Natural & Constructed (pt 1)
The role of nature in architecture has been discussed from late 19th to early 20th centuries, since the art movement and the Modernista movement coined by Antoni Gaudi, and later on Frank’s Organic Style in modernism. These styles had been proven that architecture has been affected in an organic style inspired by natural forms throughout the history.
Human being was surrounded by nature from the beginning of creation, and everything in nature are well organized and in harmony. So that, design works have been designed close to nature and now even more than just metaphoric concepts. As result can see in how nature form’s functions and the structural systems of nature respond to variety of climate and environment forces. For elements that in terms of form, function, concepts, and material within the context of nature may inspiring human in architecture.
“Such is the course of simple nature; by imitating the natural process, art was born.
All the splendors of architecture ever conceived have been modeled on the little rustic hut I have just described. ” Quoted by Marc-Antoine Laugier
Beijing Olympic Stadium, by Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron can occupy a 91,000-seat arena under its 12-metre-deep steel exoskeleton, Inspired by Bird Nest of its tightly woven lattice structure. From the picture below can see an idea of bird nest evolved as human shelter in ancient, and today became a million's people stadium.
"... as a result of human action, is always already conceptually and physically constructed prior to building architecture—which is to say, preoccupied by the way it is known and by its history." Quoted by Carol Burns
Conceptual inspiration occurs when a structural engineer uses a principle found in nature in design. Designer can apply this principle, for example, bionic structure studies from the form and forces like equilibrium which can be obtain from the seashell. Also as one of the natural forms functions that can be generate by mathematical relationship and as well as other variety of possible architectural forms, that imitates the appearances and function of living creature. By the help of nature may discover some new material and structural system which enhance the innovation in architecture designs.
As example, "Ascent at Roebling Bridge" located in Cincinnati, Kentucky . A residential building designed by Daniel Libeskind, it reflects the architect’s goals in relation to bionic architecture. The sloping curved roof takes design cues from the natural environment and also designed to maximize views, resulting in unobstructed visibility of the Cincinnati skyline from every unit.
"The instruments of the first way are mimetic imitation, organic assimilation and visible complexity."
Quoted by Vittorio Gregotti
Another contemporary example is "City Hall" in London, a design comes from Norman Foster’s firm Foster and Partners, who believe that the world can be changed by changing the design of the places in which we live. This building is intended to represent and inspire the forward motion of the democratic process in London. It is a known as mostly non-polluting building, constructed of sustainable materials. The form of these building are designed by inspiration from the the spiral form in nature.
Conclusion, in nature has been a part of architecture from the time that human directly used it by living in and using building material according to the nature of its surrounding up to the time after industrialization which the perspective has been changed by the new materials, tools and technologies and inspiration of nature took place in architecture. By the development of architecture, form, function and space quality and some of the main factors which has been taken to the consideration, all through the history of classic architecture, and up until today’s architecture.
