This blog is used as an aid to the investigation in Architecture and Freedom?
It is a self guide in producing a thesis for this specific research.

Tuesday, 2 November 2010

017 - Self Evaluation of Rationalist Traces

What is the unit about?
To me the unit expresses a rational exposure of strictly pragmatic rules depending on what context it is aimed at, i.e rural, urban, site.. By Initiating these rules, we can then compose a series of outcomes and variations depending on the concentration.


Why the Castle study & what did we discover?
To gauge our minds into a world of rationality.. the reason for this focus was to analyse a good example of a rationalist space.  Concentrating on this certain typology would raise factors that would have needed to be discussed, i.e thickness and usage of the stone walls. 

the essence of the building started to diverge into a much residential environment, while still retaining the natural skin of the building.
The beauty about this is that, all the recessed punctures i.e. fireplaces, windows, gun holes are still expressed within the skin, composing a very atmospheric lighting experience.

During the analysis of drawing and mapping out the building, I mainly discovered on how the tower house itself has a clear rational programmatic structure to it, which related to the research that I undertook at the time. The programmatic structure had a basic form of strict vertical movement through the stairwells, which lead to different levels, i.e. freedoms of the building.  These were located opposite to each other however only communicated with one another within a primary central space, i.e. the great halls. Having these strict movements created a good defence technique. This was done by having the stairwells rotating in various directions, which confused the outsider in it’s orientation.
The rationality of composing these plaster casts was to undertake the complexity of the spaces within the tower house. To expose it’s dynamics on how, back then, they strictly planned out where each puncture of storage, fireplace and window would be positioned within each room. 

Can you then rationalise by saying that each room had a set of rules and were composed as a set of modules?

Primary space:      Great hall    Fireplace
                                     Window
                                     Door

Secondary space:    Rooms            Fireplace
                                     Window
                                     Storage


Why the nolli study?
Firstly, there is a connection between the Tower Houses and the Nolli. The connection being the analysis of internal space and the confliction between public and private spaces.
What is private and what is public? Could we then reflect back and analyse this in the Tower House to fully concrete this connection? This again connects to my individual research by analysis the programmatic innovation of the Tower House, which would fully expose its depth on how public and private spaces connect with one another.
The reason for this study is to fully concentrate on what can be associated as public and private at a greater scale. By taking a part of Edinburgh’s city block, we could undertake a full analysis on how this block operates within it’s context and then apply certain rules to define the public/private relations within each individual outlet.
By exposing this analogy, we would then have a clear understanding on defining public/private spaces within a set of rules given for that block. This would then be cast as a model to expose its complexity.
Seeing how this block has much to consider and various rules to be applied, do we then consider the notion of time?? How each internal space operates within 24 hours. Obviously the result being that the public internal spaces, i.e retails, would then compose itself as private.
By casting various models, within a course of time, would compose a set of discussions and comparisons to up-bring further complexities.


Processes….

Drawing, measuring & sketching spaces that we (the public) can access to draw an appropriate nolli & make a plaster cast.


Making assumptions about….
Accessibility (public/private)

How far can the post man go?
‘Do not enter’ &’ Keep of the grass’
Residential courtyards, small gardens, a church within a convent & large open spaces like the convent garden
Boundaries & thresholds
Time..24 hour basis.
Manifesting a set of rules applied on public/private.

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