Virginia Tech
School of Architecture + Design
Undergraduate Thesis
Virginia Tech
School of Architecture + Design
Undergraduate Thesis
Table of Contents
I.
Prologue
p. 05
Part 1
II.
Research
p. 13
III.
Observation
p. 31
Part 2
IV.
Transition
p. 47
V.
Analysis
p. 55
VI.
Design
p. 77
I.
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Prologue
I. Prologue
Ambiguity Between Utopia and Dystopia Many scholars have attempted to draw blue prints of a better world, illustrating optimistic societies where nature and man-made civilization are perfectly harmonized. These illustrations evoke within the public both nostalgic memories and hope for an optimal future. In fact, the word ‘green’ has become such a significant design strategy in the contemporary market that it is overused or misused in many contexts as if it were a master key to our current urban and environmental issues. Green features, such as a green roof and a vertical garden, have become essential elements when designing a building. On the other hand, a number of fictional works have used the
notion of dystopia to elicit more dramatic effects. They often depict a decayed human society after catastrophic events like political shift, major pandemic or natural disaster. In the dystopian world, there are few or zero humans and civilizations that are devoured by parasitic vegetation due to lack of human regulation. A question originates from a threshold of these conflicting images; are vegetative and desolate images of dystopian landscape actually “dystopian” or are they idyllic?
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I.
10
Prologue
Are these truly dystopian visions? If so, these images of civilizations overtaken by mother nature that can be found in many cultural contexts should vex the public because they do not want to imagine themselves in these contexts. But they somehow evoke nostalgic memories and an innate instict of wanting to return to nature. When enumerating pessimistic speculations about the future and making optimistic attempts at contemporary architecture, one can notice a strange similarity between these depictions of contradictory themes. There are two major common components in them: manmade artificial urban fabrics and green vegetation.
The thesis stems from this strange similarity existing between these two opposite contexts. If these depictions of Utopia and Dystopia are laying on a thin line of ambiguity, it could be possible to convert what is dystopian context to an ideal utopian context with appropriate urban ‘acupuncture’ of design. To discover what could be potential ‘acupuncture’ and how it can be performed on our current cities is the goal of this thesis.
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I.
12
Prologue
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II.
History of Utopia and Dystopia : The thesis emphasizes the ambiguity existing between utopia and dystopia - “good” and “bad” environments. Therefore, this chapter traces back to the birth of utopian ideas, and it is necessary to analyze previous scholarship on the subjects in order to discover both their flaws and commonalities. This information allows the the genesis of new architectural concepts. “What type of egg will be the city of the future?”
A Diagram of “ The City As An Egg”, Cedric Price
Research
II. Research
Ancient Period : Greek Ancient Greek cities based on utopian ideas that appeared on publications like the Republic and Timaeus by Plato. The description of Atlantis specifically portrays the notion of an “ideal city,” accompanied by a discussion of Pythagorean numbers and Greek perception of the universe. In Plato’s theory on the “ideal city”, 12 divided sectors formed this imaginary city around a citadel upon the Acropolis, and a population of 5040 people was distributed throughout these sectors. Programs such as defense, irrigation and water supplies were strategically located. Cities used this grid form to situate roads and programs.
For example, in Miletus, ancient Greek urban planner, Hippodamus, categorized the population into three according to class - husbandmen, artisans and soldiers. He also delinated the public by land use - sacred, public and private. The layout was a typical grid road system. In the center, there were non-residential programs such as the Agora, public park and sacred places. Residents were located both in the Northern and Southern areas. In Olynthus, a hierarchy of road systems with different widths circulated throughout the city, and one of first ideas of modular housing appeared to stimulate further expansion of the city. Ancient Greek cities were one of the first evident attempts on systematic urban planning.
“ Plan of Miletus “
“ Diagram of Olynthus and its ruins “
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II.
Ancient Period : Ancient Roman
Unlike Greek’s emphasis on the grid system, a circular layout and radial system were used in Roman architecture for advantage in defense strategy and a prevention of plague. Ancient Roman ideal cities were mainly built on the theories of Vitruvius. They focused on site conditions like wind direction and surrounding landscape. Radial urban planning served three main functions in the city - sacred, public and private. This type of planning greatly influenced later architects
and planners like Alberti and Filrarete. In fact, the design of many Roman cities originated from arrangements of barracks during military expeditions. Using Vitruvian theories on wind directions, the planning layout evolved from rectangular to octagonal to circular over time, and the contents of the city began to fill in along the axis of Cardo and Decumanu.
“ Vitruvius’ plan of ideal city “
“ Plan of Roman camp “
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Research
Ancient Period : Medieval
Unlike other epoches, it is difficult to find certain patterns in Ancient Medieval cities; a combination of grid and radial layouts from Ancient Greece and Rome were applied in these cities. Rather than building according to a singular master plan, cities were structured by basic skeletal layouts, and the organic dynamics of town life formed Medieval cities. Though there had been many circular defensive cities in the beginning of the Medieval period, their shapes altered as a number of
experimental cities, such as Bastides in France or Poblaciones in Spain, appeared during the middle of the Medieval period. The daily life of people in town formed large arteries and small veins of the city over time, and individuals began to occupy spaces created between these veins. This ‘quotidian’ architecture and planning of town life was indeed a time-consuming process, and it was often organic and uncontrollable.
“ The Bastide Saint-Louis “ Carcassonne, France
“ The Bastide Saint-Louis “ Carcassonne, France
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II.
“ Quosidian Architectures “ : brothels and gambling places
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Research
“ Quosidian Architectures “ : houses and tiny alley in between
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II.
“ Quosidian Architectures “ : church and market
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Research
Renaissance Period : Early Renaissance Thomas More coined the term, Utopia during the Renaissance era; this term ultimately influenced many contemporary urban planning proposals. Utopia emphasized a regular and symmetrical layout and more strict and grand geometrical regulation rather than the maze-like dynamics observed in Medieval architecture.(move to first) Renaissance ideal cities focused more on the defensive function of the city. For example, Sforzinda by Filarete was the one of first designs in which urban and rural were combined with a radial layout of 16 apexes that inscribed in Vitruvian circle and converged on the center through linear roads. It was a functional city proposal to counteract congested medieval cities.
De Re Aedificatoria of Alberti suggested a radial layout of a fortress with churches and a citadel in the center and an adaptive road system along existing landscape. It proposed arranging programs in terms of hierarchy -- locating noisy manufacturing programs in outer areas and commercial programs in the center close to the higher class. It was one of first mixed-use urban developments in history. Even though these addressed the blahblah, cities gradually became more controlled and isolated within defensive walls. As a result, the interaction between urban and rural collectives slowly faded away. However, ideal city proposals during the Renaissance period built a strong theoretical foundation from where many urban plans were derived.
“ Sforzinda “ Filarete, 15 c.
“ Fortress of a tyrant “ L.B Alberti, 15 c
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II.
Palamanova, Vincenzo Scamozzi, 1593
Renaissance Period : Mannerism
Thoguh they were restricted by renaisssance trend, they still trhive to develop in a sense of community blahblah. During Mannerism period, nothing significantt has been changed but geometrical regulations on layout from Renaissance became more intensified. Stronger emphasis on strategic aspects of urban planning transformed cities into a fortress. Alberecht Durer’s layout of quadrangular design included a square in the center, a church in the corner and shops and workshops in case of a long siege.
“ Christianopolis “ J.V. Andreae, 1619
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Inspired by Sforzinda’s scheme, Palmanova was built in 1593 by Scamozzi; it encouraged a sense of equal community with individual responsibilities and its design of a star-shape with nine apexes and angled walls made it the fortress city of Venice. Also, J.V. Andreae’s Christianpolis that was enclosed by multiple towers in geometrical figure and fortress walls and divided into 4 different occupational sectors was very similar what More’s Utopia had proposed.
“ Square ground plan of a fortress “ Albrecht Durer, 1527
Research
“ Karlsruhe “ M.C. Wilhelm, 1715
Baroque Period
Urban planning in the Baroque Period was developed upon a powerful centralized political power. That is, the Monarchy used urban planning to solitify their powers. Illusionistic and curvier 'embellishment' were strongly encouraged; the axis of avenues toward monumental architecture, mostly palaces and churches, expanded due to the advent of the carriage and emphasis on independent city parts allowed grand gardens.
These components can be easily found in Versailles by Hardouin Mansart and in M.C. Wilhelm’s Karlsruhe plan, palaces, garden and city. Both designs were bound through a fan-shaped layout and circular gardens. These Baroque components successfully fulfilled the ambition of rising political powers and carried it out stronger through further expansion.
“ Palace of Versailles “ Hardouin Mansart, 1661 ~ 1775
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II.
“ Chaux “ C.N. Ledoux, C.N. Ledoux, 18 c
The Enlightenment to Industrial Period
A gesture of defiance against monarchy blahblah ,,,Ideal city planning in the Enlightenment period was greatly influenced by political events like French Revolution. It focused on new human relationship like bourgeoisie, workers and peasants. E.L Boullee and C.N. Ledoux defied everything what barque tried to do; blbhbha
doubted illusionistic ornaments; they addressed a sense of gravity and a pursuit for essentials. Some consider their designs and other works on ideal city at this period more an iconic view than a --they werent able to build ---concrete counteracting proposals.
“ City of Dead “ E.L. Boulee, 1792
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Research
“ New Lanark “ Robert Owen, 1820
A focus of the ideal city during Industrial era was an effective zoning process. Rather than planning in urban scales as done in previous eras, architects and planners during this period put their design emphasis on district / community scale. Spaces for factories and accommodations of workers increased due to rising number of industrial districts. Also, workers demanded more of a separation
“ Garden City “ Ebenezer Howard, 1898
of residential districts from industrial districts because of increasing pollution from manufacturing areas. To accomodate these demands, one of Utopian socialists, Fourier, tried to achieve a paternalistic communism through his work, Phalanstery. It was an agriculture-based large building complex of wings and arcades, like a palace, that can house 1600 to 1800 people of all classes.
“ Phalanstery” Charles Fourier, 1816
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II.
“ Ville Spatiale “ Yona Friedman, 1956 ~ 1960
Post Industrial Era to Modernism
Unlike Industrial Era, proposals of the post-industrial era emphasizes the significance of environment as portrayed in Wright’s Broadacre City, Garnier’s Industrial City and Le Corbusier’s Radiant City. however, cities’ own dynamic energy slowly disappeared into a society of uniformity and order and grand open space of lawn readdressing the beauty of symmetry and balance. There were also many number of approaches on ideal city
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after Modernism that architecturally and unrealistically portrayed over-scaled megastructures with advanced machinery as a gesture of seeking for an evolution of technology. Some examples include: B. Fuller’s Geodesic Dome city, Y. Friedman’s Ville Spatiale, Archigram’s Plug in City and Walking City, Japanese Metabolism’s Marine City and Clusters in the Air.
“ Industrial City “ Tony Garnier, 1904
“ Radiant City “ Le Corbusier, 1935
“ Clusters in the Air “ Arata Isozaki, 1964
“ Walking City “ Archigram, 1964
Research
“ City of Book “ Superstudio, 1971
Post Modernism
Post Modernism emerged as World Wars ended and social revolutions in 20th century effected conventional ideologies. Defying totalitarian uniformity, it expressed cautious awareness come from polluted environment and lack of humanity in the modern world, mainly through retro-collages techniques which played a large role in dystopian architectural expresses. Compared to history of ideal city, commonly known as Utopia in later days, the idea of Dystopia did not appear until Baroque period; G.B. Piranesi’s expressed the shade of Baroque’s illusionistic ornamental works - one of first dystopian expressions. Then, experimental expressions through montages and assemblages of Avant-garde in Modernism and Modernists’ attempts on Utopia- their mechanical design proposals - were considered dystopian in some perspective.
Bruno Taut’s Dissolution of City in 1920 depicted uncontrolled cluster of gigantic transportation system, independent residential group and city infrastructure. Ludwig Hiberseimer’s High-Rise City in 1927 proposed a mechanical metropolis - a grand urban machine. Hugh Ferriss’ Metropolis of Tomorrow in 1929 drew misty illustrations of Modernism buildings in Manhattan that illuminated by spotlights at night. Hans Scharoun’s Siemensstadt Housing Estate, in 1929, Lucio Costa’s Brazilia in 1956, Superstudio’s 12 ideal cities and many other works both during and after Modernism tried to depict utopian ideas that were complementary to Modernism ideas but they were also criticized to be more dystopian rather than to be utopian, their initial intentions. It is an interesting irony that many dystopian interpretations were derived from utopian attempts of Modernists; their technologyoriented aims eventually led to extremely mechanized world, a dystopia in some perspective.
“ 2000 Ton City “ Superstudio, 1971
“ City of the Hemispheres “ Superstudio, 1971
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II.
“ Metropolis of Tomorrow “ Hugh Ferriss, 1929
“ Tatlin’s Tower “ Vladimir Tatlin, 1920
“ Dissolution of City “ Bruno Taut, 1920
“ Brazilia “ Lucio Costa, 1956
“ High Rise City “ Ludwig Hilberseimer, 1929
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Research
Positive Optimism
Perfection
Masterplan
Constructive REGULAR
GEOMETRICAL
Futuristic
Utopia SYMMETRIC
Expression of Direction
TECHNICAL
Heterotopia
Totalitarianism Permanance
Closed System
Futile Pessimism
“Architecture is not about the conditions of design, but about the design of conditions that will dislocate the most traditional and regressive aspects of our society and simultaneously reorganize these elements in the most liberating way, where our experience becomes the experience of events organized and strategized through architecture. Strategy is a key word in architecture today. No more masterplans, no more locating in a fixed place, but a new heterotopia.
Imperfection
Planless
Destructive FREE-FORM
IRREGULAR
Nostalgic
Dystopia NON-RELATIVE
Expression of Consquences
This is what our cities must strive towards and what we architects must help them to achieve by intensifying the rich collision of events and spaces. Tokyo and New York only appear chaotic. Instead, they mark the appearance of a new urban structure, a new urbanity. Their confrontations and combinations of elements may provide us with the event, the shock, that I hope will make the architecture of our cities a turning point in culture and society.” - Bernard Tschumi -
ABSTRACT
Individualism Impermanance
Opened System
As our epoch reaches to the state of anxiety and crisis, people thirst for better living environment, and demand for utopia consequently increases. In spite of its fictional visions, architecture, philosophy, literature and many other fields have proposed different versions of utopia envisioning better life. Depending on a number of ideal values that different historical eras had cherished, the embodiment of utopian ideas and hypothetical creation of dystopia have been altered and evolved from over time. Utopia has been a movement that envisions social and political evolution by depicting
an ideal world. On the contrary, Dystopia reveals current problems in the society by representing the most chaotic and post-apocalyptic world. Despite being so conflicting, both utopian and dystopian ideas share the origin, ‘defiance’ of reality, and perhaps it is the reason that contradictory ideas often intersect each other in their expressions and evoke a strangely similar emotions. The ambiguity of utopia and dystopia in architectural expression can be another turning point to understand current stream of contemporary architecture and to propose the next generation of architecture.
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III.
Utopia and Dystopia of Today :
Based on the research, it is necessary to deterimne where our cities stand nowadays. While some of our cities are successful, others suffer from their worst time. What makes them flourish? On the other hand, what makes them fall? What role and how does architecture play in the success and failure of cities?
One of Building Facades in Kowloon City, Hong Kong
Observation
III. Observation
“... the concept of utopia is not a Hellenic speculative fantasy, but a derivation from an historic event: that indeed the first utopia was the city itself.” - Lewis Mumford -
Metropolis, Utopia of Today
Among many discussions to achieve better living in past millenniums, an invention of ‘city’ can be considered one of few concrete triumphs in which utopian ideas have been well reflected. These ‘cities’ have located themselves in a spectrum between utopia
and dystopia along the evolution of studies. But obviously, cities do have their flaws as there is no perfect system, and people can estimate which side of the spectrum their cities are right now with their subjective judgements.
“The Largest Metropolis in the World” Tokyo, Japan
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III.
An Illustration of Flux on“Traffic Study of Philadelphia” Louis Kahn, 1952
Space, Human and Place
Architecture is about containing lives of people, both static and dynamic. The key element of space is people occupying within it, not the physical buildings surrounding them. Without human activities inside and outside, architecture is powerless. What makes human surroundings regular is the density of human activities, not a forced linear and geometrical configurations on the land. The spaces are born
within this constant flux of people, and ‘great’ spaces are the spaces where these constant flux persists with programs situating themselves. Architecture needs to fully understand the whole grammar of space which is ironically formed by human’s irregular behaviors over time and then to propose an acupuncture-like system that can encourage events of human life.
Space
Human
Place
“ Physical Envelope”
“ Experience, Event, Memory “
“ Strong Architecture “
“An Ideal Relationship of Space, Human and Space”
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Observation
“The Tower of David (Slum Tower)” Caracas, Venezuela
“The Tower of David (Slum Tower)” Caracas, Venezuela
Metropolis can fall through either inevitable natrual decay of physical envelopes such as old architecture and aged infrastructure or an absolute absence of them per se while population and urbanization in the world increases. When an administration fails to fulfil increasing demand with a newer, larger or more efficient
physical fabric, communities will parasitically expand. Ultimately, this expansion shifts to new vacant areas leaving a contaminated land and used properties behind and hopelessly consumes the earth. This is common pattern of today’s slumization in dying cities.
“ No Space “
“Dharavi Slum” Mumbai, India
Space
Human
Place
“ Physical Envelope”
“ Experience, Event, Memory “
“ Strong Architecture “
“A Lack of Space”
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III.
“City of Darkness� Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong which was transformed into a park in 1993 is one great example that lies in the thin line between utopia and dystopia. From its intimidating appearances, poor architecture qualities both outside and inside and anarchistic administrations, the place clearly reminds of a dystopia in reality
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as many entertainment business such as animation and novel was inspired by this place. It used to be one of largest and uncontrollable narcotic markets and brothels in the area. The physical conditionings were far beyond inspection level; yet, restaurants and grocery shops ran their business just fine in such muggy and dark conditions.
Observation
In spite of being known for 'Sin City' in Hong Kong, former residents of Kowloon Walled City remembers it differently from public streotype; a tight collection of uncontrolled building-add-ons was once a friendly community, warming learning spaces and maze
of playground to some people. Excluding illegal and shady aspects of the place, thㅑis anarchistic communuty was in fact, ㅁfㅁilled with live human activities and dynamic life circulation.
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III.
A Rendering Shot of “Yongsan International District Project” Seoul, South Korea
Paused “Yongsan International District Project” and Its empty site Seoul, South Korea
“ No Human ” On the other hand, another form of dying cities can be born despite that administrations lavishly construct new architectures. Blinded by ‘Bilbao Effect,’ administrations and their ‘masterplan’ illustrates a new blueprint of urban utopia that is often filled with eyecandy buildings of starchitects and high rise skyscrapers. They often
require a vast amount of resource and highly depend on policies of administrations. These aspects eventually cause result-oriented and quick processes and lead to poor program planning or incompletion. As a result, the plan is filled with fancy but empty buildings or vacant lots.
Space
Human
Place
“ Physical Envelope”
“ Experience, Event, Memory “
“ Strong Architecture “
“A Lack of Human”
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Observation
“Towering Skyscapers” Dubai, UAE
“ Dubaization ”
Dubai seemed to be leading modern urban development and other developing countries would follow it as precedent. Dubai development almost looked like an urban miracle. It did not take too long to come to a realization that Dubai and its fancy skyscrapers were just mirage that real estate and investment would come and go. There were absolutely no planning for quality of life and no consideration or contribution on public and people. Some criticized that Dubai development could have succeeded if it were not for global economic crisis. But had it been really able to succeed as they had envisaged it on the paper? What Dubai had lacked in the project was long-term based infrastructure and stable system that can hardly be influenced by other factors and variables. Instead, they focused only to promote investors and banks luring them with illusory promotions and other real estate products; the whole city became a merchandise in the
display. There may have been possibilities of great success, win-win for developer, public and investors; however, as basic economic rule states, higher return is always accompanied with higher risk. Global downturn and gigantic debts have failed to fill in Dubai and they have been threatening its future. Is Dubai the only city that had gone through failure? Unfortunately, many urban planning cases have been experiencing similar obstacles. Detroit now became a devastated state filled with chaos. Most of them are results of irresponsible politicians which rashly forced a dramatic and heroic alternation in their cities or town during their administrations. As a result, many new buildings fail to sell their empty lots and are left like fancy ghost town, and this urban phenomenon is far from the idea of ‘sustainability.’
“A scenario shot of Dubai’s future” Richard Allenby-Pratt, 2012
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A Photomontage illustrating today’s urban development; repeated constructions of new extravagant buildings on top of mounting decayed buildings.
III.
“New Energy Town in West Virginia(Shale Gas)” WV, U.S.A
“Neo-Liberalism” Why are our cities so polarized from shanty towns to desolate high rise districts? Out of many factors, it is neo-liberalism that has been growing enormously since 19 centuries. The dogma of neo-liberalism mainly seeks to maximize profits through maximum efficiency. As a result, social values prioritize themselves based on the dogma accordingly, and the prioritization entirely rearranges economic mechanism such as suppliance of labor and natural resources. The whole city can flourish or collapse depending on that
cities’ mainstream business move locations of their assembly lines to India or China for maximum efficiency. A mountain of rare earth elements can go flat in few days due to a large demand of new technology’s material, farmers in rural area can suddenly become CEO, and a desert can transform into a smart city. These dramatic convulsions has actually happened in few decades during neo-liberalism era.
“Abandoned City” Detroit, MI, U.S.A
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Observation
“Lehman Brothers Crisis” New York, 2008
Neo-liberalism has separated architecture from life of people. The so-called 'global standard' neglected regional values that has been cherished for years, gigantic architectures with complex programs have kicked out small independent spaces from the street. Spaces which used to have human touches and memories are gone and are transformed into one of consumer products in mass production world.
Global economic crisis since 2008 has proved fallacy and limitation of neo-liberalism. Demands in architecture market have consequently declined, and many on-going large scaled projects have fallen down. In the era where the relationship between architecture and life is distorted, it is perhaps time to change the architecture paradigm.
“A number of protest as A Result of Global Economic Downturn”
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