The aim of this course is to essentially rethink the relation between architecture and environment, and more specifically the ground on which we build as a vital resource. The objective is to work with the existing terrain, soil & water regime, vegetation and ecosystem with only minor disruption by construction, instead of leveling the site as usual and thereby accelerating flooding arising from increasing precipitation, soil being exposed and eroded due to removal of protecting vegetation and ecosystems being disrupted. At the same time a newly defined relation between architecture and environment is likely to bring about different architectural typologies and settlement layouts that in part can begin to absorb issues such as individual and collective open air and greenhouse farming. Moreover, the question arises how the future of individual transport and on-site circulation will be organized. These are exciting challenges for forward looking architects that are inclined to work in an interdisciplinary manner. To introduce this is the aim of the course. The question is which vision is transported by a radically different take on architecture and environment relations, how to address vital interactions across domains and scales, and what input and which tools are needed for design. Participants will explore these questions through designs that integrate architectural, urban and landscape considerations.
In the course we will analyze a peninsular in the Oslo Fjord that features a relatively undisturbed landscape and is currently sparsely populated with single family houses. This peninsular is becoming increasingly popular for living and is a highly likely candidate for densification of housing and related programs as the population of Oslo increases. This site will serve as the test-bed for the studio to explore alternative relations between architecture and environment that respect the terrain, soil & water regime, vegetation and ecosystem (in as far as it is still intact or could be repaired), while at the same time developing exciting new ways of living with direct interface to the natural habitat and with integrated possibility for growing ones one food products as part of the architectural program. Participants will examine interesting typologies that can point toward possible solutions and that serve as food for thought for the design. The project presents a multi-scalar and multi-domain design problem. For this reason, the working scales range from the wider landscape systems to the specific layout of the settlement and eventually to the proposed specific typology. (Participants will have the option to develop the architectural scale further in a follow-up Stehgreif.) The studio will utilize ready made computational tools to pursue the design task.
Students will likely work in groups of two.
Attendants will be given the opportunity to enroll in the follow up Stehgreif to further develop their architectural design.
Literature
1.
Hensel M. & Sunguroğlu Hensel D. (2016) ‘Recuperating an approach to local specificity for Sustainable Cities and Regions - Correlating key strategies for architecture and urban design, collective space and architecture and environment integration'. 22nd Annual ISDRS - International Sustainable Development Research Society Conference, Lisbon, Portugal. 13-15 July 2016.
2.
Hensel M. (2019) ‘The Rights to Ground: Integrating Human and Non-Human Perspectives in an Inclusive Approach to Sustainability’. Sustainable Development. Special Issue: Architecture, Design and Planning towards Sustainable Development; regional approaches. DOI: 10.1002/sd.1883
Web-resources:
Grasshopper Bison
Ladybug
To attend the studio working knowledge of Rhinoceros and Grasshopper is required. In the studio we will be working especially with the Grasshopper Plug-ins Bison and Ladybug.
