In his latest TED Talk, Thomas Heatherwick decries a condition affecting areas of the city defined by monotonous buildings, or what he calls “an epidemic of boringness.” While recognizing the functionality which drove these designs, he states that functionality alone cannot ensure that the structures become active parts of urban life, as they often fail to provoke an emotional response from passers-by. Heatherwick explains that, in his view, this emotional function, or the ability of buildings to mean something to their users and visitors, is essential. When it succeeds, architecture can positively contribute to the quality of life and well-being of its residents, promote social cohesion and contribute to a sense of identity. So how can architecture provoke a positive emotional connection and provide an enjoyable backdrop to the communities it serves?
The character of a building or urban development can be hard to define, but when it fails to engage individuals, the negative effects can be felt on multiple levels. Several studies have come out, claiming that these buildings can be harmful in physical ways as well as phycological, increasing stress levels, mental health problems, crime and anti-social behaviors, and even healing times. From a societal point of view, when a building fails to connect to its users, the decision to demolish and replace it becomes easier, leading to increased greenhouse gas emissions.
To provoke an emotional response and to encourage people to relate positively to their built environment, several strategies can be used to root the design into its context. Reusing what is already on site is not only a sustainable choice that minimizes the environmental impact, but it also preserves the memory and history of a place. Employing local materials and building techniques further connects architecture to its context, strengthening the cultural identity while also allowing encouraging designers to take advantage of the local knowledge and adaptations to site-specific conditions. Finally, textures and materials add visual richness to the built environment, engaging multiple senses in the perception of space.
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Architecture is never without context. This can include the socio-cultural norms that dictate uses and customs, the natural landscape and specific conditions, or the character of the area it is located in. Adapting the design to these conditions and acknowledging the history and memories associated with the place has the potential to create a compelling architectural composition. By preserving elements already present on site and integrating them into the new design, the architecture becomes layered, fostering a sense of continuity and cultural identity. The adaptive reuse of existing buildings is also the more sustainable choice, as it reduces construction waste, new material use, and additional energy expenditure.
When one of Cape Town’s century-old disused silos was under threat of being demolished, Heatherwick Studio proposed transforming the existing structure into Africa’s first major institution dedicated to contemporary African artists, the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA). As the silos were originally created to store maze from throughout South Africa, the architects took the shape of a grain of corn and cut it into the concrete tubes of the silos. The result is a memorable central space surrounded by over 80 galleries. By cutting through the grain hoppers, the gesture exposes the inner functionality of the building. The new heart of the arts center reacts and answers to the curiosity of visitors and uses it to encourage them to further explore the surrounding spaces.
Adapting to local materials and techniques
Local building techniques are often rooted in generations of knowledge and experience. These techniques represent local adaptations to climate, using passive strategies for thermal insulation, natural ventilation, and shading. By incorporating these techniques, buildings can become better integrated into their surroundings both aesthetically and culturally. Besides their historical significance, local materials are also associated with a lower carbon footprint, as transportation needs are reduced, and the local economy is strengthened by creating a demand for local manufacturing facilities. Familiarity, cultural continuity, and authenticity are all evoked by using site-specific solutions, while new ways of employing them allow for innovations and engaging designs.
The 2022 Pritzker Architecture Prize winner, Diebedo Francis Kéré, is recognized not as a ‘starchitect’ but as a ‘problem solver,’ working at the intersection of traditional African building techniques and contemporary architecture. His works are rooted in cultural heritage, encouraging community engagement and a strong sense of social responsibility. Through projects like the Health Center or Gando Primary School in Burkina Faso, he demonstrates the efficient use of local materials and building techniques seamlessly integrated into the natural environment and adapted to the specific needs of the community.
Considering texture, scale, and geometry
Distinctive materials, textures, shadows, and three-dimensionality elicit sensory responses, adding additional interest to the volumetric design. The geometry of the building can also adapt it to the different scales of perception. Regarded from the street, porticos and cantilevers can break the volume to create an appropriate scale, while tactile materials add interest when perceived from a close distance. Color, light, and shadows can also contribute to a quality of the building that goes beyond its functionality, encouraging passers-by to slow down and connect to their environment.
One of the architects exemplifying the importance of texture and material is David Chipperfield. Through his designs, he uses contrast, cleanliness, and regularity to highlight the unique textures of the materials employed, which include gray titanium zinc, translucent opaline glass, locally sourced travertine marble, and glass panels with various treatments. To add depth and texture, light and heavy materials are balanced. Structural elements such as columns or the grid of coffered ceilings are also employed to add texture and rhythm and thus contribute to the atmosphere of spaces while also retaining their functional roles.
All of these strategies are means through which architecture can be adapted to the specific conditions of its site, history, and culture, creating an emotional connection between people and their surroundings. By using and adapting what is already on site, buildings gain memorable and meaningful quantities; local materials allow for innovation while rooting the structures into their natural and cultural context, while the interplay of materials, lights, and shadows adds interest without diminishing functionality.
