Critical Regionalism

    “It may find its governing inspiration in such things as the range and quality of the local light, or in the tectonic derived from a particular structural mode, or in the topography of a given site. But it is necessary, as I have already suggested, to distinguish between critical regionalism and simple-minded attempts to revive the hypothetical forms of a lost vernacular.” – Kenneth Frampton

 

My understanding of Critical Regionalism is the idea that locally sourced materials, cultural ideologies, site contexts, and building techniques are to be the main driving force behind architectural designs. Forms and ideas from the past that find their way into modern day architecture are often derived from these contextual pieces of site understanding. While it makes sense to continue a traditional way of building/designing specific to a site’s location, the reinterpretation of those key elements can lead to some exceptional designs and even long-lasting typologies.

            

            Peter Zumthor’s Therm Baths are a great example of architecture that takes the site into heavy consideration while also maintaining its own ideologies. The ephemeral experiences that Peter Zumthor was creating through the use of heavy materials, openings for light, and motion of water were all successful without taking away from the building’s relationship to the site. Like David has said before, the level of precision that an architect in Switzerland has is unmatched and would never happen in the United States.

 

            Although that is probably true, I think there is plenty of opportunity within the United States to create a unique building that is well rooted in Critical Regionalism. There is so much variety to the landscapes found in the states, allowing an architect to really narrow in and design a building that will exist in unity with the site. I enjoyed looking at the projects from Lake Flato and their techniques for using recycled materials that are synonymous to the American south in order to construct a building that is related to the site, culture, and materials of its region. Projects like this are great examples of how architects can be cleaver when incorporating culture and materiality into the design of a specific site.