Architects in Cyberspace

109 Pages·2017·17.01 MB·English

11/12(1995)
't
It ,·
, I
CONTENTS
EDITORIAL OFFICES: ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN MAGAZINE
42 LEINSTER GARDENS, LONDON W2 3AN
TEL: [phone] FAX: [phone] Battle McCarthy Multi-Source Synthesis:
Landscape Sustained by Nature• Nina Pope
EDITOR Maggie Toy
EDITORIAL TEAM: Iona Spens (Senior
'Hybrid Housing' • Neil Spiller (AI)Con •
Editor), Iona Baird, Rachel Bean,
Stephen Watt, Sara Parkin Academy Highlights• News• Books
ART EDITOR: Andrea Bettella
CHIEF DESIGNER Mario B-ettella
DESIGNERS: Toby Norman, Gregory Mills
CONSl,IL TANTS: Catherine Cooke, Terry
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN PROFILE No I 18
Farrell, Kenneth Frampton, Charles Jencks,
Nina Pope, View from Ivy
Heinrich Klotz, Leon Krier, Robert Maxwell, Cottage, site-specific art for
Demetri Porphyrios, Kenneth Powell, Colin ARCHITECTS IN CYBERSPACE lckworth House, 1995
Rowe, Derek Walker
Martin Pearce From Urb to Bit• William Mitchell
SUBSCRIPTION OFFICES
UK VCH PUBLISHERS (UK) LTD Soft Cities• Philip Tabor I am a Videocam • Karen 7/ ,.. -
8 WELLINGTON COURT, WELLINGTON STREET ~~ --
CAMBRIDGE CB1 1HZ A Franck• Celia Larner & Ian Hunter• Sheep T ~ ' ---==-
TEL (01223) 321111 FAX: (01223) 313321 I t i
Iconoclast• Sarah Chaplin • Sadie Plant• Roy
USA ANO CANADA VCH PUBLISHERS INC
303 NW 12TH AVENUE DEERFIELD BEACH, Ascott • Marcos Novak• Mark Titman• Michael fi,_~
FLORIDA 33442-1788 USA l'f ''ti' / \·, / ..
McGuire • Nick Land. Dunne+ Raby.
TEL [phone] / [phone] xKavya.
I I ,• ,...
FAX [phone] Neil Spiller• John H Frazer• Bernard Tschumi • I ; ·· ~ I
ALL OTHER COUNTRIES
Arakawa+ Madeline Gins ·• Stelarc
VCH VERLAGSGESELLSCHAFT MBH
Christopher Janney,
BOSCHSTRASSE 12, POSTFACH 101161
Harmonic Runway, Miami
69451 WEINHEIM
I nter[lational Airport, 1995
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
TEL [phone] FAX Q6201 606 184
© 1995 Academy Group Ltd All righls reserved No part ol this
publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying +r ecording
or any information storage or retrieval system without perm1ss1oni n
writing from the Publishers Neither the Editor nor the Academy Group
hold themselves responsible for the opinions expressed by writers of
articles or letters in this magazine, The Editor will give careful consid
eration to unsolicited articles, photographs and drawings; please
enclose a stamped addressed envelope tor their return (if required)
Payment tor material appearing in AO is not normally made except by
pnor arrangement All reasonable care will be taken of material in the
possession of AD and agents and printers. but they regret that they
cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage.
Architectural Design Is published six times per year (Jan/Feb; Mar/
Apr; May/Jun; Jul/Aug; Sept/Oct: and Nov/Dec),Subscript1on rates for
1994(incl p&p): Annua/subscriplionpnce 'UKonly£65 00. World OM
195, USA $135 00 for regular subscribers Student rate, UK only
£50,00, World OM 156, USA$105,00 incl postage and handling
charges individual ,ssues: £14.95/DM 39 50 (plus £2.30/DM 5 for
p&p, per issue ordered), US $24 95 (incl p&p)
For the USA and Canada, Architectural Design is distnbuled by
VCH Publishers Inc. 303 NW 12th Avenue, Deerfield Beach, FL
33442-1788; Telefax [phone] Telephone [phone] or
[phone]. Application to mail at second-class postage rates is
pending at Deerfield Beach, FL_ POSTMASTER. Send address Marcos Novak, Partition
changes to Architectural Design, 303 NW 12th Avenue, Deerfield Chamber, from 'Dancing
Beach, FL 33442-1788 Printed in ltaly,Orig1nat1on by Print Tek Lon
don All prices are subject to change without notice. [ISSN: 0003-8504] With The Virtual Dervish'

BATTLE McCARTHY
MULTI-SOURCE SYNTHESIS
Landscape Sustained by Nature
He leapt the garden wall and saw that all People have always been fascinated by the
nature was a garden. difference between wild landscapes and their
Horace Walpole, writing about William Kent, man-made/constructed counterparts. Some of
the 18th-century landscape architect. the most successful man-made landscapes,
like those of Capability Brown, were designed
In the archetypal suburb, wide empty streets as a human interpretation of a natural form
are lined by parked cars separated by barren whilst the landscapes of power (Versailles, the
and sterile strips of grass. It is a space largely White House lawn) have consistently tried to
untouched by human activity; except on subjugate and control nature. The ancient
Sunday mornings, the time for washing of cars Persian view of nature was more sophisticated:
and mowing of lawns. The weekly routine it took in both views, celebrating both the
probably serves a social purpose - allowing preciousness of the cultivated garden, and the
residents to exhibit themselves and their cars emotive beauty of wilderness.
briefly to each other - but is this enough to Underlying this confusion over aesthetics is
justify the ecological sterility of those ubiqui the lack of understanding of function in land
tous lawns? scape. Brown's landscapes were functional in a
simple way; employing sheep and cows to
L asl year the British public spent over keep the grass short and keep tree branches
£250 million on lawn mowers and other above ground, creating a classic landscape
grass-related materials and machines to characterised by rolling grass-covered hills
maintain their private gardens. Taking into dotted with broad-leaved trees of the familiar
account the additional cost of petrol and shape. But we have since forgotten the func
electricity to run the equipment, together with tional reason for the appearance of this and
the considerable industrial, commercial and many other landscape types, and as we try and
retail support required, it would appear that the replicate them without their creating function
UK is supporting a huge market based purely we have to fall back on the powerful tools of
on keeping grass at an acceptable height and chemicals , machines and energy.
colour. If we also consider the 100,000 acres of Until recently only the most obvious human
local authority parkland and the thousands of centred functions have been designed for:
miles of road verges throughout the country, fields for production of grain, parks for walking
we get a picture of a massive human folly. the dog, lawns for playing croquet. Each of .
The fuel alone required for the various grass these landscapes performs its limited human
maintenance machines in the UK could prob function in the short term, although each is
ably power a third world city whilst the many sterile and destructive in its own way. We know
hectares of neat and tidy grass represent that if we continue to alter and simplify the
ecological sterility, destabilising ecosystems natural order of the planet what's at risk is not OPPOSITE: False-colour transmis
and actiyely contributing to the destruction of the earth itself (which will simply evolve new sion electron micrograph of a cell
infected by influenza virus; courtesy
biodiversity through the application of forms of life and ecological processes), but our
of Dr Gopal Murti/Science Photo
pesticides. own social systems and ultimately our own Library; FROM ABOVE: One
This is not a new story and neither is it the species. To avoid this self-destruction we dimensional human uses of
landscape - flower clock being
most extreme example of how we mismanage must adopt more sustainable systems and for
planted in a municipal park;
our landscape in environmental terms. How this we need to understand and be able to industrial horticulture; landing
ever, it highlights one of the fundamental mimic nature. strip; OVERLEAF: Assessment of
landscape types for the Groningen
problems facing broad acceptance of an To create sustainable landscapes we need
Zuid-Oost site - existing types
ecologically sustainable way of life for all, and to develop a methodology for assessing, (left), proposed landscaped
that is public taste. In Britain especially we are planning and designing landscapes that goes types (right). Each 'mark' has
been calculated by an ecologist
weighed down by the culture of tidiness and by well beyond the counting of wildlife species or
as an assessment of ecological
the negative associations of weeds and ram the judgement of scenic value. The critical value under each category. The
pant nature. Is it conceivable that public taste currency of the future should be energy - assessment has helped guide
decisions about the relative land
will stifle sustainability in the same way that it rather than, for instance, monetary value - and
area and placing of each type in
has marginalised architecture? environmental judgements should be based on the new framework structure.
Ill
lndustrlalh lnterland
Productivity
,,
Protection I
Enchantment
Self-managing
Cumulatlvt rating
':I
Wlldllft I Wetland
Productivity (cid:127) II
Protection
I:
Enchantment
Self•managlncg
I!-'!
I
Cumulativer ating ·'
Wlldllft ArableF armland
Protection
Enchantment
Self-managing
Cumulativrea ting
Wildlife II Canal Edge
I,
Productivity ~
Protactlon
Enchantment
f
Self-managin"g'
I!-'!
Cumulativer ating -~::-
..,
Wlldllft II Riverc orridor
a
pasture
Productivity I
-
Protection II
Enchantment
"'
Self-managing
=
I
Cumulativer ating
"'
Wlldllft l1-- --- 11
iiiiiJ
Productivity
Protection
Enchantment
Self-managing"'
WIidiifie,i.: - :--:-.-.--:-.-.-.--:..-:.-._.--:_..-._-:-.:.:.--•(cid:127)::1i :..- .:-:::... aS Kherel1etnrbbeellttll
Productivit-yL ____ ...:..___:_Jl,I
111•
EnPcrho1tnatcmtl1on~ntr.~ t-;;i~~i~~~~~~~~~~~~~~i~i '
S.lf,m1neglng~. ...
~::::r::::J:::::::r::::::: iii
CumulltlVI rating
Formal gardens
& playing fields
Short rotation
coppice
Sllf,maneglng
11c===:J=l:=ii•=I~ =I===
CumulltlYI rating
Wet meadow
a
wildflower
gr1u
Protection
Enchantment
Sllf-managln"g'
I!.l!! =====:I===]r]i:i:l:i=iii:i: i===
CumulltlVI rating
Wlldllfli ------- Agroforestry
t~======~~==& h=ortlc=uttu=re ======:J
Productlvlty 2~-~•i.i,-~-~..~.
tr~~~.~,___~-;:=-~·~-~:::-;~=;•~:·~·--5--i--
Prot1ctlon
Enchantment
Sllf-m1n1glng
2
3
1 Land use on site as existing .
The run down industrial area
J
serves the canals taking freight
0 Industrial hinterland long-distance to Germany. Arable
land to the east is designated for
0 Canal strip
development.
/ 0 River strip 2 Phase one of growth to the east
\ of site; landscape structure
0 Arable developed from existing drainage
• pattern in arable land. Undevel-
Woodland oped sites used to grow short
rotation coppice as an
©• Short rotation coppice energy crop.
3, 4 Phases 2-3 of new growth .
Agroforestry/Horticulture
Coppice gives way to construe-
0 Wetlands lion. New woodland connections
are created from east to west.
() Wet meadow & wildflower grass 5 East-west connections com-
plete; new pockets of green in
~ Formal gardens the existing industrial area
VI
an assessment of energy balance and energy climax woodland or extensive wetlands and
cycles within a given environment or ecosys marshes. They are the buffers between the
tem. The ecologist Eugene P Odum worked on productive landscapes and they could suggest
this proposition as long ago as the 1960s, and a natural dominance with a hint of danger.
it forms the basis of the landscape design
principles now being developed. Enchanting landscape
Working with project architect Chris Moller We normally associate landscapes with their
and the urban design team of Groningen in the scenic and visual qualities but rarely with other
Netherlands, Battle McCarthy has been devel subjective associations that include: Mood and
oping an analysis of this nature for a large character; Sensory appeal; Cultural associa
industrial area on the south-east edge of the tion; Intellectual stimulation; Gut responses.
town, known as Zuid-Oost. Here, we have Enchanting landscape components could
assessed a range of existing and proposed provide cultural landmarks within the new
landscape types under three principal head productive and protective landscapes. They
ings: production; protection; and enchantment. could become the focus of communities within
this ecological landscape matrix.
Productive landscapes
We can measure the capacity of a landscape to Landscapes sustained by nature
do productive work and we can plan the The work at Groningen is only the first step
landscape to maximise its efficient use and towards developing a vibrant ecological
productivity . Landscape productivity could be structure plan for the area, and it is only an
considered under the following headings: early move in the analysis required to support
Oxygen production; Carbon dioxide absorption; the design of sustainable landscapes. Design
........., .
Waste treatment; Food production; Timber ers must search for the optimum 'ecological'
AiJl~MUnct
production; Wildlife diversity; Movement of equation that best suits each site, consult the Tutti undeivolopol~dn d "
l'«IMIClf)Vnlp,ICCI "
resources; Energy potential; Recreational genius of the place, and develop elegant Yndl(lltiof\3\Wo "
resource; Healthy environment; Added quality solutions predicated on the uniqueness of ..
of life; Added commercial value; and Employ place. In some instances the preference may
" ,,
ment potential. be for considerable intervention and manage
Productive landscape components can be ment, elsewhere there may be a shift towards a
considered as those that most closely repre regulated nature and in other places we may PEU'(Mt1goef urbfinh ind1 ypQwS ith ecologcial v1lue
sent forest edg-e habitat - a combination of remove our influence completely. Landscapes
open and enclosed spaces, a mixture of trees of the future will not be judged by their politi
and ground cover. These areas are suggestive cal, scenic or even monetary worth alone but
of a safe landscape, managed and used by on their inherent ecological potential and on
people. They can be planned and designed to the sustainability of the energy flows within
reinforce these qualities. each given site, district, ecosystem or biome.
Ultimately, the challenge is to find a balance
Protective landscape between simplified human ecosystems and
Landscape components can also protect their more complex, natural neighbours, and to
people and buildings. We can measure the find ways of sustaining our environment and
protective value of landscape under the follow landscape using the ecological efficiency of
ing headings: Shelter and climate moderation; nature. As our understanding of ecology
Absorbtion of pollution; Prevention of flooding; increases, the constantly changing shape of
Security; Conservation of natural and historic our landscapes will provide a litmus test for our
features; Screening of undesirable elements; developing design skill.
Providing a framework for planning and eco
nomic initiatives. The authors would like to thank Andrew Grant
Protective landscape components could and Robert Webb for their assistance with the
reflect the wilder, more natural character of preparation of this article.
OPPOSITE: The ecological and
landscape strategy for the
development of Groningen,
phased drawings; ABOVE: The
integration of nature and technol
ogy; graph showing the relative
ecological value of different
urban land types, from a study
of Leicester .
VII

......
,- ..:, NINA POPE' HYBRIDH OUSING'
, ., ,,
, .
' '
. SITE-SPECIFIC ART FOR ICKWORTH HOUSE
Pauline van Mourik Broekman
Viewing classical garden architecture tenants· houses It is surprising to learn
or pert1aps oven more so books on the tt1at these building s had any function
subJect the prevailing sensation is one whatsoever bar an aesthetic one since
of nostalgia Nostalgia not for a more they are so clearly intended to be viewed
benign or perfect age. but nostalgia of a from afar, or whilst walking past. rather
more primal kind. for some form of than from inside; they seem too tiny to
original paradise where a harmonious co live in. The sweet cottage style and
existence with nature finds itself embod adornments are unique to each. provid
ied in aesthetic balance. well considered ing the necessary variation and charac
proportion and a rhythmic reconfiguration ter: Round House, Ivy Cottage , Gate
of the natural and the artificial House. Mordaboys
Among the most confounding aspects Nina Pope has used these houses to
of viewing these serene sites is the know overturn the organisational logic of the
ledge that. frequently, what we see today grounds. constructing views from the
only marginally resembles their original cottages back to the mansion rather than
state, and. more significantly, that the the other way around. Though mainly
experience of nature found in the garden employing the Romantic style already
is, and was always a wholly artificial and historicised by its use in other gardens
cultured one Over time. garden s can (Surrealistic, Gothic and Romantic). her
come to harbour successive - and often comp uter-manipulated photographs of
conflicting - historical styles and owners · these views add a psychological dimen
personalities , preserving them securely In sion to the existing architectural relation
the thickets, rose gardens and slowly ship of the buildings By placing these
maturing trees They also catalogu e the scenes (as naturally lit transparencies on
development of human views of nature stands) along the mansion pathway
and our relationship to the environment. towards the view. she has inserte.d forget
from the ornate and rigidly structured me-not signs denoting the reciprocity of
garden s of the Italian Renaissance to the these sites, not only in terms of garden
choreographed gardens of late nineteenth architecture. but in terms of social history
century England with their deliberate and the relationships of power to which
inclusion of the 'natural' through ·wild' the buildings are a testament.
areas of abundant floral and arboreous Again inside the garden, in the Victorian
beauty 'stumpery' , she has prepared a similar
Nina Pope's site-specific contribution insertion The stumpery is perhaps the
to 'Alchemy' (an exhibition of sculpture in strongest and most telling example of
the garden of lckworth House in Suffolk) garden choreography . In a secluded
re-examines this element of choreography area. a dense sensory space was con
in tt1e structuring of the experience of the structed to subtly trigger memories and
garden lckworth's gardens contain fears through smell and the careful
numerous 'incidents ·: the kind of guided organisation of specific types of foliage;
pleasures that evoke a pastoral pleasure the stumpery as the garden's moment of
park of sorts sparsely laid out to ensure melancholy , its momenta mori. Here the
the delivery of successive. measured broken stumps of dead trees lie scattered
instances of surprise. delight. awe and about the garden floor. poison ivy strangles
fear Pope has also focused on the social those that remain and the plants conspire
metaphors which remain contained to generate a feeling of unease through
discreetly and politely. within the schema smell. colour and sheer volume. It has
of the grand garden that feeling of excess for which both
In the quasi-epic theatre that is viewed beauty and horror can be the catalyst.
from lckworth House there sits not only a provoking slight nausea in utter silence.
ma1estIc obelisk but a group of ~mall Here the insertion of computer-generated