COHERENCE

Now that there's a site diagram, some vague tectonic sketch and assigned individual tasks, what will elevate this project away from a mere assembly of individual structures competing for attention? What idea will unify this work? What will give it meaning and provide for a conceptual strategy for development?

On Wednesday, 09 May, the students presented and collectively agreed upon a set of Overriding Generative Principles which will guide their development. As the instructor, it is now my task to test their designs against these principles and guide their progress toward a rigorous embodiment of them in the final architectural proposals. These Principles organized themselves in four categories:
1.) Governing Metaphor
2.) Strategic Application
3.) Rules to design by

Governing Metaphor
Here there were actually two, which are meant to strengthen--not contradict each other.
The first--applied primarily to the social and urban character of this project--is germination: the idea of new growth emerging in all directions from a protective shell.

The second--applied primarily as a form-generator--is the notion of geologic protrusion: rather than a heavy base supporting lighter strutures, the base and structures are knit into a series of plaforms, shifting past eachother, roughly following the contours of the site.

Stategic Application
How does one apply these metaphors to the aggregate of the parts? It was decided that an adherence to a strict 'theme' or 'rhythm' (i.e. building shape, construction-grid, vertical module) was neccessary; and that individual components could express their particular priorities as variations on this theme, or as a kind of melody woven through this rhythm. A few examples of this type of application are the Casa Fascio designed by Giuseppe Terragni

and Stephen Holl's Stretto House.


Rules to design by
While the Metaphors and the theme/rhythm - variation/melody method has set the direction for generating forms and spaces, it was concluded that a set of rules must act as guides for this generation, ensuring a degree of tangible liveability as well as urban and environmental responsibility:
*Keep the forms simple to preserve maximum flexibility.
*Estabish a dialogue with existing buildings in form and material, without rote mimicry.
*Expand interior spaces to the outdoors, making patios and gardens extensions of the rooms they front.
*Continue the tectonics of the structures into the open spaces, making these spaces the psychological focal point of the community.
*Connect different buildings and programs and individual components by interlocking them.
*Establish real, spatial connections between the residents and the street as a means to erode the 'cliff-like' of 'fortress' nature of the typical retail-below, housing-above formula.
*Introduce the element of temporal cycles such as seasons, days, and years into the design of buildings and spaces.
*Anticipate future growth to the community, and additions to the number of residences.
*Identify layers of sanctuary along the path from urban to communal to familial to personal.

Of course, the individual projects will all pursue even more detailed agendas--but as long as these Principles are addressed, we hope to conjure up something that is not only interesting, but meaningful as well. As always, stay tuned!