ARCHITECTUREIS... Hardlyaperiodinarchitectonicevolutionwaschangingsofastthantherecentyears.There wereremarkableeventssuchasmanylecturesseriesinsideandoutsidetheinstitute, interestingexhibitionsandmostofallawholeprogramonhowtolinktheconceptual thinkingwithinatypology,howtointegrateresearchinrequestedprograms,howtodeal withthemetropolitansituation,howtobeconcernedwithsituationsoutsideourown environment. Firstofall,themainconcerninoureducationalthoughtsisaboutresponsibilityofthegiven worldandthetransmissiontowardsnewgenerations.withmorethan6billionpeopleusing thisglobeweallreceivethewholelandscapeforwhichweneedtotakecare.soourtaskis clearatthatpoint.theamericanartistdonaldjuddoncequotedthatonecanonlybuildon placeswhereonehasbuildbefore.althoughthisquotecan tbetracedalltheway,wehave tolookatsomeurbandevelopmentslikei.e.inchina,butasanarchitect,weallneedto remainasacriticintothisaspectofuseofland.so:isitanormalfactthatgreenspaces and/orblancolandscapestructuresareusedtoputarchitecturewhenthereisnoneedfor? Whatareweleavingtothenextgeneration?What stheideaofconsciousnessinto architecture?whattodowiththeupcominggrowthofpopulationinthisneighbourhood? Arewepreparedinhavingnewtypologies,otherurbanneedsandprograms?Andmostof all:whatwillbetheexpressionandcontentofarchitecture? Foraneducationthatisknownasbeingconcernedandinfluencedoutofmodernism,itis quiteremarkablethatthebuilding,whichwasmostlymentionedasthemostimportantin history,wastheromepantheon. Neverthelesstherearesomethemestostipulate. Whatdoyoustudywhenyouare studyingarchitecture?,wasthetitleofthe1997exhibitionbyandreadeplazesinthe ArchitekturmuseuminBaselwhereprojectsoftheETH studentswereshown.soinasimilar way,themasterprograminarchitecturewasbasedonspecificquestionsresultingin reflectionsonarchitecturebystudentsdiscussedduringthisyear sprogramofwhichweare presentingheresomeofthemostimportantquotes. Point1_ Abouttheclassicalversusmodernity Inmanycontemporaryarchitectureoneworkedwithorarchetypes.Thesetypesgivethe buildingtheauthenticcharacterwithacontemporaryeffect.thebuildinggetsanauthentic flavourandacontemporarytwist.ithinkwestillneedtosearchforaclearformlanguage basedonthesearchetypes.thereisalwayssomethingapparentinthesebuildingsandthis makesthemclosertohumanbeings.inthiswaywestressabridgebetweentheclassicaland thecontemporaryparadox. (DieterEysermans) Whereforsomethemoderntimesstartedwiththe'Enlightenment',forothersthe19th centurywiththeeraofdiscoveriesisthemainperiodforrenewalandstillothersseethe 20thcenturyastheperiodof modern'(withmodernismasoneofthemostultimate expressions) whiletodaywestillretainthatsenseandappreciationfortheclassic whatis nowtheopinionandattitudeaboutthatduality(orparadox)incontemporaryarchitecture conceptsandexpressions? Point2_ Aboutthetraditionalandthenew Thelossofidentityandalienationthatglobalizationanddigitalizationentails adystopian visionthatingenericcityveryefficientlyisoutlined ismeanwhilehardtoignore.bya continuouscometogetherandmixingofvariouscultures,usesandmultinationals,webegin toapproachoururbanenvironmentsas'universal',interchangeableplaces.citiesareplaces
wherethelocaltraditionandtheanaloguehaslittletosearch,andisreplacedbyefficiency, formalityandlight footedspectacle.becauseeachcitystartstogetagenericandsimilar composition,dynamicsandfunction,itseemslogicalwiththe'oneshoefitsall'principle also,intermsofourinfrastructureandarchitecture,totracetheroadtothegeneric. (ThibaultTrouvé) Herebuildingarchitectureseemsstillmainlyacquiredconnectedwithartisanalmethodsand techniques.inthatsense,theeuropeanarchitectureispreviouslyananalogybasedon historyandregainofshapesandspaces.ontheotherhandthereisthe'newworld'andthe digitalasdevelopedintheu.s.a.however,sofarwedoseepurelyformalapproachesof thisdigitalizationindrawingandmodelbecause'building'itself craftmanship evoluating slowerthanthedevelopmentsinarchitecture.whatdoesnowanalogyineuropemean? Point3_ Aboutthecontextualandtheabstract Canarchitecturesomewhatgetexpressedwithoutanykindofcontext?Whatmeans actuallythenon contextual?forexample,arescienceswihoutcontext?iscontextlessness thanasynonymfortheuniversal?istherethennouniversalarchitecture?whatare structuressuchasyonafriedmandescribesinhis VilleSpatiale orwhatdoesthe InternationalStylefromthebookofHitchcockandJohnsonmean?Architecturehastodo withsomekeymeanings,suchasconceptorcontent;thecontextisalsopartofit.the relationshipbetweentheseconceptsthemselvesareverydecisive. (BarringtonLambert) Mostly,theconceptof'context'isexplainedinthesenseofthephysicalenvironmentofthe project.thisgoesfromthe'asfound'toa'contrasting'dialogue.andyetthereisalarge degreeofabstractioninrecentarchitectures.withoutthedevelopmentofsteeland concrete,therewouldneverhavebeenengineeringand/orplasticityinarchitecture. Canwespeakof'situations'whereintheprojectisdeterminedinadditiontothephysicalor alsootherinfluencescanbepresentandthencouldbecomeimportant? Point4_ Abouttheusualversustheexception Amonumentisapart(orremnant)ofculturewith(general)valueofinterest.Livingisa manifestofsocio culturalinterestandstatementoftheindividual.liveisasocially monument,amonumenttoourlives,tous. However,apartofourbeingresides,orbetter'houses' thecommonthought inthe classicmonuments.inthegreektemplesoncedwelttheideasofthegreekpantheon. "Whatdistinguishesashedofatempleisthemythopoeticpowerofthetemple:a forcethatexceedsthelimitsoftheaccidentalrealityandtheconstructionandshelter tothedomainoftheuselessnessofelevatesthemonument." [DemetriPorphyrios,Classicismisnostyle,1981] Thequotespeaksaboutfutility,accordingtomeuseless,becauseitdoesn tservethe individualbutthecollective,whatisacollectionoflike mindedideas.themythopoeticis thefeelingthatsuchabuildingradiates.todaythereisthefeelingoftransparencyand asceticism.transparencybringsindividualstogetheronacollectivelevel,theasceticism achievesintrospectionwhichemphasizestheindividual. (NickMols) JusttorefertoarulingofAldoRossi:about95%ofthetotalbuildingsintheWesternworld consistoutoftheordinary,notstriking,theabsentwhileonly5%ofthebuildingsbelongsto themonuments.andyetbothbelongtothecollectivememory.towhichterritorybelong nowthecontemporaryarchitecturesofthe'goodliving'orwhattheopinionabouthousing asasocialmoment?
Point5_ Aboutarchitectureandbuildingwell Architecture,abuilding,isalwaysrelatedtoconstructingandtothetimewhereinandthe backgroundagainstabuildingemerges...abuildingthatemergesoutofcombinationsof wellbalancedfunctionalchoicesandaprofoundtheoreticallayerhasthepotencytoelevate itselfabovethedimensionofthepurefunctional.thiswayitwilltakepartofthecultural scaleandasabuildingitsimpactcanbebigger;itcanbecomeameaningbearerofacertain vision. (FienBatens) Whatdoes buildingwell mean:doesitseemopportunethatbuildingshaveatheoretical layer(asecondreading)orcanagoodbuildingbewelloutofpurelyfunctionalsolutions, applicationsand/orother? Point6_ Aboutthedualityoftoconceptualizeandtomake AsLevi Straussmentioned: Architectureisscienceduconcret.Architectureisasystemof knowledgethatmanipulatesphysicalobjects.ifthereisnotbuilt,thereisalsono architecture.ontheotherhanditisalsotrue,onecannotbuildwithoutarchitecture. (Tom VanReybroeck) Whatistobeconsideredasthemostimportantinthe'architecturalproject':toinvent/think ofaconcept/projectortocreate.ordoesaconceptalsobelongtotheworldofmaking? Point7_ Aboutarchitectureversusengineering CampoBaezaspeaksaboutthebonesofarchitecture,SverreFehnaboutstructuralpoetics. Structureistheimprintofeachbuilding,butnotnecessarilytheprimordialfacetofaspatial concept.theambiguitybetweenengineer,architectandartistthatarisesinthenowadays climatedealswithanewattitudeindesigningandframesin betweenthephenomenonof interdisciplinaryteamsandtemporarycollaborations,globalornational...architectureisa pluralgiven,atthesametimeasumoffactorsandonesymbioticindivisiblewhole. (Michiel Duré) Thearchitecturalhistoryshowsusnumerousexamplesofingeniousconstructionstructures thatpreviouslywerelistedintheworldofthearchitectural.todaythereisaselectgroupof engineerswhoarecommittedwithingeniousarchitecturalsolutions.whatisyouropinion aboutthestoryofthearchitectandtheengineerinthiscontemporaryphenomenon? Point8_ Aboutbuildingorarchitecture Architectureismorethanaboutthepurefunctional.Architectureisanexpressionofplace andzeitgeist.architecturesurvivesthechangingoffunction,withoutlosingitssignificance. Architecturalbuildingsaretobereadbytheusersandtheywillgiveitameaning.When architectureinfluencesthebehavingofpeople,thenthebuildingbecomessubject. (AntoinetteMas) Architectureisalsobesidestotheownobjectsubjectineachproject.Fromwhatpointor levelarchitectureismentionedinaproject?isthereadifferentiationbetweenbuilding, engineering,construction,artarchitecture? Point9_ Architectureasaprofession Architectureisaprofessionthathardlycanbelearned...Formebeinganarchitecthastodo withwhatarchitecturefinallymeans:themakingoftheworld.soastudentinarchitecture needstolearnfirsthowtheworldfunctions,howpeoplethink,feelandmove.whathistory
hastodowithaplace,howastonereactsontheweather,howpoliticsdealswith architectureandevenmore...solearningarchitecturestartswithopeningeyesandears. (ThomasDewaele) Isarchitectureaprofessionthatcanbelearned? Point10_ On Flemishness Iamconvincedthatforthebiggestpartknowledgeinarchitecturecomesoutof experiencesinpractice.oneofthemostimportantitemsinarchitectureisempathy... Flemish architectureismarkedbyapronouncedmodesty.contemporaryarchitecturein Flandersissearchingforsolidity,mostlyitwillfitintheexistinglandscapeanddoesn t screamforattention. (ThomasJoos) Istheresomekindof Flemishness tobetracedinthearchitecture/buildingsrealizedin Flanders? Point11_ OnconditionsandthemakingoftheGestalt Architectureshouldbemorethanarchitecture.Formethereisacleardifferencebetween ressources,conditions...andthefinalgoal.goodarchitectureispartlytactileandpartly beyondthereal.materialityandtheimaginaryasasurplus.akindofextradimensionis added. (SybilKennes) Aprojectnowadaysismoretheneverdealingwithaquantityofboundaryconditionsofall kinds:geographic,soilable,social,technical,accessibility,ethical,aesthetic,financial,social, functional...ontheotherhand,architecturestandsasanautonomousgivenwithitsown reality,patterns,fundamentsandstaturecontent.whereisthemain'zone'andwhichyou assessarchitecture? Point12_ Onlanguageandattitude Asamatterofcoursetheknown,whatisbuiltandapplied,isalwaysabasis,afundamentin thedevelopmentofsomethingnew.forme,onthecontrary, effect isthusthesameas innovation.ifonlytheeffectshouldbeimportant,thearchitecturalhistorywoulddissolve stepbystep. (OliviaVanDamme) Neverinthearchitecturalhistorytherewasaheavyamountofsimultaneous'architecture languagesavailable:thesegonowoftechnicallytotechnologicallytocontext/materiality linked,fromclassicaltouniversal,etc.certainexpressionscanbemadeascladding,other havemorearelationshiptoan'attitude'ofawayofreflectingandthinking.ontheother hand,thereisthegreatstrugglebetweentheknownandtherebyacceptedagainstthe unprecedentedandthe'effect. Point13_ Onstructureandhierarchicorder Aboveallarchitectureisreality,susceptible,matter.Conceptualthinkingisimportant,but thereality,building,mustberemembered.thereforeaclearstructuralconceptisan importantstadiuminthedesignprocessandthusabsolutelyastepofthefirstorder. (VincentCaluwé) Isthestructuralconceptoffirstorsecondorderinanarchitecturalissue? Point14_ Aboutthemostimportantnowadaysthemesinarchitecture
Contextisthestartingpointofarchitecture.Itis(almost)alwayspresent.Architectureis definedbythewayanarchitectisreadingthecontext ThismomentIammostlyinterested inthethemeof atmosphere.notinthesenseofdesigningatmospherebutinthewayit influencestheexperiencingofaspace,alwayschanging. (RafGeysen) Thisbringsustothebeginningofourdeclarationbutnowwequestion: Whatdowehave toteachwhenweareteachingarchitecture? It saboutthetransmissionofknowledge. Studentsneedtostudyonarchitecture,teachersneedtoteachonwhatarchitectural thoughtsandconceptscanbe.it snotonlyaboutlength,width,height,butalsoabout depth.doesamasterprojecthandleaboutthebiggestvolumetricorisitaboutthedepthof architecturalthemes,aboutunderstandingthereasons,creatingmeaningfulspaces,turning astudyprocessintoanattitudesosomebodycanevaluateintotherealityofarchitecture, andmakingarchitecturefittingintheworld?isn titthetaskofateachertostudytogether withhisstudents?isn titthetaskofstudentstoreactagainsttheirteachers?canwestill deliverstudentswhoarewellskilledinto3ddrawings,intomodelling,withouttakingany timeforconcept,contentandcontext,butthuscouldn tgetintotectonics,lightandspace, gravity,awareness,consciousness? So,toallthestudents:thanksforyourreflections.Butaseverybodycanunderstand:wedo needtotakenoteandjointheseconcerns.wedon twanttobepretentiousaboutit;these wordsandsentencesarearesultoutofadiscussionthatyouallforcedustomake.weare dealingsomeequalaspects,havingthesamequestions,andweareawarethatwetoohave tosearchfindinggoodconceptsandsolutions,whichdoesresult,intotheworldofthe transmissionofspaceandbeauty,asourmaintask.andthistakestime. Buteducatingmeansalsochallenging.Forthecomingdecenniumtherewillbeaurgeand hugeneedfornewaspectssuchasintegralsustainability,alternativebuildingconcepts, socialcohesion,mobility,culture,environment,economicdevelopment,care,socialand creativeeconomyaremoreappearingincitiesrequests.therewillbeanenormousdemand fornewlivingtypologiesduetothechangingofthepopulationorigins.andmostly,there willbetheneedforresearchonlivingwellforeverybody.theyear2020isyettocome. ChristianKieckens