STRUCTURE AS ARCHITECTURE which are often not as normal as a beam or a

column are often very hard to analyze by hand

calculations with the classic rules.

V.Santhosh Babu , ME Structure, PGDBA Just because building a structure is essential, and
Structural Engineer, Structural Design Unit having to, provides it with necessary stability,
Kerala PWD strength and stiffness, it does not have to be
architecturally mute – unless of course its designers
Abstract: With constant association of make that choice.
Architects and Structural Engineers, many
Designers can allow structure to speak and to be
iconic public buildings can be made by utilizing
heard, or to change the metaphor, one can design a
potential of structural design to enrich
structure in such a way that its viewers not only see
architectural design concepts. This paper
and experience it, but due to its well- considered
explores various aspects of Architectural design
architectural qualities, are enticed into ‘reading’ it.
in collaboration with structural Engineers to
realize their design concepts. Also this will The art of designing, like many skills such as bike
change a view of structure as an indispensable riding or swimming, is learnt mainly by doing, not
architecture element that is thoroughly from reading on how it is being done. Architects
integrated and involved in the making of can explore various options of structural forms to
Architecture. Engineering innovation is also materialize their design concepts.
perceived as adding cost to the project. In fact
devising new way of buildings while selecting A Structural Engineer’s way of working

structural elements will add advantage to

Usually Engineers as Structural designers are more
architecture, which can be the principle way
involved in developing the concepts, finite element
that the construction cost can be reduced.
modelling, based on available architectural
drawings analysis and developing structural
INTRODUCTION
Drawings.

At present major constructions of different scales

What do engineers learn? Most engineers agree to
are being take-up by Public Works Department
it being problem solving. Engineers are “problem
under various schemes of different scales. It is
solvers”. They try to find the best solution, which
noticed in recent times that very few iconic
often mean the easiest and cheapest solution of the
buildings are being built in recent days in the
project they are working on. The projects are often
Government sector, even though the department is
a part of a bigger connection and often there are
having in-house Architecture and Structural
discussions about which solution is the best. For
Departments. Here we are focussing on various
winning this argument, the engineer has to have
aspects from a Designer point of view for making
proof of costs and productions in calculations.
upcoming structure itself as architecture.
An Architect’s way of working
To make exciting forms in architecture, special
methods and programs can be adopted. Of course When an architect judges a building, its appearance
interesting modern buildings can be made with is only one of several factors which interest him.
standard elements, to go beyond that one has to He studies plans, sections and elevations and
have other tools. Complex forms with elements maintains that, if it is to be a good building, these
must harmonize with each other. Just what the
architect means by this is not easy to explain.
Architecture is not a product simply by adding
plans , sections and elevations. It is something else
and something more. It is impossible to explain
precisely what it is - its limits are by no means well
defined.
The architect works with emotions, but he also has
to be a practical thinker. Nowadays his tools are
different computer programs as AutoCAD, Adobe,
Sketch up and so on, but still his most important
tool is the pencil.
It is quite impossible to set up absolute rules and
criteria for evaluating architecture because every
worthwhile building, like all works of art, has its
own standard. But if we ourselves are open to
impressions and sympathically inclined, it will
open up and reveal its true essence.
Communication between architects
Engineers
Most people agree that the best form finding
process is an association between Structural
engineers and architects. But for this to work the
two professionals have to respect and understand
each others work. This is a necessity, but it helps
better if both professionals get a better
understanding of structural form. We cannot have
an engineering structure which is not made of
materials and materials which is not in a form of a
structure.
Choosing and developing a structural concept for
particular purpose is a highly creative process. For
an architect the form of the structure is constrained
by only by its function ,the site and his vision. For
the structural Engineers, the form is
constrained by how they intend and expect it to
work as a structure, and the need to provide a
rational argument and calculations to justify this
expectation before the structure is built.
Nature, intuition and inspiration are the strength of
an architect. Many architects use the beauty in
nature to find different forms, but what they might
not realize about is that knowledge about
mechanics as well as looks can be found all around
us. For example: trees can be very beautiful with
their colours and their strange combination of
branches. Many architects find them interesting and
try to imitate them. Trees are not only nice to look
at, but they also show a classical physical law. The
branches are always thickest where they are
supported and thinnest in the ends. This can be
compared to a normal cantilever. The most
effective way of forming a cantilever is to do it as
the branches in trees.
and
Fig 1.Stuttgart Airport Terminal,Germany
The next is intuition or common sense. This is what
everybody has; even those who are not engineers
know that you cannot use a cable as a column in a
building or that a card in a card house will fall if it
tries to stand on its own. These are the grounds on
which the tents where developed. By trial and error
our ancestors understood quickly that the skin or
fabric had to be tensioned to be able to span over a
distance. Just like the tents made for performing
circus if it is not anchored in poles it will fall to the
also ground. The basic ideas can be seen in many of the
modern tensed membrane structures; for example
the Millennium Dome. Thus large roof space can
be made with this principle.
 Fig 4-Statue of Liberty

There has also been a growing awareness by some

Fig 2&3 The Millenium Dome
architects and building clients of the tangible

The third source would be inspiration from benefits that can be attained by employing good

precedent engineers and architects, or Master Structural Engineers to develop imaginative

Builders. Today we learn how to construct a solutions in the unique circumstances that surround

building with scientific principles. We use all major and minor buildings.

computers to calculate, analyze, and find the best

solutions. It has not always been like this.
Before the industrialization, people learned by
apprenticeship. Engineer should have a feeling of
the structural sizes. By watching older, more
experienced Master Builders, and if you were a
good learner you could make more intricate
designs. This is still being followed today, though
not as specific. Designers learn from others Fig 5-Orvieto Aircraft Hanger
mistakes or successes, and develop it through
discussions/trial and error. Relationships between Architectural and
Once there existed a traditional relationship Structural Form
between art, architecture and engineering.
The Statue of Liberty is a good example of the With clear understanding of structural advantages

“traditional” relationship between art, architecture of particular forms, Architects can propose

and engineering. Designed by Frédéric Bartholdi. impressive structures. Currently there are many 3D

The internal structure, designed by Gustave Eiffel, rendering software available to create and vsualize

is completely concealed. Its only function is to various proposals. This will ease and simplify the

make the art stand up. The structure also functions design process. During architecture detailing

as a building in some sense because it has some various elements required for structural stability

spaces and stairs inside it. can be cleverly placed.

Structural Engineers understands structural form as
a building’s primary or most visually dominant
structural system. While most buildings have
several primary structural systems, some have only
one. Library Square, Vancouver is one such
example (Fig. 6). Moment-resisting frames running
at regular intervals across the plan resist gravity
and longitudinal (horizontal) loads, and two
perimeter frames resist transverse loads.
Most buildings contain two or three structural
systems – either a gravity load resisting system or
one or two systems that resist lateral loads in both
orthogonal directions, and a combined gravity and
uni-directional lateral load system complimented
by another system for lateral loads in the
orthogonal direction.
In the Mont-Cenis Academy, Herne, continuous
roof trusses on pole columns resist gravity loads
while steel rod cross-bracing in the roof plane and
along each of the four exterior walls withstands
lateral loads.
Fig 6.Mont-Cenis Academy, Herne, Germany,
Jourda & Perraudin, 1999. A glazed box with an
entry canopy.
Fig 7.Dulles International Airport, Washington,
DC, USA, Saarinen (Eero) and Associates, 1962.
Inclined piers support the catenary slab.
Exposed structural detailing will play a major role
in Architecture.Detailing can transform ordinay or
purely utilarian structure members into objects of
aesthetics. Detailing will follow once the structural
form is finalized. Before finalizing the detailed
design a designer should begin by revisiting the
adopted concept and interrogating it then only it is
possible to achieve an architecture where all its
structural members are integrated with all the other
architectural elements. This will deny clients and
building user’s opportunities for architecture
enrichment.
Architecture of Government Buildings
People appreciate public buildings that express the
dignity, permanence, and importance of civic
institutions, and which harmonize with their
surroundings. Government buildings should be
treated with utmost care since different type of end
users are there. Also the building itself should
enhance the authority of the concerned
departments. Good structures are often praised for
their elegance. Very good buildings were designed
by the great architect Le Corbusier in India. In
recent years, there have been a growing number of
instances where communities have demanded
higher quality in the design of new public
buildings.
Fig.8.High Court building by Le Corbusier,
Chandigarh
Many of us are fortunate to live in cities and towns the aesthetics of whole assembly. A new canopy
where we can take pride in our public buildings. covers an irregularly shaped space between the
These buildings are not always "grand edifices" -- circular Reading Room and numerous neo-classical
sometimes they're small, but distinguished, load-bearing wall buildings surrounding the
additions to a neighbourhood. Many of our finest courtyard. The canopy, a triangulated steel surface
public buildings were constructed in the 19th or structure, differs dramatically from the buildings it
early 20th century. spans between.

Fig 9.City hall in Toronto Fig 11.The Great Court, British Museum, London,
England, Foster and Partners, 2000. Triangulated
“The Eye of Government” is the nickname given to
lattice roof with the circular Reading Room on the
the current city hall in Toronto, Ontario. It was
left.
built by a Finnish architect named Viljo Revell
who, sadly died just a few months before
completing the project. It is also interesting to note
that the windows on the two towers all look inward
and the different government departments can look
into each other’s windows.

Fig12.New Delhi Municipal Council building,

Fig 10.Supreme Court Pakistan
Palika Center
Now various expansions are being carried out and
A good building should make you want to look at
sometimes it will not look pleasing as there may be
it. Even if not always liked by passers-by, it should
many irregular edge cuttings. By connecting with
always make them feel something.
roof either with space frame, truss systems will add
Atriums are considered the heart of public
buildings (Hospitals/ Shopping centres/
Educational centres/ office buildings etc.). Not only
the main spaces where social activities happen,
people gather/socialise but also connect to the
nature (sun/ green spaces) to meliorate the indoor
environment/ levels of comfort of the buildings.
Now in our mind many images of new public
buildings in our state will pass and we can compare
where we stand, for sure we are all responsible for
this present situation. The insight of structure
creates opportunities rather than constraints. Such a
positive attitude releases structure from the
shackles of conventional practice and its two
masters of constructability and economy, and frees
it to play more substantial functional and aesthetic
roles in architecture.
Structural Engineer needs to be extensive and
intensive.
References
1.Public Buildings Should Set the Standard ,
Edward McMahon, Planning Commissioners
Journal / Number 41 / Winter 2001
2.Structure As Architecture A Source Book
For Architects And Structural Engineers , By
Andrew W.Charleson
3. Structure As Architecture , Louise Pedersen
And Jonas Täljsten, Division of Structural
Mechanics, LTH, Lund University, Box 118,
SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden.
4. Holgate, Alan (1986). The Art in Structural
Design. Clarendon Press, Oxford.
5. Larsen, O.P. and Tyas, A. (2003).
Conceptual Structural Design: Bridging the
Gap Between Architects and Engineers. T.
Telford, London.

CONCLUSION: 6. Structural criticism and the aesthetics of

structures, IABSE congress report :
The design team should observe and read
http://doi.org/10.5169/seals-770
structure from architects and building users view
point rather than adopting more focussed eye of the
structural Engineer. If the ultimate aspiration of
architects and structural engineers is to produce art
rather than sorting out the built environment, then
great efforts discussions need to happen among
designers.
Information in this paper will ignite
designer’s imagination and recommend ways for
them to develop more their own ideas. Structure is
not a neutral Architectural element and Architects
should allow their design ideas to drive the
structural design. There are various ways in which
structure enriches architectural design concepts.
Given the huge number of structural possibilities
designer will have greater choice. It is high time to
make more iconic public buildings since we have
the capacity and leave a signature rather than only
private players only do such works. For structure’s
potential as an enlivening architecture element to
be realized collaboration between Architect and