Design : Mustafa Topkaรง
Student Journal of Architecture
Firmitas, a student published journal of School of Fine Arts and Architecture of Antalya International University, aims to facilitate a medium to share ideas on art and architecture. It covers contemporary and historical perspectives on architecture and strives to enlighten the future architects on related fields. Entire content is prepared by architecture students under the guidance of academic staff of the School of Fine Arts and Architecture and with the contributions of Art and Architecture Society. Firmitas is a free platform for reflections and ideas from students and academicians open for further contributor applications to editorial board for future issues. From editor-in-chief, As a junior student of Architecture, I feel myself just entered in the world of giants; a world of art, a world of philosophy, sociology and of course world of technology and science. This world has marble colonnades, Le Corbusier and Leonardo leaning on, golden domes Bruno Taut and Sinan rest under. In such a world, the only way to see the horizon is to “stand on giants’ shoulders” and the only ladder we have made of knowledge and structured by experience. In this journey, I am honored to announce you the student made journal ‘Firmitas’. Firstly, I want to thank each member of editorial board who made ‘Firmitas’ real. I specially thank Asst. Prof. Dr. Paola Ardizzola for her encouragements, guidance and contributions. I thank academic stuff who guided us during the formative process of the first issue and I thank AIU administration and technical stuff for their contributions. Finally, I thank to you as a reader to complete the last ring of the chain by supporting us.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Müge Develier Mutlu Tevke Graphic Editor
Graphic Editor Editor : Sustainability The Interview
Department of Architecture, 3rd Year
Department of Architecture, 3rd Year
Musarath Sader
Sümeyra Çaksen
Editor : Student’s Life The Cultural Scene
Editor : The Interview Image of the Month
Department of Architecture, 3rd Year
Department of Architecture, 3rd Year
Farzona Abidova
Sani Abdulnasir
Editor : Cities and Context
Editor : The Crit
Mustafa Topkaç
Nesibe Bakırdağ
Editor in-chief Editor : The Protagonist
Text Editor Editor : Representation in Architecture
Department of Architecture, 3rd Year
Department of Architecture, 3rd Year
Department of Architecture, 3rd Year
Department of Architecture, 2nd Year
Neriman Yalavuz Text Editor
Department of Architecture, 2nd Year
ACADEMIC BOARD MEMBERS
Paola Ardizzola
Beste Sabır
Asst. Prof. Dr.
Lecturer
AIU Department of Architecture
AIU Department of Architecture
Begüm Söyek
Monia Del Pinto
Asst.
Lecturer
AIU Department of Architecture
Melissa Di Giovanni Lecturer
AIU Department of Architecture
AIU Department of Architecture
CON
TENTS
01 02 04 06 07 ii
ACADEMIC GLANCE Paola Ardizzola
THE PROTAGONIST Adolf Loos and a New Critic on Architecture | Mustafa Topkaç
THE INTERVIEW Founder of BKA Arch. Bahadır Kul | Müge Develier, Sümeyra Çaksen
REPRESENTATION IN ARCHITECTURE Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Center Renzo Piano | Melissa Di Giovanni, Nesibe Bakırdağ
SUSTAINABILITY Time Lag in Architecture | Monia Del Pinto, Müge Develier
NOC STNET THE CRIT Farnsworth Saga Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe | Sani Abdulnasir
STUDENTS’ LIFE The Quick Guide to Surviving Architecture School | Musarath Sader
THE CULTURAL SCENE Abstract The Art of Design | Musarath Sader
CITIES AND CONTEXT Sirmione - Pearl of Lako di Garda | Farzona Abidova
IMAGE OF THE MONTH Staircase |
Alper Gülle, Sümeyra Çaksen
09 11 13 14 15 iii
ACADEMIC GLANCE
Paola Ardizzola*
The whole art of teaching is only the art of awakening the natural curiosity of young minds for the purpose of satisfying it afterwards; and curiosity itself can be vivid and wholesome only in proportion as the mind is contented and happy. Anatole France, The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard, 1860
This journal of architecture made by the students and addressed to other students is a captivating challenge. It is in English, on line, in order to reach the largest number of students worldwide. It is simple and clear, but simplicity does not mean banality. Indeed the different columns are all related to nowadays issues: academic life, architecture of the past but mainly of the future, society mood and cultural life. Through different communication methodologies – articles, interviews, critic and a strong visual language – the AIU Department of Architecture students’ editorial board starts this adventure with great enthusiasm.
We try to stimulate a verbal exchange which provides them a critical thinking, reflecting together on different options and opportunities for facing a problem, or solving a design issue. We like to pose the academic matter under different perspectives, for stimulating that vivid curiosity that ‘forces’ the students to keep on thinking, searching and understanding. Contented and happy in mind, as the great French writer stated, this is what we wish for our students. But this kind of happiness comes only after a full involvement in the cultural issue, which requires us to study hard and put all the efforts we can.
In the process of acquiring knowledge, the students can carry out very significant experiences which go beyond the classic fundamental approach of studying and taking classes. The academicians have also the duty to stimulate the students in developing their specific interests within the academic field they are interested the most, in order to unfold the books of knowledge in many different, creative ways. If we want them to be not only successful professional individuals of the future, but also happy citizens and responsible persons, we must teach them how to open the wings to leave the nest, stimulating them to ‘fly’ beyond the known reality, for satisfying their curiosity towards what is different from them.
This year the times are mature for coordinating a Journal; the students’ editorial board took its task extremely seriously and want to carry on this responsibility by also involving other students in Journal’s activities. FIRMITAS is the name of AIU Journal of Architecture, which does not refer only to the Vitruvian concept, that is stability of the architectural organism. Firmitas refers to the firmness of the editorial project, to the severity of the intentions, to the solidity of the basis students are placing for their future, to the strictness of intellectual honesty they want to involve in this project. If nomen omen (the destiny is in the name), as the ancient Romans use to say, FIRMITAS gives already evidence of a promising future.
In AIU Department of Architecture, our students can always have a dialogue with us.
* Paola Ardizzola Asst. Prof. Dr., AIU Vice Dean, School of Fine Art And Architecture
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THE PROTAGONIST
“Be not afraid of being called un-fashinable.” Adolf Loos
Mustafa Topkaç
THE PROTAGONIST
“Ornament is crime” is the summery to cover Loos’s stance in Architectural philosophy. As the son of a German masonry, he had the chance to meet with architectural practice in his early life like many other previous masters of architecture. Loos also had chance to have a serious academic education and with his passion, he turned in a pioneer and one of the most influential modernist architect of 20th century. In his early career, he joined the Vienna Secession but later his thoughts evolved in an opposite way and his manifesto called ‘Ornament und Verbrechen’ (Ornament and Crime), 1892, was a counter stance to the Secession. He stated that; “Since ornament is no longer organically linked with our culture, it is also no longer the expression of our culture.” and he defended that “removal of ornament from utilitarian objects.” His ideas was clear but at the same time was provocative. Loos’s some statements were directly addressing some defenders of the Secession and he was asking that “Where will Olbrich’s work be in ten years’ time?”
Resource: flickriver.com/photos/evandagan/3564285076/
Loos’s hostility to ornament was an aesthetic, social and economic matter. In aesthetical point of view, ornamented objects were doomed to be old-fashioned; in social point of view, it was an exploitation of ornamentation and in economic point of view it was waste of time and material so it was waste of capital. According to Loos, new architecture had different objectives than get stuck in to ornaments. It was the age of functionalism and it would be a “crime” to spent time and energy for ornaments. His words were always full with this responsibility and anger to all anti-functionalist movements. He takes one more step forward and states “Goethe’s death-chamber is finer than all Renaissance splendour.” and Loos attract the attention of authorities.
A cartoon about Loos’s Goldman and Salatsch façade from 1911. Original caption writes; “Brooding about art, the most modern man walks through the streets. Suddenly he stops transfixed. He has found that for which he has searched so long.”
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Loos’s each design were references to his manifesto. He tried to avoid ornament as much as possible. He followed an unprecedented style on his façades. His rejection in historicism and ornaments appears on his Goldman & Salatsch building design. Loos reformist approach to the building’s façade was a complete shock for people of the city and they called “the house without eyebrows” that shows dissatisfaction for not ornamented windows. It might be the idea that takes all the attention of people for a new way of design.
Resource: plataformaarquitectura.cl/cl/tag/adolf-loos
Adolf Loos and a New Critic on Architecture
Goldman and Salatsch Building by Loos
Raumplan (spatial plan) was another idea which Loos introduced in architecture. He states: My architecture is not conceived by drawings, but by spaces. I do not draw plans, facades or sections… For me, the ground floor, first floor does not exist… There are only interconnected continual spaces, rooms, halls, terraces… Each space needs a different height… These spaces are connected so that ascent and descent are not only unnoticeable, but at the same time functional. A. Loos (Shorthand record of a conversation in Pilsen, 1930) He gives continuity in spaces and a movement in sections. The main idea behind Raumplan, again a strong functionalist approach, eliminates the two dimensional ornamented architectural façade. Loos’s forms always follow function and Raumplan was his methodology to achieve the final form as a building. Villa Müller by Loos was one of the final products of this methodology. He designed each space according to its functional needs and façades were not more a reflection of functions. He also avoided any type of ornament which follows his main principles “Ornament is a crime”. In spite of the simplicity of Loos’s plan and façades, furnishing of rooms was telling a different story. Traditional inner design was not his way of design and later he explained the contradiction with a few words. “The walls of a building belong to the architect. There he rules at will. And as with walls and with any furniture that is not movable” and he states that for the furnishing people’s taste who living in it will be the determinant for the design. Loos ideas did not pass away and become old-fashioned by time, later his thoughts inherited by next generation of architects such as Le Corbusier. Today’s architecture practice owes his revolutionary ideas that seems going to last forever. Cover Photo Resource: simpleyarchitecture.blogspot.com.tr/?view=snapshot
Founder of BKA Arch. Bahadır Kul B.K: Architecture in the world is much different and fast. Now more and more economical buildings are being built in developing countries. Kinetic architecture and parametric designs are on the rise with the development of computer programs in recent years. Along with technological developments, you also need to solve the coordination of new materials by changing your existing building knowledge.
Bahadır Kul Architects Office
M.D: Can you please tell us about the story of establishment of Bahadir Kul Architects office and about your philosophy upon which this office was established? B.K: I founded Bahadır Kul Architects in Kayseri in 2003 and I have done many projects in different scales and typologies mainly in transportation, sports, culture and public affairs fields. In 2004-2005 we launched architecture with Kadir Has Stadium and Kadir Has Congress and Sports Center projects. Kayseri Kadir Has Stadium project is an important milestone in my career. Kayseri Stadium is one of the first arenas in Turkey. With the opening of the Kayseri office, we signed the projects like Nevşehir Terminal, Konya Stadium, Konya Sports Hall for 10,000 people. We continue our architectural practice in our headquarter in Istanbul since 2010 and our communicating offices in Batum and Baghdat focusing in projects in the fields of architecture and urban design. Kayseri Kadir Has Stadium, Konya Stadium, Urartu Museum, Ataşehir Terminal are our most prominent works. One of the essential factors shaping our design is making spaces where people will feel happy and later on it is the search for contemporary architecture. We beleive that architecture is the art of creating spaces to make people happy. While serving for happiness of humanity, we aim to produce projects that are environmentally friendly and in which technology contributes for the wellfare of users. In every new design, important data, such as climate, local culture, topography navigate us and helps us develop a unique concept design for the area. Care is taken to ensure that every aspect from choice of materials to the structure are in accordance with sustainable design methods and are compatible with each other. M.D: Being an achitect working both in Turkey and abroad, what kind of similarities and differences do you observe between Turkey and other countries in terms of architectural approach?
From country to country, physical data may differ but the public need is almost the same. Human psychology is almost the same. When a case arrives to our desk, we are entering into a process of recognizing that region well, listening to the locals, starting to learn it. When we face some nuances close to Turkish culture it eases the analysis but differences always makes our job harder. But not only does it goes through recognizing a culture, there is a very broad research process in which we study the geographical conditions of the topography, the climatic conditions as well as the artistic expectations of locals from architecture. An architect's self-renewal and refreshment is strictly related to exploring and designing for far different geographies, civilizations, languages. M.D: You had earned a good career success in your young ages. How did you get commissioned your first projects? What kind of obstacles stood in your way ascending in scope from Kayseri to Istanbul and even to world market? How did you control this processes? B.K: I started to work home-office right after my bachelor graduation. I was doing small scale projects on my own. I was mainly getting interior design and decoration commissions at first. Thus, I got acquainted with the rules of job realm and with the architect-client relationships. Despite the fact that the architectural profession is not well known in our country, and clients want to have a lot of say in the work to be created for them, which makes my job difficult, over time I started to adapt and find a consensus in such cases. And I saw that you are one step closer to your success as long as you do not contradict with your client and you turn their demands into your own. With this experience, I helped shape their dreams more effectively, thanks to the warm ties that I have established with my clients. Over time, when we achieved mutual subordination, we started to get better products. This was very important in the sense of the better project designed, as well as in the sense that this design was accepted. Later on, this harmony brought new cooperation and commissions. Today to every new commission we approach with high enthusiasm and try to produce better and better products day after day.
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THE INTERVIEW
Müge Develier, Sümeyra Çaksen
M.D: What does the term "city" mean to you? How do you evaluate the situation in Turkey in terms of the formation and preservation of urban fabric? Can this work be done right here? What are the responsibilities of an architect in this regard? B.K: In fact, the city is a form of settlement and a community. There live individuals who are different in socio-economic and cultural backgorunds. City has taken its present form by showing the development and change from the old times to the present day.
Resource: static.panoramio.com/photos/original/50467583.jpg
Every city and society has its own value. Every structure in the texture, considered in the architectural scale, is influenced by the city and shaped accordingly. In this sense, all the structures considered on the architectural scale are actually part of the urban landscape. When we look at Turkey, we also see cities open to postive transformations along with cities with high historical values. We observe cities grow for meeting new urban functions.
In our projects we we dont just see the site , we are trying to look at the transportation decisions and site's interaction with the environment. At this point, the architect's most important responsibility is not only the building scale, but also the city scale, which shows the awareness of the values that people may possibly earn. M.D: Which architects, exhibitions and magazines do you follow to keep your projects and designs dynamic? B.K: ZahaHadid and Daniel Libenskind are architects that I am inspired by. The fact that it is the stories that buildings contain, their connection with the lands and furhtermore the dynamics of architects felt in their unique forms affect me. I also like the architecture of BjarkeIngels from the new generation, especially their work in Denmark.
Kadir Has Stadium
Translation : Farzona Abidova
5
REPRESENTATION IN ARCHITECTURE
Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Center Renzo Piano
Resource: fondazionerenzopiano.org/project/85/jean-marie-tjibaou-cultural-center/drawings/enlarged/872/
Melissa Di Giovanni*, Nesibe BakÄąrdaÄ&#x;
Concept Sketch
Jean Marie Tjibaou Cultural center, built by Renzo Piano, symbolizes the freedom of the Kanak community. It has been modelled according to a typical Kanak house, taking inspiration both from shape, light, and material, wood. At a first look the sketch communicates a strong interaction between structure and the nature; indeed, Renzo Piano used wood and steel to translate into reality the concept of ephemerality. By the sketch, the materials seem to be glass and steel because of the sensation of wind effect and ventilation. So, the shape and orientation of ledges provide the beneficial usage of wind. In addition, the sketch represents sun effect utilization thanks to the angle information.
There is a movement of elements in this drawing; we can see the strategy of building process due to the direction of the arrows and colors. Besides, sketch makes feel fresh because of its technique. The author used comprehensive drawing in terms of leader lines and various legends. This sketch includes nature concept, external factors, structural requirements, and technique of structure at the same time. Also, observers can realize that there is a scale proportion in this framework. On the other hand, we can understand the foundations and its dimensions. Consequently, Renzo Piano did emphasize the points that he wants to translate from his eye to us.
* Melissa Di Giovanni Lecturer, AIU Architecture Department
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Time Lag in Architecture
Resource: Wikipedia
SUSTAINABILITY
Monia Del Pinto*, Müge Develier
Traditional Safranbolu House
Nowadays, the term of sustainability has become a big part of our lives. Just to clarify the meaning of ‘sustainability’, is to maintain the needs of present by considering the future. We developed this awareness in the latest decades, but what about people in the past? Did they just live without considering the future in terms of architecture?
Nowadays the traditional materials are used only in the vernacular architecture (place specific architecture based on local materials and traditional techniques). A Turkish example is shown in Safranbolu, characterized by its traditional houses: we will use them in our comparison between traditional and advanced building materials.
Traditional materials such as wood and stone are ‘naturally available’ since the early age of civilization. They require specific techniques to be shaped and used in buildings, determining the architectural language worldwide. With the post industrial technological development the changes also affected materials and field of use and construction techniques are changed.
In the Safranbolu Houses, stone and wood were used for their availability and behavior. In a contemporary reinforced concrete house, generally reinforced and cellular concrete are used.
Behavior in Structure Foundation system
Load Bearing skeleton structure Filler
* Monia Del Pinto Lecturer, AIU Architecture Department
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Safranbolu House Stone Wood Stone
Reinforced Concrete House Reinforced concrete Reinforced Concrete Cellular Concrete
Drawing: MĂźge Develier
Structural Analysis of Safranbolu Houses and Reinforced Concrete Houses
In the Traditional House people used stone on the ground floor to have more stability, less humidity and keeping heat balance inside, using the ground floor as a store (stone’s thermal inertia allowed to keep a constant temperature). Wood was used to create the structural skeleton, infilled with stone rubble, covered with lime plaster. Stone foundation preserved wood from humidity, wood allowed a lighter structure and flexible, and they both contributed to the thermohygrometric balance. In a Reinforced Concrete Structure we have the same material from foundation to roof, creating the reinforced concrete skeleton, infilled with cellular concrete blocks.
The Structural behavior, of material informs us about their reaction to applied stress: steel and wood are flexible and concrete and stone are brittle. This determined the structural layout of Traditional House, where wood was used to provide flexibility, like steel in the Reinforced Concrete Structure today. The diagonal wooden elements provided resistance to lateral forces (seismic waves) against deformation and consequent structural failure. Despite of new technology and materials, it is clear that traditional building techniques reveal an innate aware approach to what we currently consider sustainability. Under this perspective, do people really use the advantages of technology nowadays? Are new technology and materials used in sustainable way? Are we really aware of power of the past?
Resource: imgrum.org/user/restoramimar
The Energetic Behavior of materials answers questions like how indoor temperature compared to outdoor, humidity, and how they affect people’s comfort. When we compare contemporary and traditional materials, we observe different behaviours, connected to their microstructure. The consequences are different rate of vapour permeability and heat transmission, which combined with walls thickness, determines a reduced thermal comfort and might result in the phenomenon of molds due to humidity.
Generally, natural materials allow to reduce these disadvantages.
Detail View on the Materials of House
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Farnsworth House Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe
THE CRIT
Standing on eight evenly spaced steel columns, is one of the best examples of the mid-century modernist domestic architecture. The iconic one-room building designed with glass and steel, is a weekend home for the Chicago physician, Edith Farnsworth. The Farnsworth house borders the Fox River near Plano, Illinois, Chicago. The building has a pure modernist design, the features of modern architecture are clearly expressed in the building, some of which are the flat roof, the large glass windows and steel frames with curtain walls, the use of orthogonal and cubic geometry, white render of the façade and absolutely no ornamentation what so ever.
Resource: manuelarchitecture.com/tag/house/
Elevated on widely spaced piers, the building floats 5ft above the ground to protect the house against flood from the river. The eight steel columns at the exterior perimeters of the house allow the interior space to be free of any structural elements. This structural methodology facilitates the free-plan approach to interior space, where a single free space is enclosed by a glass envelope. The interior space entails a freestanding asymmetrically placed service core which encompasses a galley kitchen, a fireplace and two bathrooms segregated by a utility space.
Floor plan of Farnsworth House showing the free plan approach to space
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Resource: xoopstastic.com/tag/farnsworth-house-floor-plan/
Sani Abdulnasir
Perspective View of Farnsworth House
This free plan approach allows common spaces to be freely linked together without the use of any partition walls, thus, the different spaces are well defined by the careful disposition of furniture as the main elements of spatial definition. The main idea behind the emptiness of the interior can be explained by the famous quote of Mies “Less is more”, the building’s architecture has been reduced to its barest minimum of pure functionalism of both architectural and structural elements.
Resource: oxidearchitecture.com/farnsworth-house-1951-mies-van-der-rohe/
Front View of Farnsworth House
Interior Space and Application of the Free Plan Concept
The general composition of this masterpiece of architecture is more like a rectangular glass prism with two solid parallel horizontal planes strictly defining the floor and the roof, both of which are held in place by the vertically erected eight steel columns giving the building the visual sensation of being suspended in space between the earth and the sky above. For visual balance and harmony with its surrounding, the architect decided to use white color and roman travertine marble for the floor to achieve the white render in order not to contrast with the changing color of nature during the different seasons. It is indeed quite fascinating how such beauty, functionality, elegance and purity could be achieved with optimum simplicity, in other words, “Less is more�.
Resource: arquitecturadecasas.info
Resource: midcenturymoderngroovy.com
The living space lies between the dining area on the west end and the sleeping space located on the east side, this allows the user to wake up at sunrise. Meanwhile late during the evening, on the west side is a bi-level terrace that extends to make a porch for watching the sunset. The design seeks to integrate the surrounding landscape with the building, bringing about unity between natural landscape, the house and the user, this visual contact and relationship was achieved using glass all around the house and indeed if one stands inside and looks towards the undulating landscape beyond, it appears that the glass element fades away and you’re in direct contact with the calmness and tranquility of nature.
Interior Space of Farnsworth House
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The Quick Guide to Surviving Architecture School Musarath Sader
STUDENT’S LIFE
I’m assuming that most of you reading this article are probably on the verge of joining architecture school or are current students of the discipline. Nonetheless, regardless of which category you fall into, this article will be of benefit to you, even if you are a self-proclaimed ‘Frank Gehry’. Architecture school is strange, in a sense that it will squeeze every last drop of life out of you, leaving you with a caffeinated breath and sleep deprived for days, sometimes even emotionally unstable. As torturous as it may sound, a passionate student will not perceive this as suffering and will hurdle upon each obstacle with a spirited attitude. So let’s get to it. How does one survive architecture school?
1: Pace yourself As long as you have boarded the train, you will learn. So do not lose motivation if you lack the skills relating to various architectural software or struggle to speak in an architectural language. Everything in life takes time, practice and patience. It is the same with architecture. Your input affects your output. The more time that you spend developing your skills, the faster you will see yourself grow as an aspiring architect. 2: Practice! Practice! Practice! Most learning takes place beyond the walls of the classroom, so invest your time wisely. Carry a sketch book with you wherever you go and never stop sketching! Sketch buildings, people and trees; anything and everything. There is no better place to gain knowledge from than books. Spend time going through Architectural journals and literature to help you to understand the theory behind the discipline. There is a strong relation between episteme (knowledge) and techne (practice). Practical work and theory go hand in hand, so do not stop learning. Visit museums, art galleries, observe buildings and people. Never stop learning. Remember, that even after graduation you will always be a student. 3: Be curious Being curious keeps your mind constantly active thus strengthening your mental capacity. It opens doors to dimensions that cannot be perceived with the naked eye. Curiosity is probably the most important trait that one should have as an aspiring architect because when you are curious about something, for example; a concept for a new beach house, your mind subconsciously develops new ideas related to it. Curiosity is extremely fascinating because it allows you to study while engaging in another activity. Your subconscious will be working non-stop thus enabling you to recognize an abundance of ideas that are in front of you, as well as helping you to draw inspiration from sources you would have never imagined.
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4: Give yourself a chance, take a break Architects are a unique bunch of people but at the end of the day we are still only human beings. Your body can only manage so much, so don’t be afraid to give yourself a break. Take some time off to enjoy your life and experience the world outside of AutoCAD. This will help to refuel your energy and recharge your creative juices. 5: Your classmates should be your friends, not rivals: In this overly competitive world it’s all about survival of the strongest, but that should not be the case in architecture school. I am convinced that architects are among the weirdest species on earth, so I advise that we stick together and support one another. As an architecture student, you will, at some point, be fighting for time to finish your project the night before the deadline. In such a case, there are no better people to seek help from than your peers who just like you, will also have the necessary drawing or modeling skill. Also, there is no harm in sharing information and ideas with one another. Just imagine, in a class of fifty students working on the same project, you will have the opportunity to learn fifty different solutions for the same problem. 6: Start from day 1! When given a project or an assignment, don’t postpone it until the next day because with each day there will be more homework and more excuses. Push yourself to work every day, even if it just for an hour per day. By the time the submission date nears, you will be surprised at progress you have made and will have avoided a stressful all-nighter the night before your submission. 7: VERY IMPORTANT! Pressing Command + S should come to you as naturally as breathing. SAVE YOUR WORK ALL THE TIME! There’s no need for me to further elaborate on this, just do it, you’ll thank me later. I have just touched the tip of the ice-berg since I have my own design project to work on. However, the above tips will help you to get through architecture school with the least number of scars. Try putting them into practice, you’ll notice the difference. *Bonus tip: Keep in contact with your professors, they have contacts at architectural firms. This will be useful when looking for an internship. ;)
Illustration : Musarath Sader
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Abstract The Art of Design
Resource: winq.com
THE CULTURAL SCENE
Musarath Sader
Abstract: The Art of Design Cover
Abstract is an eight-episode Netflix documentary series that takes the viewers behind the scenes to explore the lives, minds and work of prolific modern day designers who bring color and life to our world. Each episode is independent of the next, meaning that throughout the 6-hour long series, the viewer will have walked through the lives of eight different visionaries. Abstract provides a deeper insight about the roots that ideas and designs stem from and the beauty in the decisions that lead to them. The documentarians approach towards filming the series was a work of art itself, in a sense that it embodies what Abstract is all about; honesty and simplicity. The designers behind the work are not depicted as superhuman but rather just as human beings with their own talents and struggles. This allows the audience, especially those involved in the field of art and design to relate to those high-profiled designers. For enthusiast of architecture, the show features world renowned Danish architect Bjarke Ingels. In his 45-minute-long episode, he “unites function, fantasy and sustainability in ‘pragmatic utopian’ design like a clean power plant topped with a ski slope.
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Since people outside the field of architecture do not have the complete understanding how the built environment around them comes into being, Ingles uses Abstract to link the architectural realm to the outside world with the hope of changing the perception that the public has towards architecture. He smartly explains the architectural design process with the use of intelligent diagrams and graphics. His aim is to make the world more comfortable with innovative, “crazy ideas”. Below is a list of the designers who feature in the series: - Illustrator - Cristoph Niemann - Nike Shoe Designer - Tinker Hatfield - Set Designer - Es Devlin - Architect - Bjarke Ingels - Automobile Designer - Ralph Gilles - Graphic Designer - Paula Scher - Photographer - Platon - Interior Designer - Ilse Crawford
Sirmione - Pearl of ‘Lako di Garda’
Resource: findingtheuniverse.com/2014/12/sirmione-essential-lake-garda-experience.html
Sirmione is situated on a very narrow peninsula extending through the Lake Garda. This narrow shape makes you feel as if you are walking in a corridor-like island. As you walk, from both sides of the corridor you have lake-shores, with yellow reeds, swans and timber decks extending to horizon giving the sense of infinity. In the middle across the peninsula there is a car road until it is interrupted by the second part of peninsula, where there is no access for cars and one must walk to experience peninsula. There is no visual pollutions with cars and cruise ships unlike in other historical cities. The context of the town prevails technological developments.''
Edge of The Peninsula
This edge of peninsula is fortified with Scaliger Castle. It is a 13th century rare example of medieval port fortification used by Scaliger fleet. The castle stands at a strategic place at the entrance to the peninsula. It is surrounded by a moat and it can only be entered by two drawbridges. It looks as if it is sunken in water and today tourists come to Sirmione to see this 'floating castle'.
Resource: discover.halldis.com/en/sirmione-en/
The beautiful entrance to the old town of Sirmione from the Scaliger Castle
Architecture in this part of peninsula is very sugary, with colorful flowers surrounding colorful buildings and colorful timber shutters. Dominating colors are apricot color for façades and dark green color for shutters (this palette usually prevails in Italian towns). They have very interesting window-shadowing overhangs made of white cloth that resembles peasant women hats of Victorian epoch. Another highlight of the peninsula is the ancient ruins of Grottoes of Catullus, the most striking example of a Roman private edifice discovered in Northern Italy, within an island of green. Some archeologists claim that it was private villa of the most pleasure-seeking poets of Roman era - Catullus. He was a man of "dolce far niente". As we know Romans loved a good bath and Sirmione just happens to be a spa town fed by natural thermal springs. Indeed, Roman elites used to spend their vacations in Sirmione not in any sea coast. Nowadays, these thermal springs attract many tourists, especially elderly - local and foreign tourists come to experience these spas surrounded by enthralling beauty of the nature and cozy, colorful architecture of the commune.
Resource: .findingtheuniverse.com/2014/12/sirmione-essential-lake-garda-experience.html
"Dolce far niente" - literally translated as the "sweetness of doing nothing" had become our motto while exploring Italy. Unlike what it sounds, this concept is not about idleness, laziness, rather it is about the state of mind - the pursuit of 'catharsis' - a feeling of ultimate purification of emotions through experiencing the art and beauty of place around us. One of these pursuits led us to a very spectacular destination - Sirmione - a small, lovely commune in Lombardy (Northern Italy), in Lake Garda. In a country surrounded by the fascinating Mediterranean coasts from its three sides and having well-known metropolises, falling in love with the lake-shore city may sound ironic. However, as it is known "beauty is in the eyes of beholder"… for us in the context of the voyage; thus, I relate this affection to this commune in a way we experienced it. We experienced it entirely by walking, from Verona to Sirmione about 30 km. By walking, one can feel the city and its context, not just view it.
CITIES AND CONTEXT
Farzona Abidova
Peach colored building façades and green shutters
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Staircase
IMAGE OF THE MONTH
Alper Gülle*, Sümeyra Çaksen
Architecture and photography have always closely interacted with each other since the invention of the photography in the late 1830s. While architecture has been captured as one of the main subjects of photography, photography has served architecture as a valuable tool of representation. Architectural photograph is a transparent document, a reliable representation of the built-architecture. Mainly because of its three main advantages, photography was immediately appreciated as a new tool of architectural representation: firstly, it could produce pictures with accuracy that human eye could not attain; secondly, anyone could produce pictures easily without any previous training; and thirdly, any picture produced by human hand could not be as ‘truthful’ as the one produced by the ‘pencil of nature. Therefore, soon after its invention, photography paved the way for the use of various, detailed, easily producible, reproducible, portable and transmittable images of architecture.
Vatican Museum, Rome / 2013
* Alper Gülle Asst., AIU Architecture Department
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Photo by Alper Gülle
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