NATURAL and CONSTRUCTED I
“Green” architecture is the role of nature in architecture today? Does every green building promote sustainable architecture in nature? How nature become part of architecture and is it in the proper path toward future architecture?
Green building, an architecture that using nature as part of design elements is the latest trend in modern architecture. It is often inspired by nature in its aesthetics, structures and processes. Due to the global warming, urbanization and the lack of greenery, nature is a must in creating a successful architecture.
However, the direction toward green building seem to be misleading. Most of the architect design follow the standard requirement without consider why nature have to be part of their design. Nature to them is just an embellishment, green building is just an architecture style of modern era and none of them think of the next step for architecture and nature.
“It is the same in architecture as in all other arts: its principles are founded on simple nature, and nature’s process clearly indicates its rules.” Quoted by Marc-Antoine Laugier.
“Such is the course of simple nature; by imitating the natural process, art was born.” Quoted by Marc-Antoine Laugier.
Architecture always related to nature since centuries ago, evolve together to illustrate and enrich various dialogues between architecture and nature. In modern era, nature should be used as part of design in architecture. A building should be able to blend well in the ecosystem of nature, not to affect or destroy it. Most of the building planted vary of vegetation to mimic a nature environment, but this is not how a green architecture should work!
Nature architecture should allow nature to grow within it, a building that promote continuously grow of nature ecosystem. Vegetation should not be planted as aesthetic value or to achieve “Green Building” title. The building should able to age with surrounding even at different eras Nature is not part of architecture but architecture should be part of the nature.
A case study can be used to support my perspective on the relationship between nature and architecture, Beach House in Ubatuba. It was constructed in 2009 by SPBR Arquitetos, this architectural masterpiece was built in one of the most important coastal cities in Brazil, Ubatuba. Located at the far right end of Tenório’s Beach, the house borders the seashore on one side and is completely submerged in the natural landscape on the other end.
The hill and trees surrounding the house are protected by environmental laws which had a large influence in the strategy used in the process of designing and building the home. The house features beamless slabs which allows for incredible ocean views from every room inside the house. The trees are allow to grow below the beamless slabs, the building raised above the vegetation so that the ecosystem can be remain and at the same time used as a landscape design.
This beach house used a different kind of method to deal with nature. There is no vegetation planted inside the building, the trees from surrounding can grow or extend into the house. All the façade was design to allow connection with the surrounding, the opening, cladding and open floor plan will maximize the interaction between building and nature.
In addition, the house features a bridge that connects the street with the main entrance allowing different views of the surrounding landscape and sea. This open wall bridge allow ventilation and contact with greenery. This building was built on a greenery without causing any adverse effect to the site, the land of implantation of this house occupies the base of the hill that marks the western limit of the beach. The building built based on the topography of site to preserve the original beauty of site.
Over 50% of the existing forest was preserve that allow this crazy floating design which is 30 m above the level of the beach. The ground is avoided as a strategy to avoid as far as possible to face that topography. Only three columns touch the ground. Two main beams rest on them and make the structure in reinforced concrete from which all the slabs are tied. In this way, the environments seem to float in space through the trees, from each of them the views open to the panoramas of the landscape.
This building done an excellent job of preserving the natural landscape while creating a modern beach home. Vegetation is not forced inside the building and the building do not affect the ecosystem of site. The architect deal with the existing vegetation and landscape to create a magnificent architecture that is part of the nature.
