“L E S MINIMALS” ARCHITECTURE2022 01 PANASHE SHAMBARE 2309320 MANDISA MTSHALI 2325687 IPFI 1073376MAKUYAADAM CLIVE MTSHWENI 2212269 ARPL3021A HISTORIES AND THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE III | PROJECT 3: MEDIATING ARCHTECTURE Group 17
Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe(2016)
House of the big arch by Frankie pappas(2019) Located in in the middle forrest of Limpopo, in the waterberg mountains. Only five local people were hired to construct the building and not a single tree was harmed.
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MINIMAL ARCHITECTURE : abstract
to small and large scales, the physical and emotional realm. This may be the examples of small buildings or large public spaces all using the same tech niques of minimalism to express a particular movement or feeling within that space. While these ideas of simple, less spaces may seem easy in principle, achieving the excellence in the Minimalistic style requires great skill. A skill in understanding people, history but most importantly context at the core. Organic architecture and sustainability are the key to designing safer, healthier spaces. Minimalism has become the hub in which we harmonize architecture and nature, being able to create spaces that are not overpowered by man-made structures but compliment the environment. Organic architecture also tackles the issues of embodied energies and how minimalism and good material usage can promote better and healthier spaces. Thus, touching on friendlier spaces for the future and what influences can these spaces have outside the realm of architecture.
Minimalism has always been a word we have often heard in the profession of Architec ture and general design, but what does in really mean? Depending on the perspective one decides to look at, minimalism may be interpreted differently and here we have looked at minimalism in and around us. A touch on making more with less. How can less, decluttered, simple spaces express more? A touch on the impact that color, light and materials have to the human mind and the contribution it has to minimalism and healthy living. The mini malistic lifestyle raises the question on whether people need more to gain more or re-eval uate what is essential to our daily lives and reduce the junk and clutter- weather this may be physical or Minimalismspiritual.isalsoimportant
4 “L E S S” 1496MAKING MORE WITH LESS: ALL SIMPLE, ALL ORGANIC MATERIALS IN MINIMALISM THE ART OF MINIMALISM
5 MINIMAL ARCHITECTURE 192628GREENING OF THE CITIES: JOHANNESBURG AND THE WORLD IPFI MAKUYA & PANASHE SHAMBANE THE FUTURE OF MINIMAL ARCHITECTURE THOW BUILDINGS CAPTURE THE HUMAN SPIRIT AND UNDERSTANDING MATERIALS AND AES THETICS IN THE MOST MINIMAL WAY ADAM MTSHWENI & MANDISA MTSHALI
MAKING MORE WITH LESS: THE ART MINIMALISIMOF IPFI MAKUYA
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MAKING MORE WITH LESS of order and unification; simple and lastly clean lines. Have you ever entered a room and tried to keep yourself busy but are constantly distracted by either the people, items and traffic in the room?
JEZYK, F. D. (2018, MARAZO 27). LUDWIG MIES VAN DER ROHE. Retrieved from na-pavilionvrohe-maciej-jezyk-barceloder-ects/338931-ludwig-mies-van-https://divisare.com/projDIVISARE:
Pinterest. (n.d.). Retrieved from 1962--16114511153549424/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe.https://za.pinterest.com/pin/Pinterest:
Project, L. (21021, March 5). AN ARCHITECT’S OWN HOME - ARMADALE RESI DENCE BY ROB ORARCHITECTUREMILLSANDINTERIDESIGN. fromRetrievedTheLocal video-feature/tecture-and-interior-design-residence-by-rob-mills-archiau/videos/armadale-https://thelocalproject.com.Proiect: Fig Villa2Savoye, situated on the outskirts of Paris. Photo graph by Montse Zamorano
Well, imagine the same room but with only the things we value the most and removing everything that distracts us. That is Minimalism signthatdescribedMinimalistexplained.isthereforeasthearchitecture,entailstheuseofplaindeelements,withouttheuse of decoration or ornamentation. Minimalism believes that con centrating the form and content of a design to its necessities, uncovers the true ‘essence of spaces,andplelimitedminimalistativearchitecturalmalismRoheknownfrom.MinimalistBauhausmovementsarchitecture.”TheCubist-inspiredofDeStijlandinthe1920siswherearchitectureemergedThe83yearoldArchitectasLudwigMiesvanderhypothesizedthatminigavemaximumpowertospaceinthecreworld.Afewcharacteristicsofarchitectureinclude:andplainmaterials;simpuregeometricformsneatstraightcomponents;openrepetitiontogiveasense
8 IPFI MAKUYA request for the Friedrichstraße multi-storey building, an unre alized all-glass, large glass tower which was designed in the early 1900s which started his journey of fame within the architectural avant-garde. Since 1929 when the German Pavilion was show cased at the Barcelona Exposi tion ( also known as the Barcelo na withPavilion)cleanline, pure form is a constant reminder of his most renowned and popular works of architecture.
Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is also described as one of the most renowned architects of the 20th century. He is known for his role in th e expansion of the most persistent architectural style of the era which is modern ism. Mies was born in Aachen, Germany, and his career began in the leading studio of Peter Behrens. Here Mies worked alongside two other pioneers of modernism, Le Cor busier and Walter Gropius. For a good century, Mies’ minimalist style has proved very fashion able. One of his famous maxims “less is more” is still widely used, even by those who are unaware of its roots.Mies eventually started to develop this style through the 1920s, by combining the ap pealing drive towards minimal intersecting planes—rejecting the common traditional systems of encircled rooms and resulting in him relying heavily on glass planes to soften the boundary between the building’s interior and exterior and functionalist work concerns of his modernist contemporaries. At some point the decade was clouded by his Fig 3 The Barcelona Pavillio, the style Mies van de Rohe started to develop in the 1920s. Spagna - Barcelona. Photograph by Maciej Jezyk Shah, D. (2018, Febraury 5). Iconic House: Villa Savoye by Corbusier.Le Retrieved from Architectural villa-savoye-le-corbusier/gest.in/content/iconic-house-https://www.architecturaldiDigest:
Team, A. (2021, March 27). Less is More: Mies van der aRohe,Pioneer of the Modern Movement. Retrieved rohe127th-birthday-mies-van-der-daily.com/350573/happy.ArchDaily:https://www.archfrom Architects, J. A. (n.d.). Boo merang House. Retrieved from AdsettJoeArchitects: Retrieved30).Carbonero,www.joeadsett.com.au/https://M.G.(2001,AprilChristianNorberg-Schulz.fromArquitectura
Vecco, M. (2020, January). Genius loci as a meta-concept. Retrieved from Science 296207419301748com/science/article/abs/pii/S1https://www.sciencedirect.Direct:
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The terms organic and Organic Architecture spring an ununified understanding which brings about a movement that is perverse, diverse, contradictory, and mercurial yet also cohesive. Architecturally organic architecture is rooted from the ideologies of creating a uniform environment and having a passion for coexistence with natural forms.
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A real blend between natural versus manmade, an emphasis on beauty, shelter, functional ity but most importantly harmony.
Is organic architecture minimal? Organic Architecture has always been a topic nurtured by sustainability and the ability so exist economically in a particular environment. This is an approach to being able to design infrastructure that focuses on the natural surroundings, most commonly in secluded areas. This living tradition has recently started taking on new and exciting perspectives, which included the embodied energy of the material manufacturing, as well as the construction pro cess. An advance in the interest of a more phycological impact on how people engage with the idea of what is organic and how does organic living impact the day to day lives of people as well as its contribution to future environments.
K.Hilfin(2014) Organic Architecture: A Guide to the Organic Architecture ture-guidecom/articles/organic-architechttps://www.masterclass.Style
T.Frank (2021) The Spirituality And Architecture Theology Religion Essay say.phptecture-theology-gy/the-spirituality-and-archiukessays.com/essays/theolohttps://www.religion-es
Fig Maropeng2 Visitor Centre, Sterkfontein Caves. Photo graph by World Heritage Site
Vasiliski D (2013) Minimalism in Architecture as an Instru ment of perception A Ilika, S.Angeli (2002)Minimal Architecture: Architecture in Focus R.Robert (2018) Spirituality in Place: Building Connections Between Architecture, De sign, and Spiritual Experience | ARCC Conference view/116index.php/repository/article/https://www.arcc-journal.org/Repository
The link between these biological forms and processes to man made free flowing curves and expressive forms are sympathetic and grad ual to one’s human mind, body, and spirit. When these shapes and forms are expressed with pow erful architectural languages and techniques, they can be impactful to the environment making the experience feel better and cerine.
Photograph by James Wang & Mariama Kah
TEC : Another Architectural technique has been the evolution and enhancements in technology and software bringing about theability to manipulate rectilinearstructures that are often more restrictive of representing the free flows of nature.
Elements: Organic architectural expressions allow an ability to chart the journey through spaces and hence why the human experience can be acquainted in these spaces. Some of these architectural tech niques that inform the flow in an environment include sky visibility, light, and the reflection of materialsGreat attention to how the natural light from the sun is manipulated into the interior as well as the filtering through the windows allow for spatial enhancements and openings within these spaces. The floorplans are also generally open to assist in creating that same cerine environment that is less congested by multiple rooms.
Material : Textures and Materials have also influenced the trajectory of how organic architecture has evolved with modern and traditional materials which can be used organically, new lightweight, tensile tent structures imitate the idea of the Native Amer ican Indian tepee, while modern curving earth or strawbale-built walls and vaults rediscover an ancient vernacular most common in places such as GreatTheZimbabwe.re-emer gence of these materials and concepts in organic design represents a new freedom of thought, which has inspired an expres sion of hope for the future of sustainability and environmentally friendly living. This is promoting most fields of design from products and furniture, lighting and textile design materials. These im provements in tech nology have given better architec tural expression in building strength and form principals. Ar chitects can have more creative freedom in curved forms such as arches, vaults, domes, and spheres which are quickly proving even stronger, more efficient, and more economical than the D.Pearson (2001) New Organ ic Architecture; The Breaking Wave Published by Galia Books limited Fig Hikma3 Campus, Nigeria.
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A touch on building as nature : Through time great philosophers as well as archi tects have had a connection to material usage and manufacturing and connect it with what is organic architecture. Believing in harvesting raw materials such as timber and bamboo in our environment. Some have said the following about their approach to organic architectural expressions,Some inspiration : “Organic architecture strives to connect the parts of the building which are nearest to the earth- the foundations of the walls in particular – closely to the earth. It also strives to construct them from materials which have been extracted from the earth itself. The upper structures should be light, as if heaven were descending upon the earth.”
- Imre Makavecz
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Fig Kasubi4 tombs, Uganda. Photograph by Sebastien Moriset
American Architect known for his landscape designs with irregular and curvilinear shapes and form of typography, a master who had a signifi cant break from the formal symmetrical patterns of the Kendricktime,Bangs Kellogg. He believed that, “Above all, organic architecture should constantly remind us not to take Mother Nature for granted but to – work with her and allow her to guide your life. Inhabit her, and humanity will be the loser” Here one observes that organic architecture is about embrace, an ability to understand how to maximise material usage in a way that is beneficial to the environment, nature is our fruit, and we must be able reap and sow from it respectfully so we can always have an abundance of material. A cycle rather than a process.
•“a truer understanding of how we see, with our mind and eye, is the foundation of everything organic. Man’s eye and brain evolved over aeons of time, most of which were within the vast un trammelled and unpaved landscape of our Edenic biosphere. We must go to Nature for our models now, that is clear” Daniel Liebermann Daniel E. Lieberman who practises as an paleo anthropologist at Harvard University, He is best known for his research on the evolution of the human head and the human body. Lieberman studies how and why the human body is the way it is, with a primary focus on the evolution of physi cal activity. His research combines palaeontology, anatomy, physiology, and experimental biomechanics in the lab and in the field. In his career, he initially focused to a large extent on why and how humans have such unusual heads.
Ecological concerns have increasingly be come the focus and as today’s science reveals more of the extraordinary and wonderful structure of nature, designers can draw on a lifetime source of new ideas. The world really is our oyster.
Eric Futhermont embarks on a conscious development of the society to meet the human de velopment goals, and without having to compro mise on the need to balance the ecosystem and the environment. Conscious means that it is crucial to practice and maintain sustainable development because the driver of society are the needs of the people and harming the balance of the environ ment and the ecosystem to fulfil these needs.
Having said that, sustainable development is not just about the environment. It also focuses on the human wellbeing and ensuring a strong, healthy society. It simultaneously focuses on both the environment and society. The changes that we adhere to now will impact in the future, weather it be environmental but could also be phycological. Resulting in unpleasant working spaces and standard way of living Nature is the hub everything, we are dependent on it for survival, and its constant transformation continues to inspire organic architecture. These transformations include the examples of living organisms with both their outward forms and inner formations both offering an endless number of architectural concepts and movement ideas in design.
He believes that we are a product of our environ ment and that when we are engulfed in an organic and natural environment, we must adapt to it and that may include manipulating it to work to our advantage. Hence humans have adapted to farm ing as mother nature has provide soil and seed for us to do. Such as in Architecture, one must embrace the environment and plant buildings that gain but also feed into nature, a slight extension of what we consider today as sustainable architec ture.
Organic architecture functions with the process of growth and change and the notion of designing within, whereby each design starts from a seed concept and grows outwards, changing in form. More than this, often a building is seen as an organism, an indivisible whole, and humans are seen as part of nature, not above her. Humans are seen as the leaves to a tree, part of but can be apart from, all at the same time.
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Eric Furnemont ideals of what is organic and what is sustainable is that •“Our decisions about building must come out of our consciousness of the planet if we do not want to be incriminated in its death. We must look at the wellbeing of the earth itself and all who live here”
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Alvar Alto in wood, Luigi Nervi in reinforced concrete, Carlo Scarpa, uniting history and the present by the materials and the time. What these architects have in common is their value for material and ability to shape space through the use of it. Each material cap tures the essence of each space so uniquely and stays true to the character of the architect creating that space.
Book : Minimal Architecture : Architecture in Focus (IIka & Andreas Ruby, Angeli Sachs, Philip Uresprung)
Online Article : Minimalism in architecture: Materials as an instrument of per ception : Dragana Vasilski (January 2013) : an_instrument_of_perceptionin_architecture_Materials_as_tion/269657328_Minimalism_researchgate.net/publicahttps://www.
Fig.1 : (Alvar Aalto) : to-ceilings-and-structuresthe-use-of-timber-from-stools-com/960708/alvar-aalto-and-:Fig.var_Aaltoen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alhttps://2:(MaisonLouisCarre)https://www.archdaily.
Fig. 3 : (Alvar Aalto Cultur al House) : https://www. finnishdesignshop.com/ burg-germanyalvar-aalto-buildings-in-wolfsdesign-stories/architecture/
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MATERIALS IN MINIMALISM
“Because the nature of man is to define clearly what he sees and understands why he sees what he sees (Arhajm, 1998: 15), The materials in min imalism are the instruments of his understand ing” The reality of architecture lies in the material because that’s what its made up of. That’s how we visualise it. Architecture is presented to us through materials. (Bricks, concrete, steel, wood, etc) And with minimalism we see this in its truest form because everything else is stripped bare, reduced to its most basic mass/concept and we are left to visualise this architecture through the mate rial that houses it. (Architecture in its truest form) In minimalism, materiality is the instru ment of expression. Materials shape space and express the essence of the architecture. The no tion “less is more” is communicated through the materials that are left bare on their own all in the name of minimalism, your experience of the space is left to the material chosen to bring that space to life. And less of everything else means more of the bare material, which is actually the architecture itself. “The material is treated in the architecture of minimalism as an instrument of emphasis” Materials in minimalism emphasis the true con cept of the architecture. The truth of the architec tural form. What it is, what it does, how you as a person experience it. In minimalism the material has even become the identity of the work of the architects and the architectural form.
16 Fig 2 NetLuigi Nervi : (1882)
Minimalism can be described as a search for the essence, re-discovering through simplicity the value of materials. Similarly, materials can be seen as interaction between user and object. Identifying with the space created. Peter Murray describes minimalism as a “reduction of architecture to its most basic concepts of space, light and mass”
When it comes to minimal architecture bare minimum is the key driver or concept. And what materiality does is shape the minimum. Spatial experiences in minimal architec ture are rooted in their materiality, take the first visual for instance a flight of stair has become a spatial experience due to the smooth wooden texture that leads you. This photo is stripped bare to its essential function, a staircase but its loud in materiality. Materiality has shaped the space in this photo and created an aesthetic experience. In this way ma terials have become the instruments that tell the story of a space in minimal architecture.
architecture in providing the experience of the bare essentials (Luigi Nervi) : tecture/palazzo-del-lavoro/www.atlasofplaces.com/archi(PalazzoRIBA4808#vi-at-the-drawing-board_ribapix.com/Pier-Luigi-Nerhttps://www.delLavoro):https:// (Magazzini del Sale) : com/carlo-scarpa/https://www.formidablemag.light-carlo-scarpaarchdaily.com/638534/spot(Carlogi-nervi/agenda/raccontare-pier-luiwww.internimagazine.com/https://Scarpa):https://www.
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Architecture is not isolated from its material. The material is the visual representation of the archi tecture and even more so in minimal architecture.
“Material is not a finish. Period” (Kuma) The truth of architecture involves the use and careful consideration of materials according to their qualities so that construction methods are easily communicated and not hidden. The bare necessity of the building is expressed through the use of materiality. Hence the connection between materiality and minimal architecture. The two concepts make use of one another.
“Emphasized materiality, searching for the essence of space which is contained in the irre ducible minimum. Through the expression of something intangible and sublime. It is precise ly through matter (material)” Materials have really emphasised their importance to me architecturally in a recent trip we took as third year architecture students to Freedom Park, Pretoria. Below are some visuals that I managed to take that express the value of my statement when I say materials create an aesthetic experience and that, that experience is captured so deeply in min imal architecture.
“I believe that the material can take the poetic quality in the context of architecture, but only if the architect is able to use them the right way, because they are not material. If we succeed in this, the materials in architecture began to glow and flicker “(Zumthor, 1999: 10).”
The second visual isn’t a spatial experience but there’s a poetic quality about the way it has been used. Which goes to express the power of materi ality in minimal Materialsarchitecture.haveserved justice to minimal
Fig.com/carlo-scarpa/https://www.formidablemag.10:(GreatBambooWall) : kengo-kuma-and-associateswalterknoll.de/en/designers/(Kengoworks/villa-gran-muralla-1https://arquitecturaviva.com/Kuma):https://www.
18 MATERIALS IN MINIMALISM Fig Expressing3 the power of materiality in minimal archtecture
GREENING OF THE ANDJOHANNESBURGCITIES:THEWORLD ADAM CLIVE MTSHWENI
Health building facilities to be more built and available to help youth that is struggling with anxiety and depression. More investment to be done in children by giving them quality educa tion as they are the ones in charge of tomorrow.⁴ Other things that can connect people are making reduction inequality of gender such as violence against women and inequalities such as treating immigrants with no judgment together with those in small businesses such as vendors to have spaces in the city.⁵
All people have access to any space without having titles, as well as those with disabilities, have access to all spaces.
Acciona. (2019) DO YOU KNOW WHEN SUSTAINABILI TY FIRST APPEARED. Sustain ability for all. do-you-know-when-sustainsustainable-development/activesustainability.com/https://www. ability-first-appeared/?_ adin=01742531286
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Youmatter/ Definitions. (2013) Sustainable Development –What Is It? Definition, History, Evolution, Importance And Examples. https://youmatter. world/en/definition/defini ment-sustainability/tions-sustainable-develop
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The environment could connect with people by them making use of energy efficiency such as making investments in photovoltaics (solar pan els), wind turbines, and biofuels while making less use of electricity as this lower down carbon footprint. This goes in hand with bringing more public transport to the cities, making spaces for bicycles and walkways for people that have more planting rather than concrete. People could also eat less meat and more vegetables and other trivial things such as taking cold showers. And spaces in the city to be large and more exposed to nature such as parks, access to lakes, rivers, and country golf clubs.⁶ Other considerations could be plant ing more trees reducing food waste and dropping more global carbon dioxide(CO2) emissions by making less use of coal oil and gas.⁷ All of this could enhance more to connect people with the environment, and animals are automatically connected to the environment, but people can consider life below the water by not threatening the ocean and making life better for the fish, they could as well be close to animals such as those in the wild
Before people connect with the environment, they first need to connect with one other, the Sustain able Development Goals (SDGs) engage with this by illustrating that connect or collaborate by help ing those who suffer to be improved which means the rich and the poor will be classified as the same.
Studying history helps to keep track of the upcom ing risks and consequences. Back in the period of the start of the industrial revolution places or cit ies were focused more on building for the future this was done as organized labor which lead to crises such as global warming, air population, the loss of biodiversity, and other crisis such as people not being able to work together.1 This realization is that building more without awareness leads to resource depletion on the planet. Western society in the 19th century implemented a way that can mold the world to not be in the linear process of affecting the environment and failure of social balance.2The concept of sustainable development came in place. This was developed by UN in the 1969 to build better for the future while still sustaining the present. It is defined as ‘economic development that may have benefits for current and future generations without harming the plan et’s resources or biological organisms’ the simpli fied vision for it can be ‘meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’ which was later defined by Brundtland Report.3 The main to generate this principle is to connect people, the environment, and animals as one.
Emas, R. (2015) The Concept of Sustainable Development: Definition and Defining Princi ples. Florida International Uni versity. documents/5839GSDR%20velopment.un.org/content/https://sustainablede 2015_SD_concept_defini ton_rev.pdf
United Nations. (2022) The Sustainable Development Goals Report. pp 27-34 https:// pdfvelopment-Goals-Report-2022.port/2022/The-Sustainable-Deunstats.un.org/sdgs/re
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United Nations. (2022) The Sustainable Development Goals Report. pp 50-52 https:// pdfvelopment-Goals-Report-2022.port/2022/The-Sustainable-Deunstats.un.org/sdgs/re
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The SDGs show that people, environment, and an imals are not only connected to create a green place/city but they are all connected in bond spiritually to form a powerful sustainable world for the bet Davidter. Bergman explains sus tainable development by using fewer materials with deeper roots in his book ‘Sustainable Design.’ Fig Netherlands2 building up climate resilience agaist flooding.
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United Nations. (2022) The Sustainable Development Goals Report. pp pdfvelopment-Goals-Report-2022.port/2022/The-Sustainable-Dehttps://unstats.un.org/sdgs/re44-48
Photograph by Lia Er Doing
He classifies that green design is what has always been what was trying to be achieved and it does not require any difference that it will remain what is trying to be achieved. Cradle to grave is what he started to break down with, that materials do not need or be used just once and if materials cannot be replaced to be recyclable can be more or less named as toxic materials, this principle is like a linear movement and it can be placed rather a by cradle to cradle which means materials being used can be reused again. It goes with the three Rs (Reduce, reuse, and recycle) this helps materials to be used less. Solar energy is what the earth is getting daily with no consumption from the envi ronment, and it can be more in practice as nature is the export of efficiency. 9 The environment where people are working could be treated, work such as offices and retails should be close to home all within a walking distance, this is known as the sprawl and development, areas lying near the other leg of the city. A walk able community reduces population and budget while bringing more benefits to health as people will do less driving but more walking.10 Making less with materials to get more, can start by avoid ing materials that are harmful to people which can save lives, the type of those materials affect people through breathing (air quality) and these materials could be spotted by their fabrication, acquisition, and disposal and they cannot only be dangerous to builders but occupants as well.11 Dematerializa tion is a term meaning materials to be lightweight, this happens by having less transportation of materials, reusing them from their previous use, wood plays good on that by reusing its leftovers for wind frames and cabinets, and other leftovers can be donated to boost other practices to use fewer materials. Aluminum can be recycled such as old aircraft parts as well and goes in hand with plastic bottles for future use.12 and give them access to their spaces which are more natural rather than just having pets.⁸
United Nations. (2022) The Sustainable Development Goals Report. pp 36-42 https:// pdfvelopment-Goals-Report-2022.port/2022/The-Sustainable-Deunstats.un.org/sdgs/re
United Nations. (2022) The Sustainable Development Goals Report. pp pdfvelopment-Goals-Report-2022.port/2022/The-Sustainable-Dehttps://unstats.un.org/sdgs/re54-58
Bergman, D. (2012) Sustaina bile Development. Princeton Architectural Press. pp 22-25 Bergman, D. (2012) Sustaina bile Development. Princeton Architectural Press. pp 30-53
22 Fig Biophilic3 design Jewel Changi Airport, Singapre. Photo graph by Cities Future Successful cities Sustainable development goals are hard goals to achieve, and they all depend on the government of the city to make them happen. Some of the cities will completely fail to meet these goals. Here are the cities that are currently applying the goals and being close to meeting them to go green. Singapore is a city that has a population of over five million and an area of 719.1 km2. The city is mostly leaning from its past to make a better pres ent, it has done this by taking the struggles they had with water back then (muddy rivers that were polluting canals all together with uncontrollable wastewater). They resolved these issues by invest ing in making the city a tropical garden. A project such as Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park is one of their good example. This brings rise to a sense of public awareness in the city about being clean as well as taking care of water bodies while making a good presentation of the environment. Singapore got the best government in leadership; it delivers its promises as said and the same government body keeps on handing the policies and public aware ness documents which encourages the city to keep being Biophilicclean.design is what the city has adopted and had been developing in the long run. Since 2008 most of the buildings had been more eco-friendly by having plants inside or around them, Jewell Changi Airport is one of the most outstanding designs in this concept. The city does not leave educating the youth behind by allowing students to pursue a green job as work which is an activity of partaking in planting trees and understanding how they work. Practices need to buy materials that have a badge of recyclable content, and embodied energy to put more in place by measuring how green the mate rial is by considering its factor of material energy. Wood has like 150 embodied energy factors which are exceptionally low. Other materials that are low are materials such as concrete, steel, PVC, and copper aluminum. The best solution for embodied energy is to use and buy materials that are sourced and manufactured locally.13 Biobased materials can as well be considered renewable materials, these are materials such as bamboo and doing more planting.14 Furthermore a life of a building can be measured by how long it will last by its adaptation of technology and patterns of the culture.15
Bergman, D. (2012) Sustaina bile Development. Princeton Architectural Press. pp 217
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Bergman, D. (2012) Sustain abile Development. Prince ton Architectural Press. pp 220-226 9 10 11 12
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Fig NetherlandA4 way of changing unstable and unhealthy behaviours. Photograh by University of Cambridge
There are also university programs that are based on sustainable/green building design and technol ogy. The governing body believes that when the new generation is born in a clean city and envi ronment it will make them adapt to that principle and forget the struggles that the past generation Berlinhad.19is seen as a united community. The city cre ates long path walks for people to engage with the beauty of landscapes and parks, which is a long distance, which encourages people to walk more while driving less. Many people in the city have fewer cars, and this improves more on carbon footprint.18The city is putting more investment into transportation systems such as public trans port, Bergman, D. (2012) Sustain abile Development. Prince ton Architectural Press. pp 232-235 Bergman, D. (2012) Sustaina bile Development. Princeton Architectural Press. pp 238 Bergman, D. (2012) Sustaina bile Development. Princeton Architectural Press. pp 244 ArchDaily. Singapore Architec ture. com/country/singaporehttps://www.archdaily. 13
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The CEO of Steyn City properties, Giuseppe Plumare shared with the African Decision that he believes that Steyn City is a landmark that has ele vated lifestyle and living. The city has an 8000ha parkland residence, the spaces are open for chil dren to play with natural green belts and parks making the land look like art. Buildings connect with nature in a concept based on village living, which generates a sprawling Dow of hillside mak ing the community connect as one, furthermore the restaurants are located near living space. They are more improvements to employment such as creating training and a helistop which makes it sustain itself as a neighborhood that supports the lifestyle that it desires. South Africa is a country that has issues of load shedding, this is backed up by generators. The beach is brought to life in the city, and a lagoon of three hundred meters is currently under construction. Besides for the city to uplift its neighborhood Diepsloot, it deepens the spirit of living together by making a place as one.22 Steyn City has planted two thousand acres of indigenous trees planted parklands which are used for picnics, week end strolls,and the joy to make connectivity with nature. The city provides a jogging and walkable pathway that is about 50km MTB trace, and it also has a golf course. Other facilities that it offers are tennis courts, resort pools, outdoor exercising spaces, and well-equipped gyms that keep health and fitness better to well being.23
The Sustainable Urban Trans port Guide Germany. Discover Berlin by Sustainable Trans port. Giz. sut-travel_guide_berlin.pdfwp-content/uploads/2015/01/transformative-mobility.org/https://tumifriends.
Adriazola-Steil, C and Schwed helm, A. (2020) Walking the Talk: What Can We Learn from Germany’s New Pedestrian Policy Framework? The City Fix. https://thecityfix.com/blog/ jandro-schwedhelm/work-2-claudia-adriazola-steil-alenys-new-pedestrian-policy-framewalking-talk-can-learn-germa
Occupants in Diepsloot keep on getting worried about where their next meal will be coming from, Steyn City makes it beneficial to them to put hun ger to an end. So far, they have been donating to the neighborhood by giving food packages, fruits, and vegetables, which they have supplied to over three thousand Diepsloot families to this date.21
Steyn City As seen from the cities outside Africa, Johannes burg tends to take a good lead on its new develop ing city, Steyn City. Located in the northern part of Johannesburg which is slightly near Pretorian.
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Letailleur, M (2022) Green Amsterdam: How this city became an Eco Capital. The Travel Bunny. tainabilitychanging_the_future_of_suszero_waste_trends_are_ital/#Green_Amsterdams_green-amsterdam-eco-capwww.the-travel-bunny.com/https:// Jack5Nicklaus Golf Course, Steyn City. Photograph by Steyn City
17 18 19 20 Fig
The city is next to the Diepsloot neighborhood, which makes it their main aim to give back to the poor by giving the Diepsloot community support.
GREENING OF THE CITIES
Venkateshwaran, O. (2021) How Singapore became one of the Greenest Cities in the World: 5 Key Reasons. Urban planning. the-world-5-key-reasons/one-of-the-greenest-cities-in-com/how-singapore-became-https://citiesfuture.
Griffins, G. (May 2022) Real izing A Vision. Commercial Property. ppLatest14. Edition 21 22 23 24
Brandstories. (2021) Steyn City parkland residence – the good life. IOL. 44ae-adf4-f096962531bethe-good-life-931d6ba7-63c3-steyn-city-parkland-residence-za/business-report/sponsored/https://www.iol.co.
Steyn City Foundation. (2020) The Steyn City Foundation. steyn city.co.za. steyncity.co.za/foundation/https://www.
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Dimmer, K. (2022) Building Success. African cess/com/interviews/building-suchttps://www.africandecisions.Decision.
ADAM CLIVE MTSHWENI
Fig 5 A Club house with nineteen resturant, Steyn City. Photograph by Steyn City expriences
The Steyn City head of marketing Zoe Van On selen told Commercial Property that it has been busy in the past years Steyn City working to de liver the vision. The city will have a school with classrooms like science labs, a media hub, music rooms, auditoriums, and cultural fitness. The capital park is one of the spaces in Steyn City that is designed for work, play, and life, so far 10 buildings have been completed and they are all easily accessible and near homes.2⁴ The concept behind Steyn city is to create homes for everyone and not exclude other people either rich or poor, the aim is to create a living for people can that uplifts lives. Minimalism What does mininalsim has to do with the rest of cities like Singapore by using less building mate rials and avoiding toxic materials while replacing or supporting them with biophilia creates a clean and healthy living for both people and the envi ronment. Furthermore materials used in smart way supports the three Rs(reduce, reuse and recy cle) and this keeps the current generation and the next generation in the long Since the environ ment and people are connected, working with the environment means the world is sus tainable which means by using less we secure better for the future and giving the next genera tion good inharitance. A city such as Steyn city helping its neighbor inghood and grouping all wants and needs of an occupant reduces the carbon foot print be less since the will be no transportation. Other
this..run.
26 HOW MALTHEAESTHETICSTERIALSSTANDINGITHUMANCAPTUREBUILDINGSTHESPIR-ANDUNDER-MA-ANDINMOSTMINI-WAY IPFI MAKUYA & PANASHE SHAMBANE HUMAN SPIRIT, AESTHETICS IN MINIMAL WAY
What then is required, is to “that we stop looking at our surroundings and or place in the typical way” 2 . The terminology of a place can be diffi cult to articulate. To define a place entails a spe cial effort. Traditional and common definitions seem narrow and monotonous, or hopelessly broad, wild and disorganized. Even Thrift3 says: “The more we divert our thinkng about a place, the less it seems to offer.” But this cannot be true either one, and is definitely not Factual in the sense that the writer who in his desired field of study offers himself pre cisely to thinking more about a sense place. What then is required, is to “that we stop looking at our surroundings and or place in the typical way”Place⁴.has been characterized by Norberg-Schulz as “a space with a distinguishing character. Since the early days, genius loci has been believed and adopted as the physical existence that man faces in daily lif such as concrete things with their, form, colour, texture and material substance. As a collective, these things define an “environmental character” which is the funda mental nature of the place. Usually, the place in the field of architecture is defined by its character or“atmosphere”. Therefore a place is a “absolute” qualitative occurrence, which ultimately cannot be reduced to any of its different characteristics, such as that of spatial relations, without missing sight of its concrete nature. While space suggests the three-dimen sional structure of the elements that make up the place, the ‘character’ signifies the general ‘atmo sphere’, which represents the most comprehen sive property of anyplace.
(Markeviciene, 2012) (Thrift, 1999: 296) (1999: (Thrift,295)1999: 296)4213 When one takes time to understand materials and aeasthetics in the most miniamal way, genius loci is then described by a by an array of multidimen sionality of theoretical approaches and several theories in philosophy such as; human geography , cultural anthropology, architecture and so forth. This reasonably covers a very wide understanding of genius loci, ranging from physical substantial ity of a place and its sense-based experiences to spiritual experiences and nonphysical interactions, which indicate a relationship between social and spatial
27 IPFI MAKUYA & PANASHE SHAMBARE
Withprocesses1ourunderstanding, one of the very first uses of the concept of place is noted in the environment study by Relph in the year 1976. Not long after, Norberg-Schulz in 1980 points out that a place is a united group of people into one body and that some ideas brought them a com mon identity, thus establishing a foundation of a relationship, society and friendship. The concept of place was eventually introduced in the architectural field of study with the theory about genius loci consequently emerging. With in this perspective, Langer in 1998 reflects that a place is not just an abstract location. The terminology of a place can be difficult to articulate. To define a place entails a special effort. Traditional and common definitions seem narrow and monotonous, or hopelessly broad, wild and disorganized. Even Thrift (1999: 295) says: “The more we divert our thinkng about a place, the less it seems to offer.” But this cannot be true either one, and is definitely not factual in the sense that the writer who in his desired field of study offers himself precisely to thinking more about a sense place.
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THE FUTURE OF MINIMAL ARCHITECTURE
ADAM MTSHWENI & MANDISA MTSHALI THE FUTURE OF ARCHITECTURE
visually comfortable piece of architecture that provides the necessary space needed for the occupants to occupy the space. It can almost be de scribed as necessity-based archi tecture. Which in essence is what minimalism means and what minimalismMaterialityembodies.meets neces sity all over the world we have witnessed architecture without architects. People coming to gether and creating spaces that they require to live in, sell in, wait in, etc. creating necessary means of shelter. Does architec ture that was created in that way fall under the category of mini malism and if so to what extent?
“Material structure” “The conclusion I have reached after having thought about materials in various forms is simple. Material is not a finish. Period What is important is that we distance ourselves from the twofold division of structuretreadsstructure”,materials…Thestructures…andterm“materialwhichIcoined…togethermaterialandintoone”1
Kumas Great Bamboo Wall and Adobe Museum for Buddah are great examples of that because similarly to the shacka we see in poor areas they are paired all the way back to the material and the function. But the differences could not be any bigger. The oth er is visually appealing while the other remains a horrible sight.
29 ADAM CLIVE T MTSHWENI & MANDISA MTSHALI
When one says minimalism, many begin to imagine beautiful visually appealing spaces that provided a sense of satisfaction to the eye, but the shelters briefly spoken about above are rarely ever a pretty sight. Its objects brought together to meet a need. Spaces created in this environ ment are also similar to the minimal architecture we see in articles and blogs in a sense that they are stripped back to their necessary components of con struction. Material in my opin ion is the difference between pretty minimal architecture and the minimal architecture we see in poverty-stricken areas.
Architecture in literal terms is a structure. A material entity that houses people and is required to withstand a number of environ mental Canforces.minimalism be stripped to just material? Can the reduction of ornaments spoken of when one speaks of minimal architecture be taken to even greaterWherelengths?doesmaterial start and architecture end? Can it be a shared entity? What is form and what is material? Is material form? How far is tooThefar?images provided above bring a sense of visual comfort to the viewer. Through balance and symmetry, the ar chitect was able to create a Kuma, 2004: 91 (Adobe Museum for The Buddha) : shacks-south-africaistockphoto.com/photos/sustainable-buildingma-makes-the-case-for-local-virserum-sweden-kengo-kutectural-review.com/essays/https://www.archi(shack):https://www.
From early ages we see settlers settling into spaces and creat ing minimal architecture from scratch and essentially creating architecture that suits where they are at and what they need at the time. Functional, punctu al and necessary. So essentially minimal architecture has been around and is probably going to be around forever for as long as people need shelter, they can provide for themselves.
No one ever glances at real minimal architecture like huts in rural areas and writes a blog about its greatness. Why is that? Is minimal architecture only moving when it’s pretty? Is that where minimal architec ture is headed or has it been that from the start?
30 Is the future of minimalism stripped back forms of materials? And how is that different from the minimalism we see in shacks created by its in habitants in South Africa? (Material structure). Fig Villa2Savoye, situated on the outskirts of Paris. Photo graph by Montse Zamorano
31 ‘LESS’ MINIMAL ARCHITECTURE PANASHE SHAMBARE 2309320 MANDISA MTSHALI 2325687 IPFI 1073376MAKUYAADAM CLIVE MTSHWENI 2212269 MAKING MORE WITH LESS: THE ART OF MINIMALISM ALL6-8 SIMPLE, ALL ORGANIC MATERIALS9-13 IN MINIMALISM GREENING14-18 OF THE CITIES: JOHANNESBURG AND THE WORLD HOW19-25BUILDINGS CAPTURE THE HUMAN SPIRIT AND UNDERSTANDING MATERIALS AND AESTHETICS IN THE MOST MIN IMAL THE26-27WAYFUTURE OF MINIMAL ARCHITECTURE 28-30 Group 17
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