Precedent Analysis - Mathias Klotz

Mathias Klotz is one Chile's most accomplished architects, recently being awarded the Borromini Prize in 2001. His work is heavily based upon Modernist Tradition with similar characteristics reccuring in many of his projects.

Our group was given the task of analysing Casa Ponce House in Bueno Aires, Argentina.

Klotz claims that his buildings are not influenced by an previous works of architecture. He is a firm believer that architecture should be experienced first hand and that showing buildings through photography or sketches is an inaffective method of communicating the beauty of space. This ultimately has a huge impact on his work, as can be seen with Casa Ponce whereby the building is not overly decorative or ornate but has a delicate quality and plays with open spaces and breaking down the barriers between internal and external space.

Although Klotz says he takes little reference from previous architects work, similarities can be drawn between Casa Ponce and Le Corbusier's Villa Savoye.

Casa Ponce is entirely based upon Modernist tradions developed by Le Corbusier with his Five Points of Architecture.

FIVE POINTS OF ARCHITECTURE

1) Pilotis - reinforced concrete steel stilts upon which the building stands. Their purpose is to lift the building off the ground giving it a sense of weightlessness and freedom from the ground. Klotz himself said that when you raise the building from the ground and try to free it from gravity, you are nearer to achieving a purity in space.

2)Open Plan - Free from load-bearing walls, meaning that the architect is free to design rooms without concern for the structure.

3) Free Facade - Follows on from the open plan; allows architect to build rooms without worrying about load-bearing walls

4)Roof Terrace - to breakdown the barriers between external space and internal space by bringing the outside environment in. The roof Terrace also makes up for the space created by the building ie. instead of having a garden area, this outdoor space is within the area made by the building and takes up less of the surrounding environment.

5) Ribbon Windows - Allows light to filter in through the house, again breaking down the barriers between outside and in.

Each of these points is demonstrated on Le Corbusier's Villa Savoye.

Casa Ponce fits in with each of these points, making use of pilotis, open floor plan, free facade, roof terrace and ribbon windows.

Previous works by Klotz have the same properties.

CASA REUTTER COLLEGE

ARKINETIA

Mapping Entrance

3 PERTH ROAD

The first challenge of this project was working out how to work effectively as a team. We decided to split the door into sections and designate a piece to each group. My group was working on the pillars and so after taking photographs and making quick sketches we took measurements of everything and linked this to our drawings.

For detail of the spiral at the top of the pillar we made rubbings and printed life-size photos to trace.

As a group we began drawing the doorway on Monday starting at the top of the entrance and working downwards. Some members of the group worked on drawing whilst others called out measurements and we rotated for lunch breaks. One team member also worked on a drawing with every measurement on it for reference and our portfolios.

The final part was deciding on how to render the drawing. We decided that we should keep a recurring theme - whilst using various media we should stick with dark black and white colour and some blue midtones. One picture was e-mailed to the group and used as a reference for drawing and showing where the light came from.

One team member worked in the workshop making a bracket to hang the sheet from the balcony.

THE FINAL PRODUCT

I reckon everyone was pleased with how it turned out!

My Journey Around Dundee - Inspiring Place

This project gave me the opportunity to wander aimlessly around Dundee for the first time -finding my bearings, making first impressions and waiting for inspiration to strike.

I had a general idea about trying to find an enclosed space that had a different atmosphere compared to the surrounding area and how surroundings actually affect a space rather than admiring a building. The first place I found was in the park...

But it wasn't really knocking me off my feet. That area is interesting though, to look out across the city from such a height even if you're uncertain about how to get home.

I made my way from here, to the textiles part of the city with run-down old factories, loaded with history and character; though eerily desolate. I could quite happily have taken several photos and used these for my final project but my camera was playing up and one other place I had visited earlier in the day was playing on my mind. I did manage to get a few snaps though.

I'm not entirely sure why, but there seems to be a recurring theme of alley ways or tight pathways throughout this project as my final place of choosing was at Seagate Bus Station.

This had much more of the visual impact that I was searching for. It's very easily missed from the pavement which is on a main road and full of people throughout the day. On entering the alley the atmosphere completely changes: it's darker and the acoustics differ so that you feel completely detached from the main streets at either side. I'm still unsure as to whether I felt uneasy and isolated or comforted by the reprieve from the animations of the city.

I liked this shot for showing the varying textures found within the alley and how our vision becomes warped showing the buildings around to be more curved from this perspective than they actually are. Also, we can't see an end to the path - deep and meaningful? pretentious? Dunno...either way I found it interesting.

This one is the same...textured, run down, with an interesting open space in the middle...

I did chance a sneaky shot of this stranger who passed by - the only person that I saw the entire 20 minutes I spent there taking photographs. It was good to show the scale, give an idea of height and show isolation.

I of course had to venture out at night, not without some friends for protection. I found the place even more peaceful at night and took some comfort in the sparkle of the lithium lights. My friends, however, were scared of being attacked showing how the space affects people in different ways.