ARC3001 I 9 Critical Renovations - Portfolio by Dave Mason

9 Critical Renovations

MADA - 2016

9 Critical Renovations

MATERIALISING OF ARCHITECTURAL IDEAS was explored through augmentation of existing projects (Moriyama House) in the 9 Critical Renovations studio. The studio criticised not only architectural theories and intentions of some of the most famous projects of the 20th century, but also re-imagined existing architectural tropes and methods of representation. Only through rigorous research, critique and analysis of the existing academic criticisms of the project - or lack thereof in the case of Moriyama House - and wider intentions of Ryue Nishizawa across all of SANAA's projects, can opinions toward architecture that drive our future intentions and materialisations be formed. By dividing the focus of the semester on both analysis of the project and our own design augmentation, I believe this represents a key balance in the materialisation of architectural ideas. Being able to communicate and represent our understanding of existing ideas in addition to our own (through verbal, text, spatial and visual) can we begin to be able to infer new understandings and form new readings of the project that may not have existed previously. Our design intentions and theories are not manifested in isolated genius thought, they are as much a reflection and reaction to our previous experiences of architecture to form an iteration as they are our own ability to explore new architectural ideas. The 9 Critical Renovations studio embodies a process of de-materialisation and re-materialisation of architectural ideas. Through analysis and extraction of components from the precedent building (SITE), key FRAGMENTS are distilled from their spatial materialisation that represent a tangible experience of Nishizawa's DESIGN intention. Through critical analysis of the opinions and intentions of Nishizawa, I was able to renovate the project to form contemporary iterations of his ideas. Through manipulation/renovation of this concept and consequently the FRAGMENTS present in the physical project SITE, I was able to generate newer architecture (DESIGN).

Studio Reflection

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MADA - 2016

Research - Identify factors that define the organisational strategy that the architect(s) have defined - Distil key concept through key representations Through use of various levels of transparency, SANAA intend to use the concept of landscape to empower the inhabitant as the chief participant of the architecture. They construct not only physical sensations, but also metaphysical sensations that they may not have originally intended. They simply aim to place their architecture within a site as a result of rigorous experimentation and iteration, and observe the results. Glass creates a physical boundary, yet the informationalised body shares the same space beyond this boundary. Nishizawa identified the issue of the increasing enclosure of opaque buildings to escape the polluted, dingy environment of the urban atmosphere, which in fact further exacerbated the issue. He instead wanted to continue the urban pattern of Tokyo with buildings surrounded by breathing spaces/alleys and juxtaposing each space adjacent to a garden as an interstitial space. Through use of transparency, the inhabitant interacts with the urban context and vice versa. Not only does he create an interrelationship with natural atmosphere, he also creates one with the urban atmosphere.

Week 1

9 Critical Renovations "I like borders, not strong borders, but connections."Nishizawa "You are living in the atmosphere, not the building. You are living in the building, but with the atmosphere" a very intimate relation with the atmosphere. We are always trying to find the way to relate." "Mainly we think about borders. A reflection is not a real wall, but it signals a different space." "The meaning of transparency is to create a diversity of relations." "Transparency also means clarity, not only visual, but also conceptual." "(Moriyama House) is more opaque than transparent. But I thought it would be nice for the people in the house to feel the atmosphere that surrounds them. The inside of the building coming outside creates a relation between the project and the surrounding atmosphere. This is the idea I like." - What SANAA is searching for is "some kind of transparency without transparent material, through for example some kind of planning method." - They transfer supporting functions to indispensable elements in design, they generate open spaces or create a diversity of relations through elements that visually or conceptually connect spaces.

ď&#x20AC;ł

MADA - 2016

 “‘’  ” 

“ ” 

“ ”

       ‘’   







Week 1

9 Critical Renovations

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MADA - 2016

Week 2

9 Critical Renovations

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MADA - 2016





9 Critical Renovations 

 “ ”  





 



  

 

Visual - Movement

‘’

Visual - Transparency Extrusions

 “  ”   “‘’  ” 



Panel Week 4

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MADA - 2016 

 

   

    ’     

     



 

  

Week 5

9 Critical Renovations

Opacity can begin to balance an excess of transparency

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MADA - 2016 Pre-1860

1880

1900

EDO PERIOD

historical TIMELINE

MEIJI RESTORATION

New standards of Urban Planning and beutification introduced within Tokyo (1871)

Emperor establishes palace and government in Tokyo (1850's)

75% of tokyo's structures were severely damaged, wooden houses. Resulted in Dojunkai organisation earthquake resistant reinforcaed concrete collective

COMPONENTS

Roof

Forms of roofs vary with topography and city, however each projects the lives of its inhabitants.

Wall

Like a natural element, always transformed by its surroundings but always in harmony with it to impart a sense of peace.

Korean Engawa

Peripheral corridors that offer interrelationship between interior and exterior space.

Shop Signboard

Chinese

Gate

Shoji/Fusuma

Kumiko Shoji

Shinto

Movable and removable room dividers, reflect the flexibility and functionality of Japanese architecture. Softly filters light through an opacity, hinting at relationships.

More advanced structure with curvy, complex latticework.

The 'face' of the house through which the character of the owner is most prominently displayed.

Yojohan

Buddhism

Minimum requirement for a room based on human proportions or 4.5 tatami mats. Efficient and functional system of organisation used in teahouses.

Catch the eye of passerby, marks of time are sources of pride and honor through longevity.

Tatami

1818x909 mat that is used as a rational system of arranging and dividing a space proportionally.

Window Source of fresh air and light, links man to the outside world through witness of the change of seasons and passage of time.

Garden Private space to provoke contemplation of one's existence and place within the world while immersing in surroundings.

Mid-Sem

Imperial Hotel Frank Llloyd Wright (1923)

The Great Kanto Earthquake (1923)

JAPANESE TRADITIONALISM INFLUENCES

1920

S h o p

9 Critical Renovations 1940

1960

1980

METABOLISm ECONOMIC BUBBLE

MODERNIty

2000

the lost decades

National Museum of Western Art Le Corbusier (1959) Major train lines built (1960) the majority traditional set up to provide fire and housing.

Economy declines (1995) Olympic Games (1964)

Japan economy lowest point (2003)

newer m

modernism COMPONENTS

InfLuences

piloti A structural grid of thin steel columns as an alternative to supporting walls which provides freedom to the development of space and movement enabled by technology of the modern age.

windows Traditionalism

doors

Modernism

plants

roof garden Replacing the space a building takes from the ground with a secluded, private garden in the sky - an oasis in the machine for living.

Free facade Removing the structural constraint of a facade to allow it to be manipulated freely yet maintains its consistent connection with the interior volume.

exampleS

furniture Capitalism

Economic Decline WALL Natural Disasters

free plan Freedom to place interior walls to design spatial sequence and promenade of the inhabitant.

FOLIAGE Politics

WALL glass

horizontal window

Land Tax

A continuous strip of window that runs the entire length of a facade, enabling the interior to be lit equally and provide an expanded view of the exterior.

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MADA - 2016 2010

2005

decades

Newer modernism

Moriyama House (2002-05)

Japan economy lowest point (2003)

newer modersim InfLuences

exampleS

COMPONENTS glazing

windows

Source of fresh air and light, links occupant to the outside world through witness of the change of seasons and passage of time, glazing offers reflective relationship.

itionalism

doors

odernism

plants

Gardens

furniture

All units are adjacent to garden/ green spaces to encourage engagement with neighbours and surrounding atmospheres.

apitalism

Annex Interstitial spaces generated between volumes and buildings that create network of interrelationships between objects and entitites.

omic Decline WALL

Borders

FOLIAGE

Opacitiy

Natural isasters

olitics

WALL

Fluid and transient system of porous boundaries, reflect the flexibility and functionality of Japanese architecture.

Defined region, material or boundary of architectural space that can enhance or reduce clarity.

glass

and Tax Landscape Fluid and porous relationships between all objects within a system

Mid-Sem

9 Critical Renovations

CONTEMPORARy

CONTEMPORARY (Tokyo) Examples

Components Artificial Light

Increasingly inward and enclosed buidlings require artificial sources of light.

Neon Sign

Signify use or capitalist advertisement often unrelated to buidling. Gives artificial and transient atmospheric luminence and changing messages suggest passage of time.

Advertisement Urban Garden

The immense urban density and close proximity of all city buildings, leads to the interstitial spaces between them becoming dead public space and infrastructure only to be moved through by inhabitants.

Opening Penetrations to allow for breathability in extremely tight and reduced-fat buildings

Contextual Influences

G N

Social Determines or facilitates different social relationships

Gzsfg sefhk

Public Park Passageways Walkways Cultural Propogates or challenges societal paradigms

Window Door

Overbearing Walls Provide sense of solidarity and enclosure for ones own isolation and escapism. Infrastructure Provides circulation, services or technology.

Roof Location of services and occasionally leisure/social space in areas of breathability.

Roof Bar Air-Conditioners Bridge

Infrastructure Provides circulation technology, services and technology.

Expressway

Transparency Architectural honesty, clarity and lightness

Passageways Fly Overs

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MADA - 2016

Mid-Sem

9 Critical Renovations



MADA - 2016

Mid-Sem

9 Critical Renovations



MADA - 2016



           



    



  

 

Week 7



    

9 Critical Renovations

             

     





    

N 



MADA - 2016

+ 

= 

+ 





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Week 7

+ +

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





= =

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

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9 Critical Renovations 



+ +

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





+ 





= =









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

+ 



+ 

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



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1:20 Detail of how your design interacts with the fragment / site (Flower/Planter against walls, perhaps over time) 1:100 or 1:200 Model showing the 3 conditions of Frame (Site) Fragment and Design. (Frame of Site Cutout Walls in White then interventions colour)

MADA - 2016

Please see attached images of Peter Eisenman Palladio study models. This should help you think about how to represent the difference between Frame (site) and Fragment, with your design sitting somewhere between, on top or through the Frame and Fragment(s).

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nal nts .

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Week 8

er/Planter

nt and Design.

This should (site) and ough the

9 Critical Renovations

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MADA - 2016

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 Week 9

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9 Critical Renovations

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MADA - 2016

MORIYAMA HOUSE

Text

Week 10

9 Critical Renovations

Model

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MADA - 2016 MORIYAMA HOUSE NURSERY

CONTEXTUAL

1 x Text Based Representation

Text

Spatial

1 x Site Plan

Visual

3 x Overlays - Design (Summer,Winter) - Fragment - Frame

Porous Barrier Plant Soil

Water Pipe Connector Water Storage

Week 11

Charcoal/Potting Mix Mesh Drainage Pebbles

9 Critical Renovations MORIYAMA HOUSE A CRITICAL RENOVATION CONTEXTUAL BORDERS - Fluid and transient system of porous boundaries, reflect the flexibility and functionality of Japanese architecture. TRANSPARENCY - The meaning of transparency is to create a diversity of relations. It is not always necessary to see through" RYUE NISHIZAWA

MORIYAMA HOUSE

+ TRANSPARENCY

A CRITICAL RENOVATION

= OPACITY

+ FROSTED GLASS TRANSPARENCY

ANNEX - Is space where spontaneous or unexpected ‘events’ can occur beyond the existing parameters of architectural form.

BORDERS

AUGMENTED BORDERS

+ ANNEX (PLAN)

ANNEX

GARDENS

LANDSCAPE

= OPACITY

+ BORDERS

LANDSCAPE - Fluid and porous relationships between all objects within a system.

SKYLIGHTS

ANNEX (SECTION)

LANDSCAPE

INFRASTRUCTURE

= URBAN LANDSCAPE

between all objects within a system

SECTION MODEL 1:50

SITE PLAN 1:50

UNDERGROUND NURSERY PLAN 1:50

UNDERGROUND NURSERY - SECTION DETAIL 1:15

TERRARIUM NETTING - AXONOMETRIC 1:50

Porous Barrier

Plant Soil

Charcoal/Potting Mix Water Pipe Connector

LOUVRE DETAIL 1:5

Week 12

Water Storage

Mesh Drainage Pebbles

TERRARIUM PLANT BULB DETAIL 1:5

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MORIYAMA N MADA - 2016

MORIYAMA HOUSE

Moriyama House The meaning of transparency is to create a diversity of relations. It is not always necessary to see through" RYUE NISHIZAWA

Fluid and transient system of porous boundaries, reflect the flexibility and functionality of Japanese architecture.

Opacity can begin to balance an excess of transparency.

OPACITY

TRANSPARENCY

BORDERS

SURFACE

BORDERS

MORIYAMA NURSERY Is shared space where transient or unexpected ‘events’ can occur beyond the existing parameters of architectural form.

A CRITICAL RENOVATION BORDERS

TRANSLUCENCY Frosted, translucent glass abstracts existing transparent borders adjacent to street space.

ANNEX

SURFACE

BORDERS

OPACITY Natural elements that introduce temporal phenomena. GARDENS

SURFACE Final Outcomes + AXIS

AUGMENTED BORDERS

ANNEX (PLAN)

AXIS

ANNEX

AUGMENTED BORDERS

Fluid and AUGMENTED BORDERS porous

Distillation of how relationships figures and forms are between all viewed reciprocally, objects within based on their speed, a system. proximity and illumination, rather LANDSCAPE than literal manifestation.

GARDE

VERTICAL PUNCTU

Use translucent glass to create sectional connections between volumes comprised of bot PROGRAM private spaces and the public program of a nursery.

PROG

AXIS

VERTICAL PUNCTURES

AXIS

Natural elements introduc tempora phenome

ANNEX (SECTION)

LANDSCAPE

INFRASTR

YAMA HOUSE Is shared space where transient or unexpected ‘events’ can occur beyond the existing parameters of architectural form.

Fluid and transient system of porous boundaries, reflect the flexibility and functionality of Japanese architecture.

Opacity can begin to balance an excess of transparency.

A CRITICAL RENOVATI

9 Critical Renovations

OPACITY

BORDERS

A Critical Renovation SURFACE

BORDERS

AMA NURSERY

ANNEX (PLAN)

SURFACE TRANSLUCENCY

Is shared space where transient or unexpected ‘events’ can occur beyond the existing parameters of architectural form.

ITICAL RENOVATION SURFACE BORDERS

OPACITY AXIS

AUGMENTED BORDERS Fluid and of how Distillation figures and forms are porous viewed reciprocally, relationships based on their speed, between all proximity and objects withinrather illumination, a system. than literal

Natural elements that introduce temporal phenomena.

AXIS GARDENS

ANNEX

AUGMENTED BORDERS

Distillation of how figures and forms are viewed reciprocally, based on their speed, proximity and illumination, rather than literal manifestation.

Frosted, translucent glass abstracts existing transparent borders adjacent to street space.

ANNEX (PLAN)

AUGMENTED BORDERS

OPACITY

manifestation.

LANDSCAPE

SURFACE + AXIS

VERTICAL PUNCTURES

SITE

Use translucent glass to create MODEL sectional1:75 connections between volumes comprised of both private spaces and the public program of a nursery.

ANNEX (SECTION)

PROGRAM

AXIS

Annex of interstitial spaces form along the vertical axis more relevant to the vertical condition of the city - in addition to those along horizontal axis.

ACE S

VERTICAL PUNCTURES UsePROGRAM translucent glass to create sectional connections between volumes comprised of both private spaces and the public program of a nursery.

ANNEX (SECTION) Annex of interstitial spaces form along the vertical axis more relevant to the vertical condition of the city - in addition to those along horizontal axis.

LANDSCAPE

INFRASTRUCTURE Systems of contemporary technology and mechanical systems characteristic of the Tokyo urban condition.

+ PROGRAM

URBAN LANDSCAPE Natural elements are compartmentalised into fragments that rely on connection to infrastructural systems of contemporary technology to flourish. A co-dependent and co-existent relationship now exists between landscape and infrastructure.

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MADA - 2016

Site SITE

Fragment FRAGMENT

Design Final Outcomes

9 Critical Renovations

+ PROGRAM 2

UNDERGROUND NURSERY - SECTION DETAIL 1:15

Tens

Terr

AXONOMETRIC 1:50

IRRIGATION SYSTEM

NETTING SYSTEM

PLANT BULB FACADE

 VIOLET FLOWER

MADA - 2016

Clear Glass Louvre

FROSTED GLASS SKYLIGHT DETAIL 1:10

LOUVRE DETAIL (OPEN) 1:5

Rubber Seal

Rotation Pin

LOUVRE DETAIL (CLOSED) 1:5

PLANT BULB DETAIL 1:5

Steel Cable Cable Tie Joint Terrarium Bulb Clip

Porous Moisture Barrier

Terrarium Glass Bulb

Waterproof Seal

Morning Glory Planter

Water Pipes Soil

Water Pipe Connector

Charcoal/Potting Mix Mesh Drainage Pebbles

Water Storage

Tension Joint

Water Tank Water Pump Terrarium Hook

CADE Steel Cable

ET FLOWER

Final Outcomes

Irrigation Piping

MORNING GLORY FLOWER

LOUVRE DETAIL (CLOSED) 1:5

AXONOMETRIC 1:50

Steel Cable

IRRIGATION SYSTEM

Cable Tie Joint

9 Critical Renovations

NETTING SYSTEM

PLANT BULB DETAIL 1:5

2 3

Terrarium Bulb Clip

Porous Moisture Barrier

Terrarium Glass Bulb

Waterproof Seal

Morning Glory Planter

Water Pipes Soil

Water Pipe Connector

Charcoal/Potting Mix Mesh Drainage Pebbles

Water Storage

Tension Joint

Water Tank Water Pump Terrarium Hook

PLANT BULB FACADE Steel Cable

Irrigation Piping

VIOLET FLOWER

MORNING GLORY FLOWER

WINTER

SPRING

SUMMER

AUTUMN

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PLA

MADA - 2016

Final Outcomes

9 Critical Renovations

Final Panel and Model

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MADA - 2016

Spatial Model Final Outcomes

9 Critical Renovations

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MADA - 2016

Final Outcomes

9 Critical Renovations

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MADA - 2016

Name: David Mason Date of lecture: 7/3/16 Studio: ARC2001 / ARC3001 Your Studio instructor: Ben & Colby Lecture name or presenters: Ari Seligmann 9 Critical Renovations

I. Provide a considered reaction to the lecture. (2-300 words + image/diagram) Greg Lynn’s notion that he believed his architecture was recognised for the ideas behind it, rather than the shape or style, is becoming increasingly relevant within the Critical Renovations studio. Analysis of architects such as Eisenman, Tschumi and my focus architect - Ryue Nishizawa – whose architectural intentions drive their process and formal outcomes, is an important consideration within the umbrella focus of the ARC3001 studio toward rationalising an architectural idea. Ben Waters & Colby Vexler define abstract as considering an object/idea theoretically or separately from something else – be it existing context, conditions, or outcomes. They also define a concept as simply a plan or intention. These two definitions drive the studio, which attempts to critically analyse the ‘intention’ of an architect and their generative process in order to generate new abstract outcomes and forms. Ryue Nishizawa – and SANAA – are often recognised for the consistent visual style of their projects, such as use of glass, reflections, integration with nature and clean white finishes. However, the discourse I have come across to research Nishizawa’s Moriyama House specifically does not analyse in depth the specific details of the individual project. Instead, Nishizawa speaks more broadly about ideas of landscape, transparency and borders that he attempts to explore in the context of each project, and these visual consistencies are simply the manifestation of his intentions. An issue that is recurring is a lack of critical analysis of Nishizawa’s work and theories. Beyond basic, generalised explanations of his ideas, he offers little analysis of why he believes his works have been successful or unsuccessful. SANAA appear envision a folly or experiment they wish to introduce it within a context without knowing what exactly the outcome will be. It appears my contribution to the studio will involve a critical analysis of Nishizawa’s ideas, specifically within Moriyama House and distilling what is successful, what needs to be improved, and why? Figure 1. Diagram of Studio Intention

Studio Lecture Response 1

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MADA - 2016 Bachelor Studio Lecture Response Name: David Mason Date of lecture: 21/3/16 Studio: ARC2001 / ARC3001 Your Studio instructor: Ben & Colby Lecture name or presenters: Bonnie Herring, Andy Fergeus I. Provide a considered reaction to the lecture. (2-300 words + image/diagram) The notion of iteration and evolution discussed by Bonnie Herring in relation to The Commons as a precedent or physical realisation driven by ideas is something that can be traced and applied to the Critical Renovations Studio. Moriyama House could be seen as a test egg for my wider explorations and renovations of the existing architectural form. Analysing the network of diverse superimpositions and collisions of different systems that the city of Tokyo has (below) is something that Moriyama House is lacking. Furthermore Andy Fergeus suggests we should fight for projects that are seemingly unrelated, because they are related to our ideas and architectural intention. SANAAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s works are in separate sites, contexts and conditions, yet they all read in a similar way and are easily recognisable. Perhaps this is because they are attempting to unify their concepts of transparency, landscape and context across all their works to form an aggregation of precedents that can begin to disrupt existing architectural, political, economical or social tropes and instigate a paradigm shift. Borrowing from and forming a dialogue with other areas can begin to introduce different conventions into architecture, such as communicating to greedy developers in a different way to the pragmatically restricting councils but achieving the same results.

Studio Lecture Response 2

Bachelor Studio Lecture Response Name: David Mason Date of lecture: 18/4/16 Studio: ARC2001 / ARC3001 Your Studio instructor: Waters & Vexler Lecture name or presenters: Waters, Vexler, Prior, Fletcher, Seligmann & Students 9 Critical Renovations

I. Provide a considered reaction to the lecture. (2-300 words + image/diagram) The panel’s discussion of the relation between context and concept could be summarised to say - in my opinion - that design intentions and concepts do not exist without response to context – whether conscious or not, as they are always rationalised by some degree of internal logic as a result of our experiences and immediate reality. This is evident in my analysis of Moriyama House, in which engagement with the contextual drives the concept and intention of the project. Ryue Nishizawa intends to introduce the inhabitants of the project to surrounding atmospheres and physical context within urban Tokyo. There exists other manifestations of context beyond physical in which Moriyama House inserts itself. From a cultural development of traditional Japanese principles, inherited ideas of transparency, interrelationships between spatial fields, as well as connections with nature are ongoing negotiations within contemporary Japanese architecture. So too the historical context of post-war economic boom and decline, population influx and struggles of national identity may have heavily impacted Nishizawa’s approach to the project. Furthermore, the value of the evolution of architectural ideas such as Newer Modernism - informed in SANAA’s case by juxtaposing ethereal Japanese culture and social relationships with Modernist restraint and discipline. This a result of Modernist ideas dominating Japanese architecture throughout the 20th Century in the fallout of the 1923 Kanto earthquake that destroyed the majority of wooden structures, signifying the demolition of inheritance of traditional Japanese culture. The formal systems within Moriyama House are often evident in several of SANAA’s projects, and although they are often created and replicated beyond physical context, they are always in dialogue and discourse with architectural, cultural, social, economic and other often intangible influences. To conclude, the example of Moriyama House suggests it is not possible to explore conceptual design intentions without dialogue and discourse with the contextual, and their omnipresent existence impacts conception and realisation of projects.

Figure 1. Contextual Timeline from Traditionalism to Newer Modernism

Studio Lecture Response 3

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Name: David Mason Date of lecture: 09/05/16 Studio: ARC2001 / ARC3001 Your Studio instructor: Ben & Colby Lecture name or presenters: Fletcher, Blackman, and Seligmann MADAa- considered 2016 I. Provide reaction to the lecture. (2-300 words + image/diagram)

Discourse between concept and architecture were understood and defined in different ways by several students during discussion of the analysis diagram, therefore it is clear these terms require clarification. I agree with suggestions that architecture and concept/ideas are not separate terms, but their interrelationships are important. Architecture – I believe – is created by a materialisation of theoretical ideas, intentions and opinions constructed through spatial compositions. Ideas are informed by context - be it architectural, physical, social, political, historical, environmental etc. – they do not exist in isolated genius thought, rather they are iterative responses to context, spatial realisations and discourse throughout time. Space and place are the realisation of these ideas as tangible elements, fragments and mediums – however they are not exclusively ‘physical’ (as explored in James Fletcher’s studio). Conversely, 9 Critical Renovations studio becomes a reverse engineering process of architecture in this sense (refer to attached diagram). Through analysis and extraction of physical components/fragments from the precedent building, key fragments are distilled from their spatial realisations that have created tangible experience of the intention/concept of the designer. Through critical analysis of the opinions and intentions of the designer, we are able to iterate and form our own opinion of the project to form a contemporary theory of the concept. Through manipulation/renovation of this concept and consequently the fragments present in physical reality, we are then able to generate newer architecture. (See Diagram Over Page)

Studio Lecture Response 4

Studio: ARC2001 / ARC3001 Your Studio instructor: Waters & Vexler Studio review attended: Berlin Berlin – Dennis Prior I. Give a brief description of the studio/ projects you observed at the review (2-3

9sentences): Critical Renovations

The projects within the Berlin Berlin studio were proposing a competition entry for Berlin University student residences and activating the surrounding context of a barren site located along the Spree River in Berlin. Projects were required to negotiate and respond to the contextually diverse conditions of the district of Kreuzberg, such as historical, cultural, political and social circumstances, as well as issues of the formal and physical context. II. Provide a

considered reaction to the review you observed. (2-300 words) What did you learn from the review presentation(s)? Compare and contrast approaches to the theme with your current studio pursuits? What insights have you gained that might inform your studio pursuits? The contemporary context of post-war and separationist Berlin is a city fractured, moulded and defined by post-war issues of socio-economic decline, anti-social behaviour and cultural identity. Furthermore, contemporary issues of population growth, political influences, multicultural cohesion and scarcity of large expanses of land begin to influence the site and its requirements in the Berlin Berlin studio. This is similar in comparison to the city of Tokyo that my precedent project – Moriyama House – responds to contextually. Issues of modernisation and post-war influxes of population and eventual economic prosperity have slowly deteriorated to an ageing population, increasing land taxes, and crisis of national identity. This informs SANAA’s merging of Modernist restraint and rigour with traditional Japanese ethereal exploration within an urban context. Several projects in particular chose blur the borders between the private homes of students/residents and shared communal spaces to form an amalgamated, thriving community of interconnected spaces and interrelationships, as a response to the history of conflict and lack of unity within Kreuzberg. This exploration is consistent with the intention of SANAA within Moriyama House to generate a diversity of relations between site and context. What many of the Berlin Berlin projects explore - and that is lacking within Moriyama House - is a feeling of urban playfulness and infrastructure. This is most likely due to an increased scale, however could be remedied by renovating the ideas of SANAA and expanding the generative potential of Moriyama House at a larger scale. Select projects also delved too far backwards into history and decided to draw directly from outdated or obsolete architectural styles, rather than renovate them to propose new iterations and solutions within a contemporary context, a notion that is consistently reiterated within the Critical Renovations studio. This could also inform the struggle that all contemporary Japanese architects have between inheriting tradition and cultural identity, conflicting with the engagement of mass modernisation and capitalist development that Japan has been dominated by since the early 20th century.

Mid-Review Response

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ARC 3001, 2016 Vexler & Waters Student # 25965050