has order and a logical process to follow. these allow children to organize their thinking and problem-solving skills in a clear way and to absorb their knowledge to their senses.
Mixed age space is a Montessori typical approach in child education. It is more like a family, University atmosphere where are mixed age children (3-6) are staying together. This promotes better work and cooperation.
It is a way how a child becomes available and interested in further knowledge gaining.
It is not just mental learning, it is not just memorizing, it is hands on, it is Visual. Putting all these together, children learn deeper and longer-lasting. Montessori methods include life skills that children are practicing at young ages. they relied on using Montessori materials which are organized in five curriculum areas
Practical life
Sensorial
Language Math
Cultural YouTube (2012) teachers TV- the Montessori method.
Practical life activities
Practical Life activities help the child develop coordination, concentration, a sense of personal independence, and a sense of order. Through the exercises of Practical Life, the child develops the self-confidence and attention essential for mastery of the other more advanced areas of the Montessori classroom.The creativity and imagination of the teacher will determine many of the activities in this area of the program. The teacher keeps in mind that the main purpose of this work is the coordination of the senses, brain, and muscles.
Categories of practical life activities:
• Care of the person
Hand washing, Shoe polishing, Using a napkin, Packing and emptying a lunchbox, Blowing one’s nose, Dressing frames to learn how to button, buckle, snap, tie bows, and lace shoes
• Care of the environment
Squeezing a sponge,Washing a table,Sweeping the floor, Pouring grains, water, juice, Polishing brass or silver, Opening and closing doors, Washing and drying dishes, Arranging flowers, Using tools, Peeling and cutting vegetables and fruits, Using scissors
• Grace and courtesy Greeting someone, Offering someone/ something, Making introductions, Manners at refreshment time, Acting as host, Passing objects politely, Shaking hands.
• Control of moment
Walking the line or balance beam to practice
body coordination and control. The Silence Game in which the children practice using their will power to make the silence. Montessori primary guide. (2011) practical life.
Sensorial activities
The Sensorial area consists of materials that educate and refine the child’s senses. The child learns to recognize similarities and differences, to discriminate between similar objects; to grade similar objects. Qualities discriminated with the visual sense are size, shape, and color; A primary purpose of the Sensorial Exercises is that “the child train himself to observe, that he be led to make comparisons between objects, to form judgements, to reason and to decide” (Dr. Maria Montessori in Dr. Montessori’s Own Handbook).
Categories of Sensorial activities:
• Visual sense wooden cylinders, square prisms, cubes, color tablets, geometric plane, and solid figures, with names such as the Constructive Triangles, the Binomial Cube, the Trinomial Cube, the Geometric Cabinet.
• Tactile Sense boards and tablets with varying grades of sandpaper, sets of fabrics with different textures, tablets with different weights, and metal cylinders filled with water of different temperatures.
• Baric Sense
Baric tablets
• Thermic Sense
Thermic bottles
• Auditory sense
Sound boxes, bell
• Olfactory sense
Smelling jar
• Gustatory sense
Tasting bottle
• Stereognostic Sense which is a tactile-muscular experience in identifying various geometric solids and everyday objects with the combination of touching and holding (feeling) with the child’s eyes either closed or blindfolded.Montessori primary guide (2011) sensorial life.
Language activities
Language activities help a child to draw into an articulate person, able to communicate with his feelings well-formed sentences and in writing.
Categories of language activities:
• Oral language
Oral language exercises, enrichment of vocabulary, language training
• Written language
Written language exercises, graphic symbols, sound games, sandpaper letters, movable alphabet, Metal insets
• Handwriting
Introduction, preparations, chalkboards, sorting symbols, writing on paper, upper and lower case letters, Capital letters, periods, commas and question marks, transcription, spelling, scripts, creative writing
• Reading analysis
Language summary Montessori primary guide. (2011) language.
Math activities
Activities are carried through materials, which help the child to explore arithmetic. They are medical exercises are grouped and their realization happens sequentially or parallel.
Categories of language activities:
• Numbers through Ten
• Number rods and cards
• Spindle boxes
• Concept of zero
• Cards and counters
• Memory game
• Decimal System
• Introduction to quantity
• Symbols
• Formation of numbers
• Changing
• Addition
• Multiplication
• Subtraction
• Division
• Stamp game
• Dot game
• Word problems
• Linear and skip counting
Teens quantity, teens: symbol, tens: association, linear counting, skip counting, Number roll
• Tables of arithmetic
Addition snake game, Strip board exercises, addition strip board, addition charts, subtraction snake game, subtraction chart, multiplication bead, multiplication chart, multiplication board, do Unit division board, division charts
• Passage to abstractiona
Small bead frame, wooden hierarchical material, large bead frame, racks and tubes.
Montessori primary guides (2011) math.
Cultural activities
Every cultural Path has a sensorial base for the child. From the base, the child will be offered specific activities in each of the path of culture. Thus allows the child to become a participating and contributing member of his society. The four basic groups of work allow child to sufficiently construct himself in his culture. The cultural work is given so the child has the keys to function in his culture.
Categories of cultural activities:
• Art
• Music and dance
• Geography
• History
• Biological science
• Physical science
Montessori primary guide. (2011) cultural activities.
Among Enzo Mari’s vast product range, Il Posto dei Giochi and his carefully considered bookcase set-up for Danese with cardboard walls and transparent plastic shelves represents a vision of space as a non-static and ever-changing entity.
Having studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, the modernist designer, artist and theorist, drew inspiration from the Arts and Crafts movement and his interest in radical politics where he went on to design undeniably influential yet, everyday objects with the intention of allowing people to create their own and use his objects freely, challenging the idea that good design is a privilege for the wealthy. Allowing wider public access to great design was always at the core of his work, which was achieved by being cautious of material choices whilst providing excellent quality of product at an affordable price. The wide spanning nature of his designs further contributed to his varied and long-lasting career allowing him to connect with more of the population through his designs than only a select few
Mari’s 1967, mid-century modern design entitled, Il Posto dei Giochi was originally intended for children to provide a place to play but also offers a decorative and practical function as a sculptural room divider for adults. The 3m long piece is made up of 10 corrugated cardboard panels with simplistic silk-screened graphics. The vagueness surrounding the intended use of the project allows for the player to invent his or her new
rules each time they play. For example, the yellow circles could symbolise a sun, the blue waves a sea and the brick wall a house but it’s up to the player to invent their own fantasies amongst the screens.
In 1969, Mari created playful setups for Danese with cardboard and transparent plastic, which challenged the idea of associating these materials with transitory goods and objects of immediate consumption. Mari, together with his rethinking of the word ‘disposable’ relating to a lack of quality and a poor sustainability consciousness, worked to slowly replace this perception by helping the public shift to a new environmental awareness and new practices in use and production processes. Mari’s cardboard are each based on various compositions of modules with simple geometries which together create complex forms for the division of space and support the display of products.
When Mari created his first children’s game — a wooden zoo puzzle designed in 1956 — he was ahead of all current developments in designs for children. Not surprisingly, he takes a constant interest in child psychology; children’s natural disposition to grasp clear images and the elementary forms and unsophisticated message that distinguish Mari’s style cast a fitting light on his vocation to naturalise industrial forms.
He was also able to discover and set new rules in his “games”. Indeed, this distinguishes all Mari’s work; he invents both the devices and their rules and then locks these devices into a certain type of conduct rather than a certain type of consumption. His latest work, Il Posto dei Giochi [The Place of Games], is the first known indoor and portable play-place for children, more a space than an object and designed to encourage the development of their identification processes. As ever, Mari suggests a way to operate through the object. Mari proposes a method. All his actions and suggestions are firstly fully produced in the means identified to solve a specific problem and then globally in the method that shapes the different results. When interviewed about the meaning of his objects, Mari recently replied: “I hope that each time the meaning is that of the object in question.” So, let us try to pinpoint the various works presented by Mari.
Animals. The goose, wolf, bear etc. are standard images. This is one of Mari’s most meaningful studies and he developed their semantic worth starting from the wooden zoo
and his 1965 Fable Game, but here the images are no longer inspired by child psychology, just psychology. The fable is eliminated in favour of formal essence, in keeping with the didactic intention always present in Mari’s work.
Gambling is very serious business
Gambling was a very serious matter for Enzo Mari. As he tells in his book “25 ways to drive a nail”, when children ignore a game it is because it does not correspond to their level of praxis-theory. In practice, it’s either too simple for their age or it’s too complicated. This is because the child does not play to pass the time but to learn. Games must therefore be designed to stimulate the imagination of the little ones and help them understand the world.
How 16 animals are made
Enzo Mari makes the first pieces of 16 animals by hand for his children. The starting point is a whole wooden board from which the master thinks of obtaining the silhouettes of the animals, separating them with a saw. The animals are 3 cm thick so they can also stand upright. In this way, children can use the figures not only to compose the puzzle, but also to create a kind of small theater and thus become budding directors.
Theoretical references
In the theory of performative regionalism, the local culture is an important part of the place. this chapter seeks to create a brief overview of the culture of the region as well as the history and the economy up today. secondly, a chapter investigating three areas of aquaculture, navigation at Sea, and Maritime industries creates an overview of the three main subjects which are to be focused on the exhibition at the Maritime Center of knowledge.
First produced by Danese in 1965, Il gioco delle favole / The Fable Game, is made up of interlocking illustrations populated by animals, plants, and objects, which can be assembled and disassembled by inventing infinite stories.
It’s not a book to read or to leaf through but to make, unmake and build up: a never ending adventure, played and invented anew each time by the endless possibilities at hand. The animal and vegetable pieces fit together in Enzo Mari’s inimitably elegant style to make a framework that become a means to create an “architectural canvas” on which to exercise the imagination of children and adults.
To achieve a common ground of understanding and a starting point for the project, the concepts of Nordic and tectonic are proposed, discussed, and a location is taken. Case studies are provided to demonstrate what these themes may generate in terms of built forms.
Norwegian building
Since the project is based in Norway, an understanding of local building traditions and social values requires an understanding of the Norwegian perspective on the Nordic tradition.
Sverre Fehn
As a long-time admirer of a Norwegian architect who has made extraordinary contributions to what is commonly referred to as Nordic architecture, the following is based on interviews with S. Fehn and aims to highlight some of the possibilities for building in Norway.
Relation to nature
In Norway, wild nature is the norm, in contrast to many other parts of Europe, where the majority of trees are almost certainly manmade. The Norwegians have come to take this for granted. When constructing a new house, the site is frequently cleared and cultivated first, followed by the start of the project. Fehn emphasises the interrelations of nature and man, as well as nature and architecture. In Norway, the relationship between nature and man is dynamic. It is based on escapism and the way Norwegians enjoy using nature through activities such as skiing, hiking, and climbing. The beauty in this tradition is not nature itself, but the interaction between nature and man.
According to Fehn, the relationship between man-made objects, architecture, and nature has not been highly developed in the Norwegian tradition. There is a strong tradition in Japan for cultivating and creating an aesthetic
relationship between architecture and nature. According to Fehn, nature has been raised to philosophy in this culture. It might be the way openings frame specific views of nature or the way you come down into the ground architecturally. According to Fehn, the Norwegian architectural culture is not nearly as sophisticated. It is more straightforward and less philosophical, partly because Norway has spent the majority of its existence as a poor country.
Additionally, Fehn mentions a trend fostered by Norway’s urbanization and modernization. Whereas the majority of people used to be farmers, fishermen or worked in other ways that relied on nature, Norway’s modern relationship with nature has degraded to an aesthetic rather than a practical one. People have lost their sense of nature’s practical uses, and as a result, aesthetic appreciation has supplanted practicality.
Nordic identity
Nordic architecture as a style has gained international attention on several occasions, with leaders such as Aalto and Utzon making their architectural impact on the world.
in 2012, an exhibition at Louisiana showcased and discussed how a Nordic architecture and identity can be defined in the globalized world of today.
Genius Loci and critical regionalism
In 1979 the Norwegian architect Christian Norberg Schultz introduced the notion of “genius Luci”. a sense of place, as a reaction towards the international style represented in modernism. it represents an architectural focus on place and geography, and puts the architects in the role as the interpreter of place is seen as an objective constant which will reveal its secrets and richness to us if we open up and listen to its spirit. later he especially emphasizes the role of light as crucial in the north. he speaks of a space of moods created by the lights of the Nordic countries. (Norbeck Schultz 1996)(Louisiana 2012)
Kenneth Frampton introduces the concept of “place form” around the same time as the theory of critical regionalism. It is stated that the language of architecture used to create an extends should use local materials and construction techniques. Stating that the language of the architecture to create a extends should make use of the local materials and construction techniques this theory puts more emphasis on the role of the architect as someone who is stages the quality of a
place for human perception (Louisiana 2012).
Alvar Aalto is a crucial figure in the contacts, for whom Frampton wrote an entire chapter in his book “modern architecture - a critical history.” Additionally, as a pivotal figure in the development of the Nordic architectural style, he meets architecture with a very humane approach”. “to make architecture more human means it better architecture, and it means and functionalism much larger than the merely technical one. This goal can be accomplished by architectural methods - by the creation and combination of different technical things in such a way that they will provide for the human being the most harmonious life” (by Aalto in Frampton 2007 p.199)
Materialism
In 2007, Frampton published an addition to the previously mentioned book in which he attempts to categorise recent architectural trends into six categories, with materialism as a strong representation in the works of Peter Zumthor and to a minor extent, Herzog & de Meuron. Zumthor, who is frequently mentioned as working within the context of the place-specific, with an emphasis on local material and traditions, is frequently associated with the Nordic tradition, despite his Swiss nationality. Frampton says: “Irrespective of whether they happen to be used as cladding or as a structural form, traditional materials such as brick, stone, and wood or cultural constructs whose implicit significance may readily be associated with a particular landscape, national character or ethical value”. (Frampton 2007 p.370) and
materials are appreciated for the qualities they represent … rather than their inherent physical qualities” (morovansky in Frampton 2007,p370)
Architecture reflecting society
A characteristic of Nordic architecture that is frequently cited is its reflection of a society with a fairly flat hierarchy between citizens and institutions. Kjetil traedal Thorsen of Snohetta, one of Norway’s most successful architects in recent years, asserts that: “the best and most popular architecture always has elements of sound social democratic ideology; buildings should be as public as possible. in my view, the ideal is a building with many different entrances and unlimited accessibility, like a park. I’m talking here about the horizontally of architecture, about generosity. openness towards the users. public buildings take up a lot of space, and so they should” (Carlsen 2010 p.97).
Nordic identity
In opposition to the critical rationalism and play thinking of Norberg-Schulz. A new notion of performative regionalism by Barbara Allen appears, this theory States that place is a result of its culture as well as geography. Alan defines culture as the interaction between humans and landscape in an ongoing process of experience. this means that humans are the center of the stage, and the place appears as a social construct. (Louisiana 2012 p.42).
In the modern world of globalization, a constant sampling and borrowing from other
cultures are Taking Place. As an antithesis to globalization and intensified focus on identity, the Local, and a connection to nature has been part of making the Nordic popular again. in relation to this architecture can be an important carrier of identity (Louisiana 2012) ”… maybe the question of identity comes down to distinctiveness; that something is recognizable, has character, and is a bit different from something else. … I think there is a character in good architecture. it creates a place, the place that you can relate to, and this produces identity.” (Zumthor in Louisiana 2012 p.72).
In opposition to the traditional understanding of Nordic architecture as something that subordinates to its place, the table has suddenly been turned, and the architecture can now be an important player in defining the place as its identity. architecture has the potential to frame an exhibit time and culture, and be at Constance in a dynamic globalized world. as Zumthor describes its architecture must be “a tribute to the landscape” rather than merely subordinate to it. (Zumthor in Louisiana 2012 p.69)
Tectonics in architecture
The notion of tectonics originates from the Greek word ‘tekton’ meaning carpenter or builder (oxforddictionaries.com) It is a term that has been widely discussed in architectural theory for over a century, with numerous definitions. The following section discusses an essential approach to tectonics and how it can be incorporated into a project to ensure architectural unity between the three pillars of architecture defined by Vitruvius: firmitas, utilitas, and venustas—that is, it must be solid, useful, and beautiful.
Semper and Frampton
In 1851 Gottfried Semper published the essay “ Die vier Elemente der Baukunst”. It takes a newly discovered Caribbean hut as an ethnographic basis from which to deduce the four primordial elements of all building cultures. These were: (1) the elevated podium or earthwork on which the hut rested; (2) the framework and the roof which provided the basic shelter. (3) the woven infill wall, which protected the hut from elements; and final; (4) the heart, which was not only the source of heat and food and focus of social intercourse but also the symbolic societal core, presaging the eventual emergence of a spiritual and civic for (Frampton 2007)
Frampton also emphasises the relationship between roofwork and earthwork as a conceptual framework for analysing architectural works.
Frampton himself has written about tectonics as well, and has defined the need for authenticity in the built environment. he emphasizes how the building is first and
foremost a construction, and only later and abstract discourse based on surface, volume, and plan. to Frampton, a building must, to be truly tectonic, utilize the expressive potential of the construction technic rather than simply reveal it. (Frampton 2001)
Frascari and the art of joining
In terms of construction technique, the interesting and challenging point at which things meet frequently occurs. where the column connects to the beam and the beam connects to the post. Additionally, where solid construction meets filigree construction and where materials overlap, Marco Frascari wrote an essay and the art of joining in 1984 in which he states: “Details are much more than subordinates elements; they can be regarded as the minimal units of signification in the architectural production of meanings “ (Frascari 1984 p.23). As such, the detail can tell a story, or ‘tale,’ about the building as a whole by providing as the recognisable pattern within a building volume that typically serves a variety of different functions, whether at home, school, or museum, etc. Additionally, he argues that details are more than physical construction: “in architecture, feeling a handrail, walking up steps or between walls, turning a corner, and noting the setting of a beam in the wall, are coordinated elements of a visual and tactile sensation. …” (Frascari,p7, 1984)
This way of defining the detail as the minimal units in an architectural production of meaning, but also an important part of how one experiences is the atmosphere of the spaces is
intriguing. If one defines the atmosphere as the bodily feeling which is the result of all the senses, including visual, tactile, auditive, and are there sensory recordings (Pallasmaa 2012). Then the details, Materials, and these transitions become essential in the way architecture affects human beings.
Tectonics in the 21st century
Today’s building industry has made the process of construction significantly more complicated than it was in 1851, when Semper formulated his theories. Today a larger variety of professions, from architects to engineers, and specialized craftsmen make the process even more complicated. likewise, the owner or developer is rarely a single person and often has advisers of their own. on top of this, materials and construction techniques are becoming ever more specific and optimized for different purposes, requiring a specialized craftsman and engineering knowledge. (Beim 2004)
This process places an ongoing challenge on architects as creators of meaning and concept. To be successful and to see the design ideas through from concept to completed project, the architect must now have a broad knowledge of a variety of fields in addition to his specialised knowledge; this is especially true when the tectonic vision as well as other architectural concepts are involved. Closer collaboration and mutual interest between architects and engineers may be a solution for preserving architectural intents and tectonic visions throughout the process.. advancements in technology should potentially also
offer new and more approachable ways of designing while meeting demands of energy consumption, structural firmness, and so on. Ultimately more integrated design process is desirable if the initial intentions shall be relevant throughout the process, in the later years’ new digital technologies of designing and fabrication have again raised the discussion of what tectonics can be and whether these new tools offer the way of thinking tectonics. in this project, the digital tools will be incorporated as a part of the integrated design process. this will enable the tectonics of the structure to be visualized by ensuring correct dimensions and likewise in the continuous development of the architectural expression. these tools enable one to work integrated with the structure and help visualize atmospheres, which the tectonic expressions must support and be part of creating, atmospheres which should essentially end up providing the architecture with an identity of its own.
