Savil Building by Glen Howells Architects - Essay Example

The essay on investigates the architectural qualities of the Sevill Building with reference to eight critical themes identified in the course of study. The overarching design idea, that of environment-friendly and environment-protection interventions positions the chosen case study as a unique exemplar. SAVILL BUILDING, WINDSOR GREAT PARK BY GLENN HOWELLS ARCHITECTS Sometimes when the norm is tweaked, limits are pushed and old definitions challenged, the stage is set for a experimentation and innovation. When and if that exercise is successful the author invariably creates a sensation. The Savill Building may be one such example. In its design, its response to the site, the climate, the design requirement, it has surpassed the programme. That's what makes it unique, 'high architecture' or in plainer words an award winner! This essay investigates the architectural qualities of the Savill Building with specific reference to the following themes: Significant Beauty and Networks Context: Nature, Seen and Sensed Context: Instrumental Cities Context: Cultures of Technology Design: Approaches Design: Representation Perception: Location and Habits Perception: Orientation and Empathy 1. Networks and Significant Beauty Beauty or the aesthetic value of every building is an important feature of every structure established within certain locations. It is also closely related to the time and place of the architectural event. Thus, modernists like Philip Johnson see deconstructivism as 'warped' and the International Style as 'pure'. It is about the contrast between 'perfection and violated perfection'.1 The many trends in architecture after modernism suggest a pluralist society where too many issues are equally important. However, in the collective concern for the environment and attempts at conserving and reusing and generally trying to contain one's carbon footprint, we may have finally, the one world- religion that will generate an aesthetic that may be most persuasive of recent trends.2 And the Savill Building illustrates this beautifully both figuratively and literally. Through improving the landscape of the park, the building creates a profound experience for the visitors making them feel like they belong to the landscape itself. The dome shape of the roof creates an illusion that the entire building is one continuous structure that follows the dictates of the landforms so sensitively that it is difficult to perceive where building ends and landscape begins. It fits in with its surroundings hand-in-glove, not just in terms of building profile but also in terms of its material for construction that was judiciously selected and felled on site itself. Of all the other features of the complex, the structure of the building stands out as the chief characteristic of the complex. Being a part of the whole landscape works well for the Savill Building as it utilizes the natural beauty of the location where the structure is established. The complete building created not only for catering to its distinct functions it aims also to enhance the entire natural landscape of the site3. This capability of the structure to bring out the natural essence of the beauty that the location itself posses makes the complete conception a complimentary element to the landscape. 2. Nature Seen and Sensed The major features of the shapes and elements that make up the building actually create a more sophisticated presentation of nature. The carefully crafted design that mimics the entirety of scale and location highlights the abundance of nature creating an 'environment of seemingly untamed, ever-productive free growth'4. A curved glazed curtain wall allows the visitor to view the 'spectacular' landscape over the terrace.5 The glazing allows natural light to enter the building giving it better chances of being appropriately lit during the day right up to mid afternoon. The glazing 'frames' the scenic view of the natural landscape of the gardens for which the interiors of the building create a perfect foil. Hills and trees together create a seductive experience for the visitors that is offset by the furniture in light coloured Corian to distinguish it from structural timber6. The Savill Building's high efficiency is illustrated by the fact that the building uses natural energy as the main source of energy through most part of the day.7. The site is a former beech tree plantation that was partially destroyed some years ago. All the mature trees that remained of the plantation were retained by the architects and incorporated in the landscape and architecture scheme. The impact on existing vegetation was thus kept to a minimum. It could be said that it is also through this particular feature that the air within the building becomes easily controllable for free8. It could be observed that through sculpted roofs, modern structures gain better use of the natural resources as primary sources of energy of the entire structure9. The focus on natural beauty as the central idea of the design makes the interiors and even the external profile of the building rather significant for students or architecture and professionals in the field. 3. Instrumental Cities The Savill Building stands at the entrance to the Saville Garden and to the Royal Landscape. For a number of reasons, not least because it represents contemporary architecture and architectural concerns, this building is possibly poised to become an important landmark of the city. Buildings are as much part of the city as the city is made up of buildings. Thus, the Savill Building like the Eiffel Tower, will present itself to the world as a dream, as an important and aesthetic investigation into the making of a building that is sustainable and possibly an icon of its city.10 The merging of nature and modern technology to create iconic architecture as also better living conditions as seen at the Savill Building may be seen as a victory of sorts. Earlier, establishing structures without actually hurting the environment might have seemed impossible. However, with the Savill Building, the improvement of the procedures taken by modern architects and engineers in finding the best ways possible to harness industry and technology in the long fight towards saving the earth from total devastation has been made true and effective for fact and function alike. The design team that included some acknowledged experts in their fields was able to improve upon the process by which eco architecture created. This would doubtless be hailed as a major movement begun by the advocates of environmental protection and could serve as a model for the rest of the world11. Georg Simmel writes about life in the city being a struggle with nature where the gain that is fought for is granted by man .12 The Savill Building, demonstrates how under some special conditions, sustainable buildings may well be the gain that man can garner. Furthering, Simmel's idea the building may well be one of many such that represent the 'inner-life' of the metropolis and which spreads 'wave-like' over a 'broader national or international arena'.13 Thus in the context of the city, the subject of our case-study would be instrumental in giving the new movement or design convictions a fillip. Then again, the city as a manifestation of man's ideals and belief would in its turn be instrumental in the global context. 4. Cultures of Technology The gently undulating roof of the Savill Building, its typical 'hugging-the-site' stance and its unobstrusive or apparently 'non-high-tech' materials belie the fact that it is in truth a highly technical building. The design team responsible for its design and construction includes highly creative and experienced architects and engineers. Had it not been for the genius of these professionals and the availability of the technology to produce the complex roof system and the structure that transfers the considerable loads to the concrete foundations below, Savill Garden may not have had its iconic entrance. 5. Design: Approach "The most intense moments in architectural development are those when a new type appears".14 Rafael Moneo may have written the above for the Savill Building. Attempting to answer the question of what kind of work may be called architecture, Moneo variously states it must be characterized by uniqueness all the while belonging to a 'type'. Thus, he paves the way to more deliberate definitions of architecture as well as its design process. Architecture, he elaborates is not just defined by types but also produced by them. And the design process is the way that brings the elements of a typology into a state that characterizes the single or unique work. 15 Questioning the relevance of referring to types today, Moneo argues that an architectural object may not be seen as an isolated happening because it is located in a context that surrounds it physically in the present as well as through its history. Alvar Aalto as a practicing artist and architect saw even in the modernist expressions a close relationship between art and architecture. Indeed the Savill Building establishes this primary connection and only more emphatically, so many years after Aalto expressed this all-time truth.16 Comparing architectural development to the development of the fish from egg to maturity, Aalto believes that for ideas and concepts to crystallize and be understood in architecture more time than that required for other arts is needed.17 The design approach of the architects for the Savill Building is evident as much in the architectural form as in the high degree of technology used. Thus the Savill Building combines available technology, judicious choice of materials and a highly symbolic architectural form to address the very topical issues of energy conservation and sustainability in architecture. The sun is the main source of lighting through the glass walls, the sculpted roof and open ceiling allowing for natural air to flow and circulate, making it easier for air to circulate in the building as needed. The clever use of specific forms makes it easier for the natural sources of energy and light to penetrate the main area giving the entire building an appealing 'natural' ambience. 06. Design: Representation A building like the Savill Building will be among the most photographed. That it is also photogenic adds to its 'representational' value. As with any building but especially in the case of our case study, the 'first impression' through a representation like a photograph, video clips etc could interfere with the haptic experience of the visitor.18 Given the unique architectural and spatial (indoors and out) that this building offers the visitor, the actual experience would doubtless be rich and rewarding. However, the danger lies in the photographs not possibly showing everything there is to be experienced and thus having a situation of over simplification of inherent complexity. 7. Perception: Location and Habits Located at the entrance to Savill Gardens, Windsor Great Park, part of the Royal Landscape, the setting of the Savill Building is exceptional, the Savill Gardens being one of the greatest woodland gardens in England. The Savill Building not only provides the Royal Landscape with a visitor centre 'worthy of Windsor Great Park', it also provides a number of tourist and related amusement and recreational facilities; exhibitions, plant stores, gift shops, catering services and such.19 While the building brief was one for a recreational or in a certain sense 'non-serious' building-type, the architects, Glen Howells Architects surpassed the brief, giving England and the world architecture that is as beautiful as it means serious business. Savill Building is 'sustainable yet iconic' blending 'aesthetic aspirations with practical constraints' to truly enhance the landscape as it follows site topology.20 The architects by choosing to use timbers selected from the existing woodlands has proven that construction such as the timber gridshell roof of the building can be successfully executed using 'home grown timbers from carefully managed woodlands'.21 Apart from timber sourcing and management, other important architectural details and interventions were made to make the building as low on energy consumption as possible. Thus, clerestories and roof vents that open automatically keep the building ventilated. Natural light maximized to reduce artificial light, roof overhangs to reduce glare and heat gain and the high thermal insulation at the roof further help reduce the energy bill. Low-volume toilet flushes and more efficient water heating systems takes the idea of conserving our scarce resources further.22 Glen Howells Architects probably more than met their objective in wanting a 'building that intelligently used sustainable resources to inform the design and create an integrated solution to environmental control, structure and light'.23 8. Perception: Orientation and Empathy Savill Building is nature loving, environment-friendly. Today society's pre-occupation with the imminent threat to our already abused planet and subsequent efforts at environment protection is the one major factor for the emergence of buildings like the Savill. The way people deal with the issues and problems in the environment has indeed increased significantly since the time the alarm bells first went off.. Yes, society has now become aware of and concerned about the precarious position of the environmental health of our planet. Every aspect and element of our ecological systems is investigated to promote its preservation and development. This concept has generated many controversies where actions and reactions have either produced social complications or social support from the public. In the aspect of ecological husbandry, reports and studies have already established the significant impact of hunting on human society. A study conducted by McKechnie has concluded that animal hunting has indeed a significant impact of the ecological balance of the environment (2001). The leather industry has also been reported to have had an adverse impact on the environment particularly health and the ethical perception of the people towards such industry (Vackayil, 2001). In the aspect of aquatic marines, the tuna-dolphin controversy in the eastern Pacific Ocean has also raised sufficient public concern regarding its adverse effect on the balance of the marine ecology in the affected regions (Scott, 1998). To address these controversial problems in aquatic ecology, society has established different approaches and means to preserve the stability of the marine environment. An example of this approach is the study by Love and Schroeder regarding the ecological and political issue surrounding the decommissioning of offshore oil facilities. In this article, the authors have concluded that environmental concern is much more important than the economic and political value of these facilities and thus the preservation must be significantly prioritized by society and governments.() Globally environmental concern has also inspired many advocates of protection and preservation campaigns. A research journal of Ayres and Weaver exemplified and implied the dangers of continuous pollution and deterioration of the Earth's natural biosphere to every living species in the planet (1998)24. They concluded that we as residents of this earth must be fully committed to the preservation of the worlds' natural balance for this planet to be able to sustain every life form known. These articles and research journal show that man is indeed becoming much more concerned and aware of the prevalent dangers of the deterioration of nature and mother earth. Because of these, human society is now taking definite steps, the world over in their campaign for life preservation and environmental protection by using fruitfully advances in technology and scientific research.25 Conclusion The Savill Building is exemplar par excellence of architecture on at least two counts. Firstly as an architectural intervention of city level magnitude, the building can stand up to scrutiny or evaluation on all of the eight themes that inform architectural design thought today. Thus the building lends itself very well to design inquiry with respect to nature and beauty, context, design approach and finally its perception. Secondly the building makes a very successful attempt at addressing some key issues today, namely energy conservation and environment protection. Using some time-tested ideas as well as employing technological innovations, the architects are able to craft a success story through their commitment to architecture as also the welfare of the planet. The Savill Building is one among a growing number of proofs that the emerging eco architecture is here to stay. Establishing the possibility and success of harnessing relevant technological systems and modern ideas of industrialization for building an environment-friendly building is in itself a major achievement as it is an advertisement for the movement. A classic case of 'practice-what-you-preach', the Savill Building leads (pun) by example. It demonstrates in actual practice ways of designing structural buildings that more than meet requirement even as it judiciously employ natural resources found on location as it were. Indeed the building and its architects through the act of building it stand up for the fight against environmental degradation and for its protection and conservation. -------------------------------- References: Ayres, Robert U. & Weaver, Paul M (1998). Controversial Issues: Pollution, Productivity, and Biospheric Stability. Eco-restructuring: Implications for Sustainable Development. United Nations University Press, USA. Ayres, Robert U. & Weaver, Paul M (1998). Controversial Issues: Pollution, Productivity, and Biospheric Stability. Eco-restructuring: Implications for Sustainable Development. United Nations University Press, USA. B. Blesser and L. Salter Spaces Speak, Are You Listening Experiencing Aural Architecture MIT Press 2007. online [1] A. Barbara and A. Perliss Invisible Architecture: Experiencing Places Through the Sense of Smell Skira, 2006 J. Pallasmaa The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses P. Thiel People, Paths, and Purposes University of Washington Press, 1997 Read More