FutureNordicConcreteArchitecture

FutureNordicConcreteArchitecture

Introduction Throughthe20thcenturyconcretehasbecomethemostusedbuildingmaterialintheworld.Theusageof concretehasledtoanewarchitecturewhichexploitstheisotopicpropertiesofconcretetogeneratenew shapes.Despitetheconsiderableamountofconcreteusedinarchitecture,theconcreteissurprisinglylittle visible.Oftenconcreteisonlyusedasthematerialfortheloadbearingstructuresandafterwardshidden behindotherfacadematerials. Butconcretehasabigunexploitedpotentialinordertocreatebeautifulshapeswithspectaculartextures onthesurface.Thispotentialhasbeenexploredthroughanumberofbuildingswhichcanbecharacterized asconcretearchitecture.Inthiscontextconcretearchitectureisdefinedas: - Architecturewhereconcreteisusedasadominatingandvisiblematerialand/or - Architecturewhereconcreteisexpressedthroughthegeometry. Inthefollowing,anumberofprojectscharacterizedasNordicconcretearchitectureispresentedtogether withadescriptionoftheepochsofthehistoryofconcretearchitecturetowhichtheybelong. NordicConcreteArchitecture InScandinavia,conditionsdifferentfromthemostotherplacesintheworldprevail.TheNordicclimate causessignificantchangingweatherconditionsduringthe4seasons.Thisresultsinsignificantfewerhours withsun.Addtothisthatthesunstandslowintheskyespeciallyinthewinterseason.Thisconditionhas hadgreatinfluenceonthearchitecturecombinedwiththeculturaldevelopmentinScandinavia.Thestyle ofbuildinghasalwaysbeeninspiredoftheneighboursinthesouthbutalwayswithalocalinterpretation andtheusageoflocalbuildingmaterials. ConcretehasnotplayedabiggerroleintheNordicarchitecturecomparedtoothercountries.Butspecial abouttheNordicconcretearchitectureisamongotherthingsthedistinguishedusageofconcretewitha specialfeelingfortheinteractionbetweenthedetailandthewhole.

Fig.7:Concretewallcastagainstroughwoodenboards. Themodernwhitereinforcedconcrete

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TheexhibitioninStockholmin1930wasanimportanteventfortheNordicarchitectureandespeciallyfor theusageofconcrete.Itmarkedashiftfromtheclassicisminthe1920stothemodernism.IntheNordic countriesthemodernismwascalledfunctionalismfirstofallthearchitectureshouldbefunctional,and everythingthatdidnotservethepurposeofthebuildingshouldberemovedandthearchitecturecould therebybereleasedfromearlierstyles.Thecharacteristicsofthisperiodwerethepureoftenwhite paintedsurfaces.Thereforethisstylewasalsoreferredtoasthewhitestyle. Concretewasanintegratedpartofthefunctionalism.Earliertheconcretehadnotbeenpopularamong architectswhoclaimedthatconcretewasmissingsymbolicvalueandaculturalhistory,butinthisnew styleconcretebecameveryinteresting.Althoughwhitepaintedconcretewastheaim,alotofthebuildings wasactuallybuiltinbricksandplasteredwithmortar,andthenwhitepainted.Butthewhitepainted concretesurfaceswereconsideredthemosthonestexamples. BesidethegreatSwedisharchitectErikGunnarAsplundwhowasleadingarchitectontheexhibitionin Stockholm,SvenMarkeliusanotherSwedisharchitectstoodbehindanumberofinterestingworksfrom theperiod.AmongthesearetheTekniskaHgskolansStudentsHousefrom1930andtheconcerthousein Helsingborgfrom1932.

Fig.8:SveaplansHighSchoolfrom1936inStockholm,Sweden.Anexampleofabuildingfromthe functionalism. InDenmark,thearchitectsMogensLassen,VilhelmLauritzenandArneJacobsenweresuccessfulinthenew style.ArneJacobsensBellavistaandBelevueTheaterismasterpiecesfromthisperiodjustinthespiritof theidealsofwhite,cubicbuildingswithwhitesurfaces.AndwhereArneJacobsenprobablywasmost inspiredbytheGermanarchitectWalterGropius,MogensLassenwasmostsuccessfulintranslatingthe ideasfromLeCorbusierintoaNordicversion.Thiswasevidentthroughanumberofonefamilyhouses. InNorwayitwasprimarilythearchitectsArneKorsmo,OveBangandKnutKnutsenwhointroducedthe functionalisminarchitecture.AmongthebuildingsisVillaStenersenfrom1939byArneKorsmoandthe EkesbergRestaurantbyLarsBackerfrom1929,situatedbeautifullyonahillsidewithagreatviewover Oslo. 3

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OveradecadeAlvarAaltowasthemostinternationallyrecognizedarchitectinFinland.Someofhisworks representedaFinnishversionofthefunctionalism.AmongthesearetheSanatoryinPaimoandthelibrary inViipuri.VillaMaireawasconsideredaFinnishcounterparttooneoftheinternationalmasterpiecesinthe modernism;LeCorbusiersVillaSavoye.VillaMaireaalsomarkedashiftinAaltosarchitecturetowardsa morelocalandorganicarchitecture. Thebrutalconcrete AsacontrasttothepurewhitearchitectureademandforamorehonestarchitecturecameafterSecond WorldWar.Thisnewarchitecturewascharacterisedbyemphasizedstructuresandrawsurfaces.This periodwascalledthebrutalismandconcreteplayedaleadingrole.Theconcretewasoftenexposedand untreatedcastagainstroughwoodenboardswhichresultedinaveryroughtextureintheconcrete surfacewitharichnessinthedetailsofthesurface. InDenmark,especiallythearchitectsFriisandMoltkeadoptedthisnewusageofconcreteanddevelopeda localDanishversionofthebrutalism.AnexamplesofthisisaschoolinEbeltoftinDenmarkwherealmost everystructureandeverysurfaceisuntreatedconcrete.AlsoHotelLakolkonRmfrom1966isworth mentioningwhichatthattimewasalmostchokinglybrutalbothoutsideandinsideofthebuilding.

Fig.9:SchoolinEbeltoft,DenmarkbytheDanisharchitectsFriisandMoltkebuiltin1968. AlsoGugKirkefrom1968inAalborgbyIngerandJohannesExnerandthecollegefrom1967inHolbkby thearchitectsGerdthBornebusch,MaxBrelandJrgenSelchauisbrilliantexamplesofhowconcretecan givethearchitecturebothweightanduniformity.Thisisespeciallyachievedbecauseoftheabilityofthe concretebothtobethebuildingmaterialforthemainstructuresandatthesametimetheaesthetic surfaces.TheVikingshipmuseuminRoskildebytheDanisharchitectErikChristianSrensenisaverygood exampletodemonstratethisabilityofconcrete.Hereyoucanseethepowerfulconcretestructureswith roughanduntreatedsurfaces.

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Fig.10:HighSchoolinHolbk,DenmarkbytheDanisharchitectsGerdthBornebusch,MaxBrelandJrgen Selchaubuiltin1967. InNorway,itwasespeciallythearchitectsKjellLundandNilsSlaattowhodevelopedaNorwegianversion ofthebrutalism.AmongtherepresentativeworksisSt.Hallvardchurchwithpowerfulstructuresin concretewithinfillofredbrickworkandtheNorwegianStudentsocietyinOslo.AlsoGratangenChurchby thearchitectOskarNordervalwheretwotriangularshapedconcreteslabsraisetotheairisamasterpiece oftheperiod. InFinland,thedominatingarchitectwhousedtheconcreteroughanduntreatedwasAarnoRuusuvuori. Especiallythroughseveralchurchesheusedconcreteasthedominatingbuildingmaterialandwitha distinguisheddetailinginthefacadewheretheverticalpatternsfromthewoodenboardsusedinthe formworkemphasizedthehorizontalityofthebuildings.ThisisalsoshowninHuutoniemichurchfrom1964 andJrvenpchurchfrom1967.Intheseexamplesconcretehasbeenusedasatotaldominatingmaterial bothinsideandoutside. InSwedentherough,untreatedconcretesurfaceswasntusedasoftenasintherestoftheNordic countries.Anexceptionisthelibraryfrom1967inNorrkpingbythearchitectStenSamuelson. Organizedconcreteelements TheindustrialisationreachedtheNordiccountriesinthelate1950sandasasolutiontothealarming needforhousing,amassproductionofbuildingcomponentwasstartedjustlikeintherestofEurope. Thiscausedademandforstandardisationofbuildingcomponentswhichcouldbeseeninthearchitecture thefollowingyears.Thearchitecturebecamerationalandwithoutvariation. Concreteelementswereakeytothisnewarchitecture.Almostidenticalconcreteelementscouldbeused forfloors,wallsandroofwithoutfurthertreatment.Furthermore,theycouldbeproducedfastandcheap. Butwhatseemedlikeaverygoodideainthefirstplaceslowlychangedtowardsmassivecriticismofthe hugehousingcomplexesandtheconcretewaspointedouttobethevillain.Eventhoughitwasntthe concretesfault,theconcretewasinalongperiodafterwardsmainlyusedasaconstructionmaterial coveredwithotherbuildingmaterials.

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Eventhoughthefocuswasonthetrivialhousingcomplexes,theperioddidhavesomeverygoodexamples ofconcretearchitecturewhereconcreteelementswereusedmoreinterestingly. TheNorwegianarchitectErlingViksjwassuccessfulinusingconcreteelementsasthedominatingbuilding materialforseveralworks.AmongtheseisBergenTownHallfrom1974.Hegotapatentonhissocalled natureconcretewhichwasaproductionmethodwheregravelwasplacedinthemouldandhereafter exposedusingsandblasting.Amongthemostwellknownworksisagatheringofbuildingshousing governmentofficesinOslo. SwedenwasjustliketheotherNordiccountriesdominatedbythemonotonoushousingcomplexes.But oneofthebrilliantexamplesofinterestingusageofconcreteelementsisBergwaldhalleninStockholmof thearchitectsErikAhnborgandSuneLindstrmin1979. InDenmark,thehospitalinHerlevofBornebusch,SelschauandBrelwasabrilliantexampleofpowerful architecturemadeasanindustrialisedassemblingbuilding.AlsotheRoskildeTownHalloftheDanish architectKnudMunkisafantasticillustrationofthepossibilitieswithconcreteelements.

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Fig.11:HospitalinHerlev,DenmarkbytheDanisharchitectsGerdthBornebusch,MaxBrelandJrgen Selchaubuiltin1976. Utzonsfloatingconcretestructures JrnUtzonisprobablytheDanisharchitectwhohashadmostinfluenceonthedevelopmentoftheDanish concretearchitecture.Hehaschallengedthepotentialofconcreteandcreateduniquearchitecture,and especiallyhiscreativitywithconcreteelementsisworthmentioning. ThereareespeciallyfiveofUtzonsworkswhichcanbecharacterisedasactuallyconcretearchitecture.The firstoneisawatertowerinSvanekeinDenmark.Here,apyramidshapedwatertankisliftedupbythree slopingconcretelegswhichmakethestructurethinbutyetpowerful.

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Fig.12:WatertowerinSvanke,DenmarkbytheDanisharchitectJrnUtzon.Builtin1952. ThenextoneTheOperaHouseinSydneybecameUtzonsmainworkandprobablythemostfamous buildinginmodernhistoryofarchitecture.EventhoughtheSydneyOperaHousewasbuiltalongwayfrom Scandinavia,someoftheinspirationconcerningthesituationplanwasgatheredfromthecastleKronborg inDenmark.Concerningtheconcrete,especiallytheexpressiveshellsisamasterpieceonitsown.Inside theyareshapedlikeanorganicribstructurewithuntreatedconcretesurfaces. IftheSydneyOperaHousewashisInternationalmasterpiece,BagsvrdChurchwashismasterpiecein Denmark.Againtheroofstructureinconcreteshowssomeofthepossibilitiestoshowtheplasticityofthe concrete.InthisbuildingthelightisveryimportantbrokendowntothecharacteristicsoftNordiclight.

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Fig.13:BagsvrdChurchinDenmarkbytheDanisharchitectJrnUtzon.Builtin1976. In1982,theKuwaitNationalAssemblywasbuilt.AsintheSydneyOperaHouseitwasmainlyprefabricated concreteelementswhichwerejointtogethercreatingthelargeconcretestructures.Especiallythe monumentalcovercreatingabigwavetowardstheoceanisimpressive.Itisstretchingthepossibilities withconcrete. ThePaustianfurniturehousefrom1987isanotherDanishexamplewhereUtzonusestheconcretecolumns tocreatevaryingspacesinsidethebuildingwiththeinspirationfromtheDanishforests. Fehnssitestorytellinginconcrete

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TheNorwegianarchitectSverreFehnisprobablythemostrecognizedarchitectinmodernNorwegian historyofarchitectureandconcretewasoftenapreferredbuildingmaterialinhisworks. ThefirstprojectchosenhereisaveryNordichousebutplacedinVeniceinItaly!ItwastheNordic pavillionfortheExpo62.Withtheslimconcretebeamsintwolayersthesunlightisbrokendowntoasoft indirectlightandtherebycreatinganalmostNordicmodeontheinside. IntheHedmarksMuseumfrom1969,Fehndemonstrateshowconcreteamodernbuildingmaterialcan interactincoexistencewitholdstonesfromtheMiddleage.WiththeGlacierMuseuminNorwayfrom 1991heshowshowanimportantpartthesiteandthelandscapeplayinhisarchitecture.Bothinshapeand thechoiceofmaterialshetellsastoryoftherockstheglaciershasformedandleftbehindandhedoes thiswithconcrete. Fehnbuiltanumberofonefamilyhouses.AmongtheseistheVillaBusk.Thehouseisbuiltonasloping rockgroundandconcretewaschosentocreateastrongbaseandabuildingthatcouldharmonizewiththe dramaticlandscape. Largescaleconcretestructures Concretehassincetheendofthe19thcenturybeenwidelyusedinconnectiontolargescalestructuresin Scandinavia.Thishasleadtoanumberofimpressivelargescaleconcretestructures,andthedevelopment canbeseeninanumberofbridgestructureswhereconcretehasbeenusedasthedominatingbuilding material. AmongthesearetheSvinesundBridgebythearchitectsLundandSlaattoconnectingNorwayandSweden overtheSvinesundInlet.AnotherbridgeistheBigBeltBridgeinDenmarkbytheDanisharchitectsDissing andWeitlingin1998,whichisademonstrationofhowconcretestructuresatthesametimecanbeboth powerfulandelegant.AlsotheresundbridgeconnectingDenmarkandSwedenisimpressivewiththe4 almost200metershighconcretetowersinthemiddleofresundwhichistheculminationontheelegant structure.

Fig.14:TheBigBeltBridgeinDenmarkfrom1998. Newconcreteideals Exceptforafewprojectstheconcreteisnotveryvisibleinthe1980saperioddominatedbythe postmodernism.Asarebellionagainstthehistoricalviewinpostmodernismthedeconstructivismarose characterisedbyafragmentedarchitecture.ThedeconstructivismneverreallygetspopularinNordic

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architectureasinotherpartsofEurope,probablybecauseofatobigcontrastcomparedtotheNordic traditionwhereuniformityandharmonyisabelovedquality.Neverthelessatleastonesignificant deconstructiveworkwasbuiltinDenmarkArken,anewmuseumformodernartbytheDanisharchitect SrenRobertLundbuiltinconcrete.

Fig.15:ArkenMuseuminIshj,DenmarkbytheDanisharchitectSrenRobertLund.Builtin1996. Inthe1990sconcretearchitecturemakesprogressagain.Thiswasduetoanumberofnewandyoung architectswhocouldseesomenewpossibilitieswithconcretenotoppressedbythehistoryofconcrete. Characteristicfortheusageofconcreteintheyearsuptotodayis,thattheconcreteisoftenused untreated.Thisresultsinanhonestexpressionwheretheproductionmethodisvisibleintheconcrete surface.Onemightsaythatitisakindofamodernanddistinguishedversionofthebrutalism. OneofthenewarchitecturalfirmsistheDanishcompanyEntasis.Withthenewheadentranceforthe ZoologicalGardeninCopenhagentheyshowedthishonestusageofuntreatedconcrete.Inthehousing complexEmaljehaveninCopenhagentheyuseconcreteelementsthataremergedtogethersettingnew standardsintheconstructionwithconcreteelements.

Fig.16:Anexampleofnewbuildingsinconcrete.HindemosehusinOdense,DenmarkbytheDanish architectSophusSbyebuiltin2006. AlsothehouseforthehippopotamusesinthezoologicalgardeninCopenhagenbyTheDanisharchitectural firmDallandLindhardtsenisaverygoodexampleofthenewideals.Amodernanddistinguishedversionof concretesurfacescastagainstroughwoodenboards.

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InSwedenitisthearchitectGertWingrdwhoisexperimentingwithnewpossibilitieswithconcrete.With thecontroltowerinArlandaAirportheisexperimentingwithdifferentcoloursoftheconcrete.Andinthe housingprojectVillannconcreteisuseduntreatedwithsmoothsurfaces.Otherinterestingexperiments wereperformedbytheSwedisharchitectJohanCelsing.IntheofficeofRiksantikvariembetetfrom2008 heusesconcretefacadescastagainstsiliconemouldswithreliefs. InFinlandthearchitectsHeikkinenandKomonenstandsforarenewaloftheFinnishconcretearchitecture. ThisisamongotherprojectsillustratedthroughtheEmergencyServiceCollegefrom2005inKuopio. Nordicconcretearchitectureinthefuture Architectureofthefuturefacesmajorchallengesbutalsoanumberofnewpossibilities.Digital3D modellingtoolsareusedamongarchitecttocreatenewadvancedshapeswhicharecharacterisedbythe digitalarchitectureofthefuture.Still,ahugegapbetweenwhatcanbeproduceddigitallyandwhatcanbe producedphysicallyexistsespeciallywheneconomyistakenintoaccount.However,thisisonlyamatter oftimeinanearfuturethegapwillbesignificantsmaller. Thetechnologiesarealreadyavailableinordertoproduceadvancedshapedarchitecture.AttheDanish TechnologicalInstitute,arobothasbeeninstalledatoolthatcanbeusedfordigitalfabrication.Also throughanumberofresearchanddevelopmentprojects,therobothasbeenusedforresearchinnew digitalfabricationtechniqueswheretheaimhasbeentodevelopnewformworkforconcrete. FromthenationalDanishprojectUniqueConcreteStructures,thefinalresultwasapavilioninconcrete designedusingadvancedoptimizationtoolsandproducedusingrobottechnology.Thestructurehasavery complexgeometryespeciallyintheorganicribstructure.

Fig.17:Concretepavilionfrom2010madeinconnectiontotheresearchprojectUniqueConcreteStructures. TheformworkwascreatedusingtherobotcellatDanishTechnologicalInstitute. Usingrobottechnologyinthefabricationofconcretestructuresgivessomenewpossibilitiestoproduce complexgeometriesbutalsopossibilitiestomakenewtexturesandreliefstotheconcrete.Thiscanbe illustratedbyanexperimentatDanishTechnologicalInstitutewhere10differentconcreteelementswere producedusingdifferentformworkmaterialsanddifferentmillingstrategiesontherobot.

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Fig.18:ExperimentsinconcreteusingrobottechnologyatDanishTechnologicalInstitute. AlsoasculpturalconcreteelementdesignedbyEsbenKlemannintegratedinthearchitectureoftheart museumonBornholmisagoodexampleofthepossibilitieswithconcretesurfaces. Withtechnologiesfordigitalfabricationlikerobottechnologyanewdigitalarchitecturewillbecommon inthefutureandthedevelopmentintheNordiccountrieswillbeupfront.Asthetraditionhasshowedus, thisnewarchitecturewillfinditsowninterpretationintheNordiccountries. Concreteasanaestheticbuildingmaterialwillmostlikelyhaveanevenbiggerroleinfuturearchitecture thantoday.Thisfloatingrockisanobviousbuildingmaterialwhenthefuturedigitalarchitectureisbuilt.It isamaterialbothforthefreelyshapedmainstructuresofabuildingandtheaestheticsurfaces.Addtothis thesustainabilityduetothelonglifetime.Withthepossibilitiesofdigitalfabrication,thearchitectscanlose themselvesfurtherintothedetailswhicharesocharacteristicfortheNordicarchitecture.ThustheNordic concretearchitecturewillmostlikelycontinuetointerpretthenewpossibilitieswithNordicpoetryand distinguishedsenseforboththewholeandthedetail.

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