Vrijevormarchitectuur: Ontwerpen, tekenen, maken & betekenen

Ontwerpen, tekenen, maken & betekenen

Abstract

This dissertation is the result of a long search for the why and how of free-form architecture is designed, drawn and made, and what the philosophical and phenomenological meaning of freeform architecture is. Initially, the doctoral student looked at the strict architectural theory of the Benedictine monk Hans van der Laan, with whom he had intensive contact for many years. At times, it proved an impossible task to clash or compare Van der Laan's strictly orthodox world of architecture with its opposite, the curved world of free-form architecture.

In order to acquire a balance in knowledge between the hand-drawn ideas of Van der Laan and the computerised ideas of free-form architecture, the research initially concentrated on the design and drawing programmes with which free-form architecture is designed, drawn and made. The knowledge of free-form architecture was only really gained by actually designing, drawing, redesigning and (playfully) redrawing the free-form buildings: 'Research by Redrawing', 'Research by Redesigning' and 'Research by Playing'.

Gradually it became clear that the research comprised two angles of approach. A perspective from the point of view of the practising architect and a perspective from the point of view of the contemplative architect. The practicing architect who designs, draws and makes (or has made) and the contemplative architect who searches for philosophical and phenomenological meaning. The main question of this research is: 'How is free-form architecture designed, drawn and made and what is its philosophical and phenomenological meaning?

The answer is dealt with in four parts:

1. designing,
2. drawing,
3. signifying and
4. making it.

The first two sections - designing and drawing - answer the questions: How are buildings designed? How are they drawn? What is the role of the designer and what is the role of the computer in the design and drawing process? What recognisable steps have taken place in the development from the analogue design and drawing process to the digital design and drawing process?

In the third part - meaning - an answer to the questions was sought: What is the meaning of free form architecture? How are we going to 'measure' that meaning? What standards are we going to use? What characteristics should these standards have? After an intermezzo on Researching and Designing, this resulted in a Meta-toolbox with tools to interpret free-form architecture.

Finally, the fourth part - the making - sketches the genesis of sixteen selected free-form projects from the end of the last millennium to the present. Beginning with an experimental start with many accidents, financial debacles, fiascoes and bankruptcies, up to the expulsion of free-form architects from the building site; in short, the growing pains of a wild and highly experimental period in freeform architecture. After this experimental period of more than ten years, a better view of the freeform problems began to emerge around 2008: architects became more concerned, budgets were higher, makers were better introduced and experienced - certainly in certain design offices - and most projects were more mature from design to completion. It is therefore good to look back and forward at this point in the development of free-form architecture.