It's what's on the inside that counts
Ultimately on the matter of interior versus facade I would land somewhere in the middle, but this week the obvious choice has been disallowed. So, here is my argument for the interior.
The exterior is what is presented as a part of the environment around the building, whether that is a dense, urban setting or set within a natural landscape. It negotiates between the world and the interior. Generally, the facade of a building is experienced by for a short amount of time by a large amount of people; it should be easily digested. When the facade receives a majority of the design effort it becomes something "iconic", disruptive, or irrelevant. This is largely in part because, as Inaki Abalos points out in Interior: The Achiles Heel of Modernity, "[exteriors] are more susceptible to fads and cultural trends".
Interiors are the appropriate moment to create something unique and special. It is here, tucked away from the public face, that an architecture can reveal itself. The interior has been purposefully entered, permission has been granted by the occupant to experience what the space has to offer.
Of course both facade and the interior are important to consider but when considering the impacts on public space and on the passerby, the interior is where architectural expression should be exercised.
Courtney! I also feel torn between the choice of exterior and interior when only one can be chosen. But I don’t like that when the majority (if not entirely, perhaps 99.9%) of the afford is dedicated to the interior. Then whatever happens to the exterior is only an afterthought in the whole process. It is as bad as (if not worse than) designing “iconic” building that is completely disconnect with the surrounding environment, constraints, culture, etc.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the branding of "Iconic" on buildings with beautiful facades. Many buildings that have equal merits, but on the interior, just get dismissed. It is almost like there is an expectation for beautiful interiors, while the façade is much more about modernity and ingenuity. The interior can and usually is just as challenging and can be just as advanced as the skin of the building.
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