Here we present an selected overview of the history of user participation and spatial adaptation in architectural design since Modernism.
We begin with an icon of post-war utopian European architecture, Yona Friedman.
This talk seeks to situate the work of Julien Beller
in the context of the history of
adaptive architecture and participatory design.
Here we present an selected overview
of the history of user participation and spatial adaptation
in architectural design since Modernism.
We begin with an icon
of post-war utopian European architecture,
Yona Friedman.
Yona Friedman is an Hungarian-born French architect who was among the first
to formulate and champion the idea that the inhabitant should be the sole conceptor of his own living premises.
Born in Hungary in 1923, Yona Friedman received his architectural training in Budapest and Haifa. In the late 1950s, he moved to Paris, where he has lived ever since.
Yona Friedman
is an Hungarian-born French architect
who was among the first
to formulate and champion
the idea that
**the inhabitant should be the sole conceptor
of his own living premises**.
Born in Hungary in 1923,
Yona Friedman received his architectural training
in Budapest and Haifa.
In the late 1950s, he moved to Paris,
where he has lived ever since.
From the beginning of his career, Friedman was interested in the problem of public housing, and explored ways to build accommodations that could be adjusted with relative ease to the diverse needs of consecutive inhabitants.
Such concerns led him to seek contact with the members of the Congres Internationaux d'Architecture Moderne (CIAM).
From the beginning of his career,
Friedman was interested
in the problem of public housing,
and explored ways to build accommodations
that could be adjusted with relative ease
to the diverse needs
of consecutive inhabitants.
Such concerns led him to seek contact
with the members of the
Congres Internationaux d'Architecture Moderne
(CIAM).
He participated in the CIAM10 conference in Dubrovnik in 1956, which focused on the problem of housing.
He participated in the CIAM10 conference
in Dubrovnik in 1956,
which focused on the problem of housing.
CIAM was the
"International Congresses of Modern Architecture"
an organization founded in 1928,
responsible for a series of events arranged across Europe
by the most prominent architects of the time,
with the objective
of spreading the principles
of the Modern Movement
At this conference,
participants tried to revive interest
in the subject of human relations
in the context of functionalist architecture.
functionalist design movement
emerged as part of the wave of Modernism.
the operation of a city, like a machine,
could be effectively planned in advance
At this conference, for the first time, Friedman presented his plan for a "mobile architecture".
Friedman soon realized that his thinking was out of step with that of CIAM's leaders and with the dominant ideas in modern city planning
At this conference, for the first time,
Friedman presented his plan
for a *"mobile architecture"*,
which I'll explain in a moment.
For now, it will suffice to say that
the concept failed to resonate within CIAM.
Friedman soon realized
that his thinking was out of step
with that of CIAM's leaders
and with the dominant ideas in modern city planning
In 1957,
he therefore founded a group of his own,
called Groupe d'Etudes d'Architecture Mobile
(GEAM).
His 1958 Manifesto "de l'Architecture Mobile" solidified Friedman's proposal
for mobile architecture as well as its urban extension, which he called the "Ville Spatiale" (spatial city).
His 1958 Manifesto
"de l'Architecture Mobile"
solidified Friedman's proposal
for mobile architecture
as well as its urban extension,
which he called the "Ville Spatiale"
(spatial city).
While he never spoke out directly
against the leaders
of twentieth-century modernism,
Friedman's primary texts
were clearly written
in reaction against the modern position,
in particular in reaction to Le Corbusier's work
on the subject,
which remained the principal architectural manifesto
of the interwar years.
So, what is "mobile architecture"?
Friedman's idea for "mobile architecture" did not involve movement through space; instead, he promoted an architecture that could be changed easily according to the needs of the client.
Friedman's idea for "mobile architecture"
did not involve movement through space;
instead, he promoted an architecture
that could be changed easily
according to the needs of the client.
1. The contemporary city is growing too fast.
2. Urban environments are too inflexible.
3. There is an unhealthy power dynamic
between architects and clients
His concerns were threefold:
* first, the unchecked growth of the contemporary city,
which fed fears that the Western world
would soon run out of space.
to address this, he proposed a new more compact city form
* second, the inflexibility of urban environments
in which houses could not easily be altered
when a family grew in size
or a building changed hands.
to address this, he proposed a "mobile architecture"
that could be reconfigured by its inhabitants
* third, the relation between architect and client,
especially the power that many architects exercised
over their clients.
to address this, he proposed that agency over the built environment
be returned to the inhabitants of the built environment
Such a vision attaches the greatest agency not in architects, but in those who use architectural objects, It suggests the need for an easily movable mobile architecture to suit the spatial needs of inhabitants.
Such a vision attaches the greatest agency
not in architects, but in those who use architectural objects,
It suggests **the need for an easily movable mobile architecture
to suit the spatial needs of inhabitants**.
Friedman directly called into question the Modernist vision that was prevalent at the time whereby the inhabitants are required to adapt to a building and not the reverse.
Friedman directly called into question
the Modernist vision that was prevalent at the time
whereby the inhabitants are required
to adapt to a building
and not the reverse
It was by this logic Friedman explained his use of irregular structures (as opposed to a grid) such as the diagrams we see here by claiming that they "are participatory by nature", and can be learned easily following a personal experimentation.
It was by this logic
Friedman explained his use of irregular structures
(as opposed to a grid)
such as the diagrams we see here
by claiming that
they "are participatory by nature",
and can be learned easily
following a personal experimentation.
[4-minute video next]
Mobile Architecture, People's Architecture Exhibition Video Museo MAXXI, 2017
Friedman's Ville Spatiale (Spatial Town), holds the core concept of his life's work, and the clearest implementation of the Mobile Architecture model.
Ville Spatiale proposed an architecture consisting of huge superstructures to be built over existing cities and in which all components of the various units (walls, ceilings, even water and power supply) could be changed easily or adjusted to accommodate new requirements.
Friedman's Ville Spatiale (Spatial Town),
holds the core concept of his life's work,
and the clearest implementation
of the Mobile Architecture model.
Ville Spatiale proposed an architecture
consisting of huge superstructures
to be built over existing cities
and in which all components
of the various units
(walls, ceilings, even water and power supply)
could be changed easily
or adjusted to accommodate new requirements
The project consists of an elevated structure which contains the main ducts and corridors, and inside which single homes are inserted following principles that ensure natural light, privacy, and accessibility.
The project consists
of an elevated structure
which contains the main ducts and corridors,
and inside which single homes are inserted
following principles that ensure
natural light, privacy, and accessibility.
Friedman states: "This technique allows for a new type of urban development, the three-dimensional city. The idea is to increase the original surface area of the city by means of raised planes"
Friedman states:
"This technique allows for
a new type of urban development,
the three-dimensional city.
The idea is to increase
the original surface area of the city
by means of raised planes"
Buildings must "touch the ground with a minimum surface area; be collapsible and movable; be transformable at will by the inhabitant."
At first glance, the ideas expressed in this proposal are not markedly different from proposals made by other modern architects at the time.
Buildings must
"touch the ground
with a minimum surface area;
be collapsible and movable;
be transformable at will by the inhabitant."
At first glance,
the ideas expressed in this proposal
are not markedly different
from proposals made by other modern architects
at the time.
Friedman, however, did not follow in the footsteps of, for example, Le Corbusier, who had proposed the destruction of Europe's old cities in order to build entire new ones in their place.
On the contrary, Friedman wished to preserve existing cities while building huge superstructures over them.
Friedman realized that, in order to achieve such a flexible architecture, generally accepted methods of design could no longer be applied.
The role of the conventional architect an advocate of good taste who often dictated how one ought to live would not be viable in a world of advanced technical solutions where walls, floors, and ceilings were being fitted into an elevated space-frame.
Friedman, however,
did not follow in the footsteps of,
for example, Le Corbusier,
who had proposed the destruction of Europe's old cities
in order to build entire new ones
in their place.
On the contrary,
Friedman wished to preserve existing cities
while building huge superstructures over them.
Friedman realized that,
in order to achieve such a flexible architecture,
generally accepted methods of design
could no longer be applied.
The role of the conventional architect
an advocate of good taste
who often dictated how one ought to live
would not be viable
in a world of advanced technical solutions
where walls, floors, and ceilings
were being fitted into an elevated space-frame.
Friedman therefore envisioned a totally new relationship between designer and client.
The actual architects are the inhabitants and users of this work
The architect's agency is reduced to developing the infrastructure for a ville spatiale and creating a repertoire of building elements from which a client could choose.
It would be up to the client for lack of a better word, as the conventional architect-client relationship would no longer exist to select from this collection of forms, plans, and details after having been informed of the consequences of each decision, so that errors could be avoided before they became manifest in the building.
Finally, it would be the client's task to oversee the construction of the dwelling.
Friedman therefore envisioned
a totally new relationship
between designer and client.
The actual architects
are the inhabitants and users
of this work
The architect's agency
is reduced to developing the infrastructure
for a ville spatiale
and creating a repertoire
of building elements from which
a client could choose.
It would be up to the client
for lack of a better word,
as the conventional architect-client relationship
would no longer exist
to select from this collection
of forms, plans, and details
after having been informed
of the consequences of each decision,
so that errors could be avoided
before they became manifest
in the building.
Finally, it would be the client's task
to oversee the construction of the dwelling.
1. The contemporary city is growing too fast,
therefore a new more compact form is required.
2. Urban environments are too inflexible.
therefore more flexible forms of architecture are required.
between architects and clients,
3. There is an unhealthy power dynamic
therefore a agency over the built environment
must be returned to its citizens.
Returning to Friedman's three concerns, we find a range of proposed solutions.
Friedman's ideas influenced a range of avant-garde groups that followed, such as the Metabolist Movement in Japan, the Archigram group in the UK, and many more.
Returning to Friedman's three concerns,
we find a range of proposed solutions.
let's look at how some of these worked out...
Friedman's ideas influenced
a range of avant-garde groups that followed,
such as the Metabolist Movement in Japan,
the Archigram group in the UK,
and many more.
Metabolism was a post-war Japanese architectural movement that fused ideas about architectural megastructures with those of organic biological growth. It was an effort to reexamine the relationship between humans and the built environment.
Metabolism
was a post-war Japanese architectural movement
that fused ideas about architectural megastructures
with those of organic biological growth.
Metabolism was an effort
to reexamine the relationship
between humans and the built environment.
City in the Air by Arata Isozaki
Among its many tenets, the movement sought to emphasize the concept of biological growth in architecture, that the city and its structures are living organisms developing together.
Among its many tenets,
the movement sought to emphasize
the concept of biological growth
in architecture,
that the city and its structures
are living organisms developing together.
The group's manifesto "Metabolism: The Proposals for New Urbanism" was influenced by a wide variety of sources including Marxist theories and biological processes.
Most of the work of the group remained theoretical.
The group's manifesto
"Metabolism: The Proposals for New Urbanism"
was influenced by a wide variety of sources
including Marxist theories and biological processes.
The opening passage of the Metabolist Manifesto
recalls our matrix of scales and issues:
"Metabolism is the name of the group,
in which each member
proposes further designs
of our coming world
through his concrete designs
and illustrations.
We regard human society as a vital process
a continuous development
from atom to nebula"
Most of the work of the group remained theoretical.
Habitat Capsule, Takara Group Pavilion Kisho Kurokawa, 1970
Only a limited number of small buildings were constructed that employed the principles of Metabolism, The greatest concentration of which may be found at the 1970 World Exposition in Osaka.
Only a limited number of small buildings
were constructed
that employed the principles of Metabolism,
The greatest concentration of which
may be found at the 1970 World Exposition
in Osaka.
Other built works include
Tange's Yamanashi Press and Broadcaster Centre
and Kurokawa's Nakagin Capsule Tower.
The capsule tower was the world's first example of "capsule" architecture built for permanent and practical use. The building is composed of two interconnected concrete towers, which house 140 self-contained prefabricated capsules.
The capsule tower
was the world's first example
of "capsule" architecture
built for permanent and practical use.
The building is composed
of two interconnected concrete towers,
which house 140 self-contained prefabricated capsules.
Each capsule functions as a small living or office space, and measures 8.2 ft by 13.1 ft with a small circular window at one end.
Each capsule functions as a small living or office space,
and measures 8.2 ft by 13.1 ft
with a small circular window at one end.
Nakagin Capsule Tower, 1970 Kisho Kurokawa
Each capsule is connected to one of the two main shafts only by four high-tension bolts and is designed to be replaceable.
Each capsule is connected
to one of the two main shafts
only by four high-tension bolts
and is designed to be replaceable.
Despite its potential for easy refurbishment and adaptability, the Nakagin Capsule Tower has not exactly fulfilled the hoped-for mission of its designers. A team of documentary filmmakers recently attempted to stay in the tower, only to find the majority of its units without plumbing or much in the way of livable amenities.
Despite its potential
for easy refurbishment and adaptability,
the Nakagin Capsule Tower
has not exactly fulfilled
the hoped-for mission of its designers.
A team of documentary filmmakers
recently attempted to stay in the tower,
only to find the majority of its units
without plumbing
or much in the way of livable amenities.
