Thesis

Investigation and Development of Architectural Process through the Adaptive Reuse of "Big Box" Architecture.

Abstract
Through the exploration of adaptive reuse of residual, no longer viable, commercial buildings in economically challenged urban zones develop an over arching guide and process upon which to base future architectural practice, solidifying design principles that have the potential to define specific approaches to architectural strategies and form making. The adaptive reuse of architecture, specifically "big box" architecture, in a form that captures and utilizes natural daylight, artificial light, and inspires the human spirit addresses many key issues prevalent in today’s practice and design discourses. The notions that the proper lighting of space effects its occupants is not new, but one that is very seldom maximized in the built environment that we occupy. In addition, the importance of recycling building products and materials is at a peak in the world today. The building industry is one of the largest contributors to the degradation of our planet. Adaptive reuse of buildings is quite simply the recycling of architecture.



fracture of rigid form
thin outlines of light
natural and artificial
of worlds on a journey
who grin at the day
to the evening breeze

Monday, June 16, 2008

motion mapping is...

... a tool for design process, generating a point of departure from which the box grid, fascade, and site are informed... the shape of the recycled form... an ephemral quality of motion that is a form generator...

... the structure must work within normal constraints of program, budget, materials, etc... issues become scale, sight lines, city grid.

2 comments:

Thomas said...

Rick: One thing about this use of motion studies based on the Ai is that it represents a synthesis of ancient cultures. Could the question be proposed that any ancient culture with a system could provide a basis for fundamental architectural forms in the same way?
Tom

rbutera said...

Interesting thought Tom... I have always been fascinated with ancient cultures. Not sure how they would play into today's world but the idea is interesting. Although modern life is full of ideas, forms, systems from ancient civilizations.