Elements of Architecture and Principles of Design

An Individual Research Assignment

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in

BS – ARCHITECTURE 1-1

AY 2018-2019
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………………………..3

OBJECTIVE………………………………………………………………………………….………..5

BODY OF UNIT…………………………………………………………………………………….…6

ELEMENTS OF ARCHITECTURE…………………………………………………………6

PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN…………………………………………………………............7

REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………………………10
INTRODUCTION

The basic idea of architecture lies with the purpose of service—to solve problems

and satisfy the necessity of a person. It is by that --------------------To consider a building as

something good or satiable for human occupation requires three essential principles as

stated by Vitruvius in his work De architectura: durability, utility, and beauty.

Architecture then shapes cultural symbols of nations as it is usually associated with

historical civilizations. Contemporary architecture deals so much with representation and

fabrication of complexity, which is not always easy to cope with; there is a huge number of

buildings, as attractive as obscure in construction techniques. The form that’s behind these

buildings is worth of understanding, worth to be drawn.

The chosen model for analysis is an infamous residential building located in the

Scandinavian region known as the “Turning Torso”. The building itself is an example of the

direct translation of art fused with science and mathematics to create sustainable living

spaces suited for humans. Designed by the Spanish architect, structural engineer, sculptor

and painter, Santiago Calatrava, the structure is based on the sculpture “Twisting Torso”

which explored the human body in motion, twisting as far as it can naturally be pushed while

staying directly upright. It is with this concept that carved out the spontaneously engineered

artifact of white marble infused with calculated movement.

The idea to create this incredible structure came at a time when Malmö was

undergoing a renaissance, with local politicians eager to redevelop the former industrial

stronghold of the city’s west, with a vision towards making the decaying area a hallmark of

urban renewal, featuring homes, businesses, culture, and entertainment. They wanted

something that had power and would make an impact not just in the region but around the

world.
 Upon completion of the Twisting Torso that is owned by Swedish cooperative

association HSB, it is dubbed and regarded as the first twisted skyscraper in the world. The

190 meters high edifice is the second highest residential building in Europe and was planned

to be exhibited in European housing Expo 2001. The building is situated in the western

harbor of Malmö beside the Ribersborg beach, incorporating a picturesque view of

Copenhagen along with the connection bridge between Sweden and Denmark. It resides in

a coastal area where a widespread urban development has started, and is still evolving. This

area has been populated in recent years with a series of high quality buildings, which lay

under the shade of the Turning Torso.

Its form boasts of 9 individual cubes that each contains five-storeys. The main load-

bearing structure is a circular reinforced concrete core, whose center corresponds exactly to

the rotation center of the floors. The foundation of the Turning Torso is a cylindrical box with

a diameter of 30 m (98.5 ft) and a depth of 15 m (49.2 ft). The foundation slab rests on the

limestone bedrock and has a depth of 7 m (23 ft). The Turning Torso is a successful

example of environmental engineering and performance-based vertical transportation. It

encounters a great challenge of standing upright at a windy coastline and could effectively

sustain a 44 meters per second wind by displacing only 30 centimeters. With this, the

building is designed based upon latest sustainability measures.

The extreme engineering and aesthetic quality earned huge appreciation from critics

and a number of awards, not to mention. It was announced that the building was the winner

of the 10 Year Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH). The

design also won several others, namely: the 2005 Gold Emporis Skyscraper Award, 2006

Award for Outstanding Concrete Structures, MIPIM Award for the Turning Torso Tower, and

SBI Silver Beam Award for the Turning Torso Tower.

This research focuses on a semi-detailed analysis regarding the Elements of

Architecture and Principles of Design incorporated in the general design of the chosen

structure: Turning Torso located in Malmö, Sweden.

Specifically, it aims to achieve the following points:

 A brief inquiry into the application of essential Elements of Architecture that make up

the façade and structure of the building;

 And a critical examination of the utilization of the Principles of Design in the structural

components, construction and overall aesthetic of the building.

ELEMENTS OF ARCHITECTURE

Considered as a neo-futurist residential

skyscraper, the Turning Torso is known to be

tallest building in Scandinavia. The driving factor

that catches your attention and demands

interest is its spiraled yet stable design. It boasts

nine segments of five-story pentagons that coil

around relative to each other as it rises.

One of the basic elements of design

involves the use of various lines to form its

mold. In the case of the Turning Torso, a

various array of lines is presently utilized. Its use

of horizontal and vertical lines in proportion to the interweaving with each segment is what

creates the great illusion of twists. Although presented vertically, horizontal lines are still

used to make the skyscraper appear more twisted as well as stable looking. In that sense,

vertical lines represent dignity and formality which is thus fitting for the overall use of the

building. To counteract the intimidating façade of the structure, the consistent horizontals

balance it all out and add feelings of relaxation. For additional support, diagonal lines were

also used alongside a consistent ratio. This adds a more diverse movement for the building

and provides activity.

It makes use of a neutral palette, consisting mostly of white and similar tonal values

like black and grey with the occasional golden casting in the middle of each segment caused

mostly by the reflected light on its surface. Subliminal color tones often denote a high-end
and expensive taste to a certain object. The neutral colors of the building make it look very

formal and almost futuristic as emphasized by its form and shape which is cylindrical in

nature.

In light of relativity, as each segment of the building rises, it consistently maintains a

proportion of 90 degrees starting from top to bottom. This then gives it radical balance which

is quite fascinating since the Turning Torso was inspired by the sculpture of a twisting

human anatomy.

PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

The aesthetical arrangement of the parts of the building follows a very structured

assembly and so is equipped with a radial balance. The central core is supported by a

foundation slab that acts as the base for the winding pattern of its cocoon. The inner

diameter of the core is 10.6 meters; concrete thickness starts from 2.5 meters at the bottom

and gradually reduces to 0.4 meters from tapering. This core is the structural nucleus that is

encircled by the floor slabs which then creates the radial pattern and consistency that keeps

the tower upright. The reinforced concrete core also accommodates stairs, lifts, and other

services.

The twisted form can be very effective, alleviating the effects of vortex-shedding

induced by lateral wind loads and minimizing the wind loads from prevailing direction. When

analyzing the structure under wind loads, Calatrava found that the Turning Torso could move

up to 3ft. at the top during the most severe storm. Giant pins attached to the ground were

then implemented, decreasing the movement to less than a foot during the most severe

storm, which is nearly unnoticeable.

Although monumental in size, its purpose and function befits and suits the necessity of

people for homes as well as offices for some.

With regard to space, its surroundings are clear of other skyscrapers—thus drawing

the eyes of many towards this piece of scientific art. Encircling the building are smaller

residential houses which are all beside the harbor. The ground floor covers 370 square

meters while the top most has an area of 430 square meters.

The variety of materials used is a contrast of mostly smooth material and a rough

foundation—concrete, steel, glass, limestone, granite and recyclable aluminum are some of

the mentionable materials used for the tower. The slabs, square at the core and conical at

the edge, are made of cast in-situ reinforced concrete. Five slabs of each unit are supported

by 11 steel columns. Aside from reinforced concrete, the core is strengthened using a steel

trussed exoskeleton which clasps each unit with diagonal and horizontal struts. This creates

a system that resists compression and

transfers shear forces to the core at the

top of each unit—thus resisting wind

load and damping external vibrations.

Another impeccable feat achieved by

the tower is the 2250 slighted tilted flat

glass windows engraved within the

white marble façade with 2800 curved

aluminum panels. Note that these windows are tilted, even within the interior, to support the

spiral of the building.

The rhythm can be seen in the consistent use of glass for the skyscraper as well as

the neatly arranged windows that almost looks akin to the holes of a thimble. In order to

follow the twist of the building, the windows are leaning between 0 and 7 degrees either
inwards on the western façade or outwards on the eastern façade. The obvious use of

rhythm in the structure lies in the constant swirl and twist of the tower from where its name

originates.

The biggest factor that accentuates and emphasizes the building is its façade—the

shape itself. The interesting and engineered aesthetic of it commands the attention of its

viewer especially since its surroundings A unique feature of the skyscraper as well is the

smaller cylinder atop the building and it almost has no difference with a menacing button on

top of a very tall pedestal.

As for its character, it is very personal to the architect who likened his image of a

skyscraper to the human form—complex yet natural, winding yet balanced. The starting

point is the organic idea behind the skyscraper, created by the dynamic movement of a

human torso. This inspiration guides not only the image given by the building, but also the

structure lying inside. The parallel between the human and the building resides in the cubes,

of which the tower is formed of. For comparison’s sake, it is much like the vertebrae: the

inner core of the cubes representing the spine.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architecture

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