CRITICAL REGIONALISM

THEORY OF DESIGN

Kritika Panwar 5/23/20 B.ARCH 8TH SEM

INTRODUCTION
• Critical regionalism is an approach to architecture that strives to counter the
Placelessness and lack of identity of the International Style, but also rejects the
whimsical individualism and ornamentation of Postmodern architecture.
• The stylings of critical regionalism seek to provide an architecture rooted in the
modern tradition, but tied to geographical and cultural context.
• Critical regionalism is not simply regionalism in the sense of vernacular architecture.
• It is a progressive approach to design that seeks to mediate between the global
and the local languages of architecture.
• The term critical regionalism was first used by Alexander Tzonis and Liane Lefaivre
and later more famously by Kenneth Frampton.
• In the 1980’s a few architects and theorists were disappointed with the direction
that architecture was taking under the influence of postmodernism.
• Rather than unveiling the historicity of style in their designs, postmodern architects
became another avant garde (New and experimental ideas) that produced
designs that mimicked classical style.

PAUL RICOUR:
"How to be modern and to continue the tradition, how to revive an old dormant
civilization as part of universal civilization?“
• Frampton in his essay argues that it is "critical to adopt" universal values of
modernism, taking into account the geographical context of the building.
• Frampton does not want to refer directly to "folklore", but to the climate, light,
topography, and "local tectonic form", which should be understood as historical
and geographical conditions of the construction industry.
• Track of phenomenology in a critical regionalism can be read with an attitude,
according to which any form of modernism can be criticized without prejudice, AS
IT IS, and not through the prism of sins, for which you may not bear the responsibility.
• In this perspective, critical regionalism should be treated as a "reformed modernism"
and probably for this reason, the best designs are made by architects from
countries far from a universal bustle of big cities.
 GEOFFREY BAWA
PHILOSOPHY
• Highly personal in his approach, evoking the pleasures of the senses that go hand in
hand with the climate, landscape, and culture of ancient Ceylon(present day sri
lanka)
• Brings together an appreciation of the western humanist tradition in architecture
with needs and lifestyles of his own work
• The principal force behind tropical modernism
• His ideas are providing a bridge between the past and the future, a mirror in which
ordinary people can obtain a clearer image of their own evolving culture.
• Fused vernacular architecture with the modern concepts to satiate the needs of
the urban population

WORKS
• A.S.H DE SILVA HOUSE, GALLE
• TRITON HOTEL ,AHUNGALLA
• SRI LANKAN PARLIAMENT BUILDING
• RUHUNA UNIVERSITY ,MANTARA
 RUHUNA UNIVERSITY, MANTARA
• Bawa’s design deployed over fifty separate pavilions linked by a system of covered
loggias on a predominantly orthogonal grid and used a limited vocabulary of forms
and materials borrowed from the porto-sinhalese building traditions of the late
medieval period, but it exploited the changing topography of the site to create an
ever varying sequence of courts and verandahs, vistas and closures. The result was
a modern campus, vast in size but human in scale.
• Bawa placed the vice chancellor's lodge and a guest house on the western hill and
flooded the intervening valley to create a buffer between the road and the main
campus.
• Wrapped the buildings of the science faculty around the northern hill and those of
the arts faculty around the southern hill, using the depression between them for the
library and other central facilities.
• Buildings were planned orthogonally on a north-south grid but were allowed to 'run
with site'.
• Natural features such as rocky outcrops were incorporated into the bases of
buildings or became focal features of the open spaces.
• The limited architectural vocabulary clearly derives from porto- sinhalese traditions
• Pavilions, varying in scale and extent, are connected by covered links and
separated by an ever-changing succession of garden courts.
• Everywhere there are places to pause and consider, to sit and contemplate, to
gather and discuss.
• The main routes either cut uncompromisingly across the contours or meander
horizontally along them.
 MARIO BOTTA
PHILOSOPHY
• He shows respect for topographical conditions and regional sensibilities and his
designs generally emphasize craftsmanship and geometric order.
• Because he attempts to reconcile traditional architectural symbolism with the
aesthetic rules of Modern Movement

WELLNESS CENTER, SWITZERLAND

Design elements are:
• Modernism
• Regionalism
• Vernacular material
• Geometry
• Topography
 JORN UTZON
PHILOSOPHY
• Utzon had a nordic sense of concern for nature which, in his design, emphasized
the synthesis of form, material and function for social valuesThis developed into
what utzon later referred to as additive architecture, comparing his approach to
the growth patterns of nature.
• A design can grow like a tree, he explained: "if it grows naturally, the architecture
will look after itself."

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

• EVOLUTION OF FORM - The principle that is fundamental to the architecture of
JØRN UTZON : He draws inspiration from nature for organic form and creates an
architecture that is predominantly experiential in character.
• The character which is most prominent about the Opera House is it’s being free in
the centre of the Sydney Harbour, free from all sides, visible from all sides.
• The position on a peninsula, which is overlooked from all angles makes it important
to maintain an all-round elevation...the building must form a freestanding sculpture
in contrast to the square buildings surrounding it.
 ALVAR ALTO
PHILOSOPHY
• Alto bears hallmarks of influences from le corbusier , walter gropius and other
modernist figures.
• He initially practice classical style of architecture
• But later began to blend modernist design approach with classical architecture.
• His individuality lies in use of organic references with the above types
• He did not dwell on abstract theory but emerged himself in the particularities of the
site, the texture of materials, forms and quality of light as well as the mood,
atmosphere, intensity of life
• The beauty of his work is hidden in his design approach of Functionalism but with a
strong connection to the organic relationship between man, nature and buildings.
• He coordinated these three components and created a synthesis of life in
materialized form.
• He designed in very different scales – ranging from buildings, town plans, furniture,
glassware, jewellery and other forms of art.
• His design philosophy was influenced by nature and organic materials, unlike other
furniture of the same period with materials as tubular steel, which were quite
modern at the time.
• With his innovative designs and natural forms he changed the course of design
towards organic Modernism
 SÄYNÄTSALO TOWN HALL JYVASKYLA,FINLAND
• The Säynätsalo Town Hall is a multifunction building complex – town hall, shops,
library and flats
• The design of the Town Hall was influenced by both Finnish vernacular architecture
and the humanist Italian renaissance.
• It was the Italian Renaissance from which Aalto drew inspiration for the courtyard
arrangement.
• While the main program of the building is housed within a heavy brick envelope,
the courtyard is bordered by a glass- enclosed circulation space which can be
linked to the model of an arcade- bordered Piazza.
• It was important to Aalto that the design represent democracy and the people's
relationship with the government which is why he included a large
• The project follows the traditional European court-and-tower model of a civic
center.
• The complex consists of two brick buildings: the rectangular library block the
rectangular library block and the U-shaped government building.
 TADAO ANDO
PHILOSOPHY
• Two characteristics of his work : use of limited material with their textures exposed.
• An ambiguous articulation of the function of space.
• In all of his works ,light is decisive in forming space.
• Ando’s use of materials is spare and rigorous and the abrasive elegance to
concrete is handled with a care.
• His concrete reacts to light ; illuminated ; it revels that it exists.
• It is not by chance that there is no color in his spaces . colors are evidence of the
campaigns and sufferings to which light has been subjected and could thus only
disturb the intimate quietness which his projects seek to achieve.
 BENESSE HOUSE
• Concept of “coexistence of nature, art and architecture.”
• The benesse house consists of four buildings; The museum, the oval (opened in
1995), the park the beach (both opened in 2006)
• The oval itself measures 40 meters on its long axis and 20 meters on the shorter one
• Long ramps, stairs, and passages to traverse.
• Natural light from outside pouring in through apertures, weaving together the
indoors and outdoors.
• With an oval plan and only one level.
• Luxury accommodation with rooms and café .
• The central courtyard also has a large pool with an oval shape measuring 20 by 10
meters on its long and short axes, respectively
• The museum’s artworks are found in all parts of the building.
• The ultra modern structure has a close relationship with its geography and nature.
• The space serves as a very modern museum and hotel yet it has such a direct
connection with nature and lets in a ton of natural light.
• tribute to the region and the history that goes with it.
• sense of calmness and simplicity that is seen in the architecture, as it draws upon
the traditions and culture of the island of Naoshima. Planning
• The ultra modern structure has a close relationship with its geography and nature.
• The space serves as a very modern museum and hotel yet it has such a direct
connection with nature and lets in a ton of natural light.
• tribute to the region and the history that goes with it.
• sense of calmness and simplicity that is seen in the architecture, as it draws upon
the traditions and culture of the island of Naoshima.
 CHARLES CORREA
PHILOSOPHY
• DETAILS ARE NOT THE DETAILS .THEY MAKE THE DESIGNS.
• CHARLES CORREA is probably the best known of that first generation, who matured
in aftermath of the chandigarh explosion.
• Did not simply import the readymade ‘INTERNATIONAL STYLE’ but he needed to
create a specifically indian way of dealing with the building problems of the post
world war.

JAWAHAR KALA KENDRA

• The plan was prepared by the noted architect Charles Correa in 1986 and the
building was ready in 1991.
• The plan is inspired by the original city plan of Jaipur, consisting of nine squares with
central square left open.
• Each square was linked to the planet as per the characteristics of the particular
planet and its astrological values and the functionality of the square.
• Partly open courtyards and the traditional design elements of Rajasthan have been
incorporated in the complex.
• Library fully glazed Play with light and shadow Madhyavarti i.e Open air theatre Use
of local material