UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE &PLANNING

KASHMERE GATE, NEW DELHI-110403

DISSERTATION

RATIONALITY OF NON-CONVENTIONAL FORM

DISSERTATION GUIDE

MR. VERENDRA WAKHLOO

NAME OF STUDENT

RACHIT.K.SRIVASTAVA (0541731606 )

UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING

Guru Govind Singh Indraprastha University

KASHMERE GATE, NEW DELHI-110403

Dissertation Title

Rationality of non-conventional forms

Approval Certificate

The following study is hereby approved as a creditable work on the approved subject, carried out, and

presented in a manner sufficiently satisfactory to warrant its acceptance.

It is to be understood that by this approval the undersigned does not necessarily endorse or approve

any statement made, opinion expressed or conclusions drawn therein, but approve the study only for

the purpose for which it is submitted and satisfies himself as to the requirements laid down by the

dissertation committee.

Name of the student Name of the Guide

Rachit. K. Srivastava (Mr.Verendra Wakhloo)

(0541731606)

Batch 2006-11

Date: -01-2011

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

During the course of my dissertation there have been a number of people who have been greatly

helpful with their personal capacities in various ways. I take this opportunity to express my deep

gratitude for the co-operation and patience they have shown.

I am grateful to my guide Mr. Verendra Wakhloo for providing me with invaluable inputs

and encouragement, helping me tirelessly throughout the process and having complete faith

in me. This work would not have been possible otherwise.

No words can express my gratitude to my parents and my friends for the constant moral support and

for having faith in me.

Thank you,

Dated:

11th January 2010

CONTENTS

Introduction- Rationality in Architecture

Defining rationality in architecture along with key factors governing it.

Conventional paradigm

Conventional non-conventional- Description of the conventional and non-

conventional paradigm, through shifts of conventions in recent history. Shift from

Victorian to modernism followed by postmodernism and then finally by new age

digital architecture.

Paradigm shift - Causality of styles, and mapping of the transformation of non-

conventional architecture to conventional architecture.

Form

Psychology of form - Analysis of form as perceived by human psyche, using

various theories.

Non-conventional forms - Introduction to digital form concepts.

Key Factors of non-conventional paradigm

Psychology- use of psychology in development of non-conventional designs and

an attempt to analyze the designer‟s psyche that leads to non-conventional forms.

Technology- Exploring causality of non-conventional or „new‟ architecture through

historical references.

Process

Exploring the method of working involved in achieving non-conventional architecture.

Conclusion

Rationality behind non-conventional architecture and its affect on society and the

architecture fraternity.

Bibliography

Rationality

Architecture, painting, and sculpture are called “fine arts”. They appeal to the eye as music

does to the ear. Form of a building is the main body and is integrally connected with the

architecture as a whole. But architecture is not judged by visual appeal alone. Buildings

enclose space and are made of building materials. They are sited within the larger

ecosystem and have mechanical, electrical and lot of other services and systems integrated

within them. Buildings affects all human senses-sound, smell, touch, taste and vision.

Architects like sculptors and painters work with form, mass and color but that solve practical

problems. The rationality of a building, in contrast to of a piece of sculptor, are judged

according to how well a building fulfills a client‟s goals and the requirements of those who

live and work within it. Architecture is a functional art and no matter how beautiful the

building may be, if the people inside are miserable, the building the building cannot be

termed as an architectural success.

Integration of all the elements involved in a building itself defines the term rationality which

includes the clients requirements along with the users but its judgment with services, urban

setting and by laws which are often ignored while appreciating architecture are equally

important. The architect‟s relationship with the client and to its intended occupants defines

the boundaries of the profession. The response of the client and the users are generally

looked upon as a major factor governing the rationality of the building. But a deeper and

much more elaborated far sighted vision is required to judge a building.

With the change in times and technology architecture also is not left unaffected. Hence

giving rise to a completely new genre of architectural style. This „new‟ architecture which is

completely different to the existing notion of form and building is a subject of much

discussion and curiosity.

The change is often welcomed and in many cases not. It challenges the rationalities set with

the existing notion of architecture. It is often criticized and looked down as the rise of

"individualism," and what Philip Rieff characterized in 1966 as the "triumph of the

therapeutic." But a deeper venture in the understanding of its concepts and analysis of our

own architectural history itself provides us lot of answers.

What is the rationality behind its existence and what leads to this new or non-conventional

architecture? If the architecture itself is evolving and changing where does one draw the line

for its rationality

The conventional cycle

Conventional as defined by the dictionary-„ Conforming or adhering to accepted standards,

as of conductor taste or A convention is a set of agreed, stipulated or generally accepted

standards, norms, social norms or criteria, often taking the form of a custom‟1.

Conventional or Non-conventional architecture cannot be described as a style or a

movement, because these are always with respect to a certain time slot. What is

conventional today may not have been conventional in the past. There is a constant effort by

the architects and designers to improve the existing typology and conventions and design

something new. The new defines the non-conventional and in due course of time the same

non-conventional or „new‟ is accepted by the mass and eventually becomes conventional.

Culture and society are always in a phase of constant flux. Architecture is for the people;

hence it can be directly linked with the change in society. Architecture constantly needs to

reconfigure itself according to the changing demands and need. Hence triggers a need for

change in the design process. Technology acts as a tool for the changes, but can also be

the sole factor responsible for the change. The vision and thoughts of the designer creates a

„new‟ vocabulary which is obviously different from the existing norm, commonly known as

non-conventional.

1 From website-http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conventional

Technology

Culture

Social issues

Thoughts

‘Y’ style/type

Non-conventional

Time and Acceptance

Development

‘X’ style

conventional

The new style is always in the process of evolution. It may have few issues like un-

economic, or technical loop holes etc which may be widely criticized. But with time and

acceptance it develops to become more and more efficient in terms of performance and

economy. The cycle continues with the change in society and technology.

The above cycle can be clearly related with architectural movements or style which emerged

and were later taken over by the „new‟ style. Modern movement can be looked upon as a

good example. Modern movement emerged as non-conventional and a complete rebel to the

existing norms and standards of the existing Victorian style in 1850.Some historians see the

evolution of Modern architecture as a social matter, closely tied to the project of Modernity

and hence to the Enlightenment, a result of social and political revolutions2. The shift of

power from monarchy to the general people and the triumph of democracy were clearly

reflected in the modern principals of design. The effect of war was also clearly visible as the

need of the hour was quick and mass construction, which led to industrialization of the

buildings. Modern architecture was primarily driven by technological and engineering

developments, and it is true that the availability of new building materials such as iron, steel,

concrete and glass drove the invention of new building techniques as part of the Industrial

Revolution3.

Instead of starting with a preconceived notion of what a building should look like (as in

classical or Medieval architecture), it believed in simply designing a building according to its

practical purpose, then furnish it with simple aesthetic features that are naturally suggested

by its internal structure. This approach, which leads to the plain surfaces and simple

geometry associated with the "modern look", is aptly summarized in Sullivan's most famous

quotation: "form follows function”. Technology also plays an important role in evolution of

modern form. Invention of elevators and steel framing played an important role in vertical

extension of the buildings, while frame structures gave the architect „total elevation freedom.

As modern architecture grew in popularity and with time became the main stream

architecture style, many of the large scale project created under the influence of the „new‟

language , the complex relationship between built and people which gives the place its

character was been overlooked and eventually got destroyed. The concept of „living

machine‟ and building industrialization resulted in inhospitable, alien places. As advances in

building materials and structural engineering opened up incredible new possibilities for

architectural design, it was only a matter of time until the severe International style was

rejected in favour of total aesthetic freedom. It is thus impossible to generalize postmodern

2 From website-http://www.e-architect.co.uk/modern_architects.htm

3 Spirit of machine-Robert kroenburg

architecture beyond the observation that "anythings possible". Among the most striking

features of Postmodern architecture are complex geometry, the mixture of modern and

traditional elements, colorfulness, and playfulness. The characteristics of postmodernism

aimed to be expressed in multiple ways. These characteristics included the use of sculptural

forms, ornaments, anthropomorphism and play of materials and colors. These physical

characteristics were combined with conceptual characteristics of meaning. These

characteristics of meaning include pluralism, double coding, flying buttresses and high

ceilings, irony and paradox, and contextualize.

The sculptural forms, not necessarily organic, were created with much ardor. These can be

seen in Hans Hollein‟s Abteiberg Museum (1972–1982). The building is made up of several

building units, all very different. Each building‟s forms are nothing like the conforming rigid

ones of Modernism. These forms are sculptural and are somewhat playful. These forms are

not reduced to an absolute minimum; they are built and shaped for their own sake. The

building units all fit together in a very organic way, which enhances the effect of the forms.

1830 1851 1950 1980

Victorian/ beaux

architecture

Modern architecture

Post modernism

Architecture

Contemporary

Technology advancement

Wars-drop in economy

Change in political scenario

Rise in economy

Bland built fabric

Lacked identity

Economy of excess

Advance technology

Attempt to make a mark

Lacked identity

N-C C

N-C C

N-C C

N-C C

Form

Psychology of form

Classical architecture was dominated by symmetry. In contrast, in the 20th century, there

has been a shift from the dominating role of symmetry to the gradual raising of asymmetry

as the major principle. Famous examples of the latter include Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling

Water, with its asymmetrically arranged blocks, or Eero Saarinen's TWA Building with its

free form structure, or in the contemporary world, the Deconstructivist Architects are now the

dominant force. In all their buildings, asymmetry is the major organizing factor.

Symmetry is always used to erase memory from an organization, and asymmetry is always

used to introduce memory into an organization. These memory principles are deeply

embedded in the human mind: indeed they are what allows the mind to work. It is these

memory principles that are at the basis of classical architecture's use of symmetry and the

modern architecture's use of asymmetry. That is, classical architecture is aimed at removing

memory, and contemporary architecture aims at creating memory4.If we define "memory" to

be information about the past, we observe that there are many forms that memory can take.

For example, a scar is memory of past events because, when we look at it, we are able to

extract information about past actions, i.e., the fact that there had previously been a past

cutting action across the skin. Again, a crack in a vase is memory of past events because,

when we look at it, we are able to extract information about past actions, i.e., the fact that

there had previously been a blow applied to the vase. There are in fact an almost infinite

number of forms that memory can take: scars, cracks, dents, twists, growths, and so on.

However arguments presented in my book [Leyton 1992], lead to the conclusion that, on an

abstract level, there is only one form that memory takes:5

ASYMMETRY form:

An asymmetry in the present is assumed to have been a symmetry in the past.

SYMMETRY form:

A symmetry in the present is assumed to have always existed.

Classical architecture aimed at removing memory.

Contemporary architecture aims at creating memory. 4 Published paper- Group Theory and Architecture 2-Why Symmetry/Asymmetry? By Michael Leyton

5 Published paper- Symmetry, Causality, Mind by Michael Leyton, MIT Press

Environmental psychology may also be broken into several elements: attention or

understanding of how people notice their environment; Perception and cognitive mapping or

how people cognitively map what they experience based on what they know or think they

know about their environment; Preferred environmental psychology studies people‟s

motivations illustrating that people naturally seek out places where they will feel competent,

confident, where they will feel comfort or enjoyment. Further, research demonstrates that

people have preference for rationality (a sense that things in an environment connect

together) and legibility (that people can feel they may explore an environment without being

lost). Thus the creation and preservation of a preferred environment is believed to increase

the sense of well-being and behavioural effectiveness in people6.

Gestalt psychology, from the German Gestalt meaning form or shape, seeks to explore how

the mind forms or interprets patterns. It is thought that the mind is „wired‟ to seek meaning

and significance in all the sensory information inputted into it. This may be the result of eons

of development as human‟s instinct for survival was based upon changes in colour in the

environment (to seek shelter upon lower light levels indicating the coming of night) or

auditory input (the snap of a twig indicating the threat of a predator).7

Gestalt illustrates how people see a pattern in space despite distance. For example, the

stars representing the „big dipper‟ star constellation are in fact stars at different distances

from the earth but they are perceived as being on a single plain. Repetitive gestalt

demonstrates equalities in object spacing where none may exist. The corner columns of the

Parthenon designed to be thicker and spaced closer to surrounding columns will be visually

interpreted as being of equal size and spacing. Indeed the entire structure itself was

designed with subtle curves, the columns are slightly tapered, and the rectangular base is

slightly curved purposefully engineered to withstand the lateral movement of the earth

caused by earthquakes. Simplest and latest figure gestalt suggests that the mind may fill in

missing portions of the simplest or largest (which also suggests prioritization) figures visually

presented8.

It is also noted that there is a kinesthetic body response to forms and lines. We may

examine the horizontal prairie residence “falling water” designed by the great American 20th

century architect Frank Lloyd Wright that may be sensed symbolically as a human body at

rest horizontally suggestive of domestic tranquility. In contrast, we may sense the dynamic

6 Salingaros, N. A., 1997, “Life and Complexity in Architecture from a Thermodynamic Analogy.” Physics Essays

Vol. 10. 7 Heinen, Stephen J. Ph.D. , “Vision, Eye Movements and the Brain.” http://www.ski.org/SJHeinen_Lab.html

8 Gestalt theory by Max Wertheimer, Hayes Barton Press, 1944.

equilibrium of a vertical structure implying aspiration, reaching and assertiveness as in a

corporate headquarters building or a Gothic cathedral.9

It is also known that the mind seeks to organize data when faced with random unknown

visual information or even construct data, as in the absence of sensory data when a person

is placed in a sensory deprivation chamber. In circumstances where cognitive information

becomes repetitive the mind filters and automatically switches to anticipating patterns (be

they open spaces, windows, or decorative elements- designs, painted surfaces, textures or

ornamentation). Mentally there are impulses towards continuity and closure that again,

suggests the mind‟s preference for pattern, unity or coherence in a structure despite

circumstances when these characteristics are not inherent.10

The recent study of complexity and patterns (fractals) via physics has relevance to

architecture. A fascinating path by way of Nikos A. Salingaros, Mathematics Professor at the

University of Texas in an article entitled “Architecture, Patterns and Mathematics” theorizes

that: “Man's visual system is especially receptive to patterns.” In Salingaros‟ treatise patterns

are defined as “regularity in some dimension” and that mathematics is a science of patterns.

Thus it is important to analyze how mathematics, patterns and gestalt psychology intertwine

and applied to architecture. The paper referred to mankind‟s need to “generate patterns out

of some basic inner need” and applying basic psychology we may conclude, human beings

are not comfortable in a perceiving wildly chaotic universe. Architecture and design fulfills a

basic desire for permanence and meaning, this explains the preference towards architectural

details, to regular patterns and symmetrical design.11

Salingaros‟ paper relates that historically architects were mathematicians and that the two

disciplines were indistinguishable. Historically, when the Emperor Justinian wanted an

architect to design the church of Haggia Sophia (Divine Wisdom) in Istanbul, Turkey, a

structure that would surpass anything built before, he turned to two professors of

mathematics, Isidoros and Anthemios. The Medieval stonemasons had a strong

understanding of Platonic philosophy, proportion and mathematics and to them all their work

was grounded in the ancient Pythagorean maxim “all is number.” Studying the Gothic

structures geometry and mathematics are completely woven into (the Golden Mean or

Golden Proportion being a consistent calculation) the structure‟s physical features honouring

the geometric nature of creation and the Creator. Ancient Classical cultures and Western

European Renaissance architect mathematicians designed their structures with patterns in

9 Koch, J. “Sacred Geometry in Building.” http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~jkoch/sacred.html

10 Heinen, Stephen J. Ph.D. , “Vision, Eye Movements and the Brain.” http://www.ski.org/SJHeinen_Lab.html

11 Salingaros, N. A., 1999, "Architecture, Patterns, and Mathematics" Nexus Network Journal 1 No. 2:

approximately 12 pages. http://www.leonet.it/culture/nexus/network_journal/Salingaros.html

mind and thus the structures themselves reflected processes which are inherent in the

human mind (again we must refer to Gestalt psychology).

A recently developed model to gauge the intrinsic qualities of buildings based upon the

science of thermodynamics is another link that might be used to understand our appeal to

the perception of structure. Architectural temperature (T) defines the degree of detail,

harmony (H) measures coherence and symmetry. The degree to which a structure has „life‟

(L) is a product of temperature and harmony. Complexity (C) also is a measurement based

on T and H. The model establishes a connection between science rooted in measurement

and subjective qualification. Using this model to gauge the qualities of, for example, Chartres

cathedral in France, or any other medieval or modern structure, one would find high

temperature (that is colour hue variations according to light levels which are richly impressed

upon an individual in the structure) and high harmony (little randomness) would reflect a

preferred high „life‟ in a structure. The model is indicative that “the connection between

biological life and architecture arises from the thermodynamics of living forms. So, life would

seem to be the result of enormous and purposeful „complication.‟ Biological organisms are

marvelously connected on many different levels, and they are characterized by very high

design temperature and harmony. The connective thought processes underlying cognition

themselves mimic the thermodynamic and connective structures that are characteristic of

living forms. This helps to explain our instinct to relate to forms having a high degree of

architectural life and thus confirmation of our inclination for pattern.12

The architectural temperature mimics the activity of life processes, which is highly organized

and structured. It should not be surprising then that living beings instinctively copy the

intrinsic qualities of living systems in their own creations. How can humans put an image of

life into a building? Apart from figurative icons and statues, we work with emotions:

structures are carefully tailored to generate positive psychological and physiological

responses. The thermodynamic model importantly confirms a psychological preference

between structures and people.

A study of architecture and its effects on people yields a tremendous amount of learning

from very diverse subjects. It certainly became apparent that the so-called „simple‟ act of

experiencing structure and environments involves so many different aspects. The cognitive

function alone seems fantastic itself when one considers the eyes move together at “nine

hundred degrees per second bringing our gaze on a target within 25 milliseconds. The eyes

process an unbelievable volume of light frequency information along with the brain that

12

Salingaros, N. A., 1997, “Life and Complexity in Architecture from a Thermodynamic Analogy.” Physics Essays Vol. 10. http://www.math.utsa.edu/sphere/salingar/LifeandComp.html

processes what is seen or what is believed to be there and perhaps fill in the gaps for what

may be missing. Gestalt psychology seems to be central to how we experience architecture

in suggesting our brains are wired to infer the rhythm and patterns of architecture that in turn

yield a behavioural effect. It seems evident that people have a preference to generating

patterns out of an instinctive inner need to constancy and predictability opposite the

unpredictability and chaos extant in the natural universe. As to a connection between

architecture and people “We apparently enjoy the input from patterns, and this enjoyment

often increases with the complexity of a pattern; however, this is true only for complex

patterns that have some sort of ordering. The precise nature of this effect remains imprecise

and largely intuitive.13

Architecture a symbolic and intentional endeavor seems to reflect the psychology of its

designers regardless of time, culture and perhaps even species. Space, form, and light are

elements that are often incorporated either purposefully of unconsciously for aesthetic or

practical reasons but more pointedly give creatures meaning, purpose and stability amidst

an ever changing physical universe of seeming chaos.14

Non-conventional architecture of present:

Introduction to digital form concepts

Having abandoned the discourse of style, the architecture of modern times is characterized

by its capacity to take advantage of that same modernity: innovations offered it by present

day science and technology. The relationship between new technology and new architecture

even comprises a fundamental datum of what are referred as avant-garde architecture.

Digital technologies are changing architectural practice in a way that very few were able to

anticipate just a decade ago. In the conceptual realm, computational, digital architecture of

topological, non-Euclidean geometric space, kinetic and dynamic systems are supplanting

technological architecture. Digitally driven design processes, characterized by dynamic,

open ended and un-predictable abut consistent transformations of three dimensional

structures, are given rise to new architectural possibilities. The generative and creative

potential of digital media, together with manufacturing advances already attained in

13

Evans, Gary W. “Current Trends in Environmental Psychology” http://www.ucm.es/info/Psyap/iaap/evans.htm 14

“Theories of Environmental Behaivior Relationships” http://condor.stcloudstate.edu/~jaz/psy373/theories.html

automotive, aerospace and ship building industries, is opening up new dimensions in

architectural design.15

The „new‟ forms evolve in complex ways and their free form surface curve complexly as well.

As exceptions to the norm- as formal revolt, challenging the, fundamentally rectilinear

convention- These new form raise profound and necessary questions of an aesthetic,

psychological and social nature.

The contemporary architecture appears to reject any notion of urban and structural typology,

continuity and morphology and historic style and perspective framework –they represent an

ideological, conceptual and formal break much like Walter Gropius‟s Bauhaus. They seem to

figure an entirely new way of architectural thinking, one that ignores conventions of style or

aesthetic together in favor of continuous experimentation based on digital generation and

transformation of forms that respond to complex contextual or functional influences, both

static and dynamic.

15

Branko Kolarevic.”Architecture in Digital Age”

Key factors of non-conventional paradigm

Psychology

Ornamentation has always been an important part of architecture. It was only after

„modernism‟ that art- in terms of ornamentation, was segregated and designers started

focusing on function and pragmatic aspect of architecture, and this side started dominating

architecture. It was only in post modernism that ornamentation revived, ornamentation of the

building was to decorate the architectural structures in regards to functional characteristics

and using appropriate geometrical shapes and lines.

In last two decades, architects have started to design buildings and spaces as sculptures

which evolves the psychology of the user and the designer. The form and spaces are

choreographed and designed to evoke the desired feel and emotion. This is achieved by

using the universal tools like sensation-the feel or experience, hence adding a new thread in

design process apart from conventional neutral factors like climate, functions, economy etc.

This new „thread‟ of designing may or may not be neutral, but it depends on the design

agenda. Like in case of Jewish museum in Germany, the architect Daniel Lebiskind

designed the spaces, which evokes the feelings of the torture and sufferings faced by the

Jews. The spaces, volumes and shapes of all the galleries are not entirely because of the

pragmatic requirements but perfectly choreographed to generate a sensory quality.

Architects like Frank‟o Gehry have also used the form based quality of complex architectural

forms to create buildings which are like sculptures- piece of art itself. The origin of complex

shapes and forms used by Gehry are often inspired by living creature like fishes and natural

objects. The Guggenheim museums designed by Gehry in Bilbao reflects the agony of a fish

out of water, which can be traced back to his personal life experiences when he was a kid. In

this case the psychology of the designer plays an important role in evolution of the form.

One can always contradict that experiential spaces and use of sensory quality of spaces

have always been a part of architectural vocabulary, but in most of the cases it can be

termed as incidental. It is only in recent times that designer have started to pay special

consideration in designing the experiential quality of a space to the extent so that it becomes

an object of prime importance in manipulating the form.

If we analyze history of architecture, Most of the non-conventional architecture and path

breaking ideas are generated by designers who were not trained at architectural institutions.

A creative person who is not trained usually ends up devising their own vocabulary Design

carried out by such individuals may access inherent human capabilities for problem solving

and creativity which has become submerged beneath conventions and dominance of

specialism. Every individual has a response to architecture which is unique to them and

perhaps less informed or informal, is as personally valid as that of those trained in the field.

In fact not being trained under the usual curriculum gives them the freedom to think „out of

the box‟ instinctively.

There has been a definite change in designer‟s psychology also. Since modernism design

and architecture has become more or less an individual expression, designers try to develop

their own expression through their specific vocabulary. They try to go beyond the basic

pragmatic functional requirements and do something extra which will obviously be an add-on

to the entire design scheme. There is an attempt to create the „x‟ factor or which could be

also looked upon as signature move or style. Earlier the projects were not known from the

architect‟s name or style, they were always a part of some style or movement, but now it

really difficult to summarize the projects in a specific genre or movement. If conventional was

“do it” then non-conventional is” how do I do it”.

Technology

Technology has always been a source of inspiration and tool for the designers of all time and

period. New technology is generally employed in two ways: first and perhaps most

commonly to improve an existing method or system of construction; secondly to make

possible new techniques. The route from the discovery of a new scientific principle and its

application is not generally straight forward. Frequently a new technology developed for one

role is transferred into other roles. Sometimes far more useful and far more common than

the first. An incredible costly development exercise can be justified on the grounds of the

value that the resultant spinoff will have in less glamorous areas of human activity; for

example the 1960‟s space programme resulted in new application as diverse as liquid quartz

crystal displays. The same holds true for military research which has an enormous world-

wide budget. Much of military innovation eventually finds practical peacetime application.

During the two world wars technological advancement escalated dramatically with many

quantifiable developments that have provided lasting benefits. Radar, telecommunication,

computing, jet engine-all made enormous advance during the Second World War.16

Non- conventional architecture uses technology as a tool to support their ideas and

thought, in the process tries to expand the horizon of available technology. It‟s a dual relation

which can be formed between technology and non-conventional architecture as in the

process both evolve. Existing new technology can instigate an idea or inspire the designer to

create a new architecture, while the new ideas can also initiate the development of new

technology.

16

Robert Kronenberg-“Spirit Of The Machine”

Non conventional

demands

Existing

Technology

Non conventional

design New technology

Inspiration

Social/cultural

change

New technology

The new ‟smooth‟ architecture is closely linked with broader design realm and product

design. Rounded counters have always been there in our lives for a good part of the past

decade from tooth-brushes and shaving razors to cars and planes; but somehow because of

lack of required technological framework; the complex geometry like curves was ignored in

architecture until few years ago. Computer aided three dimensional interactive application

(CATIA) had been in use from past 20 years by product and industrial designers before it

was discovered and used by Gehry‟s office. In last few years that the advances in

technology in terms of -computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacturing

(CAM) technologies have started to have an impact on building designs and its construction

practices. They opened up new opportunities by allowing production and construction of very

complex forms that were, until recently very difficult and expensive to design produce and

assemble using traditional construction technologies.

The new complex geometrical designs are not possible to be constructed in the conventional

way, hence the architect has to have a complete method of the process to turn his creativity

into reality. It is interesting to note that it is the complexity of “blobby” forms that is actually

drawing architects out of sheer necessity, back into closely involved in making of the

buildings, thus giving them more control of the building process. This position of greater

control over the construction stems from digitally produced design becoming construction

information through the process of data extraction and exchange17. Enabling the architect to

become the coordinator (master builder) of information among various professions and

trades involved in the production of the buildings. Thus giving the architect an opportunity to

place themselves in central, key role in the construction of buildings and perhaps even

regain the absolute power of medieval master builders.18

For example Gehry‟s four dimensional model which he created for wall Disney concert hall.

The model is encoded with all qualitative and quantitave dimensional information necessary

for design analysis, fabrication and construction, plus time based information necessary for

17

http://www.digital-architecture.org/ 18

Architecture in the digital age- Branko Kolarevic

Non-conventional

architecture Inspiration

New technology

assembly sequencing. The necessary, new direct link from design thought to construction is

established through digital technologies. A new digitally driven process of design fabrication

and construction are challenging the relationship of architecture and its means of production.

In contemporary architectural design, digital media is increasingly being used not as a

representational tool for visualization but as generative tool for the derivation of form and its

transformation-digital morphogenesis. Digitally generated forms are not designed or drawn

as conventional understanding of these terms would have it, but they are calculated by the

chosen generative computational method. Instead of modeling an external form designers

articulate an internal generative logic which then produces, in an automatic fashion, a range

of possibilities from which the designer could choose an appropriate formal proposition for

further development. The digital generative processes are opening up new territories for

formal and conceptual exploration. The emphasis shifts from the “making of form” to the

“finding of form”, which various digitally based generative techniques seem to bring about

intentionally. New shapes and forms are created by generative processes based on

concepts such as topological space, isomorphic surfaces , parametric design and genetic

algorithms.

Non conventional

demands

Non conventional

design New technology

Non conventional

demands

Non conventional

design New technology Change in society

In the late nineteenth century individual architect emerged throughout the industrial world ,

who began to struggle with the challenge that new material and production method brought.

Architecture was trying to catch up with the rest of the manufacturing industry. Architecture

was at least a generation behind what was happening in the commercial world. The time lag

was partly due to apprenticeship system in which designers must be articled to older

practitioners in order to train for the profession. The beaux arts colleges that provided

supplementary education remained attached to developing lessons of antiquity- a knowledge

of the „styles‟ was the required to be a practitioner. But new architectural forms that

absorbed technology as an inspiration gradually emerged in Vienna with the Secession, in

Germany with the Deutsche Werkbund and in Holland with Di Stijl.19

But the turmoil of the Second World War raised social issues, demanded a paradigm shift.

The main objective after the war was to give millions of people a roof to sleep under. Since

so much was destroyed, architects and city-planners saw their chance in forming the cities

after their will. Eventually everything after the war was supposed to become better and

everyone strongly believed in the fortune of planning. These issues were addressed by

architects, like Le Corbusier who got the chance to practice his dream of a "living-unit. This

thought changed the entire idea of living space. Building the necessary living space on a

smaller surface lead to a greater collectivization of living and life. Corbusier believed that the

"living-machine", an artificial creation, a thoroughly planned and shaped world by man had to

be better than the natural and chaotic grown world. He planned to the last detail: with his

"Modular" proportion. At that stage technology acted as a tool for the realization of the ideas

and concept of the designer to cater the immediate need of quick construction and mass

housing.

19

Robert Kronenburg-Spirit of the machine

Non conventional

design New technology

Inspiration

Existing

Technology

Non conventional

design Social/cultural

change

Process involved

Though today vernacular and non-conventional architecture together comprise a relatively

small percentage of all buildings in the world, the method used in their creation holds

important lessons as they can provide valuable information on the expression of meaning

and purpose through building form.

A crucial point, though it may seem obvious, is that the requirement -in terms of the way

building performs, behave and pragmatic demands for the people who are using it directly or

indirectly should be fulfilled. In conventional architecture these issues can be easily resolved

because the building form is based on experience and practice of past as well as current

generation. In non-conventional architecture the design process is remarkably flexible and

open ended. Hence preliminary investigation and compilation stage is very crucial in

determining an accurate basis for the design. Though designers usually use methods which

they have acquired through education and their experience, but it is important that they

recognize that there are other valid methods in approaching a design issue.

Architecture is a creative field, inspiration is the prime source of all creativity, inspiration can

be found from anywhere. Various architects have found their inspiration in different areas

like nature, technology, culture, religion. It could be the germ idea further culminating for any

sought of creation. Creativity cannot exist in isolation it needs a seed-the ground on which

creativity grows. Sigmund Freud and other later psychologists located inspiration in the inner

psyche of the artist. The artist's inspiration came out of unresolved psychological conflict or

childhood trauma. Further, inspiration could come directly from the subconscious. It plays a

huge role in the design process,

The behavior of a building is also subjective and completely driven by the designer‟s intent. It

can be termed as the agenda. Besides fulfilling the necessary functional requirement this is

what, which provides a building with an additional character. Agenda is all about how the

architect perceives the building to be, and at the same time includes the public and social

issues which he tries to focus and address through the design. It could also be seen as the

language which the building speaks to the users, or the message it conveys to the society.

Non conventional designs are ingenious mix of inspiration, agenda and fusing it with the

functional demands of the project. It does incorporate the present requirements but also the

vision and ideas for the future. The rationality lies in the efficiency and balancing of all the

three- i.e. inspiration, agenda and functions.

Inspiration + pragmatic requirement + Agenda =

For example if we analyze Villa Savoye, it was completely different from the buildings which

were present at that point of time. It was a rebel against the existing style of architecture.

Villa Savoye is an excellent example of Le Corbusier's Machine for Living ideal. It stands like

a thin, white, rectangular box, with ribbon windows running along its sides, supported off the

ground on a series of slender pillars. The house looks like a piece of finely tooled precision

machinery, some industrial object of unknown purpose, with flawless white surface. The

influence of science and aeronautics continues inside. Steel-framed strip windows feed

natural light into the principal rooms. It completely adheres to principles of Modernism which

claimed to have supplied a definitive answer to the question of beauty in architecture: the

point of a house was not to be beautiful but to function well.

It may seem as if the architecture was purely function driven and took of all the un-necessary

elements, hence stripping it to bare minimum with the structure just full filling the

requirements. In reality, Corbusier just like all their predecessors, wanted the houses to

speak. Only not of the nineteenth century, of privilege and aristocratic life. Or of the Middle

Ages or Ancient Rome. He wanted the houses to speak of the future, with its promise of

speed and technology, democracy and science.

It was in reality an artistically motivated folly. The bare walls were handmade by artisans

using costly imported Swiss mortar, they were as delicate as pieces of lace and as devoted

to generating feelings as the jewel-encrusted naves of a Counter-Reformation Church. By

Modernism‟s own standards, the roof of the villa was equally, and yet more ruinously,

dishonest. In spite of initial protests from the Savoyes, Le Corbusier insisted – supposedly

on technical and economic grounds alone – that a flat roof would be preferable to a pitched

one. It would, he assured his clients, be cheaper to construct, easier to maintain and cooler

in summer. But only a week after the family moved in, the roof sprang a leak over Roger‟s

bedroom, letting in so much water that the boy contracted a chest infection, which turned

into pneumonia.20

Despite their claims to a purely scientific and reasoned approach, the villa savoye was a lot

more than that. Corbusier spent a good amount of time in Persia, Greece, and travelling

around the world, was particularly influenced by the vernacular architecture of the regions.

The neat white facades of regional houses with flat roofs influenced him a lot. These

20

Alain de Botton-Architecture and Modernism, Articles written for the California Literary Review

Non conventional

architecture

features were relatively new for the western world, and at the same time drastically different

from the decorated snobbish aesthetics of the European region of that time. Reflections of

these influences can be easily seen in this signature project. Corbusier was trying to work

his idea of simple geometric forms, and the ideology that design was not a derivation of past

but an expression of the future.

He successfully amalgamated his inspiration from the east and ideas of the machine

efficiency with the agenda of architecture of the new age and the result is and always be the

stamp of a new face in architecture. A non-conventional form generated from fine balance of

all the three aspects.

Conclusion

All non-conventional architecture is like future stories about architecture. So one should not

think it is something that has happened in the past. Architecture is never in the past. It is

always in the future. And architects have to bring it into the present.

Non conventional forms are derivations of non conventional architecture. It re-defines the

functions and the way it is performs. It does not revolves around catering to the obvious and

apparent requirements, it goes much deeper to change the obvious and explores the

cosmos of new spaces and methods with which an architect approaches a project. A certain

function can be performed in multiple ways, time and technology opens up new possibilities

with which it can be performed. It could be an approach which redefines the preconceived

notions and conventional ways of looking at it. Daniel Lebiskind redefined the notion of a

museum through his project like holocaust museum, similarly Le‟ Corbusier redefined a

house during modern movement along with Palladio during renaissance.

The redefining of the function comes through the change in priority, the priority shifts from

the present to the future. It is an attempt to think and go beyond the norm, the omnipresent

and aim for the next. It could be an attempt to design for the future which starts with an effort

in the present. Change in society structure leads to new issues and problems which cannot

be catered with the conventional techniques. It needs a different approach a complete new

perspective of looking at the problem.

It doesn‟t mean every non conventional attempt in architecture is a conscious attempt to

improve the future. But it surely triggers a new thought process; a new page is added to the

book of possibilities. It can have its spinoff in the future toward solving a much larger

problem, which was never a part of the present designer‟s imagination. Corbusier‟s designs

elements were not a necessity during that time but seemed like a creative take of his

inspiration but during the course of time elements like roof garden and pilotis found their

application as stilt parking- the necessity of today‟s time, due to shortage of land and hiked

real estate prices. Similarly designs of one of the most controversial architects like Gehry

may find lot of critics and fall short of their efficiency( in terms of full filling the functions) but

has opened up a whole new chapter of using curvilinear geometries and design fabrication.

The issues catered by a non conventional piece of architecture are rational but the element

which makes it a non conventional design may cater to hidden issue which may be

discovered in the times to come. Non conventional designs have a very specific agenda

behind their conceptualization. It cannot be discarded to termed as failure if it falls short of its

immediate needs and functions. It can be looked upon as innovation driven by inspiration.

History itself proves that almost all milestones of architecture have failed to fulfill its

immediate needs but has changed the face of the architecture forever. They have added a

complete new chapter in the course of imagination and changed the conventions. Hence

new architecture cannot be appreciated within the boundaries of already existing notions of

rationalities but the architecture itself redefines its rationalities.

Bibliography

1. Architecture in The Digital Age- Design And Manufacture; Edited by Branko Kolarevic.

(Taylor and Francis, 2009)

2. Spirit Of Machine-Technology an inspiration in architecture; Robert Kronenburg.

(Wiley-Academy, 2001)

3. Architecture Fundamental Issues- Forrest Wilson, Ron Keenberg with William Loerke.

(Van Nostrand Reinhold,1990)

4. A Generative Theory of Shape-Michael Leyton.

(springer verlag berlin Heidelberg, 2001)

5. Published paper- Symmetry, Causality, Mind- Michael Leyton.

(MIT Press, 2009)

6. Published paper- Architecture, Patterns, and Mathematics - Nikos A. Salingaros

(Nexus Network Journal, 1999)

7. published paper - Architectural Forms by Abstracting Nature- Prof. Kamon Jirapong and

Prof. Robert J. Krawczyk

(College of Architecture, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA, 2002)

8. published paper - Life and Complexity in Architecture From a Thermodynamic Analogy-

Nikos A. Salingaros

(Physics Essays Publications, 1997)

Websites:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deconstruction

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_architecture

3. http://www.allgraphicdesign.com

4. http://www.authorama.com/principles-of-aesthetics-1.htm

5. http://daphne.palomar.edu/design/gestalt.html#anchor1123302