|
| |
| Essential
Architecture- Search by style
Structuralist Architecture
Mid-century modern |
|
Planning form of
Brutalist architecture.
A purported reaction against
New
Objectivity / Rationalism &
Functionalism. |
| "Urban planning can never be
determined by aesthetic considerations but exclusively by functional
conclusions." This formulation in the CIAM-declaration of 1928 came from
architects of the Rationalist movement. The first "Statement Against
Rationalism" was written by Aldo van Eyck, for CIAM VI in 1947. |
 |
 |
 |
| European Space Centre ESTEC,
restaurant conference-hall library, in Noordwijk by Aldo van Eyck and Hannie
van Eyck, 1989 |
Press Center in Kofu (Kenzo Tange
1967) |
Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth by Louis
Kahn 1972 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Habitat, Montreal Expo, 1967 World's Fair, Montreal, Quebec (Moshe
Safdie, 1967) |
Urban district Oude Haven in Rotterdam
(Piet Blom 1985) |
Salk Institute in La Jolla California (Louis
Kahn 1965) |
| Urban Planning |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Barcelona (Gridiron Plan) |
Amsterdam (Basic structure: U-shape) |
Venice (Basic structure: S-shape) |
| |
|
|
Structuralism (architecture)

Diagoon Experimental Housing (participation) in Delft
by Herman Hertzberger 1971
Structuralism as a movement in architecture and urban planning evolved
around the middle of the 20th century. It was a reaction to
CIAM-Functionalism (Rationalism), which had led to a sterile expression of
urban planning that ignored the identity of the inhabitants and urban forms.
Two different manifestations of Structuralist architecture exist. Sometimes
these occur in combination with each other. On the one hand, there is the
"Aesthetics of Number" (comparable to cellular tissue), and on the other
hand, the "Architecture of Lively Variety" (the result of user participation
in housing).
The concept of an "Aesthetics of Number" (Aldo van Eyck) can also be
described as "Spatial Configurations in Architecture"; and the "Architecture
of Lively Variety" (N. John Habraken) as "Architecture of Diversity" or
"Pluralistic Architecture".
Structuralism in a general sense is a mode of thought of the 20th century,
which came about in different places, at different times and in different
fields. It can also be found in linguistics, anthropology, philosophy, art
and architecture.
Origins
Structuralism in architecture and urban planning had its origins in the
Congrès International d'Architecture Moderne (CIAM) after World War II.
Between 1928 and 1959, the CIAM was an important platform for the discussion
of architecture and urbanism. Various groups with often conflicting views
were active in this organization; for example, members with a scientific
approach to architecture without aesthetic premises (Rationalists), members
who regarded architecture as an art form (Le Corbusier), members who were
proponents of high- or low-rise building (Ernst May), members supporting a
course of reform after World War II (Team 10), members of the old guard and
so on.
Individual members of the small splinter group Team 10 laid the foundations
for Structuralism. The influence of this team was later interpreted by
second generation protagonist Herman Hertzberger when he said: "I am a
product of Team 10." As a group, Team 10 was active from 1953 onwards, and
two different movements emerged from it: the New Brutalism of the English
members (Alison and Peter Smithson) and the Structuralism of the Dutch
members (Aldo van Eyck and Jacob Bakema).
Outside Team 10, other ideas developed that furthered the Structuralist
movement - influenced by the concepts of Louis Kahn in the United States,
Kenzo Tange in Japan and N. John Habraken in the Netherlands (with his
theory of user participation in housing). Herman Hertzberger and Lucien
Kroll made important architectural contributions in the field of
participation. In this context, Hertzberger made the following statement:
"In Structuralism, one differentiates between a structure with a long life
cycle and infills with shorter life cycles."
In 1960, the Japanese architect Kenzo Tange designed his well-known Tokyo
Bay Plan. Reflecting later on the initial phase of that project, he said:
"It was, I believe, around 1959 or at the beginning of the sixties that I
began to think about what I was later to call Structuralism", (cited in Plan
2/1982, Amsterdam). Tange also wrote the article "Function, Structure and
Symbol, 1966", in which he describes the transition from a functional to a
structural approach in thinking. Tange considers the period from 1920 to
1960 under the heading of "Functionalism" and the time from 1960 onwards
under the heading of "Structuralism".
Le Corbusier created several early projects and built prototypes in a
Structuralist mode, some of them dating back to the 1920s. Although he was
criticized by the members of Team 10 in the 1950s for certain aspects of his
work (urban concept without a "sense of place" and the dark interior streets
of the Unité), they nevertheless acknowledged him as a great model and
creative personality in architecture and art.
Manifesto
One of the most influential manifestos for the Structuralist movement was
compiled by Aldo van Eyck in the architectural magazine Forum 7/1959. It was
drawn up as the programme for the International Congress of Architects in
Otterlo in 1959. The central aspect of this issue of Forum was a frontal
attack on the Dutch representatives of CIAM-Rationalism who were responsible
for the reconstruction work after World War II, (for tactical reasons,
planners like van Tijen, van Eesteren, Merkelbach and others were not
mentioned). The magazine contains many examples of and statements in favour
of a more human form of urban planning. This congress in 1959 marks the
official start of Structuralism, although earlier projects and buildings did
exist. Only since 1969 has the term "Structuralism" been used in
publications in relation to architecture.
Otterlo Congress, Participants
Some of the presentations and discussions that took place during the Otterlo
Congress in 1959 are seen as the beginning of Structuralism in architecture
and urbanism. These presentations had an international influence. In the
book "CIAM '59 in Otterlo", the names of the 43 participating architects are
listed:
L. Miquel, Alger / Aldo van Eyck, Amsterdam / José A. Coderch, Barcelona /
Wendell Lovett, Bellevue-Washington / Werner Rausch, Berlin / W. van der
Meeren, Bruxelles / Ch. Polonyi, Budapest / M. Siegler, Genf / P.
Waltenspuhl, Genf / Hubert Hoffmann, Graz / Chr. Fahrenholz, Hamburg /
Alison Smithson, London / Peter Smithson, London / Giancarlo de Carlo,
Milano / Ignazio Gardella, Milano / Vico Magistretti, Milano / Ernesto
Nathan Rogers, Milano / Blanche Lemco van Ginkel, Montreal / Daniel van
Ginkel, Montreal / Callebout, Nieuport / Geir Grung, Oslo / A. Korsmo, Oslo
/ Georges Candilis, Paris / Alexis Josic, Paris / André Wogenscky, Paris /
Shadrach Woods, Paris / Louis Kahn, Philadelphia / Viana de Lima, Porto / F.
Tavora, Porto / Jacob B. Bakema, Rotterdam / Herman Haan, Rotterdam / J.M.
Stokla, Rotterdam / John Voelcker, Staplehurst / Ralph Erskine, Stockholm /
Kenzo Tange, Tokyo / T. Moe, Trondheim / Oskar Hansen, Warszawa / Zofia
Hansen, Warszawa / Jerzy Soltan, Warszawa / Fred Freyler, Wien / Eduard F.
Sekler, Wien / Radovan Niksic, Zagreb / Alfred Roth, Zurich
Theoretical Origins
Built structures corresponding in form to social structures, according to
Team 10 (Working group for the investigation of interrelationships between
social and built structures) .
The archetypical behaviour of man as the origin of architecture (cf.
Anthropology, Claude Lévi-Strauss). Different Rationalist architects had
contacts with groups of the Russian Avant-Garde after World War I. They
believed in the idea that man and society could be manipulated.
Coherence, growth and change on all levels of the urban structure. The
concept of a sense of place. Tokens of identification (identifying devices).
Articulation of the built volume.
Polyvalent form and individual interpretations (compare the concept of
langue et parole by Ferdinand de Saussure). User participation in housing.
Integration of "high" and "low" culture in architecture (fine architecture
and everyday forms of building). Pluralistic architecture.

Manhattan (Gridiron Plan)
Housing Estates, Buildings and Projects
Atelier 5: Halen housing estate near Bern, 1961
Jacob Bakema et al.: New Rotterdam districts, Pendrecht project 1949,
Alexanderpolder projects 1953 and 1956
Piet Blom: Kasbah housing estate Hengelo, 1973 / Urban district Oude Haven
Rotterdam, 1985
Candilis Josic & Woods: Free University Berlin, 1963-73
Giancarlo De Carlo: Student housing Collegio del Colle Urbino, 1966
Adriaan Geuze et al.: New urban district Borneo-Sporenburg
Scheepstimmermanstraat Amsterdam, 2000 (participation)
Herman Hertzberger: Centraal Beheer office building Apeldoorn, 1972
(participation, inside) / Diagoon, eight experimental houses Delft, 1971
(participation)
Louis Kahn: Jewish Community Center Trenton, project 1954 / Kimbell Art
Museum Fort Worth, 1972
Lucien Kroll: Students' Centre St. Lambrechts-Woluwe Brussels, 1976
(participation)
Le Corbusier: Perspective drawing of new city district Fort l'Empereur
Algiers, project 1934 (participation) / Weekend house Paris, 1935
Moshe Safdie: Habitat '67 housing estate, World Exposition, Montréal, 1967
Alison and Peter Smithson: Golden Lane housing estate London, project 1952 /
Hierarchy of Association, urban-planning scheme 1953
Kenzo Tange: Tokyo Bay Plan, project 1960 / Press Centre Kofu, 1967
Aldo van Eyck: Orphanage Amsterdam, 1960 / European Space Research and
Technology Centre ESTEC, restaurant conference-hall library, Noordwijk, 1989
Jan Verhoeven et al.: Housing estate in Berkel-Rodenrijs near Rotterdam,
1973
Stefan Wewerka: New city district Ruhwald Berlin, project 1965
Bibliography
Michael Hecker, Structurel-Structural", Structuralist Theory in Architecture
and Urbanism 1959-75, thesis Stuttgart University of Technology 2007.
Tom Avermaete, "Another Modern: The Post-war Architecture and Urbanism of
Candilis-Josic-Woods", Rotterdam 2005.
Max Risselada and Dirk van den Heuvel, "Team 10 - In Search of a Utopia of
the Present", Rotterdam 2005.
Francis Strauven, "Aldo van Eyck - The Shape of Relativity", Amsterdam 1998.
Wim van Heuvel, "Structuralism in Dutch Architecture", Rotterdam 1992.
Arnulf Lüchinger, "Structuralism in Architecture and Urban Planning",
Stuttgart 1980.
Herman Hertzberger, "Lessons in Architecture", No.1 Rotterdam 1991, No.2
Rotterdam 1999.
Kenzo Tange, "Function, Structure and Symbol, 1966", in: Udo Kultermann, "Kenzo
Tange", Zurich 1970.
N. John Habraken, "Supports - An Alternative to Mass Housing", London 1972.
("De Dragers en de Mensen", Amsterdam 1961.)
Oscar Newman, "CIAM '59 in Otterlo", London and New York 1961.
Aldo van Eyck, "Het Verhaal van een Andere Gedachte" (The Story of Another
Idea), in: Forum 7/1959, Amsterdam and Hilversum. Editorial team for the
magazine Forum 7/1959-3/1963 and July/1967: Aldo van Eyck, Herman
Hertzberger, Jacob Bakema a.o.
|
| |
|