2014

Architecture Culture and History 2 (ARC 60203)

Project: ANalytical essay

ALISHA NIAZALI HIRANI 0314325

MELISSA ANNE MEI HONG LI 0320729

MUHAMMAD 0320583

MUHAMMAD MUBARAK 0319984

SAURABHA IYER 0320569

Topic Page Name

Group introduction 1 Group

1.Spatial organization1.1 Volume1.2 Types of organizations1.3 Circulation1.4 Light and Shadow1.5 Referencing

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10

Muhammad Nabeel Ali Joomun

2.Structure, material and construction2.1 Design Traits and dictum2.2 Theme2.3 Comparative analysis2.4 Conclusion 2.5 Referencing

111113151920

Muhammad Mubarak

3.Components3.1 Structure3.2 Structural Wall3.3 Windows3.4 Light 3.5 Roof3.6 Conclusion3.7 Reference

2123242525262930

Alisha NIazali Hirani

4. Massing4.1 Site context4.2 Geometry 4.3 Form4.4 Hierarchy4.5 Conclusion4.6 Reference

31333435363839

Melissa Anne Mei Hong Li

5. Façade5.1 His design traits and dictums5.2 His influences5.3 Theme5.4 Comparison5.5 Conclusion5.6 Reference

40414343474950

Saurabha Iyer

6. Group conclusion 53 Group

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1.0 Introduction to Master Architect

Tadao Ando was born on September 13th 1941 in

Osaka, Japan. Ando had many careers from

being a professional boxer to working as a

carpenter. However, he found his true calling as

an architect. His dedication to this new career was

evident in the fact that he was a self-taught

architect and gained all of his experience through

travel and reading.

Fig 1.0 Portrait of Japanese Architect Tadao AndoSource: (Phaidon Atlas, 2015)

During the 1970’s and 80’s he worked on designing a series of small scaled residential buildings

in Japan such as the Azuma House and Koshino House. Here, he used beautifully hand

detailed reinforced concrete walls which gave his structures a minimalistic appearance. This

was to become one of his famous signatures and can be seen portrayed in all of his designs

right along his career. Taking inspiration from architect Le Corbusier’s work with concrete, to

many more masters like Frank Loyyd Wright and Louis Khan, Ando brings in his own style and

connects deeply to Japanese architectural space and his culture as a native of Japan.

With his increase in reputation, commissions outside of Japan came his way giving him word

wide reputation. Some of his international works include, The Japanese Pavillion in Spain

(1992), The UNESCO Meditation Space in Paris (1996), The Giorgio Armani Theatre in Millan

(2001) and the Modern Art Museum in Texas (1997-2003).

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Tadao Ando’s constant aesthetic has won him many international awards and is a highly

reputed architect across the globe, which is why he remains as one of Japan’s most favourite

leading contemporary architects of the modern era.

(Ando, 2002)

1.1 Koshino House

• Located at the foot of the Rokko

Mountains, in Ashiya City, east of Kobe.

• Client: Designer by the name of Koshin

• Completed in two phases (1980-81 and

1983-84).

• The Koshino House was originally made

up of two parallel rectangular concrete

boxes.

Fig 1.1.1 Aerial view of Koshino HouseSource: (Dailyicon, 2012)

• The nothern structure is two-storeys high containing a double height living room, a

kitchen and a dining room on the first floor with the master bedroom and a study on the

second floor.

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• The southern structure consists of six linearly organized children’s bedrooms, a

bathroom and a lobby.

• A tunnel connects the two spaces and lies beneath the exterior stairs of the courtyard.

• In the second phase, a fan shaped extension which now contains the Atelier was added

in 1983.

• One unusual feature of this house is that the visitor approaches it from above, and is

fully aware of the plan of the house, if not its specific function from outside.

(Metcalf, 2011)

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Spatial Organization

By

Muhammad Nabeel Ali Joomun

0320583

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1.0 Introduction

Tadao Ando says that, being a Japanese man, his works consists of Japanese architectural

concepts but with Western methods and materials. The Koshino house uses the two main

concepts of Japanese architecture which is blending with nature and minimalism. The blending

with nature was created by merging the house with the slope of the site. The minimalism comes

from the Zen influence which is greatly used in Japanese designs. Tadao represents this in the

shape, material and spaces used. He used different types of volume for the interior. The

circulation is quite different from usual houses and he changes the mood of the space simply by

using light and shadows.

1.1 Volumes

Three types of volumes are used; double volume, single volume and narrow volume. These are

organised in terms of hierarchy where the place which is mostly used is bigger. The double

volume is used in the living room, the reason for this place to be bigger is because that’s where

the people will spend most of their time, when not sleeping. The next one is the bedrooms and

kitchen which requires a smaller space as single volume. The corridors are used only for

circulation and nothing else are narrower. The Rufer house by Adolf Loos, on the other hand,

uses a constant type of volume for every room, which is the typical single volume. This is

because Adolf didn’t use any specific hierarchy for the volume. The interior of the koshino house

is rather plain without any ornamentation, just a few furniture and the concrete wall is left to its

natural grey colour (no painting or plastering). The Rufer house on the opposite; its walls are

painted and partially covered with varnished wood (having some structures exposed), it has

more furniture than the koshino house and it has a more ‘warm’ feeling. The reason for the

koshino house to be plain is to represent the minimalism concept, where the concrete is left to

its natural colour and texture just like the Zen stones. The space itself inside is made to look

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larger by decreasing the amount of furniture so as to give a feeling of freedom and essence of

living. In the Rufer house, the architect wanted to create a balanced composition by reflecting

the internal organization in the elevation. This gives a tight but comfortable feeling in the interior

which is the same as the details of the elevation. Adolf Loos also reflects the square shape of

the whole building in the spaces of the rooms so that in terms of proportion, it is looks more

square. For the koshino house, the spaces has both square and rectangular which is related to

the volume/hierarchy.

“The room has to be comfortable; the house has to look habitable.”- Adolf Loos

1.2 Types of organizations

The koshino house consists of three parts, two rectangular shape and a curved one. The overall

space of these parts are organized in a linear way where the rooms, living room and study are

proportioned. Then there is a repetition of rooms, with equal dimensions, organized in a grid in

the rectangular block. Each of these rooms have a large window, letting light in, which gives an

illusion that the space looks bigger. The tatami room, next to the series of small rooms, is larger,

but appears lower due to the proportion. It can thus be said that there are three types of space

organization; Square type like the small rooms, rectangular- large and low like the tatami room,

narrow but high like the corridors and finally large and high like the living room. All of these are

guessed proportion according to the human eye. The study is a contrast, having a curved

shape, and the space there is large and appears low. Adolf Loos building designs are organized

in grid and clusters. The units all appears to be square in terms of proportion to the whole

building itself, like the Rufer house. The similarity between Adolf Loos and Tadao Ando’s theory

of space is that the upper floor units doesn’t need to continue the shape of the lower floor units.

1.3 Circulation

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For the circulation, unlike the typical front ground entrance from the road (like the Rufer house),

the koshino house is accessed through the upper floors. This is because of the slope which

covers the lower level of the house partially. Now, going inside, the living room is accessed by

going down the stairs. The transition from the upper room to the living room is like going from a

small space to a larger and open one. This makes the user experience and view the different

scenes and rooms while moving. In the next part of the house there are a series of small room

joined by a narrow corridor. As we walk through the corridor, there is like a repetition of the

circulations to the rooms. At the end of the corridor, there is an open door that connects to the

exterior.There is also a corridor when going to the study. The first circulation is made this way in

relation to the site context where the road is at the top of the slope, thus the entrance should be

at the top also. Adolf Loos placed the rooms that are private on higher level. Therefore when

going up, the user goes from public spaces to more private. From his Raumplan theory, there is

no need for all the rooms to be at the same level or having the same height. Therefore in his

designs, he altered the position and height of the rooms according to hierarchy. From this, he

placed stairs for almost every room in his designs and making the user circulate mostly

upwards/downwards. Tadao’s buildings are mostly flat and levelled with a minimal amount of

stairs, which is used only to move to the next storey. But both of the architects uses storeys for

more possibilities of the spaces.

1.4 Light and shadow

Tadao Ando makes use of another concept for changing the mood of the space; light and

shadows. This is created through gaps in the wall and roof. The wall in the corridor and the

living room has vertical slots. This enables the sunlight to penetrate the house and create a

light/shadow pattern. This gives the space a natural feeling and at the same time an abstract

pattern that varies with the movement of the sun. The roof of the living room and study has a

gap near the edge that lets the sunlight illuminate inside. It gives an effect of serenity when it

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reflects on the smooth, semi glossy, concrete wall of the house. Tadao Ando uses these to

express the sequence of space as a drama of light. There are also large glass windows and

doors that enable more light to come in and create the contrast of light and shadows in the

spaces. Adolf Loos makes more use of artificial light to illuminate the interior. There are large

windows placed in some areas in his designs, but these are more functional unlike Tadao’s

representation of the essence of living.

“Light is the origin of all being. Striking the surface of things, light grants them an outline;

gathering shadows behind things, it gives them depth. Things are articulated around borders of

light and darkness, and obtain their individual form, discovering interrelationships, and become

infinitely linked." – Tadao Ando

From all these concept, the main theme of the architect is achieved in the koshino house. The

emptiness and cleanliness of the space supports perfectly the minimalist concept of the Zen

tradition. The only ornamentation used is the light and shadows. The hierarchal spatial

organization, through the volume, shows the importance of life according to the architect’s

philosophy about minimalism and Japanese tradition. The overall space makes the user feel

comfortable, free and light. The natural penetrating light, the unfinished concrete wall and the

wooden flooring makes the user feel closer to the nature which is the Japanese architecture

concept; blending with nature, together with the Zen tradition where the materials are left to their

original and natural finish.

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1.5 Referencing

Tadao Ando. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved June 9, 2015, from BrainyQuote.com Web

site: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/t/tadao_ando.html

Rufer House (- Architecture of the World). Retrievd June 9, 2015 from en.wikiarquitectura

Web site: http://en.wikiarquitectura.com/index.php/Rufer_House

Metcalf, Taylor. (25 Sep 2011). AD Classics: Koshino House / Tadao Ando. Retrieved June

9, 2015 ,from ArchDaily: http://www.archdaily.com/?p=161522

Alaa Al Khatib. (12 Mar 2014). Koshino House. Retrieved June 9,2015, from prezi.com:

https://prezi.com/badjlfulknmy/koshino-house/

Phaidon. (19 Dec 2013). Tadao Ando by Francesco Dal Co. Retrieved June 9,2015, from

arcspace.com: http://www.arcspace.com/bookcase/tadao-ando-complete-works/

Adolf Loos. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved June 9, 2015, from BrainyQuote.com Web

site: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/adolf_loos.html

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Structure, Material and Construction

By

Muhammad Mubarak

(0319984)

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2. INTRODUCTION

2.1 DESIGN TRAITS AND DICTUM

There is little doubt that anyone in the world of architecture will not be aware of Tadao

Ando's work. That work, primarily in reinforced concrete, defines spaces in unique new ways

that allow constantly changing patterns of light and wind in all his structures, from homes and

apartment complexes to places of worship, public museums and commercial shopping

centers. (the Hyatt foundation,2015)

  “In all my works, light is an important controlling factor,” says Ando. “I create enclosed

spaces mainly by means of thick concrete walls. The primary reason is to create a place for the

individual, a zone for oneself within society. When the external factors of a city’s environment

require the wall to be without openings, the interior must be especially full and satisfying.” And

further on the subject of walls, Ando writes, “At times walls manifest a power that borders on the

violent. They have the power to divide space, transfigure place, and create new domains. Walls

are the most basic elements of architecture, but they can also be the most enriching.” 

No matter how traditional the function, Ando uses modern material and is influenced by

the geometry of Le Corbusier, Louis Kahn and Frank Lloyd Wright. Inspired by Corbusier's

Unites d'Habitation, concrete is his trademark, used in a rough dynamic way where with the

quality of construction dependent on the wooden formwork (Source: Project Japan Architecture

and Art Media Edo to Now, 2009). In his 40 year career, Tadao Ando has become associated

with a single material (gray concrete) used in a singular way (with wooden framework that

infuses the concrete with grain and imperfection). With this method, even the heaviest concrete

walls bear permanent reminders of Japan's ancient woodworking traditions (Source:

Architecture- Celebrating the Past, Designing the future, 1 May 2008).

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Ando experimented with glass block and wood construction as his buildings became larger,

but he repeatedly returned to concrete, finding new ways to dematerialize large volumes, such

as placing them in shallow pools of water or burrowing underground. Despite his identification

with a limited palette, Ando's work is as varied as that of any of his contemporaries (Source:

Architecture- Celebrating the Past, Designing the future, 1 May 2008).. Characteristics of Ando's

work include large expanses of unadorned walls combined with wooden or slate floors and large

windows. Active natural elements, like sun, rain, and wind are a distinctive inclusion to his

contemporary style.

2.2. THEME

2.2.1Structure, Material and Construction

2.2.2 Structure

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Fig 2.1: Koshino house (Kiernan May, 28 April 2013)

Tadao Ando’s design for the Koshino House features two parallel concrete rectangular confines.

The forms are partially buried into the sloping ground of a national park and become a

compositional addition to the landscape. The structure of the Koshino house consist of three

parts , two rectangular and one semicircular. the first two rectangular structures were built in the

year 1980 and the semi circular structure which serves as an atelier was added in the year

1984.

2.2.3 Materials

Another factor worth noting is that there are no decorative elements. The view provided by the

wide openings along with the shadows cast by the narrow openings and skylights, and the

texture of the concrete both combined, operate as the only ornamentation.

All the walls are made of smooth concrete and are free of ornamentation and in their natural

form. Tadao Ando used this material because it is a way to admit light and wind within the walls

and creating a sense of serenity and wide open spaces. Another reason why using this material

is due to industrialization and technological resources to which access is the architect living in a

developed country such as Japan.

Other than concrete glass is widely used to make large windows throughout the house. The

reason for using this material is giving way to large quantities of light and offer a view of the

garden.

2.2.4 Construction

Tadao Ando’s concrete walls are constructed on a block-like grid, each block having six

exposed holes made from the board screws used during the construction of the building. The

texture of the walls are unexpectedly smooth because of the added luminous coating,

contradicting the concrete’s toughness. The reflection of the concrete surface produces the

illusion of a textile surface rather than presenting it as a heavy mass. The way Tadao Ando uses

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concrete is to mold them into light homogeneous surfaces. His intent is not to express the

nature of the material itself, but to use it to establish space.

2.3 Comparative Analysis

2.3.1 Salk Institute

The building I chose to compare with Tadao Ando's Koshino House is Salk Institute, designed

by Louis I. Kahn. The reason of choosing architect Louis I Kahn is because he was one of the

inspiration of Tadao Ando and Ando's use of concrete draws on work by Louis Kahn and Le

Corbusier, with whom he is often compared.

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Fig 2.3.1: Salk Institute (www.newswise.com, 22 January 2013)

2.3.2 Salk Institute and Koshino House comparisons

Progressing from the International Style, Louis Kahn believed buildings should be

monumental and spiritually inspiring. In his design for the Salk Institute, he was successful in

creating the formal perfection and emotional expressions that he so vigorously tried to achieve.

Kahn was commissioned to design the Salk Institute in 1959 by Dr. Jonas Salk, inventor of the

polio vaccine. Salk’s vision included a facility with an inspiring environment for scientific

research, and Kahn’s design decisions created a functional institutional building that also

became an architectural masterpiece.

2.3.2.1 Structure

the Koshino house consists of 3 different blocks, two rectangular prisms and one semicircular

structure which are all connected through a common passage. similarly the Salk institute consist

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Fig 2.3: Koshino House (lichtecht GmbH, 16 April 2015) Fig 2.4: Salk Institute (Liao Yusheng, 13 August 2014)

of 29 different structures which are linked with a common corridor along different levels in

different blocks.

we see the use of punctures in the Koshino house for the play of light while we see the use

of water as a mean of guiding the light in the Salk institute.

2.3.2.2 material

Tadao Ando and Louis I. Kahn are both know to use concrete in many of their deigned

structures. we see this similarity of materials in these two buildings. we see the common use of

concrete, glass, steel and wood in both these structures.

Though the materials are the same in both the structures there is a different design usage

of these materials. the Koshino house uses wood for its flooring while we see the use of wood

as window frames and for window ornamentation in the Salk institutes.

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Salk Institute (rudygodinez.tumblr.com, 24 September)Koshino House

(http://architectboy.com/koshino-house-tadao-ando/, date: NA)

We see the use of metal railing in the Salk institute while we see the use of metal as window

frames in the Koshino house.

The common factor in the materiality of both the buildings is the raw use of concrete as pre

cast concrete for its structure and both the structure so non ornamentation on these concrete

walls.

The open plaza of the Salk institute is made of travertine marble, and a single narrow strip

of water runs down the center, linking the buildings to the vast Pacific Ocean. this narrow strip of

water was used for the guiding of light in this structure. in the koshino house this luminous

coating on the concrete wall was added to the construction for it to reflect light during the day.

2.3.2.3 construction

Construction wise the method of construction for both these structures is the same. the

materials that make up the Salk Institute and the Koshino house consist of concrete, teak, glass,

and steel. The concrete was poured using a technique studied in Roman architecture. they both

used pre cast concrete for their structure with the metal bars that constitute of the columns and

beams imbedded within the structure. we see the 6 tie rod holes in every precast slab. in both

the structure these holes were later filled in with a mixture for it would have leaked once the

building was in function.

Once the concrete was set, Louis I Kahn did not allow further finishing touches to the building

in order to attain a warm glow in the concrete. In its contradiction to this Tadao Ando added

luminous coating to the walls of the Koshino house to give it a smooth texture and make it blend

in more with its surrounding.

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2.4. Conclusion

The materials used in this building ,The Koshino house are concrete, wood, glass which truly

showcase the design principle of Tadao Ando. that is material simplicity non-ornamentation. We

see the similar approach to building materials by the modern master Louis I Kahn in the building

Salk institute, in which we see a different design approach with the same materials.

Hence I feel that Koshino house truly portrays Tadao Ando's design traits and materials used to

build it plays a very major role.

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2.5. References

AD Classics: Salk Institute / Louis Kahn. (2010, May 28). Retrieved May 22, 2015, from

http://www.archdaily.com/61288/ad-classics-salk-institute-louis-kahn/

Tadao Ando. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2015, from

http://foundationsakc.com/people/legends/tadao-ando

Arch. Design. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2015, from

http://gc.springbranchisd.com/ad/arch1/sketches-of-the-week-arch-design-level-1/

sketches-of-the-week-11-04-13-thru-11-08-13/

Projectfabrica. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2015, from http://www.projectfabrica.com/#!salk-

institute-louis-kahn/c1vq2

Tadao Ando Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved May 22, 2015, from

http://biography.yourdictionary.com/tadao-ando

Solomon, N. (2008). Architecture: Celebrating the past, designing the future. New York:

Visual Reference Publications ;.

An Interview With Louis Kahn Biographer Carter Wiseman. (2013). Retrieved May 22,

2015, from http://calitreview.com/224/an-interview-with-louis-kahn-biographer-carter-

wiseman/

Cooper, G. (2009). Project Japan: Architecture and art media Edo to now. Mulgrave,

Vic.: Images.

AD Classics: Koshino House / Tadao Ando. (2011, September 25). Retrieved May 22,

2015, from http://www.archdaily.com/161522/ad-classics-koshino-house-tadao-ando/

Biography. (n.d.). Retrieved May 22, 2015, from http://www.pritzkerprize.com/1995/bio

Furuyama, M. (1995). Tadao Ando (2nd ed.). Basel: Birkhauser Verlag.

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Tadao Ando: A Master of Mystical Places. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2015, from

http://www.coldbacon.com/art/tadaoando-carolyndavis.html

http://www.cgarchitect.com/content/portfolioitems/

2013/04/76988/8682276691_5f9dd3c85f_h_large.jpg

http://www.newswise.com/images/uploads/2013/01/22/salk1.13.jpg

http://ad009cdnb.archdaily.net/wp-content/uploads/

2014/08/53fb5b19c07a8009620007a3_getty-conservation-institute-to-help-conserve-

louis-kahn-s-salk-institute-_salk1-530x357.jpg

http://lichtecht.de/typo3temp/_processed_/

csm_lichtecht_3d_Ando_Koshino_20_a9b35aeae2.jpg

http://www.californiahomedesign.com/sites/default/files/tadaohead.jpg

http://architectboy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Floor-Plan-of-Koshino-House.jpg

http://40.media.tumblr.com/96426bbc62195083524afe1fff8bc020/

tumblr_mtn0osQF8q1r9xcmto5_1280.jpg

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Components

By

Alisha Niazali Hirani

(0314325)

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3.1 Introduction

Before Tadao Ando became a renowned modernist architect, he took the published works of Le

Corbusier as inspiration and said, “I traced the drawings of his early period so many times, that

all pages turned black” (Manchala, 2015). Corbusier had a lasting impact on Ando as an

adolescent. Tadao Ando is today an architect known for his unparalleled work with concrete and

his strong commitment with nature.

This section of the report aims to compare the components of the Koshino House, designed by

Tadao Ando to that of Chapelle Notre Dame du Haut, a Catholic church designed by Le

Corbusier.

3.2 Structure

The Koshino house consists of two parallel rectangular confines and a fan shape extension

which contains the Atelier. The Koshino building consists of both two story height and single

story height. The Koshino house’s forms are partially buried into the sloping ground of the

national park (Metcalf, 2011). Tadao Ando uses concrete to compose a simplistic and

minimalistic approach.

Tadao Ando believes that architecture is more interesting when it has a double character to it,

which means being as simple as possible and at the same time being complex.

On the other hand, while Corbusier’s works were normally clean and sterile boxy volumes that

were very functional, the Notre Dame du Haut was more conceptual and contextual in response

to the site. Yet it still maintained some of the modern principles. This was why Chapelle Notre

Dame du Haut was one of the most exceptional buildings of Corbusier’s career (ArchDaily,

2010). Additionally, the same way that Koshino house’s form responds to topography, the shape

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of the Chapelle Notre Dame du Haut was formed from its relationship to the natural

surroundings. Le Corbusier used the malleability of concrete to compose organic volumes that

came together to create a dramatic structure.

3.3 Structural wall

“I create enclosed spaces mainly by means of thick concrete walls. The primary reason is to

create a place for the individual, a zone for oneself within society. When the external factors of a

city's environment require the wall to be without openings, the interior must be especially full

and satisfying.” (Kroll, 2011)

Tadao Ando used smooth concrete for the walls in the Koshino House. He also moved the door

openings from the centre to the side walls. The aim was to move away the doors from the

massiveness and static solidity which one relates to masonry construction towards a more

immaterial and weightless architectural enclosure (Metcalf, 2011). Whereas the Chapelle Notre

Dame du Haut had a thick stark white gentle curving wall, that acted as a structural and

sculptural elements calculated to provide stability through rough masonry. This adds to the

feeling of purity and the ethereal atmosphere. Additionally the walls acted as acoustic amplifiers,

that reflects sound to the outdoor alter (ArchDaily, 2010).

"The shell has been put on walls which are absurdly but practically thick. Inside them however

are reinforced concrete columns. The shell will rest on these columns but it will not touch the

wall. A horizontal crack of light 10cm wide will amaze" (Glynn, 2011).

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3.4 Windows

One of the most fascinating aspects of the design is the placement of windows on a wall. This is

the means to affect the whole ambiance within the room. In the Koshino House the living room

is lit by two large rectangular windows with steel frames of different sizes. Though, the

bedrooms have equal sized windows that allow the residents to see a view of nature.

Additionally, in the fan extension, skylights are pierced on the ceiling along the perimeter walls

as well as on the corridor where eight narrow slits illuminate the walkway. In a similar manner

Corbusier applied punctures on façade that allows light to illuminate the Chapelle Notre Dame

du Haut from within. Each wall becomes illuminated through different window sizes and frames

(Glynn, 2011). This gives the chapel an empowering and pure ambiance.

Figure 3.4.1 Notre Dame Du Haut Figure 3.4.2 Koshino House (Catania, 2011)(Kozlowski,2015)

3.5 Light

In the Koshino House narrow openings have been punched to the exterior to the staircase to

manipulate how natural light casts itself onto the interior of the corridor. Additionally, slots were

cut from other modules within the perimeter of other spaces to manipulate intricate casting of

natural light and shadow in the interior of the spaces (Co, 1995). The contrast between the

shadows and the light provide a complexity to the room and perhaps the ornament into the

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room. In contrast, the effect of light cast through the façade in the wall evoke emotional qualities

that tend to heighten emotions and sensations felt with religious activity. On the wall behind the

alter, the lighting creates a speckled pattern almost like a starry night that leaves the feeling of

awe. (ArchDaily, 2010)

Figure 3.5.1 The Koshino house Figure 3.5.2 Chapelle Notre Dame du Haut(Perez, 2011) (Kozlowski, 2015)

3.6 Roof

The Koshino House has a flat top roof that goes back to Tadao’s concept of minimalism. It is not

intricate in nature so as not to steal the attention from the nature surrounding. The koshino

house aims to blend with the topography of the surrounding. Nonetheless, One of the most

striking parts of the Chapelle Notre Dame du haut is the roof. The curving roof appears to float

above the building. There is a 10 centimeter gap between the roof and the wall. This casts a

silvery light that creates a feeling as though the heaven is raining down of earth. The roof is both

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insulating and water tight covered with gunnite. The concrete shell is left rough just as it comes

from formwork.

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3.7 Conclusion

In conclusion, though the Koshino House and chapelle Notre Dame du Haut are completely

different in appearance, they share the same principles of purity openness. Context plays a big

role for the design of the building. Both Le Corbusier and Tadao Ando use openings to

manipulate light in order to cast light and shadow and therefore create the feeling of

enlightenment to the users.

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References

ArchDaily. (2010). AD Classics: Ronchamp / Le Corbusier. Retrieved June 09, 2015, from ArchDaily : http://www.archdaily.com/84988/ad-classics-ronchamp-le-corbusier/

Co, F. D. (1995). Tadao Ando Complete works . London: Phaidon Press Limited .

Glynn, S. (2011). Chapel of Nôtre Dame du Haut France. Retrieved June 09, 2015, from Galinsky : http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/ronchamp/

Kozlowski, P. Chapelle Notre Dame du Haut, Ronchamp. ADAGP, Ronchamp.

Kroll, A. (2011). AD Classics: Church of the Light / Tadao Ando. Retrieved June 09, 2015, from Archdaily: http://www.archdaily.com/101260/ad-classics-church-of-the-light-tadao-ando/

Manchala, V. (2015). History and Theory of Architecture. Retrieved June 09, 2015, from academia.edu: http://www.academia.edu/9328101/History_and_Theory_of_Architecture

Metcalf, T. (2011). AD Classics: Koshino House / Tadao Ando. Retrieved June 09, 2015, from ArchDaily : http://www.archdaily.com/161522/ad-classics-koshino-house-tadao-ando/

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Massing

By

Melissa Anne Mei Hong Li

(0320729)

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4.0 Introduction

As stated in (Clarke & Pause, 2005), Massing consists of the prominent 3 dimensional

configuration of a building. It is the interpretation of the image of a building as a whole. It can

relate to concepts of context, patterns of single or multiple units, primary and secondary

elements etc. of a design. In terms of analysis, massing can accentuate factors such as

geometry, unit to whole and hierarchy which all in turn help highlight the importance in

architecture.

The two buildings discussed in relation to massing are Koshino House and Villa Savoye by

modern master architects Tadao Ando and Le Corbusier respectively.

Fig 4.1 Koshino House – Tadao Ando Fig 4.2 Villa Savoye – Le Corbusier Source: (Dailyicon, 2012) Source: (Kroll, 2010)

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4.1 Site Context

Both Tadao Ando and Le Corbusier took two distinct approaches in relating their designs to the

surrounding contexts. Koshino House as stated previously is set in the wooded mountains just

outside Ashiya City. Ando believes that the inside and outside are not separate but form a

continuous place. Architecture must look as if it is closed off or stand out but at the same time it

must more importantly have a unique relationship with its surroundings (Dal Co, 1995). “The site

is a sloping rectangular piece of property…” (Dal Co 1995, p. 509) Here, minimum impact is

made on the environment around the house. The house is built in to the hillside as opposed to

on top of it. This shows the level of attention given to the site by Ando which is why Koshino

House stands out for its wonderful adaptation to its site. For Le Corbusier, his approach to

respecting the site was rather different. Villa Savoye boasted of Le Corbusier’s 5 points of new

architecture one being that, “Buildings should be raised above the ground on pilotis to free the

space under the building.” (Baker 1996, p. 286) Here too the site is noy disturbed but instead of

being sunk into the earth, the house is lifted up from it by the usage of the pilotis. This gives the

house a ‘floating effect’, enables it to be free of the dampness the earth provides and increases

its exposure to light and wind (Tanner, 2011).

Fig 4.1.1 Comparison between Le Corbusier’s and Tadao Ando’s approach to context

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However, (Baker, 1996) argues saying that Villa Savoye seems to break away from tradition by

being elevated up from the ground. Though sculpturally compelling, it was not the norm in a

typical Poissy context.

In terms of massing, the orientation of the building is also important. The entire mass of the

building as a whole must be orientated so that it responds best to the site context. Koshino

House is orientated in such a way that its views of nature are maximized. Privacy is created by

closing the street side façade and opening the house to its natural setting. Here fenestration has

been effectively used with large glass windows placed in order to capture these views. All four

sides of Villa Savoye were designed with careful response to the view and orientation of the

sun. For example, the terrace was placed to the east in order to receive maximum morning

sunlight.

4.2 Geometry

Koshino House and Villa Savoye both show simple geometry. With regard to the former, Ando

states that “In order to bring out and make apparent the invisible logic of nature, one must

oppose it with the logic of architecture. It is at this point that geometry comes in.” (Dal Co 1995,

p. 457) Koshino House was originally split into two main rectangular shapes. A circular structure

intended to be the Atelier was added later on. This circular shape would seem a sharp contrast

to the rest of the existing linear forms, but despite this, it blends in perfectly bringing a different

rhythm to the atmosphere.

In terms of the latter, Le Corbusier paid more attention to proportion and balance in terms of his

geometry. Whilst Koshino house is slightly asymmetrical, Villa Savoye depicts symmetry and

balance. As stated in (Tanner, 2011), the ground floor is a perfect example of this where

everything except the stair shaft is in perfect balance about a north-south axis line.

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Fig 4.2.1 The ground floor plan of Villa Savoye showing

balance and symmetry

There is however a contradictive notion to Le Corbusier’s balance in symmetry. If you consider

the whole mass of the building like Ando, he too made use of curved structures but they seem

to be in contrast and create a sense of tension with the linear elements of Villa Savoye.

4.3 Form

The form of the building takes shape from its basic geometry and thus is important in massing.

Ando’s earlier work can be thought of as very confined and rigid forms, but he gradually made

slight changes to the way he approached his designs. This is evident in the way he made use of

the walls. With time, Ando began to dismantle these confined forms. He would open up the

walls and treat them as planes allowing him to connect architecture with nature (Dal Co, 1995).

The gaps created allowed light and wind to enter into the spaces thereby justifying his statement

of architecture and its surroundings being one continuous entity. Not only does this change

echo around Koshino House but it also means that the walls no longer impose a solid and rigid

presence. His attention to materiality in the use of smooth poured concrete also contributes to

this. In doing so, Ando’s idea of rejecting the massiveness of form and moving towards a

weightless, calming and homogeneous architectural enclosure is understood (Dal Co, 1995). It

is intriguing how a simple act of refining concrete to make it look smooth can create an entirely

different quality for Ando in terms of form and space. He took a material that is considered to

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showcase massiveness and strength in form and transformed it to look simple, linear, free and

lightweight. Ando’s way of dealing with his walls differs from the Le Corbusian tradition of using

reinforced concrete to showcase strength. Using reinforced concrete as an expression of a

material allowed a sense of massiveness to shine through for Le Corbusier (Dal Co, 1995). In

Villa Savoye, Le Corbusier made use of his walls to create an enclosed form that contains

programing and space. While Ando brought in light and wind though the openings of his walls,

Le Corbusier did so by removing part of the form to create the

courtyard.

Fig 4,3,1 Gaps allow natural light to fall through Fig 4.3.2 Courtyard of Villa Savoye Source: (ArchDaily, 2015) Source: (Baghchesaraei, 2015)

4.4 Hierarchy

From the principle of hierarchy, it is understood that all architectural compositions have various

levels of importance. A form can be interpreted as being important to an organization and is

uniquely visible (Ching, 2007). Both houses show levels of hierarchy but quite distinctively. In

Koshino house, the 3 main structures show hierarchy by size. The main house is of double

volume and can be seen as the dominant from in the whole composition. This is because the

most frequented areas are located here. It includes public areas like the living room and kitchen

hence there is a larger space required for human interaction. The atelier is the second largest

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as there is need for ample space for a designer’s work area. However, this is more private than

the main house. The bed rooms and tatami rooms comprise of the smallest structure as they

need to be private and secure. These 3 spaces are thus laid out in a very linear manner in

keeping with the traditional eastern architectural style with an underground passage connecting

each section. Ando’s work has always been an integration of both eastern and western styles of

architecture. The horizontality of Koshino House brings out the eastern style while the verticality

and pure geometric forms speak of western influence. Here, verticality is brought out by the

stairway that

connects the

two floors

together. Villa

Savoye differs

from

horizontality to

being a more vertical structure.

Fig 4.4.1 Hierarchy by size and connection Fig 4.4.2 Hierarchy by position and connectionof elements horizontally of elements vertically

With the pilotis, the elevated main house becomes the primary hierarchal element of the whole

composition and is the main focus of the design. Second are the service functions and the

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solarium is the third (Tanner, 2011). Furthermore, these three levels are connected internally by

a ramp and staircase which can be viewed from different parts of the house. Le Corbusier was

quite clever in strategically placing the main house by elevating it so that it draws attention to

itself by indicating to the viewer that it is the most important element in the composition.

4.5 Conclusion

For Tadao Ando, it was his intimacy towards traditional Japanese Architecture and his

connection to the emotional and spiritual contents of form and massing that echo throughout

Koshino House. But for Le Corbusier, it was his breakaway from tradition that stands out. His

approach towards Villa Savoye was unlike any other building of that time. His strict modernist

approach did not impress the locals as he had steered away from conventional emotions of

what a home ought to be. The massing was more of a sculptural statement that lacked

sentiment. Yet his 5 points of new architecture were magnificently highlighted in Villa Savoye

and had many influences on architects including Ando. These two masterpieces indicate how

Ando and Le Corbusier interpreted architecture and influenced it thereby creating their own

unique philosophies that have made them world famous architects of the modern era.

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References

ArchDaily. (2015). Architecture Photography: Koshino House / Tadao Ando (1) (161879).

Retrieved 27 May 2015, from http://www.archdaily.com/161522/ad-classics-koshino-

house-tadao-ando/koshino13_gonzalo/

Baghchesaraei, A. (2015). Space definition in Villa Savoye. Retrieved 27 May 2015,

from http://baghchesaraei.com/?p=156

Baker, G. H. (1996). Le Corbusier The Creative Search. UK: Taylor and Francis

Ching, F. D. K. (2007) Form Space and Order. 3rd ed. New Jersey: Jonn Wiley & Sons

Inc.

Dailyicon (2012). Icon: Koshino House by Tadao Ando. Retrieved 24 May 2015, from

http://www.dailyicon.net/2012/07/icon-koshino-house-by-tadao-ando/

Dal Co, F. (1995). Tadao Ando Complete Works. London: Phaidon Press Limited

Kroll, A. (2010). AD Classics: Villa Savoye / Le Corbusier. Retrieved 3 June 2015, from

http://www.archdaily.com/84524/ad-classics-villa-savoye-le-corbusier/

Tanner, N. (2011). The Floating Modern: Pilotis and the Free Plan. Retrieved 1 June

2015, from http://issuu.com/nickmtnman/docs/floating-modern

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Façade

By

Saurabha Iyer

(0320569)

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 HIS DESIGN TRAITS AND DICTUMS.

Ando's architectural style is emphasizing nothingness and empty space to represent the beauty of

simplicity. He favors designing complex spatial circulation while maintaining the appearance of

simplicity. As an architect, he believes that architecture can change society, that "to change the dwelling

is to change the city and to reform society”.

Ando buildings stand for purity, serenity and strength. They are not easy to live in, but neither are

they arrogantly indifferent to human comfort; they are not lessons in architectural theory but examples

of architectural fact. They possess the bluntness and the directness of ancient Zen gardens, translated

into the vocabulary of modern architecture. (Goldberger,1995).

He quotes “in the West there has always been the attempt to try

make the religious building, whether it’s a Medieval or

Renaissance church, an eternal object for the celebration of God.

The material chosen, such as stone, brick or concrete is meant to

eternally preserve what is inside” we see this thought reflected in

his Church Of Light.

Fig1.1 the church of light

(Source- Klijs, 2011)

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He is a firm believer in blending his designs

and different aspects of it to the surrounding. He

quotes “You cannot simply put something new into a

place. You have to absorb what you see around you,

what exists on the land, and then use that

knowledge along with contemporary thinking to

interpret what you see.” You (the blending of his

buildings with the surroundings topography is seen is his design) see this blending in many of his

buildings like the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Koshino house, Japan and the Art site Noshima,

Japan.

Fig 1.2 The Honpuku-ji (the Water Temple)

(Source-www.worldarchitecture.org, 23rd setp, 2010)

His designs has minimalism in them. He keeps his designed

spaces minimum with the different spaces of building designed for

the specific activity only. He believes “If you give people

nothingness, they can ponder what can be achieved from that

nothingness.”

Fig 1.3 Conference pavilion

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(Source – www.visualthinking.studiojunglecat.com, 23rd july 2011)

2. HIS INFLUENCES

Ando's use of concrete draws on work by Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn, with whom he is often compared. Ando adds a mastery of nature, light, and space which becomes as important and tangible as the walls. In an interview with Philip Jodidio, for the book, Tadao Ando, Ando says, "I am interested in a dialogue with the architecture of the past but it must be filtered through my own vision and my own experience. I am indebted to Le Corbusier or to Mies van der Rohe, but in the same way, I take what they did and interpret it in my own fashion. (LoveToKnow.Corp, 1996-2015) Fig 2.1 Le CorbusierSource – BRANDNU DESIGN, 26TH NOV 2013

As mentioned earlier Tadao Ando was a self-taught architect. He travelled around the world and gathered his inspiration from the buildings around the world. His first interest in architecture was nourished in Ando by buying a book of Le Corbusier sketches “I traced the drawing of his early period so many times, that all pages

turned black”. Says Tadao Ando. “In my mind I quite often wonder how Le Corbusier would have thought about this project or that”. (archidialog.com, 19th Feb, 2011)

3. THEME

3.1 FAÇADE Designed for the designer Koshino and his family, Tadao Ando has used many design principles like hierarchy, asymmetrical balance, repetition, etc. in the Koshino house.

This building is a classic example of Tadao Ando type of architecture. With his use of concrete and glass in its raw form and non-ornamented concrete facade in it’s raw from to preserve the building and internal spaces, is seen in the Koshino house.

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The façade of the building is a plain concrete surface with many glass punctures on the building. He hasn’t simply placed the structure in the site. The façade of the building with the smart use of concrete and glass just blends in with the surrounding topography. The feeling of oneness, which is the oneness of the structure and surrounding is brought about by the help of the façade.

The glass punctures along the façade show a pattern, the private places have less punctures compared to the public spaces. These puncture are used for entry into the building or used as an inlet for light. There are punctures along the façade that runs along the staircase, the same punctures are seen along the long corridor in the longer rectangle. We see the play of light and shadow with the help of these punctures along this façade.

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Fig 3.1 the Koshino houseSource- Kiernan May 28 April 2013

Fig 3.3 Puncture on the outer façade fig 3.4 The effect of the punctures inside the space (Source-guestbook.blog.naver.com/,10thoct 2010) (Source- shadowvue.wordpress.com, N.A)

For me the façade of the building stands out, it is simple and well blending with the topography around it. The building gives the viewer inside an unrestricted view of the nature and topography around. The private, semi private and public places given punctures along the facades to play with light and shadows seems to stand out in the design.

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Construction wise the façade of the building incorporates the columns and beams in the structure, except for one side of the structure where we see a row of columns running parallel to the windows. This being an uncommon feature standing out as it the only part of the façade with

4. COMPARISION

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Fig 3.5 The façade with columnsSource- Kiernan May 28 April 2013

such a pattern.

One building designed by the architect Ando is highly inspired, is the Curutchet House. The Curutchet house is designed by Le Corbusier and is situated in La Plata Argentina. Built in 1948 and commissioned by Dr. Pedreo Domingo Curutchet a surgeon. The house is placed between two existing structures. (Source- Permanent Delegation of Argentina,1st June ,2007 )

Like the Koshino house, the Curutchet House house too was planned with 2 blocks connected with a courtyard. The architect, Le Corbusier like Tadao Ando has also used simple materials like concrete and glass for the outer façade.

Yet the building gives the essence of different kind of space. It gives a lot of exposure to light, but we also see a play of light and showdown along the building façade. Like the facade of the Koshino house was built to blend in with the topography around the façade of the Curutchet house also was built to blend in with the adjacent houses.

Unlike the Koshino house the columns and beams of the Curutchet house are exposed in its façade which we only see on one side of the façade of the Koshino house. The use of windows in form of punctures is also seen again in this building which is one of the common traits of both these buildings

these buildings.

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Fig 4.1 The Curutchet HouseSource-http://en.urbarama.com/, 15th dec, 2009

Koshino house has its entry from the top, hence when a person enters the premises they enter from the

top façade. They can’t see the functional spaces inside the house from the outer façade. But in the

Curutchet house one can see the functional spaces inside the house from the outer façade since it has a

lot of wide openings on its outer façade.

In appearance the Koshino house seems more massy than the Curutchet house. From the exterior the Koshino house, it seems rigid and closed, while the Curutchet house is seems more open again due to its wide windows and use of glass.

Both the structure have two separate bodies which are connected through a common courtyard or passage yet the façade of both the blocks of both the buildings blend in with each other, that is in both the houses the two blocks which are physically separate give a design feeling of being one with the help of their facades.

Hence when compared on design principle of individual architects the Koshino house stands good on the design concept of Tadao Ando i.e. simplicity and materiality, while the Curutchet House stands good on the design concept of free façade, which is a classic Le Corbusier design concept and one of his main 5 design concepts with simplicity and materiality.

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Fig 4.2 few punctures on the outer façade columns and beams are not exposed Source- Kiernan May 28 April 2013

Fig 4.3 many puncture on the outer façade with the columns and beams exposedSource- Josephine Waayers, 2013

5. Conclusion

The Koshino house and the Curutchet house have their own specialties. Each has a beautiful façade. The Koshino house portrays the design principles of Tadao Ando that is simplicity, materiality and hierarchy. We see the common use of light and shadow in all his buildings and we see the same in the Koshino house. Hence I feel the facade of the Koshino house truly portrays Tadao Ando and his ideas.

On the other hand Curutchet house designed by Le Corbusier has a façade made with the same principles of minimalism, materiality and hierarchy yet is so different from the façade of the Koshino house. This shows that the same functions of a façade can brought about by different ways using the same materials and design principles. And each building stands true to their respective architects design principles.

6. APA Referencing

6.1 Koshino house 1. Metcalf, T. (2011, September 25). AD Classics: Koshino House / Tadao Ando.

Retrieved April 22, 2015, from http://www.archdaily.com/161522/ad-classics-koshino-house-tadao ando/

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2. ARCHITECTS DICTUM. (n.d.). Retrieved May 2, 2015, from https://quizlet.com/44091784/architects-dictum-flash-cards/

3. Biography. (n.d.). Retrieved May 22, 2015, from http://www.pritzkerprize.com/1995/bio

4. Goldberger, P. (1995, April 22). 'Laureate' in a Land of Zen and Microchips. Retrieved March 30, 2015, from http://www.nytimes.com/1995/04/23/arts/architecture-view laureate-in-a-land-of-zen- and-microchips.html

5. Koshino House. (n.d.). Retrieved May 12, 2015, from http://en.wikiarquitectura.com/index.php/Koshino_House

6. Tadao Ando Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2015, from http://biography.yourdictionary.com/tadao-ando

7. Tadao Ando Quotes. (n.d.). Retrieved May 12, 2015, from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/t/tadao_ando.html

8. Le Corbusier & Tadao Ando "Conscious Inspiration" (2011, February 18). Retrieved June 2, 2015, from http://archidialog.com/2011/02/19/le-corbusier-tadao-ando-conscious-inspiration/

6.2 Curutchet House 1. Casa Curutchet. (2007, June 1). Retrieved May 22, 2015, from

http://whc.unesco.org/fr/listesindicatives/5140/ 2. Casa Curutchet. (2007, June 1). Retrieved May 2, 2015, from

http://whc.unesco.org/fr/listesindicatives/5140/

3. MY ARCHITECTURAL MOLESKINE®: LE CORBUSIER: CURUTCHET

HOUSE. (2011, July 22). Retrieved May 2, 2015, from

http://architecturalmoleskine.blogspot.com/2011/07/le-corbusier-

curutchet house.html

https://ajklijs.wordpress.com/tag/church/

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http://www.worldarchitecturemap.org/buildings/water-temple-honpuku-ji

http://visualthinking.studiojunglecat.com/2011/07/25/vitra-design-campus/

http://brandnudesign.com/new-blog/2013/9/26/hip-hop-architecture-unspoken-borders-2009-ecologies-of-inequality

http://www.cgarchitect.com/2013/04/tadao-andos-koshino-house

http://guestbook.blog.naver.com/PostThumbnailView.nhn?blogId=jinsub0707&logNo=140116108985&categoryNo=5&parentCategoryNo=

http://www.cgarchitect.com/2013/04/koshino-house7

https://shadowvue.wordpress.com/2014/04/11/tadao-ando/

http://en.urbarama.com/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/516717757217062885/

Group conclusion

Throughout this report Tadao Ando was compared to different master architects for the

reason that Tadao Ando has both similarities and differences to not just one architect or one

building, but several. The main theme achieved in the Koshino House, is the concept of Zen

tradition. . The hierarchal spatial organization, through the volume, shows the importance of

life according to the architect’s philosophy about minimalism and Japanese tradition. The

natural penetrating light through the use of glass, the unfinished concrete wall and the

wooden flooring makes the user feel closer to the nature which is the Japanese architectural

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concept; blending with nature, together with the Zen tradition where the materials are left to

their original and natural finish. Tadao Ando achieves his philosophy in the way he

manipulates the components in the Koshino house, from the location and size of the

windows and punctures, to the stairways that make the user interact more with the external

environment. The emotional and spiritual contents of form and massing echo throughout the

façades of the Koshino House and the interior as well. The only ornamentation used is the

manipulation of light and the effect it has on the space.

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Group Referencing

• Ando, T. (2002). The Spirit of Modernism. (R. Ivy, Interviewer) 2015 Dodge Data &

Analytics. Retrieved 24 May, 2015, from http://architect.architecture.sk/tadao-ando-

architect/tadao-ando-architect.php

Dailyicon (2012). Icon: Koshino House by Tadao Ando. Retrieved 24 May 2015, from

http://www.dailyicon.net/2012/07/icon-koshino-house-by-tadao-ando/

Metcalf, T. (2011). AD Classics: Koshino House / Tadao Ando. ArchDaily. Retrieved

28 May 2015, from http://www.archdaily.com/161522/ad-classics-koshino-house-

tadao-ando/

Phaidon Atlas. (2015). Tadao Ando Architects & Associates. Retrieved 2 June 2015,

from http://phaidonatlas.com/architect/tadao-ando-architects-associates/1084

Belinda-g. (May 2012). Inpiration for existing drawing. Image retreived 10 June 2015,

from http://belinda-g.blogspot.com/

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