Glenn Murcutts Works - Essay Example

A comparative Analysis of Two of Glen Murcutt’s Principle Works Name Tutor Institution Course Date A comparative Analysis of Two of Glen Murcutt’s Principle Works Introduction Glenn Murcutt a top architect recognized allover Australia with an outstanding class in his works (Heath, 2009). All of Murcutt’s designs were unique and depended on socio-cultural environment, physical environment, use of the architected structure (William, 2007). His design much was very portraying the characteristics of an area in terms of opportunities and threats. Murcutt’s works suggest that not only the artistic talent in him was employed but also experience of nature and how to incorporate the positive and negative effects of nature in his designs. According to William, (2007), the practical application of his designs in terms of accuracy and reproducibility is outstanding. He considered three elements in his design works that included; connectedness to people, ecology and usability; native designs; longevity and dynamism with time. Glenn Murcutt reiterated on environmental protection through minimizing material use and land use. This paper compares two of Glenn Murcutt’s works that are; the Walsh house in Kangaroo valley and the Magney house in Moruya. The Walsh house The Walsh house is located in the Kangaroo valley an altitude of 100m above sea level. The rainfall amount received in the area is 1500mm per annum (Heath, 2009). The region experiences a temperature of 160C during winter and 23oC during winter with the leeward winds from Mt. Kosciusko lowering the temperature by 5oC. The geological conditions of Kangaroo valley comprise of soils formed from sandstone that are rich in humus and clay. It is on a two hectare piece of land in a location suited for agricultural activities. Heath (2009) states that; the house has two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a car garage. The internal area space of the Walsh house is 140 square meters with a verandah area of 20 square meters. Murcutt first step was to understand the basal environmental conditions of the region where the house is to be located. A contour plan was sorted from a qualified architect who enables to determine the surface terrain, topography, ecological pattern, geological pattern and hydrological pattern. The choice is made on the area to locate the building recognizing the factor of space, aesthetic and environmental determinants such as sun’s orientation. With this information, an idea of the roof type is generated. Designs and options that can ensure enough breezes in the structure are also developed According to Heath (2009), the final structure designed by Murcutt comprises of two bedrooms (with private doors), a spacious verandah, a clear pond and an external kitchen. The doors of the structure comprise of glass designed to slide when open or closing. The cold winters are well taken care of with a fireplace located in the sitting room. The fire place separates the room to differentiate the study area, dining area and the cooking area. The hot summer times are also well considered in the design with a flue damper designed to open or close when necessary. The house design includes a water closet and a shower point to serve as washrooms. These are located one in each of the bedroom but banking against each other. A drainage system is well incorporated in the Walsh design. A well designed structure allows for efficient drainage, reinforcement trusses and natural lighting by moon and sun. The floor design is concrete and a fired clay brick erected to serve as the wall that contains a reflective foil. The walls are erected along insulators made of wood board 20mm thick. This insulation is essential in both retaining heat in winter and preventing internal heating in summer. Murcutt did not include windows in his design. Image showing the Walsh house According to Menin (2004), there are about twenty key Architectural designs that Murcutt ensures to perfect usability and comfort of the various areas in the house. For instance, the study desk has to receive enough lighting and air while reducing blowing wind. He includes wood louvers to walls the house both on the north and south sides of the house to control Australian biting insects. The fire place makes use of the scientific knowledge of heat transfer. Four thermal jackets are situated two on the sides, one at the back and another at the top of the fireplace. The design model has two chimneys one on top of the firebox and another at the floor of the firebox. The fire box has two vents that allow for adjusting in case of regulation. The Magney House The Magney house is another amazing piece of Glenn Murcutt architectural works. The house was put-up on an expansive land of 33 hectares near Moruya town on a coastal landform near a beach (Crafti Stephen, 2000). The ecological condition of the region comprise of bare land. Murcutt intentionally opted for a higher elevation that would suit the client’s preferences. Magney house design consists of a long pavilion with the rear front having steel. The roof model is unique in style and allows the interior design to make good visual art out of the roofline. Image showing the Magney’s house Environmental conditions are also well taken care of with natural light penetration optimized. The Magney house design has all rooms designed to receive reflected sun’s rays from the sea. In addition, the roof design allows for adeguate temperature regulation during hot summer and effect of cold winds. The roof has an architectural classic design of peak angles. The interior design also involves a simple art that uses archways. The creativity in arrangement and design of these archways partitions the house in a simple way. Internal division makes the ceiling roof of adjacent rooms visible thus the levels of privacy in the Magney house are reduced. The masterpiece incorporate only one window into the design that is located Comparisons of the two works Glenn Murcutt designs heavily relied on simple materials that are locally available to create a state of art comfort. Both the Magney house and the Walsh house have this in common. All the works present a sense of care towards nature in terms of energy efficiency and material use. Murcutt’s works incorporate designs that enable optimum use of the natural light like the sun and the moon. The two houses portray a great sense of poetry and visual art. This art was specifically adopted by Murcutt to suit the coastal environment. Both the architectural designs considered the geomorphology aspects of the specific location as well as geological and hydrological aspects. In his designs, Murcutt states the importance of topography considerations in determining gravity flow of water and other fluids. The two designs were so specific to orientation basing on latitude positioning. The information on distance from the sea, distance above the sea and latitude was so important in developing most of the internal structures of the buildings. Both the two houses have used simple materials with modern and creative technology in structural design. There are several differences between the two houses that must have been due to clients’ preferences. The site location of the two works is different with the Walsh house build on an agricultural land and the Magney hues built on a bare land. The location where the Walsh house is built is surrounded by trees while the Magney is near a water body. The architect recognizes the physical and ecological differences these two environments have and in a way it is reflected in the designs. The Walsh house has a pool that reflects sun’s light into the house this is not the case with the Magney house since there is a water body that can serve the same purpose. The Walsh house has a fireplace to heat the room during cold winter. Magney design did not include a fireplace meaning that it may not be so cold during or the client will only be present during the summer. A technique to prevent Australian biting insects has been used in the Walsh house and not in the Magney house. Such design presents the creativity and innovative sense of Murcutt to modify design depending on the ecological conditions. The contexts and material used varies where the Walsh house makes the most out of wood material and some parts made of glass and bricks. Magney on the other is built using concrete and corrugated steel and glass. Privacy in the Magney house is reduced possibly due to clients’ preference. The Architectural design in the Walsh house did not incorporate interior partitioning. Only the fireplace is used to partition the house. Magney house on the other hand use archways in the interior design to partition the house. The roof design of the two buildings also varies. It is significant that Murcutt involved more innovation in the Walsh house than the Magney house. Murcutt's Works Conformance with Architectural Principles Despite the differences in architectural designs of the two structures, there is conformance to the principles that govern architectural process. All social, environmental and economic issues are well recognized in the designs. According to Grierson and Moultrie (2011); Kim and Rigdon, (1998), the environmental consideration of designs should ensure; the principles of sustainability are met in the design; functional specifications are made of designs to meet environmental requirements; and consistency in environmental strategy in the whole design. The Murcutt’s design choice in the two structures all conform to the environmental requirements. Murcutt’s principle works heavily incorporates environmental sensitive designs, structure and material. Both the buildings’ structures have ensured energy conservation through effective use of the analysis. The Walsh house has an additional design of energy conservation in the fireplace. The life cycle of the buildings in the preconstruction, construction and post-construction phase all ensured sustainable design harmless to the environment. Murcutt ensured that his works met the human comfort and preference in relation to the environmental setting. For instance, both the houses have been designed to prevent overheating in the house during the summer. The Walsh house has additional designs to maintain internal heat during the winter. Conclusion In conclusion, it is evident that Glenn Murcutt is a famous architect in Australia and has received praise allover Australia. The Magney house and the Walsh house are two of his principle works. The two houses portray the uniqueness in the way simplicity can be incorporated in architecture to achieve comfort. Murcutt displays his great understanding of the various environmental setting that exist and how to use architectural designs to house them. The Magney house is built near a water body and the Walsh house in an agricultural farm. Energy efficiency is maintained in the designs and material use is minimized to enhance conservation. Murcutt also displays great sense of art and poetry in his works, great skill of innovation and flexibility. He is more diverse in his works to fulfill the comfort of a client within the principles of his profession. List of References Heath K, 2009, Vernacular Architecture and Regional Design, Routledge, London. William D, 2007, Sustainable Design: Ecology, Architecture, and Planning, John Wiley & Sons, New York Menin S, 2004, Constructing Place: Mind and the Matter of Place-Making, Routledge, London. Crafti S, 2000, Beach House of Australia and New Zealand, Images publishing, New York. Grierson D & Moultrie, 2011, Architectural Design Principles and Processes for Sustainability: Towards a Typology of Sustainable Building Design. Retrieved on October 21, 2015 from Kim J & Rigdon B, 1998, Sustainable Architecture Module: Introduction to Sustainable Design. Retrieved on October 21, 2015 from Read More