Structure as Architecture - School of Architecture

on the mechanics of structural analysis and design, and rarely explore

the architectural implications of structure. Architectural design texts

are also of limited value for this exercise. They certainly describe and

analyse the elements of architecture, including structure, but apart from

examining structure’s space-defining and ordering roles, they throw lit-

tle light on other areas where structure contributes architecturally. Also,

many of their case studies draw upon pre-twentieth-century masonry

buildings, rather than upon buildings incorporating modern structural

materials and systems. Unfortunately, attempts to analyse structures’

architectural contributions to selected buildings from more general

architectural literature also proved relatively unsuccessful. Due to insuf-

ficient written and visual material related specifically to building struc-

tures, too many questions about their non-structural roles remained

unanswered. Published photographic images usually provide very limited

and selective views of a building and are a poor substitute for visiting it.

The alternative approach was to undertake field trips, so during the

more intensive periods of research in 1993, 2001 and 2004 I visited,

studied and analysed over two hundred and fifty mainly contemporary

buildings. Most were selected before travelling after visually scanning

many architectural books and periodicals published during the previous

five to ten years. The key selection criterion was the degree to which

their structures contribute architecturally, rather than any other archi-

tectural or structural design features. Where practicable, the second

and third field trip itineraries included ‘iconic’ buildings as reviewed in

Thiel-Siling, S. (ed.) (1998) Icons of Architecture: The 20th Century

(Prestel). I approached the chosen buildings as open as possible to any

architectural enrichment their structures might provide. A checklist

helped focus observations and concentration, particularly when activi-

ties and displays in and around a building were more engaging than the

structure itself!

By the term analysedI do not refer to quantitative analysis, practised daily

by structural engineers, but rather to a qualitative analytical process

comprising observation and focused reflection – the aim being to deepen

an understanding and appreciation of structural and architectural inter-

actions. Such an analytical process necessitates subjective readings of

structure which inevitably emanate from my thirty years’ experience as

a structural engineer, the last eighteen of which have been spent teach-

ing Structures in a school of architecture.

The scope of the book is limited geographically and by building typol-

ogy. Not only do my school’s library holdings privilege Western archi-

tecture, but the buildings that were selected as worth studying and

viii PREFACE

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