ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIRHendy Yudhistira

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C O N T E N T S

I N T R O D U C T I O N

architecture as discourse

Arch i tecture as D I S C O U R S E

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architecture as discourse 1

P R E C E D E N T S

“The only thing an architect can do is be optimistic about how it (the building) interacts with the surrounding buildings. It can be a passive player, it can be a stoic player, it can be a passionate player.”

Frank Gehry “Sketches of Frank Gehry”

architecture as discourse

Walt Disney Concert HallLocation : Los Angeles, CAArchitect : Frank GehryConstruction : 1999-2003

Walt Disney Concert Hall, located in Los Angeles, California, is an assembly of undulating smaller pieces that forms into one complex form. The complexity of the design is Frank Gehry’s rejec-tion to modern architecture, where “less is more” and “form follows function”. It is an expression of freedom and creativity by breaking acceptable social norms. Of course, freedom and creativ-ity could also be related to the purpose of this building as a musical concert hall and the home of Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. One of the key elements in Walt Disney Concert Hall is how it responds to its surrounding environ-ments. The building stands amongst other iconic structure with cultural values for the City of Los Angeles. Gehry decided to break down the scale into smaller pieces in order to respect the iconic buildings. Yet, the building still stands out with its sophistication and lustrous exterior. It is one of the few public places in a district dominated by private spaces. The presence of the building gives more opportunities for social interactions and intimacy. It gives new life to a district of pri-vate places and conventional architecture.

Computer architecture aids architects to reach a level of sophistication and precision that was almost impossible to achieve using only pen and paper. It opens new possibilities to express ideas by allowing architects to create sophisticated geometry and tweaking their designs over and over again. Of course, this is possible due to the advancement in engineering technology as well. Computer architecture gives architects the ability to express their ideas in a whole new level.

Source: LA times

“It is a serene, enno-bling building that will give people in this city of private places a new sense of the pleasures of public space”

Paul Goldberger

architecture as discourse

Kaohsiung Port TerminalLocation : Kaohsiung, TaiwanArchitect : Reiser + UmamotoConstruction : 2012-present

As the name suggests, Kaohsiung Port Terminal is a place, which main purpose is to dock ships and board people onto the ship. However, the design intent has a deeper meaning than that. Designed by Reiser + Umamoto architecture, this building is scheduled to complete by 2014. The building is located in Kaoh-siung’s harbour district in Taiwan, and it is intended to revitalise the area by transforming it from an utili-tarian industrial zone to a place of recreational use. Another essential element in Kaohsiung Port is how it connects to the surrounding environment. The ex-isting pedestrian pathway is amplified by creating a continuous elevated public esplanade along the wa-terfront. The boardwalk in the waterfront space con-nects the new pop music centre, the arts centre, and the shopping districts. The place will be a very impor-tant landmark in Kaohsiung Port Terminal by giving a new life to the city.

Kaohsiung Port Terminal has a few elements that are similar to Frank Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall., not just in its physical form, but its design intent as well. The port terminal is currently constructed on top of a utilitarian industrial zone. It means, the land use is drastically changed from private into a public space. It is intended to give a new image to an area, which may have been considered as ghetto, so that it becomes a lively social space. It also creates a connection be-tween other iconic landmarks in the area by building a walkway, as a way to attract people to an area that was once restricted. This space undoubtedly will have a great impact on the city of Kaohsiung. Again, this shows that relating to the surrounding environment is an important element in architecture.

“Reiser + Umamoto awarded first prize in the Kaohsiung Port Terminal Competition”

World Architecture News

Source: World Architecture News

architecture as discourse

architecture as discourse

architecture as discourse