Formal Analysis 2

CLOSE READING AND FORMAL ANALYSIS II

SPRING 2020 YALE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE PROF : PETER EISENMAN TF : ANDREW MILLER

TAKUOMI SAMEJIMA

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01. LE CORBUSIER VILLA SAVOYE

Poissy, France

The invention of Domino System is the technological improvement underlying in Le Corbusier’s works. What makes this Villa Savoye different and special apart from a simple projection of this Domino system, is the introduction of a secondary system described as “Architectural Promenade”. Such system allows the hierarchy between passage, corridors, or each individual rooms to dissolve, and articulate as a single thread of spatial transition [promenade], which allows the subject to experience the architecture as a whole through physical movement. This idea is most reflected on the spiral staircases and ramp, which shows the evolution of systematic staircases shown in Domino System, to the more dynamic and fluid expression of human movement, articulated within the promenade. Thus, the spiral staircases and ramp are supported by a secondary structural system as shown in diagram, which is inconsistent from the 4 by 4 grid structural system of the whole building.

Structural unity was thus compromised compared to the pure Domino-system , due to the promenade.

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02. LOUIS KAHN PHILIPS EXETER ACADEMY LIBRARY

New Hampshire, United States

Philips Exeter Academy Library departs from a classical 9 square grid on plan, which Kahn heavily used throughout his career, especially in his residential projects. While the concrete interior walls trace the 9 grid, structural beams that supports the clerestory are crossed and 45 degrees rotated, which implies another 4 square grid conceptually superimposed on the plan. Such gesture is evident by looking at the corner articulation of the building, strangely cut off in 45 degrees angle that does not show any relationship with the original 9 square grid. Moreover, the ceiling above the clerestory represents a smaller beam formed as a 9 square grid, which implies that ceiling/clerestory shows the actual 9 grid and 4 grid as reality, and the plan is a result of a virtual superimposition of these two concepts. While the plan is arranged through this idea of superimposing two classical concepts, section shows a different attitude almost as a wrapper of 3 distinct buildings in a [A-B-C-B-A] relationship, which Vincent Scully describes it as a “Building within Building“.

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03. O.M.UNGERS STUDENT HOUSING PROJECT

Enschede, Netherlands

The drawing calls out O.M.Ungers’s design approach described as a combination of “The Primary frame work and the Secondary accident”, and his idea of “City within a city“. In this student housing project, he first introduces a building block that is similar to the structure of a Roman city, as a Primary frame work in the upper left part of the site. Then, this primary frame work is reused by taking out the periphery of the building blocks, shifted and rotated to the right bottom part of the site, while simultaneously subtracting the frame work to introduce another geometry that of a circle. Subsequently, the individual building volumes within this periphery starts to exceed the frame work, which shows the occurence of the Secondary accident. This is resulted by his attitude to take in various building volumes and to introduce another design language (fragmenting and shifting) referencing from the surrounding city. He’s design clearly shows a superimposition of an established city structure and various volumes taken from the city, that allows the condition of “City within a city“.

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