Architectural Sub-Genre?

My daily email of clipping from Arch News Now made me do a double take when I scanned the word Vegitecture in the title of a post by Dan Stewart on Building blogs 'Drawn State' entitled 'Vegitecture - whose idea was it, anyway?'


:: EDITT Tower, Ken Yeang - image via Drawn State

From Drawn State: "I was at a Movers’n’Shakers breakfast this morning and happened to bump into someone from Llewellyn Davies Yeang. I had just seen this image of Daniel Libeskind’s latest tower in New York, and said I thought it bore a remarkable resemblance to Ken Yeang’s various “vegitecture” buildings. Vegitecture is essentially the use of organic materials as an element of construction. It has mainly manifested itself over here as sedum walls, but the idea goes further – looking at how rainwater can be harvested and air purified using natural means. Yeang, who has been lecturing on the concept for years, has even suggested the concept of a “vertical farm” where tenants grow their own fruit and vegetables on the walls and roofs. Back to the Libeskind similarity. It turns out some at LDY have thought exactly the same thing as me, with e-mails flying back and forth remarking on the resemblance. However my source assured me the practice was flattered at the resemblance, rather than concerned about plagiarism. Vegitecture has now become an architectural sub-genre - US superarchitect Perkins + Will have also jumped on the veggie bandwagon. Who is to say, now that Libeskind has joined suit, that some of his fellow starchitects might not do the same thing?"

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: Madison Square Park Tower, Daniel Libeskind - image via Drawn State

I do like the reference to architectural sub-genre of veg.itecture... and as far as a chronology of true Vegitecture, obviously Yeang is an early pioneer - not just as an aesthetic endeavor but in truly combining landscape and architecture for improving and substituting building systems. It's heartening to see the crowd following and learning and mimicking these (and improving on them) - and these pages at L+U suggest that the sub-genre is alive and well. Lo and behold, another reference on Web Urbanist with a snippet of Vegitecture Sustainable Community Design - featuring mostly the the work of Ken Yeang.

Via WebUrbanist: "What if architects thought of ‘green’ as a building material, an integral material to be thought of throughout the design process or even as the basis for it? This visionary community design wraps green into every layer, aspect and dimension of the design to the point where sustainability runs through the final project like an endless mobius strip, completely interwoven with the rest of the architecture on the site."

:: images via WebUrbanist

A quick google search shows that the term is starting to creep into the subconscious of the architectural lexicon and become the domain of architects and landscape architects... Which to me, is amazing. Remember, unless you happen to be Michael Sorkin, you know where you heard it first. Guess it's time for that trademarking :)

Hundertwasser

The Austrian Artist Friedensreich Regentag Dunkelbunt Hundertwasser is not a household name in either architecture, art, or landscape - but his contributions to all of these disciplines - and dare I say a unique brand of Vegitecture - is worth a look. L+U had a previous post that showed one of his most known works - the iconic Waldspirale in Darmstadt, Germany.


:: Waldspirale - image via Green Roof Safari


:: Waldspirale - image via Picasa - Dirk

This is a good example of the somewhat surrealist vision. Also check out some of the construction photos via this german-language site as well. See the 2007 post on Archidose about Hundertwasser as well - with some thoughts on the surface treatments... that yes, I'd say 'goofy' is an apt statement as well. Another notable project is the Hundertwasser Haus - which showcases a number of the ideas, including the incorporation of vegetation and the strange DIY facadism:




:: Hundertwasserhaus - images via Wikipedia

Some more thoughts via Archidose: "His most well-known building is easily the eponymous apartment complex in Vienna he "completed" in 1986; I put quotes around completed because his buildings are never really finished. They evolve over time not only via the growth of trees and other vegetation integral with his buildings but by the occupants as well, who are allowed to paint the wall outside their unit in the Hundertwasser Haus, for example."


:: Hundertwasserhaus - image via Wikipedia

See above the orange window on the blue field... an example of the: "...Verschimmelungs-Manifest, the so-called Mould Manifesto against rationalism in architecture... 'A person in a rented apartment must be able to lean out of his window and scrape off the masonry within arm's reach. And he must be allowed to take a long brush and paint everything outside within arm's reach. So that it will be visible from afar to everyone in the street that someone lives there who is different from the imprisoned, enslaved, standardised man who lives next door.'" (via Wikipedia)

Another interesting idea is literally punctuating the building facade - literally creating rooms that have vegetal occupants... this is a derivation of another manifesto, from 1972: "... Your window right — your tree duty: planting trees in an urban environments was to become obligatory: 'If man walks in nature's midst, then he is nature's guest and must learn to behave as a well-brought-up guest.'" (via Wikipedia)


:: Tree room - image via KunstHausWien

This is the most compelling idea that I think is worth some additional study - in terms of the Veg.itectural connection. Looking for some additional images that reinforce this idea...


:: image via Journal Sentinel Online


:: image via Panoramio

This reminds me of a minimal reference that I have wanted to expand on - an Arbortecture flickr set of photos by Keaggy that were focused on plants growing out of buildings - mostly random seeded species that have spontaneously grown in urban areas. Another good site for buildings is the HW-Architektur... with a library of some of the notable installations.

There also some references to vegetated infrastructure and some more of the technical aspects of the processes - in this case, via Treehugger: "Hundertwasser ...proposed green and aesthetic solutions for highways and byways. His sketches of underground highways lined by trees to filter out noxious chemicals, also showed such a concept could minimize noise and maximize land use."


:: image via Treehugger

Or this diagram showing the functional aspects of the Hundertwasserhaus... pay particular attention to the 'Tree Tenants' and 'Man Tenants'.

:: image via Tina's Blog

There are definitely a lot of people following the work - and Hundertwasser has a bit of a cult following - along with some formal museums, particularly in Vienna, and his adopted home in New Zealand. Another good site for buildings and general info is the HW-Architektur... with a library of some of the notable installations. One that I really enjoy are The Living Beneath the Water House in Pochingen, which is indicative of the child-like whimsy of these creations:




:: images via KunstHausWien

It would be interesting to see how the livability is in these projects. For instance, does an artist create spaces that, although fun and flexible, are well designed. One quote that really strikes me in this reference to Hundertwasser with "...undulating floors ("an uneven floor is a melody to the feet")." Maybe, or maybe just annoying...

So delving a bit deeper into the background and theory. While probably the definition an innovative and artist - Wikipedia does shed some light on inspirations: "The common themes in his work are a rejection of the straight line, bright colours, organic forms, a reconciliation of humans with nature, and a strong individualism. He remains sui generis, although his architectural work is comparable to Antoni Gaudí in its biomorphic forms and use of tile. He was inspired by the works of Egon Schiele from an early date, and his style was often compared to that of Gustav Klimt." Some examples of Hundertwasser's art, which say something about the man as well.


:: Among Trees You Are At Home - image via Tina's Blog


:: image via The Uneven Path: Hundertwasser in Vienna


:: The 30 Day Fax Picture - image via BrickWallViews

Innovative, individual, silly, or provocative... Hundertwasser is important study for architecture, landscape and art - as well as looking closely at the concept of flexibility, adaptability, process and customization of design - resulting in designs that are never done - always in flux - and blur the line between art/landscape/architecture. Sounds like the future of design, landscape urbanism, and building.


:: Madness/Genius? - Hundertwasser in 1998 - image via Wikipedia

* Many thanks to my friend and colleague - ecological designer and educator Dorothy Payton - for the heads up and book for Hundertwasser postcards!

Veg.itecture #33

Clearing the files of backed up projects (to make way for the new, of course)... a brief, in text, and long, in photos, version of Veg.itecture... it's definitely got variety, although you can see the disparity between built and representative projects...

A colorful green roof atop ECOSpace, in Dunfermline, United Kingdom, by RMJM (now about the site...)


:: image via WAN

The Literacy for Environmental Justice by Toby Long Design with green roof, illustratively in perspective and plan.




:: images via Jetson Green

10000 Santa Monica Boulevard, by Jean Nouvel.


:: image via Bustler

Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust, by Belzberg Architects.


:: image via Bustler

Some out-of-this-world vegitecture from the nvidia 'nvart challenge'... the complex at the centre of the universe’ by staszek marek, poland



:: image via designboom

The City Quay, Waterford, Ireland by m3 architects




:: images via WAN

The Chicago Children's Museum by Krueck + Sexton Architects


:: image via WAN

From designboom: "'MEtreePOLIS' is a project based on developments in the field of genetic manipulation a 100 years from now, that could modify plants into power producers. designed by hollwichkushner architects, new york."


:: image via designboom

Shulman + Associates Fairwind Hotel in Miami, Fla. USA.


:: image via WAN

And finally the knut hamsun center by steven holl.


:: image via designboom

Parc del Centre de Poblenou

Architecture as art. Art of Building. Vegetated Architecture. There are a lot of blurry lines out there between themes in design... and this often leads to cross-pollination and perhaps overstepping of turf sometimes. Taking the multi-disciplinary approach a bit further, Coolboom recently featured Jean Nouvel recently in the design for the Parc del Centre de Poblenou in Barcelona.


:: images via Coolboom (photo copyright Iñigo Bujedo Aguirre)

Some info from Coolboom: "...a gigantic sustainable garden of 5,5 hectares designed as “meeting point” and “acoustic microclimate” playing with light and shadows. ... The main garden of the park has a forest very well organized ending at one end of the park with a ramp of volcanic soil. In the second garden, the woodland surrounds the building of the old Oliva-Artés factory and takes the citizens through a visual and olfactory experience. In the third garden the most prominent feature is a crater that carries the visitor with a spiral to the “center of the Earth”."








:: images via Coolboom (photo copyright Iñigo Bujedo Aguirre)

As you can see from these photos, the planting is a bit lacking in spots. This seems to be a cop-out of 'urban' parks - a remnant of our nature belongs outside the city ideology, which is unfortunate. The detailing is interesting, particularly the rusted metal 'gates' and some of the iconic, architectural structures. These create some great spaces, which would be more powerful with some landscape context to set them off a bit. Be sure to check out more photos at the Flickr page of santimarti... with even more details.








:: images via Coolboom (photo copyright Iñigo Bujedo Aguirre)

This trend of architects-as-park designers (i can't resist, Parkitects) has plenty of precedents - many of which , such as Tschumi and Koolhaas at Parc de la Villette, and the work of Stan Allen (featured previously here for his Taichung Gateway Park.) along with many landscape architects, are some of the robust seeds of Landscape Urbanism.

This idea was referenced my Michelle Lin from Brooklyn in an editorial response to the NY Times: "The architecture-themed issue, “The Next City” (June 8), was a wonderful exploration of how today’s cutting-edge architectural firms, like OMA and MVRDV, are exploding the boundaries of conventional architecture. However, I would have liked to have seen perspectives from landscape architects, or what some refer to as “landscape urbanism.” Even architects like Rem Koolhaas, Bernard Tschumi and Stan Allen are turning toward landscape architecture to infuse and renew their own architectural-design strategies. Planning cities by single buildings was, and continues to be, a shortsighted strategy. To truly design our urban centers, we must now think of the city as a landscape of infrastructure (transportation, utilities) and systems (ecological, social, institutional)."

Angling back to Nouvel for a further take, the Times Online recently reported, the architect Jean Nouvel recently discussed the idea of the difference between architecture and art... with some interesting quotes. My favorite: "“For me it is the idea,” he booms. “The concept, that is everything. I don't design a lot, or work with models.” He disdains the computer - “it has no emotion, no feeling” - and even the pencil: “I craft with words.” Most of his day is spent debating, describing, cajoling, using words to get across his concepts."

Can you design with words? I love words, but need to draw and visualize to design. But design is personal - and I'm guessing for all of Nouvel's words, there are a number of talented people to realize this verbalism and give it form. Are architects capable, or should they strive, to make art? Does the act of design make architects capable of viable landscape architecture as well. Sure. I'm a proponent of good design is good design. I also think the collaboration between the two is vital. There's little info on Poblenou as to the team that made it up, whether that was local LAs or horticulturalists. Maybe that's the result of lack of collaboration, resulting in architectural elements and monocultural plantings that could have been energized with good landscape design? (See Revisit: Olympic Sculpture Park for a great example of the collaborative potential).

We as LAs often bemoan the idea of architecture usurping some of the role of park and urban design that we seem to have given up - and has gladly been taken with visiionary architects. Often the results are spotty - sometimes more architectural than good spacemaking. Often the results are amazing... As vegitecture continues, I think we'll see a shift of the pendulum back - with landscape architects recapturing some of this territory - particularly in creating and actively generating building and urban form, creating beautiful infrastructure - and perhaps even recapturing the park as a viable and innovative part of our oeuvre.

Veg.itecture #31

As I mentioned, there's been a lot of activity - and now that the roots of Vegitecture have been illuminated... let's see how these buildings are dressing themselves... lots of great examples. An interesting article beyond this photo, from the NY Times article 'I’m the Designer. My Client’s the Autocrat.' which looks into the trend of starchitects working for countries with questionable human rights. Check it out, and check out the image Thom Mayne’s design for a corporate headquarters in Shanghai - build the building, save the world...


:: image via NY Times

Another from Syd Mead... a project for the Qatar Steel Corp. I had not made the connection, but via Gizmodo: "You may know "futurist" Syd Mead from his design work on geek friendly movies like Blade Runner, Tron and Aliens—but in his most recent work he envisions a future city by the name of Doha, Qatar. Naturally, his work speaks for itself, but I must admit that it stands in stark contrast to the bleak world of Blade Runner. Maybe he has become more optimistic as the years have passed."


:: image via The Design Blog

Another, via Inhabitat, is Grid House, a project in Philadelphia by Moto Designshop. A response to dense infill development, it contains a number of rooftop spaces to allow for open spaces on multiple levels.




:: images via Inhabitat

Via Bustler, Oslo Central Train Station by Norwegian architect firm, Space Group.


:: image via Bustler

A new town plan for Dubai (go figure) SMAQ (via Archinect) - a 60 hectare project named Paramount. A sustainable, mixed use village for 7000 in Dubailand (why does that sound so wrong?). Via SMAQ: "In the design, the built up area has been compressed to occupy only fifty percent of the site as a reaction to the sun condition, to achieve a compact and shaded fabric. Its structure is defined by alternating narrow pedestrian alleys and small squares, typical of Arabic towns. This urban tissue is divided in elongated islands that are orientated so to gain from the prevailing winds crossing the site. The cool breeze from the sea is channelled between the islands and through the longitudinal cuts in the urban fabric, while the hot wind from the desert is deviated above the development." More info via Cityscape Abu Dhabi.




:: images via SMAQ

Designboom featured a multi-family housing with terraced green roofs from taller13 architects.


:: image via Designboom

BDonline featured Mark Hines Architects eco-friendly community centre at Ashton-under-Lyne in Lancashire. The colorful green roof offers a sustainable top to this simple structure.


:: image via BDonline

Finally, MoCoLoco linked to ArchDaily with a series of 8 sweet green roof houses, the Finca El Retorno Eco Shelters,by G Ateliers. "The design acknowledges the natural beauty of the site to create 8 ecological shelters that care to minimize the impact on the site and achieve a delicate fusion of architecture and place. These shelters emerge from the topography and enhance the surrounding nature without competing with it. Corridors at the perimeter, traditional elements from the Colombian dwelling architecture are introduced to achieve a clear relationship between interior and exterior."






:: images via ArchDaily