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Présentation de l’atelier Giuliani et Hönger

URBAN CONSTELLATION

CONCRETE ARCHITECTURE 2013 - 2015The motto of the spring semester is: “[…] les ensembles sont plus importants que les chefs-d’oeuvre isolés”1

(Fernand Pouillon). The focus lies on developing strong urban constellations with diff erentiated spatial façades in heavy prefabrication. Working together with the engineer, the aim is to seek congruence between structure, space and expression.

We will develop good urban constellations, interpreting the city with a compatible appearance, as well as being able to build it further. Precast concrete elements are especially suitable for façade design and the creation of good urban spaces, while in-situ cast concrete is above all sensible in shaping interior spaces.

The building material of concreteConcrete is a hybrid building material that has diff erent aggregate conditions and does not have its ownoriginal expressive form since it is cast in a mould. Its constituents such as cement, water, reinforcing steeland aggregates such as gravel and sand merge together and are no longer visible after the production pro-cess.In a similar way, the distribution of forces is hardly noticeable in this hybrid, yet homogeneous material,in which statically eff ective and fi lling areas are not revealed within the overall form. Reinforced concreteprimarily gains its form through the structure and properties of the building shell, which it assumes in anegative form and turns into an expression.

Concrete is an ancient building material. Its precursor, quick lime, was even used to build the pyramids. TheRomans called concrete opus caementitum and used it to build the Pantheon and aqueducts in Rome. Inmore recent times, John Semeaton 1755 carried out experiments with concrete on the right ratios for con-crete aggregates. Joseph Monier registered the patent for reinforced concrete in 1867. Since then, reinforced concrete has experienced enormous success as a building material.

Atelier giuliani.höngerLORENZO GIULIANICHRISTIAN HÖNGER

Lectures & Criticsby Structural EngineersFÜRST LAFFRANCHI

AssistentsMICHAEL MEIERRAPHAEL DUNANT

Torino Corporation Factory, Neville Belgium Marcel Breuer & Associates, 1963-1964

1 Fernand Pouillon, Architecte méditerranéen, Marseille 2001, S. 19

IBM Offi ce Building, Madrid Miguel Fisac, 1960

Concrete has diverse properties. It is notably robust and durable. Special treatment and processing can emu-late diff erent eff ects – from light textiles to heavy natural stone. By subsequently fi nishing the surface, it can become coarse and matt or fi ne and shiny, with highly contrasting eff ects and perceptions in daylight. Since the concrete and steel work together within the material, reinforced concrete has enormous load-bearing po-tential, which is combined with a wide range of undirected and three-dimensional load-bearing structures, as well as sculptural and geometric forms of expression.

With respect to production and application, one can distinguish between two basic types of concrete: In-situcast concrete and prefabricated concrete that is delivered to the building site. We have studied both applica-tions and gathered experience in our own practical work for our offi ce. Both applications will be themes and fi elds of research during the subsequent semester work.

Construction todaySince the oil crisis in the 1970s and the introduction of contemporary energy standards, today’s façadeconstructions in our latitudes have often been multilayered. Apart from a few exceptions, the structurallyhomogeneous wall is a thing of the past and continuous layers must be developed with a so-called layeredsketch. Such multiple layering of the exterior wall gives Carl Bötticher’s theory of Kern- und Kunstforma new, unexpected contemporary relevance. In such cases, the actual load-bearing structure often forms theinwardly aligned core form, which can itself develop an artistic form that is homogeneous with the primarysystem.

Load-bearing structureThe load-bearing structure has a great design potential in developing powerful spaces. Diff erent load-bear-ing systems and spans can be used to illuminate and explore the ideal relationship between the load-bearingstructure and the spatial span, as well as deriving their spatial eff ects in a very direct way.6 As a hardlyquestionable core form, it can however also create a space that is independent of current trends, which cansustainably maintain its eff ect in a robust, timeless way.

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Alison and Peter Smithson, London The Economist Building, 1959-64

Town Hall, Murcia Rafael Moneo, 1998

Atelier giuliani.höngerLORENZO GIULIANICHRISTIAN HÖNGER

Lectures & Criticsby Structural EngineersFÜRST LAFFRANCHI

AssistentsMICHAEL MEIERRAPHAEL DUNANT

The desired congruence of spatial design and load-bearing system can however only be achieved through close collaboration between the architect and the structural engineer.

TriadAs a result of our practical experience and teaching to date, we perceive spatial design, space, the load-bear-ing structure and the material of concrete as a symphonic unity and as a harmonic triad of space, structure and material. Innovative construction engineers – for this course the engineering offi ce Fürst Laff ranchi – will accompany us as partners from the fi eld of load-bearing structures. The material of concrete plays a decisive role both for spatial design and the load-bearing structure, since it can be used for fl oors, walls and ceilings, as well as being able to create a three-dimensional spatial development and load-bearing structure in the sense of a so-called espace texturé.

Project Spring Semester 2014Urban DevelopmentThe plot is situated in Zurich’s old town at a characteristic location on the banks of the River Limmat. In terms of urban development, the planned building must fulfi l several tasks: It should complement the oppo-site building on Uraniastrasse to create a second bridge parapet towards the Uraniabrücke, which connects Bahnhofstrasse with the Limmatquai as a result of Oetenbach cutting work 110 years ago. Within the river space, it represents part of the riverfront, unfolding its eff ect through a perspective perception. Further-more, it forms a counterpart to the offi cial buildings that were built by Gustav Gull around 100 years ago as part of an uncompleted urban development project. From inside the building, the wide view spans from the river over the offi cial buildings and on to the front façade of the main railway station.

ProgrammeThe new building should accommodate the Club of Rome institution, which was founded in 1968 and origi-nally intended to have its headquarters in Zurich. Those plans were rejected in 1968 following a referendum, so the current headquarters are in Winterthur. The Club of Rome is a non-commercial organisation and publisher that promotes a global exchange of ideas on a wide range of international political issues. In 1972, the report The Limits to Growth by Dennis and Donella Meadows made an impact around the world by pre-senting diff erent scenarios of future human development. In 1973, the Club of Rome was awarded the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade and remains the only organisation to win the prize as opposed to individual people.

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University of Applied Sciences, St.Gallenview from the railway (left), systematics of the elements (right)giuliani.hönger, 2013

Atelier giuliani.höngerLORENZO GIULIANICHRISTIAN HÖNGER

Lectures & Criticsby Structural EngineersFÜRST LAFFRANCHI

AssistentsMICHAEL MEIERRAPHAEL DUNANT

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Atelier giuliani.höngerLORENZO GIULIANICHRISTIAN HÖNGER

Lectures & Criticsby Structural EngineersFÜRST LAFFRANCHI

AssistentsMICHAEL MEIERRAPHAEL DUNANT

ExpressionThe building should embody the corporate identity of the international institution at this specific location. It acts as a semi-public space where it can present itself, where meetings can take place to exchange interna-tional ideas and where the members of the Club can work. To integrate the project into the context, the existing architecture provides good references: Some buildings have ground-floor arcades, while others include a piano nobile. Many buildings have slanting roofs, with which they integrate themselves into the old townscape. We are generally interested in voluminous façades with arcades, balconies, oriels or loggias, which can render the concise expression of a river façade and stage a powerfully reliefed expression with light and shade.

ConstructionIn an organically developed city such as the historic old town of Zurich, a mineral material characterises the location and is sustainable due to its durability. Innovative concepts for prefabricated concrete structures are required. Prefabricated concrete is an exceptionally suitable material to reinterpret the value of mineral buildings in a new, contemporary way and continue developing the location. The concrete’s treatment and colouring can even achieve qualities of the local natural stone.

Teaching programmeThe teaching programme spans the themes of spatial design, developing a load-bearing structure andconscious handling of the material of concrete and its wide range of surface finishing. The term concretearchitecture is ambiguous since it denotes the material of concrete, but also refers to the concrete aspect ofimplementing a concept in innovative spatial design, a viable, innovative structure, a tangible materialismand ultimately adequate presentation.

At the end of the semester course the student must be able to:

_Develop a good urban constellation with differentiated façades This requires designing an urban constellation that enhances the existing situation and provides a face for an institution at that specific location. The key design instruments used are vertical structure sections and materialised views from the interior and exterior. _ Recognise the potential of concrete as a building material Students should be able to understand and apply production conditions, manufacturing methods and surface treatments. The interaction between formwork and casting, as well as their conditionality, should be recognised._ Know various load-bearing systems with varying spans and make them useful for the design The basic distribution of forces in load-bearing elements and the special forces involved with concrete as a tensile and compressive system should be understood, to be able to apply that to spatial design._ Know good urban constellations in architectural history and interpret them as references In that respect it is important to recognise contextual potential in a way that is transhistoric and free of stylistic classification.

Teaching MethodsThematic treatmentThe semester is divided into three thematic treatment phases according to Kenneth Frampton: Topology, Typology, Tectonics. Each phase lasts 4 weeks and is mainly concluded with a “wallcritique”, although inferences from previous phases are always permitted and sensible. In between these phases, there are alternating weekly supervision sessions with the Assistants and aninterim critique with the Professors and Assistants. The development of the load-bearing structure is closely supervised by qualified construction engineers with practical experience (Fürst Lanffranchi). The design should show structural logic and considerable sensuous and poetic quality. Spatial and structural models are cast to experience at first hand the properties of formwork and casting.

Working with referencesThe cultural wealth of the history of architecture and art can be used as inspiration and a driving force for developing one’s own thoughts. By using a limited selection of themes, treating themconceptually and applying them to one’s own project, it is possible to achieve translation and development work that is characterised by the interpreter and his understanding of the reference project.

InputAn accompanying programme with thematic input communicates underlying insight and professional know how on heavy prefabrication and in-situ concrete, as well as providing an overview of possible load-bearing structural concepts and their use, explaining the relationship between the load-bearing structure, space and expression.

Study tripThe study trip from April 22 to 26 is an important element of the teaching programme, in which we will take a detailed look at mineral buildings in natural stone and concrete. The journey will take us to Paris, where we will visit the Résidence du Stade – a powerful ensemble and building by Fernand Pouillon – and to Le Havre, where we will examine the urban planning and buildings by Auguste Perret, as well as other concrete buildings with a wide range of applications.

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Limmatquai Zurich, 1895

Atelier giuliani.höngerLORENZO GIULIANICHRISTIAN HÖNGER

Lectures & Criticsby Structural EngineersFÜRST LAFFRANCHI

AssistentsMICHAEL MEIERRAPHAEL DUNANT

Bibliographie:_Deplazes, Andrea, (Ed.): Concrete. In: Constructing Architecture – A Handbook, Basel, Boston, Berlin: Birkhäuser – Publisher for Architecture, 2008, p. 57-77_Kind-Barkauskas F., Kauhsen B., Polónyi S.,Brandt J.: Beton Atlas: Entwerfen mit Stahlbeton im Hochbau, Basel: Birkhäuser Verlag 2001. In particular: Entwicklung der Betontechnologie, p. 9-17 _Kind-Barkauskas F., Kauhsen B., Polónyi S.,Brandt J.: Beton Atlas: Entwerfen mit Stahlbeton im Hochbau, Basel: Birkhäuser Verlag 2001. In particular: Stahlbeton in der Architektur der Moderne, p. 18-43 _ Giuliani Lorenzo and Hönger Christian: Schnittwerk, Zurich: gta Verlag, 2010, p. 14-23_Karl Bötticher: Die Tektonik der Hellenen, Potsdam 1844, in: Stilhülse und Kern, Werner Oechslin (Ed.), Zurich: gta Verlag, Berlin: Ernst&Sohn Berlin, 1994, p. 180-187

_ Tschanz, Martin: Le Havre. Ville Perretiste. Dans: Construire en béton, 2010/11, Betonsuisse (édi.) Berne 2011, p. 7-15_ Stehrenberger, Katharina: Bauten in Kunststein – Ein kritisches Inventar, Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften, Sulgen: Niggli 2011_ Archithese: Préfabrication 2.2003, Sulgen: Verlag Niggli AG 2003 _ werk, bauen+wohnen: Prefabricated, 1-2/2011, Zurich: Verlag Bauen+Wohnen 2011_ Krucker, Bruno: Das Fabrizieren von Architektur: Zum entwerferischen Potenzial des industrialisierten Bauens. In: Rüegg, Arthur: Konstruktive Konzepte der Moderne, Sulgen/Zurich: Verlag Niggli, p. 76-88_ werk, bauen +wohnen 12/2005, Fassaden_ Archithese 3/2013, weak materiality – Eine Schwäche für Materialität

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Atelier giuliani.höngerLORENZO GIULIANICHRISTIAN HÖNGER

Lectures & Criticsby Structural EngineersFÜRST LAFFRANCHI

AssistentsMICHAEL MEIERRAPHAEL DUNANT