Critical Regionalism

The Marika Alderton House is a project by Glenn Murcutt completed for the aboriginal leader of the Marika clan. It is sited in the northern portion of Australia which has specific climatic and cultural conditions. The building is elevated and has many elements that respond to these conditions. Culturally, the house allows the occupants to observe the horizon to be able to see the changes in weather, movement of people and animals, and the playing of children.

Similarly to the Murcutt building above, this lake house located on the north shore of Lake Superior is conscientious for the environment in which it is sited. The house is elevated slightly above the ground plane to minimize the impact it has on the natural movement of the water. It uses color and glazing to capture solar gain and heat the interiors without increasing the demands on the systems. The building utilizes the context of  its surroundings to dictate the design.

 

Like the previous buildings, this work by Marlon Blackwell takes into account the regional aspects to shape the design of the building. This was designed as part of a program providing design services for families affected by Hurricane Katrina. The design raised the home above the ground to allow for protection from future storm events. Blackwell created a street level porch area that responds to local culture that still feels like part of the home structure. 

Another of Blackwell’s designs, for the St. Nicholas Church, transforms a steel-framed shop building into a sanctuary. He uses nontraditional forms to create the same ceremonial space that would be found in a church. He achieves this through the use of light and progression. The image above shows the candle-lit narthex which has a ceiling that lowers as you draw closer to the sanctuary. This compresses the occupant before he enters the space of worship.

In another use of critical regionalism, Tadao Ando’s Water Temple in Awaki Island, Japan conjures traditional principles and ideals of Buddhism in an untraditional way. The stairs descend into the temple through the pond of lotuses contrasting light and shadow. The concrete architecture blends into the nature of the location