Proceedings of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS) Symposium 2015, Amsterdam Future Visions 17 - 20 August 2015, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Teaching spatial structures for complex requirements Olga Popovic LARSEN1*
*1* Professor PhD MSc Architect Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts School of Architecture, Philip de Langes Allé 10 1435 Copenhagen-K, Denmark
[email protected]
Abstract This paper presents the values and approaches when teaching spatial structures within an architectural context. More specifically the paper is about the teaching of spatial structures at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts School of Architecture (KADK), one of the oldest schools in the world, which embraces artistic development work, scientific research and practice as the core values. The implications, opportunities and challenges are presented through examples from the work developed at KADK. Keywords: teaching, spatial structures, architecture, art, science, conceptual design, morphology, form-finding, optimization, complex requirements.
1. Introduction/context Scandinavian architecture/design is renown for its simplicity, purity and poetic achieved through careful use of materials and crisp detailing. The Nordic architectural tradition is based on the artistic tradition where design/architecture are part of the academy of fine arts and not part of a university/polytechnic tradition. The oldest Danish, Scandinavian and one of the oldest schools of architecture in the world, the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts School of Architecture (KADK) was established in 1754. Many wellknown architects as Arne Jacobsen, Jørn Utzon, Henning Larsen, Lene Tranberg, Dorthe Mandrup, Bjarke Ingels and others have studied and graduated at KADK. Their designs have made a mark on Danish and World architecture. Since it was established, nearly three centuries ago, the KADK school of architecture has developed and changed to follow societal changes, but has always kept its artistic tradition as an inherent basis for the education. At present, the core values, the DNA of KADK are in the unity of three fields of knowledge: academic research, artistic development and professional practice; three different approaches to discovery, invention and creation. These three fields are closely interlinked in the
Proceedings of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS) Symposium 2015, Amsterdam Future Visions
education, enabling us to develop graduates and knowledge, which match the needs of the profession, while contributing to world-class research, ground-breaking artistic design and new experimental understanding.
Figure 1: The main values of KADK is the combination of science, art and practice that underlines and supports all our education
2. Architects versus engineers view on what defines “optimal structural design” Within the education of an architect one of the core aspects of technology is the understanding of structures within an architectural/design context. Whereas through the education, an engineer will spend a large proportion of their time studying how to minimize and optimize structural sections to achieve material economy through structural efficiency, these aspects of the structural concept design, for an architect, although relevant, may be secondary to other “more relevant” design aspects. (Popovic Larsen [1]), These could be the site and context, the materiality, the design motif, aesthetic…etc. So, whilst a definition of what an efficient structure will not differ much for an architect and an engineer, what to regard as an optimal structural concept may be radically different depending on whether an architect or an engineer is defining/discussing the aspect. An engineer would typically connect optimal design to efficiency and cost, whereas these factors for an architect will most likely be only some of the multitude of factors that would govern the “optimal” structural choice. The difference in values and approach will differ between any architect and engineer. However, it is likely that the differences will be more profound in the case of an architect educated in the artistic tradition. Important aspects of teaching technology and structures to architects, are:
Proceedings of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS) Symposium 2015, Amsterdam Future Visions
•
What is the (minimal) level that a architect should be in terms of knowledge,
•
How best to integrate the technical aspects into the architectural design context,
• How to make the technical teaching content relevant, interesting and applicable. On one level it becomes more challenging due to the background of the students, which at large is not technical. On another level however, it is extremely rewarding teaching artistically gifted, curious and creative students because they question, develop and come up with innovative ideas of structural concepts that have an aesthetic consequence.
3. KADK and spatial structures teaching The teaching of structures and spatial structures has been developed within the context of KADK, with strong artistic tradition, scientific research and grounding in practice as core values. This suggests increased complexity. Whereas within the University tradition the spatial structures education would typically focus on knowledge and skills development, at KADK in addition to these, we also focus on the third aspect – the artistic/aesthetic values and development work needed.
invention
KADK DNA
nordic design tradition
discovery
digital tools
artistic/aesthetics values
academic research
experimental understanding
teaching analysis of built work
experimental workshops
knowledge
lectures courses
creation
education
spatial structures
skills development
artistic development
complex requirements
professional practice
full scale physical models
Figure 2: Spatial structures in the context of the KADK values
Proceedings of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS) Symposium 2015, Amsterdam Future Visions
Construction Methods
Architectural Aspects
Spatial Structures Design
Engineering Aspects
Figure 3: Spatial structures teaching in the context of KADK
If Figure 2 described the complexity, Figure 3 gives the core aspects/values that we at KADK, see crucial in Spatial Structures design, and teaching. A typical engineering student would be expected to develop skills mainly concerning the engineering aspects of structural design, with some understanding of architectural/building and constructional aspects. At KADK we try to give our students an understanding of conceptual design, structural systems, structural behaviour, efficiency, stability, so that they understand the implications of their technical design decisions within the context of the architectural design project. We aim for an approach where the engineering aspects are very much part of the overall architectural concept and integrated to such a degree that they are inseparable from the overall design. To do that one has to think both at a concept and detail level but also, how the project could be built. A typical architecture student would clearly not have the technical level of an engineering student and we are happy with that as we do not aim to create engineers. However, we believe that it is important for our students to understand the opportunities, limitations and implications of their design decisions; to challenge and be able to develop creative ideas that arise from technology and structures understanding and to seek new aesthetical opportunities. In this way, we believe that when they graduate they will be able to work closely with engineers and together develop more integrated, efficient, aesthetically pleasing and viable building designs. To achieve this we work with the students’ creativity and through different forms of learning we try to develop their structural understanding, the relationship to architecture, understanding of materials and detailing.
Proceedings of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS) Symposium 2015, Amsterdam Future Visions
Structural Efficiency
Context
Material Knowledge
Materiality
Spatial Structures Teaching
Architectural Aspects
Engineering Aspects
Structual Analysis
Detailing
Building Tradition
Simulation
Figure 4: Some of the aspects that are investigated
3. Examples of different levels of teaching The teaching consists of short intense courses, project-based learning, seminars, case-study analysis, site visits, hands on physical and computer modelling. All these are done at various points in the BA and the professional masters where they are integrated within the architectural curriculum.
Figure 5: A Tensegrity workshop working in full scale
Proceedings of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS) Symposium 2015, Amsterdam Future Visions
The tensegrity workshop, (Figure 5), was a three day intense workshop where the basic understanding, morphology, methods of form-finding were taught and physical experiments in small scale were made. The final day a full-scale model was constructed. Similar workshops with physical models and explorations in full-scale have been carried out with gridshells, reciprocal frames (RF), shell structures and space frames. Some of the examples of RF grids are presented in Figure 6.
Figure 6: Explorations with Reciprocal frame grid structures
Figure 7: A full-scale frame structure constructed by a group of masters students The approach of thinking about details and concepts simultaneously is imbedded into the teaching from very early in the BA programme. A two-week project based course where an intervention into an
Proceedings of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS) Symposium 2015, Amsterdam Future Visions
historic listed timber structure was required is presented in Figure 8. In the example, the students proposed a design solution where they to inserted a concrete shell structure into the space.
Figure 8: A free-form shell inserted into an existing historic structure
Figure 9: A project based workshop on “columns as a loadbearing element”
Proceedings of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS) Symposium 2015, Amsterdam Future Visions
Already in the early years of the BA, where basic skills and awareness of structural behaviour are being developed, the aesthetic opportunities are being explored in parallel to the structural learning. Figure 8 presents some examples of vertical load-bearing elements – columns. In addition to having a basic role to carry and transfer the loads of a building – they clearly offer opportunities for visual expression. By constructing the columns in full-scale aspects of detailing, load-bearing concept and aesthetics come together very powerfully! It is clear that our students learn in a qualitative way, but they also learn by embracing complexity. The structural implications are an important aspect of the design. In addition to the basic role of the structural system to provide stability to a building and make it safe, it can be a space-organising and a space-forming element. Furthermore the structural form can provide a powerful aesthetic expression both through the concept and detailing. This way of looking at structures adds a layer of complexity, but is also enriching. This way of learning, does not qualify an architect for detailed structural design, but it does create designers with enough technical knowledge that are creative and have the ability to work together with an engineer in creating beautiful, efficient and viable structures that are integrated in the architectural solution. KADK is a very special school in the sense that in addition to the teachers with research background, a large number of practitioners are involved into the education. It is not only architects from practice but also consulting engineers that contribute to the education, especially as consultants at the drawing board and teaching 1:1 in the studio.
4. Conclusions The paper presented through examples and discussion the core values, challenges and opportunities when teaching spatial structures within an architectural context. The case of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts School of Architecture, combining artistic development work, scientific research and practice was presented. The paper outlined that this is clearly a very different way of learning about structures compared to an engineering programme. The inventiveness and creativity of this approach offers great opportunities. The aim is to educate architects to be able to collaborate well together with engineers in creating imaginative, expressive and efficient building designs.
References [1]
Popovic Larsen O., Conceptual Structural Design: Bridging the gap between architects and engineers, Thomas Telford Limited, 2003.
