Innovations of the Envelope
"The building envelope is possibly the oldest and most primitive architectural element. It materializes the separation of the inside and outside, natural and artificial and it demarcates private property and land ownership (one the most primitive political acts). When it becomes a façade, the envelope operates also as a representational device in addition to its crucial environmental and territorial roles."
Architecture by definition is a structure that encloses a space or spaces. Without the envelope, we don't really created defined spaces, but rather undefined areas. I agree with Zaera that the buildings' envelope is probably the most representational part of a buildings design and an architect's aesthetic. Just like the skin is the largest organ of the body, and what people see at face value, the buildings' skin is what one first sees and interacts with upon entering the space.
If we just design facades to code, we will be stuck with an array of non-creative, non-vernacular and monotonous facades. In essence we would lose the 'wow factor' of architecture and by effect lose the relevance of the practice of the architect. Without innovations, forward thinking and creativity of facades, an engineer could easily overtake the role of the architect. Architecture is much more than just following rules and designing to a standard, and it needs to be progressive to intact change, a betterment of the environment and forward thinking in technologies and sustainability. I think it is the architects duty to challenge the conventional understanding of the envelope, but not just for sheer aesthetics, there needs to be an integration of envelope with context, technology and design around the person.
Below: Francisco Giner de los Ríos Foundation Building - Madrid, Spain. Uses rebar as its' exterior envelope, allows plants to grow over facade and light to enter the building with sun shade. Cheap materiality with maximum impact and visual interest
Architecture by definition is a structure that encloses a space or spaces. Without the envelope, we don't really created defined spaces, but rather undefined areas. I agree with Zaera that the buildings' envelope is probably the most representational part of a buildings design and an architect's aesthetic. Just like the skin is the largest organ of the body, and what people see at face value, the buildings' skin is what one first sees and interacts with upon entering the space.
If we just design facades to code, we will be stuck with an array of non-creative, non-vernacular and monotonous facades. In essence we would lose the 'wow factor' of architecture and by effect lose the relevance of the practice of the architect. Without innovations, forward thinking and creativity of facades, an engineer could easily overtake the role of the architect. Architecture is much more than just following rules and designing to a standard, and it needs to be progressive to intact change, a betterment of the environment and forward thinking in technologies and sustainability. I think it is the architects duty to challenge the conventional understanding of the envelope, but not just for sheer aesthetics, there needs to be an integration of envelope with context, technology and design around the person.
Below: Francisco Giner de los Ríos Foundation Building - Madrid, Spain. Uses rebar as its' exterior envelope, allows plants to grow over facade and light to enter the building with sun shade. Cheap materiality with maximum impact and visual interest
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