1ARCH 5562: Building Systems

Technology TWO Arch 5562: Introduction to Building TechnologyBuilding Materials and Methods(2 credits A/F)

University of MinnesotaSchool of ArchitectureFall Semester 2014

Lecture hours: TTh 9:45 to 11:00 AM (except as noted)Lab hours: F 10:10 to 12:05 (shared with design studio and theory)

Prerequisites: Admission into the Master of Architecture ProgramMust be taken concurrently with Graduate Design One (GD1)

SYLLABUS

1—Course Description

Current Architecture as Technical Discourse

Or, what is the current state of architectural technology and how does that drive or facilitate the development of the architectural idea?

This module we will be concerned with the origin and development of the architectural idea. As designers, we hope that our work embodies an architectural idea—that our designs are a direct means of representing our underlying intentions.

the technical implications?

Isn’t it true that buildings must stand up, keep out the rain, and protect inhabitants

must realize it is an art. Yes, technical competence is clearly necessary but not

construction are all inextricably linked.

applicable knowledge that will instruct you how to put a building together. However, there is no IKEA instruction pamphlet for buildings.

I also know—as I have read hundreds of admissions statements that describe being

However, I wonder if we are fooling ourselves. A little knowledge on a great many subjects may be just that—a Jack of all trades, master of none. So I wonder whether we have expertise to offer a client and then what is the nature of that expertise. Some say that our expertise is of the “design process,” or “integration.” Others say that we are expert in “critical thinking.”

Stone Museum in NasuKengo Kuma and Associates

IIT CampusMies Van der Rohe

Mies van der Rohe, “On Restraint in Design,” NY Herald Tribune 28 Jun 59

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You will not develop any kind of expertise in 15 weeks. According to Malcom Gladwell’s essay, Outliers, mastery of anything takes 10,000 hours of practice. Gladwell explains that reaching the 10,000-Hour Rule, which he considers the key

practice, having a strong desire to commit to the work, and then practice, practice, practice until you achieve success.

If you worked the amount of time the University suggests for a passing grade (3 hours for every credit), you would have barely 150 hrs. after completion of this class. Your entire graduate experience will accumulate about 4400 hrs. Before you can take the Registration Exam you must also complete the Intern Development

toward expertise.

understand what that means—to work. Does the building merely and reasonably

architecture responsible for the longer term interests of society as applied technology? Or is architecture an art, a political tool or an intellectual endeavor? Is it a manifestation of the culture—embodied values?

There is a curse, claimed by many to have various origins but I will cite it from an address given by Robert Kennedy in 1966—“may you live in interesting times.” I hope you realize how poignant that reference to “interesting times” was then and how much even more so it is now. As we begin this three-year endeavor with you, we face the challenges of environmental crisis, economic crisis, social crisis—the list goes on so long as to lose the sense of urgency that should be carried by the word “crisis.” The professions are being challenged. Education is being challenged. Architecture is being challenged!

Some three decades ago, Peter Collins proposed that architectural analysis and criticism might be fruitfully modeled on the case-study approach. His view began with the suggestion that each architectural work is an atomic individual the features of which are not necessarily designed in accordance with particular principles and which neither depend on past works nor determine future works in any essential

consequences of and guideposts to greater, abstract principles. Thus we can build an understanding of architectural principles by gleaning the lessons of past works, which will shape our future designs through precedence and innovation, by turns and temperament. (Peter Collins, Architectural Judgment (Faber, 1971))

Our research will ask the question—is this true of architects currently in practice? Does this knowledge (of ‘abstract principles’) extend to technical principles and procedures? Also, we will consider the ‘case’ to be the architectural team (and their expertise) that gets the building built, not the building itself.

Sekler 1911

Vitra Fire Station, GermanyZaha Hadid, 1994

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2—Course Description

Concept of the Course

work of Erich Mendelsohn, Peter Zumthor, Frank Gehry, Steven Holl, Herzog & de Meuron and Zaha Hadid, but others are discussed.

we will form a basis to discriminate among them so as then to exercise judgment

forms of concrete made with brick? How did Zaha Hadid ever convince anyone that

Objectives:

buildings, to choose materials and construction systems as relevant and appropriate to current practices, andto apply our knowledge of building systems and structures to the design of a building.

3—Schedule

masonry. Required Readings are from Allen and are expected to be completed before the lecture. (Deplazes chapters on same materials are approved as alternative to Allen)

Week One 1 Introduction to class Contemporary Situation2 Case Study: Mendelsohn (decisions/dilemnas) Chapter 13: Concrete

Week Two

3 Content: Concrete (precast vs. site cast) Chapter 14: Sitecast (form/formed) Chapter 15: Precast 4 Case Study: Zaha Hadid (role of specialists)

Week Three

(tectonics)

Chapter 4: Heavy Timber

6 Case Study: Zumthor (site and material)

Erich Mendelsohn Einstein TowerPotsdam, Germany1920-21decisions/dilemnas

Peter ZumthorBruder Klaus Chapel, Eifel, Germany, 2007

Zaha HadidPhaeno Science Center,

2005

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Week Four 7 Content: Steel (transparency) Chapter 11: Steel Frame Construction8 Content: Steel Field Trip: Steel (day and time tba) Week Five

9 Content: Masonry Systems

Chapter 8: Brick Masonry Chapter 9: Stone and Concrete Masonry10 Content: Brick cavity wall

Week Six

11 Content: Soils, Foundations (support of frame vs bearing wall)

Chapter 2: Foundations

Students meet with Consultants (other times tba)12 Students meet with Consultants

Week Seven

4—Assignments

Exercise 01 (tba)Exercise 02 (tba)

Exams

There will be short quizzes or assignments that will test your basic knowledge of the materials. These will be based on the reading assignments. These may or may not be announced.

5—Required and Recommended Reading

Required Text

Allen, Edward, Joseph Iano,

Recommended Alternative

Deplazes, Andrea (Ed.), Constructing Architecture: Materials Processes Structure, Birkhauser, 2005

St. Benedict’s Chapel, Zumthor

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6—Policies and Grading

The grading for the course is broken down as follows:

Exercise 01 40%Exercise 02 45%Exams 15%

Deadlines for all projects and assignments are absolute. Extensions will be given only under extraordinary circumstances accompanied by documentation. Any late work is accepted at the discretion of the instructors and is subject to a 20% grade reduction.

Due to the schedule of student work, a passing grade at mid-module does

failure warning in advance.

Subject to Change

attendance policies, parts of this syllabus are subject to change with some warning.

Contact Information

Sharon Roe (roexx007@umn.edu)

Teaching Assistants (for GDI Studio, Tech One, and Lab) TAs (meet in studio unless otherwise arranged)

Other Relevant Policies Refer to the School of Architecture Graduate Student Handbook

Peter Zumthor, Thermal Baths, Vals Graubünden, Switzerland, 1996

concept sketchplan diagraminterior space