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A N A R C H I T E CT U R E I N FO R M ED BY C O N T EX T
A V ER N AC U LA R R E V I VA L
U N I V ERS I T Y O F S O U T H F L O R I D A S C H O O L O F A R C H I T E CT U R E A N D C O M M U N I TY D E S I G N | M AS T E RS R E S E A R C H P R O J E C T | DA N I EL L A C OVAT E
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A N A R C H I T E CT U R E I N FO R M ED BY C O N T EX T
A V ER N AC U LA R R E V I VA L
A series of architectural studies involving the re-adaptation and re-application of nineteenth century American vernacular archetypes to contemporary architecture with the goal of developing stronger regional identities.
DANIELLA COVATE
Documentation By:
A Master’s Research Project presented to the Graduate School of Architecture and Community Design at the University of South Florida in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Masters in Architecture. May 2015
Date of Approval:
Thesis Chair: Thesis Committee:
Josue Robles Adjunct Professor USF SACD
Levent Kara Associate Professor USF SACD
Daniel Powers Associate Professor USF SACD
D E D I CAT I O N
- To all my family and friends who have provided me with their steady support over the years
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A K N OW L ED G EM EN TS
I would like to personally thank all my professors Steve Cooke, Michael Halflants, Robert MacLeod, Jan Wampler, Martin Gunderson and Shannon Bassett for their dedication to SACD and for guiding me to a greater architectural understanding. And a special thanks to Professor Daniel Powers who has been one of my most important mentors during my education at USF. Thank you for being one of my toughest critics and source of motivation all in one.
Thank you to my mother and father for always believing in me and supporting me throughout the past 24 years. I appreciate you more than you will ever know.
CONTENTS
P.8 List of Figures p.12 Problem Statement p.13 Abstract p.14 Project Description & Goals p.17 Project Concept p.18 Research and Design Methods p.19 Tangibles and Intangibles
p.23 H I S TO R I CA L R EFER EN C E
| Precedents
Kenneth Frampton Alexander Tzonis & Liane Lefaivre Steven Holl
p.19 H I S TO R I CA L R EFER EN C E
| Native Dwellings
The Teepee The Igloo Cliff Dwellings Chickee Hut
p.26 C o n t e m po r a ry R EFER EN C E
| Case Studies
Merida Museum of Roman Art : Rafael Moneo Murcia Town Hall : Rafael Moneo Levittown, Pa. : Levitt & Sons Shobac Cottages : Mackay Lyons
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p.34 A v e r n ac u la r r e v i va l
|
A closer look at the American vernacular
Southeast Region : The Dogtrot Mid-Atlantic Region : The Log Cabin Northeast Region : The Saltbox Great Lakes Region : ‘I’House Central Plains Region : Bolduc House Southwest Region : Sodhouse Rocky Mountains Region : The Log Cabin Pacific Region : The Plank House Pacific Northwest Region : The Stone House
p.35 V e r n ac u la r A rc h ety p es
|
A history of form and function
The Hearth The Porch The Roof
p.56 S P E C U LAT I N G AC R O S S T H R EE D EN S I T I ES | Forming new relationships High Density Mid - Density Low Density
p.66 I N T R O D U CT I O N O F T H E S I T ES
|
Busy streets, neighborhoods and mountains
King Street, Charleston , South Carolina Summerville, South Carolina Lake Jocassee, South Carolina
p.85 A C O N T E M PO R A RY A P P L I CAT I O N
|
Re-adaptation + Re-application
01 : King Street Residence 02 : Summerville Residence 03 : Lake Jocassee Residence
p.102 C O N C L U S I O N
LIST OF FIGURES P. 14 Figure 1
Vernacular Notion
P. 14 Figure 2
Contemporary Application
P. 15 Figure 3
Concept Graphic
P. 25 Figure 4
Steven Holl House: Black Swan Theory | http://stevenholl.com/books-detail.php?id=12
P. 26 Figure 5
Teepee | http://mswakefieldsgcse201113.wikispaces.com/file/view/42649111.
P. 26 Figure 6
Teepee | http://www.sonofthesouth.net/union-generals/sioux-indians/pictures/tipi.jpg
P. 27 Figure 7
Igloo | http://ak8.picdn.net/shutterstock/videos/1624591/preview/stock-footage-inside-empty-house-of-iceeskimo-igloo-trees-visible-through-hole-in-roof.jpg
P. 27 Figure 8
Igloo | http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-91QtG-Z6nSk/Tbz35vCMfSI/AAAAAAAAACY/Ss_4KLGKbL4/s1600/igloo.jpg
P. 28 Figure 9
Cliff Dwelling | http://www.edupic.net/Images/SocialStudies/cliff_dwelling10.jpg
P. 28 Figure 10
Cliff Dwelling | http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photos-interior-cliff-dwelling-mesa-verde-nation al-park-colorado-usa-image32446983
P. 29 Figure 11
Chickee Hut | http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3664/3399584763_ba91ebb589.jpg
P. 29 Figure 12
Chickee Hut | http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FN_6S-nGejc/SYjtssfc_8I/AAAAAAAAANU/iZJ5HW_7Emc/s400/
chickee+hut.JPG
P. 30 Figure 13
Merida Museum of Roman Art | http://www.coletassoft.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2006/05/Nation
al_Museum_of_Roman_Art_by_ColetasSoft.jpg
P. 30 Figure 14
Merida Museum of Roman Art | http://museoarteromano.mcu.es/img/museo_merida.jpg
P. 31 Figure 15
Murcia Town Hall | http://www.turismodemurcia.es/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/img/ayuntamien
to-05.jpg
P. 31 Figure 16
Murcia Town Hall | http://www.mimoa.eu/images/6579_l.jpg
P. 32 Figure 17
Levittown | http://m5.paperblog.com/i/9/90414/return-to-levittown-americas-first-suburb-rea-L-CCVWHl.
P. 32 Figure 18
Levittown | http://berryls.com/blog/wp-includes/levittown-pa-houses-i18.jpg
P. 32 Figure 19
Levittown | http://tigger.uic.edu/~pbhales/Levittown/new/levittfamily.jpg
P. 33 Figure 20
Shobac Cottages | http://www.mlsarchitects.ca/shobac/cottages.htm
P. 33 Figure 21
Shobac Cottages | http://www.mlsarchitects.ca/shobac/cottages.htm
P. 33 Figure 22
Shobac Cottages | http://www.mlsarchitects.ca/shobac/cottages.htm
P. 33 Figure 23
Shobac Cottages | http://www.mlsarchitects.ca/shobac/cottages.htm
P. 34 Figure 24
The Dogtrot | http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/d2/51/77/d25177f002aa1101264b9aeb01beb771
P. 34 Figure 25
The Appalachian Log Cabin | http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6104/6995441587_06c03ba8ef_z.jpg
P. 34 Figure 26
The Saltbox | http://www.derekquessenberryphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/dq00015.jpg
P. 34 Figure 27
The ‘I’ House | http://mdgroover.iweb.bsu.edu/GPR%20MYH%20Pic.JPG
P. 34 Figure 28
The Bolduc House | http://www.ste-genevieve.com/LeMeilleur.jpg
P. 34 Figure 29
The Sodhouse | http://sdgenweb.com/perkins/sod-house-meadow2-1930.jpg
P. 34 Figure 30
The Log Cabin | http://pnwphotoblog.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2010/05/Stone-House.jpg
P. 34 Figure 31
The Plank House | http://www.yurokplankhouse.com/small-plank-house-burl-redwood/images/P2120079.
9 P. 34 Figure 32
The Stone House | http://pnwphotoblog.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2010/05/Stone-House.jpg
P. 35 Figure 33
Fireplace | http://0.tqn.com/d/inventors/1/7/R/0/1/kitchenLOC.jpg
P. 35 Figure 34
The American Front Porch | http://jwblackboard.com/sharecropping-and-tenant-farming-212.jpg
P. 35 Figure 35
The Roof | http://www.sylvanstoltzfusbuilders.com/listings/barn016a.jpg
P. 36 Figure 36
Vernacular Typology Studies
P. 37 Figure 37
Vernacular archetypal graphic studies
P. 38 Figure 38
Southeast Region Archetypal Graphic Study
P. 39 Figure 39
Southeast Region Typology Study
P. 38 Figure 40
The Dogtrot | http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/d2/51/77/d25177f002aa1101264b9aeb01beb771
P. 40 Figure 41
Mid-Atlantic Region Archetypal Graphic Study
P. 41
Figure 42 Mid-Atlantic Region Typology Study
P. 40 Figure 43
The Appalachian Log Cabin | http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6104/6995441587_06c03ba8ef_z.jpg
P. 42 Figure 44
Northeast Region Archetypal Graphic Study
P. 43 Figure 45
Northeast Region Typology Study
P. 42 Figure 46
The Saltbox | http://www.derekquessenberryphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/dq00015.jpg
P. 44 Figure 47
Great Lakes Region Archetypal Graphic Study
P. 45 Figure 48
Great Lakes Region Typology Study
P. 44 Figure 49
The ‘I’ House | http://mdgroover.iweb.bsu.edu/GPR%20MYH%20Pic.JPG
P. 46 Figure 50
Central Plains Region Archetypal Graphic Study
P. 47 Figure 51
Central Plains Region Typology Study
P. 46 Figure 52
The Bolduc House | http://www.ste-genevieve.com/LeMeilleur.jpg
P. 48 Figure 53
Southwest Region Archetypal Graphic Study
P. 49 Figure 54
Southwest Region Typology Study
P. 48 Figure 55
The Sodhouse | http://sdgenweb.com/perkins/sod-house-meadow2-1930.jpg
P. 50 Figure 56
Rocky Mountain Region Archetypal Graphic Study
P. 51 Figure 57
Rocky Mountain Region Typology Study
P. 50 Figure 58
The Log Cabin | http://pnwphotoblog.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2010/05/Stone-House.jpg
P. 52 Figure 59
Pacific Region Archetypal Graphic Study
P. 53 Figure 60
Pacific Region Typology Study
P. 52 Figure 61
The Plank House | http://www.yurokplankhouse.com/small-plank-house-burl-redwood/images/P2120079.
P. 54 Figure 62
Pacific Northwest Region Archetypal Graphic Study
P. 55 Figure 63
Pacific Northwest Region Typology Study
P. 54 Figure 64
The Stone House | http://pnwphotoblog.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2010/05/Stone-House.jpg
P. 57 Figure 65
Archetypal Mappings
P. 59 Figure 66
Archetypal Density Constructs
P. 60 Figure 67
High Density Archetypal Construct
P. 61 Figure 68
High Density Archetypal Construct
P. 61 Figure 69
High Density Archetypal Construct
P. 62 Figure 70
Mid-Density Archetypal Construct
P. 63 Figure 71
Mid-Density Archetypal Construct
P. 63 Figure 72
Mid-Density Archetypal Construct
P. 64 Figure 73
Low-Density Archetypal Construct
P. 65 Figure 74
Low-Density Archetypal Construct
P. 65 Figure 75
Low-Density Archetypal Construct
P. 66 Figure 76
High Density Site Map | http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2
P. 67 Figure 77
High Density Site Image | http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2
P. 67 Figure 78
High Density Site Image | http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2
P. 67 Figure 79
High Density Site Image | http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2
P. 67 Figure 80
High Density Site Image | http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2
P. 67 Figure 81
High Density Site Image | http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2
P. 67 Figure 82
High Density Site Image | http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2
P. 68 Figure 83
Mid-Density Site Map | http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2
P. 69 Figure 84
Mid-Density Site Image | http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2
P. 69 Figure 85
Mid-Density Site Image | http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2
P. 69 Figure 86
Mid-Density Site Image | http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2
P. 69 Figure 87
Mid-Density Site Image | http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2
P. 69 Figure 88
Mid-Density Site Image | http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2
P. 70 Figure 89
Mid-Density Site Image | http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2
P. 71
Figure 90 Low Density Site Map | http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2
P. 71
Figure 91 Low Density Site Image | http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2
P. 71 Figure 92
Low Density Site Image | http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2
P. 71 Figure 93
Low Density Site Image | http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2
P. 71 Figure 94
Low Density Site Image | http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2
P. 71 Figure 95
Low Density Site Image | http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2
P. 72 Figure 96
Low Density Site Image | http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2
P. 72 Figure 97
High Density Process Construct
P. 73 Figure 98
High Density Process Construct
P. 73 Figure 99
High Density Process Construct
P. 74 Figure 100
Mid- Density Process Construct
P. 74 Figure 101
Mid- Density Process Construct
P. 76 Figure 102
Low- Density Process Construct
P. 76 Figure 103
Low- Density Process Construct
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P. 79 Figure 104
King Street Residence Final Model
P. 80 Figure 105
High Density Existing archetypal composition
P. 80 Figure 106
High Density Re-Adapted archetypal composition
P. 81 Figure 107
High Density Archetypal Chart
P. 82 Figure 108
Final Construct 01 Image
P. 82 Figure 109
Final Construct 01 Image
P. 83 Figure 110
Final Plan Construct 01
P. 83 Figure 111
Final Plan Construct 01
P. 83 Figure 112
Final Plan Construct 01
P. 83 Figure 113
Final Plan Construct 01
P. 84 Figure 114
Existing High Density Section Drawing
P. 85 Figure 115
Re-adapted High Density Section Drawing
P. 87 Figure 116
Summerville Residence Final Model
P. 88 Figure 117
Mid-Density Existing archetypal composition
P. 88 Figure 118
Mid-Density Re-Adapted archetypal composition
P. 89 Figure 119
Mid-Density Archetypal Chart
P. 90 Figure 120
Final Construct 02 Image
P. 90 Figure 121
Final Construct 02 Image
P. 91 Figure 122
Final Plan Construct 02
P. 91 Figure 123
Final Plan Construct 02
P. 92 Figure 124
Existing Mid-Density Section Drawing
P. 93 Figure 125
Re-adapted Mid-Density Section Drawing
P. 95 Figure 126
Lake Jocassee Residence Final Model
P. 96 Figure 127
Low Density Existing archetypal composition
P. 96 Figure 128
Low Density Re-Adapted archetypal composition
P. 97 Figure 129
Low Density Archetypal Chart
P. 98 Figure 130
Final Construct 03 Image
P. 98 Figure 131
Final Construct 03 Image
P. 99 Figure 132
Final Plan Construct 03
P. 99 Figure 133
Final Plan Construct 03
P. 100 Figure 134
Existing Low-Density Section Drawing
P. 101 Figure 135
Re-Adapted Low Density Section Drawing
P R O B LEM S TAT EM EN T Due to modernism and post modernism, today’s architecture has become so abstracted that its vernacular characteristics have nearly disappeared. It is vital to bring back a regional identity to architecture that responds to physical, cultural, and social needs. “Buildings are rarely ever autonomous,” Peter Rose of Rose + Parters claims. 1 There must be an eagerness to understand other factors that effect architecture, and design to respond to them accordingly.
1. Rose, Peter. SACD Lecture Series. USF, Tampa. 21 Oct. 2014. Lecture.
A B ST R AC T
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“The clues in our past�
How can contemporary architecture better address context, user, and function by utilizing vernacular archetypes as architectural vehicles to yield a stronger sense of regional identity?
In world where so much meaningless architecture is
adapt and design for a specific place and its people.
created on a daily basis with little to no thought for
Throughout the modern movement, architects at-
those who spend their lives inside of it or the surround-
tempted to predict what society and individuals need-
ing context, I believe it is crucial that architects begin
ed from buildings and eventually imposed their values
to strongly re-consider user needs and context as de-
on a public who did not share them. How can archi-
sign tools. For over half a century, modern architecture
tects bring back a sense of place and individuality to ar-
and most architecture of today has been governed
chitecture based on context, culture, and user needs?
primarily by style rather than substance. Architects
This masters project will begin with the analysis of
have forgotten their role and are designing for other
nine vernacular housing types located through-
architects rather than for inhabitants and surrounding
out nine regions of the United States which will
context. Globalization has also resulted in architectural
provide clues as to how these nineteenth centu-
homogoneity, thus it has become our challenge as ar-
ry examples adapted to their surrounding con-
chitects is to give back a sense of place and regionalism
text while maintaining true to their user needs.
by anchoring architecture to the geographical and cul-
The finished product will involve the design of an
tural context. The local vernacular styles of designing
architecture which embodies a symbiotic relation-
and building provide context clues as to how to better
ship between the context, building and the user.
P R OJ ECT G O A LS + D E S C R I P T I O N
The primary goal of this masters project is to devel-
regions across the United States. Through an under-
op a mediation between vernacular architectural
standing of the performance and use of every aspect
languages and international (contemporary) ar-
of these vernacular dwellings (both physically and
chitectural styles. This master’s project will define
sociologically), the archeypes will be re-adapted and
guidelines and set up constraints for contemporary
applied to three contemporary housing projects on
architects with the intentions of developing archi-
three sites of various densities within one region. In-
tecture which is more responsive to the site and
troducing these concepts to various sites of different
user. The project will begin with an analysis of nine
densities will act as testing grounds used for re-adapt-
vernacular housing types taken from nine
ing and re-applying these modified archetypes.
various
vernacular
contemporary application
+
Fig. 1 : Vernacular Notion
=
Fig. 2 : Contemporary Application
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These illustrations describe the union of vernacular archetypes with contemporary applications which results in a mediation between the two, as illustrated in Figure 1, 2 and 3. Fig. 3 : Concept Graphic
“An architecture capable of supporting our identity has to be situationally, culturally, and symbolically articulated.� J u h a n i Pa l l as m aa
P R OJ E CT C O N C EPT The concept behind this Master’s Project involves a design process that takes into consideration tangible (physical environment) and intangible factors (culture, history, society), with the goal of re-adapting and re-applying vernacular archetypes for a more contemporary use. This process will allow for architects to design with the help of constraints which will enable them to take context, culture, and social needs into their design process. Through the re-adaptation and re-application of vernacular archetypes that are typical to the regions of study, this project will strive to heighten a ‘sense of place’ by emphasizing regional identity in these regions that have developed a homogenous architecture over the past century. The goal is to gather a full understanding of the success and failures of vernacular housing and their archetypes and re-apply it for a contemporary use. Through a better understanding of our historical precedents, architects can take from the old and apply to the new, resulting in buildings with a greater contextual and sociological ‘grounding.’
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R E S EA RC H + D ES I G N M ET H O D S
CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH: Applying what has been done in the past in discovering the maximum potential of spaces for today. Through precedent and case studies, one can begin to analyze past examples and solutions without altering them or applying them directly to a contemporary problem. Correlational research can serve as an antecedent to experimental research. The analysis of the nine nineteenth century vernacular typologies serve as an example of correlational research.
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH: Applying research to various sites at various scales and densities in an experimental process. Through experimental research one can work through a series of trial and error studies to apply what has been derived from previous correlational research. Past examples and solutions can be altered and adapted for various sites, scales, and users. The re-adaptation of these vernacular studies to low density, mid-density, and high density sites is a form of experimental research in which the information gathered from the correlational research can then be applied.
 
FACT O RS TO B E C O N S I D E R E D
A N A RC H I T E C T U R E I N F O R M E D BY C O N T EXT The following list provides tangible and intangible factors as a guideline for the design of a building that is ultimately responsive to all of the above. When addressed, these factors allow for the development of a symbiotic relationship between the context, building and user(s).
TA N G I B L E S 1.
PHYSICAL CONTEXT
(how do boundaries, edges, scale, proportion, interior, exterior, path, space, ground, texture, thresholds, and circulation affect the building design?)
2. CLIMATE (how does temperature affect and influence design based decisions?) (how does the design change based on temperature or climatic differences?) (how to respond and take advantage of the climate)
3.
NATURAL RESOURCES
(what natural resources are available in the area?) (how can they be incorporated to enhance the uniqueness of a place?) (how can they be incorporated to enhance the sustainability and efficiency of a building?)
4. TOPOGRAPHY (how does the topography shape the program & layout?)
5. ORIENTATION (how is the orientation of the site manipulated for the benefit of the project?)
6.
TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION
(what materials are produced and commonly used in areas in the surrounding areas?) (which material choice will successfully represent the context?) (what colors or textures will successfully capture the essence of the place and context?)
7.
BUILT FORM
(are there any existing built forms on the site?) (acknowledgement of significant nearby landmarks) (engagement of existing structures on the site)
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8.
BUILDING TYPOLOGY
(what district zone is the building located on?) (what building typology is highly evident on the site?) (how does the density of the site effect public and private organizations?) (how can the existing architectural typologies on the site effect the building design?)
9.
ARCHETYPES
(how are important building elements such as wall, threshold, voids, proportions, unity, light integrated and manipulated within the design?) (how does each element differ depending on the specific context?)
I N TA N G I B L E S
1.
SOCIOLOGICAL CONTEXT
(history, community, culture, identity, public/private, human activities, functions, human scale)
2.
CHRONOLOGY
(event, fabric, memory, sequence, pace, culture, rituals, time, movement) (how does the historical fabric of the site effect the building design?) (how do the rituals and the daily/weekly/monthly/annual events an effect on the context and its use?)
3.
HISTORY
(what is the history of the place?) (what were the original intentions for the site?) (what significant facts should be taken into consideration and allowed to influence the building design and program?) (what are the influences still present on the site?) (how can the historical palimpsest of the site be experienced and incorporated into the project?)
4.
EVENTS
(religious, political, musical, time) (acknowledgement of ongoing events on site) (what types of events are held on site and how often?) (how are these events being incorporated into the program?) (who are the events intended for?)
5.
USE
(noise level, crowdedness, traffic) (who uses the site?) (how many people use the site? (density)) (is there pedestrian traffic or vehicular traffic on site?)
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6.
SOCIETY
(needs, values, religion, culture, involvement) (how will society influence the design?) (how does the building design respond to the needs of the site and its users?) (how should the characteristics of a society be used to conserve and add to the local identity?)
7.
PHENOMENON
(how do phenomenological aspects such as sound, touch, time, light, spiritual, smell, taste, space, and ritual enhance the ‘sense of place’ of the site?)
H I S T O R I CA L R EFER EN C E
| Precedents
Kenneth Frampton Towards a Critical Regionalism: Six Points for an Architecture of Resistance Kenneth Frampton reveals what he believes archi-
(World Culture) by conserving particularities of places.
tecture should resist: the homogeneity inherent in
An architecture of resistance also involves the Resistance
modern society. Stating “the paradox: how to be-
of Place-Form which relates to a larger scale of design
come modern and to return to sources; how to revive
and the resistance of a place in comparison to the style
an old, dormant civilization and take part in universal
of the majority of its urban context to conserve the
civilization,” Frampton rejects neither, rather propos-
’sense of place.’ Culture vs. Nature addresses the sense
2
ing a mediation of the two . According to Frampton,
of ‘placelessness’ when a site is bulldozed flat and loses
critical regionalism should adopt modernism for its
its topographical qualities which make it unique. Finally,
universal progressive qualities but should also re-
The Visual vs. The Tactile involves the tactile qualities of
main grounded to the context. Emphasis should be
the overall experience of a place. Because our world is
placed on a symbiotic relationship between the con-
so visually driven, many time architects neglect to de-
text, architecture and users rather than the aesthetics.
sign for more than the eye. With these six points to take
He identifies six points that must be met and taken
into consideration, Frampton reveals the characteristics
into
of what an architecture of resistance should embody.
consideration in order to achieve an architec-
ture of resistance: Culture and Civilization, the Rise + Fall of the Avant Garde, Critical Regionalism and World
Culture, The Resistance of Place-Form, Culture vs. Nature, and The Visual vs. The Tactile. Culture and Civilization involves the difference scopes that architecture operates in. Culture describes a smaller scale practice or tradition while abiding by the rules of a larger scale civilization. The Rise + Fall of the Avante Garde addresses the understanding of an experimental and progressive movement that pushes the boundaries of the norm and a nostalgic desire to return back to vernacular pre-industrialization forms. Frampton describes Critical Regionalism as a similar notion that mediates the impact of a universal globalization
2. Frampton, Kenneth “Towards a Critical Regionalism: Six Points for an Architecture of Resistance”, in “Anti-Aesthetic. Essays on Postmodern Culture.” Seattle: Bay Press, 1983.
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Liane Lefevre and Alexander Tzonis Architecture of Regionalism in the Age of Globalization The authors provide a series of small chapters each taking a different point in history, from Ancient Athens to post- war America. Each chapter attempts to show how architecture and landscape design has reflected debates and between regionalism and globalism. Exemplifying the approaches about context taken by various architects, the authors describe LeCorbusier’s as having a “proud independence from the site” while Frank Lloyd Wright’s work displays a more harmonious relationship with the site. 3 LeCorbusier to them represents an architect of the rapidly globalizing world while Wright embodies a regionalist. Without needing to take directly from the context, Tzonis and LeFaivre explain how elements can be stripped of their context and used in unfamiliar ways. Rather than ‘regionalism’ which strives to recreate a vernacular already present without acknowledgement of a universal style, ‘critical regionalism’ partakes in both the local and universal scopes.
3. Lefaivre, Liane, and Alexander Tzonis. Architecture of Regionalism in the Age of Globalization: Peaks and Valleys in the Flat World. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2012. N. pag. Print
Steven Holl House: Black Swan Theory
Holl goes into great detail about fifteen of his built and unbuilt residential projects, providing a “black swan” theory for architecture; a black swan theory describes an event that comes as a surprise and is hard to predict.4 Holl’s houses appear to be explicable and in essence of the site but could never be predicted as an architectural solution. Revealing the unique qualities of all fifteen distinct sites, Holl’s houses have their own personalities, derived from the context. Dealing with materiality and how each enhances the spirit of the place, he becomes uniquely inspired by each site which is then reflected in the houses. Rather than using the same architectural style throughout each project, Steven Holl honors each site in a distinct fashion. From a secluded location in Hawaii to The Hague in the Netherland’s, Holl approaches each housing project differently and validates his “black swan” theory by developing a “mutable yet unpredictable” architectural style.
4. Holl, Steven. House: Black Swan Theory. New York: Princeton Architectural, 2007. Print.
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Fig. 4 : Steven Holl House: Black Swan Theory
H I S T O R I CA L R EFER EN C E |
Native Dwellings
TEEPEE
Fig. 5 : Teepee
Location: North America Established: 19th Century
Teepees were the transferrable cone shaped house of the Native Americans who constantly moved and hunted for survival. When they moved, they carried the poles on horseback. The teepee was twelve to fifteen feet high. The center of the house had an exhaust pipe which released any smoke or hot air that might have been trapped inside. The house was covered by buffalo hide which was usually leftover from the hunt. The inner lining acted as a heat insulator during cooler months and a pest excluder through the entire year.5 Fig. 6 : Teepee
5. "Tipi, Tepee, Teepee." Native American Encyclopedia. N.p., 12 July 2012. Web. 29 Oct. 2014.
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I GLOO
Fig. 7 : Igloo
Location: Canada, Greenland Established: 14th Century
Built of blocks of snow in a circular fashion in which the walls curve inward toward the top to form a snow vault, the igloo’s arched ceiling becomes self-supporting. The igloo is an excellent example of human ingenuity and adaptability to the environment. It retains heat and protects againt the wind, since snow and ice act as excellent insulators. The design of the igloo includes a tunnel entrance that forms a cold trap to preserve heat inside. The sleeping and sitting area is raised above this and so maintains a higher temperature while a small hole near the top of the igloo provides ventilation.6 6. "Artic Houses Igloo (or Iglu)." Native American Encyclopedia. N.p., 15 Mar. 2013. Web. 29 Oct. 2014.
Fig. 8 : Igloo
CLI FF DWELLI N Gs Location: Southwest, United States Established: 11th Century
Fig. 9 : Cliff Dwellings
The cliff dwellings were built to take advantage of solar energy. The angle of the sun in winter warmed the masonry of the cliff dwellings, warm breezes blew from the valley, and the air was ten to twenty degrees warmer in the canyon alcoves than on the top of the mesa. In the summer, with the sun high overhead, much of the village was protected from the direct sunlight in the high cliff dwellings where the mesa above was used as farming grounds7 7. “Cliff Dwellers.� Native American Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2014.
Fig. 10 : Cliff Dwellings
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TH E CH I cKEE H UT Location: Southeastern United States Established: 19th Century
Fig. 11 : Chickee Hut
“Chickee” is the word the Seminole Indians use for ‘house.’ The first Seminoles to live in North Florida are known to have constructed log cabin - type homes. Some two stories tall, with sleeping quarters upstairs. The chickee style of architecture (palmetto thatch over a cypress log frame) was born when Seminole Indians, pursued by U.S. troops needed fast, disposable shelters while on the run.8 8. “The Chickee.” Native American Encyclopedia. N.p., 13 July 2013. Web. 29 Oct. 2014.
Fig. 12 : Chickee Hut
C o n t em po r a ry R EFER E N C E |
Case Studie s
M E R I DA M U S E U M O F R O M A N A RT | R A FA EL M O N EO
Fig. 13 : Merida Museum of Roman Art
“The primary goal was to build a museum that would offer people an opportunity to understand aspects of Merida’s Roman heritage. Without falling into a strict imitation of Roman architecture, Moneo adopted the Roman construction system-massive masonry-bearing walls filled with concrete. Other Roman building techniques, materials, and proportions were utilized as well, and prominence was given to construction as an expression of architecture itself. The materiality of the Roman brick wall becomes, finally, the most important feature in the architecture of the museum.” 9 9. Thorne, Martha, and Colin Amery. The Pritz-
ker Architecture Prize: The First Twenty Years. New York: Harry N. Abrams in Association with the Art Institute of Chicago, 1999. N. pag. Web. Fig. 14 : Merida Museum of Roman Art
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M U RC I A TOW N H A L L | R A FA EL M O N E O
Taking
into
strong
consideration
Fig. 15 : Murcia Town Hall
the surrounding context which had been around for centuries before the rebuilding of town hall, Moneo articulated the facade in respnse to the surrounding vernacular and developed a system which worked off of asimilar modulation and language. Built with local stone, the building is further grounded to the site, thus, proving to be a successful example of critical regionalism. “The facade is the most important element of this building. Rafael Moneo focused all his efforts to compose it and that it could be composed in a dialogue with its environment. Moneo thought about a musical score for the order of the columns, and about a glass balcony to break the symmetry, and from which the mayor could make appearances to the city.�10
10. Galinsky, Hans. "Architect Tonic." Architect
Tonic. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2014.
Fig. 16 : Murcia Town Hall
LEVITTOWN, PA. | LEVITT & SO NS Located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Levittown was one of the first mass produced suburban developments in the country. Between 1950 and 1960, 20 million people were drawn to mass housing developments on the outskirts of America’s cities. Levittown sprang to life in 1951. The scale of the project attracted national attention. In addition to houses, Levittown’s master plan called for swimming pools, baseball fields, churches, schools, and shopping centers providing future homeowners with amenities. To speed production and cut costs, Levitt offered six basic house types. Levitt sacrificed individuality and custom design for low-cost efficiency, boasting that he had created “the least monotonous mass housing group in the country.” 11 However, Levitt & Sons was not designing for the individual user. Today, Levittown’s homes have all been altered and adapted to function for the uses of the specific users. The houses’ application on the 6400 acre site was anything but harmonious. The land was bulldozed and leveled off before construction, elimintating any topographical change or variation. Though this form of mass production saved a significant amount of time and money, the aftermaths of suburban developments such as this one are still seen all over the United States today.
Fig. 17 : Levittown
Fig. 18 : Levittown
Fig. 19 : Levittown
11, "Levittown, Pa. | Building the Suburban Dream." Levittown, Pa. | Building the Suburban Dream. The State Museum of Pennsylvania, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2014.
SH O BAC COTTAGES | MACKAY LYO NS In 1994, MacKay-Lyons established a camp on the property where architecture students and a few architects and critics would meet two weeks each year for a design-build workshop. The idea was to connect contemporary architectural practice to timeless construction techniques, materials, and vernacular forms. It was soon dubbed Ghost Lab, partly inspired by the eerie look of the new structures at night, and partly by the presence of ruins and other traces of earlier communities nearby. The site is located on the edge of Nova Scotia where Europeans first arrived in the 16th century. When Samuel de Champlain explored the East Coast in the early 1600s, he found small dwellings already built by the European fishermen who frequented these shores. Even today, Upper Kingsburg, where Shobac is located, remains remote. The simplicity of MacKay-Lyons’s work is deceptive; his buildings form part of an ongoing exploration of the relationship between architecture, memory, culture, and the physical environment. His passions have little to do with the world of starchitects and their pin-up projects. In fact, his work amounts to a not-so-subtle critique of conventional architecture, which has, in his opinion, become a sort of throwaway activity designed either for entertainment or expediency. Furthermore, he asserts that true beauty is found in utility, material honesty, and architectural integrity.12
Fig. 20 : Shobac Cottages
Fig. 21 : Shobac Cottages
Fig. 22 : Shobac Cottages
Fig. 23 : Shobac Cottages
12, “MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects Limited.” MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects Limited. MacKay Lyons Architects, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2014.
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A V E R N AC U L A R R EV I VA L Images below showcase nine nineteenth century vernacular houses located throughout nine regions across the United States, that serve as precedents for this Master’s Project. This study of regionalism began with the dissection of nine various regions across the United States. It eventually turned into a typographical and typological study of nineteenth century vernacular housing types of these regions which serves as a parallel study to the earlier precedent, House: Black Swan Theory. The following diagrams and models serve as topographical and typological analyses. Topographical analysis involving the pertaining site topography and physical context. Typological analysis involves the study of the main kit of parts which comprises each of these vernacular housing types.
“ No building has life unless it is deeply and robustly functional ”
C H R I ST O P H ER A L E XA N D E R
Fig. 24 : The Dogtrot
Fig. 25 : The Appalachian Log Cabin
Fig. 26 : The Saltbox
Fig. 27 : The ‘i’ House
Fig. 28 : The Bolduc House
Fig. 29 : The Sodhouse
Fig. 30 : The Log Cabin
Fig. 31 : The Plank House
Fig. 32 : The Stone House
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V E R N AC U L A R A RC H ETY P E S T H E H E A RT H With no centralized heating system available, winter meant enduring a house-full of freezing rooms. As a result, most everyone retreated to the comforting warmth of the kitchen or main living space, where the fireplace was stoked all day, making it a cozy refuge from the chill. Elsewhere in the home, while a plentiful supply of wood burned in open hearth fireplaces, most of the heat generated from blazing logs went up the chimney rather into the living areas. Unless someone stood or sat near the hearth, even a roaring fire provided little warmth and rooms remained near freezing on the coldest days. The fireplace was a necessity in early America. As the hub of the house, a burning hearth provided heat, housed multiple fires for cooking and baking, and served as the nucleus of family gatherings. Most of the cooking was done over the fireplace, providing even a stronger sense of a hearth.
Fig. 33 : Fireplace
T H E A M E R I CA N F R O N T PO R C H “Nobody thought much
about the front porch when most Americans had them and used them. The great American front porch was just there, open and sociable, an unassigned part of the house that belonged to everyone and no one, a place for family and friends to pass the time.� --Rochlin, The Front Porch, in Home, Sweet Home The porch as an architectural concept has existed since prehistoric times. It developed throughout history, revealing itself at certain points in time through various cultures, disappearing, and then reappearing again. Yet, at no time or in any culture did the porch take on such structural and cultural importance as in the form of the American front porch. In this section, this evolution of the porch will be examined, unveiling the origins and roots of the American front porch. The physical development of the American front porch may be seen through the development of housing styles in our American architectural history. From the Georgian houses with minimal, if any, front porches to the Stick Style houses with their integral front porches, the front porch served different roles in the waves of styles that swept the country. By examining these roles that front porches played in a general survey of American housing styles, the evolution of the front porch in American architecture may be properly viewed.
Fig. 34 : The American Front Porch
T H E RO O F The roof condition depended primarily on climate
of the region the housing type was intended for. Steep roofs are an indication of a cold climate prone to alot of snowfall. The size of overhangs also indicates climactic differences. Small overhangs inicate the need for sunlight within the home while large overhangs act as shading devices to keep the home from overheating. Side-gabled, gambrel or hip roofs were very popular throughout the 1800s and were variated and adapted based on the climate and needs for the specific housing type. Roofs also had to respond to the hearth or chimney condition and the front porch condition.
Fig. 35 : The Roof
Fig. 36 : Vernacular Typology Studies
TYPOLOGY + TOPOGRAPHY Topography and typology studies of the nine vernacular housing precedents analyzing the main archetypes. Red representing the main parti of the house, the circle representing the location of the hearth, and below each, a section of the surrounding topography. These graphics (to the right) made it apparent that although located in different regions, these nine vernacular housing precedents developed with a similar kit of parts that involved the hearth, porch condition and roof condition. Each was adapted differently depending on tangible and intangible factors, resulting in regional distinction.
37
Fig. 37 : Vernacular archetypal graphic studies
8.5� x 11� frames encasing plaster shown on the left. Topographical and vernacular analysis of the nine vernacular housing precedents.
Fig. 38 : Southeast Region Archetypal graphic study
A dogtrot house historically consisted of two log cabins connected by a breezeway or “dogtrot�, all under a common roof. Typically one cabin was used for cooking and dining while the other was used as a private living space, such as a bedroom. The breezeway through the center of the house was a unique feature, with rooms of the house opening into the breezeway.
SOUTHEAST REGION
D O G T ROT TY PO LO GY
Fig. 40 : The dogtrot
The breezeway provided a cooler covered area for sitting which became the main gathering and social space. The combination of the breezeway and open windows in the rooms of the house created ventilation which efficiently pulled cooler outside air into the living quarters in the pre-air conditioning era Secondary characteristics of the dogtrot house included placement of the chimneys and porches. Chimneys were almost always located at each gable end of the house, with each serving one of the two main rooms. Although some houses had only the open central hall and flanking rooms, most dogtrots had full-width porches to the front and/or rear which became used year round due to the mild climate of the southeast region.
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Fig. 39 : Southeast Region Typology Study Model above consists of plaster, basswood, gray museum board, in a 8.5” x 11” white frame.
A R C H E TY P E S
ROOF Large overhangs provide shading and protection from rain. PORCH Served as a social space that acts as a transition space between inside and outside. CHIMNEY Used to warm house during cooler months. Did not act as the “hearth.”
Fig. 41 : Mid-Atlantic Region Archetypal Graphic
According to an essay printed in the Digital Library of Appalachia, “Historical Survey of Log Structures in Southern Appalachia,” what can now be considered folk art can be traced back to mostly German, Scotch-Irish, English and Scandinavian cultures. This mixture comprises the very essence of what modern Appalachian culture has become. The first American log homes can be traced back to 1638 in Delaware and Maryland; however, the Appalachian log cabin came from the influence of German and Scandinavian traditions in the eighteenth century. The masonry can mostly be traced to Scotch-Irish influence, and the design is a nod to the English. Most logs used during that L O G CA B I N TY PO LO GY time used would have been chestnut, oak, spruce and poplar. What really separates the Appalachian log cabin from log cabins across America is the system of notching, what holds the logs in position. Saddle or round notching was often used because it was “quick and relatively easy.” Another style is v-notching. “V-notching, characteristic of Pennsylvania German houses, found its way to the Appalachian mountains. Each log is hewn with an inverted V on the edge and on the underside. These fitted tightly together, forming a strong joint. M I D - AT L A N T I C R E G I O N
Fig. 43 : The Appalachian Log Cabin
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Fig. 42 : Mid-Atlantic Region Typology Study
A R C H E TY P E S
ROOF Average sized over hangs and gable roof PORCH Served as a social space that acts as a transition space between inside and outside. CHIMNEY Used to warm house during cooler months. Acts as the main hearth which grounds building to the ground and site
Fig. 44 : Northeast Region Archetypal graphic study
A saltbox is a building with a long, pitched roof that slopes down to the back, generally a wooden frame house. With just one story in the back and two stories in the front, the flat front and central chimney are recognizable features, but the asymmetry of the unequal sides and the long, low rear roof line are the most distinctive features of a saltbox. Taking its name from its resemblance to a wooden lidded box in which salt was once kept, the saltbox originated in New England. N O RT H EAST R EG I O N
S A LT B OX T Y P O L O GY
Fig. 46 : The Saltbox
One theory holds that the saltbox form was popularized by Queen Anne’s taxation of houses greater than one story. Since the rear of the roof descended to the height of a single-story building, the structure was exempt from the tax. The style was popular for structures throughout the colonial period and into the early Republic, perhaps because of the simplicity of its design and its inexpensiveness. During a time when metal nails were expesive, the saltbox was constructed using wooden notching.
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Fig. 45 : Northeast Region Typology Study
A R C H E TY P E S
ROOF Small overhangs allow for maximum light to enter the building while a sloped roof prevents snow from collecting above. CHIMNEY
Used to warm house during cooler months. Acts as the main hearth where the floor plan is organized around.
Fig. 47 : Great Lakes Region Archetypal graphic study
The I-house is a vernacular house type, popular in the United States from the colonial age onward. The I-house was named in the 1930s because of its common occurrence in the rural farm areas of Indiana, Illinois and Iowa, all states beginning in the letter “I”. The I-house developed from traditional seventeenth century British folk house types, such as the hall and parlor house and central-passage house. G R E AT L A K E S R E G I O N
' i ' H O U S E TY PO LO GY
Fig. 49 : The ‘i’ House
It became a popular house form in the Mid-Atlantic and Southern United States at an early date, but can be found throughout most of the country in areas that were settled by the mid-nineteenth century. All I-houses featured gables to the side and are at least two rooms in length, one room deep, and two full stories in height. They also often had a rear wing for a kitchen or additional space. The facade of an I-house tended to be symmetrical, and they were constructed in a variety of materials, including logs, wood frame, brick or stone.
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Fig. 48 : Great Lakes Region Typology Study
A RC H E TY P E S
ROOF Average sized over hangs and gable roof PORCH Served as a social space that acts as a transition space between inside and outside. CHIMNEY Used to warm house during cooler months. Acts as the main hearth which grounds building to the ground and site
Fig. 50 : Central Plains Region Archetypal graphic study
The single-cell house type is the basic building block of Anglo-American vernacular domestic space. The small one-room house (single-pen/single-cell) was based on French styles of architecture. While it could be built from various materials, perhaps the most similar to this house type is the log cabin, one of the most symbolic, mythical and widely recognized forms of American vernacular architecture. CENTRAL PLAINS REGION
BOLDUC HOUSE TYPOLOGY
Fig. 52 : The Bolduc House
This dynamic form of building with logs became popular because settlers found an amazing forest of fine hardwoods from which wooden structures, fences and artifacts of all kinds could be made. Building with wood, whether in log or varieties of frame construction, became the dominant “American” tradition wherever appropriate timber was available. The Bolduc house developed the same way but with a “posts-on-sills’ system.
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Fig. 51 : Central Plains Region Typology Study
A R C H E TY P E S
ROOF Average sized over hangs and gable roof PORCH Served as a social space that acts as a transition space between inside and outside. CHIMNEY Used to warm house during cooler months. Acts as the main hearth which grounds building to the ground and site
Fig. 53 : Southwest Region Archetypal graphic study
The sod house or “soddy” was a successor to the log cabin during frontier settlement of the United States. The southwest lacked standard building materials such as wood or stone; however, sod from thickly-rooted grass was abundant. Grass had a much thicker, tougher root structure than modern landscaping grass. Construction of a sod house involved cutting patches of sod in S O D H O U S E TY PO LO GY rectangles, often 2’×1’×6” long, and piling them into walls. Builders employed a variety of roofing methods. Sod houses accommodated normal doors and windows. The resulting structure was a well-insulated but damp dwelling that was very inexpensive. Sod houses required frequent maintenance and were vulnerable to rain damage. Stucco or wood panels often protected the outer walls. Canvas or plaster often lined the interior walls. SOUTHWEST REGION
Fig. 55 : The Sodhouse
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Fig. 54 : Southwest Region Typology Study
A R C H E TY P E S
ROOF Little to no overhangs CHIMNEY Used to warm house during cooler months. Acts as the main hearth which grounds the building to the ground and site
Fig. 56 : Rocky Mountain Region Archetypal graphic study
Wherever timber was readily available, a log cabin could be built in just a few days using only a few simple tools and without the use of nails. The early log cabins were sturdy, rainproof, and inexpensive. Log cabin construction came to North America in the 1600s when Swedish settlers brought building customs from their home country. ROCKY MTN REGION
Much later, in 1862, the Homestead Act influenced the design of
LO G CA B I N TY PO LO GY America’s log cabins. The Act gave “homesteaders” rights to open
land, but required that they cultivate it and build homes at least ten by twelve feet in size, with at least one glass window. And as people began to migrate west, the fastest and most inexpensive way to build was with local timber used to build this single cell housing type.
Fig. 58 : The Log Cabin
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Fig. 57 : Rocky Mountain Typology Study
A R C H E TY P E S
ROOF Little to no overhangs CHIMNEY Used to warm house during cooler months. Acts as the main hearth which grounds building to the ground and site
Fig. 59 : Pacific Region Archetypal graphic study
Cedar logs comprise the primary support system of the plank houses of the Pacific and are clad with thick cedar planks harvested from living trees. The properties of cedar trees include straight grain, very few knots, and weather resistance. The straight grain enabled separation of planks of wood from the tree. P A C I F I C
R E G I O N
PLANK HOUSE TYPOLOGY
Fig. 61 : The Plank House
The skilled people inserted a wedge to separate a section of wood and followed the height of the tree and adzed it out at both ends. This harvest method was sustainable and enabled the people to use the wood and to have a supply of planks to rebuild in another location. The patience of the people is evident in the practice of leaving the wedge in place to continue the pressure that would enable another wedge placement further up, this created longer planks.
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Fig. 60 : Pacific Region Typology Study
A R C H E TY P E S
ROOF Little to no overhangs CHIMNEY Used to warm house during cooler months. Acts as the main hearth which grounds building to the ground and site
Fig. 62 : Pacific Northwest Region Archetypal graphic study
Using locally available materials, the colonists of the 1800s built what they could and tried to meet the challenges posed by the climate and landscape of the Pacific Northwest. PACI FI C N O RTH W EST R EG I O N
They constructed the types of homes they remembered, but they STONE HOUSE TYPOLOGY also innovated and, at times, learned new building techniques from Native Americans. As the country grew, these early settlers developed not one, but many, uniquely American styles. The stone house takes local materials and combines them to create a dwelling that provides a shelter from the elements at a relatively inexpensive cost.
Fig. 64 : The Stone House
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Fig. 63 : Pacific Northwest Typology Study
A R C H E TY P E S
ROOF Little to no overhangs CHIMNEY Used to warm house during cooler months. Acts as the main hearth which grounds building to the ground and site
SPECULATING ACROSS THREE DENSITIES Following the nine precedent studies, three vernacular archetypes; the hearth, porch condition, and roof condition, have been abstracted for the purposes of analyzing relationships between the three as seen in the mapping on the right. The mapping illustrates the high density condition, mid-density condition and low density condition abstractly and all other factors that affect the relationships between the three archetypes. Proximity of neighboring buildings, vehicular traffic and pedestrian traffic is addressed where the conditions play a larger role in the high density and mid density sites. The road condition is illustrated by the large organic white shape that connects all three densities, while the smaller gray circle represents the sidewalk condition which only effects high and mid density conditions. Other conditions and archetypes are depicted in the mapping as shown in the key on the bottom left corner. This mapping helped to process all the tangible factors associated with each density without the application of an actual site.
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Fig. 65 : Archetypal Mappings
H I G H D EN S I TY
M I D - D EN S I TY
L OW D EN S I TY
The models depicted on the right are three dimensional representations of the graphic images discussed on the previous page. The vernacular archetypes are more developed in these models where the porch (shown in red) depicts possibilites of how future solutions may come into contact with the road or sidewalk condition (depicted in white). The roof conditions are more refined and react to the neighboring buildings, hearth, and a need for ventilation and lighting.
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Fig. 66 : Archetypal Density Constructs
H I G H D E N S I TY
Having been transformed into balconies, the porch condition is now more prominent in this high density home where the relationship to the street and sidewalk condition has been renewed. The balconies also extrovert the residence and provide the ability for inhabitants to inhabit the otherwise flat street wall. The large family room or gathering space that acts as the homes’ hearth, ensures constant interaction and activity between family members since it is located in between the bedrooms and public spaces. Since one must cross the hearth to access the public functions from the private and vise versa, the family room becomes a social hearth that is constantly in use. Usually in high density situations, the residence is neighbored by two residences on either side, the more familiar name for this is a rowhouse. Rowhouses usually lack interior natural light within due to the fact that only two facades of the building remain open. Opening up the roof condition with a large light well that brings in light down to all three floors from noon til dusk, ensures that the residence will be well lit throughout the entire day.
Fig. 67 : High Density Archetypal Construct
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Fig. 68 : High Density Archetypal Construct
Fig. 69 : High Density Archetypal Construct
M I D - D E N S I TY With the goal of extroverting the home, the porch condition (shown in red) has been moved closer to the street and in closer proximity to the sidewalk to create a more welcoming entrance. The hearth (shown in plexi) is located off of the porch condition to further strengthen the sociological factors associated with each. Though the proximity of surrounding buildings is a little farther in the mid-density location, the context still plays a major role and the idea of adapting to the context is just as important. The roof condition is a mediation between a gable roof located on all the neighboring homes, and a flat contemporary roof.
Fig. 70 : Mid - Density Archetypal Construct
63
Fig. 71 : Mid - Density Archetypal Construct
Fig. 72 : Mid - Density Archetypal Construct
LOW D E N S I TY With the placement of the hearth (plexi) in the center of the deck or porch condition (red), the conditions are activated due to constant movement between inside and outside. The porch condition also provides a transition between exterior natural conditions and interior conditions. With no sidewalk or street conditions to react to, the topography and site forces are the major external factors to consider. The roof condition has larger overhangs to protect the porch condition from the elements and mimic the vernacular gable style roof.
Fig. 73 : Low Density Archetypal Construct
65
Fig. 74 : Low Density Archetypal Construct
Fig. 75 : Low Density Archetypal Construct
H I G H D E N S I T Y | KI N G STREET CHARLESTO N, SC
Fig. 76 : High Density Site Map
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Fig. 77 : High Density Site Image
Fig. 78 : High Density Site Image
Fig. 79 : High Density Site Image
SITE 01 pedestrian traffic vehicular traffic public private retail commerce sunlight ventilation street wall sidewalk courtyard
Located in the heart of downtown Charleston, the site lies in between two three-story residential and comercial buildings on a mostly commercial street. Due to the fact that the majority of the buildings on King Street remain public on the ground level, it was crucial for the program of this residence to respond to that condition. For the most part, the steet wall condition on King Street is flat, not allowing for any interction from the inside out to occur on the upper two residential levels. This results in an introversion of the buildings especially towards the evening when most of the commercial programs on the ground floor begin to close. Though King Street itself is a very public zone, the backside of the street holds a very internalized and private courtyard where the east side of the building faces. This site acted as a forcefield which helped to organize the internal program of the residence.
Fig. 80 : High Density Site Image
Fig. 81 : High Density Site Image
Fig. 82 : High Density Site Image
M I D D EN S I TY | S U M M ERV I LLE, S C
Fig. 83 : Mid-Density Site Map
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Fig. 84 : Mid-Density Site Image
Fig. 85 : Mid-Density Site Image
Fig. 86 : Mid-Density Site Image
pedestrian traffic vehicular traffic public private interaction yard fence ‘playing by the rules’ sunlight ventilation street sidewalk driveway
SITE 02
Located twenty five miles west of Charleston, Summerville is a small town known for its pine trees. The suburban neighborhood of Weatherstone where the site is located, contains 212 houses which all resemble what is known as ‘new vernacular architecture.’ This style mimicks traditional vernacular motifs such as shutters and front porch conditions however they shutters arent operable and the porch is merely used as a threshold into the house. The neighboring houses all look similar in resemblance and the neighborhood is an even mix of two and one story homes. Southport Drive, where the site is located , is filled with cars parked in the diveways, uninhabited porches and lawns and empty streets. With many issues to be resolved , the site provides the challenge of responding to the neighboring residences while adjusting to improve these social issues.
Fig. 87 : Mid-Density Site Image
Fig. 88 : Mid-Density Site Image
Fig. 89 : Mid-Density Site Image
LOW DENSITY | LAKE JOCASSEE, SC
Fig. 90 : Low Density Site Map
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Fig. 91 : Low Density Site Image
Fig. 92 : Low Density Site Image
Fig. 93 : Low Density Site Image
Fig. 94 : Low Density Site Image
SITE 03 sunlight ventilation vegatation views elevation access water levels climate topography
Lake Jocassee is a pristine mountain environment located in Salem, South Carolina. With approximately 75 miles of lake shoreline, and very little to no development, Lake Jocassee reamains mostly untouched. With scenic views in all directions, the site is the ideal location for any summer home. Surrounded by trees, the lake is fed by cold and clear water from the Appalachian Mountains. Although the site remains untouched, a nearby road a few hundred feet away connects Lake Jocassee back to the main highway.
Fig. 95 : Low Density Site Image
Fig. 96 : Low Density Site Image
Balcony condition
lightwell
family room
courtyard connection
Fig. 97 : High Density Process Construct
H I GH D ENSITY SITE 01
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Plaster and basswood model speculating on the organization of the adapted archetypes in relationship to the street, sidewalk, and courtyard conditions.
Fig. 98 : High Density Process Construct
Fig. 99 : High Density Process Construct
Fig. 100 : Mid-Density Process Construct
Fig. 101 : Mid-Density Process Construct
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DRIVEWAY
sidewalk
BREEZEWAY
M I D - D ENSITY SITE 02 Plaster and basswood model speculating on the organization of the adapted archetypes in relationship to the driveway, sidewalk, and yard conditions.
Fig. 102 : Low Density Process Construct
Fig. 103 : Low Density Process Construct
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DECK
APPROACH
Low Density Site 03 Plaster and basswood model speculating on the organization of the adapted archetypes in relationship to the landscape and exterior conditions.
A c O N T E M PO R A RY A P P L I CAT I O N
|
K i n g St r e e t R e s i d en c e
Fig. 104 : King Street Residence Final Model
79
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siti
o mp
l co
pa
h Hig
on
siti
o mp
81
A R C H E TY P E
O R I G I N A L U S E
PO RC H C O N D I T I O N
FRONT PORCH
H E A RT H C O N D I T I O N
FIREPLACE
RO O F C O N D I T I O N
FLAT ROOF SMALL OVERHANGS
C o n T EM PO R A RY U S E
BALCONIES
LARGE GATHERING SPACE
POROUS LIGHTWELLS SMALL OVERHANGS
Fig. 107 : High Density Archetypal Chart
The axonometric drawings on the left depict original (top) and contemporary (bottom) characteristics and locations of the hearth, porch and roof conditions. The hearth is shown in red, the porch condition in black, and the roof in white. The high density condition posesses an interesting combination of public and private programs where the blue represents the public functions in these live + work style residences.
Fig. 97 : Final Construct 01 Image
Fig. 108 : Final Construct 01 Image
Fig. 109 : Final Construct 01 Image
83
Fig. 110 : Final Plan Contruct 01
Fig. 111 : Final Plan Contruct 01
Fig. 112 : Final Plan Contruct 01
Fig. 113 : Final Plan Contruct 01
typology.
existing
typology’s
nineteenth century homes.
due to its major role in
fireplace and its location.
hearth is dictated by the
The
space.
lustrates the extents of the
white where the red line il-
The hearth is shown in
contemporary
parison to the re-adapted
existing typologies in com-
archetypal conditions in
ing differences between
Section drawings illustrat-
Fig. 114 : Existing High Density Section Drawing
typology’s
hearth
transformation
of
to enter all three floors..
to allow for natural light
has been peeled open
the roof condition which
the
drawing also illustrates
the home. The section
to public programs within
dents moving from private
constant activity from resi-
room that benefits from
a double heighted family
location but has become
has kept its main central
sity
The re-adapted high den-
Fig. 115 : Re-adapted High Density Section Drawing 85
A c O N T E M PO R A RY A P P L I CAT I O N
|
Su m m ervi lle Resi d en ce
Fig. 116 : Summerville Residence Final Model
87
7 . 11 Fig
d-D
Mi
ity ens
het
ty
nsi
. Fig
118
M
De id-
rc da
pte
da
a Re-
n
tio
osi
typ
e rch
a ing
st
Exi
p om al c
yp
p om al c
n
tio
osi
89
A RC H E TY P E
O R I G I N A L U S E
PO RC H C O N D I T I O N
FRONT PORCH
H E A RT H C O N D I T I O N
FIREPLACE
RO O F C O N D I T I O N
GABLED ROOF MODERATE OVERHANGS
C o n T EM PO R A RY U S E
BREEZEWAY
KITCHEN
ADAPTED GABLE ROOF LIGHTWELLS LARGE OVERHANGS
Fig. 119 : Mid-Density Archetypal Chart
The axonometric drawings on the left depict original (top) and contemporary (bottom) characteristics and locations of the hearth, porch and roof conditions. The hearth is shown in red, the porch condition in black, and the roof in white. The mid-density condition posesses a strong relationship to the street and sidewalk condition with the goal of stengthening communal interaction.
Fig. 120 : Final Construct 02 Image
Fig. 121 : Final Construct 02 Image
91
Fig. 123 : Final Plan Contruct 02
Fig. 122 : Final Plan Contruct 02
drawings
illustrating
role in ‘new vernacular” homes.
its location. due to its major
is dictated by the fireplace and
The existing typology’s hearth
tents of the space.
the red line illustrates the ex-
hearth is shown in white where
ed contemporary typology. The
in comparison to the re-adapt-
conditions in existing typologies
differences between archetypal
Section
Fig. 124 : Existing Mid-Density Section Drawing
into
a
double
the home and neighborhood.
ing the communal aspects of
and down to the street, enhanc-
porch to the sidewalk condition
less relationship from the front
ing also illustrates the seam-
neighboring context. The draw-
the home in comparison to its
itself to the street and extroverts
breezeway, the kitchen exposes
Adjacent to the front porch and
in an activated social space.
function, thus always resulting
the homes’ private and public
heighted kitchen that intersects
tranformed
typology’s hearth has been
The re-adapted mid density
Fig. 125 : Re-adapted Mid-Density Section Drawing 93
A c O N T EM PO R A RY A P P L I CAT I O N
|
Lake Jocassee Residence
Fig. 126 : Lake Jocassee Residence Final Model
95
het
7 . 12 Fig
D Low
ty nsi
rc ga
p om al c
yp
stin
Exi
e
ty
nsi
. Fig
12
d
pte
da
a Re-
y het arc
on
siti
o mp
l co
pa
De ow L 8
n
tio
osi
97
A RC H E TY P E
O R I G I N A L U S E
C o n T EM PO R A RY U S E
PO RC H C O N D I T I O N
FRONT PORCH
BREEZEWAY + DECK
H E A RT H C O N D I T I O N
FIREPLACE
DECK LEVEL
GABLED ROOF MODERATE OVERHANGS
ADAPTED GABLE ROOF LIGHTWELLS LARGE OVERHANGS
RO O F C O N D I T I O N
Fig. 129 : Low Density Archetypal Chart
The axonometric drawings on the left depict original (top) and contemporary (bottom) characteristics and locations of the hearth, porch and roof conditions. The hearth is shown in red, the porch condition in black, and the roof in white. The low density condition deals with the importance of adapting to the site and topography rather than street and sidewalk conditions.
Fig. 130 : Final Construct 03 Image
Fig. 131 : Final Construct 03 Image
99
Fig. 133 : Final Plan Contruct 03
Fig. 132 : Final Plan Contruct 03
major role in nineteenth century homes.
by the fireplace and its location. due to its
The existing typology’s hearth is dictated
trates the extents of the space.
shown in white where the red line illus-
ed contemporary typology. The hearth is
typologies in comparison to the re-adapt-
between archetypal conditions in existing
Section drawings illustrating differences
Fig. 134 : Existing Low-Density Section Drawing
existing trees to penetrate through.
deck includes voids to allow for the
minimal impact on the site where the
space. The drawing also illustrates the
always resulting in an activated social
the public and private functions thus
as an exterior hallway which divides
inside and outside. The deck also acts
that provides a transition between the
hearth has been tranformed into a deck
The re-adapted low density typology’s
Fig. 135 : Re-adapted Low Density Section Drawing 101
Architecture of today is far too form driven and doesn't
The high density site was the least challenging to de-
focus on the human aspects or surrounding contextu-
sign due to the amount of constraints involved. Due
al qualities that must be considered. Throughout this
to all the physical and sociological factors that needed
process, I understood the problem quite clearly but I
to be addressed, it resulted in a more well developed
wasn’t sure how to develop a solution that could at-
and functional home. The low-density which I initially
tempt to re-focus architecture on the factors that are
believed to be the easiest to design within, proved to
important; function, context, people, and their needs.
be the most challenging. With only the surrounding
Though I never thought I would develop an interest
physical context and existing vernacular housing type
in vernacular architecture, I was drawn to the fact that
to serve as constraints or inspiration, it took much lon-
every element of a nineteenth century American ver-
ger to convince myself that each archetype was being
nacular home serves a function and a purpose. From
re-adapted for the right reason. Developing fictional
the window shutters used to keep out light and dirt,
narratives for each residence and the inhabitants of
to the wooden notches designed to fortify the struc-
each, proved to be helpful but resulted in a diluted rea-
ture of the home, the functionality of these vernac-
soning for the re-adaptation of the archetypes since they
ular homes are what lacks in our architecture today.
were fictional. Had I developed each archetype based
Through the study of these homes, it was apparent
on merely physical factors, the argument would have
that these nine homes had been comprised of the
been stronger, though user needs which is a major part
same elements which had been re-adapted for each
of my project, would have been completely excluded.
region depending on the tangible and intangible
Despite these challenges, this Master’s Project in-
factors. When re-applying these vernacular arche-
spired a new way to yield regional identity through
types to contemporary homes for contemporary use,
vernacular precedent studies. Utilizing these ver-
it proved to be a challenge to take intangible fac-
nacular archetypes which were once so func-
tors into consideration. Factors such as history and
tional and reviving their use, can produce an
the sociological context was a challenge to predict
architecture that mediates vernacular and contem-
and design for in a place I have never lived in before.
porary styles and transcends beyond formal qualities.