Collage City

Colin Rowe

Team Member:
Agree
Against
Billy, Ng Ka Hei
Lam Ngo Ling
Gary, Lau Kam Yui
Henry, Wong Tsz Hin
Gordon, Sze Wing Kai
Wang
Victoria, Wu Ka Yu
Kwok Ka Shing

Julio, Lai Ho Yin

Erica,

Lau
Ray,

Colin Rowe (1920-1999)

-Born in Britain
-Graduated from Warburg Institute

-1950 - 52 as a tutor at the Liverpool School

of Architecture
-1962 - 1990 Taught as a Professor at
Cornell University in Ithaca for the majority
of his life
-1995 Gold Medal by the RIBA
-Died at the age of 79 on 5 November 1999
Well-known Essay:
The Mathematics of the Ideal Villa (1947)
Collage City (1978)
The Architecture of Good Intentions(1994)
As I Was Saying. (1996)

Timeline

Architects influenced by Colin Rowe

Richard Meier

Peter Eisenman

Robert Venturi

Chapter 1:
Utopia: Decline and Fall

Modern Architecture

thinly disguised alibi

Literally a good news, but little value in reality
apprehended as the indices of a better world
implement a new rule to the world

Modern Architecture
Virtues of a quasi-Franciscan Existenz minimum
For it is easier for a camel to go though a needles
eye, than for a rich man to enter into kingdom of God
Political order
-Solve future problem
Accommodation
-Solve present problem

Utopianism

Hermann Finsterlin
German Expressionism, hysterical
He (the architect) will build his rampart out of the Will. He will
conquer the centripetal spirits of the air, stretch and spring over
the ether mantle which envelops him like a skin, shed layer after
layer and climb higher and purer over and above each of these
transcended remains ... Thousands of naked souls, thousands of
lesser souls and diminished souls await the goal which should
gape in front of them, the kingdom of heaven on earth.

Bruno Taut
design from Alpine Architektur,
1919

Utopianism

highly volcanic species of the psychological lava

which is the substratum of the modern city
formed by accumulation of peoples idea

Comment on others quote

Frank Lloyd Wright

saw the architect as the savior of the culture of
the modern American society
Le Corbusier
the exact prescription for its ills the great
machine to be put in motion

Colin Rowe:
messsianic passion, an anxiety to end the world
and begin it anew.
dominating the design with his own idea.

Different Utopia idea

Classical Utopia
Newtonism rationalism

Classical Utopia

Universal rational morality

Ideas of justice
An emblem of universal
An instrument of educational addressed to an
equally limited clientele
(to educate people in poor condition)
A vehicle for the provision of information
(transport message to the prince/king)
An agent for the maintenance and decorous
representation of the state
(representing the state)
Allowed to be observed and enjoyed for its own
sake

Newtonism rationalism

Society can be explained like physics

Equated
Natural society
Noble savage
(Primary model of man be adequately isolated and identified)

Chapter 2:
After The Millennium

Cult of Townscape and Cult of Science Fiction

Townscape(Glasgow,Gordon Cullen)

Science Fiction(Plug-In City ,Archigram)

At that time , most of people focusing on two main topic of the

city,Colin Rowe thinks both would not work individually

Townscape
idea of simulate old village

Science Fiction
Futurist & Expressionist
Hyper-rationalization

Townscape
- idea of simulate
English village

To create the feeling of the Village

Tuscany Hilltown ,Italy

Oia Santorini

Science Fiction
Futurist
-Strong chromatism
-long dynamic lines

Science Fiction
Hyper-rationalization

-consider fully functional and efficient space

-act as progressivist for the futuristic design

Radient City,Le Corbusier

Theatre of Prophecy and Theatre of Memory

Why should we be obliged to prefer a nostalgia for the future to that for the past?
Could not the model city which we carry in our minds allow for our known psychological
constitution?
Could not this ideal city, At one and the same time , behave , quite explicitly as both a
theatre of prophecy and a theatre of memory?

Colin Rowe point out these questions to introduce:

A city should be formed by mix with

Prophecy(Future) and Memory (Past)

Chapter 3:
Crisis of the object:
Predicament of texture

Gordon

Object VS Texture

http://www.caue54.com/fiches-nature-ville-detail.asp?fichenum=166

Object & Texture

Object = Freestanding Building

-

http://www.caue54.com/fiches-nature-ville-detail.asp?fichenum=166

Unite Habitation

World : putting in order

Art-like buildings
Interesting but detached
A newly liberated cultural
Loss of urban continuity

Object = Freestanding Building

http://www.kgi.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/projekte/rub_expo/k4/k4_t4.htm
Project for Saint-Die
http://www.caue54.com/fiches-nature-ville-detail.asp?fichenum=166

Proliferation of objects
Interjecting of foreign
bodies
Replace traditional city
More public stability
Less private
unpredictability

Texture = Continuous Matrix

- Existing pattern
- Amalgamating of different
objects
- Different townscape
- Diverse communal scene
- Opportunities for city users

http://www.luxurytraveladvisor.com/italy/verdis-italy-ham-cheese-and-opera-11545

Parma , Italy

City = Object + Texture

-

https://paulvonplace.wordpress.com/2012/03/03/ive-never-been-to-wiesbaden-12/
Wiesbaden

Playing down the object

Integration of object and texture
Object form texture
Sustain and renew the urban

Chapter 4:
Collision city
and
the Politics of Bricolage

The theory of Fox and Hedgehog

Knows one Big thing

- Simple
- Only eat one thing
- When trouble comes, it curls
up and holds its ground
- Defends a very small territory

The theory of Fox and Hedgehog

Knows one Big thing

- Simple
- Only eat one thing
- When trouble comes, it curls
up and holds its ground
- Defends a very small territory

Knows Many things

- Complicated
- Always running to the next
thing to eat
- When trouble comes, it tries
to outrun it.
- Defends a large territory

The theory of Fox and Hedgehog

Knows one Big thing

- Simple
- Only eat one thing
- When trouble comes, it curls
up and holds its ground
- Defends a very small territory

- Encouraging univercation
- Systematic design preferred
ie. Architecture, City planning
- Concern with primacy of single idea

Knows Many things

- Encouraging diversification
- Organic growth of architecture and
city planning preferred
- Precoccupided with multiplicity of
stimulus

- Complicated
- Always running to the next
thing to eat
- When trouble comes, it tries
to outrun it.
- Defends a large territory

The theory of Fox and Hedgehog

Critical Examples:

Frank Lloyd
Wright
Andrea
Palladio

- Encouraging univercation
- Systematic design preferred
ie. Architecture, City planning
- Concern with primacy of single idea
Le Corbusier

Critical Examples:
- Encouraging diversification
- Organic growth of architecture and
city planning preferred
- Precoccupided with multiplicity of
stimulus

Edwin Lutyen
Giulio Romano

Richard
Norman
Shaw

The theory of Fox and Hedgehog

Critical Examples:

Frank Lloyd
Wright
Andrea
Palladio

Le Corbusier

Palace of Versailles, France

Critical Examples:

Edwin Lutyen
Giulio Romano

Hadrian's villa, Italy

Richard
Norman
Shaw

The concept of Bricolage

It is common knowledge that the
artist is not something of a scientist
and of a bricolage; but, if artistic
creation lies mid-way between
science and bricolage',this is not to
imply that the bricoleur" is
backward.Collage City, Page 103

ARTIFICER
BRICOLEUR
+ workmanship

SCIENTIST

Rome,Villa Doria-Pamphili,<Collage City>p.102-103 ,Colin rowe

Rome,Villa Doria-Pamphili,<Collage City>p.102-103 ,Colin rowe

We need FOX and BRICOLEURS

-Many Ideas
Vox Populi ( Advice
by ci)

Bricoleur

-Tradition element
- Scientific solve problem
- Listen the advice by citizen
And satisfy their needs.

PLANNING

CITY

Pantheon

Colosseum

Circus Maximus

Ancient Rome City

Chapter 5:
Collage City
and
the Reconquest of Time

Colin Rowe Idea about how city should form

Government

Citizen

Tradition

City

Scientific

Collage City and the Reconquest of Time

Man, in a word, has no nature; what he has is. . .

history. Expressed differently: what nature is to things,
history, res gestae, is to man.
Collage City, Page 118

Collage City and the Reconquest of Time

Key Points:
City as a museum

Architectural and urban design should be also concern

on the physiological layer.
We must continue from what people have done
before us, must carry on traditionCollage City, Page 118
Things are what they are or are never what they seem
to be.
City and Metamorphosis, Bulls head

City as museum = ?

Where is it? (Difficulty: Hard)

Where is it? (Difficulty: Medium)

Difficulty: Easy!

But why this is hard to tell?

Climate

City as museum = City

History

Social Tradition

City as museum examples

Rome
Berlin
- Historical
- Cultural
- Modern
ReligiousPlanning
- Nature Resources remain

City as Museum

vs

Modern City Planning

Radiant City Plan by Le Corbusier 1924

Do we have any feeling about

those giant white tower?
We live there, but do we happy
about it?
Where is our history now?

Perspective of Radiant City by Le Corbusier 1924

Should City planned by one big thinker (Hedgehog)?

Tradition is indispensable

Tradition is indispensable communication

rests upon tradition; tradition is related to a
felt need for a structured social
environment;"
Collage City, Page 122

Symbol of the city or

local people

What is tradition?

Spaces which contain

historical moment for
the city/ local people

A spirit of human history

which had became the
structure of the society

When Tradition is removing...

When Tradition is removing

Why we need to remove it?

But not transform it?

City in Museum

City in Museum
Nature selects, the fittest survives

Eliminate

historical things should be put into museum

Population Growth

The United Nation 2014 revision of the World Urbanization Prospects report
More than half of humanity now lives in cities, and even more will soon
The world will have to confront how to make cities more fit for human habitation

Population Growth

2014 World Urbanization Prospects report by UN

From 1960s 3000 millions people 2010s 7000 millions population people
Population growth rate almost same high

City Development

The city growth

City development

Population growth, Economic development

NEED: habitation, factories, office, shops and Infrastructure:

water supply, sewerage, energy, road, public services

No vision to plan the future development will cause problems

Population (Million)

Population in Hong Kong

Year

EXAMPLE - New towns in Hong Kong - Sha Tin

EXAMPLE - New towns in Hong Kong - Sha Tin

EXAMPLE - New towns in Hong Kong - Sha Tin

-

Develop to a self-sufficient community

design for 700,000 people live

area around 35.87km

reclamation works at two sides of the river

railway system linking with

include fire station, police station, hospital

school, library

factories

center park, theater, museum

Direction of the city

Big thinker determine the develop direction of the city

- Clear idea
- Go straightly, directly

- Concern in every expect

- Easy control, management

One Belt, One Road

City in Museum
Nature selects, the fittest survives
Eliminate

We are not only living in history, we are also making history.

Theatres of Memory and Prophecy

(Past , Present , Future)

But , if Le Corbusier simulates a future and Asplund a past , if one is almost all prophecy theatre
and the other almost all memory we are , consequently , concerned with their reconciliation ,
Colin Rowe , Collage City , P72

Theatre of Memory (Past)

https://www.e123.hk/CareGiver/details/222859/238
Nga Tin Wai Tsuen , Kowloon , Hong Kong

Visual Memory
Continuum of life style
Unique life scene
Atmosphere of past periods

Theatre of Memory (Past)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/feldore/6621043055/in/photostream/
Community Life along the street

Loss of contemporary function

Collection of private ideas
Uncertainty & Pluralism
Space of sentiment

Theatre of Prophecy (Future)

-

http://www.heathershimmin.com/leorbusier
Ngau Tau Kok Public Housing

Impending social demands

Contemporary function
Supplement past shortage
Space of function

Theatre of Prophecy (Future)

-

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/alex-mowats-inspiration-santa-caterina-market-by-embt/5061579.article

Santa Caterina Market

Re-growth of the city

Insertion of new life scene
Continuum of urban

Past

Future

+
Sentiment

Present

=
Function

Memory + Prophecy

Memory does not permanently appear

Does the theatre of memory exist forever?

Keep the building mean keep the PAST?

Queens Pier demolished in 2008 for

development of new waterfront.

Rooftop school in Shek Kip Mei Estate(1960s-70s).

You can keep the building itself ,

but the event is gone...

Colin Rowe:Theatre of Prophecy (future)and Theatre of Memory(past) can exist at the same time.
Could not this ideal city,at one and the same time,behave,quite explicitly,as both a theatre of prophecy and a theatre of memory?(Chapter 2,pg
49,line 35-36)

Critique:Historic elements can not ETERNALLY appear.

Collage city will only appear temporarily.
Memory will be replaced by the future eventually when city keep developing
Or they naturally fail or die....

Portland GasCo Building constructed in 1913 with unique Portland style architecture,but it
was demolished due to safety problem.

Ideal case to keep the

memory(temporary)

Village house

village+tenement house

village +tenement+high rise

Reality of ongoing urban development for

efficiency(long term future)

Village house

tenement house

high rise

How about the elements that bring serious problem

or cannot fit the modern demand?
-structurally unsafe
-lead to social problem(drug trafficking,poverty,disease.)
-low efficiency of space(low rise housing)
-buildings fail naturally

Kowloon Walled City

-ungoverned settlement
-high density of tenement house
-safety problem

source:cdn4.scmp.com

Kowloon Walled city

demolished in 1993 due to safety problem
Turned into recreational area

Only theatre of prophecy exist in reality... (Sad but true)

Most urban space in Hong Kong is purely functional and efficiency, and satisfy the scoial
demand. Hardly to observe theatre of memory from above..

Survival through design ?

The Idea of Bricoleur

Artist

Workmanship

Bricoleur

Saving the tradition element ?

Art Promotion Office,Oil street

Saving the tradition element ?

=
The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (1927)

OIl Office (Now)

Saving the tradition element ?

-Change the function

Club house Storage Art Gallery/Exhibition area

-Keep the traditional element

Red brick,Arch door/window frame..

-Use the present construction method to repair

Workshop locate at the building near the entry

How to plan a city

+
RESPONSE

Christopher Alexander:diagram of a
village,1964

Piet Mondrain:Victory Boogie Woogle 1943-4

An all controlling system which is yet not a system because it is a growth-a

new growth coming right from the roots up <Collage City>,p.86

Tai O Village , Lantau Island

Tai O House Construction method

PAST

Present

Tai O House

- Same construction method ,but Different style House

Tai O House Balcony

Different Style house Form Tai O Village

City should grow like that

Nice

Public Housing

Public Housing
-Precast concrete construction method

-Short construction period

-Fulfil basic needs
-Fulfil a amount of people to live

-Easily to control the quality

Public Housing - Different type

-Same room layout
- Different Form
-Connect by single corridor

Harmony Block

Linear Block
Type Y

City Shouldnt grow like that

OMG

City should grow like .

OMG

Nice

Tai o (Small scale)

Public Housing (Bigger scale)

What will happened when it apply

to the whole City?

Tai O Fire broke out in May 2013

CITY PATTERN
Colin Rowe: wants designer/architect to work as bricoleur to design with existing context
or feature without influenced by hedgehog big idea.
Factors not taken into
consideration:
overall city appealings
consistency
less efficiency
city dense

HONG KONG PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAM

Targeted at relocating other
squatter-dwellers to safer public
housing
Safer settlement
Enhance living quality
Well-planned
Order form
Better Management

Planned urban city

Higher efficiency Lower cost $$$
Systematic system Easy management
Fulfilling the demands on the change of human needs
Incorporating new technologies/ transportation systems
Accommodating the rapid growth in population

RADIANT CITY
COLLAGE CITY
Relieve the congestion of central
districts to satisfy traffic
requirements
Increase the population density of
central distracts to facilities
business contacts
Improve traffic flow
Increase planted area

Anti- hedgehog
Cities could improved through
collaging variety of elements
Real cities shaped by accumulation
of step-by-step progress
Bricoleur architecture makes a
whole

MOTABILITY
Traffic pattern
Plan of city order affect traffic direction
Le Corbusier: Multilevel traffic system to manage intensity of traffic.

Pruitt Igoe - USA

Dharavi, Mumbai - India

Tin Shui Wan - Hong Kong

Main Urban Connection

What if people only care about efficiency?

What would then be happened?

UNIFICATION - SCIENCE FICTION

- Ignoring the original structure of a city

Encouraging unification
Destroying Historical buildings/ Tradition/ Cultures

- Restricting human connections

Human activities to be designed and reallocated into different zonings by specific

developers

- Consider Technology more than Human

Uncomfortable living environment

SCIENCE FICTION: Ignoring the original structure of a city

Example: Declared Monuments in Hong Kong ()

1847

2015

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

SCIENCE FICTION - TYPICAL APPLICATIONS in 1950s

Pruitt-Igoe, America

Mark II estates, Hong Kong

Background
To cater the lower-class people after the
clearance of downtown slums
Main purpose: As a replacement housing

Background
To cater homeless people after the Shek Kip
Mei fire accident in 1953
Main purpose: As a resettlement housing

Facts
~90 families in each block (~870 ft per flat)
11 stories in rectangular shape
Shared bathrooms, Kitchens
Huge corridors as public space

Facts
~400 families in each block (~120 ft per flat)
5 - 8 stories in H/I-shape
Shared bathrooms, Kitchens
Rooftop primary schools, Small-scale gardens
as public space

SCIENCE FICTION - PROBLEM

Lack of Public Facilities?

Slums VS High-rise housing

Pruitt-Igoe Overview

High-rise street life

SCIENCE FICTION - PROBLEM

Restricting human connections ?

Small garden between buildings

Mark I,II Blocks Overview

High-rise street life

DREAMS
Pruitt-Igoe: HUGE PUBLIC CORRIDOR TO ENHANCE LIVING QUALITY

REALITY
Pruitt-Igoe: ROBBERY, DRUGS TRADING, VIOLENCE INCIDENT...

SCIENCE FICTION - REALITY IN HONG KONG

Uncomfortable living environment

FAILURE PROJECT

HELL

FROM ONE TO ANOTHER...

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

METAMORPHOSIS
instead of UNIFICATION.

How does
METAMORPHOSIS work?
Target: a Bull

METAMORPHOSIS - TRANSFORMATION
I am fast and
strong.

1. Remember the
original usage
and value

METAMORPHOSIS - TRANSFORMATION

T.T

1. Remember the
original usage
and value

I have unlimited
power !

2. Technology
development/
New demands

METAMORPHOSIS - TRANSFORMATION
T.T

Picasso: Bulls head, 1944

1. Remember the
original usage
and value

I AM FAST, STRONG,
AND HAVE
UNLIMITED POWER!

2. Technology
development/
New demands

3. Reform and mix the old value with new functions

METAMORPHOSIS - TRANSFORMATION
T.T

Picasso: Bulls head, 1944

1. Remember the
original usage
and value

WHAT GOVERNMENT CAN DO?

I AM FAST, STRONG,
AND HAVE
UNLIMITED POWER!

2. Technology
development/
New demands

3. Reform and mix the old value with new functions

METAMORPHOSIS - EXAMPLE IN HK - WAN CHAI MARKET

Picasso: Bulls head, 1944

1. Remember the
original usage
and value

2. Technology
development/
New demands

3. Reform and mix the old value with new functions

METAMORPHOSIS - EXAMPLE IN HK - WAN CHAI MARKET

Picasso: Bulls head, 1944

1. Remember the
original usage
and value

2. Technology
development/
New demands

3. Reform and mix the old value with new functions

METAMORPHOSIS - EXAMPLE IN HK - WAN CHAI MARKET

1. Remember the
original usage
and value

2. Technology
development/
New demands

3. Reform and mix the old value with new functions

If the government need to consult

everyone before making every decision...

Critique: May not come up a solution. People comment and have

opposite idea. As a result, no plan is formed.

Who should the government listen to ?

Case: Violence against building of laundry for hospital

(16/10/2015)
100 residents from Tin shui wai() protest
against the construction
Reason:
affecting their health
affect Fung Shui ()
A stone is put at the entrance to block the trucks
7 staff form ASD and contractor injured during
the protest

Case: Lantau development

First concept plan for Lantau published on 2004
Two consultation forum was organised for people to comment

Concept plan (2004)

Public consultation for general public (2004)

Public consultation for lantau community

(2005)

Case: Lantau development

Revised concept plan publish at 2005
Revised Concept Plan for Lantau (2005)
A. Meeting Conservation Needs
B. Economic Infrastructure and Tourism / Recreation Development
C. Conservation, Recreation and Green Tourism Initiatives
D. Enhancing the Countryside Recreational Potential of Rural Lantau
E. Area Improvement of Rural Townships and Villages

Cover of Revised Concept plan (2005)

Revised Concept plan (2005)

Case: Lantau development

Pro side
(Rural committee, local)
Improve their living quality
Benefit from tourism
Waiting for development for 30 years

Case: Lantau development

Con side
(Environmentalist, locals)
Damage on environment
Affect conservation

Case: Lantau development

Con side
(Newspaper journal)
Commercial activities dominated existing natural environment and tourist spot

Colin Rowe: Consulting citizen for idea

Consult

No result

No Development

Is consulting citizens a way to find

solution for future development?

Finally,
What have been done ?

NOTHING

Can city start without planning?

Colin Rowe: City should be build as accident

Critique: Before to develop the city, it need a well town planning

(Townscape was surely less defensible than it was as an idea. It involved a highly
interesting theory of the Accident)

A well city planning can minimax the influences when there is something
happened .
City planning is not only mean only focus on the order form, its including different
things. like Transportation, Drainage system , Town planning etc...

Transportation
Location : Hong Kong

There are two other way to be

the transportation, Minimax the
affected area [red area]

If there are only one way to go

to Hong Kong Island, then the
affected area [red area] will be more

Drainage system
Location : China
A good drainage system can effectively reduce the damage caused by heavy rain , such as casualties , loss of money ,
traffic gridlock and other issues

Location : Vienice

The Drainage system build by Germany before 100 years

After that Qingdao[] develop still based on the old drainage system
And Qungdao [] is eligible hailed as
"China's most afraid of flooded cities"

3M

2.5M

Unplan City

Conclusion of Collage City

-

Collage City is a book which Colin Rowe

questioned about the movement of modernism
during early 1950s -1970,

City planning should not be designed by one

big Hedgehog (Big Dreamer)

By using Collage method, efficiency and

human emotions can be balanced out.

Memory, history vs Efficiency and

development why not both

Questions
(Although our team had debated about Colin Rowes Ideas
but if anyone have different point of view which would like to ask our agree/against side,
please do so)