Tectonic Work on Troppo and Glen Murcutt - Essay Example

? Tectonic work on Troppo and Glen Murcutt Tectonic work on Troppo and Glen Murcutt Introduction Tectonic is an important means of understanding architecture as an art form and also as a way of overcoming the delusion that it is almost impossible to define the architectural aspects. According to Frampton, tectonic is the best design suited to curb present trends and to legitimize architecture as a field which requires a conceptual and a theoretical Development of its own which in modern day seems more beneficial than before, as it has been treated in the past. Tectonics was developed in response to a discussion set by Phenomenology. The idea was mainly used as a means for criticizing the modern technology. Tectonic architecture forms parables to other building constructions, and corresponds to values other than a scientific conceptual sphere. Tectonic architecture uses techniques of bearing structure to develop associations and Experiences1. Tectonics of industrial production and cultural Mass-production has led to building culture giving reputation to general standards and homogeneity to satisfy the final customer. With the computer era, the Computers have changed the means of working with building projects and architecture during the past. Troppo and Glen Murcutt are two architects whose work has been based on tectonic designs and one cannot fail to admit that they have some of the most outstanding designs from this form of architecture. Murcutt tectonic architecture Glenn Murcutt is one of the most famous people when it comes to the study of architect designs on the tectonic platform. One cannot fail to recognize the talent bestowed upon him from his designs. One of his early designs in the late 1980’s that intrigues me by its simplicity yet remains to be an explicit design is the "Ball-East away House", at Glenore, Sydney2. This was a single story house with a beam platform. The house was made entirely out of steel frame with its side walls having timber. This is considered to be one of the greatest buildings to be ever designed in its time. An ordinary individual may fail to see the beauty behind the designed, but as architecture, every inch of the house designs is superb. Glenn had tectonics design in mind when he took his time to design the house. To begin with, Glenn has always had a tradition of using lightweight materials that would allow the design to come out alive. This is because lightweight materials are easy to bend to fit the design. Glenn uses corrugated iron sheet roof top because it would be easier to form the curved roof structure. This aside he uses wood for the walls and floor because wood is light and easier to deal with as opposed to concrete, bricks or stones. Tectonics is all about merging ideas. Glenn constructs a modern design in a rural area and to ensure that the house is safe from natural forces such as water, the floor is raised and made of wood. In this design, Murcutt manages to blend in myriad details that make the final product a wonderful piece of art. This was a very nice building. Another of Glenn’s greatest tectonic designs of all times is that of the Magney house. This is one of the buildings that he explores the use of mass as an option based on the landscape. Murcutt has always used lightweight materials because they are very easy to work with and they create space even on very small lands. However, in the Magney house, he needed to create some caving and that made the use of mass necessary because they are larger. Their size gives room for play as opposed to thin materials. Glenn takes pleasure in playing with mass and light weight. In the Magney house he creates the cave by using mass for the walls and uses steel frame for the roof plane. This creates the sense of a floating roof3. In the sitting room, Glenn purposes the house for shelter and prospect by making it abstracted. He uses a parasol roof with clustered spaces taking the form of caves and a stretched plain flour. A similar design to this was that of the Laurie short house. Glenn always mixed his desire to satisfy his client’s desires and that merge his designs with nature in reference to the tectonic design framework. The Magney house was in a suburb and that explains the abstraction of the sitting room. However, since it was by the sea, he uses roof with cave like spaces to ignite the feeling of the seaside whilst in the house. Glenn has many other famous designs and all were based on tectonics. He was a master in his designs and very of his clients loved his works. He will remain a very key character in the history of architecture. He will also be a key interest in many of us who aspire to improve their designs or even revolutionize them. This is a character anyone would love to emulate. Troppo tectonic architecture Troppo designs have ever since time in memorial been a great contributing figure to the tectonic designs. They have designed many and beautiful houses among which is the St. Mary’s catholic school that needed shades, a hall and a library. The reason for the shades was the absence of large trees that had been cut from the compound. Troppo employs tectonic designs in this kind of setting to ensure that there is little interference with the originality of the natural appearance. In essence he created a tectonic design that allowed for the light to pass into the area just like the trees did and create enough room/ space in order for the children to have enough play areas just like when there were trees4. For this design Troppo uses lightweight materials for easy customizations of shape, easy installation and creation space. Troppo employs the use of light with steel frames and corrugated iron sheets for the shades and play areas. The steel pillars are thin and this gives the children more space to play in. The roofs are high up and allow the passing of light to the school yard below. For the hall and the library, the design incorporates both mass and a lightweight material. The mass is needed for the supporting the large building and the roof, while the roof is made of steel frames. This allows the concrete used for the support pillars to be thin hence space conscious. When one looks at the final buildings and the shady areas, it is impossible to not admire the amazing work of this architecture. With simplicity as the sole objective, Troppo manages to incorporate a modern feel to the design, and this is what tectonic architecture requires. All the structures in this design are in harmony with the environment yet manage to portray the power of tectonics and architecture as a field. Another amazing creation by Troppo is the design of the Lavarack barracks. The reason for the design of the barracks was to emulate the change in military culture and warfare techniques. This is a design that tests the ability of tectonics to reasonable heights. How does one manage to blend cultures and technique together? Well this is why tectonics designs were invented in the first place. To make architecture to be more about art since with art anything is possible. The reason for the redesign was to ensure acoustic and visual privacy, soldiers to have individual bathrooms and adequate environmental control to ascertain the comfort of soldiers, which is a key aspect of the defense accommodation. Troppo managed to promote climate control with and used some tectonic strategy to reduce resource consumption through the use of Queensland tradition of light-weight, additive construction. The design team managed all the changes through creating 3 storied buildings with balconies and walk ups. The main challenge to tectonic designs was the time frame required to complete the designing in which Troppo managed to create a practical yet amazing residents for the soldiers. The design uses light weight steel and wood to ensure that there was an efficiency in resources spent in the design. This was another area in which tectonics came to test. Lightweight materials meant that the buildings could be constructed faster and would provide the flexibility specified in the design that needed to emulate the military culture and the change in warfare tactics. Troppo made the Lavarack barracks to be a whole new place within a very limited time frame. This shows the power of tectonic designs which not only ensures great designs, but also the proper utilization of resources and easy construction process. There is no doubt that Tectonic designs are explicit works. Conclusion It is surprising that a design framework that was once created as a backup idea in relation to the machine Age, in which references two traditions were to be maintained, has managed to forge its own path to supremacy. Tectonics fall among the most used architectural technique in the modern world. There are many design cases where architectural elements are connected through geometrical continuity a number of unexpected effects also arise. Many architects will concur with the idea that we are to put design production and construction closer5. Through tectonic designs and the support of modern computing power, many architects have been able to come up with mind blowing designs. Troppo and Glen Murcutt are two architects whose work has been based on tectonic designs and one cannot fail to admit that they have some of the most outstanding designs from this form of architecture. They are just but two from a hive of many other talented individuals who believe in tectonics. With tectonics, the architecture is just but art, and with art all is possible. The mixture of mass and lightweight not only ensures outstanding and flexible designs, but better utilization of very expensive and scarce resources such as time. References Beck, Haig, and Jackie Cooper. (1999) “Framing Place.” AR Australia .. Beck, Haig, and Jackie Cooper. ( 2005)Glenn Murcutt: A Singular Architectural Practice. Mulgrave, Victoria: Images Publishing Group Drew, Philip. Leaves of Iron: Glenn Murcutt,(1985) Pioneer of an Australian Architectural Form . Sydney: Law Book Company Drew, Philip, (1994) “Aboriginal Shelter: Marika House, Yirrkala, Australia, Glenn Murcutt, Architect.” Architecture 83, no. 9: 60-63. Drew, Philip. (1999) “Between Two Worlds: Glenn Murcutt's Newest Building Reconciles European Gravitas with Australia's Frontier Spirit.” Architecture88, no. 8: 96-103. Drew, Philip. (2006) “Inspiration from Below: Australian Vernacular in Contemporary Architecture.” Architectural Theory Review 11, no. 1: 26-40. Hale, Jonathan A. (Spring 2000). “Signs of Resistance: Re-membering Technology.” Journal of Architecture5, no. 1: 91-97. Hartoonian, Gevork. (2000)Ontology of Construction: On Nihilism of Technology in Theories of Modern Architecture. Camb.; New York: Cambridge University Press. Ridgway, Sam (2009). “The Representation of Construction.” Architectural Theory Review 14, no. 3: 267-283. Schwarzer, Mitchell (September 1993). “Ontolog and Representation in Karl Botticher's Theory of Tectonics.” Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians52, no. 3: 267-280. Sola-Morales Ruabio, Ignasi. (2000) “The In-visibility ofTectonics: Gravity and the Tectonic Compacts.” Perspecta31: 22-35. Vallhonrat, Carles. (1988) “Tectonics Considered: Between the Presence and the Absence of Artifice.” Perspecta24: 122-135. van Eck, Caroline A. (June 2009) “Figuration, Tectonics and Animism in Semper’s ‘DerStil’.” Journal of Architecture14, no. 3: 325-337. Whiston, Anne.( (1993) “Towards a Unified Vision: Architecture in the Landscape.” Landscape Architecture 80, no. 8(1990): 36-41. MacArthur, Edith. “Three Houses, Glenn Murcutt.” Modulus 22: 112-119. Read More