Structural Design for Architecture
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Fig. 4.18 Museum of Decorative Arts, Frankfurt on Main,
Germany, 1979-85. Richard Meier, architect. The juxtapos-
ition of solid and void and of rectilinear and curvilinear
elements is typical of the work of Richard Meier. In situ
reinforced concrete is an ideal structural material for this
type of architecture [Photo: E. & F. McLachlan]modated by the continuity and mouldability of
the reinforced concrete structure. In both its
overall form and in its detailing the building
produces constant reminders of the sculptural
possibilities of the structural material and is
therefore another example of the contribution
which reinforced concrete has made to the
developing language of mainstream modern
architecture. Meier produced here a building
which functioned well for its intended purpose,
which was a positive addition to the city of
Frankfurt, and which extended the architectural
language of reinforced concrete.
Another example of the use of reinforced
concrete to produce a highly sculptural form is
the building for the Vitra Design Museum(1988-89) (Fig. 4.20) by Frank Gehry. As with
earlier examples of this genre, such as Le
Corbusier's chapel at Ronchamp, this is a
relatively small building and the ability of
reinforced concrete to allow the architect
almost unlimited freedom in the matter of
form, provided that a building is not too large,
is well demonstrated.
Buildings such as Le Corbusier's chapel at
Ronchamp and Gehry's Vitra Design Museum
might be described as belonging to the
'irrational school' of curvilinear concrete archi-
tecture. There has also been a 'rationalist
school' which has produced structures which
are entirely justifiable in a purely technical
sense as well as being striking visually. Such
structures have normally been the designs of
structural engineers (Robert Maillart, Pier Luigi
Nervi, Felix Candela, Eduardo Torroja,
Santiago Calatrava) rather than of architects.
This group of buildings is characterised by
forms which allow a very high ratio of strength
to weight to be achieved, principally by