Category: Lana Atef Nsouli

Following previous shape explorations, examples of block configurations as collective models of housing by R. Bofill, Lacaton & Vassal, A.Siza or Herzog & DeMeuron, among others, will be scrutinised to understand this urban typology.

At the same time, different readings on Form and typology will be reviewed in a seminar to understand the relationship between these theories the city and architecture.

General formal aspects defining block individual proposals – such as voids, modularity, porosity, repetition and circulation – will be explored through diagrams, giving special attention to different architectural elements- such as thresholds, courtyards and patios-. Consequent findings of these explorations will be applied to initial block proposals in different iterations and expressed through compositional diagrams and models. In this manner, the block formal intricacy will be defined.

Readings:

-Aldo Rossi, 1984, “The Structure of Urban Artifacts. The individuality of Urban Artifacts”, in The Architecture of the City, MIT Press. -Rafael Moneo, 1998, “On Typology”, in Oppositions reader : selected readings from a journal for ideas and criticism in architecture, 1973-1984, New York : Princeton Arch Press.
-Philippe Panerai, Jean Castex & Jean-Charles Depaule, 2004, Urban Forms: The Death and Life of the Urban Block, Oxford: Architectural Press, 2004.
-Rafael Moneo, 2015, & Francisco Gonzalez de Canales , 2015, “Form” & “ The Life og Buildings” in Rafael Moneo. Building, Teaching, Writing. London and New York: Yale University Press, 2015.
-Francisco Gonzalez de Canales, & Nuria Alvarez Lombardero, 2010, “Right to the Form”, Arquitectos, 2010, Núm. 181, pp. 62-63.
-Elena Chiavi et al (ed), 2019, “The Architecture of the City “ in Cartha : on the form of form, Zurich : Park Books.