UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE &PLANNING

KASHMERE GATE, NEW DELHI-110403

DISSERTATION

RATIONALITY OF NON-CONVENTIONAL FORM

DISSERTATION GUIDE

MR. VERENDRA WAKHLOO

NAME OF STUDENT

RACHIT.K.SRIVASTAVA (0541731606 )
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING

Guru Govind Singh Indraprastha University

KASHMERE GATE, NEW DELHI-110403

Dissertation Title

Rationality of non-conventional forms

Approval Certificate

The following study is hereby approved as a creditable work on the approved subject, carried out, and

presented in a manner sufficiently satisfactory to warrant its acceptance.

It is to be understood that by this approval the undersigned does not necessarily endorse or approve

any statement made, opinion expressed or conclusions drawn therein, but approve the study only for

the purpose for which it is submitted and satisfies himself as to the requirements laid down by the

dissertation committee.

Name of the student Name of the Guide

Rachit. K. Srivastava (Mr.Verendra Wakhloo)

(0541731606)

Batch 2006-11

Date: -01-2011
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

During the course of my dissertation there have been a number of people who have been greatly

helpful with their personal capacities in various ways. I take this opportunity to express my deep

gratitude for the co-operation and patience they have shown.

I am grateful to my guide Mr. Verendra Wakhloo for providing me with invaluable inputs

and encouragement, helping me tirelessly throughout the process and having complete faith

in me. This work would not have been possible otherwise.

No words can express my gratitude to my parents and my friends for the constant moral support and

for having faith in me.

Thank you,

Dated:

11th January 2010

CONTENTS

Introduction- Rationality in Architecture

Defining rationality in architecture along with key factors governing it.

Conventional paradigm

Conventional non-conventional- Description of the conventional and non-

conventional paradigm, through shifts of conventions in recent history. Shift from
Victorian to modernism followed by postmodernism and then finally by new age
digital architecture.

Paradigm shift - Causality of styles, and mapping of the transformation of non-

conventional architecture to conventional architecture.

Form

Psychology of form - Analysis of form as perceived by human psyche, using

various theories.

Non-conventional forms - Introduction to digital form concepts.

Key Factors of non-conventional paradigm

Psychology- use of psychology in development of non-conventional designs and

an attempt to analyze the designer‟s psyche that leads to non-conventional forms.
 Technology- Exploring causality of non-conventional or „new‟ architecture through
historical references.

Process

Exploring the method of working involved in achieving non-conventional architecture.

Conclusion

Rationality behind non-conventional architecture and its affect on society and the
architecture fraternity.

Bibliography
Rationality

Architecture, painting, and sculpture are called “fine arts”. They appeal to the eye as music
does to the ear. Form of a building is the main body and is integrally connected with the
architecture as a whole. But architecture is not judged by visual appeal alone. Buildings
enclose space and are made of building materials. They are sited within the larger
ecosystem and have mechanical, electrical and lot of other services and systems integrated
within them. Buildings affects all human senses-sound, smell, touch, taste and vision.

Architects like sculptors and painters work with form, mass and color but that solve practical
problems. The rationality of a building, in contrast to of a piece of sculptor, are judged
according to how well a building fulfills a client‟s goals and the requirements of those who
live and work within it. Architecture is a functional art and no matter how beautiful the
building may be, if the people inside are miserable, the building the building cannot be
termed as an architectural success.

Integration of all the elements involved in a building itself defines the term rationality which
includes the clients requirements along with the users but its judgment with services, urban
setting and by laws which are often ignored while appreciating architecture are equally
important. The architect‟s relationship with the client and to its intended occupants defines
the boundaries of the profession. The response of the client and the users are generally
looked upon as a major factor governing the rationality of the building. But a deeper and
much more elaborated far sighted vision is required to judge a building.

With the change in times and technology architecture also is not left unaffected. Hence
giving rise to a completely new genre of architectural style. This „new‟ architecture which is
completely different to the existing notion of form and building is a subject of much
discussion and curiosity.

The change is often welcomed and in many cases not. It challenges the rationalities set with
the existing notion of architecture. It is often criticized and looked down as the rise of
"individualism," and what Philip Rieff characterized in 1966 as the "triumph of the
therapeutic." But a deeper venture in the understanding of its concepts and analysis of our
own architectural history itself provides us lot of answers.

What is the rationality behind its existence and what leads to this new or non-conventional
architecture? If the architecture itself is evolving and changing where does one draw the line
for its rationality
The conventional cycle

Conventional as defined by the dictionary-„ Conforming or adhering to accepted standards,

as of conductor taste or A convention is a set of agreed, stipulated or generally accepted
standards, norms, social norms or criteria, often taking the form of a custom‟1.

Conventional or Non-conventional architecture cannot be described as a style or a

movement, because these are always with respect to a certain time slot. What is
conventional today may not have been conventional in the past. There is a constant effort by
the architects and designers to improve the existing typology and conventions and design
something new. The new defines the non-conventional and in due course of time the same
non-conventional or „new‟ is accepted by the mass and eventually becomes conventional.

Technology
‘X’ style Culture
Social issues
conventional
Thoughts

Time and ‘Y’ style/type

Acceptance
Non-
Development conventional

Culture and society are always in a phase of constant flux. Architecture is for the people;
hence it can be directly linked with the change in society. Architecture constantly needs to
reconfigure itself according to the changing demands and need. Hence triggers a need for
change in the design process. Technology acts as a tool for the changes, but can also be
the sole factor responsible for the change. The vision and thoughts of the designer creates a
„new‟ vocabulary which is obviously different from the existing norm, commonly known as
non-conventional.

1
From website-http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conventional
The new style is always in the process of evolution. It may have few issues like un-
economic, or technical loop holes etc which may be widely criticized. But with time and
acceptance it develops to become more and more efficient in terms of performance and
economy. The cycle continues with the change in society and technology.

The above cycle can be clearly related with architectural movements or style which emerged
and were later taken over by the „new‟ style. Modern movement can be looked upon as a
good example. Modern movement emerged as non-conventional and a complete rebel to the
existing norms and standards of the existing Victorian style in 1850.Some historians see the
evolution of Modern architecture as a social matter, closely tied to the project of Modernity
and hence to the Enlightenment, a result of social and political revolutions2. The shift of
power from monarchy to the general people and the triumph of democracy were clearly
reflected in the modern principals of design. The effect of war was also clearly visible as the
need of the hour was quick and mass construction, which led to industrialization of the
buildings. Modern architecture was primarily driven by technological and engineering
developments, and it is true that the availability of new building materials such as iron, steel,
concrete and glass drove the invention of new building techniques as part of the Industrial
Revolution3.

Instead of starting with a preconceived notion of what a building should look like (as in
classical or Medieval architecture), it believed in simply designing a building according to its
practical purpose, then furnish it with simple aesthetic features that are naturally suggested
by its internal structure. This approach, which leads to the plain surfaces and simple
geometry associated with the "modern look", is aptly summarized in Sullivan's most famous
quotation: "form follows function”. Technology also plays an important role in evolution of
modern form. Invention of elevators and steel framing played an important role in vertical
extension of the buildings, while frame structures gave the architect „total elevation freedom.

As modern architecture grew in popularity and with time became the main stream
architecture style, many of the large scale project created under the influence of the „new‟
language , the complex relationship between built and people which gives the place its
character was been overlooked and eventually got destroyed. The concept of „living
machine‟ and building industrialization resulted in inhospitable, alien places. As advances in
building materials and structural engineering opened up incredible new possibilities for
architectural design, it was only a matter of time until the severe International style was
rejected in favour of total aesthetic freedom. It is thus impossible to generalize postmodern

2
From website-http://www.e-architect.co.uk/modern_architects.htm
3
Spirit of machine-Robert kroenburg
 architecture beyond the observation that "anythings possible". Among the most striking
features of Postmodern architecture are complex geometry, the mixture of modern and
traditional elements, colorfulness, and playfulness. The characteristics of postmodernism
aimed to be expressed in multiple ways. These characteristics included the use of sculptural
forms, ornaments, anthropomorphism and play of materials and colors. These physical
characteristics were combined with conceptual characteristics of meaning. These
characteristics of meaning include pluralism, double coding, flying buttresses and high
ceilings, irony and paradox, and contextualize.

The sculptural forms, not necessarily organic, were created with much ardor. These can be
seen in Hans Hollein‟s Abteiberg Museum (1972–1982). The building is made up of several
building units, all very different. Each building‟s forms are nothing like the conforming rigid
ones of Modernism. These forms are sculptural and are somewhat playful. These forms are
not reduced to an absolute minimum; they are built and shaped for their own sake. The
building units all fit together in a very organic way, which enhances the effect of the forms.

1830 1851 1950 1980

Victorian/ beaux N-C C

architecture

Technology
advancement

Wars-drop in economy

Change in political
scenario

Modern architecture N-C C

Rise in economy

Bland built fabric

Lacked identity

Post modernism
N-C C
Architecture

Economy of excess

Advance technology

Attempt to make a mark

Lacked identity N-C C

Contemporary
Form

Psychology of form

Classical architecture was dominated by symmetry. In contrast, in the 20th century, there
has been a shift from the dominating role of symmetry to the gradual raising of asymmetry
as the major principle. Famous examples of the latter include Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling
Water, with its asymmetrically arranged blocks, or Eero Saarinen's TWA Building with its
free form structure, or in the contemporary world, the Deconstructivist Architects are now the
dominant force. In all their buildings, asymmetry is the major organizing factor.

Symmetry is always used to erase memory from an organization, and asymmetry is always
used to introduce memory into an organization. These memory principles are deeply
embedded in the human mind: indeed they are what allows the mind to work. It is these
memory principles that are at the basis of classical architecture's use of symmetry and the
modern architecture's use of asymmetry. That is, classical architecture is aimed at removing
memory, and contemporary architecture aims at creating memory4.If we define "memory" to
be information about the past, we observe that there are many forms that memory can take.
For example, a scar is memory of past events because, when we look at it, we are able to
extract information about past actions, i.e., the fact that there had previously been a past
cutting action across the skin. Again, a crack in a vase is memory of past events because,
when we look at it, we are able to extract information about past actions, i.e., the fact that
there had previously been a blow applied to the vase. There are in fact an almost infinite
number of forms that memory can take: scars, cracks, dents, twists, growths, and so on.
However arguments presented in my book [Leyton 1992], lead to the conclusion that, on an
abstract level, there is only one form that memory takes:5

ASYMMETRY form:
An asymmetry in the present is assumed to have been a symmetry in the past.
SYMMETRY form:

A symmetry in the present is assumed to have always existed.

Classical architecture aimed at removing memory.

Contemporary architecture aims at creating memory.

4
Published paper- Group Theory and Architecture 2-Why Symmetry/Asymmetry? By Michael Leyton
5
Published paper- Symmetry, Causality, Mind by Michael Leyton, MIT Press
Environmental psychology may also be broken into several elements: attention or
understanding of how people notice their environment; Perception and cognitive mapping or
how people cognitively map what they experience based on what they know or think they
know about their environment; Preferred environmental psychology studies people‟s
motivations illustrating that people naturally seek out places where they will feel competent,
confident, where they will feel comfort or enjoyment. Further, research demonstrates that
people have preference for rationality (a sense that things in an environment connect
together) and legibility (that people can feel they may explore an environment without being
lost). Thus the creation and preservation of a preferred environment is believed to increase
the sense of well-being and behavioural effectiveness in people6.

Gestalt psychology, from the German Gestalt meaning form or shape, seeks to explore how
the mind forms or interprets patterns. It is thought that the mind is „wired‟ to seek meaning
and significance in all the sensory information inputted into it. This may be the result of eons
of development as human‟s instinct for survival was based upon changes in colour in the
environment (to seek shelter upon lower light levels indicating the coming of night) or
auditory input (the snap of a twig indicating the threat of a predator).7

Gestalt illustrates how people see a pattern in space despite distance. For example, the
stars representing the „big dipper‟ star constellation are in fact stars at different distances
from the earth but they are perceived as being on a single plain. Repetitive gestalt
demonstrates equalities in object spacing where none may exist. The corner columns of the
Parthenon designed to be thicker and spaced closer to surrounding columns will be visually
interpreted as being of equal size and spacing. Indeed the entire structure itself was
designed with subtle curves, the columns are slightly tapered, and the rectangular base is
slightly curved purposefully engineered to withstand the lateral movement of the earth
caused by earthquakes. Simplest and latest figure gestalt suggests that the mind may fill in
missing portions of the simplest or largest (which also suggests prioritization) figures visually
presented8.

It is also noted that there is a kinesthetic body response to forms and lines. We may
examine the horizontal prairie residence “falling water” designed by the great American 20th
century architect Frank Lloyd Wright that may be sensed symbolically as a human body at
rest horizontally suggestive of domestic tranquility. In contrast, we may sense the dynamic

6
Salingaros, N. A., 1997, “Life and Complexity in Architecture from a Thermodynamic Analogy.” Physics Essays
Vol. 10.
7
Heinen, Stephen J. Ph.D. , “Vision, Eye Movements and the Brain.” http://www.ski.org/SJHeinen_Lab.html
8
Gestalt theory by Max Wertheimer, Hayes Barton Press, 1944.
equilibrium of a vertical structure implying aspiration, reaching and assertiveness as in a
corporate headquarters building or a Gothic cathedral.9

It is also known that the mind seeks to organize data when faced with random unknown
visual information or even construct data, as in the absence of sensory data when a person
is placed in a sensory deprivation chamber. In circumstances where cognitive information
becomes repetitive the mind filters and automatically switches to anticipating patterns (be
they open spaces, windows, or decorative elements- designs, painted surfaces, textures or
ornamentation). Mentally there are impulses towards continuity and closure that again,
suggests the mind‟s preference for pattern, unity or coherence in a structure despite
circumstances when these characteristics are not inherent.10

The recent study of complexity and patterns (fractals) via physics has relevance to
architecture. A fascinating path by way of Nikos A. Salingaros, Mathematics Professor at the
University of Texas in an article entitled “Architecture, Patterns and Mathematics” theorizes
that: “Man's visual system is especially receptive to patterns.” In Salingaros‟ treatise patterns
are defined as “regularity in some dimension” and that mathematics is a science of patterns.
Thus it is important to analyze how mathematics, patterns and gestalt psychology intertwine
and applied to architecture. The paper referred to mankind‟s need to “generate patterns out
of some basic inner need” and applying basic psychology we may conclude, human beings
are not comfortable in a perceiving wildly chaotic universe. Architecture and design fulfills a
basic desire for permanence and meaning, this explains the preference towards architectural
details, to regular patterns and symmetrical design.11

Salingaros‟ paper relates that historically architects were mathematicians and that the two
disciplines were indistinguishable. Historically, when the Emperor Justinian wanted an
architect to design the church of Haggia Sophia (Divine Wisdom) in Istanbul, Turkey, a
structure that would surpass anything built before, he turned to two professors of
mathematics, Isidoros and Anthemios. The Medieval stonemasons had a strong
understanding of Platonic philosophy, proportion and mathematics and to them all their work
was grounded in the ancient Pythagorean maxim “all is number.” Studying the Gothic
structures geometry and mathematics are completely woven into (the Golden Mean or
Golden Proportion being a consistent calculation) the structure‟s physical features honouring
the geometric nature of creation and the Creator. Ancient Classical cultures and Western
European Renaissance architect mathematicians designed their structures with patterns in

9
Koch, J. “Sacred Geometry in Building.” http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~jkoch/sacred.html
10
Heinen, Stephen J. Ph.D. , “Vision, Eye Movements and the Brain.” http://www.ski.org/SJHeinen_Lab.html
11
Salingaros, N. A., 1999, "Architecture, Patterns, and Mathematics" Nexus Network Journal 1 No. 2:
approximately 12 pages. http://www.leonet.it/culture/nexus/network_journal/Salingaros.html
mind and thus the structures themselves reflected processes which are inherent in the
human mind (again we must refer to Gestalt psychology).

A recently developed model to gauge the intrinsic qualities of buildings based upon the
science of thermodynamics is another link that might be used to understand our appeal to
the perception of structure. Architectural temperature (T) defines the degree of detail,
harmony (H) measures coherence and symmetry. The degree to which a structure has „life‟
(L) is a product of temperature and harmony. Complexity (C) also is a measurement based
on T and H. The model establishes a connection between science rooted in measurement
and subjective qualification. Using this model to gauge the qualities of, for example, Chartres
cathedral in France, or any other medieval or modern structure, one would find high
temperature (that is colour hue variations according to light levels which are richly impressed
upon an individual in the structure) and high harmony (little randomness) would reflect a
preferred high „life‟ in a structure. The model is indicative that “the connection between
biological life and architecture arises from the thermodynamics of living forms. So, life would
seem to be the result of enormous and purposeful „complication.‟ Biological organisms are
marvelously connected on many different levels, and they are characterized by very high
design temperature and harmony. The connective thought processes underlying cognition
themselves mimic the thermodynamic and connective structures that are characteristic of
living forms. This helps to explain our instinct to relate to forms having a high degree of
architectural life and thus confirmation of our inclination for pattern.12

The architectural temperature mimics the activity of life processes, which is highly organized
and structured. It should not be surprising then that living beings instinctively copy the
intrinsic qualities of living systems in their own creations. How can humans put an image of
life into a building? Apart from figurative icons and statues, we work with emotions:
structures are carefully tailored to generate positive psychological and physiological
responses. The thermodynamic model importantly confirms a psychological preference
between structures and people.

A study of architecture and its effects on people yields a tremendous amount of learning
from very diverse subjects. It certainly became apparent that the so-called „simple‟ act of
experiencing structure and environments involves so many different aspects. The cognitive
function alone seems fantastic itself when one considers the eyes move together at “nine
hundred degrees per second bringing our gaze on a target within 25 milliseconds. The eyes
process an unbelievable volume of light frequency information along with the brain that

12
Salingaros, N. A., 1997, “Life and Complexity in Architecture from a Thermodynamic Analogy.” Physics Essays
Vol. 10. http://www.math.utsa.edu/sphere/salingar/LifeandComp.html
processes what is seen or what is believed to be there and perhaps fill in the gaps for what
may be missing. Gestalt psychology seems to be central to how we experience architecture
in suggesting our brains are wired to infer the rhythm and patterns of architecture that in turn
yield a behavioural effect. It seems evident that people have a preference to generating
patterns out of an instinctive inner need to constancy and predictability opposite the
unpredictability and chaos extant in the natural universe. As to a connection between
architecture and people “We apparently enjoy the input from patterns, and this enjoyment
often increases with the complexity of a pattern; however, this is true only for complex
patterns that have some sort of ordering. The precise nature of this effect remains imprecise
and largely intuitive.13

Architecture a symbolic and intentional endeavor seems to reflect the psychology of its
designers regardless of time, culture and perhaps even species. Space, form, and light are
elements that are often incorporated either purposefully of unconsciously for aesthetic or
practical reasons but more pointedly give creatures meaning, purpose and stability amidst
an ever changing physical universe of seeming chaos.14

Non-conventional architecture of present:

Introduction to digital form concepts

Having abandoned the discourse of style, the architecture of modern times is characterized
by its capacity to take advantage of that same modernity: innovations offered it by present
day science and technology. The relationship between new technology and new architecture
even comprises a fundamental datum of what are referred as avant-garde architecture.

Digital technologies are changing architectural practice in a way that very few were able to
anticipate just a decade ago. In the conceptual realm, computational, digital architecture of
topological, non-Euclidean geometric space, kinetic and dynamic systems are supplanting
technological architecture. Digitally driven design processes, characterized by dynamic,
open ended and un-predictable abut consistent transformations of three dimensional
structures, are given rise to new architectural possibilities. The generative and creative
potential of digital media, together with manufacturing advances already attained in

13
Evans, Gary W. “Current Trends in Environmental Psychology”
http://www.ucm.es/info/Psyap/iaap/evans.htm
14
“Theories of Environmental Behaivior Relationships”
http://condor.stcloudstate.edu/~jaz/psy373/theories.html
automotive, aerospace and ship building industries, is opening up new dimensions in
architectural design.15

The „new‟ forms evolve in complex ways and their free form surface curve complexly as well.
As exceptions to the norm- as formal revolt, challenging the, fundamentally rectilinear
convention- These new form raise profound and necessary questions of an aesthetic,
psychological and social nature.

The contemporary architecture appears to reject any notion of urban and structural typology,
continuity and morphology and historic style and perspective framework –they represent an
ideological, conceptual and formal break much like Walter Gropius‟s Bauhaus. They seem to
figure an entirely new way of architectural thinking, one that ignores conventions of style or
aesthetic together in favor of continuous experimentation based on digital generation and
transformation of forms that respond to complex contextual or functional influences, both
static and dynamic.

15
Branko Kolarevic.”Architecture in Digital Age”
Key factors of non-conventional paradigm

Psychology

Ornamentation has always been an important part of architecture. It was only after
„modernism‟ that art- in terms of ornamentation, was segregated and designers started
focusing on function and pragmatic aspect of architecture, and this side started dominating
architecture. It was only in post modernism that ornamentation revived, ornamentation of the
building was to decorate the architectural structures in regards to functional characteristics
and using appropriate geometrical shapes and lines.

In last two decades, architects have started to design buildings and spaces as sculptures
which evolves the psychology of the user and the designer. The form and spaces are
choreographed and designed to evoke the desired feel and emotion. This is achieved by
using the universal tools like sensation-the feel or experience, hence adding a new thread in
design process apart from conventional neutral factors like climate, functions, economy etc.
This new „thread‟ of designing may or may not be neutral, but it depends on the design
agenda. Like in case of Jewish museum in Germany, the architect Daniel Lebiskind
designed the spaces, which evokes the feelings of the torture and sufferings faced by the
Jews. The spaces, volumes and shapes of all the galleries are not entirely because of the
pragmatic requirements but perfectly choreographed to generate a sensory quality.
Architects like Frank‟o Gehry have also used the form based quality of complex architectural
forms to create buildings which are like sculptures- piece of art itself. The origin of complex
shapes and forms used by Gehry are often inspired by living creature like fishes and natural
objects. The Guggenheim museums designed by Gehry in Bilbao reflects the agony of a fish
out of water, which can be traced back to his personal life experiences when he was a kid. In
this case the psychology of the designer plays an important role in evolution of the form.
One can always contradict that experiential spaces and use of sensory quality of spaces
have always been a part of architectural vocabulary, but in most of the cases it can be
termed as incidental. It is only in recent times that designer have started to pay special
consideration in designing the experiential quality of a space to the extent so that it becomes
an object of prime importance in manipulating the form.

If we analyze history of architecture, Most of the non-conventional architecture and path

breaking ideas are generated by designers who were not trained at architectural institutions.
A creative person who is not trained usually ends up devising their own vocabulary Design
carried out by such individuals may access inherent human capabilities for problem solving
and creativity which has become submerged beneath conventions and dominance of
specialism. Every individual has a response to architecture which is unique to them and
perhaps less informed or informal, is as personally valid as that of those trained in the field.
In fact not being trained under the usual curriculum gives them the freedom to think „out of
the box‟ instinctively.

There has been a definite change in designer‟s psychology also. Since modernism design
and architecture has become more or less an individual expression, designers try to develop
their own expression through their specific vocabulary. They try to go beyond the basic
pragmatic functional requirements and do something extra which will obviously be an add-on
to the entire design scheme. There is an attempt to create the „x‟ factor or which could be
also looked upon as signature move or style. Earlier the projects were not known from the
architect‟s name or style, they were always a part of some style or movement, but now it
really difficult to summarize the projects in a specific genre or movement. If conventional was
“do it” then non-conventional is” how do I do it”.
Technology

Technology has always been a source of inspiration and tool for the designers of all time and
period. New technology is generally employed in two ways: first and perhaps most
commonly to improve an existing method or system of construction; secondly to make
possible new techniques. The route from the discovery of a new scientific principle and its
application is not generally straight forward. Frequently a new technology developed for one
role is transferred into other roles. Sometimes far more useful and far more common than
the first. An incredible costly development exercise can be justified on the grounds of the
value that the resultant spinoff will have in less glamorous areas of human activity; for
example the 1960‟s space programme resulted in new application as diverse as liquid quartz
crystal displays. The same holds true for military research which has an enormous world-
wide budget. Much of military innovation eventually finds practical peacetime application.
During the two world wars technological advancement escalated dramatically with many
quantifiable developments that have provided lasting benefits. Radar, telecommunication,
computing, jet engine-all made enormous advance during the Second World War.16

Non- conventional architecture uses technology as a tool to support their ideas and
thought, in the process tries to expand the horizon of available technology. It‟s a dual relation
which can be formed between technology and non-conventional architecture as in the
process both evolve. Existing new technology can instigate an idea or inspire the designer to
create a new architecture, while the new ideas can also initiate the development of new
technology.

Existing Non conventional

Technology demands

Social/cultural Non conventional New technology

change design

New technology Inspiration

16
Robert Kronenberg-“Spirit Of The Machine”
The new ‟smooth‟ architecture is closely linked with broader design realm and product
design. Rounded counters have always been there in our lives for a good part of the past
decade from tooth-brushes and shaving razors to cars and planes; but somehow because of
lack of required technological framework; the complex geometry like curves was ignored in
architecture until few years ago. Computer aided three dimensional interactive application
(CATIA) had been in use from past 20 years by product and industrial designers before it
was discovered and used by Gehry‟s office. In last few years that the advances in
technology in terms of -computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacturing
(CAM) technologies have started to have an impact on building designs and its construction
practices. They opened up new opportunities by allowing production and construction of very
complex forms that were, until recently very difficult and expensive to design produce and
assemble using traditional construction technologies.

Inspiration Non-conventional
architecture

New technology

The new complex geometrical designs are not possible to be constructed in the conventional
way, hence the architect has to have a complete method of the process to turn his creativity
into reality. It is interesting to note that it is the complexity of “blobby” forms that is actually
drawing architects out of sheer necessity, back into closely involved in making of the
buildings, thus giving them more control of the building process. This position of greater
control over the construction stems from digitally produced design becoming construction
information through the process of data extraction and exchange17. Enabling the architect to
become the coordinator (master builder) of information among various professions and
trades involved in the production of the buildings. Thus giving the architect an opportunity to
place themselves in central, key role in the construction of buildings and perhaps even
regain the absolute power of medieval master builders.18

For example Gehry‟s four dimensional model which he created for wall Disney concert hall.
The model is encoded with all qualitative and quantitave dimensional information necessary
for design analysis, fabrication and construction, plus time based information necessary for

17
http://www.digital-architecture.org/
18
Architecture in the digital age- Branko Kolarevic
assembly sequencing. The necessary, new direct link from design thought to construction is
established through digital technologies. A new digitally driven process of design fabrication
and construction are challenging the relationship of architecture and its means of production.

Non conventional
demands

Non conventional
New technology Change in society
design

In contemporary architectural design, digital media is increasingly being used not as a

representational tool for visualization but as generative tool for the derivation of form and its
transformation-digital morphogenesis. Digitally generated forms are not designed or drawn
as conventional understanding of these terms would have it, but they are calculated by the
chosen generative computational method. Instead of modeling an external form designers
articulate an internal generative logic which then produces, in an automatic fashion, a range
of possibilities from which the designer could choose an appropriate formal proposition for
further development. The digital generative processes are opening up new territories for
formal and conceptual exploration. The emphasis shifts from the “making of form” to the
“finding of form”, which various digitally based generative techniques seem to bring about
intentionally. New shapes and forms are created by generative processes based on
concepts such as topological space, isomorphic surfaces , parametric design and genetic
algorithms.
Non conventional
demands

Non conventional New technology

design
In the late nineteenth century individual architect emerged throughout the industrial world ,
who began to struggle with the challenge that new material and production method brought.
Architecture was trying to catch up with the rest of the manufacturing industry. Architecture
was at least a generation behind what was happening in the commercial world. The time lag
was partly due to apprenticeship system in which designers must be articled to older
practitioners in order to train for the profession. The beaux arts colleges that provided
supplementary education remained attached to developing lessons of antiquity- a knowledge
of the „styles‟ was the required to be a practitioner. But new architectural forms that
absorbed technology as an inspiration gradually emerged in Vienna with the Secession, in
Germany with the Deutsche Werkbund and in Holland with Di Stijl.19

Non conventional
New technology
design

Inspiration

But the turmoil of the Second World War raised social issues, demanded a paradigm shift.
The main objective after the war was to give millions of people a roof to sleep under. Since
so much was destroyed, architects and city-planners saw their chance in forming the cities
after their will. Eventually everything after the war was supposed to become better and
everyone strongly believed in the fortune of planning. These issues were addressed by
architects, like Le Corbusier who got the chance to practice his dream of a "living-unit. This
thought changed the entire idea of living space. Building the necessary living space on a
smaller surface lead to a greater collectivization of living and life. Corbusier believed that the
"living-machine", an artificial creation, a thoroughly planned and shaped world by man had to
be better than the natural and chaotic grown world. He planned to the last detail: with his
"Modular" proportion. At that stage technology acted as a tool for the realization of the ideas
and concept of the designer to cater the immediate need of quick construction and mass
housing.
Existing
Technology

Social/cultural Non conventional

change design
19
Robert Kronenburg-Spirit of the machine
Process involved

Though today vernacular and non-conventional architecture together comprise a relatively

small percentage of all buildings in the world, the method used in their creation holds
important lessons as they can provide valuable information on the expression of meaning
and purpose through building form.

A crucial point, though it may seem obvious, is that the requirement -in terms of the way
building performs, behave and pragmatic demands for the people who are using it directly or
indirectly should be fulfilled. In conventional architecture these issues can be easily resolved
because the building form is based on experience and practice of past as well as current
generation. In non-conventional architecture the design process is remarkably flexible and
open ended. Hence preliminary investigation and compilation stage is very crucial in
determining an accurate basis for the design. Though designers usually use methods which
they have acquired through education and their experience, but it is important that they
recognize that there are other valid methods in approaching a design issue.

Architecture is a creative field, inspiration is the prime source of all creativity, inspiration can
be found from anywhere. Various architects have found their inspiration in different areas
like nature, technology, culture, religion. It could be the germ idea further culminating for any
sought of creation. Creativity cannot exist in isolation it needs a seed-the ground on which
creativity grows. Sigmund Freud and other later psychologists located inspiration in the inner
psyche of the artist. The artist's inspiration came out of unresolved psychological conflict or
childhood trauma. Further, inspiration could come directly from the subconscious. It plays a
huge role in the design process,

The behavior of a building is also subjective and completely driven by the designer‟s intent. It
can be termed as the agenda. Besides fulfilling the necessary functional requirement this is
what, which provides a building with an additional character. Agenda is all about how the
architect perceives the building to be, and at the same time includes the public and social
issues which he tries to focus and address through the design. It could also be seen as the
language which the building speaks to the users, or the message it conveys to the society.

Non conventional designs are ingenious mix of inspiration, agenda and fusing it with the
functional demands of the project. It does incorporate the present requirements but also the
vision and ideas for the future. The rationality lies in the efficiency and balancing of all the
three- i.e. inspiration, agenda and functions.
Inspiration + pragmatic requirement + Agenda = Non conventional
architecture

For example if we analyze Villa Savoye, it was completely different from the buildings which
were present at that point of time. It was a rebel against the existing style of architecture.
Villa Savoye is an excellent example of Le Corbusier's Machine for Living ideal. It stands like
a thin, white, rectangular box, with ribbon windows running along its sides, supported off the
ground on a series of slender pillars. The house looks like a piece of finely tooled precision
machinery, some industrial object of unknown purpose, with flawless white surface. The
influence of science and aeronautics continues inside. Steel-framed strip windows feed
natural light into the principal rooms. It completely adheres to principles of Modernism which
claimed to have supplied a definitive answer to the question of beauty in architecture: the
point of a house was not to be beautiful but to function well.

It may seem as if the architecture was purely function driven and took of all the un-necessary
elements, hence stripping it to bare minimum with the structure just full filling the
requirements. In reality, Corbusier just like all their predecessors, wanted the houses to
speak. Only not of the nineteenth century, of privilege and aristocratic life. Or of the Middle
Ages or Ancient Rome. He wanted the houses to speak of the future, with its promise of
speed and technology, democracy and science.

It was in reality an artistically motivated folly. The bare walls were handmade by artisans
using costly imported Swiss mortar, they were as delicate as pieces of lace and as devoted
to generating feelings as the jewel-encrusted naves of a Counter-Reformation Church. By
Modernism‟s own standards, the roof of the villa was equally, and yet more ruinously,
dishonest. In spite of initial protests from the Savoyes, Le Corbusier insisted – supposedly
on technical and economic grounds alone – that a flat roof would be preferable to a pitched
one. It would, he assured his clients, be cheaper to construct, easier to maintain and cooler
in summer. But only a week after the family moved in, the roof sprang a leak over Roger‟s
bedroom, letting in so much water that the boy contracted a chest infection, which turned
into pneumonia.20

Despite their claims to a purely scientific and reasoned approach, the villa savoye was a lot
more than that. Corbusier spent a good amount of time in Persia, Greece, and travelling
around the world, was particularly influenced by the vernacular architecture of the regions.
The neat white facades of regional houses with flat roofs influenced him a lot. These

20
Alain de Botton-Architecture and Modernism, Articles written for the California Literary Review
features were relatively new for the western world, and at the same time drastically different
from the decorated snobbish aesthetics of the European region of that time. Reflections of
these influences can be easily seen in this signature project. Corbusier was trying to work
his idea of simple geometric forms, and the ideology that design was not a derivation of past
but an expression of the future.

He successfully amalgamated his inspiration from the east and ideas of the machine
efficiency with the agenda of architecture of the new age and the result is and always be the
stamp of a new face in architecture. A non-conventional form generated from fine balance of
all the three aspects.
Conclusion

All non-conventional architecture is like future stories about architecture. So one should not
think it is something that has happened in the past. Architecture is never in the past. It is
always in the future. And architects have to bring it into the present.

Non conventional forms are derivations of non conventional architecture. It re-defines the
functions and the way it is performs. It does not revolves around catering to the obvious and
apparent requirements, it goes much deeper to change the obvious and explores the
cosmos of new spaces and methods with which an architect approaches a project. A certain
function can be performed in multiple ways, time and technology opens up new possibilities
with which it can be performed. It could be an approach which redefines the preconceived
notions and conventional ways of looking at it. Daniel Lebiskind redefined the notion of a
museum through his project like holocaust museum, similarly Le‟ Corbusier redefined a
house during modern movement along with Palladio during renaissance.

The redefining of the function comes through the change in priority, the priority shifts from
the present to the future. It is an attempt to think and go beyond the norm, the omnipresent
and aim for the next. It could be an attempt to design for the future which starts with an effort
in the present. Change in society structure leads to new issues and problems which cannot
be catered with the conventional techniques. It needs a different approach a complete new
perspective of looking at the problem.

It doesn‟t mean every non conventional attempt in architecture is a conscious attempt to

improve the future. But it surely triggers a new thought process; a new page is added to the
book of possibilities. It can have its spinoff in the future toward solving a much larger
problem, which was never a part of the present designer‟s imagination. Corbusier‟s designs
elements were not a necessity during that time but seemed like a creative take of his
inspiration but during the course of time elements like roof garden and pilotis found their
application as stilt parking- the necessity of today‟s time, due to shortage of land and hiked
real estate prices. Similarly designs of one of the most controversial architects like Gehry
may find lot of critics and fall short of their efficiency( in terms of full filling the functions) but
has opened up a whole new chapter of using curvilinear geometries and design fabrication.

The issues catered by a non conventional piece of architecture are rational but the element
which makes it a non conventional design may cater to hidden issue which may be
discovered in the times to come. Non conventional designs have a very specific agenda
behind their conceptualization. It cannot be discarded to termed as failure if it falls short of its
immediate needs and functions. It can be looked upon as innovation driven by inspiration.
History itself proves that almost all milestones of architecture have failed to fulfill its
immediate needs but has changed the face of the architecture forever. They have added a
complete new chapter in the course of imagination and changed the conventions. Hence
new architecture cannot be appreciated within the boundaries of already existing notions of
rationalities but the architecture itself redefines its rationalities.
Bibliography

1. Architecture in The Digital Age- Design And Manufacture; Edited by Branko Kolarevic.

(Taylor and Francis, 2009)

2. Spirit Of Machine-Technology an inspiration in architecture; Robert Kronenburg.

(Wiley-Academy, 2001)

3. Architecture Fundamental Issues- Forrest Wilson, Ron Keenberg with William Loerke.

(Van Nostrand Reinhold,1990)

4. A Generative Theory of Shape-Michael Leyton.

(springer verlag berlin Heidelberg, 2001)

5. Published paper- Symmetry, Causality, Mind- Michael Leyton.

(MIT Press, 2009)

6. Published paper- Architecture, Patterns, and Mathematics - Nikos A. Salingaros

(Nexus Network Journal, 1999)

7. published paper - Architectural Forms by Abstracting Nature- Prof. Kamon Jirapong and
Prof. Robert J. Krawczyk

(College of Architecture, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA, 2002)

8. published paper - Life and Complexity in Architecture From a Thermodynamic Analogy-

Nikos A. Salingaros
(Physics Essays Publications, 1997)

Websites:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deconstruction
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_architecture
3. http://www.allgraphicdesign.com
4. http://www.authorama.com/principles-of-aesthetics-1.htm
5. http://daphne.palomar.edu/design/gestalt.html#anchor1123302