Datum: 20 Principles of Architecture

dat um 20 Principles of Architecture Sofia Sanacore

Table of Contents

2

Mass

4

Solid/Void

6

Materials

8

Fabrication

10

Structure

12

Circulation

14

Texture

16

Surface

18

Color

20

Transformation

22

Dialogue

24

Context

26

Environment

28

Light

30

Scale

32

Order

34

Symmetry

36

Grid

38

Geometry

40

Tropes

42

Prologue A datum is a hierarchically identifiable space, object, or building. It creates a unified whole out of elements within these contexts.

While architectural styles or goals may differ within the architectural community, much of architectural work can be traced back to creating a datum (or a set of datums) in an effort to draw the eye and create different and exciting experiences for an individual traveling through the space. Without a datum, architecture lacks interest and excitement, and a datum helps a space stand out. Datums can be comprised of many different ideas or principles, and this book aims to go through some of the principles that aid in creating a datum in reference to work done by the author as well as some outside sources.

3

Mass

Fig. 1 Mass as a datum through overlapping

4

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Mass as a datum through scaling

Lack of mass as a datum

Mass may act as a datum by going through transformations or as a mass itself. For example, when multiple masses are overlapped as shown in figure 1, the spot at which all of them coincide may act as a datum by being a central and organizational part, combining all of the pieces into a whole. Mass also may act as a datum through scaling. When one mass is larger than all of the masses around it, it acts as a datum by being a unifying part that stands out, which is shown in figure 2. Finally, a lack of mass could act as a datum if the whole is dense and contains very few holes or disconnects within the mass. This is shown in figure 3, where the gap between the individual pieces organizes them as a datum

5

Solid/Void

Fig. 4 San Carlino Church | Mario Botta

6

Fig. 5 Library, Villeurbanne, France | Mario Botta

Solid and void can act as a datum when in the presence of each other. When a solid is cut into and carved out, the void that is left behind can act as a datum because it stands out and unifies the purpose and meaning of the space. For example, In Mario Botta’s San Carlino Church, the space appears to have been carved into wood, scraping out the inside to create the interior of the church. This interior void acts as datum because it gives purpose and use to the space. A similar idea is shown in Mario Botta’s Library in Villeurnanne, France where the entrance and windows are cut into a solid mass and acts as a binder for the two adjacent sides.

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Materials “Architecture is the triumph of human imagination over materials, methods, and men, to put man into possession of his own Earth” | Frank Lloyd Wright

Fig. 6 EcoArk | Arthur Huang

8

Fig. 7 ICEHOTEL | Yngve Bergqvist

The materials that make up a building can act as a datum when they are instrumental to the meaning or purpose of the building. For example, EcoArk in Taipei is partially made up of 1.5 million plastic bottles, which connect it to its overall purpose of sustainability and reuse. Thus, it acts as a datum. Similarly, Icehotel in Sweden is constructed every winter out of snow and ice, which relate back to the heritage and culture of Sweden.

Because of this importance of the material of the building for the purpose of it, material is a datum.

9

Fabrication

Fig. 8

10

Fig. 9 The Great Mosque of Djenné

Fig. 10 Plastering of the Great Mosque of Djenné

The fabrication of a building itself can act as a datum when the fabrication process is relevant to the space and meaning of the building. This can occur through fabricating the building with historic materials or processes, as shown in figures 8 and 9 Specifically, in figure 9 the design and creation of the space was guided by an intention to include historic aspects. Furthermore, in fabricating The Great Mosque of Djenné, wooden beams were placed inside the walls to aid in the yearly re-plastering process (as shown in figure 10). This re-plastering process is communitywide, and has lasted since the 13th century. Thus, the fabrication of the mosque guides the meaning of the building, causing it to be high in hierarchy and act as a datum.

11

Structure

Fig. 11

12

Fig. 12

Fig. 13

Structure can act as a datum when it either interrupts openness or interrupts a closed structure. For example, in figures 11 and 12, the planar structure interrupts the rest of the spaces and structure, causing it to act as a datum. Similarly, in figure 13, the closed structure is interrupted by an oculus, which acts as a datum.

13

Circulation

Fig. 14 SESC Pompéia Factory | Lina Bo Bardi

Fig. 15 The Centre Pompidou | Renzo Piano, Richard Rogers, Peter Rice, Su Rogers, Gianfranco Franchini, Mike Davies

14

Fig. 16 Original sketches of SESC Building by Lina Bo Bardi

Fig. 17 External hallway of SESC Building

Circulation can act as a datum when placed on the exterior or in an area of high visibility in a building. While circulation generally is hidden, stairs, hallways, and elevators sometimes are used as a focal part of a building. They organize buildings by connecting and combining individual hallways and floors into a unified whole. This, combined with instances when circulation is intentionally highlighted and displayed (like in the SESC Pompéia Factory and The Centre Pompidou), can make circulation into a datum of a building or space.

15

Texture

Fig. 18

Fig. 19

16

Fig. 20

Fig. 21 Bruder Klaus Field Chapel | Peter Zumthor

Texture can act as a datum when it defines a space as being hierarchically different from either its surroundings or from other parts of the space. For example, in figures 18 and 19, the texture of parts of the cube acts as a transition point between the steps, and organize it as such, working as a datum.

Furthermore, in Peter Zumthor’s “Bruder Klaus Field Chapel,” the texture on the interior is a result of its fabrication. Thus, the texture unifies building and fabrication, acting as a datum.

17

Surface “The first gesture of an architect is to draw a perimeter; in other words, to separate the micro-climate from the macro space outside.

This in itself is a sacred act. Architecture in itself conveys this idea of limiting space. It’s a limit between the finite and the infinite.

From this point of view, all architecture is sacred.” | Mario Botta

Fig. 22 Edith Farnsworth House | Ludwig Miles van der Rohe

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Fig. 23 House in Leiria | Aires Mateus

Surface can be a datum when it is broken and distinguished from the rest of the building. For example, Miles van der Rohe’s farnsworth house is made almost entirely of glass. However, this glass surface is broken by a few structural elements. These act as datums because they fracture the surface and its meaning of openness. Similarly, a datum can be formed when a solid surface is broken because it opens up the space and reads as being higher in hierarchy than the rest of the building. This is shown in Aeries Mateus’s “House in Leiria,” where there are only two massive openings instead of windows.

19

Color

Fig. 24

20

Fig. 25

Fig. 26

Color can act as a datum by highlighting important parts of a space. For example, when parts of a space, building, or object are mostly grayscale and few parts are colored (as shown in figure 24), those colored pieces can act as a datum because it takes hierarchy over grayscaled parts. Similarly, when one color is darker than the surrounding colors (as seen in figures 25 and 26), the part that is darker is likely to take precedence over surrounding parts.

21

Transformation

Fig. 27

22

Fig. 28 Hirsuta/ Jason Payne | Raspberry Fields

The act of transforming can act as a datum because it combines the past and future of a building, space, or object. Without the critical changing point, the object cannot become what it is meant to. For example, in figure 27, the object cannot become a new form without being lengthened and compressed. Thus, that process acts as a datum because it creates a unified whole out of the process rather than having two separate forms. Similarly, in Jason Payne’s “Raspberry Fields,” the transition point between the shingles being flat and being raised acts as a datum because it combines the two different forms that the wall can take.

23

Dialogue

Fig. 29

24

Fig. 30 Tai Kwun Centre for Heritage and Arts | Herzog & de Meuron

Fig. 31 Elbphilharmonie | Herzog & de Meuron

A building’s dialogue with past and present can act as a datum because the dialogue is a connecting point between the different forms of a building. For example, in adaptive reuse projects, dialogue between what was and what will become of the building can help guide architectural decisions and whether to focus on juxtaposition or blending of the fabric of the building. In projects like the Tai Kwun Centre for Heritage and Arts, what was a prison became a celebration of creativity. This communication between past and present is a datum because it guides the meaning of the space and unifies the two different uses and meanings of the space.

25

Context

“Context is so important, not to mimic but to become part of the place” | David Adjaye

Fig. 32 Peter B. Lewis Building | Frank Gehry

26

Fig. 33 Sydney Opera House | Jorn Utzon

A building itself can be an example of datum within its context if it is vastly different from its surroundings. For example, both the Sydney Opera House and the Peter B. Lewis Building are vastly different geometrically than the ordered buildings surrounding them. This causes them to read as being hierarchically very different from their surroundings; they read as a datum.

27

Environment

Fig. 34 Glass House | Lina Bo Bardi

Fig. 35 Glass House | Lina Bo Bardi

28

Fig. 36 Glass House | Lina Bo Bardi

Fig. 37 Glass House | Lina Bo Bardi

Environment may be used as a datum or to enhance a datum. For example, in Lina Bo Bardi’s “Glass House,” she uses environment both as a datum and as a way to create a datum. The house is almost completely open to its surroundings, and this creates the illusion of the space being almost massless, allowing the nature surrounding it to define its edges. A tree growing through the heart of the house acts as a datum, emphasizing the importance and celebration of the environment surrounding the house which further integrates it seamlessly into the environment.

Lina Bo Bardi allows environment to act as a datum, guiding the design

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Light “Architecture is the learned game, correct & magnificent, of forms assembled in the light.” | Le Corbusier

Fig. 38

30

Fig. 39

Fig. 40

Light or shadow may act as a datum or create a datum by defining edges and boundaries of an object or space. A bright space surrounded by a very dark space might act as a datum because the bright space stands out in juxtaposition of the dark space. Furthermore, a very dark space surrounded by a very light space may act as a datum for a similar reason. Light and shadow create the illusion of highlighting one object or space from its surroundings, which can identify it as a datum. For example, in the continuous plane project, the shadows in the background act to highlight the object, defining its edges. If those shadows weren’t there, the definition of the object would be unclear.

31

Scale

Fig. 41

Fig. 42

32

Fig. 43

Fig. 44

Scale and scaling of objects, spaces, or buildings can aid in the creation of a datum because as they get bigger in relation to the objects, spaces, or buildings around them, they begin to read as being hierarchically different and higher than their neighbors (figures 42, 43, and 44) The opposite can also be true; when a very small object, building, or space is surrounded by large items, it can also act as a unifying datum because it reads as being very hierarchically different from its surroundings (figure 41).

33

Order

Fig. 45

34

Fig. 46

Fig. 47

Order an create datums through an abrupt change in either order or disorder. More specifically, if something is relatively ordered and regular and an object breaks that, it reads as being hierarchically different and higher than the rest of the objects (figure 45). Similarly, if something is unordered and misshapen and it is interrupted by something that is very ordered, that ordered object can act as a datum (figure 46). Finally, if order can be broken by empty space, and this empty space can also act as a datum (figure 47).

35

Symmetry

Fig. 48

Fig. 49

36

Fig. 50

Symmetry, either horizontal or vertical, can aid in discovery of a datum by differentiating between symmetry and a lack of symmetry. More specifically, when an object or space breaks symmetry, it acts as a datum. For example, in the elevation of the south facade of Villa Muller by Adolf Loos, the lack of a window on the left side acts as a datum itself. The empty space where a window would be (and is not) acts as a datum because it breaks the symmetry of the facade. Similarly, the north facade of Villa Muller contains windows that also break symmetry. The bottom portion of the house is fully symmetric, but the top portion is not. Thus, those windows act as a datum.

37

Grid

Fig. 51

38

Fig. 52

Fig. 53

Grids represent order, continuity, and uniformity. However, a break in a grid can form a datum because it disrupts this order and reads as hierarchically higher and different from a grid. This breaking of a grid is represented in figures 51, 52, and 53, where circles and organic objects juxtapose the uniformity of the grid and form datums because of that.

39

Geometry

Fig. 54

Fig. 55 San Francisco Museum of Modern Art | Mario Botta

40

Fig. 56

Geometry and a change in geometry can lead to the creation of a datum when order is broken. For example, in figure 54, the cubic geometry is contrasted by its neighbor with feathery and organic geometry, which reads as higher in hierarchy than the cube. Similarly, in figures 55 and 56, the regular, ordered, and cubic geometries are broken by organic or non-cubic shapes, which leads those forms to read higher in hierarchy and as a datum.

41

Tropes

Fig. 57

42

Fig. 58 The Big Chicken | Hubert Puckett

Fig. 59 Big Monster Toys

Tropes such as hyperbole, metaphor, and irony can create a datum because when seen with their surrounding environment the are out-of-context and read as being higher in hierarchy.

For example, Hubert Puckett’s Kentucky Fried Chicken building called “The Big Chicken” is shaped as a chicken and is vastly different from its suburban surroundings. Features of a building can also act as a datum if they are ironic or hyperbolic. In figure 59, the door to the building is very large in contrast to the rest of the building, so it acts as a datum. In figure 57, the dwarfs holding up the roof of the modified Pantheon are ironic within the context of the building, so they read as being datums.

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