First and foremost architecture is the creation of a habitat for human living. It is the making of an environment to live and work in. Architect, Le Corbusier best describes remarkable spaces that he has experienced as ‘ineffable space’. He mentions that he is not a religious man, yet when entering certain spaces, a sense of spirituality is imbued in him. Architects are trained to think about space and how the notion of space can define one’s meaning of place. Architecture of today has lost its footing. It is not that traditional architecture of the past should be idealised, but we have become accustomed to interactive art-architecture. The ‘ineffable space’ that Le Corbusier speaks of has been lost and has been replaced by skin architecture. Advancements in technology have led to great achievements; the adaption of architecture into the digital age has been very sluggish.

What is important is that architecture has reached a new level of maturity, although we are still in the baby stages of digital architecture, the face of architecture has been changing drastically in the last few decades. Experimentation with interactive façade’s and flashing lights are only the precursor of what is yet to come. We have not yet been able to use these technologies to their full extent.

It is thus essential that the architect of today should attempt to move away from architecture as a visual stimulant, but rather go back to the roots of what architecture stands for - the creation of a healthy living environment for its users. The digital era has the responsibility to make better living conditions for its people. Future architecture will be more dynamic. Currently dynamic architecture is all the hype and is often used as concepts for new designs. Once the excitement of dynamic and interactive design has died down, we will find that true integration within design systems will be created.

The concept and drive for our design is the focus on architecture as an adaptable habitat, an architecture that fulfils the needs of its inhabitants. The design is dynamic, but that is not important. What is essential in the concept is that through a dynamic structure more functions are able to take place simultaneously. This notion of changeable function creates the ultimate approach in architecture – the creation of space that allows for multiple and adaptable changes of programme.

Research

Research covers all aspects from site to climate design. As we are following a reverse engineering protocol, more data about the site will become available as the project progresses.

Design

Design covers work from concept level to indepth detailing of the components.

References

The references for this project are widly spread. Different aspects of the intervention use different references.