Abstract
Humans, the built and the physical geography have always been related to eachother. Physical geography has had a big influence in the built environment from development of the first building until whole cities. As result from the physical geographical context, in the past, humans created place-tied built environments. From the industrial revolution on, the influence of the geographical environment has been reduced. Development in four aspects from a building (shell, structure, entrance and ventilation), during the modernist period, made way for non place-tied buildings. Slighty on, buildings and their users began to negatively influence the physical geography instead of that the physical geography influenced our built environment, which resulted to dangerous situations for humans. Over the years, humans have been aware of the needs for a good relation between humans, the built and the physical geography.
This essay shows the development of the balance between humans, the built and the physical geography and where this leads to nowadays. Lastly the essay describes the relationship between the built environment of tomorrow and how architects/designers can play a role in these.
Mostly white, sometimes yellow, light green, light blue or pink: the collors of facades in Portugal, Spain or Greece. Examples includes famous tourist places like Santorini, Marbella and buildings on the Amalfi coastline (figure 1). These facades in the south of Europe are in contrast with the facades in Middle/Northern Europe. In the Netherlands, Germany, England and Scandinavia the material of facades are mainly dominated by wood, stone and brick (figure 2). All in slightly dark toned colors. However, over the last few decades a slow change is visible. During this time period also in north europe, more and more modern buildings rise with light-colored facades.
When travelling from north europe to Marbella, Santorini or the Amalfi coast, we will move South. The climate generally becomes warmer when you travel south, there is less humidity and the landscape changes as well. Overall, the geographical environment changes. Could these changes in scenery and/or the climate be the cause of a different design of the cultivated environment? Additionally a questions rises as to why, during the last few decades, more and more buildings emerge with light colored facades in the north of Europe.
In this paper I will examine the two questions above. I will start with the frist question on whether the physical geographic environment has an affect on the spatial environment as we know it. To be able to answer this question there first needs to be clarification on what physical geography is and what the influences of our physical geographical environment are on our build environment. Thereafter, I wil research what the influence of the physical geography has been on the world as we know it right now. From there I will dive into local and individual scale of buildings facing the physical geography.
When we know what the influence of our physical geographical environment is we can ask ourselves whether we can turn around these effects as well. To see whether it is possible to change the influence of the geographical environment from an outcome to a starting point for our design. In other words, should we actively include the environment in our designs?
Every city starts with a pair of buildings. These buildings multiply until it creates a street. More streets together can form a hamlet. When a hamlet grows, it could become a village. Village can become cities. Cities can develop into metropols, etc. This growth from a building into a city is not in a straight line, it can stop on random moments and grow with different speeds. Some cities have grown earlier, slower or faster than others.
There are many aspects that effect this growth. Geography is one of these aspects. When we look at famous old cities, many of them are located at spots that where interesting because of their surroundings. Think about a pleasing climate, usable elevation changes in the landscape, strategic spots next to water or other trade routes, etc. A good example is Rome; located between seven hills, next to the river Tiber (Figure 3). This river provided a good infrastructure, making trade easily possible which helped the city to grow. Another example is Cape Town, which is located on an important trade route (Cape of good Hope) and was therefore a restpoint/stopover for many ships. So, it seems that these contextual facets have a big influence.
These influences come from the physical geography, a so called sub-discipline of Earth Sciences. It is a combination of the following two words:
According to the Oxford University dictionary (2015 ) is geography the scientific study of the earth’s surface, physical features, divisions, products, population. Or as the famous geographer Yi-Fu Tuan (1991) once said ‘’Geography is the study of earth as the home of people’’.
According to the Oxford University dictionary (2015 ), physical means the influence of nature and all matter; natural; material. Or as they say, according to the laws of nature.
Together they form the physical geography.‘’Physical geography encompasses the geographic tradition known as the Earth Sciences Tradition. Physical geographers look at the landscapes, surface processes, and climate of the earth — all of the activity found in the four spheres (the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere) ofour planet.’’ (M. Rosenberg, 2018, 30 november)
If these physical geographical conditions were good, it was and still is easier for cities to grow. Dingel, J. I., Meng, K. C., & Hsiang, S. M. (2018) showed that there is a link between in equality in growth and the different geographical conditions. By studying the geographical environment and climates of the United states and central Africa, they show that the impact of climate is enormous on yields of agricultural functions for example. As a result they claim that the productivity of cereal is many times lower in Central Africa because of the climate, and in this case El Nino. The consequences are that they can produced less cereal, so there is also less trade possible. This leaves economic growth behind. A trend that has been visible for many centuries, but where the last years have caught up, according to the European Parliament in 2016, because of the use of new technologies.
As we have seen, these physical geographical influences have partly shaped our world as we know it. Human reacted on these influences by aligning their activities and properties on the context of their surroundings.
The buildings humans used and lived in where also aligned by the physical geographical environments. It is hard to determine when this started but it seems that humans adjust their built environment on their geographical environment for a long time. The most primitive construction works, showed already that we as human seems to be in tune with our physical geographical environment. Think about Tipis that native Americans built (shelters for African tribes) or the Igloos in the Arctic zones. These are examples where buildings have already been adjusted to the environment for over centuries by the use of used material and their surroundings. All of these buildings are a combination of four elements, adjusted to their surroundings. These four elements are:
1. Facade/shell
2. Structure
3. Entrance/access
4. Ventilation/heating
For example The Igloo (Figure 4). This building consists of a tunnel, living part and ventilation hole. The structure is made of snow, a common material with specific characteristics that can be applied well in this climate as insulation. Because of the smart building method, the snow becomes a solid construction work which give protection to the climatical consequences of this region, showed by P. Vola Ãková (2009).
The other example included the Tipi (Figure 5), an edifice of Native Americans, consisting of wooden poles and a cloth. The poles are positioned so that they form a solid structure, with the cloth as shelter. The specific placement of the canvas provides an entrance. According to research of The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (z.d.), the poles meet on top were is space for an opening to let the smoke escapes from the farebeating.
These primitive structures have been developed further towards a huge variety of buildings with different functions, materials, experiences, sizes, construction methods, etc. However, most of these buildings still exist of the four aforementioned parts.
In the northern parts of North America, Europe, and the North of Asia, the development of these four elements has gone very fast, and changed a lot over the past decades. The industrial revolution allowed human to focus on more than our basic needs. Machines helped us to work on land or helped us with fast transportations. This made it possible to develop other themes like technology, exploration of cosmos, microbiology, art, etc. Mainly art and technologies developed incredibly fast. Especially in the 20th and 21th century thanks to the (digital) share of knowledge. This fast developments led to unprecedented possibilities. The opportunities for architects became endless, which created many different buildings and a diverse built environment. As a result, new architectural styles followed rapidly on each-other. The same architectural styles were more and more spread across the world. Some of these styles developed more and more into a not place-tied style. This gave rise to buildings from Finland till the South of the United States, both with a similar style; the international style, seen by Phillip Johnsons international exhibition (1932). This style is about functionality, sleek shapes without ornaments and more or less stripped of context, like Phillip Johnsons Glass house (Figure 6). To accomplish these themes, the developments of the the four basic elements improved significantly from this period. Especially in the 20th century, developments in these themes who were adjustable in different climates:
1. Shell
The shell has developed from a protective layer into a shell that is highly esthetic. It has become part of the identity of the user, an expresion of style or even a (political) statement. Stefano Boeri’s (figure 7)tower shows a statement about what we can do with nature in our buildings, with his building Bosco Verticale. The facade also shows the relation between inside and outside. Some buildings are really about the experience towards the outside. Others focus more on the buildings interior and do not look for interaction with the outside context. Think, for example, about the brutalist facade of Gotfried Bohms Nevigeser Wallfahrtsdom (Figure 8).
2. Structure
The idea of structure hasn’t changed much. Nowadays however, the choice of materials, possible spans and sizes of structures are huge. Architects and engineers defy the laws of nature and gravity, like Calatrava’s buildings (Figure 9). He designes structures that became the expression of the building itself. Other architects try to redefine the function of structures. Junya Ishigami designed Kanagawa University library (Figure 10) by placing hundreds of columns on a random grid. The columns together create and define spaces, filled in by the users.
3. Access
Also the access has not changed that much in years but the diversity in accesses is endless. Architects constantly come up with new variants of openings and doors. Nowadays, it is the first physical relation from a (new) user in a new building, and architects are really aware of this. They play with the experience of the users. Like Ludwig Mies van der Rohe at the Neue nationale gallery (Figure 11), where the stairs, canopy and glass doors are all part of the entrance, but where the line of inside and outside is highly vague. Or Zumthor at the Columba in Koln, (Figure 12) where the door-handle is curved out of a stone, and you immediately are aware that you enter the building.
4. Ventilation and heating
The developments in ventilation and heating have probably had the most influence on non place-tied buildings. In the last centuries this topic has developed so fast, that we can create a big variety of climates inside buildings. This change made it possible that the climate inside the building becomes independent from the climate around the buildings. We can create glass boxes with a perfect livable climate or office spaces where fresh air is not longer necessary because of our mechanical ventilation installation. This opened a new world for designers. They could place functions on places where other qualities came up. For example, back in the days, the fireplace was the core of a house, where all functions where focuses around this place. Nowadays the core of the house is not so strict anymore, because of new heating systems. Architects were challenged to rethink our way of living and came up whit new concepts, like the Raumplan in Villa Mueller (Figure 13)from Adolf loos. This concept is about different rooms and a dynamic section. The architect designed individual rooms where scale, function and intimity were focuspoints. These rooms were clustered and the routing between these functions where key. Another plan is Plan Libre from Le Corbussier, like villa Savoye (Figure 14). He came up with five themes, which made it possible to design a open floorplan, this made a huge impact on the contemporary architecture. Both of these designers where leaders in the modernism movement, where function and the exclusion of ornaments became focuspoints. High tech installation helped these designers to come to these sleek shapes.
Meanwhile these developments made a transition in the architectural with its context. The more developments, especcially in the installations and ventilations, the less need for place tied architecture.
The developments in the built environment insured that the influence of the climate and the physical geographical environment on our built environment were fading away. As described before, the first and most primitive building were designed from and with the results of the geographical influences. In the modernist era we lost this place tied architecture, and the climate had less and less influence on our architecture. Worse still, we began to influence the climate and the physical geography. Those installations, which grow in numbers really fast, are bad for climates all over the world. Gasses like co2 and the electricity needed for these instruments, began to put a negative stamp on mother nature. Us humans and our heavy industries are the main cause of this problem.
The last decades, there are changes going on. The climate has changed fast, which causes big geographical problems like extreme drought, huge flooding, violent storms and hurricanes. Examples are: hurricane Katrina, Harvey, Irma and many others. The impact of these geographical problems can be huge. People have started to fear the impact of these disasters, and this made them think.
It seems like humans try to change their behavior because we can see what the impact can be of the change in climates. With these storms, Mother Nature made us aware again of the importance of the climate en the physical geographical context in relation to us human. We start designing again with the elements of geographical context, in a positive way.
To sum up, we made three steps: We came from an period where the climate had a big influence on our built environment. After the industrial revolution we believed that we can imitate climates inside with installations and ventilation units, but actually we put a negative stamp on the climate. The last 60 years, we became aware again of the importance of the climate, and maybe got a little scared of it.
So, we went from the influence of the physical geographical context on our built environment to built environment that influence the physical geographical context. Now we are back again. We are aware again that we have to use the physical geographical context for our built environment.
Designers and architects have a big role in the use of the physical geographical context for our built environment. They have to help reducing the co2 print, by creating a sustainable built environment. There are many ways to minimize the impact of our human behavior and built environment on the planet; Rethinking our living environment, using research of other professions and technology, reuse of old buildings and materials, etc. There is indeed still a lot to win in developments of the aforementioned four themes, by using new technologies and materials. But it seems that architects and designers choose an inclusive approach where all these themes together contribute to a solution. This is applied in different ways, from the small scale of an apartment to concepts for complete islands.
Aanrechtblad from STUDIO Marco Vermeulen, an interior project for an one- person-apartment in Eindhoven, is a project where the designer tried to make users aware of the problem. Although it is only a small project, he could reach a big audience by coming up with a alternative concept of living which made users think about the current situation. He used installation and modern equipment in a unexpected but relevant way. For example, he used the oven as the fireplace, which was the heart of the house back in the day. The tap fo the kitchen sink is at the same time the tap that fills the bath.
Not only living, but also in the commercial buildings architects try to find solutions. This can be done in many ways. For example BIG architects, who tried to come up with innovative ways to use the physical geographical context in their architecture. In the recently completed Energy HQ (figure 18), the architects designed a facade with vertical panels that can shift and rotate to control the wind and the sun. In the end this results in a alternative but highly esthetically facade.
Other architect try to rethink our building
routines. This results in new ways of building and material use. One of these projects is the Minnaert building of Neutelings Riedijk (figure 19). They came up with an alternative for the installations and ventilations, that are normally used in offices. Instead of using all kinds of installations, they used the local climate and qualities of certain material. In the big hall for example, where rainwater could come in the building. By using stone materials, which can hold cold temperature for a longer period, they could keep the space cold without ventilation. This rainwater is spread all over the building in case it has to cool down.
There are also architects focusing on innovation and transition in big building complexes like an indoor swimming-pool or schools and universities. Architects like Superuse and BC architects & Studies focus on circularity, where they try to find new life and reuse buildings and/or building materials. With small changes and an innovative view they change our build environment in a positive way. Examples are the school in Muyiga, Burundi (figure 20), where they build a school with local children They used local raw earth as material for the building. Or the Tropicana swimming-pool, from Superuse studio (figure 21).
Also on a bigger scale, the environment is used for the built environment. In El Hierro (figure 22), a small island in the Spanisch Canaries, they designed a plan to use the old not working volcano on the island in combination with the Tradewinds, by installing 5 huge windturbines. The volcano is now used as a water reservoir, where they installed two hydraulic waterturbines. They came up with a proces where they always have the possibility to provide themselves with green energy by using the physical geography. Now they’re almost self-sufficient in their energy revival.
And so there are many projects and innovations going on which focus on the impact of our build environment on physical geography. Hopefully it is not a trend, but a permanent style of design. In this, the governments can play a big role, by stimulating new ideas.
Conclusion
As we all know, humans have developed over the past decades. If humans want to continue a certain growth, humans, the built and the climate need each-other. We tried to break free from Mother Nature in the built environment, but we can’t. And it shouldn’t be needed.
Maybe because of the climate, humans made a behavioral change in this topic. More and more humans, and also architects and designers, are aware that we have to stop the pollution of our environment and the change of climate. Architects and designers are focussing again on the relation between the built environment and the physical geography by coming up with new innovations and concepts. The influence of the climate is no longer a result of time but it is in many cases now a starting-point in design.
Using the environment as a starting point in your design is a good development, but also more needed then ever. The climate is changing to fast to ignore these themes. Because of this, it’s strange that not everybody is working on the problem. Economical growth seems to be more important still than our climate.
In some facets short term thinking does win it over long therm thinking. But as said, we start to be aware, and maybe shift it around. Everybody can have a positive impact on this theme and we could help each-others fighting this problem. In that case, human and as well designers are finding the right path, but there is a long way to go.