Lightness to heaviness
Designers often seek to maximize ingress of natural light and achieve a
high degree of transparency in external walls as discussed more exten-
sively in Chapter 8. They usually adopt a strategy entailing many slender,
rather than fewer larger members. As noted at the Louvre pyramid, while
structure might exhibit acceptable qualities of lightness and transparency,
from some viewpoints its appearance is less successful. It is important to
remember that people mostly view and experience structure from
positions other than those used to generate plans, sections and elevations.
Sensitivity to human proximity also motivates a lightness of touch in
detailing. Visual harshness of members and perceptions of size can be
relieved by introducing curved surfaces, as in the subterranean Museum
of Gallo-Roman Civilization, Lyons (see Figs 6.30 and 6.31). Chamfering
the lower third of the deep beams and the smooth curved transitions
between the columns and beams softens their visual impact and renders
the structure less formidable. Rounded surfaces incorporated into the
precast concrete floor units also ‘soften’ the concrete soffits and achieve
an attractive textured ceiling. Concrete surfaces can also be ‘softened’ in
a tactile and visual sense by sandblasting, as in the Cambridge Law
Faculty Building, Cambridge (see Fig. 7.61), or by light bush-hammering.
The Stadelhofen Railway Station underground mall, Zürich, also exem-
plifies detailing that visually lightens otherwise large concrete members
(Figs 7.51 and 7.52). Pier detailing incorporates two setbacks in plan156 STRUCTURE AS ARCHITECTURE
▲ 7.51 Stadelhofen Railway Station, Zürich, Switzerland, Santiago Calatrava, 1990.
Cambering the beams and the ‘sloping columns’ visually lighten the shopping mall.▲7.52 Pier detailing.