ALDO ROSSI

1966 –ARCHITECTURE OF THE CITY

HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE –VI

AR. SANIYA AAFREEN
MEASI ACADEMY OF ARCHITECTURE
INTRODUCTION

• Assessment of modern movement

• FOCUS – neglect and destruction of the city
• EMPHASIS – public realm ( collective memory )
- individual reputations and accomplishments are less important

BRIEF
• Book comprises of
1. Structure of urban artifacts
2. Evolution of urban artifacts
3. Individuality of urban artifacts
4. Primary elements and concept of area
Also talks of,
• URBAN PERSPECTIVE –phenomenological (consciousness as experienced from the
first-person point of view ) in outlook
• CRITIQUE OF NAÏVE FUNCTIONALISM – architectural forms to be shaped / defined by
specific functions
WHAT ARE URBAN ARTIFACTS ?

• Buildings that evolve overtime

• Key elements in a city
• Change function, grow or shrink but core remains the same
• Also called origin of locus
• Urban sequence – are a series of isolate elements but together form a link to the urban
system
• Gives uniqueness to the city

Example – palazzo della ragione , padua

• Basilica like structure in the heart of padua
• Acts as vital urban center (focus)

Rossi terms city as a spatial structure defined

by monuments , engineering and residents

Process of mapping a city through urban

typologies - type dating PALAZZO DELLA RAGIONE , PADUA
locus

• relationship between a specific location and buildings that are in it

• Differentiates locus from context

DEFENDED ARCHITECTURAL PRINCIPLES IN FORMATION OF CITY

• Identifies architecture principles and explains how permanent characteristics of urban

space are constituted with the conceptual shift – radical break

• Methodology focused on revaluation of memory , typology in relation to form

• Critical response to utopian aspirations

TYPOLOGY

• System of groupings – usually called as types

• Members identified with similar attributions
• Typology – represents study of types of elements that cannnot be
further reduced

• Figural dimension of typology started in the baroque period - contradiction Concrete

• Geometrical articulation and formal unity approach
• Seen in Palazzo carpegna - boromini

PALAZZO CARPEGNA - BOROMINI

• Figural typology – refers to design process articulated without visible contradiction in
relation to elements
• Combinatory typology – implies a design method formulated at a level at which whole
relates to parts. Eg. Rotunda by Andréa Palladio

ROTUNDA BY ANDRÉA PALLADIO

FUNCTION

• European countries have large places, building complexes that constitute whole pieces
of the city and function is no longer original
• Eg. Palazo Della Regione , Padua – multiplicity of functions that building enhances &
supports
• Building can possess functions overtime that are independent of the form of the
building
• Eg. Alhambra in Granada
• Form of past has different function but is till tied to the city – (only modified)
• Stands isolated and cannot take more parts
• Rossi does not consider function as a major form of classification in architecture
and it should be adaptive re – use/ multi use
CHRISTOPHER ALEXANDER
1977 –A PATTERN LANGUAGE

HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE –VI

AR. SANIYA AAFREEN
MEASI ACADEMY OF ARCHITECTURE
INTRODUCTION
• A pattern language , towns , building and construction – book on architecture

• Gives a set of rules – 253 rules on towns, buildings and construction

• New interpretation of reading architecture

• Element of language is called pattern

• Pattern represents a problem that occurs again and again in environment

• Second part gives solutions to the problems that could be used several times.

ORIGINATION
• From medieval cities – attractive and harmonious

• Built based on local regulations , requires specific features

• Provides rules and pictures and leaves decisions to be taken from the precise

environment of the project

• Provides exact methods for constructing practical , safe and attractive designs from cities to

the least like door knobs.

ELEMENTS – “PATTERNS “

-are ordered as follows

-TOWNS - REGIONS AND TOWNS

-BUILDINGS - NEIGHBORHOODS , CLUSTERS OF BUILDINGS, BUILDING ROOMS

-CONSTRUCTIONS - DOORS, WINDOWS, DETAILING

MANY DEFINITIONS FOR ELEMENTS AS GIVEN BY ALEXANDER

SUMMARISING

• No pattern is a an isolated entity

• Can exist only with other patterns – larger in which it is embedded and smaller which
are embedded in it
• Solutions are given in an abstract manner
• Finally, patterns are alive and evolving

COMPONENTS OF PATTERN LANGUAGE

• Has a structure and is to be used in a sequence

• Pattern – base map- from which one’s language is drawn
• 253 patterns are divided as follows
TOWNS – LARGER COMPONENT – 94 PATTERNS

• Cannot be designed or built

• Individual act helps in creation of the whole

• Over years

• Generate large global patterns

TOWNS – LARGER COMPONENT – 94 PATTERNS

• ESTABLISHMENT of world government , with different regions

• Regional policies – protection of landmark and limits of cities –city defining structures

• Connection of communities to another – growth of network

• Thereby controlling local environment

• Leading to formation of local centers

• Formation of clusters
BUILDINGS – MEDIUM COMPONENT – 95 - 204 PATTERNS

• ENTRANCES – height, number, of lines of movement through complex

• Fixing the position of buildings on the site - in relation to – nature, trees, sun

• Buildings wings – layout of entrances , volume of buildings, indoor and outdoor spaces,

yin and yang concept

• When major parts of buildings and outdoor areas have given rough shape – more attention

to interiors – paths and squares of a building

• With gradients done buildings and fundamental spaces are connected to gradients.

• Fine tuning of interiors with smaller additions like alcoves, windows, shelves , seats

etc.
CONSTRUCTION - SMALLER COMPONENT – 205 - 253 PATTERNS

• before structural details are laid out, philosophy fixed to grow directly

• Structural layout – columns, main frame and openings – doors and windows

• Indoor and outdoor details

• Ornamentation and light and colour

CHOOSING A LANGUAGE FOR YOUR SUBJECTS

• Copy of master sequence

• Scan down the list- overall scope of the project

• Relevant pattern – smaller or larger

• Read content and other smaller patterns

• Keep going till all patterns are done

• Alter , adjust and change pattern on your views

• Ready for execution