seven loci - virginia tech · 2020. 9. 28. · completed in 1965 by aurelio galfetti, the school of...

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SEVEN LOCIThe Completion of Villa Maderni

A design for the expansion of the Center forEuropean Studies and Architecture in RivaSan Vitale, Switzerland, a campus of VirginiaPolytechnic Institute and State University

Thesis submitted to the faculty of VirginiaPolytechnic Institute and State Universityin partial fulfillment of the requirementsfor the degree of Master of Architecture

by David Anderson PrevetteMay 10, 2002Blacksburg, Virginia

Professor Heinrich Schnoedt, chairman

Professor William W. Brown

Professor William U. Galloway

Professor V. Hunter Pittman

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ABSTRACT

Every architect must develop for him or herself a framework, or prin-ciples through which to ponder and make architecture. From struc-tural systems to materials and evolving technologies, construction andcriticism in the development of a work may result in an intelligent formif the architect works from those principles consistently but is flexiblein the approach to a changing number of issues arising and affectingthat work. Thinking of architecture in metaphor, or through symbolsand those physical things existing outside the art entirely, can provide arich and objective source of parallel models guiding vital choices in thedesign process.

Through observation and critical response, Seven Loci: The Completion ofVilla Maderni is for the author not only a work reflective of his stillemergent design judgments, but also one birthed as he lived and workedin the physical fabric of the place. The primary goal of this work is topropose an inhabitable enclosure for the perimeter of an already sacredvilla and garden in the Ticino region of Switzerland. The secondarygoal of the thesis is to explore and propose an architecture which doesnot make a forgery of the villa, but one whose language is of its owntime and materials, all the while responding to the architectural condi-tions and more invisible traditions of the town, street and site. Finally,the tertiary and most vital goal of the work is to continuously reflectupon the design�s evolution, and in so doing acquire an understandingof architecture whose reach extends indefinitely beyond the projectitself.

footpaths of Monte San Giorgio

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Introduction 5

Observing a villa 7Entering the fabric of the Ticino River Basin

What makes a cell? 18Communal living made rich in places of solitude

Living in community 22ThresholdForumTowerArenaBridge

Living in solitude 40Inhabitable Garden wallInhabitable Retaining wall

From Drawing to Making 66Concrete as CoreConcrete as ShellConcrete as Canvas

Bibliography 81

List of Illustrations 83

Acknowledgments 85

Vita 85

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Completed in 1965 by Aurelio Galfetti, the school of Riva San Vitaleis associated with the nodal point of the town. (Fig. 1)

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Introduction

Figure 2

In April 2001, the noted architectural theorist Jacques Gubler stood beside a cold, squarecolumn of a Ticino middle school and proclaimed that the bare, sitecast skeleton frame,like the one in front of him, was the beginning and end of architectural integrity. ToGubler, the plasticity of the material and the visible record of its crafting could not beequaled in its beauty by any other archetype. From behind his thick eyeglasses and trenchcoat, his slow and raspy voice convinced us of one of the true secrets in modern architec-ture: the skeleton and its infill.

Following our afternoon of discovery in the valley of Mendrisotto, we rejoined the distin-guished Frenchman for a discussion of all we observed. Through the metaphor of thehuman body, I challenged his notions that architecture could be realized only through thearticulation of a skeleton alone. Could a construction not also acquire muscles, joints, ashell or a skin? If the creation of our own anatomy is unparalleled in complexity andfunction, how is it that a modern building loses its �integrity� in a physical commitment tothese layers? Mr. Gubler stared up at the sixteen foot ceiling and soon responded that hesupposed architecture could be achieved through this anthropomorphic understanding:not through its systems or layers, however, but in the spaces differentiating them.

While a continuum of architectural questions and responses constructed the design of theexpansion of Villa Maderni, its relevance to those outside the academic realm of inquirycan be made clearer through a more concise collection of drawings and written observa-tions. This particular record, however, exhibits a range of inquiry greater than the projectitself; that is, the acts and consequences of those acts involved in arriving at discoveriesand conclusions in architecture, in written text and physical forms.

The birth and sustained growth of a good cause must first be believed excellent by thosewitnessing and taking ownership of the work. Although the limitations of policy and localbuilding codes may thwart or even dissolve the potential of much of this design, it is myhope that this compilation of drawings will define, or at least help us reexamine, the pos-sibilities for the needed physical expansion of our terrific center of learning in the TicinoValley.

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observing

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Observing a VillaEntering the fabric of the Ticino River basin

What Makes a Cell?Communal living made rich in places of solitude

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To the architect of the Ticino River basin, the no-tion of building in direct relationship to the historyof a region is not only characteristic of his work, butalso inescapable. The 1,086 square mile region oc-cupied by this canton of southern Switzerland hasremained a coveted passage since the height of theRoman Empire. The dynamic land changes in alti-tude from over 2,300 meters near the summit of theGrieshorn to under 200 meters by the LakesMaggiore and Lugano. True to its form, centuriesof changing the natural conditions of the land intorational places for dwelling are compounded by lay-ers of craftsmanship in the region. Axially rigidRoman roads intersect Renaissance and Baroqueforms, which act in visible tension with the strict Neo-rationalist work of several twentieth century archi-tects.

The construction of complex towns in the crevassesof the Ticino valley has been forever ruled by thelimitations of space and available materials. Yet,those factors present, the scarcity of resources un-derstood as fundamental to proper planning andbuilding actually contributes much richness to theliving traditions of the region. The organization oftowns around the Ticinese lakes uses as its premisethat space is limited, and therefore sacred. To exist,each new building or planning project must recog-nize its place in the region and respond to both itsphysical and more esoteric contexts.

observing a villa

A church tower in Gandria, east of Lugano,hugs the streets on the severe slope for which thetown is so often recognized. For most, the sim-plest means of access to the town is by water.opposite: a section through the towns of RivaSan Vitale and Capolago reveals the dynamictopographical changes of the region and aids indesign studies of views and direct sunlight.

Observing a villa

entering the fabric of theTicino River Basin

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observing a villa

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That architecture is a physical response to forces acting upona place, both visibly and invisibly, cannot be overstated. Forthe town of Riva San Vitale, the regeneration of the twohundred year old Villa Maderni as the Center for EuropeanStudies and Architecture has placed this sensitive contextinto the forefront of the student experience.

As greater numbers of students continue to arrive at andlive in the villa, the physical response of its architecturemust carefully follow and adapt to its success. Yet, the ar-chitecture of Villa Maderni must first recognize its place inthe fabric of the town and its unique relationship to theland, sitting deep in a valley. It must respond to the struc-ture of the late Renaissance house and its sprawling Ba-roque garden. And finally, any new construction should bea delight to inhabit - for students, professors,groundskeepers, cooks, administrators and guests of thetown. Only after these issues have been contemplated canan architect propose a new structure, space and material.

observing a villa

Figure 3

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Church of Riva San VitaleVia SettalaChurch of San Roccovilla stables and courtvilla gardenvilla washhouseundeveloped propertyCasa Maderni

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observing a villa

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LEGEND

entrance hallsouth entrancenorth entranceofficedining roomliving roomkitchenrestroomlanding

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observing a villa

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what makes a cell?

What makes a cell?

Communal living made richin places of solitude

The vast majority of the vital student experiences at VillaMaderni are communal in nature. Students dine together forthree daily meals, attend classes and design studios together,and likewise spend innumerable hours in and around the townin groups. Communal living extends further still, as studentsshare a bedroom with two or three others. Unless he pur-posely creates the time and physical space for temporary soli-tude and reflection, a student will more often than not findhimself sharing his proximity with another. The boundariesof work, rest and interaction with others are only differenti-ated by the thick walls of the Casa which divide one roomfrom another. Presently, Casa Maderni accommodates theliving arrangements of close to two dozen students, with allother students in subsidiary housing off the site and dispersedthroughout the town.

The growing density of the villa faces parallel questions andissues which are encountered in urban contexts of high den-sity. Can dwelling places and the workplace exist in the samestructural envelope? Does the spatial overlap of one functionwith another distort their limits and impose confusion, or doesthe convenience of their proximity help optimize learning?As city planning evolved and prompted the divisions of ur-ban spaces and zones, the villa faces these issues on a moreminute scale. Nevertheless, regardless of those models whichone could forever investigate and develop hypotheses, one�squestions for the growth of Villa Maderni should centersquarely on caring for the mind of the student.

Perhaps a better model for the architect�s inquiry of commu-nity is that of monastic living. Traditionally, the physical struc-tures of the monasteries of western Europe were those whichclearly differentiated the life of solitude with that of living incommunity. In fact, a belief held in common by these reli-gious orders was that the life of community and sharing wasonly possible after times of retreat and solitude were imposed.While the unity of the brotherhood was experienced duringworship in the church, the enrichment and reflection necessaryfor the spiritual maturity of a monk was only possible in hiscell. It was the task of the architect for a monastic order torecognize this ritual and propose a structure responding tothis differentiation.

In the Convent of La Tourette, in Eveux, France, the modestand simple cell of sitecast concrete is a response to the vitalrituals of the brother finding solitude: reading, reflection, prayer,washing and sleep. Its simplicity and rather spartan qualitieselicit calmness in the individual seeking retreat on this rural hillin southern France.

opposite, top: An irregular site required that Borromini con-struct a design for cells of a �collegio� which respected its geom-etry and still complemented the existing structure of the church.opposite, right: Both the convent of La Tourette (c. 1955) andLa Certosa di Pavia (sixteenth century) make the articulationof the single housing unit, or cell, the foundation upon which athriving life in community is first based.

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Figure 4

If the model of monastic living characterizes a favorablebalance sought in living both in community and in soli-tude, a design can translate its working architectural andspatial principles into another program with parallel re-quirements. In the case of Villa Maderni, its growingdensity can find relief in an architecture which physicallydifferentiates the student from the populace. While astudent learns, achieves and experiences more in the com-munal setting, periods of solitude can give a studentequally powerful responses through contemplation, restand renewal. Thus the structure of the cell, like to a monk,is an essential place responding to the rituals of the stu-dent of the university. It must be of firm construction,useful, and delightful to inhabit. Its fabric must be suchthat a student can adapt or change its character to his orher liking, therein comfortably assuming its ownershipfor the longevity of the experience in Riva San Vitale.

Figure 5

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what makes a cell?

The common response to the notion of living in a �cell� isone of reservation. The term conjures images of a cold, awk-ward and undersized room, perhaps like that of a monasteryor one of solitary confinement, where the human condition issubjugated and one is left without choices. To the extent thatthe word defines a room for one dweller, however, it is aneffective term for spatial definition. It purely represents oneessential, repeating unit in a larger and rhythmic unified group.

Besides the expectations common in all of architecture, a cellfor a student has its own more specific design requirements.The effective extension of Villa Maderni into its remainingproperty is dependent upon these rules being satisfied withinthe details of the design.

The cell must relate well with its dweller. The design of a smalldwelling for a traveling student must recognize the rituals andtypical habits of the student. The bodily movements associ-ated with sleeping, washing, dressing, sitting, writing and col-lecting must all find a place in a spatially efficient room.

The cell must take a position on how it relates to other cells. The birthof the housing expansion purposely centered upon the op-portunity for solitude and reflection. Knowing this, a cell musthave the ability to either relate, or not relate, with other stu-dents� cells. This differentiation provides students choices inhow open or truly private the cell becomes. As most studentswelcome living with another, these issues invoke the questionand possibility of designing a cell for two students as well as acell for one.

The cell must relate to the villa�s places of community. Since VillaMaderni was first renovated and used by the University, itsgarden has been considered a sacred piece of the fabric ofthe villa. The property south of the casa, enclosed by walls ofstacked stone, an aging brick washhouse, and a wide varietyfloral species, is a space not only appreciated but one main-tained as a sanctuary and place of rest. Thus the structure ofthe cells must relate well to the presence of the garden, byrespecting its fragility and offering the student gentle accessto it from his or her cell.

above and right: early design drawings for cells in thegarden of Villa Maderni

Figure 6

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left: Barcelona�s Casa Mila, designed by Antoni Gaudi near theturn of the twentieth century, is a collection of dwelling spaces, eachunit of which is unique in size and form. Although the design callsfor an irregular geometry and no rooms repeat the form of the next,each unit plays a crucial spatial role in the fabric of the whole struc-ture. right: This housing block in Berlin (architect: Andreas Becher)employs a more rigid spatial repetition opposite that of Gaudi, onewith such remarkable craftsmanship that its space and materials areglorified in its predictability.

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responding

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SEVEN LOCI:The Completion of Villa Maderni

Living in CommunityLiving in Solitude

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The primary goal for expanding the housing ofVilla Maderni is to give students personalizeddwelling places on the property, thus balancingthe communal life with that of the individual.While the designs for student housing are the mostessential pieces for the growth of the villa, fiveother loci, or �places,� are vital communal cen-ters of activity for students in the outdoors.

Within the thick walls of Casa Maderni, class-rooms, computing labs, bedrooms, living roomsand a dining room all coexist. The designs ofthese five other places around and beyond the axesof the garden recognize the totality of the prop-erty, and extend the value of learning, playing andsocializing into the beautiful outdoor setting ofthe Ticino valley.

living in community

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LEGEND

thresholdforumtowerarenabridge

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living in community

A threshold of sitecast concrete is a physi-cal connection between the villa garden andthe face of Casa Maderni and Via Settala.As an alternative to the existing stackedstone wall of the garden and the plasteredwalls of Casa Maderni, this design bravelyintroduces a modern building material in-serted amongst those of the older struc-tures. While the concrete subtly defines thefloor condition with paving elements andchest-high walls, the overhead presence ofthe massive magnolia tree in the garden isa natural canopy over the space definingentrance and departure. Consistent withthe villa�s introverted posture and structurerelative to the urban conditions of the site,the new threshold adds greater compres-sion and definition to the experience.

threshold

The making of an entrance was to Carlo Scarpa a magnificent opportunityfor architectural definition. At both the Brion-Vega Cemetery and theCastelvecchio Museum in the Veneto region, thresholds of concrete exhibitthe power of the floor condition passing through an entrance.

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V I A S E T T A L A

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living in community

Past the student cells along the existing eastgarden wall of stacked stone, an outdoorclassroom, or forum, is a recessed andstepped area of concrete. Open to the sky,it could accommodate the assembly oftwenty or more. Its strongest qualities areits ambiguity to function and its relation-ships to the curving stone wall and theneighboring tower. As any student who hasformerly lived at the villa will remember,to have time to experience the garden inthe fall or spring is as enriching as it is rest-ful. Like the threshold, the forum is a physi-cal response to magnify a previously exist-ing ritual: that of being in the outdoors.

forum

The Wexner Center for the Arts, in Columbus, Ohio exhibits an architecturewhich extends well beyond the building envelope. For Peter Eisenmann, thestepped exterior becomes a place of gathering and rest as well as a means ofelevating an entrance.

Figure 7

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living in community

In the southernmost portion of the newvilla design, within the radius of the stonewall, stands a round tower also primarilyof sitecast and precast concrete. It standsforty-four feet high (13.4 m), and its diam-eter of seventeen feet (5.2 m) is a physicalspace large enough to be ascended and in-habited as a place of recreation and won-derful views of the town and valley.

Riva San Vitale enjoys several towers ris-ing above the roofs of the town. Thechurches of Santa Croce, Riva San Vitaleand San Rocco are seen and heard daily,standing and echoing as symbols of the richreligious tradition of Riva San Vitale andproviding points of orientation in thestreets.

tower

While Riva San Vitale sits deep in the TicinoValley, its towers juxtapose this phenomenon andreacquaint the town with the sky. The towers ofher churches are to the town like those seen acrossthe skyline of Florence, opposite.

Figure 8

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living in community

The expansion of Villa Maderni respondsto the need for a place of recreation, aswell as those for academic pursuits andneeded housing. While many may considerthe dynamic topography of much of thesite unworkable, the existing land is actu-ally quite suitable and receptive to new con-struction.

In the southwest corner of the villa prop-erty, a place for sport, or �arena� of retain-ing walls and level playing surface invitesactivity. This portion of land is the highestelevation of the property, but is the fur-thest from the casa itself. The small exist-ing space currently used for sport can bereplaced with this more generous and well-defined space for play, thus transplanting atypically noisy portion of the site to an idealplace.

arena

The castle renovation in the Ticino townof Bellinzona exhibits the architect�smastery of working modern buildingmaterials into a medieval context. Thisnew castle courtyard has elements ofsitecast concrete and concrete masonryunits within the old existing stacked stonewalls, which for the design of the villaexpansion are a strong precedent for aparallel way of thinking and building.

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living in community

bridge

At several points, the line between the in-dividual and communal life is blurred. Asone departs Casa Maderni for his or hercell, the experience of being in this gap begsfor architectural definition. A physicalstructure which transports, or bridges thecommunal life with the solitary life can beas subtle as a change in direction or as com-plex as a magnificent threshold. Along theweak axis of the geometry of the villa, anew west entry and a footbridge of pre-cast concrete, steel and wood, comple-mented by a radiating stair of masonry con-struction are new responses to this transi-tional experience.

Figure 9

The making of a footbridge can range in construction from ahandcrafted assembly of beautiful materials to a more acrobaticposture exhibiting the capacity of the lastest technology. TheQuerini Stampalia Foundation in Venice, Italy enjoys the iron,wood and brass bridge of Carlo Scarpa while Santiago Calatravaspans a town to a museum in a recently completed design.

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living in community

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TRANSVERSE SECTION, BRIDGE ASSEMBLY (facing east)

A existing window sash (fixed) K bearing plateB lighting fixture, aluminum L 200 mm sitecast columnC 65 mm oak frame door M 375 mm existing wallD jamb, galvanized steel N steel pin connectionE 50 mm wood flooring O waterproofing membraneF 60 mm hardwood battens P laminated wood assemblyG 100 mm timber joist 122 mm leng. Q steel tension cableH lighting fixture, aluminum R 200 mm precast concrete unitI flashing, copper S rod and bearing plateJ 280 mm precast concrete beam T bracket and cable tie

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living in community

longitudinal section of the bridge assembly by day

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north elevation of the bridge assembly by night

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The real differentiation between living in solitude and in commu-nity is most acutely experienced in the expansion of student hous-ing. Modeled around monastic living, like in a convent or certosa,the inhabitable cells are complements to Casa Maderni and theentirety of the villa. In the inhabitable garden wall, a student lives ina cell to himself, one of remarkable craft and efficiency. In theinhabitable retaining wall, two students share a dynamic cell of sitecastconcrete, glass and the finest hardwoods, like those which con-struct the garden wall.

Both inhabitable walls face the garden and enclose its sacred quali-ties from its previous exposure to Via Settala. In this sense, thecell structure is one of introversion, concurrent with the commonhistorical tradition of villas in the region. The combination of thecells� efficient use of space and effective use of natural lightingand ventilation make them delightful places in which to spendtime apart from Casa Maderni.

living in community living in solitude

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LEGEND

inhabitablegarden wall

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The geometric plan of the existing villagarden reflects its sacred qualities, much likethe cloister of monastery. The busy ve-hicular traffic along Via Settala, however,produces frequent and noticeable noisethrough the garden. A higher wall, one thatis inhabitable as cells for students, couldmitigate noise from the street and enclosethe garden. These cells must have a properrelationship with the fabric of the gardenand use space efficiently as well. The fol-lowing design proposes linked structureswhich are not only delightful places to in-habit, but also ones which respect the na-ture of the garden and the entirety of thevilla. Six students will inhabit six spatiallygenerous cells, which open to the air, lightand views enjoyed in the garden.

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Building in the old Baroque garden of Villa Maderni requires sensi-tivity to various elements, both visible and invisible. One exampleof an existing physical presence in the garden is the wall which de-fines the edge of the property along Via Settala. Like most gardenwalls and retaining walls of the region, it is constructed of stackedstones pulled directly from the site. It most likely has existed sincethe making of Casa Maderni itself, more than two hundred years.

In the earliest stages of designing student housing in the villa gar-den, removing the old wall and replacing it with a new boundarydefining the edge condition of the property seemed the most properresponse to the changing needs of the site. However, the challengeand possibility of integrating the old element as a physical layer in anew architecture was an opportunity with more dynamic results.

As an alternative to destroying the wall, or depending upon it struc-turally in a new design, the inhabitable garden wall acts as a newbackground for it. In this synthesis, an old building technique inter-sects new materials to form a rare relationship which proclaims theliving history of the place.

In order to achieve this unique structural condition, the foundationof the new garden cells must not place loads upon the stacked stones,but reach up to it without making direct contact. Using the stackedstone wall as formwork for a sitecast concrete foundation is anotheralternative to making this condition an affordable possibility. Thus,resolving the issue of the presence of the old wall, the design canmove from the cell�s limitations to its possibilities.


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below: The existing stacked stone gardenwall defines the eastern edge of the villaproperty along Via Settala. The grade ofthe garden varies from 22 inches to fourfeet higher than that of the street.

inhabitable garden wall

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After numerous explorations of varying structural systemsfor the garden wall cell in sketch and model form, these plansfor six cells in the garden (below) and two cells sharing onewashroom (right) satisfied the aforementioned requirements forthe student living in the villa. The following formal drawingspresent a much more detailed cycle of decisions made in thelatter stages of the project�s development.

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LOWER WALL ASSEMBLY

a 2x10 oak framingb 6” steel channelc 6” steel wide flanged electrical conduit channele 8” precast ribbed concrete panelf 1” air spaceg 2” rigid foam board insulation 2xh waterproofing membranei 6” sitecast concrete

ROOF AND WALL ASSEMBLY

a copper flashingb roofing membranec 10” extruded polystyrene insulationd fibre reinforced precast concrete panele weld platef 10” one way precast slabg bearing plateh 6” steel channeli 6” steel wide flangej 2x10 oak frame headerk 2x4 oak framel birch and oak finishingm 1/2” battensn 3/4” larch siding elements

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The slope of the land behind Casa Madernican be harnessed into powerful design andtranslated into a proper architectural re-sponse. The following designs for a seriesof cells in an inhabitable retaining wall ex-hibit this possibility. They extend the ideaof solitary living into spatially dynamicrooms. Twelve cells, each of which couldbe inhabited by two students, are alterna-tives to the solitary cell. The line of cellsbreaks for a radial stair and bridge design,but continues again to maximize the useof space in the undeveloped land.

In a region where retaining wall construc-tion is often the first critical act in thebuilding process, the hillside towns ofGandria and Rovio are stacked inser-tions into the landscape.

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inhabitable garden wall inhabitable retaining wall

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The second floor of each retaining wall cellis a steel framed structure with an infillconstruction of oak and larch, much likethe hierarchy of the garden wall cell. Theinterior space is one large room for beds,shelves, closets and a desk. A balcony offthis second level opens the cells east to-ward Monte Generoso and morning sun-light. The floor of this room is reminis-cent of the floor of Casa Maderni, incor-porating elements of terra cotta tiles withinits oak framing.

The first floor of each retaining wall cell isa sitecast reinforced concrete structure withlarge glazing elements in key moments.Upon entering the cell at a level betweenthe first and second levels, a student willdescend into a lounge area with a large glasswall enclosing the room. A smaller spacefor an ethernet connection and a place forstorage are between the lounge and thebathroom in the rear of the cell. The foursquare columns of the bathroom define thespace and bear the loads of the secondfloor. This design allows the bathroom toachieve a unique character.


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making

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FROM DRAWING TO MAKING

Concrete as CoreConcrete as ShellConcrete as Canvas

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CALCESTRUZZO

The established reputation of the Ticino region as abirthplace of some of the world�s finest artisans ex-tends centuries deep into its history. Stone cutting,woodworking, painting, and sculpting are all still rec-ognizable crafts shaping the landscape.

For the twentieth century Swiss, however, the de-velopment and frequent use of reinforced concreteenabled the construction of critical building projectsin concrete, such as tunnels through the Alpine re-gions and sprawling bridges over vast expanses.

Sitecast concrete, precast concrete (�calcestruzzoprefabbricato�), and concrete masonry constructionall soon infiltrated the work of Ticino architects, asexpertise of the new craft and availability of thematerial and its related products expanded. Still arelatively inexpensive trade, even smaller residentialprojects employ the material extensively and cre-atively.

The architect can consider concrete a material withsuch plasticity and variability, both in its substanceand its range of use. It can be expressed anywherein the hierarchy of a structure from the primary skel-etal system to the more tertiary elements in the skinor shell of a work. In the design for the completionof Villa Maderni, concrete can be interpreted as acore, as a shell and as a canvas.

from drawing to making

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Figure 10

Basel, Switzerland enjoys the concrete, steel andcopper train repair facility by Herzog and deMeuron, whose design recognizes the possibilitiesand the beauty of a sitecast skeleton in a strictlyutilitarian program. Likewise, this housing blockin Kassel, Germany is a clear articulation of ahierarchy of concrete and wood (architect:Alexander Reichel, Munich).

Every architect must develop for him or herself a framework,or principles through which to ponder and make architecture.From structural systems to materials and evolving technolo-gies, construction and criticism in the development of a workmay result in an intelligent form if the architect works fromthose principles consistently but is flexible in the approach toa changing number of issues arising and affecting that work.Thinking of architecture in metaphor, or through symbols andthose physical things existing outside the art entirely, can pro-vide a rich and objective source of parallel models guidingvital choices in the design process.

The human body is for the architect an excellent model throughwhich to understand design. From the levels of its structuralassembly to its circulation, skin and joints, its many systemsdirectly parallel those issues arising in the making of a goodbuilding. As a building must maintain safe, working and effi-cient mechanical systems, so too must the nervous, digestiveand circulatory systems of the body work in harmony.

Understanding this anthropomorphosis of forms extendsclearly into the realm of the structural systems of architec-ture. As the aforementioned theorist Jacques Gubler noted,we can judge the integrity of a structure through its likenessto a skeleton and those things which complete, or fill it. Foran architecture involving the small dwelling of one or twopersons, as in the expansion of Villa Maderni, these principlesare suitable for direct application. The inhabitable garden wallis a structural morphosis of natural forms, as is the inhabit-able retaining wall.

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To assert the workable plasticity of sitecast concrete as theprimary element in the hierarchy of a construction immedi-ately demands the making of its antecedent: its formwork. Itis often remarked that to make a building of sitecast concretedemands the making of two buildings, one of wood and theother of concrete. For the Swiss architect, the design of abeautiful set of forms can in itself justify the making of aconcrete structure. Throughout the thesis design of the in-habitable garden wall, the design and making of formworkfor the modeling of one cell was paramount in furthering theunderstanding of concrete as the core of the structure. Toconsider the cast as the core of the structure demanded it bea single, central unit. Thus the primary element in the mor-phosis of the hierarchy was satisfied, all the while integratingthe sensitivities of the site.

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concrete as core

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To maintain a framework through which to learn architecturedemands that one consider that the very materials which makeup the assembly of a structure have characteristics which areinseparable from their nature. The firmness and compressivestrength of concrete is a basic quality of all its forms. How-ever, its range of workability allows it to be a fundamentalpiece of a construction, as a core, or become integrated as asmaller but still essential unit in the fabric of a structure.

As we can consider concrete the primary element of a hierar-chy, or skeleton, we can likewise consider it to take the samequalities as the shell or skin of a body. In this sense, its pres-ence is more that of an envelope, one which is flexible butprotective of the other vital systems of the structure. Assum-ing these qualities means, for instance, that a wall is an assem-bly of several smaller units into a whole, or one tertiary unitsimply blanketing the structure from the elements. While in-dustrial standards differentiate the methods and propertiesof making concrete into the familiar terms, such as precast,sitecast and concrete masonry units, we can understand the flexiblenature of concrete through metaphors just as easily. Again,the metaphor of the human body as it relates to concrete canhelp in the understanding of its nature.

La Tourette exhibits the mastery ofLe Corbusier with the plasticity ofconcrete. The hierarchy of the sitecastframe and pilotis frees the walls ofthe structure to achieve a remarkablethinness. Concrete window mullionscast at one and a half inches thickare matched in beauty by the gridlikebalcony walls for each individual cell,also cast on the site before being as-sembled as parts of the whole.

Likewise, the concrete frame of thehousing block in Kassel allows theinfill of its form to vary from woodeninstallations to fibre-reinforced con-crete panels. In this way, concreteacts as a shell as well as the core ofthe structure.

Figure 13

Figure 12

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The inhabitable garden wall of Villa Maderni exhibits concreteas a shell as well as a core. The wall defining the eastern edge ofthe villa property along Via Settala investigates how precast con-crete units can be parts of an assembly achieving all the needsof an insulating building envelope, while simultaneously not en-dangering the fragile existing stacked stone wall adjacent to it.

The stacking pattern of rectilinear precast units of varying sizesis structurally reminiscent of the traditional stone stacking char-acteristic of the Ticino region. Historically, removing stonesfrom the land and making garden walls of them shaped thelandscape and freed the soil for the planting of vineyards. Thusthe design respects and responds to those visible elements whichare inseparable from the character of the people.

concrete as shell

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concrete as shell

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The structurally impressive capabilities of concrete,whether or not cast at the building site, leave the mate-rial an innate handicap in its appearance. Without ad-mixtures, the material itself is dependent upon its shap-ing and texture for its beauty. Thus its permanent formis literally left in the hands of its craftsman, or thoseconstructing its formwork.

When its monolithic and colorless nature is exposed tospectrums of light, however, concrete is a canvas.In this sense, we depart from understanding concretethrough the metaphor of the human body, and observeit through a phenomenon brought to it when it is in-troduced to a more powerful force: the sun.

The naves of cathedrals present the likeness of stoneand concrete to a canvas, when direct sunlight passesthrough nearby stained glazing. Chartres Cathedral inFrance and the Church of St. Ignatius, in Basel, Swit-zerland are prime examples of the power of the sup-posedly blank, cold and meaningless surfaces of con-crete.

Likewise, a monolithic concrete surface can act as acanvas in the sense of being a backdrop for anothermaterial, as in the case of the inhabitable garden wall.As the new and old walls of the villa garden harmo-nize structurally, the view of the two walls from thestreet dynamically presents the stacked stone of theeighteenth century as the thing still worthy of one�sattention.

Figure 14

Figure 15

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The retaining wall against the slope ofthe land is an ideal opportunity for mak-ing an often unremarkable room one whichis quite dynamic. The filtering of natu-ral sunlight through colored lenses in thespace between the wall and ceiling makesthe smooth grey concrete a canvas for chang-ing palate of reds, yellows and blues.

concrete as canvas

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Bibliography

Brown-Manrique, Gerardo, The Ticino Guide; Princeton Architectural Press, New York, NY.

Janson, H.W., History of Art, volume I; Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York, NY 1995.

Masiero, Roberto, Architettura in Ticino; Skira Editore, Milan 1999.

Nuttgens, Patrick, The Story of Architecture; Phaidon Press, Ltd., London 1997.

Osler, Mirabel, The Garden Wall; Simon & Schuster, New York, NY 1993.

Portoghesi, Paolo, The Rome of Borromini; George Braziller, Inc., New York, NY 1968.

Schider, Fritz, An Atlas of Anatomy for Artists; Dover Publications, Inc., New York, NY 1957.

Schittich, Christian, �Wohn-und Burohaus in Kassel,� Detail Magazine, June-July 2001.

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List of Illustrations

Figure 1 Masiero, Roberto, Architettura in Ticino, �Centro Scolastico�Figure 2 Schider, Fritz, An Atlas of Anatomy for Artists, plate 168Figure 3 Brown-Manrique, Gerardo, The Ticino GuideFigure 4 Portoghesi, Paolo, The Rome of BorrominiFigure 5 postcard, Certosa di PaviaFigure 6 Nuttgens, Patrick, The Story of Architecture, �Casa Mila, Barcelona�Figure 7 University Relations, Virginia TechFigure 8 Osler, Mirabel, The Garden Wall, p.51Figure 9 University Relations, Virginia TechFigure 10 �Wohn- und Burohaus in Kassel,� Detail, p.675Figure 11 Shider, Fritz, An Atlas of Anatomy for Artists, plate 123Figure 12 �Wohn- und Burohaus in Kassel,� Detail, p.677Figure 13 Shider, Fritz, An Atlas of Anatomy for Artists, plate 168Figure 14 Janson, H.W., History of Art, �Chartres Cathedral�Figure 15 Bill Brown, courtesy

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This work is a culmination of more than simply a design project for amasters� thesis. It represents and reflects a three year process of con-tinuous learning, both in classrooms in the United States and the piazziof western Europe. I would like to personally thank my professors fortheir guidance from the beginning to the completion of each work,from painting twelve shades of green to full scale wall sections. HeinerSchnoedt, Hans Rott, Hunter Pittman, Mike O�Brien, Lorenz Moser,Bill Galloway, Bill Brown. Many thanks go to my classmates, who weremore than colleagues, but roommates, teammates and lifetime friends.Three years, three continents, three berber rugs. Ben Jordan-Downs,William �Mac� Ngutter, Yusef Nawas, Marcus Brown, Phil Cosco, ToddChristopher, Doug Satteson. Most of all I want to thank my parentsand the wonderful love of my life for their prayers, companionship,trust and love. Mom, Dad, Jennifer.

�We want to swim in life, not architecture. And the best moments arewhen, by swimming in life, we catch exactly what we need to take backand make our buildings.� Renzo Piano, Genoa, 1993

vitaDavid Anderson Prevette

Newburgh, New York, 1975

St. Mary’s College of DivinityUniversity of St. Andrews in Scotland, 1996

Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Fine ArtsHampden-Sydney College in Virginia,1997

David A. PrevettePen and Ink Renderings, 1999

E.T. Gresham Company, Inc.Assistant to ConstructionSuperintendents, 2000

Center for European Studies andArchitecture, Riva San Vitale,Switzerland, 2001

Master of ArchitectureVirginia Polytechnic Instituteand State University, 2004

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