C o n t i n g e n c y
The city is a field in a state of constant flux, a truism given to us by Habraken. An idea which also lies behind the theoretical framework of Lefebrve and, following from him, the authors of Everyday Urbanism. Much of the latter's thinking resides in the acknowledgement that architects are by no means the singular authors nor yet the primary participants in the making of urban form and built artifacts. Rather they are occasional contributors acting in an unsteady, ever changing territory. Combine with this the current imperative of sustainability and one arrives at a philosophy of contingency.
The work undertaken, whether in traditional building, localized constructions, teaching, writing, or even documentation in the form of photography or printmaking, centers on an awareness of the imperative nature of contingency. That an intimate knowledge of the territory in which one operates, both cultural and material, can inform the design process and outcome. That the ordinary material and patterns found in these territories can be appropriated, mutated and thus reconfigured in a manner that acknowledges the status of the territory not in a subservient attitude of historicism but through transformation and clarification. Further, this intimate knowledge allows deftness a role to play in the process as one can often seize existing materials or patterns and, through mutation, alter their reading with minor interventions rather than wholesale rebuilding. An attitude of precision which attends both to issues of sustainability and the contingent circumstances of the particular territory in which one operates.
In the field of conventional architecture this idea becomes manifest through interventions, which attempt to minimize the intrusion into a given territory through careful readings of material conditions and social aspirations to exploit given conditions to the fullest extent. Thus the Martin Valley Sculpture Park attends to the fragility of the flood plain ecosystem by framing the site with programme embedded into wall conditions. Together with a re-calibration of brief to allow for exterior exhibition spaces and a harvesting of water for energy and domestic use the project both exploits and protects the peculiar nature of the site. Likewise the redefinition of studio space in the UBC SoA Lasserre Building addresses solar gain problems, network cabling needs, pin up space requirements and social needs through the re-configuration of local materials; construction grade plywood, conduit and reused lecture hall seats, into a single artifact of linear wall | bench which defines a south facing lounge and acts as armature for further intervention by students.
The work undertaken, whether in traditional building, localized constructions, teaching, writing, or even documentation in the form of photography or printmaking, centers on an awareness of the imperative nature of contingency. That an intimate knowledge of the territory in which one operates, both cultural and material, can inform the design process and outcome. That the ordinary material and patterns found in these territories can be appropriated, mutated and thus reconfigured in a manner that acknowledges the status of the territory not in a subservient attitude of historicism but through transformation and clarification. Further, this intimate knowledge allows deftness a role to play in the process as one can often seize existing materials or patterns and, through mutation, alter their reading with minor interventions rather than wholesale rebuilding. An attitude of precision which attends both to issues of sustainability and the contingent circumstances of the particular territory in which one operates.
In the field of conventional architecture this idea becomes manifest through interventions, which attempt to minimize the intrusion into a given territory through careful readings of material conditions and social aspirations to exploit given conditions to the fullest extent. Thus the Martin Valley Sculpture Park attends to the fragility of the flood plain ecosystem by framing the site with programme embedded into wall conditions. Together with a re-calibration of brief to allow for exterior exhibition spaces and a harvesting of water for energy and domestic use the project both exploits and protects the peculiar nature of the site. Likewise the redefinition of studio space in the UBC SoA Lasserre Building addresses solar gain problems, network cabling needs, pin up space requirements and social needs through the re-configuration of local materials; construction grade plywood, conduit and reused lecture hall seats, into a single artifact of linear wall | bench which defines a south facing lounge and acts as armature for further intervention by students.
