Nicola Kumar Studio 3 Professor Dudzik Spring 2009
Design  Statement Â
This project was appealing to me because it presented me with the opportunity to design in a tropical climate rather than a temperate climate, as well as the ability to design Kinetic Architecture. I explored a different approach to a new project; collage. Collage is an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole. Provided with a plethora of inspirational images of the works of influential architects and artists. This was instrumental in the conceptual development of my project and helped me to synthesize ideas of my own with their methodologies. My initial thought process led me to investigate the culture of Brazil. I wanted to incorporate the main aspects of Brazilian culture to inform my design, however that approach was not specific to my site. That forced me to conduct in depth research of Brazilian Modernist architecture movement, and the social issues that the architects of that period were trying to address. Those social issues coupled with my own design philosophy led me in the direction of designing socially inclusive Architecture.
Table of Contents
• Project Overview • Inspiration • Collage • Conceptual Development • Kinetic Investigation • Site Analysis • Design Development • Final Design
Project Overview
The purpose of the research institute is for the preservation and curation of Brazilian modernist architecture and design. The triangular site is directly adjacent to the architecture school FAU, USP or Faculdade de Arquitetura e Urbanismo. The site offers an important place for gathering. Kinetic architecture will be examined as a means of accommodating the changing needs of the plaza, from theatre, lecture, social gathering and exhibition , the plaza serves as a way to connect and educate.
Inspira:on Â
Brazilian Architecture. Buildings are the clearest expression of a people at a given historical period, exemplifying their way of living, their available technology and their artistic ideals. More durable than other cultural manifestations, Brazilian architecture often incorporate other arts, such as sculpture, painting, furniture and popular art and artifacts. It makes up the great majority of listed items, even those which are listed simply because of their historical significance. In Brazil, the preservation of the country's cultural heritage including Brazilian asrchitecture, where it is of national importance, is the responsibility of the federal government, through the Institute for National Artistic and Historical Heritage (Iphan).
Collage
Conceptual Development
Kine:c Inves:ga:on
Produce four (4) 5”x8” models or at least ten (10) 4””x4” models. Examine Kinetic Architecture’s ability to create space for theatre, lecture social gathering and exhibition.
Site Analysis
Design  Development Â
Through the design of the existing architecture building on the site I was able to inform my design decisions based on the following observations. FAU was designed to be a promenade through areas of study, creation, leisure, sociability, and reflective synthesis in the studios at the top. The building is lit entirely reminiscent of a small town conceived in such a way so as to demand from students and teacher the intellectual breadth and creativity required to build a new country.
This was the original massing model that was chosen to be developed and refined. It is based off the sun shadows on the site and features sky walk ways inspired SESC Pompeia by Lina Bo Bardi.
Socially Inclusive Architecture The shaping of socially inclusive environment can only be made possible through the active involvement of all kinds of people. If people are to believe their contribution to society is valued then they must be shown that they are valued through the environment they use. The benefits of inclusive design are social stability, crime reduction, personal health and building longevity. Through the study of design social problems could be overcome.
“ Flexibility is not the exhaustive anticipation of all possible changes. Most are unpredictable. Flexibility is the creation of margin-‐ excess capacity that enables different and even opposite interpretations and uses.” -‐Rem Koolhaas
Final Design