ANALYSING

ARCHITECTURE
As Precedent and Design Formulation
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Nov 2018
Kartini Kasmuri
 Definition

precedent!

adjective; pre·ce·dent \pri-ˈsē-dənt, ˈpre-sə-dənt\

: prior in time, order, arrangement, or significance

- Merriam-Webster, 2017
 Purpose

• to inspire

• as a guide/reference

• giving own design authority

Source: http://blog.buildllc.com/2015/01/architects-and-usefulness-a-new-years-resolution/
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/brad_mcdermott/4951446104
Source: https://www.archdaily.com/422470/ad-classics-the-guggenheim-museum-bilbao-frank-gehry/521fa1cce8e44ebd90000072-ad-classics-the-guggenheim-museum-bilbao-frank-gehry-photo
 Process

• Framing

• Scaling down
Process

• Framing

• Scaling down

• Simplify to ideation
Process

• Framing

• Scaling down

• Simplify to ideation

• Manipulate
Observe-Identify-DRAW
• Practising the language of
architecture -
VOCABULARIES

• Recognizing architectural
elements; light, sound,
surfaces, senses, etc.

• Identifying the space-

function relationship
(human behaviour &
needs)
 Case Study 1

- MOVEMENT, PROGRAM, ENCLOSURE - FUNCTION, VOLUME

- FACADE, FENESTRATION, AESTHETICS

- CONTEXT, JUXTAPOSITION - MOVEMENT, PROGRAM - CONNECTIVITY, PROGRAM

 - POINTS, LINES, PLANES - FUNCTION / FORM

- LANGUAGE OF FORM - HARMONY

- OPENING - ENCLOSURE

- VOLUME, SOLID - VOID - UNITY - ORDER, TENSION - PROPORTION, COMPOSITION

 - POINTS, LINES, PLANES - FUNCTION / FORM

- LANGUAGE OF FORM - HARMONY

- OPENING - ENCLOSURE

- VOLUME, SOLID - VOID - UNITY - ORDER, TENSION - PROPORTION, COMPOSITION

 - POINTS, LINES, PLANES - FUNCTION / FORM

- LANGUAGE OF FORM - HARMONY

- OPENING - ENCLOSURE

- VOLUME, SOLID - VOID - UNITY - ORDER, TENSION - PROPORTION, COMPOSITION

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Case Study 2
 Representation
Delvendahl Martin Architects, referring to a Precedent
Study on Roman baths…

• “For the Precedent Study the task was to develop

an interpretative analysis of a representative
example, covering aspects such as temperature,
humidity and light to describe the different spaces.”

• http://www.dm-architects.co.uk/teaching/view/
precedent-study
Light Study User Pattern (by gender)
Temperature Study
Humidity Study
Abstraction
 “Mountain, stone, water – building in the stone,
building with the stone, into the mountain, building out of
the mountain, being inside the mountain – how can the
implications and the sensuality of the association of
these words be interpreted, architecturally?
The meander, as we call it, is a designed negative
space between the blocks, a space that connects
everything as it flows throughout the entire building,
creating a peacefully pulsating rhythm. Moving around
this space means making discoveries. You are walking
as if in the woods. Everyone there is looking for a path of
their own.” - www.architalent.com
Therme Vals, Switzerland
by Peter Zumthor (1996)

“The spa building embraces many

natural elements, such as heat, light,
water, stone, sound in distributions and
combination beyond conventionality while
comprising an environment of the senses.
As he describes it, he writes:
“The building takes the form of a large,
grass-covered stone object set deep into
the mountain and dovetailed into its flanks.
It is a solitary building, which resists
formal integration with the existing
structure in order to evoke more clearly-
and achieve more fully- what seemed to us
a more important role: the establishing of
a special relationship with the mountain
landscape” (Zumthor, 2007:7).”

Source: https://www.academia.edu/30674328/
ARCHITECTURE_AND_PHENOMENOLOGY_ZUMTHOR_S_THERME_VALS_SPA_EXAMINED_WITH_A_PHENOME
NOLOGICAL_APPROACH
Source: http://www.archtalent.com/projects/therme-vals
Source: https://7132therme.com/en

Source: https://www.architectural-review.com/buildings/thermal-baths-in-vals-switzerland-by-peter-zumthor/8616979.article
Source: https://www.architectural-review.com/buildings/thermal-baths-in-vals-switzerland-by-peter-zumthor/8616979.article
Source: https://www.architectural-review.com/buildings/thermal-baths-in-vals-switzerland-by-peter-zumthor/8616979.article
Design Formulation?
Design Formulation?

JUST
Design Formulation?

JUST
REVERSE
Design Formulation?

JUST !
REVERSE !
THE PROCESS
Design Formulation?
 References
• Unwin, S. (2014), Analysing Architecture (4th Edition),
Routledge.

• Clark, R.H., and Pause, M., (1996), Precedents in Architecture

(2nd Edition), Van Nostrand Reinhold/co, Wiley, New York,
USA.

• Radford, A., Morkoç, S., and Srivastava A., (2014), The

Elements of Modern Architecture: Understanding
Contemporary Buildings, Thames & Hudson Ltd., London.

• http://www.arch.mcgill.ca/prof/sijpkes/arch-struct-2008/
book-1.pdf