Christopher Alexander's, "The Timeless Way of Building" inspires the question of whether or not a Timeless Architecture can exist and be created.
Understanding the basic elements needed in any building construction, along with essential services standard to any programme and/or function is what I believe is the starting point for a Timeless way of building...
Take for example, the standard office block. If asked to transform this specific typology to housing - the question is what is missing or needs to be adapted for this typology to change.
The basics: a washroom + kitchenette; all centralized.
Essentially, the idea is to address the context, and create the opportunity for change to occur spontaneously. In the event of a financial crisis, where small commercial businesses go-under; offer the opportunity for the property owner to convert commercial space to housing.
Create a quality shell and structure, open floor-plan, central services which can be used for any tenant occupying the building/space.
This notion of adaptive reuse is not a new one, however, architecture should be the result of the context and perhaps not on a particular programme held at a particular place in time.
"... the idea is to address the context, and create the opportunity for change to occur spontaneously."
ReplyDeleteSounds exciting! Very informative.