Norman Fosters City Hall - Article Example

Norman Foster’s Hall 1998-2003 Introduction Architecture theories seek to offer explanations for the form/aesthetics and function/use of architectural structures.1 This article uses structural expressionism and phenomenology theories of architecture to interpret and analyse the form and function of Norman Foster’s City Hall which was constructed between 1998 and 2002.2 In this regard, structural expressionism also known as high-tech modernism refers to post-1970s architectural designs. These designs usually reflect the building’s function and are characterized by technical elements.3 Phenomenology theories of architecture explain the connection between the structure and human experiences and how the structure captures human concerns.4 This article is divided into two main parts. The first part of this article discusses and analyses architectural theories of structural expressionism and phenomenology. The second part of this article uses these theories to interpret and explain Foster’s City Hall. Theories of Architecture Architectural theory invites conceptualization of a building in ways that go beyond the building itself.5 In other words, architectural theory permits a conceptualization of architecture as more than an engineering project that seeks to serve a specific purpose and to make use of specific space. Architecture theory sees architecture as a means of communicating and as a means of conjoining ideas and action.6 For example, structuralism, a theory of architecture which emerged in the post-war era interpreted and informed architectural designs by reference to “social patterns and relations”.7 For the purpose of understanding and interpreting Foster’s City Hall, this part of the article offers an analysis and explanation of structural expressionism and phenomenological theories of architecture. Structural Expressionism Structural expressionism is also known as high-tech architecture or late modernism. Originating in the 1970s, structural expressionism incorporates components of the “high-tech industry” as well as technology and science in the design.8 Structural expressionism emerged as an expansion on modernists’ concepts supported by greater technological advances. Impacted by western industrialization which focused on humanism and rationalism, earlier high-tech architecture exhibited unique traits which featured elements such as “technical supremacy”, formalism, “confrontation with the natural and disregard for cultural traditions”.9 The conceptual traits of structural expressionism are reflected in its “ordered arrangement” while its aesthetic presentation is typically of “glass curtain walls and steel structure”.10 Structural expressionism focuses on high-tech forms and as such is a part of the ecological reform movement which looks to science and technology as remedies to the ecological risks while ensuring that the “consumerist lifestyles or worldviews” continue unabated.11As Ingersoll observes: High Tech architecture, while it appears completely alienated from the natural world, purports to supply the highest performance in sustainability. It generally operates with the apparent contradiction of proposing high entropy solutions for lowering entropy.12 High-tech or structural expressionism originates out of the ideas expressed by R. Buckminster Fuller an American engineer of the 20th century. Fuller maintained that the difficulties were not related entirely to entropy (energy availability), but rather to the excessive use of material and energy which resulted from “technological inefficiencies”.13 Thus structural expressionism is practical and responsive to human experience and human concerns.14 From an aesthetic perspective, high-tech architecture has emerged as a trendy international style relative to corporate construction since its persistent glass, pipes, mirrors and plexiglass speaks to advanced technology.15 However, aesthetic appeal is not the only explanation for high-tech architecture. Most of its appeal is associated with the use of “off-the-shelf products”, “factory pre-fabrication”, “dry and lightweight construction”, “rational efficiencies” and “precision engineering”.16 Structural expressionism brings in a new conceptualization of technology giving expression to the idea that technical aspects of life are extracted from deliberate action, or physical, social and cultural experiences. For example, the use of steel in high-tech architecture is a social, physical and cultural expression of technical experience as it originates from iron ores which was mined from its natural origins and is persistently extracted from scrap from the man-made environment.17 High tech architects believe that architecture has a duty to recognize and express the spirit of age. In this regard, the spirit of today’s age is best expressed in terms of advances in technology and environmental issues. Architecture is therefore required to use and participate in technology particularly, in transportation, communication, flight, space and technology.18 Phenomenological Theory of Architecture Phenomenology is briefly defined as a “the study of human experience”.19 The purpose of phenomenological interpretations is to “examine and clarify human situations, events, meanings, and experiences as they spontaneously occur in the course of daily life”.20 Phenomenology seeks to provide a robust definition of the live experience and it occurs and as it is remembered in “all of its first-person concreteness, urgency, and ambiguity”.21 Phenomenology originated from the philosophies of Edmund Husseri who argued that human experiences and awareness co-existed with other structural consciousness which phenomenological techniques can recognized. Subsequently, existentialists philosophers such as Martin Heidegger and Maurice Merleau-Ponty responded to Husseri arguing that human experiences occurred in a world on a daily basis. Heidegger in particular argued that human consciousness could not be segregated from the world and human experience. In this regard, phenomenology has come to be associated with the lived experiences of human beings as it occurs.22 According to Seamon, phenomenology explores and describes phenomena. Therefore: Any object, event, situation or experience that a person can see, hear, touch, taste, feel, intuit, know, understand, or live through is a legitimate topic for phenomenological investigation. There can be a phenomenology of light, of color, of architecture, of landscape, of place, of travel, of seeing...All of these things are phenomena because human beings can experience, encounter, or live through them in some way.23 Phenomenology is relevant to understanding architecture not only because it can be experienced by human beings, but also because it is symbolic or representative and has contextual meaning.24 The Essex School consisting of phenomenological architectural theorists (Dalibor Vesely, Perez-Gomez amongst others) advocated for Husseri’s philosophy of a “return to things” and Merleau-Ponty’s emphasis on perception. 25 The Essex School emphasized that phenomenology gives expression to “humanist values”.26 Vesely in particular argued that “architectural knowledge is grounded not in abstract, mechanistic principles but in representations derived from the experience of things.”27 Phenomenology in architecture is used for explaining and interpreting perceptions and impact. For contemporary architectural phenomenological theorists, architect is not purely a science. It is also an art for which personal expression reflects honest and open experiences or reflections of those experiences. Phenomenological architecture theorists also argue that architecture is a method for moving mankind away from modernity’s grip and to get them to think and feel and imagine.28 Foster’s City Hall Foster’s City Hall is 45cm with 10 floors. The floor space is 12,000 square metres. The steelwork consists of a structural frame of 2,110 tons and reinforces steel consist of 1950 tons. The core concrete is 13,100 square metres. The cladding consists of 7,300 square metres of “triple glazed low emissivity coated clear glass” with “shading devices.”29The average value of heat insulation is calculated at 0.7-0.8 w/m-k. The glass angle inclination is at 31 degrees and the glass diameter is 45m.30 The building’s shape is described by the Greater London Authority as “derived from a geometrically modified sphere” and its “hybrid form” is intentionally calculated to “minimise the surface area exposed to direct sunlight”.31As a sphere-shaped building, City Hall has about a quarter less surface space than rectangular buildings of the same size. City Hall tilts backward in a southern direction so that the “floor plates are stepped inwards from top to bottom” to provide “natural shading from the most intense direct sunlight.”32 Foster, described as one of Fuller’s “more successful followers” is said to have “established a niche in architectural culture for very costly High Tech structures with ecological pretentions”.33 Foster’s City Hall is said to be a manifestation of his niche in architectural culture and is described as a “bioclimatic structure”.34 City Hall is described as a: Glass-covered beehive, its spherical volume tilts up to shade the southern exposure, and has a central atrium with a convection shaft for natural ventilation.35 Therefore, Foster’s City Hall both captures the essence of structural expressionism in its high-tech design and the imagination envisioned by phenomenological interpretations of architect (See Figure 1). Figure 1 Foster’s City Hall36 City Hall is described as one of “London’s most modern buildings” and it is the home of the Greater London Authority inclusive of London’s mayor and the London Assembly. 37 City Hall was completed in 2002, although Foster began work on its design in 1998. By appearance alone, it is difficult to link City Hall with public service. Barker describes city Hall’s appearance as having “more” of “moon base landing” feel about it.38 Foster intended City Hall to form a new “landmark for the capital”. 39 It’s high tech façade and its juxtaposition between two old London landmarks (the Tower of London and Tower Bridge) brings together the past and history and therefore appeals to phenomenological theories of architecture in capturing the lived experiences of mankind. capitalizes City Hall is located on the Thames’ south bank. City Hall forms a part of the More London development project which is comprised of shops, offices and “a sunken amphitheatre (The Scoop) which hosts a number of “open-air” summer concerts and other “arts performances”.40 Upon entering City Hall, a long helix-shaped walkway immediately captures the attention. The walkway is 500 metres long and connects the building’s bottom to the top which is 10 stories high. The walkway engages an unobstructed view of the building’s interior and the river. At the top, there is a hall referred to as London’s Living Room which is occasionally open for public access. There is a 730 square metre spiral staircase that curves along each of the ten floors. Inside the building there is an Assembly chamber with a seating capacity of 250 spectators. Inside the building there is approximately 17,000 square metres of floor space. The office space is described as flexible since it can be divided and subdivided if the occupiers deem it necessary.41 This aspect of Foster’s City Hall is consistent with structuralism which captures “democracy” and anticipates that architectural designs should be flexible to allow occupants to make changes to the building.42 Indeed, the occupants at City Hall have made changes that the flexible design permits. According to the Greater London Authority, in 2007, solar photovoltaic panels were fitted in the building to reduce carbon emissions. In order to reduce voltage consumption, new “voltage optimisation technology was installed. The building also had “lighting improvements” made, and “movement sensors” were installed on each of the Hall’s floors.43 According to a description posted by A View of Cities: Windows can be opened for natural ventilation and the building leans back towards the south to avoid the most intense direct daytime sunlight. Cold ground water air conditions the building and there are no “chillers” (air conditioners) inside. In addition, solar panels installed on the roof to reduce electrical consumption making City Hall one of London’s “greenest buildings”. The description and dimensions of Foster’s City Hall brings it into the realm of structural expressionism/high tech architecture. The building espouses an entirely advanced technological design in its glass and steel façade and its oval design. At the same time it takes account of energy efficiency. Therefore, in manner consistent with high-tech/structural expressionism, Foster’s City Hall panders to the realities of modern life in terms of efficient technologies. Thus, as a high tech architectural structure, Foster’s City Hall captures the spirit of the ages. The design of Foster’s City Hall is such that it does not have the traditional back and front that buildings are associated with. As a geometric sphere, generated out of computer techniques in a manner consistent with high-tech architectural designs, City Hall is not meant to have traditional building fronts and backs. More importantly, City Hall’s shape and the absence of a back and front, is able to perform in a way that is energy efficient as it uses energy and minimizes the areas that are directly in the sunlight’s path. According to the Greater London Authority, City Hall consumers less than half of the energy predicted to be in accordance with “good office practices” as set forth by the Environmental officials.44The Greater London Authority goes on to explain that the: ...radical shape of the building minimises the surface area (approximately 25 per cent less than an equivalent rectangular building). It is self-shading and the high performance façade ensures excellent energy efficiency.45 The consumption of electricity is also significantly “reduced” since cold water at ground levels is used in place of air conditioning units to cool the building.46 Moreover, water is obtained from “two bore holes from the water table beneath” which is used for both cooling the building and “flushing toilets.”47 Heat is also managed efficiently by the construction of City Hall. According to the Greater London Authority: Heat generated by computers and lights is recycled. The deep-plan floors allow for the collection of heat at the building’s core, which can then be redirected to its periphery. The combination of all these energy saving systems means that there is no need for chillers in the building.48 In keeping with phenomenological theories of architecture, Foster’s City Hall also captures the human imagination in its unique and particularly odd form. It also panders to human concerns. The building is constructed of glass, and mirrors held together by steel pillars (see Figures 2 and 3). As such City Hall, symbolizes democratic institutions and the underlying importance of transparency. Figure 2 Original Architectural Design for Foster’s City Hall49 Figure 3 Original Architectural Design for Foster’s City Hall50 Transparency is further enhanced by the positioning of the Assembly chamber. The Assembly chamber looks over the north of the river and faces the Tower of London. Moreover, the Assembly chamber is shrouded in glass permitting members of the public to look on the Assembly in the administration of their duties. Although looking on does not guarantee that members of the public will actually perceive or know exactly how the assembly conducts it work, it is the symbolic gesture that is important. The glass enclosure of the Assembly and its exposure to public scrutiny symbolizes the open and transparent nature of public service. As Barker explained, Foster also designed the Reichstag in Berlin which is similarly constructed. Both the Reichstag and City Hall have a viewing gallery in which citizens are permitted to look down on the public servants/government officials as they conduct administrative duties. From the inside, there is an obvious feeling that the building is open and light. However from the outside, this open and light atmosphere is not obvious until night falls at which time the “lighting transforms the building into an aesthetic molten gold”.51 Transparency and openness is further supported by the fact that members of the public are permitted to “share the building: a flexible space on the top floor” (London’s Living Room” which can be utilized for “exhibitions or functions.”52 Foster and Partners also explain that: The public commands the rooftop, where a terrace offers unparalleled views across London. At the base is a piazza with a café, from which the riverside can be enjoyed. Lifts and gentle ramps allow universal access throughout the building.53 The phenomenological theory which emphasizes perception is therefore evident in Foster’s City Hall. The entire building in terms of its aesthetic expression and its public access flexibility is all about perceptions. There is definitely the perception that members of the public have easy access to the public service and this limb of the government. The unobstructed view of the city also can give rise to perceptions that the public servants occupying City Hall are entirely and perpetually connected to their city. The layout of the building over the city and its aesthetic connection to the city can also give rise to the perception that there is reciprocity between the city and the Assembly. While the occupants are able to remain connected to the city, the Assembly is available to and observable by members of the public. Regardless, the building’s aesthetic value is questionable as it is shaped more like a “bike helmet or a futuristic gladiator” and its “revolutionary appearance may be less about aesthetics and more about environmental sustainability”.54 Foster worked with Arup, an engineering firm, to ensure that the resulting City Hall provided a model for energy efficiency buildings.55 As demonstrated in this article, City Hall came with environmental systems designed to reduce energy use. It was specifically designed to ensure that City Hall consumed far less energy from machines than conventional air-conditioned buildings consumed. Its shape alone ensures that City Hall reduces the gains from unwanted and unnecessary generated heat. In addition, the installed insulated panels reduce unwanted heat gains as well as heat loss. The panels were “laser-cut” with data generated by the computer that was used to design City Hall with a review to achieving accurate results.56 The diagrid structure is comprised of “geodesic lattice” for supporting City Hall and is ultimately London’s largest radiator.57 The steel components are 300 mm in diameter and have hot water travelling through them for heating the “atrium space” so that “extra fittings or pipework” is “unnecessary.”58 In other words, in addition to being energy efficient, Foster’s City Hall is also durable and in keeping with high-tech architectural theories use advanced technology to maximize energy efficiency. In keeping with phenomenological theories of architecture, Foster’s City Hall also represents a symbolic expression of human experiences with environmental concerns and human perceptions of democratic values. Conclusion Architectural theories help to explain and analyse the function and form of architectural designs. Structural expressionism informs that buildings can use technological advances to reduce environmental threats and at the same time respond to consumerism. Phenomenological theories, inform that architecture reflects and responds to human experiences and human perceptions. Foster’s City Hall, a revolutionary expression of architecture incorporates elements of both structural expressionism and phenomenological theories of architecture. Structural expressionism is captured by City Hall’s energy efficient model in both its structural form and pragmatic uses. At the same time, it recognizes and responds to consumerism in its shape and design and overall aesthetic façade. In this regard, phenomenological theory of architecture is instructive. The look and feel of the building appeals to perceptions of contemporary times and modern technology. This is achieved by the minimal use of concrete and the more liberal use of glass and steel. Phenomenological theory is also relevant for understanding the energy efficient aspects of the building since it appeals to human experiences with environmental risks. Phenomenological theory of architecture also explains the transparency of the building as it responds to human perceptions of democracy. Bibliography Alihodzic, R. and Kurtovic-Folic, N. (2010). “Phenomenology of Perception and Memorizing Contemporary Architectural Forms”. Architecture and Civil Engineering, Vol. 8(4): 425-439. Architectural. (2013). “Foster and Partners: City Hall – Greater London Authority Headquarters.” http://www.arthitectural.com/foster-partners-city-hall-greater-london-authority-headquarters/ (Retrieved 15 January, 2013). A View of Cities. (2013). “City Hall, GLA Building.” http://www.aviewoncities.com/london/cityhall.htm (Retrieved 14 January, 2013). Fieldson, R. (2004). “Architecture & Environmentalism: Movements and Theory in Practice.” Forum, Vol. 6(1): 20-33. Hale, J. (2000). 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Soderqvist, L. (2011). “Structuralism in Architecture: A Definition.” Journal of Aesthetics & Culture, Vol. 3: 1-6. Read More