Blacksburg, VirginiaMay 1997

Approved:

William Green, Chairman

H. Rodriguez-Camilloni

William Galloway

Technology, Time and FormBy Sami Al-Masalha

Thesis submitted to the faculty of theVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State

Universityin partial fulfilment of the requirements for

the degree of Master in Architecture

C O N T E N T S

AbstractAcknowledgmentsTechnology, Time and FormThe SiteThe SketchThe Final DesignBibliographyVita

This thesis is about designing a museum inJordan. The building is to be a place of time,light and space. Its primary purpose is to in-troduce the people to the capital of Jordan,Amman .This study will offer a conceptual approach,concentrating on composition, visual concepts,and influences that have shaped it over the pastyear.My intention here is to present the visual as-pect of exteriors and interiors.The design would be based on my awarenessand acceptance of modern western aesthethicvalues and technology as part of an interna-tional culture and global economic systems.

A B S T R A C T

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank my committee, Profes-sors, Green, Rodriguez and Galloway for theircontribution and help in producing this work.

To my family and my friends who had confi-dence in me when I needed it most.

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“Of course patterns vary from place to place, from culture to culture, from age to age; they are all man made, they all depend on culture. But still inevery age and every place the structure of the world is given to it, essentially by some collection of patterns which keeps on repeating over and overagain. These patterns are not concrete elements, like bricks and doors, they are much deeper and more fluid and yet they are the solid substanceunderneath the surface, out of which a building or town is always made”

Christopher Alexander5

The transparent screens, Cairo, Eygpt.

As architects in our life we should acknowl-edge our problems and use them to create art.This study aknowledges a cultural and archi-tectural crisis that exists today in most of thedeveloping world as well as in Jordan. It isfocused on three pertinent aspects, technology,time, and form, which havebecome diverseand contradictory in ways unprecedented inhistory. Technology by definition is a set ofmethods a society employs to satisfy its build-ing requirements. In the past a state of har-mony existed between incoming values andtechnology, because of the slow interactionwhich allowed the receiving culture sufficienttime for adaptation. In such cultures with richarchitectural tradition and heritage, the mainreason for the gap between existing and in-coming cultures is that they did not prepare toabsorb western exported aesthetic values andtechnology. The main cause of this is during

this century modern technology has becometoo advanced to be compatible with the capa-bility of local building technology, and thelocal tradition no longer has the economicappeal it had before. The need for rapid andlarge scale advancement in the developingcountries was made possible by modern tech-nology, not just for its economic appeal butalso for the prestige it carries with it.Nowadays, Jordan among other nations con-tains a cultural heritage, and an architecturallegacy of great value that is suffering fromimported architectural fashions. However, theproblem is that it fails to distinguish aestheticvalues of western architecture when imple-menting them into its culture.It was my intention throughout my studies tocreate a bridge between western architecturaltechnology and traditional architectural formsand technology in Jordan.

Technology, Time and Form

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Wind towers

It is commonly said that“If a wall were built around Jordan it would be a museum.”

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The Map of Jordan.

Petra: The treasury from the end of the Siq. This wasthe earliest of the classical rock-cut facades to be builtat Petra, in the 1st century BC.

Qasr Amra: One of the most impressive desertcastles is an early 8th century bath complex in a triple-vaulted building full of painted frescoes.

Jerash: The Greco-Roman city of Jerash is consid-ered the largest and most well-preserved site of Romanarchitecture in the world outside Italy.

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T h e S i t ea n dThe City of Amman

The old city

The new city

Amman

Jordan’s capital, a busy commercial andadministrative metropolis built on sevenhills, has a long and fascinating history.9

The Roman Theater

Building courtyard.

Office building, Amman.

The Site Significance

The location of this building is of great sig-nificance because it will be the last structureto be constructed on this street. The museumshould likely be a projection into the future ofour culture, technology and society. The ma-terial of the proposed building should re-spond to the existing buildings, but in a newway. The older buildings are constructed instone.

Situated at the crossroads of the downtown andthe new city of Amman, the site is a place ofvariety and contradiction.

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The islamic bank, Amman.

The materials of the external skin include ref-erences to the surroundings, the content, andthe architectonic orientation of the building.As explained in the urban design analysis fa-cades are explicitly distinguished in theirstyles, structures, scales, materials, and con-struction.

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Dealing with the StreetIn the modern city, the street becomes simply a space formeans of transportaion. This project deals with the streetas a living space and the nucleus of the community as itwas in the traditional city.

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The Main Entrance

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The first sketch: more than an idea

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of brightness and darkness instantly comes to the mind.Standing on the podium between the two parts, an image

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Each part hasunique features that relate to their specific location on the site.

TheO b s e r v a t i o nT o w e r

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You enter between two different worlds, one of modern architecture and one recalling ancient forms. You enter and advance towardsthe observation towers where you are able to read the history of the city through the different layers across time.

You enter between two different worlds, one of modern architecture and one recalling ancient forms. You enter and advance towardsthe observation towers where you are able to read the history of the city through the different layers across time.

You enter between two different worlds, one of modern architecture and one recalling ancient forms. You enter and advance towardsthe observation towers where you are able to read the history of the city through the different layers across time.

You enter between two different worlds, one of modern architecture and one recalling ancient forms. You enter and advance towardsthe observation towers where you are able to read the history of the city through the different layers across time.

You enter between two different worlds, one of modern architecture and one recalling ancient forms. You enter and advance towardsthe observation towers where you are able to read the history of the city through the different layers across time.

You enter between two different worlds, one of modern architecture and one recalling ancient forms. You enter and advance towardsthe observation towers where you are able to read the history of the city through the different layers across time.

You enter between two different worlds, one of modern architecture and one recalling ancient forms. You enter and advance towardsthe observation towers where you are able to read the history of the city through the different layers across time.

You enter between two different worlds, one of modern architecture and one recalling ancient forms. You enter and advance towardsthe observation towers where you are able to read the history of the city through the different layers across time.

You enter between two different worlds, one of modern architecture and one recalling ancient forms. You enter and advance towardsthe observation towers where you are able to read the history of the city through the different layers across time.

You enter between two different worlds, one of modern architecture and one recalling ancient forms. You enter and advance towardsthe observation towers where you are able to read the history of the city through the different layers across time.

You enter between two different worlds, one of modern architecture and one recalling ancient forms. You enter and advance towardsthe observation towers where you are able to read the history of the city through the different layers across time.

You enter between two different worlds, one of modern architecture and one recalling ancient forms. You enter and advance towardsthe observation towers where you are able to read the history of the city through the different layers across time.

You enter between two different worlds, one of modern architecture and one recalling ancient forms. You enter and advance towardsthe observation towers where you are able to read the history of the city through the different layers across time.

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3D Geometrical studies

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Site Plan

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1 Courtyard2 Main Entrance3 Entrance Hall4 Permanent Exhibition

5 Temporary Exhibition6 Reception7 Storage8 Adminstration Offices

The First Floor

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5

6

2

1

8

8

8

8

3

2

4

1 Permanent Exhibition2 Temporary Exhibition3 Reception4 Storage5 Adminstration offices

The Second Floor

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1

1

3

2

5

4

5

5

1 Permanent Exhibition2 Library3 Storage4 Adminstration Offices

The Third Floor

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4

3

2

1

1

1 Permanent Exhibition2 Temporary Exhibition3 Reception

The Fourth Floor

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2

1

1

1

3

The separation of the two types ( opaqueness and transparency) is necessary to respect theirdifference. The podium (the courtyard) connects both of them.

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The towers will be constructed of reinforced concrete with stone infill.

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The juxtaposition of old and new will create among people a new level of awareness about their surroundings.

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A dialogue between old and new; where old and new each has its own right to exist.

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The stone towers are strongly isolated; nearly all of the elevation surfaces are closed.

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The vertical circulation is a major concern in the spaces. Alternatively, the stairs in the towers and the ramps facilitatethe main vertical circulation.

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Alexander, Christopher, The Timeless Way of Building, New York: Oxford University Press, 1979.Bachelard, Gaston, The Poetics of Space, Boston, Massachusetts: Beacon Press, 1969.Curtis, William, Le Corbusier: Ideas and Forms, New York: Rizzoli, 1986.Frampton, Kenneth, Studies in Tectonic Culture, Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 1995.Greenough, Horatio, Form and Function, Horald Small: Berekeley, CA: University of California Press, 1947.Le Corbusier, Towards a New Architecture, New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1986.Lobell, John, Between Silence andLlight, Spirit in the Architecture of Louis Khan, Boston: Shambhala Publications, Inc., 1985.Lynch, Kevin, The Image of the City, Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 1960.Perez-Gomez, Alberto, Architecture and the Crisis of Modern Science, Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 1983.Rossi, Aldo, The Architecture of the City, Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 1982.Saarien, Eliel, The Search for Form in Art and Architecture, New York: Dover Publication, Inc., 1985.Venturi, Robert, Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture, New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 1996.Venturi, Robert, and Scott Brown, Denise, Learning from Las Vegas, Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 1997.Wright, Frank L., In the Cause of Architecture, New York: McGraw Hill, Inc., 1987.

All images in this book were photographed and/or produced by the author, and are the express property of both the author and VirginiaPolytechnic Institute and State University in a legally binding sense. Unauthorized reproduction may be punishable by law.

B I B L I O G R A P H Y

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VITA SAMI K. AL-MASALHA

REGISTRATION

- Registered Architect, Jordan Association for Architectsince 1994, Amman, Jordan.

EDUCATION

- M. Arch. May,1997GPA (3.91/4.0).VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND STATE UNI-VERSITY, (Blacksburg, VA).- B. Sc. Arch. Sep., 1989 - May, 1994(First professional degree, a five year program).Graduated first in my class.JORDAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOL-OGY, (Irbid, Jordan).

WORK EXPERIENCE

- Teaching Assistant Aug., 1996 - May, 1997College of Architecture and Urban Studies, Virginia Poly-technic Institute and State University.- Instructor Sep., 1994 - Aug., 1995College of Architecture, Jordan University of Science andTechnology, (Irbid, Jordan).Taught various design studios including basic design,sketching, perspective drawing, architectural rendering,fourth year design studios, and undergraduate thesis stu-dios.- Designer May, 1994 - Sep., 1994Arab Engineers Corp., (Amman, Jordan).Contributed as a member of a team in the designing ofan extension for the Jordan Engineers Association.- Architectural Trainee May, 1993 - Sep., 1993Maoshor Architects, (Amman, Jordan).Worked on designing the interior of Philadelphia Bank,interior layout, furniture design and preparation of theproject documents. Designed a residential project fromearly concept development up to the preparation of theworking drawing.

ACTIVITIES

- President of Tau Sigma Delta National Honor Society forArchitecture and Allied Arts at Virginia Polytechnic andState University, 1996/1997.- Member of Jordan Association for Architects since 1994.- Member of Jordan University of Science and Technol-ogy basketball team, 1989 -1994.- Member of Abasi club basketball team, 1984 -1994.

AWARDS AND HONORS

- Member of Tau Sigma Delta National Honor Society forArchitecture and Allied Arts, 1996.- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Schol-arship for spring semester, 1995/1996.- Jordan University of Science and Technology Scholar-ship for Master of Architecture degree in the U.S.A.,1995/1997.- Honored for graduating first of class at Jordan Universityof Science and Technology, 1994.- Won second prize as a member of team in the design ofan extension for Jordan Engineers Association building,1994.- Jordan University of Science and Technology award forthe distinguished student in architecture, 1993/1994.- King Hussein Royal award for the distinguished student,1993.- Jordan University of Science and Technology award forthe best basketball player, 1992/1994.

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