Professional Documents
Culture Documents
bv
JAMES P. BATCHELOR
Master of Architecture
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Author hereby grants to M.I.T. permission to reproduce and distribute publicly copies
of this thesis document in whole or in part.
Signature of Author.............. . ..
... .. ........ .....
D'epartment of Architecture
May 15, 1981
Certified by...................................
Maurice K. Smith, Professor of Architecture
Thesis Supervisor
Accepted by.........................
Associate Pi'ofesscr Sandra Howellr Chairperson
MASSACHUSETT S INSTiTUTE Departmental Committee for Graduate School
OF TECHNOLOGY
MAY 2 8 1981
LIBRARIES
Landscapes as References for Design
by
James P. Batchelor
ABSTRACT
This is a study of the ways in which the forms in landscapes - natural terrain adapted
and inhabited - can serve as references in architectural design. As references for
design, landscapes provide a richness of responses to local and evolutionary factors
and a richness of associations which are central to our own identity and the identity
of places or regions.
A series of principles for design are proposed. These principles reflect convergence
amongst the several perspectives on how landscapes can serve as references and consti-
tute a collection of suggestions for design. The principles are organized along a
continuum of "forms", "processes of addition and change", and "associative qualities".
Design studies for a site along the Neponset River at the south edge of Boston have
been undertaken to aid in the development of the principles and illustrate their
application. A mix of uses and building methods have been studied. The site for the
studies is near the village center known as Lower Mills. The natural topography, the
river's transition from narrow rapids to open estuary, and the historic collection of
industrial buildings form a landscape rich in references and associations.
I would like to thank all those who provided encouragement to me over the years in decid-
ing to return to school, sustaining a family as well as job and school, and making it all
as rewarding as it has been. Dick Krauss, Jack Myer, Bob Slattery, and other friends at
Arrowstreet, have my special thanks. I also thank my parents and parents-in-law, John
and Elinor Couric, for their encouraqement. But my deepest gratitude goes to my wife,
Clara, and son, Sam.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 7
Section I:
Four Perspectives on
Landscapes as
References for Design 15
Section II:
Forms, Processes of
Addition and Change,
and Associative
Qualities 35
Section III:
Design Studies:
Lower Mills 93
Bibliography 147
Introduction
This is a study of ways in which the forms
value will also .ccrue to those built or in valued ways transform the existi!
places which have associations with the character of a place and enable those
natural environment, that is, built who live in the place to draw as full
places which have the sense and qual- and deep a set of positive associations
are those landscapes which are inhabited end of the scale, microscopic analysis of
in a way which has added to or intensi- leaf structure has been a useful referent
fied the natural landscape form. These for design of natural lighting and heating
examples are needed at least as much as in buildings (Miller). The range included
The goal here is not preservation or examples: this study draws on habitable
The approach taken here derives from the for this study of landscape as a reference
work of Maurice Smith, Jack Myer, Barry for design. Four sources or perspectives
tive Qualities.
The first section of this thesis is a col-
The second section is a synthesis of the
been relocated.
Topographic Map of Lower Mills area. Site of
design studies is indicated. Note small, steep
hill in riverbend.
13
The adjacent neighborhood center of Lower potential of landscape as a reference for
Mills was for many years the home of the design and the principles by which that
of life.
Four Perspectives on
Landscapes as References for
Design
design.
sources of forms which can be trans- Processes (Jack & Marty Myer, also
ness of the form as transposed is people feel about and respond to other
based on its suitability for the people also suggest a way to understand
ce-rtain identifiable types of forms or Some perspectives generate more useful ref-
relationships among forms. This has erences of one kind or another, but most
ben used as a basis for describing have some of each, and the three-part dif-
scape form (Lynch and Higuchi for exam- four perspectives. That synthesis is the
to the surface:
siting of bui.ldings. From this position
use.
Landscapes as Habitable Form
In this perspective, valuable landscape
The rich admixture of forms and qualities
references come from at least two sources.
to be found in many natural landscapes can
'he first is the forms in natural land-
be used as references for design by start-
scapes which result from and reflect a
ing from the position that forms can be
history and complex of forms immeasurably
investigated for their space-defining
richer than man-built, or particularly,
characteristics and transferred from one
machine-built forms. This intricacy of
place or scale to another.
responses to evolutionary and local
trees and branches to heavy and light towards design that values both sense
I-
ers did much to affirm this tradition. polished into many nearly similar indi-
viduals."
Francis Ponge's writing is particularly use-
ful here. A short piece of writing in "The The fission, the entwining, the polishing
Pebble" draws a world of associations from suggest processes of change. The skeleton,
the simple form. In fact, it quickly illus- ledge, and pebbles are suggestive of forms.
trates the potential range in use of land- And the forebearing rock and many similar
excerpts follow:
e ton....
an important referent for the further archetypical genius loci and suggests that
physical form and culture of the place. different places might represent different
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Genius Loci of Rome:
Forre at Chia, Ghetto
street in Rome.
2& :3:
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41
dominant public places, and the overlaid esses of making", "degree of extension and
order imposed by major avenues. He finds enclosure", "path, center, domain, and
references in the early inhabited land- field", and "direction and rhythm (conti-
scape for each of these qualities: nuity)". These will be compared with con-
the particularly The autonomous hills Another person to take a similar look at
dominant pub- that formed the im-
lic places mediate landscape the place of landscape in architecture and
concepts which are of interest here in vidual and collective identity. Different
terms of forms, processes of addition, and landscapes became locations for different
genius loci and the principle that good of the character of a landscape and the
development of a place enhances the genius ability of man to shape that character
loci seem to be particularly useful associ- through design of the temple: the sacred
ative qualities. He also looks at "proc- points, the patterns of access, and the
views.
ifi
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It, I A-Ln
Associations between Landscapes and
Life Processes
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scapes and the landscapes play a signif- that in the Myers' examples the natural
icant role in the analogy to meaningful landscape often takes on the association
Some of the moments and relationships One focus of their study is the farm land-
which seem most central to life are birth, scape at Taliesin, Wisconsin; the rolling
family and child relationships, physical hills, the farmland, and the now abandoned
work, aging, and death. The Myers' sug- farms and workshops of Frank Lloyd Wrights'
along it. Analogies among the forms in acter of the family that operates the mill.
Among processes of change suggested in the Poetics of Space, Bachelard collects from
&Poo.~
of associations between places and signifi-
habitable form. Psychologists and others Higuchi's point in The Visual and Spatial
have performed studies about how the envi- Structure of Landscapes is that awareness
ronment is perceived and how the constructs of such landscape forms and the elements
the concepts are readily extended to natu- The elements of landscape form used by
ral landscapes. This has been done by Higuchi would fall under the headings
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changes.
forces.
Section II
points.
tion and to some extent from other perspec- framework first condenses and later pre-
tives which might be added. The points, if cipitates the evolution of new kinds of
might become principles. To warrant the briefly some of the early stages of the
broad set of references in use, and other The initial organization utilized the
of the basis for the principle drawing on . Processes of Addition and Change
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lar to the second pass, though a continuum Processes of Addition and Change. Those
has replaced the categories and the last methods of designing and building (includ-
concentrate on the first three. the "forms" described above) which have
study. The shape itself carries associa- Associative Qualities. Those qualities
tions with habitable landscape. The shapes which provide the essential character and
may be simple or compound and involve rela- sense of a particular landscape or example
greatest.
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table on the oppost(e rage provides a
valued as a reference).
645
Materials other than plants assume rela-
pattern.
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Independent of any agrarian connotations, from another and provides needed
patterns which provide for some uniformity Sustaining individual differences and
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The associations with life processes are
photo by R. Slattery
Lower Mills: (below)
fields of marsh grass
seen from ro'-k out-
cropping below site,
(right) grain of area
and proposed additions,
(lower right) model of
primary structural
systems.
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Terrace
hill.
zone.
~1dm L44a4~(e~ ~~i~ej- and privacy from the lower position. Land
,L~td ~~eIO2K
above a house recognizes the dominance of
house.
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Outcropping as tip of
larger, buried rock.
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Outcropping as added
form. 5
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Outcroppings have associations with points
"garret".
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Lower Mills: Site
development as exten-
sion of pattern of
outcroppings forming
the river.'
penninsula or promontory.
Ile
The edge zone is maximized by the recip-
Reciprocity in Section.
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Reciprocity along the river - Baker House,
A. Aalto.
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Lower Mills: (below)
Reciprocity along the
river edge to maximize
access and extension of
the river zone; (lower
right) The primary
structural system in-
cludes J-shaped walls
to support beams and
planks, (right) Recip-
rocal form in the
building massing and
access.
Object in Field
or unique functions,
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Scarpa: Brion-Vega
Cemetery: Scared
tomb: object form,
separate except for Chapel: object form
water course. separated by water.
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Objects in field: Lower Mills Studies.
Elevator and common space.
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Directional Growth
O)
Locoronotondo's streets moving up stairs.
Public stairs are in direction of movement.
Perpendicular stairs are to privacies.
ment.
3. variation or shift in direction, which
compLementary direction.
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Buildings registered
from garage.
Intensification
Intensification of harbor.
74
Intensification of corner. (Taylor Dueker,
MIT Thesis)
(Z? 'A
44 -.
-
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Om-
Stability
position.
It is possible to differentiate several
types of continuities:
- Continuity be aggregration or
virtual continuity, ie. the
sense of continuity achieved
by closely spaced units.
Alji
Continuity by aggregation.
cant directions, by analogous forms, by in- for Rome's genius loci is one example.
digenous materials, by references to local Jack Myer suggests Trinity Church's power-
processes of formation (glacial erosion ful image may be related to its sense of
and deposits) additions and changes can be association with the geological substrate
continuous with and strengthen the char- of the Back Bay - an upward thrust of bed-
a1 'Ws
at
81
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14
ci 83
Continuity with an urban context.
Piazza Media, Milan, BBPR.
Nurturing....
Sheltering....
Bearing, shouldering....
originating..
Passing away....
N48
Renewal
ITn
40
a project can provide the quality of re- Delft houses:
. (R) alternative
newal in the initial building, as done for inf ill.
.(below) resident's
interior.
example in Hertzberger's "carcase" houses
.(L) isometric.
q 91
Neponset river above
Lower Mills.
92
Section III
studies.
Early mill (lower photo) and more recent in- the river concludes this pattern just above
dustrial forms (upper photo) along the river.
I
Lower Mills village center. The river re-
States".
legislator and Congressman, became Mayor Lower Mills village center, Adams St. crossing
the Neponset into Boston.
of Boston after Dorchester was annexed to
out, to Delaware.
lies.
99
embedded sections of outcropping rock
100 reuse.
The estuary.
.(opposite page) two views from the
Milton hill.
.(below and right) the river as it heads
to sea.
101
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9, - -
ings in the siurroundinq area (three to
New Uses for the Site
seven stories) , parkinq tor 150 to 200
The existing uses of the site completely cars and 60 to 90 units of housing could
prevent any public use or access on the be accommodated on the site of- the ware-
promontory. The moving company forbids house. (The parking would serve rail
trespassing, and the original industrial commuters and users of the cresent shape
any view to the small hill. The ice tuted for housing at a rate of about 1500
The proposed uses are a mix of workplace, for housing (three to four stories in
105
Extension of the Landscape Form west to east but passes through major river
place. Also central to the larger image The new construction should be nubble-like
should be the site's position at the head and out at the river edge as part of the
of the estuary. There should be an open- outcroppings which form the river edge. In-
ness to the south, extending along the side the nubble should be open space, ex-
rising south bank of the river up to the tending the river valley up into the
107
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108
Above and opposite: Early studies of develop-
ment on the site: directional fields and
reciprocal form. Commercial uses, housing
and garage are proposed.
109
South side elevation (below) with reciproc-
ity in plan and section.
110
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Increasing the'reciprocity between water and opposite: "Nubble" and outcropping form in
land. Site plan with housing and without housing. East-west direction of river
112 parking garage (below). reinforced by parking garage.
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ACCESS ON THE SITE This seems reasonable qiven the limited
The Heritage Park and Public Access along trolley use and desirable because it
114
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115
follow the principle of directional growth
Access on the Promontory
and movement: Public access lies predom-
An east-west spur into the parking/housing/
inantlv in east-west direction; access to
work/theater site is necessary for vehicle
privacies is predominantly perpendicular
access. It could return through the park-
(north and south).
ing garage or allow turning around at the
end.
4 iI
116
Pedestrian access on the promontory.
fltfl~1tAV ACCV%
nun 7R4N ~qaies - 117
4F'& ~
BUILDING METHOD AND FORM
R~enewal
remained solid.
pre-cast beams are proposed for the primary The root form for the structural walls is
system. The planks and beams would be abstracted from the reciprocal form: a
supported on unit masonry or poured-in- J-shape with the long direction running
ry units for the primary construction. sheltered outdoor areas as well as ex-
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Registration in the Building System make local changes. Design studies show
In the enclosure registration is used to such standard parts, pre-meeting the values
order and aggregate glazing. Standard size associated with individual choice and
in an opening.
130
131
Study of a re-usable parking garage. The
middle bay is made of a removable system
(such as steel). When removed, the remain-
ing bays are of widths more usable for
132 housing or office. The middle bay is a
street and open space between the two sides.
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133
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amphitheater and an indoor stage with
Studies for a Stage and Amphitheater
auditorium are proposed. There are two
The significance of this site within Lower major iterations in the design studies.
Mills and along the river suggests a pub- In the first, the indoor stage and audi-
lic use which could take advantage of the torium are generally enclosed. In the
site's inherent potential. A series of second iteration the auditorium for the
studies have been made for an amphithe- indoor stage is designed to allow it to
lighting and openness to the outdoors are 1. Cove and promontory. The location on
included in some schemes, which might the site which it seems most important to
lend the place to musical stage produc- claim for public use is that which forms
tion more than theatrical productions. the promontory and shelters to cove. This
The proposed site form both reaches out the building the curved form is limited
into the river basin and creates a pro- to segments. In the amphitheater the
tected cove. In comparison with the round seating is broken and shaped by
N
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2. Identifiable Public Form. Emphasis
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Title: Scale:
The second scheme pushes the extent of rium along the river. There is then the
public access to river edge further. An option to continue north into other
ambulatory moves along the river's edge, sections of the proposed development or
and the main stage is turned so that return above the theater to the main
river edge.
Extension of the Main Theater Outdoors.
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Early section (east-west) through amphitheater over an entrance lobby which could be entered
looking north. Experimental stage was'at left from the north side.
'Tit
................
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142
The lower level lobby. In the middle zone are ad-
Upper and Lower Level Plans.
level plan shows workshop, storage and ministrative offices and access up to
144
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LJ oil
Ardalan, Nader and Laleh Bakhtiar. The Sense of Unity. Chicago: University of
Chicago Press, 1973.
Carver, Norman F., Jr. Italian Hilltowns. Dobbs Ferry, New York: Documan Press,
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Hertzberger, Herman. "Five Works" in Architecture and Urbanisme, No. 75, pp. 45-146.
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Miller, Frank. "Design Projections for an Astronomical Observatory". MIT Thesis, 1979.
Mumford, Lewis. Sticks and Stones. New York: Dover Publications, 1955.
Ponge, Francis. The Voice of Things. Edited and translated by Beth Archer. New York:
McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1972.
Scully, Vincent. The Earth, the Temple, and the Gods. New Haven: Yale University
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Smith, Peter. "Urban Aesthetics" in Architecture for People edited by Byron Mikellides.
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Wright, Frank Lloyd. The Natural House. Horizon Press, New York. 1954.
148
.011