David Villegas 1297732
Introduction . The design process is never clean. Architects go through a lot of discussions, decision making, compromises, agreements and sleepless night in order to achieve the final design. The design process is never linear, it has a lot of iterations. Going back only to leap forward and then come back again is the normal rhythm of work during the early design stages. This booklet tries to explain the messiness of the design process from four architect studios in the simplest possible way. Each architect has his own chapter. At the beginning of each chapter, a brief explanation of the architect’s design approach is given. In the second part of each chapter, a timeline showing the design process of one particular project is explained. At the end of each chapter, a comparison between the timeline project and a reference project from another architect can be found. The sketches are meant to give a better impression of the roughness of the first ideas in the design.
Moriko Kira Housing Complex Tokyo, Japan 2008
Founder of Moriko Kira architects. She studied her bachelor of architecture at Waseda University in Japan. After completing her bachelor she continues her studies at TU Delft. In 1992 she moved to ced by the mixture of se two countries made and how these different
Amsterdam. Her design approach is strongly influenthe Japanese and the Dutch culture. Living in theher realize the similarities and differences that exist approaches can be mixed to solve particular situations.
The analyzed project is a Housing Complex in the district of Megano in Tokyo. The project is a mix-used building for 9 houses on the top floor and a patisserie, chocolaterie, and bakery on the ground floor. The project is then compared to BIG W57 building, both projects used a mixture of different typologies as a design solution.
1992
Traveling 10,000 km from Japan to Amsterdam and vice-versa gave her a new perspective...
Tokyo’s grain posority creates a light urban fabirc...
Two different contexts
Tokyo has a diverse skyline because the desition making power is spread among individuals...
Amsterdam has a homogeneous urban fabric, the desitions are taken by some individuals in the government...
Amsterdam has a high-density grain, the urban fabric is heavier...
The top floors use Tokyo’s typology in order to blend with the urban context...
A denser typology is used on the ground floor, this way space is maximized for the store and a more defined street is created...
A mix between the european street and the Tokyo grain
2008
A mix between the european street and the Tokyo grain
The two perspectives came together in one project
2006
Housing on the top floor and retail on the ground floor, the mix takes the best from two worlds.
Two different skylines
Denmark and U.S.A Japan and The Netherlands
Both studios take inspiration from two different contexts...
The contrast between the two urban situations is evident ...
Two different grains
W 57 , New York Housing Complex, Tokyo
The same approach for two really different projects from two really diferent studios..
Courtyard + Skyscrapper
Copenhaguen courtyard taken to N.Y
Both projects take the best of two worlds and successfully mix two highly different typologies.
Dense block + Light grain
Amsterdam block taken to Tokyo
The differences come together to achieve a better design...
Paul Robbrecht and Hilde Daem Market Hall Ghent, Belgium 2012
Founded in 1975 by Paul Robbrecht and Hilde Daem, architectural firm Robbrecht en Daem architecten has a highly theoretical design approach. They are especially interested in the empty space and how the users can adapt these spaces to their needs. Todefinetheemptyspacetheyuseagridbasedontheoddnumbers3,5,7.Thesenumberswork as a counterpart to the even number 2,4,6, the even number represents the user of the space. The analyzed project is the Market Hall in Ghent, Belgium. The project is then compared to Normas Foster’s Vieux Port Pavillion in Marseille. Both projects activate the urban space by creating a cover emptiness for the people to use as they please.
1913
1996 Nice project !!
Does the people want a parking lot?
Demolition
1st Competition + Referendum
No parking?
Nice project !!
No, that’s how we want it!! No parking?
The architects main design approach is using a grid of odd numbers like 3,5,7 as a space organizer to create voids that are filled with natural activities represented by even numbers...
3
5
A housing block was demolished, leaving an important void in the urban fabric...
7
The first competition for filling the void left by the housing block asked for a parking lot. They won the competition but their project didn’t have a parking lot. A referendum was held to decide if the city center needed a parking lot. They won the second competition with the same project...
3
5
7
2012
The 3,5,7 grid is used to create a void that can be used for the public in many different ways. The flexibility of the space is what makes it interesting...
The main intention of the project is to fill the existing void in the urban fabric, improving the situation of the city center...
3
5
Project completition
2nd Competition
Respect for the empty space
2005
7
People in Genth can enjoy of a cover flexible space suitable for many different activities.
3
5
7
Wood structure cover with tiles
Market Hall Ghent, Robbrecht & Daem
Light structural frames are used to achieve an open ground floor...
Steel structure cover with metal sheets
Marseille Vieux Port, Norman Foster
Both projects are surrounded by a strong urban context, Ghent city center, and Marseille waterfront...
The building blends with the context
The final project is a reinterpretation of the historical center
Two open spaces with no defined use are created for the citizens to reclaim them as they wish.
The final project is a mirror of the urban activities
The pavillion becomes the context
Great care for the urban context is taken, one takes elements from it, the other mirrors it...
Thomas Rau Liander Headquarters Duiven, The Netherlands 2015
Thomas Rau founded RAU in 1992. The office has a sustainable approach to design, the main concern is to make the projects as sustainable and energy efficient as possible. The analyzed project is the Liander Headquarters in Duiven, The Netherlands. The project is a 23,000 m2 office complex, it was the first circular building in Europe. The project is then compared to Heatherwick studio Zeitz MOCAA museum in Cape Town, South Africa. Both projects used a former building as the starting point of a new design, instead of demolishing and building from scratch they took advantage of what was already there.
2010
Something was missing in order to be truly sustainable.
1992
Since the beginning of his career, his main concern was designing in a sustainable way...
The linear economy had to change. A new sustainable developing goal was proposed, Attitude and Humanity. The new system had to be circular, no waste only recycled materials...
Liander contacted him to design their new headquarters.
2011
2015
82% of the old building material was reused...
The roof structure was designed by a rollercoaster company, they used 35% less steel than the traditional company...
The building was the first circular project in Europe and it’s energy neutral, meaning that it produces more energy than what it needs.
They wanted to demolish the old buildings but he made them change their perspective, instead of scarcity he saw abundance... The building produces 1.5 million kW/h per year...
Addding a roof to create a new common space
Liander Headquarter, Tomas Rau
They create a new common space in the existing structure either by adding or extracting elements to the original building...
Extracting part of the silos structure
Zeitz MOCCA, Heatherwick Studio
Both projects share a former structure as a starting point...
New main hall under the new roof New main hall in the void inside the silos
The importance of natural light and open spaces are common in both projects...
Both projects respect the original situation of the former buildings. Both Thomas Rau and Thomas Heatherwick try to enhance the qualities of the original design in their renovations.
Niklass Deboutte Gebouw 0 Antwerp, Belgium 2015
Niklaas Deboutte is a founder partner at Antwerp based architectural office META. The offices take a no-nonsense straight to the point design strategy. With more of a practical and efficient approach. The analyzed project is Gebouw 0 in Antwerp, Belgium. The project is then compared to Dominique Perrault’s Vieux National Library in Paris. Both projects use repetition and simple elements to reach a higher complexity level.
1991 META is a movement for meta - architecture that tries to convey its vision on architecture through building. META stands for renewed interest in the buil ding proce terest for architecture itself.
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ETA wants to make architecture that rises above the ordinary, from real practica i ues without theoretical wast of time. META loves difficul clients with high demands and a clear vision. Craftsmanship
Bricklayer
Prefabrication
Carpenter
Heavy
Light
META doesn’t think aimle ly and time consuming, neither does it rush its actions. META negotiates. META tries to rewrite all the data into one story, without worrying about expensive and complicated trends.
Timele
The Meta - Manifest dictates the design approach of the studio...
5 points of action
The Belgium way of doing things
META builds in once action.
2016
A compact project located at the center of the campus...
X
4
X
100
Competition
New building for the University of Antwerp
2012
Repetition as a mean to achieve complexity using simple elements...
The university has a new pivot point in the center of the campus, a building that functions as a reference.
The auditorium as the main element
One compact block defined by 4 auditoriums
Gebouw 0, Niklass Deboutte, Antwerp Both projects are located at a central point, they both have 4 main facades... Both projects use symmetry and repetition to organize the program... The tower as the main element
One compact block defined by 4 buildings
National Library, Dominique Perrault, Paris
X
X
4
One strong element defines the project...
4
Complexity through the window frames
The building is a new refence point for the city
Both projects have a simple main element that is repeated until a higher level of complexity is achieved.
The building is a new refence point for the campus
Complexity through the claddding
The facades are the result of simple shapes repeated several times...
David Villegas
Reflections. It’s true that architecture is a really personal profession and there cannot be two identical projects from two different architects. But it is also true that every architect takes inspiration from each other. In the word of design, everything is a remix. As young architects it is important to study good reference in order to find our own design approach. This booklet is especially useful because it not only analyses the architectural qualities of the projects, it goes deeper into understanding the reasons behind every desition. Architecture is much more than the end product. Architecture is also all the decision making, discussions, agreements and sleepless night before the project is completed. After reading this work, go out, watch and learn from the best! W
References All the graphic material is entirely self mad. The illustrations with notes at the bottom are traced. Moriko Kira: Moriko Kira Architect (n.d) Retrieved April 2019 from http://www.morikokira.nl/ BIG (n.d) Retrieved April 2019 from https://big.dk/#projects Housing Comple in Meguro (n.d) Retrieved April 2019 from http://www.morikokira.nl/nl/ projecten/wooncomplex-meguro/ W57 (n.d) Retrieved April 2019 from https://big.dk/#projects-w57 Thomas Rau: RAU (n.d) Retrieved April 2019 from http://www.rau.eu/thomas-rau/ Heatherwick Studio (n.d) Retrieved April 2019 from http://www.heatherwick.com/ Liander Headquarters (n.d ) Retrieved April 2019 from http://www.rau.eu/portfolio/liander/ Zeitz MOCAA (n.d) Retrieved April 2019 from http://www.heatherwick.com/projects/buildings/zeitz-mocaa/ Paul Robbrecht and Hilde Daem: Robbrecht en Daem (n.d) Retrieved April 2019 from http://www.robbrechtendaem.com/ Foster + Partners (n.d) Retrieved April 2019 from https://www.fosterandpartners.com/ Market Hall (n.d) Retrieved April 2019 from http://www.robbrechtendaem.com/projects/ urban-space/market-hall Vieux-port (n.d) Retrieved April 2019 from https://www.fosterandpartners.com/projects/ marseille-vieux-port/
Niklass Deboutte: META (n.d) Retrieved April 2019 from https://meta.be/nl/profiel/team/niklaas-deboutte Dominique Perrault Architecture (n.d) April 2019 from http://www.perraultarchitecture. com/es/homepage Gebouw 0 (n.d) Retrieved April 2019 from https://meta.be/nl/projecten/gebouw-o-ua-wilrijk National Library (n.d) Retrieved April 2019 from http://www.perraultarchitecture.com/ en/projects/2465-national_library_of_france.html