Facade Architecture
In my personal experience, I hate designing facades and elevations. They just don't really do anything for me and if I am being honest, not much for the building and what goes on in it other than let in light. Which in its own right is important, but I think slightly more so in the importance hierarchy is how people interact and use the building on the inside, or the spaces created at the threshold conditions of the building. The façade to me doesn't matter as much and so this has me worried with this whole idea of architecture seeming to go in a way where as architects we are more worried about how the building looks superficially than how it performs socially. I feel, and I think most people would agree in this class, that the façade is something that is more of a product of good design from the inside out. Just paying attention to the façade more so than anything else reminds me of two things, the big box stores like Walmart or Lowes that put all of the money of the building on the front of the building or way back in time when so much attention was put into the façade in order to display certain hierarchies. Which there's nothing wrong with the latter (not even going to talk about my distaste for the former) but this type of architecture just isn't super intriguing to me. All this being said, I hope that architecture doesn't revert to this style of design where we are just designing a couple feet thick front façade grafted onto a metal container.
I dig your perspective on this and you are right. Just focusing on the facade won't do us any good at all and making meaningful spaces is more important than putting a shiny piece of metal in front of the building and call it a day. Why waste so much money on the skin if it doesn't really help the building's performance at all. However, I might not disagree with you but I want to argue on the fact that a well designed facade that can improve the building both aesthetically and through user experience is worth it, otherwise it is just garbage like you said. Great post!!!
ReplyDeleteI like how you mentioned architecture of the past that focused on the facade in order to display hierarchy and certain messages. In a way, the facade is the most political part of the building because it is accessible to all. There is no denying its importance, and as much as I would like to dismiss it I do think we must pay it as much attention, if not more, as we do to the interior.
ReplyDeletebut lowes and walmart and big box stores don't put any thought or money into the exteriors - just enough to get it to mass. It's literally just painted cmu.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lindsey's point. Many more people will see the outside of a building rather than its interior. It is a wasted opportunity to ignore it. The hidden hierarchy and messages point reminded me of Louis Sullivan's tripartite design of skyscrapers with three definitive exterior patterns for the three functions of a multiple-use skyscraper.
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