Organic forms in contemporary times

“There are no straight lines or sharp corners in nature. Therefore, buildings must have no straight lines or sharp corners.”

- Antonio Gaudi

Architects working with organic form have always had a unique signature style. Their buildings are like an expression of nature's art and an experiment to try and study. The mystery behind organic forms and their connection to nature has always been an integral part of the design. Form and function relation, finding a correct balance between curves, and solving it structurally without compromising the form has always been challenging features in organic architecture. It challenges the material potential and changes the perception of both material and space. Shaile banker works are no exception in experimenting with organic forms. It gave us an idea of how organic forms are derived and constructed.

Garden villa, a 30,000 sg ft house with courtyards and gardens is one such project which plays with curves and organic forms. Luxury house with 2 levels shared by 2 clients demanding access and garden area in both the level was the main requirement to address. To accommodate, this different ramped garden was created which connects the ground to the 2nd level making the roof the part of the garden with ramped walkways with plants connecting it the house behaved like a nested garden blurring the line between the built and natural. The structure was designed to complement this style therefore instead of straight columns similar to Gaudi's style were used. The same kind of detailing was carried on throughout in the handrail, opening walls furniture, etc. . Also through this project, one could see the importance the scale played in perceiving organic forms and curves.

Jagged house smaller scale compared to the previous with the area of 3500sgft experimented with the form of a staggered box. The box is rotated from an axis that is broken to accommodate the double height glazing the form itself shades the glazing providing the house with ample sunlight. The different area is lit at a different time of the day.

Contrasting to this the corporate office building function super ceded the form and was given priority, a fun play of color was used as the key feature in differentiating zones and function.

And finally, the large-scale resort where the artificial pond was created and villas were arranged around it followed the straight lines contrasting the garden villa and jagged house. It gave raised some questioning like whether shouldn’t we address the context of the site and design the build with it instead of changing the nature of the context. Are organic forms becoming the symbol of luxury instead in contemporary architecture, unlike vernacular architecture where it was an extension of nature?

The function of ornament in contemporary interior practices

Part a: Ornament and ornamentation

Defining what is ornamentation and ornament – why and how ornaments in interior spaces function

Part b: Arguments on ornamentation

Industrial revolution and ornamentation – modern architecture and resist to ornamentation – argument of Marx, Morris, loos and vevam – Stripping of ornament as an ethical duty

Part c: ornamentation in modernism

Stripped aesthetic of Bauhaus – art and craft movement – example of ornaments in modern interior – le corb – impei – changing ornaments

Part d: function of ornaments – with example of contemporary architects

Ornament as a symbol – to hide mistake – status symbol – story telling – architects mark- material expression – scale and proportion – imitation

Part e: ornament in contemporary interior

Experimenting with form – structure and surfaces – with examples

Reference:

Function of ornament – edited by farshid moussavi and Michel kubo

Lost meaning of classical architecture: speculations on ornament from Vitruvius to venturi – heresy

George

Ornament – Kieran Stephen

Swetha suresh – PID21369