7 minute read
Architectural Hybridization
Hybrid infrastructure could be another key innovation to control the expansion of cities and reduce this land pressure, the idea, is not to design more but rather to re-think the current process of infrastructure design to make it more efficient and sustainable.
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Introduction
Today, a hybrid building is understood as a building in which certain contrasting functions come together and create a habitable block. Although these programmes function completely independent to each other, similar to adding all the ingredients of a dish together in a pot but not cooking it. These buildings should rather be referred to as ‘mixed-use’ buildings than a hybrid block. Biologically, hybrids are formed by altering or hybridizing the DNA sequence of two organisms which leads to genetic variation, is it possible to apply this process in architecture and experiment if the architectural species will survive or not. Although to start this process of hybridization it becomes necessary to first understand the ‘DNA’ of an architectural specie, also understood as the language of architecture.
This graduation project focused on identifying this language of architecture and then hybridizing it to evolve the built environment. In this case this process of hybridization has been demonstrated though a case of a Cultural Centre in form of a Hy-bridge (bridge + building) commonly known as an ‘Inhabitable Bridge’ in the east of Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Inhabitable Bridges, the definition
Inhabitable bridges, also known as ‘Living Bridges’ or ‘Hybrid bridges’ can be understood as a hybrid infrastructural element which apart from connecting two points across an obstacle is also used to Inhabit multiple static functions across its span.
A series of hybrid bridges had been built from the 11th to the 18th Century, most of these living bridges did not survive due to a series of disasters, although some of them still exist like Ponte Vecchio in Florence or Ponte Rialto in Venice. The idea of Hybrid Bridges seems to be lost since the 19th Century as, once expansion was possible outside fort walls, land pressure decreased, hence the need for space optimizing hybrid infrastructure vanished. Although in the last few years (2009 – 2019), with increasing land pressure, technological advancements and high density, inhabitable bridges are again stepping into the built environment after approximately 200 years.
Figure 1. Isometric View of the proposed inhabitable bridge in Amsterdam, Netherlands connecting the neighbourhood of Sluisbuurt to Sporenburg
The Language of Architecture, the thought
A language could be understood as a series of symbols which are when put together in a certain way start to make sense. This sensible composition is known as a ‘syntagma’ or a ‘syntax’. This is repeated at various scales to form words using letters, sentences using words, paragraphs using sentences and so on. This composition of symbols at various scales can also be observed in architecture, where elements combine to make spaces, spaces combine to make buildings, buildings combine to make an urban fabric and so on.
Various theories in linguistics such as semiotics and semantics attempt to understand the relationship between a symbol, it's meaning and it's interpreted meaning. Rene Margritte, a Belgian Surrealist has questioned the relationship between a symbol and its interpreted meaning in most of his art works questioning the perception of an image. In one of his paintings, ‘the treachery of images’ he paints a pipe and writes under it, “this is not a pipe” explaining that this is just a representation of a pipe, a symbol, a pre-conceived notion of how a pipe is supposed to look like. What if designers are limiting the potential of an architectural object by defining it and creating a construct? What would happen if this definition breaks? Post-modernism and Deconstructivism partly deals with this stream of linguistics and architecture. In the book ‘The language of postmodern architecture’ Charles Jencks argues that modern architecture has limited its vocabulary which is resulting in stagnancy in the exploration of forms and spatial configurations. Is it possible to expand the existing architectural language by hybridizing the existing vocabulary?
Darwinism, the materialization
The design process of the bridge can be understood in two layers, firstly, the structural skeleton followed by the habitable fabric on the deck of the bridge. Structurally the cable stayed bridge consists of two pylons and a clear span of 250m between them acting as the fairway. The form of the bridge has been designed in a way that it starts a semiotic argument between the object, its meaning and the meaning that is perceived. By definition, according to Collin’s Dictionary, “A bridge is a structure that is built over a railway, river, or road so that people or vehicles can cross from one side to the other.”
Figure 2. Plan View for the proposed hybrid structure in Amsterdam, Netherlands showcasing the punctured character (courtyard) of the habitable space.
Symbolically a bridge is seen as a pathway that connects two ends. What would happen if the tension in the definition of a bridge’s definition is broken down i.e. what if a bridge does not connect two ends or is not perceived as if it is not connecting two ends of the canal. The tension in the definition will break and the meaning of a ‘bridge’ will fall apart.
To initiate the process of hybridization (to design the urban fabric on the deck of the bridge), the vocabulary or the ‘DNA’ of the architectural species has to be defined as the basic elements of space making (door, window, stair, ramp, roof, floor and wall) to study the spatial morphology which the specie will go through. Now these elements of space making can be hybridized with each other to generate 49 (7 x 7) 1st generation hybrid elements/vocabulary as seen in the matrix. As observed only certain hybrid elements amongst these 49 variations survive and are functionally usable.
Now, these 1st generation elements can be again hybridized with each other to generate 2nd generation elements and the process can be carried on until a desired habitable space of the required scale and function is achieved. The process is inspired from the Darwin’s theory of survival of the fittest and Darwin’s tree of life where all species reduce to a single cell as a common ancestor which is defined as a ‘point’ in an architectural space.
This process is carried on until the entire habitable deck of the bridge is achieved. As a result of this process, there is no distinction between a door and a staircase, a door and a window, a staircase and a window, the floor and the roof as all of them start behaving a one singular element improving the dynamics of the space. Similarly, the pylon of the bridge can be hybridized with elements catering to vertical circulation (ramp, staircase and services) in this system.
Figure 4. Isometric View showcasing the dynamism achieved in the interior spaces of the inhabitable bridge by hybridizing the elements of space making through a systematic process influence by Darwin's Theories.
In this case, how would we define these hybridized elements?
Conclusion, the argument
The intention of this project was to materialize a bridge that could evolve to become 'more than a bridge.' This hybridized bridge serves as an infrastructural element that enables physical transition while nurturing cultural manifestations. The Hybridge exhibits a dynamic, unique spatial language at every scale achieved through the process of hybridization. This language creates a spatial drama which is very anonymous in its nature. The developed language can be used to design any architectural form with any function.
One of the most interesting explorations was that this Hybridization of spatial elements not only creates a new spatial experience but rather also decentralizes the entire organizational system. These configurations can't be seen in a plan but as experiences in integrated sections, morphing along the way, generating a range of unique spatial experiences. Due to morphing of these spatial elements, singularity does not exist, and this is reflected in the programmatic functionality of the bridge as-well. For example, the staircase becomes the seating and wall becomes the painting to lend a space where the artist can display his work, the visitors can read relevant literature while also make him a cup of coffee and have a conversation, all in the same space! Hybridizing a library, museum and a café at a programmatic level re-inventing a new typology in the built environment. What would you call this typology? A library? A Museum? Or a Cafeteria? Is the vocabulary of modern architecture really limited, or have we confined our imagination by developing constructs?
About Author
Ujjwal Dawar
B.Arch , MSc. Architecture, Urbanism and Building Science
Ujjwal received his bachelor’s degree in architecture from School of Environmental Design and Architecture, Navrachna University, with a Gold Medal for excellence in academic work. During his bachelors he has been moulded to dream laterally as well as materialize the abstract thought into reality using the desired technical means. Hence he decided to pursue his masters in Building Technology from TU Delft to strengthen his technical core. Ujjwal recently graduated in 2019 and is now setting up his design studio as well as looking for research opportunities as he has always been inclined towards bridging art, philosophy and architecture, theoretically and practically.
