Reciprocal with the landscape : observations and transformation of village form in the North Shore

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to suggest an alternative way of responding to context in architectural design. The thesis is an exploration in how the formal structure of a place influences the experience of that place, and how these principles of formal structure can, in turn, be incorporated into contemporary architecture. The goal of the thesis is to move beyond the image of a place and emphasize the essential quality of human "scale / size". This quality is in the form of the villages of the North Shore. The work here is an attempt to show that by identifying these underlying principles that build the form of these villages, contemporary architecture can be designed to reinforce the same positive associations found in the village form. The thesis has three parts: I. Observation Studies -- Four village streets are documented and formal structure analyzed. II. Principles for Building t he Hater's Edge -- A discussion about transformation of observations and formal principles into contemporary form. III. Design Studies -- Manchester Waterfront is the site selected to explore the principles of formal structure using a mixed use program for a commercial development.