“TRADITION AND MODERNITY IN BERN, SWITZERLAND” CHRISTINA HEFFERAN

SUMMER 2012

(cover spread) The landscape of Wichtrach, seen from inside the metal sheeting of Kunst Depot.

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WENDY EVANS JOSEPH TRAVELING SCHOLARSHIP

Established in 1999 by Wendy Evans Joseph, Class of 1977, the purpose of the Wendy Evans Joseph Traveling Scholarship is to support summer travel

to study the natural and built environment in any region of the world. The scholarship is awarded each May to juniors in the undergraduate Major in Architecture on the basis of a competitive application process. The scholarship

recipients are required to document their study in the form of a photographic essay submitted upon the completion of travel.

The Undergraduate Program in Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania is a studio-based liberal arts and sciences program in the College of Arts & Sciences.

In addition to the general requirements for a Bachelor of Arts degree, the Major in Architecture includes a six-semester studio sequence and two theory courses, taught by faculty in the

Department of Architecture in the School of Design, and four courses in the history of art and architecture, taught by faculty in the Department of the History of Art in the School of Arts &

Sciences. The program offers an Intensive Major, with seniors enrolling in graduate-level technology courses, a Minor in Architecture, a Minor in Design,

and a summer program for high-school students.

For more information on the program and examples of students’ work in the undergraduate design studios visit:

http://www.design.upenn.edu/architecture/undergraduate-program-architecture

Richard Wesley Undergraduate Chair, Architecture

rwesley@design.upenn.edu

Layout design: Sarah Beth McKay

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As the field of architecture grows to encompass greater feats of engineering, a delicate relation-ship emerges between tradition and modernity.

Advancements in technology and construc-tion have empowered architects to introduce

foreign and innovative elements to the field of design, however their use sometimes fosters a disconnect with the past. Switzerland excels in honoring its architectural history while advanc-ing towards the vanguard of design. Using the

Wendy Evans Joseph Traveling Scholarship, I spent two weeks in Canton of Bern to study

the manner through which Switzerland finds in-spiration in tradition as it establishes a modern

architectural language.

Switzerland is a diverse land greatly influ-enced by the many countries and cultures that

surround it. While there is no single identity or architectural style that can characterize

the land and its inhabitants, the significance of the natural landscape permeates Swiss

culture. Mountain ranges and vast hills, though sometimes sheathed in a cloudy haze, are an omnipresent force in both the urban and rural

environment. Nature has shaped traditional Swiss architecture both physically, through harvested wood, and aesthetically, through

form. As the field of architecture progresses alongside the advancement of technologies and

materials, the country’s landscape, tradition, and cultural identity influence the development

of its architectural style.

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ITINERARY

[Zurich]Brienz

InterlakenMurren

BeatenbergLauterbrunnen

ThunWichtrach

Bern

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Catalyzed by a cultural appreciation of nature, woodcarving is a central facet of traditional Swiss identity. Woodworkings are physical manifestations of the accuracy, precision, and artistry of the craftsman. This art form promotes a shared culture that permeates the diverse Swiss landscape.

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(previous spread)A tree-lined trail in Beatenberg.

(below)An experimental woodcarving at the Schule Fur Holzbildhauerei Brienz.

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(above)A shingled roof, constructed in 1760, of a day laborer’s house from Detligen, Bern.

(previous spread)A glimpse of Hauptstrasse, a central roadway in Brienz.

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As modern materials entered the lexicon of traditional Swiss construction, an unprec-edented tension surfaced. Metals, steel, and concrete empowered designers to create works of unprecedented scale. Technological advancements introduced mechanisms that could improve architecture’s ability to attend to programmatic needs of users. The modern-izing field of design showed promise, but the architect risked sacrificing a deep physical and metaphysical connection with nature by abandoning wooden construction. Through its treatment of the land and the ways in which it gleans inspiration from naturally occurring ge-ometries, however, modern Swiss architecture retains its relationship with its environment and its past while pursuing vanguard design.

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(above)The metal sheeting of Westside Bruennen

juxtaposed against its natural surroundings.

(far left)A wooden farmhouse from Adelboden, Bern.

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(previous spread)A view of the wooden elements that structure a

traditional storehouse from Aargau.

(right)Metal sheeting used to clad the exterior of

Westside Bruennen.

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(left)Layered wooden paneling at Westside Bruennen.

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(far left)A solar-driven sunscreen system is installed

upon the facade of the Zentrum Paul Klee.

(left)An envelope of perforated metal sheeting

protects the interior skin of the Kunst Depot from sun and rainfall.

(next spread)A traditional overhang from a storehouse in

Aargau, providing shelter from both solar rays and rain.

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The Swiss landscape is rich in jagged mountain ranges. These naturally occurring geometries lend form to both traditional and modern works of architecture. This theme elicits a dialogue between what is built and its environment. Moments of tension, reverence, and playful-ness shape the country’s modern architectural language.

(previous spread)The Schilthorn mountain range.

(above)Traditional alpine houses, with roofs echoing the form of the mountain behind.

(left)A skylight at Westside Bruennen casting dynamic shadows.

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(right)The interior of Westside Bruennen, composed

of angular planes and playful skylights.

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(previous spread)Kunst Depot, as seen from ground level.

(left)The Helvetiastrasse reflected off the northern face of the Kubus Titan. This facade engages its preexisting urban fabric with the utilization of modern, ultra-reflective panes of glass.

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(previous spread)The repeating, angular geometries of

Bétrix & Consolascio’s Inselspital.

(right)Rows of escalators at Bern Station.

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(left)A standard train platform.

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Switzerland cannot be defined by a single cultural identity, language, architectural style, or even landscape. Vast plains and rolling hills are nestled between the country’s rocky mountain ranges. Their gentle curves juxta-pose the pointed silhouettes that tower above them. Organic forms have a strong presence in Swiss design, and often complement or chal-lenge angular geometries. As a modern style of architecture emerges, Swiss architecture employs curvilinear designs to evoke images of the natural landscape and create moments of intrigue as structures interact with the earth.

(previous spread)A gentle hill atop the Niederhorn summit, a popular destination for paragliders and hikers.

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(far left)Bern Station curving into its surrounding

landscape.

(above left)A pool of lilypads at Bern’s Rosengarten.

(far right)A common Bernese street pattern.

(above right)The Zentrum Paul Klee.

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(previous spread)A rear view one of the Zentrum Paul Klee’s three “hills.”

(left)A vast, curvilinear awning juxtaposed against a 1720s Baroque Heiliggeistkirche.

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(previous spread)The sweeping curves and highly reflective

surfaces of the Bern Train Station.

(right)The Zentrum Paul Klee, rising from the ground.

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