Wednesday 30 March 2011

Glenn Murcutt

Part A - Analysis
Akil Sami's House


A house is an environmental filter.
Fathy is an Egyptian architect and a master builder. He has been a great advocate of vernacular architecture as well as the architecture of the past. He established a new approach based on a conception of interpreting old and ancient forms and masses. Fathy was a strong believer in tying old architecture with modern architecture.  His main objective in his design was to establish his traditional approach, as well as improving the housing and living environments of the poor in Third World countries (Fathy 1973p,40).

He developed a language in architecture which focused on natural materials, natural ventilation and natural system and was renowned for the clever way in which he used cheap mud brick in his buildings (Fathy 1973, P46).

However the Akil Sami’s house, and several others that followed were built in the same area were built in local limestone as the government banned the use of mud-brick due to the construction of the high dam, as well as unsatisfactory test results for the structural strength of the soil (Steel 1997).
Fathy payed particular attention to economical factors and the geographic of the site. The walls of the building are very thick therefore they are insulators and allow heat absorption. So the heat is absorbed during the day and then released during night when the temperature is cooler.
The courtyard and the roof also play a massive role in the ventilation on the building. The courtyard is located within the building not only it helps with the air flow and climate control of the house it also captures day light providing natural lighting within the building.





The curved tall roofs also help with ventilation as hot air rises to the roof n then exits the building allowing the cool air to enter the building through the mashrabiya (Fathy 1973).
The mashrabiya, Mashrabiya is the name of a distinctive type of wood carving used for windows, which allowed cool breezes to enter the home in the heat of summer.


The mashrabiya has many different functions among which: controlling the passage of light, controlling air flow, reducing the temperature of the air current, increasing the humidity of the air current and assuring a great amount of privacy making the building a safe and comfortable environment (Naciri 2007).



(Archnet nd)

A house containing human activity

Hassan Fathys designs from the interior to the exterior. Fathys main focus being the comfort of the client he was able to design a house which was economical and worked with Egypt’s hot climate. The house is designed so that the individual is led gradually from small scale to large in both exterior and interior spaces so that human reference is always retained. It is divided into the breezeway, the courtyard, the rectangular vaulted unit, the square domed unit and the semi domed alcove. Each room in the house can be used for anything so the rooms are multifunctional (Fathy 2007).





(Archnet n,d)



A house is a delightful experience
Fathy worked within the structure therefore he was able to elaborated its structural and special characteristics. Furthermore Fathy recognized the limits of his building both indigenous materials and constructional systems and although his work could not respond on color or textural variations. This imposed a heighten importance on volume forms and fenestration to achieve the overall aesthetic effect. This self imposed limitation however was handled with such artistry that one does not feel that the imagery of the end product is in any way impaired. Infact I think the colors and textures would have disturbed the overall sense of harmony of the building within its environment. The courtyard also plays a major role in creating the sensory experience of the person as it engages all the senses and provides a private place where ones able to relax and reflect within a private and natural environment (Steel 1993).
(Archnet n,d)




ProjectIsaacson/Davis Beach House

(John Wardle Architects 2006)



House as an Environmental filter


The Beach house is surrounded by coastal of trees with a tiny camping ground across the road. It is tucked at the back of the fore-dune, which screens any ocean view. The house is elevated therefore reducing earth work and its impact on the surrounding natural environment(Fergusan n,d).

The outer skin of the house is timber. Wardle selected Western Red Cedar WRC for the external cladding of this building, as it is readily available in Victoria, has high durability and weathers to a light uniform silver grey. Wardle selected Jarrah for the external decking for the house. Predominantly grown in Western Australia, it has a reputation as a durable species to use externally, that weathers well and has a warm red colour. Like most hardwood, jarrah is also hard enough to use as flooring and decking. The frame for the house, which is concealed by finishes and protected from the weather.
By using local and natural materials Wardle was able to incorporate the house with its surrounding environment. Not only the timber gives a natural feeling to the building but it also makes the building light in weight as it is elevated above the site.

Wardle worked closely with the climate conditions of the site. He designed the house so that the house is naturally ventilated in all the rooms. This was achieved through the use of numerous glass windows. The windows also created a relationship between the house and the surrounding natural environment giving an appearance of as though the outside was impending in.
Working with the sun’s angles, and optimum vantage points of the ocean all the rooms captured the right amount of light all these elements worked together and added to the comfort within the house(Fergusan n,d).





The house is intended as a retreat a place to get away from the outside world and relax.
Wardle describes the house as a place that can be “unpacked” on arrival and “repacked”.
The house is designed around the conceptual idea of un-packing and re-packing of the suitcase. So the house itself represents the joy and excitement of packing when going away for a holiday and unpacking on arrival. So the house itself feels like a holiday giving the inhibitors the feeling of being away from their busy lives and creating an environment where they are able to relax(JOhn Wardle Architects 2006).


Taking the human activities and their needs into perspective, the house its self is divided into three sections. Where the living areas are situated at one end, services in the middle and bedrooms at the far. As the service area is situated in the middle it is easily accessible from both ends of the house adding to the comfort of the user(JOhn Wardle Architects 2006).


Delightful experience
The house being dear with its surrounding environment where local materials and vernacular traditions are embraced. The large windows and the Areas which extend into the landscape form a relationship between the inside and the outside. So that it feels as though the surrounding environment is one with the building(Fergusan n,d).
The bedroom provides the first glimpses of the rising sun, the kitchen and dining areas face the northern garden aspect and the living room heralds the evening by addressing the setting sun. The bright colors used inside the building and the choice of material all work together to create a delightful experience for the inhibitors.


By taking the entrance into consideration wardle is able to control movement of the visitors through the building. It makes the house more interesting as it takes the visitors on a journey. They approach the house from the road therefore due to the distance they consider the form of the building they are about to enter. They then track along the long northern face of the building to enter into an outdoor room, carved out of the long box that is the house, which makes the plan that separates the living and sleeping spaces(Fergusan n,d).

The Marika-Alderton House by Glenn Murcutt




About Glenn

An iconoclast architect whose known for developing modern residential for Australia.
He was Born in 1936 and educated at the University of New South Wales, Murcutt Owned his own practice in 1969. His initial projects was in the early 1970s, it was an
interpretations of the Modernist work of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The majority of his work is the past 20-30 years has been single-family homes. His motto being “touch the earth lightly” the homes are economical and multi-functional architecture. He uses ecological materials such as stone, timber and steel. His main objective being the harmonization of the house with the surrounding environment focusing on the wind direction, water movement, temperature and light (Murcutt, 2000).

Glenn Murcutt has been named the 2002 Pritzker Architecture Prize. He works on his own with no staff. He completes only a few projects per year he has only built in his home country of
Australia. Glenn is Viewed as the key major influence on environmentally conscious design
in Australia. Murcutt lectures worldwide about `green' modern design.Although his a popular architect in Australia his not well known in other countries. Even though he isn’t fashionable on the international stage he is more focused on pragmatic and craft as Carter Brown
states ``In an age obsessed with celebrity, the glitz of our `starchitects,'
backed by large staffs and copious public relations support, dominates the
headlines. As a total contrast, our laureate works in a one-person office on
the other side of the world from much of the architectural attention( Australian Glenn Murcutt awarded Pritzker Prize 2002).
Murcutt the first Australian to win the Pritzker Prize. He was presented with a $100,000 grant and a bronze medallion as the 26th honoree of the Pritzker Prize in a May 29 ceremony at Michelangelo's Campidoglio in Rome.
``It's beyond anything I possibly could have imagined. It's such an honor
and a privilege to join those before me,'' Murcutt told RECORD. ``It means
that at one level in my country, which is a fairly conservative country, this
will raise the bar(Australian Glenn Murcutt awarded Pritzker Prize 2002).




Environmental Filter
Located In the Yirrkala Community, Eastern Arnheim Land, Northern Territory, Australia,the Marika-Alderton was Designed for an Aboriginal artist. It’s a sustainable and economical prototype which should be used by the Australian authorities to house the Aborigines.
The Australian authorities would house the aborigines in lit solid masonry boxes which were poorly ventilated and uncomfortable. Especially in the hot, humid and tropical climate of Northern Australia. This often resulted in the destruction or abandonment of the houses by the aborigines. The Houses were simply inappropriate and unusable (Henderson n,d).

The Marika house demonstrates Glenn’s ability to adapt his principles and ideas of architecture to the differing demands of a tropical climate. 
This was achieved thorough consideration of the tropical/monsoonal climate, direction of the wind, sun and water movement.
The house is sheltered from the sun through the use of Wide eaves. The Rotating tubes along the roof expel the hot air and the vertical fins which oriented towards the ocean, slow down, capture and redirect the cooling and fragrant ocean breezes into the interior spaces of the house creating a better and a comfortable environment. The vertical wall surfaces on the interior of the house do not go all the way up. These walls stop short of the ceiling, allowing for the heat in the enclosed rooms to rise above the individual rooms, spread out over the ceiling of the house and exhaust out through the roof more quickly. Moreover as the structure rests on stilts the wind circulates underneath and it helps to cool the floor. The house being elevated it also helps keep the living space safe from tidal surges. By elevating the house the surrounding natural vegetation is also left untouched therefore no land impact. Isolate living spaces from floods and animals (Haig and Cooper 1994)
Although the Marika-Alderton House is open to fresh air it is insulated from intense heat and protected from strong cyclone winds. The house has no glass windows. Instead, the house has shutters which tilt down to allow for more shade as needed, they also allow the light into the space and let the airflow when open. The shutters are tilted or fully closed to create privacy when needed. Glen uses simple materials such as plywood walls, tallow-wood shutters, and corrugated iron roofing. constructed with steel frame and non rainforest hardwoods the house can be assembled at the remote site in just a few days by two local craftsmen therefore cutting down on expense, time constraints and overall energy required to construct the building (Craven n,d).


Container of Houman Activitiy


Before designing the Alderton house for approximately three years Murcutt did extensive research on Aboriginal culture and on their history. The research involved Murcutt living with the family which helped him understand the needs of the client better.
The house is divided into two separate areas. The large open living area and the sleeping area the plan of the Marika Alderton house is designed so that the sleeping quarters is to the southwest of the house. In the evening the southwest corner proves to be the coolest part of the house which provides for more comfortable sleeping arrangements. Also to provide a cooler sleeping environment, the sleeping platforms are raised 2m off of the floor so that maximum air circulation underneath the bed. Following the remaining plan of the house, the living, kitchen and laundry areas are located in the northeast corner so that in the morning, when the residents do most of their laundry, food preparation and work exercises, that end of the house is coolest. The innovative and environmentally aware passive cooling elements integrated into the walls, plan, floor and roof of the Marika Alderton house work together simultaneously and seamlessly to create a sustainable living environment for the Alderton family (Craven n,d).


Delightful experience
Although some scholars say that the Marika-Alderton House is insensitive to the history and political plight of the native culture. The Aborigines have never constructed stationary, permanent structures. However those who love the house say that Glenn Murcutt combined his own creative vision with Aboriginal ideas, creating a unique and valuable bridge between cultures. The Opening and closing like a plant, the house embodies Murcutt's concept of a flexible shelter that exists in harmony with nature's rhythms (Lynch  2008).
The delight is created through how an individual experiences the Alderton house. The windows, which look back to the billabong and the waterhole create a feeling of being at home. The gaps between the timber floor the large shutters around the building create the whole spirit of being within the building and yet outside the building and the building could be modified so that you could feel it was just a platform outside. The house also suits the clients spiritual believes. Aboriginals believe that evil spirits come during night time so the house being completely shut at night protecting the individuals within the house so that they feel safe and comfortable (Dovey 2000)
 
Part B-The architectural apprenticeship archetype analysis and application
Exemplar house
As the Marika Alderton house is located in the hot and tropical Northern Territory designed for an aboriginal artist and his family. In its simplest form the house is designed to allow it to filter out the harsh environment.  
One of the strange things about the house is that there are no glass windows, or glass of any sort. Instead, plywood walls with tilted panels at the top open and close to allow sunlight and wind into the house. The rest of the building is made up of simple materials such as wood and corrugated iron roofing as a result the house can be easily assembled. As the house is only made out of wood it is very light in weight. Staying true to what Glenn stands by “touch the earth lightly” the stilts supporting the house sit lightly on the ground therefore the house has no impact on its natural environment.
According to Beck & Cooper,1994 “Glen Murcutt's powerful architectural poetic (is) most tellingly conveyed by the building lodged in the landscape; the building as line, holding the horizon and calibrating infinity; the building in submission - not subjugating the land; the building as an expression of ideology and rationalism; the building as embodiment of an existential contract of human freedom and responsibility, confronting the unavoidable destruction that accompanies human occupation”.
The following drawings are of Glenn Murcett’s house.










Part C-Application and design
 
The proposed cabin design

Site analysis




Cabin as an environmental filter
The cabin is a climatically responsive architecture. It is designed so that it works with natures rhythm this is similar to Glenns design. The front facade wall of the building is also slightly curved so that maximum wind can be captured. The cabin moves with the changes in the climate. The cabin sits on four wheels and a central hinge. The solar panels on the roof supply electricity to an electric motor which is responsible to move the cabin 30 degrees away to the east or west based on the photophobic (opposite to sun direction) or photophilic (towards the sun direction). This helps to keep the cabin warmer in winter or cooler in summer. Alternately this mechanism can be replaced with a very basic handle connected to a gearbox which moves one of the wheels therefore the cabin can manually be moved towards or against the sun's direction.
The cabin is elevated which gives it a floating effect as tough its hovering above the site without impacting on it's natural environment. Epitomising Glenns idea of using plywood shutters no glass is used within the cabin instead shutters are used which open up and allow breathes and sunlight to enter the building. The front wall of the house also drops down which also allows air flow within the cabin.

Cabin as a place for human activity
To provide a more comfortable sleeping area the bedrooms are at the west end of the house as it is the quitter section away from the main road and traffic noise.
The kitchen and the living room is at the center of the house therefore it is accessible from both sides of the house. The living room and studio work space are situated at the eastern section of the house as it captures the most amount of light and breathe during day time when the temperature is higher creating a more comfortable environment. The Eastern wall also drops down opening up the entire living and studio area allowing more sunlight and air into the building. It also creates another space where ones able to sit and reflect enjoying the views of the surrounding landscape.

Cabin as a delightful experience
Both the elements mentioned above play a major role in creating delight within the cabin. The delight comes from the building working with nature and the climate of the site to create a more comfortable living environment. The simple light weight natural materials used give the cabin a sense of purity and transparency.
The front wall opening creates a new open space breaking down the barriers between the interior and exterior of the cabin.
It allows the inhibitors to physically feel the breeze smell the aromas of the surrounding natural landscape creating an intimacy between the building and the surrounding environment and opening up the entire living room and the studio.
Moreover the private spaces are transformed into a public space yet privacy is maintained as the building is elevated. The larger shutters placed in the front facade of the cabin so that the beautiful views of the north of the site can be enjoyed throughout the cabin. Even though the cabin can be very open to the surrounding it can also be completely shut like a box creating security when needed.

Final Cabin Design 







Reference List:




Australian Glenn Murcutt awarded Pritzker Prize' 2002, Architectural Record, 190, 5, p. 39, MAS Ultra - School Edition, EBSCOhost, (accessed March 14, 2011).
Beck, Haig and Jackie Cooper. 1994. Glenn Murcutt a Singular Architectural Practice: National Architectural Awards 1994: Marika-Alderton House. Architecture Australia 83 (6) 60-61.

Craven, J. n,d .Architect Glenn Murcutt Creates Natural Cooling. http://architecture.about.com/od/houses/ss/marikaalderton.htm. (accessed March 20, 2011).

Dovey,K.2000. "Myth and Media: “Constructing Aboriginal Architecture". Journal of architectural education. http://www.jstor.org.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/sici?sici=1046-4883%282000%2954%3A1%3C2%3AMAMCAA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-R&origin=serialsolutions&. (accessed March 20, 2011).
Fathy,H. 2007 .Hassan Fathy the man and his legacy.               http://www.bibalex.org/attachments_en/Publications/Files/hassan_fathy.pdf.(accessed March 5,2011).
Fathy,H.1973. Architecture for the poor : an experiment in rural Egypt. Chicago and London, University of Chicago Press. Pictures obtained from http://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=3771 (accessed March 6, 2011).
Ferguson, S. n,d. Isaacson/Davis BeachHouse.                                                                                              http://www.timber.org.au/NTEP/Resources/17s.pdf (accessed March 6, 2011).
Gusheh, T. 2004. The Architecture of Glenn Murcutt. Sydney: Images Publishing Group
Henderson, T.n,d.The Marika Alderton House.              http://www.architecture.uwaterloo.ca/faculty_projects/terri/pdf/Henderso.pdf (accessed March 15, 2011).

John Wardle Architects. 2006. Balnarring Beach House.                                                                  http://www.johnwardle.com/projects/default.htm?i_PageNo=1&ProjectId=16&pageNo=1&ProjectCategoryId=3&ProjectKindId=0&Featured=0&Archived=0&AllProjects=0&ViewMode=text (accessed March 6, 2011).

Murcutt, G. 2003. Glenn Murcutt: Thinking Drawing / Working DrawingSydney: Images Publishing Group

Murcutt, G.2000. In the mind of an architect.            http://www.abc.net.au/architecture/arch/ar_mur.htm(accessed March 5, 2011)
Lynch, PL.2008. “Glenn Murcutt". Architects journal.            http://proquest.umi.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/pqdlink?Ver=1&Exp=03-24-2016&FMT=7&DID=1428024341&RQT=309&cfc=1 (accessed March 30, 2011).
Steele, J. 1993. Hassan Fathy's concept of aesthetics in architecture. Ekistics, 60(362-363),233- 236.Academic Research Library.       http://proquest.umi.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/pqdweb? index=0&did=21810354&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=6&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1267742166&clientId=14394 (accessed March 5, 2011). 
Steele, J.1997. An Architecture for People: The Complete Works of Hassan Fathy. London. Thames and Hudson Ltd Aga Khan Trust For Culture. n.d. The Hassan Fathy Collection. Aga Khan Trust For Culture.  http://www.hassanfathy.webs.com/books-e.html (accessed March 5, 2011).

Naciri, N.2007. Sustainable features of Vernacular Architecture: A case study of Climatic Controls in Hot-Arid regions of the Middle East and North African Regions.         https://kepler.njit.edu/ARCH583663-101-F07/Assignment%201/Naciri,%20Nisrine/Vernacular %20informs%20Sustainable.pdf (accessed March 5, 2011).                       




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