Designing with Nature Practice: R&Sie(n)
Does drawing linkages between a design and its context, strengthen the design itself?
I propose to convince the reader through reference to the work and projects of R&Sie(n) that design superiority results from intrinsic linkages and contextual relationships.
‘Let the design unfold, like an organism, from the seed within’[i] David Pearson aptly describes how R&Sie(n) create their designs and projects with reference to and interrogation of the ecologies of nature and the environment. The ideology of Organicism[ii] is a central feature in R&Sie(n) projects.
The movement of Organic Architecture dates back to the early 1930s when it was postulated that “every building must be inspired by its environment”[iii]. Frank Lloyd Wright was known for his skill in effectively using nature as a key component to a successful design. His iconic and award winning ‘Fallingwater’ would probably not “rank 29th on America’s favourite architecture list” if it wasn’t for the intimate relationship between the house and waterfall.
One of R&Sie(n) projects called ‘Mosquito Bottleneck” (2003) is a sound example of the use of the surrounding context to generate a design. Through the use of Mosquito like characteristics, they embody the archetypal* practice of organic architecture.
R&Sie(n) actively try and create narratives which can talk about the truth, in a way, that does not directly reproduce reality and their ambitions are to penetrate, to infiltrate, and to be the vector of a transformation, evoking all the human senses.
In conclusion, the strength and design integrity of the R&Sie(n) practice is well recognised on an international basis. (Quotation showing how good they are) My opinion supported by evidence is that great design results from contextual linkages.
Key words: Organic, Nature, Narrative, Linkages
*Terms
Archetypal - “representing or constituting an original type after which other similar things are patterned”
Superiority – “displaying a sense of being better than others”
Bibliography
Caroline A. Jones, ‘Sensorium’, MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Oct. 2006.
David Pearson, ‘The Breaking Wave: New Organic Architecture’ (Stroud: Gaia), p. 72, 2001.
Günther Feuerstein, ‘Biomorphic Architecture: Human and Animal Forms in Architecture’ Stuttgart, Germany, 2002.
Francois Roche, ‘Amorphous Mutations [1]’, Paris, France, 2000.
Orsini, G. N. G. - "Organicism" in Dictionary of the History of Ideas (1973)
[i] Quoted David Pearson (Architect and Planner)
[ii] This term is a philosophical orientation that asserts that reality is best understood as an organic whole.
[iii] Quoted Florence Derieux
Image Credits
Mosquito Bottleneck
http://www.sfmoma.org/images/artwork/large/2004.176_01_b02.jpg
Fallingwater
http://www.freewebs.com/jannekevanderlinden/fallingwater01.jpg
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