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-.. . . . ANALYSIS. .. . . Towers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - - . - . . - - - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Definition .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and Relationships . . . . . . . . . . . . -. Tower Types Formally/Geometrically Determined Informally/Purpose Determined Smaller Tower DESIGN . . . . Towers. Scaled Relationships . . . . Related Towers Towers . . . . in . . Forms . . . . . Residences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - . . . . . . - . . . . . . . - . . - . . - . . - . . . - - - -. - -6 - - - - - - - - -. 10 - - - - - - - - -. 10 - - - - - . - . -. 12 - - - - - - - - -. 12 - - - - - - - - -. 13 . .14 . . . . . . . . . - - - - - - - - - -. 16 - - - - - - - - - -. 22 - - - - - - - -. 23 - - - - - .26 -. - - - - - - - .26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Site Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Design Themes . . . . -. -. . . . . . . - -. -. - - - - - - - - -. . . . . . . . . . . . - - - - - - - - - .33 . . . . . . . . . - - - - - - Theme I The Theme III Theme IV House Fortress . . . . - Theme II - .. Public Square.. . - Support - - . Spaces The Tower One Piece of . . . . . . . & Forms . . . . . - . . . . . . . . . . . -. 33 .35 .39 -. Element.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 a Whole 4 Material Use. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. Entrance .. . . . . . . . . . . . . Outward Form . . . . . . . . HOUSE DESIGN DRAWINGS CONCLUSION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - . . . . . . . . . . - - . - . .. - - . . .. - - - - - .45 -. - - - - - - .46 -. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . . .44 .47 -. 57 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 %M K, C) I. t4~~O i\ U A .A. ~ Oj-tb.\ "4 ii I '.4 1. 0 4.-- 1 J IA V -- ~- (A0. / 4' ' 0 -,---- IK A o 0 j~w 0- I \ A 41 0 ~ I, 6 II 0' 'I- A, .~h ~ Oft C) (II, */ /' it / 1*0~/ 8.- I! ~ 10 [3 I' C0 I// .4 0~ 0, .......~ 0- 0 / 0 10 I. 'sc'-. q// NORTH /0" Z't? 0.,A LOT t ~' J- -i 1 *8 '~, / 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 BIBLIOGRAPHY Allen, Frank J., Allen, Gerald, The Great Church Towers Charles Moore, of England, Cambridge: Granada Publishing, New York: University Press, 1932. 1980. Alnaes, Eyvind; Eliassen, Georg; Lund, Reidar; Dedersen, Arne; Platou, Olav, wegian Architecture Throughout the Ages, Oslo: Aschehoug & Co., 1950. Edmud Bacon, N., of Design Bauen Othman, City, of the 1975. Benevolo, Leonardo, The History M.I.T. Press, bridge, MA: Birkner, New York: Cities, & Wohnen in Penguin 1850 - 1920, Nor- 1978. 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