Introduction
Contextual Architecture is an architecture whose design
inspiration comes from acknowledging not only the immediate but the larger context
of building. Also called Contextualism, the term suggests an architecture that
respond to its surroundings or spiritual characteristics there. Unlike any
specific architectural style such as Constructivism or Deconstructivism against
the fixed geometries and fabric on purpose. Contextualism includes three
distinct aspects: vernacularism / vernacular architecture, regionalism /
regional architecture and critical regionalism. Context comes in Latin
contexere meaning to combine together. In an architectural sense, it can be
conscious of unified whole that provide some characteristic of the building.
"
Combination of Science and architecture create a soul into a building." - Jane
Jacob
Role of Context in architecture today
Context
plays an important role in architecture as it can determine the architectural
style of a building. Context is simply an external element that will influences
the building and site. The factor of contextual including the nature of surroundings
that is natural and built elements. Contextual normally fix the architectural
style, building materials selection and layout of site which is important to
create a good design.
Starting from 18th century, population had become
a main issue which causes insufficient of land and space for them to stay.
Thus, environment design and planning become a solution to solve the problem.
From example, design more skyscrapers which can fit more people and able to
save areas.
“Everywhere in the city, by the shortest way.”
– Le Corbusier.
Like what Le Corbusier said, the important thing is urban
planning, but the danger of roads always the context nowadays. After that, he
introduced the utopia concept of one road with one function.
Besides, politic also play an important role. Government in
Malaysia also made a policy so that all the government buildings have to use
the method of industrialized building system to reduce the foreign workers.
Context also mainly in economic issue. Different country has
its own different economic conditions. Therefore, this have become an impact
that slowing down the building development. Architects nowadays able to design
a building with cost-effective construction method so that it can reduce the labor
costs and also speed up the process of construction.
Work-Studio in a Plant House
This studio is designed by o-office architects and located
in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. This studio was transformed from the central
part of a vacant plant-house built hill-side facing south that can function as
a warm house for plants. They used a lightweight steel structure to support the
pitched roof canopy that acts as a giant glass house that provide lots of
natural lights.
This studio using lots of glass material because it is
facing to the south where sunlight run through less. The architect constructed
an intimate and small-village-like work environment under the plant-house’s
original building skin, maintaining the natural lights and ventilation in the
new working cluster to achieve a low-energy-cost green spatial infill.
China Academy of Arts’ Folk Art Museum
This museum stands in a former tea plantation on the China
Academy of Arts campus in Hangzhou, a city on China’s eastern coast and it
designed by Kengo Kuma. The point is to design a museum from which the ground below can be felt, by continuing the
building’s floors that follow the ups and downs of the slope.
Each section of the building
is designed to look like a small house with its own pitched roof. These
are all covered in rows of grey tiles, giving the museum a zigzagging
roofline. Old tiles for screen and roof came from the local houses. They
come with different sizes and shapes so that it helps the architecture merge
into the ground naturally. With using the tiling
discarded from local housing, it helps the gallery fit into both rural and
urban setting.
"The outer
wall is covered with a screen of tiles hung up by stainless wires, and it
controls the volume of sunlight coming into the rooms inside," they added.
Conclusion
In conclusion, contemporary architecture can be affected by
many factors. These factors are the main context for the architects to design a
building. The design process should not only carry out the wishes of an
architect but also have to considered the surrounding context locally and
globally. I agree with it as it is important for us to considered all the
contexts such as climatic, environmental, cultural and political. It makes our
building can fulfill into requirements and fit the current era.