BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC61303/ARC2224) SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (MARCH 2015) [10 MARKS] NAME: Evelyn Sinugroho ID: 0318217 LECTURER: Mr. Nicholas Ng Khoon Wu TUTORIAL TIME: 14.00-16.00 SYNOPSIS NO: 4 READER TITLE: “Towards a Critical Regionalism” (1981) AUTHOR: Kenneth Frampton This reading focuses on the architectural style of Critical Regionalism, it is a movement at which it rejects the deficiency of identity of international style and at the same time rejects the ornamented post-modern style. One thing that catches my attention the most is how Kenneth Frampton stresses on how Critical Regionalism could be the key answer to solve the lack of cultural sense in architecture but still implement the global universal technique. He emphasis the deconstruction of the eclecticism and universal technique by confining the universal economic building technique, which he assume it would liberate the style from being conditioned by the global industry and the literal implementation of pre-industrial style. I agreed on the idealism of these fusion, in a way it became a bridge between two contrasting elements, the old and the new. This solution doesn’t destroy the originality of the place and at the same time brings about the efficiency of global architecture. This ideal is very promising and can easily be accepted by anyone. But similar to what Frampton stated, I feel this ideal is slightly weak in terms of the implementation in to the real world. In what way would they implement it? Utzon’s Bagsvaerd Church design is one of the example I found that lighten up the ambiguity of Critical Regionalism, at which he implements the economic universal technique of precast concrete blocks construction on the exterior and regional culture of bellowing concrete vault presenting the quirk of the place on the interior. I feel that this concoction of different elements has turned into ‘architectonic attraction’, as what Martin Hartung commented, combination of both the ‘technique and the art of building to form something transcending them both.’ The contrast of region identity and the global implementation creates an element of surprise to the building which is not alien to the region yet meaningful. Another architect that I truly adore which implements critical regionalism into his design is, Kengo Kuma. He experiments with Japanese cultural patterns and create something new and unique but original, which brings about Japanese art but at the same time implements the universal technique in terms of the materiality and construction method. As a result, his building become a piece of art that successfully reflects the culture of Japan. Another point Frampton made that interests me is the group of people called Arrier-Garde. The group of people that is out dated because they distances themselves from the post-industrial styles, from the global changes and rational innovation such as Avant-Garde. Frampton truly believes Arriere-Garde could become the group of people that would revive a sustainable architecture style. I was very skeptical about his statement until I furthermore read about these two groups. Why Arrier-Garde? How about the Avant-Garde? 21st century is said to be the rise and the fall of Avant garde, rise due to the liberation freeing design, fall when they became too rational as they destroys the cultural sense of the place. Their architectural movement is not sustainable as ‘their utopian ideals have been replaced by rationality and reasoning.’ Whereas Arrier-Garde, if they are to be given the universal technique as a hybrid technique and combine it together with their existing cultural-based design, they would become a culture with a firm sense of identity, that also keep up a connection with the universal technique. In this sense, I totally agree with Frampton, supported by the critics of Charles Jenks, ‘they (Avant-Garde) have insisted on the intractability of the new and confusing.’ The Avant Garde have created a design that is so out of the context, it would destroy the character of the city. The ones that could save this are the ones that have not let themselves be influenced by the globalization of deconstructivism style by the avant garde, and is pure enough to realize the cultural sense and identity of the context. In conclusion, I truly agree on the idea of critical regionalism, as it incorporate the two contrasting elements of cultural arts and universal technicality. Yet it is not being implemented in many place, people still prefer something new and confusing of the avant-garde’s. If only people would realize how this would destroy the uniqueness of each region, I truly believe they would start implementing critical regionalism style. All we have to do is to spread the awareness.
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