Building the machine in the woods : reconciling technology and architecture

Abstract

Given the fact that, to some degree, all buildings are technological phenomena; first, how do we select the appropriate technologies for a given set of requirements; and, more importantly, how do we find architectural and landscape forms which express the pragmatic reality of the technologies as well as their temporal and symbolic implications? In so doing, are there ways in which the dynamism of the activities within the place can inform the making of the place and are reciprocal levels of information between the two possible? Can the processes of the architecture and construction of a building reflect processes within it? The position is put forward that siting and form-making decisions which integrate the technologies inherent in building construction and building operation are possible and desirable. The implications of this position promote the utilization of all parts of a building in the creation of space, light and texture. They suggest that buildings can be created that reveal the way they are built and operate without denying the technology which created them or reveling in it. They encourage that the lines between the artifact, the technology which created it and the technology which operates within it be removed to render a more comprehensive understanding of its use and making. The intention of this undertaking is to understand what roles the technologies inherent in the construction processes and building operations can play in informing and empowering the architectural and landscape decisions. Additionally, an effort will be made to understand the legacy of technology in the landscape and how this phenomena affects the resultant architecture. The vehicle for this investigation will be the design of a teaching center for ceramic, glass and sculptural arts to be located at the edge of a school campus in western Massachusetts. The center is currently being planned to allow for the expansion of other visual arts disciplines in existing facilities. The school is located along both banks of the Connecticut river where Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire join together. The specific site is along a powerful stream and falls within a deep ravine at the base of the Pisgah Mountains.