Blog #3:

A Galaxy of Space

Prepared By: Amanda-Marie Thomas

The artifact is “Galaxy” by Honda Syoryu. The artifact expresses fluid order that encourages one to interact with

the piece and explore it from a variety of vantage points.

The key theme is “Space”, studying the relationship between Space Viewed through Space Created.

The architectural pavillion is called the

“Paper Tea House” and was designed by Shigeru Ban. The Space Viewed through the Space Created theme is echoed in this project.

The theoretical field is Structuralism

I selected the theoretical field of Structuralism as a means of exploring the relationship between human interaction with the artifact and

architecture. Structuralism is the study of how built structures are influenced and intertwined within the sociological dynamic of people and institution. As my immediate impression of “Galaxy” by Honda Syoryu was to interact with the object in order to understand its voids and spaces, Structuralism establishes the framework to discuss the dependency of the artifact to be interacted with. Without the presence of the unique individual to approach the artifact, its purpose becomes obsolete, emphasizing the effect that one’s presence is an integral aspect of the design; a catalyst for form and purpose.

Looking at the Iwaki Museum of Picture Books for Children

The Iwaki Museum of Picture Books for Children by Tadao Ando is located in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture in Japan. Completed in 2005, this privately owned library was built to serve three preschools in the surrounding area. In 2003, Maki Rei conceived the idea for the museum as a way to house her collection of international children’s books and act as a library for children to enjoy her 1300 books at their own leisure. Much like Ando’s other work, this museum and library combines the environmental aspects of the landscape with the mentality of the specific users in mind.

In this project, Ando joins the surrounding site with the building by visually inviting nature into the space. By careful material selection, he is able to enhance natural light and design architecture that follows the natural form of the landscape. By abandoning the idea that museums and libraries need to be center oriented and inward facing, Ando allows users to have an encompassing view across the Pacific Ocean from anywhere in the building. With the use of large glass windows, the interior space is flooded with natural light and provides a warm and welcoming environment for its users.

Based on Ando’s overall sensitivity to the context of his buildings and strive to counter the placelessness and lack of identity of Modern architecture, his work demonstrates the key aspects of critical regionalism.

Moving away from the traditional layout of libraries, Ando designs a space that is targeted towards children. Within the Iwaki Museum, children are encouraged to engage with the books on their outward facing shelves and read together on one of the many mezzanine levels.

Metaphorically relating the museum to Himitsu-Bako

The first impression of his architecture is its materiality. The large and often stark concrete walls tend to set the tone for the interior of the building. However, the exterior of the Iwaki Museum bares a great difference from its interior. Although concrete elements are continued within the museum, the space opens up into a spacious and well-lit area with no resemblance to its concrete casing. Colours are supplied by the bright patterns of the books as they face outward on recessed wood shelving, giving life to the interior of the museum. With Ando’s building materials being concrete, glass, and wood, he allows the books to be the feature of the space.

Similar to Himitsu-Bako, the exterior serves as a disguise to deceive the viewer, giving no indication of its anatomical complexities or the secrets within its undescriptive walls.

By: Bridget, M2

Green Weaving Club House
Nilakshi Roy

The building I chose to use as inspiration andguidance is Green Weaving Club House in Korea by Hyunjoon Yoo Architects.

The building was cut into four segmants- where in between each segment there is a transition into the next and within that transition one gets to look around and see the green spaces. The gap in-between ach section allows the green space to flow through allowing the weaving tectonics to be visible.

This club house was intended to look as if the land was interwoven like bamboo strips interwoven to make bamboo ware. The rooms were designed to look as if they are being inserted in between the fabric made of warp threads and fillings. The walls were covered with Pachysandra terminals and ivy to express the feeling of a lifted land. The ivy covered walls also become an environment-friendly factor that raises energy efficiency of the building

The journey through the building is a straight line: the entrance (where people leave their golf bags) to the lobby, locker, and finally spa room where privacy required. `Through the building is a straight line: entrance (where people leave their golf bags) to the lobby, locker, and finally spa room where privacy required.

Two basic terms are important if someone has the intension of weaving: Warp and Weft. Warp is a set of parallel bamboo stripes providing the foundation on which plane weaving is done. They are positioned lengthwise on the work bench or work area. Wefts are the bamboo stripes that are inserted widthwise under and over the warp in order to make a design. In the Green weaving Club House, it just so happens that the straight journey which includes the people travelling through are the Warp, and the weaving landscape acts as the Wefts.