The Relationship between

Engineering&

Architecture

References:

The Tower and the Bridge by David Billington

Bridging the Gap, Proceedings of the Building Arts Forum

Designers of Three Dimensional Public Spaces

Architects

StructuralEngineers

Sculptors

3 Measures of Design Performance• Efficiency

• Scientific Dimension• Use of Minimal Natural Resouces

• Economy• Social Dimension• Use of Minimal Public Resources• Must Consider Material Costs &

Constructability

• Elegance• Symbolic Dimension• Aesthetic Motivation of the Designer

Efficiency• Form Controls the Forces• Form Changes the Actions &

Reactions

Economy • Dependant upon Time & Place• Quantities are measurable but…

labor & bidding process are not

Nervi• A builder and designer of new forms

• “..searching for solutions that were intrinsically and constructionally the most economic..”

Constructability• Roebling• numerous dwgs & studies of

construction methods

Constructability• Eiffel

• 5000 dwgs of parts & assembly techniques

• close relationship w/ contractor

• refinement of design• Pia Maria bridge ->

Garabit Viaduct

• Span: 165m, Material: wrought iron

Constructability• Morandi

• detailed investigations of construction process• Span: 100m, Rise: 20m, Ravine Depth: 110m

Candela• Hyperbolic

paraboloid concrete shells

• “ ..the only way to be an artist in this difficult specialty of building is to be your own contractor.”

Elegance• Aesthetic ideas

can be traced back to Viollet le Duc, Entretiens, (1863, 1872)

• Theories on the importance of structural expression and construction techniques

Engineering v. Science• Engineering (Technology) is:

• the making of things that did not previously exist

• creation of specific objects

• Science is:• the discovery of things that have long

existed• creation of general theories that unify

knowledge

• To what extent does technological innovation flow from scientific discovery?

Methodology• Scientific Analysis• Visual Analysis• Empirical Analysis

Synthesis of Methodologies• ETH, Zurich, • Three Principles of Professor

Ritter• importance of calculations, attempts to

simplify analytical procedures• engineers have major responsibilities during

construction• importance of full scale load tests

Robert Maillart• evolution of

three-hinged concrete arch bridges

• visual & empirical methods

Stauffacher Bridge, 39.6m

Zuoz Bridge, 38.3m

Tavanasa Bridge, 51m

The Relationship between Engineering & Architecture• Schism• Collaboration• Synthesis

Schism• separation between architect,

engineer and constructor• pre-schism architect was the

“Master Builder” ie Brunelleschi

What Lead to the Schism:• Industrial Revolution

introduced new materials, methods and aspirations

• specialized schools were established

• Ecole des Beaux Arts• ETH, Zurich

• architectural curricula focused on:

• visual methods• product

• engineering curricula focused on:

• numeric methods• process

Role of the Architect Today• Venturi: “The

Decorated Shed”

Role of the Architect Today• Jorn Utzon,

Sydney Opera House

Role of the Architect Today• Owens Corning

HQ:Toledo, OH

• CMU CBPD team• exterior architect• interior architect• production drawing

architect• curtainwall architect• engineering disciplines• construction manager

Role of the Engineer Today• technician vs innovator• synthesis of scientific & empirical

knowledge• debate is raging over appropriate

curriculum

De Menil Gallery: Piano & Rice

Two Primary Definitions Of Design

The many ways of describing design, which in turn need to make the assumption that what counts as a legitimate

display of design knowledge has been ‘agreed upon’, has been partially rationalised by [Kees] Dorst. Dorst cast the

debate as a dialectic between Simon’s rational problem-solving paradigm and

Schön’s reflective practice approach.

Willemien Visser“Design: one, but in different forms” (2008)

slide from D.Willis, PSU

Two Primary Definitions Of Design: Rational Problem-solving

slide from D.Willis, PSU

. . . The boundary between well-structured and ill-structured problem solving is indeed

a vague and fluid boundary. . . there may be nothing other than the size of the

knowledge base to distinguish ill-structured problems from well-structured

problems, and that general problem-solving mechanisms . . . should be

extendable to ill-structured domains without any need for introducing

qualitatively new components.

Herbert A. Simon“The Structure of Ill-structured Problems”

Artificial Intelligence 4 (1973)

Two Primary Definitions Of Design: Reflective Practice

Conversely, Schön embraces the inherent complexity of design and regards purely rational approaches with their

reductionist tendencies and emphasis on quantitative data as unable to cope with the realities of design in practice.

The ‘reflective practitioner’ must apply knowledge and experience to each unique circumstance.

Willemien Visser“Design: one, but in different forms” (2008)

slide from D.Willis, PSU

Schön Questions The Utility Of Any Particular Fixed Design Method

Because the unique case falls outside of the categories of

existing theory and technique, the practitioner cannot treat it as an

instrumental problem to be solved by applying one set of rules in her

store of professional knowledge.

Donald SchönEducating the Reflective Practitioner (1987)

slide from D.Willis, PSU

A Continuum Based On Dominant Design Paradigm

__________________________________________________Rational problem-solvers Reflective practitioners“Simonists” “Schönians”

Note: the choice of which paradigm to favor is not necessarily an

informed one; for most design professionals, it is determined by

education, culture and experience, rather than a systematic

examination of the available data and theories.

slide from D.Willis, PSU

________________________________________________________Rational problem-solvers Reflective practitioners“Simonists” “Schönians”

A Continuum Based On Dominant Design Paradigm

Strong emphasis on methodology Weak emphasis on methodologyMass-production orientation Oriented to one-off artifactsContext idealized or ignored Context of paramount importanceEfficiency stressed Efficiency a secondary concern

slide from D.Willis, PSU

Two Different Viewpoints• How does the understanding of

space/ structure from two different viewpoints affect the project

Kimball Art Museum: Kahn & Kommendant• Is it a Barrel Vault

or is it an Inverted “T ”?

Collaboration• a close working relationship

between individuals from different backrounds

• mutual respect• common vocabulary

CCTV: Koolhaus + Arup

Japan Pavilion Expo 2000: Buro Happold + Ban + Otto

BMW Welt: Coop Himmelb(l)au + B&G

Mercedes Museum: UN Studio + Werner Sobek

Soumaya Museum: LAR + Fineout + Gehry Technologies

Soumaya Museum: LAR + Fineout + Gehry Technologies

Soumaya Museum: LAR + Fineout + Gehry Technologies

Soumaya Museum: LAR + Fineout + Gehry Technologies

Synthesis• Can there be a

modern day “master builder ”?• Nervi, Candela,

Wright, Rogers, Calatrava

Can the synthetic process be one of skillful coordination?

• Specialists and manufacturers are taking a bigger role in the process

• Maki, Fujisawa, Gymnasium Roof

• Ando, Mt Rokko Chapel, Ground Glass

• Foster, Hong Kong Shanghai Bank

Synthesis• Can we transfer technologies and

solutions from other disciplines?• NASA, composites, ceramics, polymers

Synthesis• Can the synthetic process be a

redefinition of the problem?• Traditional process

• client, architect, builder• design - bid - build

• Owens Corning Process• CM hires specialized disciplines

Conclusion• No definitive answers• CMU curriculum helps to expose

you to these issues so that you are better prepared for the future but,• while you have architects & engineers for

teachers you do not collaborate with engineering students in the studio

• Push yourselves to understand the relationship between engineering & architecture through the vehicle of this studio