0
The Tower:
ANN
By ELIZABETH
B.S.
in
Master
CROSS
Architecture
in Partial
Submitted
of
Fulfillment
at
America,
of
Catholic University
Architecture
of
Precedent
of a
Transformation
requirements
the
Institute
the Massachusetts
1980
for
the Degree
of
Technology
of
June 1982
@
The
Elizabeth Ann Cross
hereby
author
gives
1982
to M.I.T.
publicly copies
distribute
of
this
permission
thesis
to
reproduce
document
in
of Author
Signature
Department
of
Architecture, hay
6,
1982
Certified by__
Fernando Domeyko,
Thesis
Associate
Professor
of
Architecture
Supervisor
Accepted
by
Shun Kanda,
Departmental
Chairman
Committee
on Graduate
FOCi
Students
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE
OF TECHNOLOGY
JUN
..r~'l"
1
and
whole
or
to
in
part.
THE TOWER:
By:
TRANSFORMATION OF A PRECEDENT
ELIZABETH ANN CROSS
Submitted to the Department of Architecture on May 6, 1982 in partial
the requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture
fulfillment
of
ABSTRACT
The link between the study of what one sees around him and the use of that
That information instored information is an important part of the design process.
sundry of historical facts which are presented in the course of a formal
cludes a
In developing a working methodology, I have consistently
architectural education.
found myself recalling organization characteristics and forms which have been presented in various architectural courses, as well as those which are a part of the
daily observations made of my immediate environment.
In order to examine the actual use process of information stored, I have chosen
to study a particular form found in architecture, and based on that study, the design
The tower form has been studied, and used, along with the forms
of a group of houses.
which are commonly found in conjunction with it, (the medievel walled city, the town
square, the loggia) in the conceptualization of a scheme for a cluster of eight houBoth the historical analysis and the actual design are the means which aid in
ses.
the discussion of a particular design process--the process of transforming a precedent for use in a new design.
Fernando Domeyko
Thesis Supervisor:
Associate Professor of Architecture
Title:
2
Thanks
To my
family:
for many years of support,
understanding and love.
To Jim:
for his concern and kindness.
Thanks also to my advisor Fernando Domeyko and
D.C. for their help with this project.
to A+B+S
Group of Washington,
3
INTRODUCTION-.. . .
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ANALYSIS.
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Towers . .
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Definition .. . .
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and Relationships . . . .
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Tower
Types
Formally/Geometrically
Determined
Informally/Purpose Determined
Smaller
Tower
DESIGN . . . .
Towers.
Scaled Relationships . . . .
Related
Towers
Towers . . . .
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Forms . . .
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Residences . . . .
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Site Analysis . . . .
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Design Themes . .
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Theme
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Fortress . . . .
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Public Square.. .
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Support
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Spaces
The Tower
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a Whole
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Material Use.
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Entrance .. . . . .
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Outward Form . . . .
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HOUSE DESIGN DRAWINGS
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5
design techniques.
Although their first
inclination
that of rejection of old to
was
a "Modern"
architecture,
create
architects
been recently looking back in order
to
is valuable from the work
extract what
Introduction
have
of the past.
This
"Post Modern" trend
may be more intellectually founded, but
The
study of
past accomplishments
it does not entirely differ from the
has been an aid to every designer who
"Neo-"
has spent the time necessary in order
can be incorporated in present design
to understand the implications
ceding work.
Students
of pre-
have analyzed
but have become more and more,
confused about its
to
was
possible applications
contemporary design.
the most ancient
often unrelated sources,
designers
were given the responsibility to retain
the beauty, balance and
proportion of
the master works within the context
completely transformed building and
It
applicable to
is the objective
to ex-
of
todays building needs
along with those
factors which are their
support.
architecture
freed from the rigid rules, which
were formulated from
and
As
solutions.
tract only those principles and forms
the history and theory of architecture
for years,
architectural qualities which
One design method often facilitated
by
architects
precedent.
is the
cific
Each
other
a specific
The precedent may be a build-
ing type which has
the current
use of
some relationship to
problem or it may be a spe-
architectural component or form.
type incorporates qualities of the
since a building type is described
6
by a collection of components
in a cer-
those individual com-
tain structure and
isolated from
ponents can not usually be
architectural precedents are
some-
from a histor-
that of a setting one
ical setting
to
one which is
quite different.
In an at-
to perserve the spirit and beauty
tempt
past,
of the
Gothic"
"Neo-Classical" and "Neo-
architects did what was
an exact translation of
qualities
though not
almost
the forms and
Many forms,
they desired.
fully understood, were used
with only a change in scale and context.
The
buildings which
resulted sometimes
contained beautiful aspects,
ever,
was
often how-
function was compromised for what
thought to be
correct
Precedents which are used in a thematic
trans-
sense and undergo a complete
formation process, may result
adapted use,
though it
in more
is more likely
that they lose the very qualities
were chosen for.
be extracted
from their original context
that is
they
Forms or building
qualities which share common site condi-
stripped of all
unrelated aspects and used
in a totally
The architecture re-
different context.
.sulting from this transformation/translation process may be very unlike that
of
the precedent,
was useful,
than as
ture,
if
however, the precedent
for no more obvious
an inspiration.
systems of light
be incorporated
Hints
reason
of struc-
and privacies may
in a thematically inspir-
ed design.
This thesis was designed
to study the indirect
a specific form.
It
in order
or thematic use of
is essentially a
study of one design process
sulting
form.
of reference, may
material or other point
and transformed;
their respective structure.
times directly translated
tions, purpose, desired atmosphere,
and its re-
architecture.
The difficulty in referring to a
historical precedent in design comes in
Daking tha actual link or jump between the
understanding of history and its use in
a new design problem.
degree to which
the design
Subsequently, the
the precedent affects
can vary as widely as the
7
strength of
chosen as a design aid must be
that link varies.
A precedent used metaphorically
referred
decision.
is
to at every level of design
It
weighing viable alternatives as well as
to be useful in a new
It
is that transforma-
tion process which will be
theme of
this exercise.
the centering
Useful
sizes,
environmental considerations, methods of
the basic
geometries which are descriptive of the
building.
in order
design context.
is the deciding factor in
the formal inspiration for
formed
trans-
Perhaps a less intensive reli-
handling a specific site condition and
elements which afford a desirable spirit,
ance on a historical precedent will re-
will be
isolated, along with forms and
in architecture which is more res-
factors
they are dependent on,
sult
ponsive to a current
situation.
However,
an Architecture which responds will to
needs,
ence
ed
in
in the design of housing in a medium
density situation on an extremely steep
symbolic
its environmental, use, and
site.
The choice of the tower form as a
can certainly be a valuable refer-
for design problesm which are
related conditions.
situat-
The use of re-
ferences in a thematic way may invite
the designer to
freer approach
titude is
sometimes an aid to
precedent was made based
terest
in the form and its possible
well as
the various qualities which make
This at-
the
inventive-
design of housing on the
tower or turret form useful
The site selected for
ness.
Because site and use conditions,
well as sociological situations,
are
never exactly repeated, any precedent
on my own in-
adaption to single family housing as
be open to a lighter and
to a problem.
for use
as
to the
site chosen.
this exercise is
very steeply graded and oriented toward
the north.
There are environmental ad-
vantages as well as aesthetic advantages
8
from a standpoint of gaining maximum
need, neglects
view and sunlight which make the tower
nor
a worthwhile model.
course, possible
forms
Tower
can be found in
including
variety of use situations
residential ones.
a wide
This was an important
the fact
idea can stand alone.
the model
suggested the versatality of
the form
housing cluster,
Beyond tower use for a
specific site
and building type desired,
there were
considerations which pointed
symbolic possibilities.
to its
As well as
to extract,
In addition, therefore,
tower form we use
frame of reference.
of
It is,
along with
currences upon which the form depends.
since it
within the housing
form
form, those elements and oc-
in my decision making
factor
that no
in a 20th
the
century
it is important
analyze occurrences and
which the
to isolating
to
forms without
tower can not stand.
These
related factors will be an important
part of the tower definition I put
use as
into
a design attitude.
fulfilling functional and aesthetic needs,
architecture
has the opportunity to por-
tray some intellectual depth.
The sym-
that
architec-
bolic meaning or "story"
ture can portray can enhance its
acter and
char-
inventiveness, thereby render-
ing the design process as well as the
architectural result a more stimulating
experience.
To select and isolate
somehow translate it
a form and
to fulfill
a new
9
Analysis
Towers
Tower Types and
Relationships
tower can be most basically de-
The
as a vertical element.
fined
Its verti-
cality may be referenced to horizontal
elements of the same building,
buildings
to other
Though
or to the horizon line.
towers have as many variances in architectural qualities as they have use types,
most can be described as having three
parts.
A tower which grows from
ground and reaches toward
base, midsection
church towers,
co,
fry.
and top.
the sky has a
In terms of
these would be the porti-
bell ringing chamber
The
the
and actual bel-
three parts may, or may not be
distinguishable from the exterior.
Most
towers seem to very effective-
I
ANGLO-SAXON TOWER PROPORTIONS
1E. A. Fisher. Anglo-Saxon Towers, An Architectural and Historical Study (Great
Britain: David 4 Charles Limited. 1969). p. 87.
10
ly support
the
functions or happenings
they were designed for either by marking
or creating a sense of place.
There is
a strong relationship betweenthe form
qualities of towers and the occurences
which are at home in their presence.3
The tower has
the capacity to
create
several unusual and difficult to achieve
La Ferme du
Retu
spatial qualities.
It is one of the only
architectural forms which allows a completely private place to be filled with
light.
The tower provides one the op-
portunity to be aware of what goes on
around him without
it.
involving himself
in
A lantern tower can create a special
place below it utilizing nothing other
J
Chateau de Missery
than the brightness of sunlight.
Some towers define several spatial
characteristics and have several uses.
-I
The
tower of a Medieval city functions
-4
for defense related purposes
it functions as a lookout
Le Tourelles
2
FRENCH CHATEAU TOWER PROPORTIONS
2
France
3
Harold D. Eberlein and Rojer W. Ramsdell, Small Manor
J. B. Lippincott Co., 1926). pp.
(Philadelphia. PA:
Fisher,
as well as
onto city hap-
penings.
The irregular design of the
towers of
the Alhambra, in Spain,
also
Houses and Farmatead in
128. 140. 238.
11
p.
88.
towers
The
suggests a symbolic purpose.
level and more frivolous as it rises.
may have been a formal method of separating aristocratic and royal area from that
tower of
The lantern
of the peasants.
at the crossing and creates
a church sits
a sense of place both within and outside
The light allowed in,
the church.
symbolic of
tower, is
the
gathering whereas
through
a religious
the same
In order
symbol-
tower
izes a secular gathering place in the
forms vary greatly in order
Tower
to
adopted
connected with the church.
square commonly
symbolic and functional
fulfill their
Those towers which were meant
purposes.
to meet defensive needs must have a
strong relation to the ground.
ieval city boasts
ground level
the
sive walls.
The Med-
fortification of defen-
Towers which are designed
as cupolas and
can lend,
such
turrets, may have no phys-
ical relation with the ground and may be
very transparent
in nature.
fortified castle is
denser at
ground
4
Oleg Grabar,
p.42
The Alhambra
(Cambridge, MA:
Harvard
any vertical element
have assumed that
may be
University Press,
1978),
I
a loose working definition.
considered a tower.
quired, however,
I have re-
enough space about
the
form to make it visible from below by
This allows
to look down from.
trees,
(in fairly loose
planting pattern) stairs, windmills,
silos etc...
to be realized as
towers.
For ease in catagorizing and analyzing information collected
on tower forms,
in a manner which is useful in their incorporation into
two types of
Even the
the
form in my design, I have
providing a point
towers which continue
the pleasure the form
for
the tower
to take full advantage of
design, I will consider
tower design;
1)
those towers
whose placement has been formally, or
12
geometrically determined, and 2)
dominated by Pope
those
Sixtus V's plan for
towers whose placement has been informal-
the
ly, site,
established between obelisks
or purpose determined.
city's rejuvination.. A
tension was
(towers)
making the connection between
important as the obelisks
There are at least
situations in which
themselves.
two types of
towers have been for-
4..
r~
mally placed;
them as
those which were meant
to
-N
-
create a line of tension between points,
and those which were designed to
-
-
-
-
. -
-
-
-
..
-
-: -
create
a pleasingly balanced composition of
-
-
-
..
-
spaces and forms.
Ts
The Renaissance/Baroque concept of
connecting major points with avenues made
use of towers,
-
~
-A
_;O-
in the form of Obelisks
or at the center of important buildings.
Avenues were used to create a continuous
pattern of movement.
Baroque Rome was
POPE SIXTUS V's
5
EdmuondN. Bacon,
Design of Cities (New York.
Penguin book.,
ROME
1978), p. 138.
13
5
The obelisk functioned as an orientation
ing point
to
space about
it
The place
form.
be seen as
a whole.
the
avenue which
namely the
toward it,
channeled
Therefore,
look out of.
it,
could not
rather than a view-
to look toward,
point
it
was a very necessary
created was an exter-
ior one which looked onward toward the
tower.6
Those Architectural components which
Although they have
some qualities
in an
in common, towers whose placement has
otherwise horizontal composition, can
been determined by factors other than
are used to express verticality
also be
considered as tower
forms.
The
formal ones,
create a very different
space than those purely composi-
dome on Jefferson's Montecello and the
sense of
spires of a Gothic cathedral have in com-
tionally situated.
mon their consciously considered tower
placed towers will also be discussed
The
forms.
tower, used in amostly com-
positional way, may have a purpose within
the building, however,
it
is probably a
tower to be viewed from below and not to
be entered up into.
the obelisk,
space around and beneath the tower
the
is
As with
important to
purpose.
the
Without
fulfillment of its
adequate space,
tower could not satisfy
6
ibid.,
pp.
87,
140.
its
the
function as
These informally
terms of two group types;
in
those which are
purposely designed to achieve a line of
vision outward, and those which have been
randomly
scattered.
Towers designed
for
lookout or defen-
sive purposes are likely to be situated
in a manner which best suit that
rather
function,
than any compositional one.
ense towers
are built
Def-
for observation of
14
the enemy's
vation of
likely path as well as obser-
the territory to be defended
(the city itself).
The towers of a Med-
ieval fortress are built
north
along a site
the generat-
determined wall and are not
ors of any formal compositional decisions.
This is made evident by the fact
while planned cities built on
that
flat land,
sucA as the French bastides, are quite
regular in the placement of
the towers,
the cities of more rugged terrain, such
as the Alhambra, are very irregular in
their defense system.
JTI
IT II[I]TiilTT]ITITTI1 I[1RI
MONPAZIER
-
PLAN
FRENCH EAST1DE
OF~THE ALHAMBNA
7
baul Zucker. Town Square, From the
umbia Univerity Pre.r. 1966).
8 Grabar, p. 31.
Agora to the Village
Green (New York:
Col-
1
15
Park lookouts and the turrets and
bay windows of
19th century housing are
also informal in their placement.
functions suggest
Their
that considerations
made for view and light
are most impor-
tered effect also describes
side, which is
mills,
the country-
dotted with silos or wind-
and describes New York City with
its many towers reaching for
footage
light,
square
and symbolic importance.
to the design of the forms and posi-
tant
tion.
The informal placement of towers
allows the designer to
direct his unbias-
ed attention toward the functional opportunities offered by the form.
Although
composition may be a factor in design
decisions,
use
it
does not
Forms
related factors.
the landscape
theme, but the
for
override site and
are added to
the enhancement of a
structure of their growth
The result is a more
is loose
in nature.
flexible
architecture.
The scattered
effect of tower
area, is
great.
though each church tower of London
formally aspired,
loca-
their numbers
Alis
create
a field informally dotted with various
pinnacles.
greatly affects
the form's practical and
symbolic use within a building.
Towers,
which are private in nature, are situated
within a structure in a different manner
tion occurs when their quantity, within
a relatively small
The positioning of the tower form
On a larger scale,
this scat-
than those which are meant to
be public.
Likewise, towers which are signals, marking a particular space are located differently than
compass
those which themselves en-
spaces.
Several
residences were examined in
order to learn more about the positioning
16
of
forms and how they relate to
tower
The most
a residence.
overall plan of
of the
that
simple example is
the
formally
placed lantern tower or central dome.
(Chur,
As diagrammed, in Villa Planta
Switzerland),
lantern tower marks
the
the most public of interior
centering over
that space.
spaces by
is visable
It
from both the outside and from within.
Spacially
the tower marks the major cirthe building.
culation paths of
it is not possible
the tower, the
Although
to be actually within
space beneath the form is
inspired by its presence and the light
admitted through it.
The tower of Villa Romerberg,
the most public interior
land,
also marks
space
of the residence.
ever,
is visible only
exterior.
It
is not
This
tower, how-
from the building's
situated directly
-over the major public space but is
to one side of
villa.
which
It is
Switzer-
it at
the
placed
corner of the
a visually stabilizing mass
serves also to
9
indicate the import-
VILLA PLANTA -
CENTRAL LATERN TOWER
9
Othman Birkner. Baven & Wohnen in der Schweiz 1850 Verlag, 1975). p. 77.
1920 (Zurich:
Artemis
17
ance of the entrance
space it
facade and the major
is connected with.
Stairtowers,
as
the extravagance of
their form often indicates, have purpose
other
than that of housing
stairs.
Their
11
KING OSCAR'S HALL -
TOWER AT ENTRANCE PORCH
External presense, as well as the internal space they enclose, is heavy with
symbolic meaning and fulfills some
im-
portant organizational functions.
At
King Oscar's Hall,
in Oslo,
the stair
tower is placed at one side of the entrance porch.
In this way, the tower
10
VILLA ROMERBERG
10 Ibid.,
p.
serves
as a key to
the entrance
as well
82.
1
1Eyvind Alnaes, Georg Eliassen. Reldar Lund, Arne Dedersen and Olav Platou, ed.,
Norwegian Architecture Throughout the Ages (Oulu: Aschehoug & Co., 1950), p. 259.
18
The
as access to upper levels of the building
and as a look out point.
Jung + Bridler at
One may enter
the tower both from the exterior porch
and from the interior front room.
thereby more public in nature
It
stair tower at
is
than a
the Castle of
Neftenbach, Switzer-
land
is at the most private region of
that
residence.
Though its storybook
form is visible
from the exterior and
stair only accessable from building's
is ment
interior and acts as a vertical transi-
the villa,
tion zone from public to private which
a private veranda or
study.
the horizontal
entered only through
the study.
compliments
transition
to render castle like
it is accessable
status to
only through
It may be
The
-tower provides its user with a view of
zone of the entrance porch.
12
JUNG + BRIDLER
1 2
Birkner,
p.
79.
19
the more public terrace and landscape
while allowing him to
remain uninvolved.
There are many ways to enter a tower
and they should be kept in mind when considering the use and position of
form.
the
Some towers may be entered directly from
ground level, others,
are defensive in nature,
which
the user to
NAVE
PORCH TOWERJ
expecially those
require
rise to an upper level before
.actually passing into the lower region.
This is at least
the
function of
partially dependent on
the tower.
SECOND LEVEL
is com-
The Angle-Saxon church tower
monly used as a porch or transition space
ENTRANCE
I
N-d-
before the entrance into the nave of the
In this position,
church.
marks the
NAVE
the tower
church entrance while providing
and intermediate stage of ingress.
the general parishioner
To
the tower's
height is important only form the -exterANGLO-SAXON
ior, as a form, rather than from
terior,
as a space.
In it more defensive
form, the church tower has no
the
13Fisher,
gound level other
p.
106.
the in-
access at
than that which
joins
it to
as well as
the nave.
the tower,
CHURCH TOWERS
The church itself,
was used as a
13
stronghold in case of a village raid.
20
The interior tower-like forms of
Charles Moore's Sea Ranch are approached
by a stairway, which climbs
the form, before
it allows sone to enter
This
the the tower itself.
be
alongside
can
concept
--
contrasted to the park lookout struc-
ture in which the stairway itself
core around which the
Moore's
tower is
~
is the
-.--.--
structured.
towers, bounded by circulation,
tend to be less outwardly oriented
the lookout
tower.
than
-
Correspondingly, its
-
function combines properties of the lookout
-.
tower with those of
a living space.
q~-
Q
1'
--
-
/L------ -- - - . .......
SEA RANCH, CHARLES MOORE
14
Gerald Allen, Charles Moore
(New York:
Granada Publishing. 1980).
pp.
32,
34.
21
towers stand alone,
Although some
such as the Irish Round
defense, most are dependent
on other
If
spaces or complementary forms.
tower is
the
to be used as a precedent, its
complementary forms and
be
for
towers built
considered.
spaces must also
The medieval city's
guarding towers must be studied
with their
connecting walls.
sence of the wall
as one
The pre-
creates a pocket of
space, betweenthe wall and the out-most
That space,
row of buildings.
I.
A
I
I
I
I.
used for
everything from accessways to vegetable
II
gardens, accomodates a degree of privacy
and safety which the tower form is de15
MT.
isU.S.
(District of
LOOK OUT TOWER
NEBO STATE PARK, MICHIGAN
Department of Interior, Branch
U.S. Department
Columbia:
of Planning,
ul the interior,
Park
1935).
utructures& Facilities
p. 152.
pendent on if its
transformation is
retain any likeness
to
to the precedent
22
when transposed
be, help to make
to a new context.
important to
Often, towers of a more public use
nature
(towers found on important
the
city life.
Square, in Venice,
state
or religious buildings) depend on forms
The domes or
and spaces which enhance their public use,
which are adjacent
Squares,
loggias, public stariways,
ing which provide "places"
seat-
for people
to
tower itself more
Saint Mark's
exemplifies
this.
towers found on cathedrals
to public squares,
have an interesting relationship with
those squares.
The
towers are normally
found over the transept and are a signal
which mark
the more private section of
the cathedral and the end of the public
square.
a W .
The tower therefore,
the public nature of the square by defining the private
C3V 10
increases
adjacencies.
E
3i
Because
was chose
the design project, which
to exemplify use of the
tower
16
ST.
1 6
MARK'S SQUARE, VENICE
as
a precedent form is residential in
23
bacon.
P.
104.
it
several
types of towers found
dential
context.
in a resi-
Towers have been con-
on dwellings
structed
for many
including defense, status,
Various
in more
than one of
con-
towers can be
found
forts and castles
common good and the safety of many people.
such as
San
Gimignano in Tuscany, however, were as
important in terms of status
the main living
protrusion of
allows for
spaces of
a home.
the "skin"
a better view of
street and admits more natural
of the
the
light
can be undisturbed.
Towers which are Belvederes, de-
made use of towers for the defense of a
Towers of Italian villages,
also be consid-
creating an observation "place" where one
thes capacities.
Fortressed cities,
house,
can
Their verticality often
towers.
ered
The bay's
enjoyment,
reach a height of several
stories, bay windows
defines
reasons
environmental advantages and space
siderations.
stacked to
to observe
is appropriate
nature,
as they were
signed for viewing the countryside,
the
towers of palaces
and
are also designed
for enjoyment.
Italian hunting lodges
and farmhouses,
found in the equivilent
family and its
supporters
of our
suburbs, often boasted a belvedere
strove for the highest tower.
The tower
rising
from the
defense.
Each
palace became to the South of Europe what
the
towered
guild house was
to the North,
the architectural expression of the urban
power
and topped with a dovecote.
as thesesupport
In ninteenth century American homes,
They were built purely for
enjoyment of the owner.
the
When they are
James E. Vance Jr., This Scene of Man, The Role and Structure of the City in
Harper & Mow Publishers, 1977), pp.
the Geography of Western Civilization (New York:
Si-3.
such
that towers
even if by only the enjoyment they
can offer.18
There are examples of towers used
turrets were facilitated to capture light
and view.
the notion
Homes
can be justified when not needed for defense,
structure.17
center of a hipped roof
for their environmental advantages
throughout history.
18David
K.
Coffin, The
ton University Press,
1979),
Villa
pp.
in the Lile
Towers resembling
of
Renaissance Rome
(Princeton:
Prince-
134-5.
24
a forest of half open cans are used as
windscooped airshafts in the lower district of West Pakistan.
At Sea Ranch,
Charles Moore has allowed his
iums to tower above eacl
condomin-
other
and the
natural hillside in search of sunlight.
Where density is necessary for economic
or climatic reasons towers have been an
efficient answer.
Designers have oc-
casionally been able
to incorporate their
potential as a symbolic form with environmentally useful qualities.
F~19.
uTOWERING
19Bernard Rudofsky,
Doubleday & Co.,
Architecture Without
Inc., 1964), p. 115.
Architects
(Garden City,
AIRSCOOPS
New York:
25
link to the cluster's ability
to read as
an entity or as two separate parts.
Ingress
a dirt road which
Design
Site Analysis
Design Themes
The site chose
for this
Randliegh Retreat, is
to the
site is provided by
crosses
the stream by
means of a narrow stone bridge.
Upon
passing over the bridge both peninsulas
are visable.
thesis,
in McLean Virginia,
The convex cerve of
horseshoe site opens
leaving
it
the
toward the north
in shade when the sun is
low.
a residential suburb of Washington, D.C.
It
is quite rural
in atmosphere and den-
sity yet is easily and quickly accessable
The buildings
to downtown Washington.
neighboring the site are few.
widely spaced,
The
They are
single family residences.
site itself is a horseshoe
spaced ridge
rising forty
feet above a
flat plane which is carved by a small
stream.
The ridge
is
steeply sloped and
provides almost no flat building terrain.
As
the
the site
drops
dramatically toward
flood plane and stream, the land
forms two
peninsulas.
The connection
between the two will provide an important
26
-Nq
..
.
.
.
I
A
.....
.....
.....
SITE
from northeast corner
27
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C)
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U A
.A.
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"4
ii
I
'.4
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IA
V
-- ~-
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4'
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o
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I
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41
0
~
I,
6
II
0'
'I-
A,
.~h
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(II,
*/
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it
/
1*0~/
8.-
I!
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[3
I'
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0-
0
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NORTH
/0"
Z't?
0.,A
LOT
t
~'
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'~,
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k1~
SITE PLAN
28
to south
NEIGHBORING HOUSE
shown on site plan
NEIGHBORING HOUSE
29
BORDERING STREAM
NEIGHBORING CABIN
30
SITE
from west hill
31
The ridge, however, is
always in light.
When standing on the ridge one
light looking
through darkness
is in the
into the
of the plain.
light
Upon visiting the
site and after
reading of towered structures,
to develop several
concepts.
The fact
dramatically
I began
thematically based
that the site is
steep and north oriented has
been a strong influence on the attitudes
and design determinates I have accepted.
The scale
of the hill strongly controls
the building sizes which are appropriate.
Although a large entity is possible, it
must be composed of
the hill is not
acter.
smaller pieces if
to totally lose its char-
Because of
this,
an additive com-
position, informal and derived mostly
from site features
is
a reasonable basis.
After determining an optimum range
of
piece sizes with the aid of a site model,
sections and existing building built on
similarly sloped terrain, I began to
S jI
work with a series of historically based
themes.
20
SWISS HILL SIDE VILLAGE
ner
lag.
1981).
pp.
iaser,
Is.
Arc
teuture
70/80
in
Switzerland (Boston,
MA:
Birkhauser
Ver-
20.
32
Theme I compares the site with Medieval defensive cities.
In its most de-
fensive form, the walled
city is circled
with one or more
fortified rings and set
21
INWARD DEFENSIVE CITIES
LESS DEFENSIVE CITY REACHING OUTWARD
21
Bacon,
p.
43.
33
upon steeply contoured land.
are turned entirely inward,
land around them
convexly.
for defense lessened,
facing the
offensive/defensive positions could be
As the need
re-enforced
the towns
the basic
spread
environment.
the natural
leigh
can be walled
a similar way.
is
from three
the land
flatter
land to
The central portion which
less in need of defensive walls can
of
share some of the characteristics
and second, a more offensive place
sides,
where
Perhaps the site could be developed in
one where the land
in and watch
fortress.
parts of any tower or
ous than that which is built higher up.
The Rand-
site can be described as having two
defensive portions:
architecturally by recalling
The base should be denser and more continu-
themselves more, taking better advantage
of
These
access.
not necessary to prevent
The cities
those less defensive portions higher in
concavely embraces the
elevation.
the North and walls are
Environmentally, the offensive/defensive plan also makes
The hill-
sense.
side, which faces north can turn its deED
fensive, harsher and more formal
side to-
ward the valley while opening itself
ward the south.
should be
side,
Entrance to
from the upper,
from with the
the houses
south
fortress.
to-
facing
The house
and its immediately adjacent terraces
can be divided into two parts with two
attitudes.
fensive side
The south facing/winter/deis facing the core of
the
34
the most public
It is
fortressed area.
area; most open to light and most human
in scale.
The North facing/summer/offen-
sive side,
boldly faces
scale is
Its
As
the
in the Medieval city the center is
The wall of the
two hills.
in the walls is most private.
enables
private, offensive/defensive aspects of
the fortress scheme.
which
each
areas at
are relatively large
the
almost always
private areas,
connection between the
The wall is a walkway which
the pedestrian to encircle the
whole site without interfering with priThe steepness of
vate property.
the site
would otherwise make walking very diffiThe assumed building density makes
cult.
very important
public
the clarity drawn between
and private.
They are designin sunlight.
The
the view, are of-
This placement of built
structure, allows one to
light
private commun-
however, which reach down
facing north and
ten in shadow.
ter-
south/upper side of
set of buildings.
ed to be
hill,
town squares at
simulate Medieval
a smalle scale,
raced
The puble areas,
fortress provides
an encompassing sense of
ity and a built
the public/
to
the sunlit public areas.
the most public and that space just with-
The sunlight reinforces
from the sunlit meadow, past
the defensive elevation and through
landscape.
less penetrable.
larger and
ver looks
stand in the
of the public areas, look through
shaded private areas and across
tress wall to
the landscape.
omenon is repeated as
the for-
This phen-
the outside obser-
Theme II
concern
is a continuation of
the
for definition of public and
pri-
35
vate in this fairly dense situation.
though the two hills
in common,
Al-
have some qualities
the simularity does not
form
a symetric site.
the site
the outside border of the east hill,
hill and all
hill,
sense,
Because
feasibly access down the
and because it
a peninsula
is,
in a true
(surrounded on three
sides by view-accessable only from the
a linear
The path of public circu-
lation, marks
stream and quite
west hill,
The east hill suggests
ary hill.
ward the
scenic a view.
calls for a different
organization from that of its compliment-
where as the west hill is bordered by a
cars can not
it
organization.
The automobile entrance to
forms
forth side),
the eastern side of the
four houses are oriented to-
north and west view.
on the other hand,
The west
supports a more
radial or clustered organization.
Ve-
hicular circulation does not penetrate
past the top of
public spaces
the hill.
A group of
are formed on the ridge
which flows from the roads end.
are
formed much as Medieval
squares.
They
grouped
The houses are clustered around
them, two orienting toward the east
two toward
and
the west.
The western, ,"peninsula", hill continues
its town square attitude by provi-
ding a public,
ves
common,
ground which ser-
the four houses and into which more
private accessways
converge.
central position, one can
of the landscape between
From this
catch glimpes
the buildings.
36
~-\
)
SITE PLAN
development
of scheme for 8 houses
37
road at the end of
The widening of the
the vehicular circulation is different
from
in degree of activity, and in use,
that
sac which
part of the cul de
Therefor, the pub-
pedestrian oriented.
lic space is
parts which are
given two
separated by a level
is more
change and a tight-
ening of the space between the buildings.
In this way there are created a series
of transitions,
parking area,
between the road,
the
the public square and the
private accessways.
"TOWN
of a street
The road entering
ation.
the main
short
that
the
situ-
site is
two
throughway off of which
lanes flow.
ti
13
the east hill
The organization of
can be compared to
SQUARE"
The are really
As did the
kinks or bulges in the road.
town square situation, these widenings,
provide a clearly public area,
being
for two houses)
(each one
off of which more
private spaces are joined.
The
differ-
ence between the two organizations is
made clear
in the fact that there
is an
38
v<x
obviously primary orientation of
the pub-
lic spaces on the east hill, whereas, the
public space on the west hill takes a
central or hub position.
Theme III involves the forms and
spaces which are the
tress concept
course,
support of the
in theme II.
includes
This, of
the tower form.
tion from the public situation of
square,
Transithe
to the most private situation of
the buildings
themselves,
is
important
to
the success
As
in many town square situations,
example St.
areas of
for-
of any such adjacency.
Mark's
for
in Venice, the public
this housing development are
encircled by loggias
structures.
and porch type
These provide an outdoor
39
SITE DEVELOPMENT FOR HOUSE ON EAST HILL
I'
space which permits view of public areas
without
total involvement
in them.
elements such as low walls,
seating
between"
realms.
stairs and
also create places which
the
public and
are "in
the private
NORTH
Such
Beyond that
intermediate stage of
privacy, lies the privacy of the house
itself and
tower.
The
the ultimate privacy of
tower actually serves
the
two
40
functions in indicating the degree of
privacy.
From the public,
it serves
to mark either a major public
outside, zone
space or an especially private space
within
side,
the house.
On the building's in-
it allows its user to view a more
public space
distance.
from a safe and uninvolved
The town square,
loggia and
tower type forms
are necessary supports
for each other's
ability to
fulfill cer-
tain needs.
tower
fulfill in this particular hous-
particular image is probably
are
important.
The
tower signals to the in-
di"vidual identity of each house
the
same time it
element and a key
each cluster
functions as a common
development.
at San Gimignano,
As did
the
The
to be
in
tower is
can be common
the individa structure
to all eight
houses
In order to exemplify use
of other elements which
the common structure
houses, one house
and
of
these
its immediate
roundings has been designed
sur-
to a detailed
level.
The most
structure
tion
individuality and status in a fairly
The house,
dense
wheel
obvious organizational
is the use
the center of
towers of this site propagate a sense of
situation.
ele ment and consi-
tower uses
the tower and
to the continuity of
of the
the towers found
and at
isolated
on the site.
of
concerns itself with the
residence.
which
ing situation, though the support of a
the most
as an
ders possible
ual
There are many roles the tower is
able to
Theme IV
of
the
communication and orienta-
for the many levels
about
tower as
and all
its
of the house.
functions,
the spiraling tower.
pinThe
41
CONCEPTUAL AXONOMETRIC
42
tower allows
ces.
Spaces
are
linked and overlapped
the tower and its
by their connection to
appendages.
along the path,
At any point
tower,
which spirals within the
Several
held within the
degrees of privacy are
the
tower as well as
form.
places which juxtapose the actual
As
the totality of
a fortress,
viewed as
and particularly the
thought of
base of
the
is
one
choices of desti-
presented with several
nation.
spa-
for a transparency of
the
site was
the house
itself
tower form, can be
in defensive terms.
At
ORGANIZING TOWER
the
tower, where distinction be-
tween public and private is most important,
form
the tower should be an enclosed
(surrounded by the body of the
house).
freed
As
it rises,
the tower may be
from its encasement.
This
represented by a material change
as
can be
as well
a liberation of form.
The northern orientation of
the
site makes penetration of sunlight
private
spaces
difficult.
into
The tower,
as
SOUTH ELEVATION
enables private
a form,
lifted into
of
the light,
tower enables
sunlight
down into the house
[
I
___
to be
above the
As a shaft of
the hill.
course, are
spaces
shadow
space,
lantern towers,
These, or
the same concepts used in
The structure of
the medieval city,
the tower has been de-
and the use of
scribed both in
terms of
the individual house.
ever,
____
cupolas and bay win-
found in nineteenth century houses.
dows
the
to be reflected
itself.
the
the site
and
how-
There are,
other organizational and formal
attitudes which can be common to all
eight
houses as
membership in
an indication
even from year
taken by the
to year,
designer will
clarity and unity within
A combination of
been used in order to
TOWER OF LIGHT
see page 56
less
structured,
their
Although
the group.
program can vary from house
and
of
the
to house,
the attitude
establish a
the cluster.
stone and wood has
distinguish the
"offensive," walls
of
44
the houses
fixed,
from the more
"defen-
As the house grows higher,
there is less use of stone and more of
sive,"
-wood.
walls.
likewise become freer.
The forms
Bay windows and cupolas are of
The stone retaining
structed of wood.
walls, which are
in
tional forms
to
the houses
the most
fixed organiza-
the complex,
themselves.
allow for level
are integral
They not only
changes, but help to prothe houses and
vide continuity between
side,
the
for tower
towers,
forms.
comprise
structural attitude of
out-
inside and are
terrace the homes
the base
like
steep hill
terrace the
the
SECTION B-B
The same
their immediate surroundings.
walls which
course con-
The walls,
the basic
scheme.
the entrances are generally oriented toward the
plys that
In most
south.
enter down into
one must
house because of
steep slope.
the
ing advantage of this
yard space.
situation,
private,
created a small,
This
cases this
The entrance situation is
in each house.
As mentioned
similar
in Theme I,
TakI have
is a transition from
It
shared
allows for less of
a distinction between inside
without loss of
the
south facing
the larger court space which is
by the cluster.
im-
privacy.
and outside
There has been
45
an
attempt made
to
strengthen
the
feeling
of
transparency
by permitting
one
to
the
landscape
tering
or
beyond
immediately
the
house
after
view
before en-
entrance
a whole made of
which respond
the
smaller scaled
to the
pieces
intimate size
of
site.
to
the house.
The last design decision which was
carried
throughout
the entire cluster
that which controls
silohuett,
be
looked
of
the outward
the houses.
at in two ways.
form, or
Each house
It is
up
of several
Because of
parts.
Those
levels,
form at
the
steepness,
from several levels.
as well as ones allowed
to
are designed to read
as
top,
once separate
is
tower-like
the site's
each house has grown
can
a struc-
ture with an organizing tower, and it
a whole made
is
entities which have
grown
46
House Design
Drawings
~1
/7<7
/~r'
~
7
-j
47
~~~~~~1
kys~
I
SITE PLAN
I
48
B144
v
B
ENTRANCE LEVEL
A
II
FIRST FLOOR PLAN
B
49
4
77
~
j-~A
SECOND LEVEL
50
TERRACE
TOWER LEVEL
51
tI i
I,
fFFuW
w
VI
NORTH ELEVATION
52
pjq
rn
SOUTH ELEVATION
53
LA
K
SECTION A-A
54
SECTION
B-B
55
[1-11111 Jill I it P
LI-1111 Jill [.11111 1!"
11- LI
WINTER SUN
56
made stronger
their continuity of
within the project.
fied,
ly,
as
The project
both practically and
a result
of
use
is uni-
intellectual-
its historical
refer-
ences.
Conclusion
There are many more aspects
could be
housing design project which
isolated for
their
setting.
There are,
likely, more opportunities
most
tow-
to the
reference
er and its medieval
this
of
for
dis-
transformations which were missed or
the design process.
regarded in
clear,
that
however,
cus was
fo-
the historical
aid in
a major
is
It
of
the formation
ideas.
A great
filtered
quantity of material was
through
tion which was
in search of
related
to the
informasite
and
which suggested a working concept.
process of
recording my
organizing
them in
terms
The
thoughts and
of
themes, has
57
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