COMPLEX BUILDINGS /

AAR4500 Complex building programs

Reception centre for asylum seekers in Trondheim

Architecture is the result of a very complex planning process integrating diverse aspects of designing and building. The architect is the generalist who needs to have a very comprehensive understanding to combine a huge number of different topics in an intelligent and fascinating way.

This semester the assignments theme is a center for asylum seekers in Trondheim. Students will deal with complexity through combination of multiple layers such as different functions, scales and high sustainability expectations. The program will include accommodation and shared facilities for educational activities, childcare, social activities, contemplation, children’s school work, play and recreation etc..

There will be a special emphasis in the early integration of sustainability aspects. In addition to a combination of different functions, more complexity is added this time to the common topic by the complex layer of sustainability. We want to take this aspect very serious and concrete and use it as a design generating factor. We are very happy to have Luca Finocchiaro in our teachers team who is a researcher and specialist.

In “Complexity and contradiction in architecture” (The Museum of Modern Art papers on architecture, Chicago 1966, page 86), Robert Venturi claims that "designing from the outside in, as well as the inside out, creates necessary tensions, which help make architecture". In bioclimatic design the production of architectural forms is based on the understanding of the external environment characteristics and resources. Their production also represents an outside in process contrasting the modernist dogma that want forms defined from inside out. Tensions arise again. Architecture comes as a solution.

In the “climate and built form” module we’ll look at the comprehension of the external climate and environment as a meaningful basis for the production of architectural forms. Forms become tools for the environmental control of comfort parameters, instruments for mediating between the external/natural environment and the internal/controlled one.

Issues that will be addressed in this course include analysis and development of the program, and appropriate choices of volumetry and design. In the second part of the

semester, we will work through the design and test earlier decisions by working in a more detailed scale and by adding many layers such as materials and construction, hvac and so on to come to a very comprehensive solution. A special emphasis is on questions of sustainability and environment.

The assignment allows us to develop a project that can be a serious contribution to the discussion about asylum homes in Europe.

Submission: Friday 7 Dec. Presentation of final project and assessment (11 – 12 Dec)

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Excursion: There will be a common excursion with the Housing Design group to Hamburg in week 38. A detailed program for the week will follow. Budget estimate: 4000-4500 NOK (travel + accommodation). In addition comes costs for meals, local transport, admission fees etc. 

Number of students: Max: 25

Main teachers: Jürgen Johner, Luca Finocchiaro and Sunniva Vold Huus

Coordinator / Tutoring: Sunniva Vold Huus and Linda Folgerø

Language: All written material in English as well as most lectures, seminars, reviews. Individual and group tutoring in Norwegian / English.