Projective Architecture

This first diagram shows the multiplicity of issues that the architect must tackle when designing a building. Each piece has some relation with the whole and must be considered. The building cannot be designed with only one critical aspect that defines the project, but must address a layering of issues that form a more comprehensive design solution.

This second diagram, which is for the Velo Towers by Asymptote Architecture, shows some of the aspects that were taken into consideration within the tower design. Here we can see there was a discussion about the orientation, views, and green space within the building. The rotations of these volumes were a product of a number of things including views, environmental conditions and the wish to provide a visual connection between portions of the Yongsan District. These began to be visualized in the rendering of the building, which is shown below and depicts these things in a single object. The project addresses how people live and interact by trying to create discrete communities within the large building by breaking up the volumes. It also uses new materials to push the ideas of the building through technological advancements.

The Perez Art Museum in Miami, also by Herzog & De Meuron, can also be seen as projective architecture. The museum is located in a redeveloping area the building orients itself toward the park, water and city to open itself up to all aspects of the Miami area. On the interior they wanted to create a sequence that would create relationships between spaces and to the outside. These connections were important in creating a building that would foster the growth of the area as a part of the city situated on this waterfront.

The Sejong Center for Performing Arts is another building that looks at architecture as more than just an autonomous object built to provide discourse within the architectural field. The building attempts to connect to the city fabric through the design of the form. Asymptote Architecture states that they wanted to “capture the cities vitality and history” by looking at pavilions and temples in the area and drawing from their form to create a new architecture.