Questioning the ‘Genius’
: The Relation between Artificial and Natural in Nowadays Design
Questioning the ‘Genius’_The Relation between Artificial and Natural in Nowadays Design _ Andrea Giannotti
– Structures in the Slope _ Bergmeister Wolf Architekten
– La Antigua Interpretation and Welcome Center _ Ventura + Llimona
– Almadenes Canyon Interpretation Center _ Ad-hoc msl
– Ktima House _ Camilo Rebelo Arquiteto
– The House on the Cliff _ GilBartolomé Architects
– Biesbosch Museum _ Studio Marco Vermeulen
– Chongqing Taoyuanju Community Center _ Vector Architects
– Katowice International Conference Center _ JEMS
– Harbin Opera House _ MAD Architects
– Zeimuls Creative Services Center _ SAALS Architecture
Dwell How
Volumes, Voids, and Terrain
Volumes, Voids, and Terrain _ Silvio Carta
– Montebar Villa _ JMA
– Observation House _ I / O Architects
– Guna House _ Pezo von Ellrichshausen
– Golf House _ Luciano Kruk Arquitectos
C3 no.378 (2016 #2/10)
Questioning the ‘Genius’
: The Relation between Artificial and Natural in Nowadays Design
Questioning the ‘Genius’_The Relation between Artificial and Natural in Nowadays Design _ Andrea Giannotti
Many ancient as well as modern cultures assign a spiritual value to the uncontaminated Nature. In ancient Roman religion the protective spirit of a place was named Genius Loci. This spiritual entity, in new forms and meanings, has arrived to us also through XX century architecture masters like Aalto and Wright, as their work researched the special relation between man’s intervention and the natural environment.
The nowadays tendency of designing integrated building-in-landscape seems to split into two directions:a building’s integration in the original landscape, or a building’s re-creation of its own landscape. In order to better analyze this subject, we must consider general concepts about mankind’s intervention on the environment. Such concepts as artificial opposed to natural, topos, topography and topology, will be examined in the present issue for a better understanding of the selected projects.
Yet, anything created by men is artificial by definition, and mankind cannot re-create Nature as it was before his intervention. Thus, a clear separation between artificial and natural approach in design -a typical human activity- results difficult. What is important in this context is the relation between human intervention and Nature. How the artificial landscape or building talks to the environment, how it stands out by contrast, or follows its lines. In both cases, we must underline how the artificial project seeks a connection with the natural environment.
C3 no.378 (2016 #2/10)
Questioning the ‘Genius’
: The Relation between Artificial and Natural in Nowadays Design
Questioning the ‘Genius’_The Relation between Artificial and Natural in Nowadays Design _ Andrea Giannotti
Many ancient as well as modern cultures assign a spiritual value to the uncontaminated Nature. In ancient Roman religion the protective spirit of a place was named Genius Loci. This spiritual entity, in new forms and meanings, has arrived to us also through XX century architecture masters like Aalto and Wright, as their work researched the special relation between man’s intervention and the natural environment.
The nowadays tendency of designing integrated building-in-landscape seems to split into two directions:a building’s integration in the original landscape, or a building’s re-creation of its own landscape. In order to better analyze this subject, we must consider general concepts about mankind’s intervention on the environment. Such concepts as artificial opposed to natural, topos, topography and topology, will be examined in the present issue for a better understanding of the selected projects.
Yet, anything created by men is artificial by definition, and mankind cannot re-create Nature as it was before his intervention. Thus, a clear separation between artificial and natural approach in design -a typical human activity- results difficult. What is important in this context is the relation between human intervention and Nature. How the artificial landscape or building talks to the environment, how it stands out by contrast, or follows its lines. In both cases, we must underline how the artificial project seeks a connection with the natural environment.
