GREENHOUSE STUDIES III

'Clothing as an extension of our skin helps to store and to channel energy, ...If clothing is an extension of our private skins to store and channel our own heat and energy, housing is a collective means of achieving the same end for the family or the group. Housing as shelter is an extension of our bodily heat-control mechanisms - a collective skin or garment.'

Marshall McLuhan, Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man (Cambridge: MIT Press, 1911)

Following a first design studio on greenhouses, Laboratory EAST presents Greenhouse Studies II - The collective (Fall semester), and Greenhouse studies III - The common (Spring semester), the laboratory's second and third interaction with a unique element in the history of architecture. The studio is interested in the multiple uses of greenhouse spaces outside the horticultural context. In Greenhouse Studies I, the design studio took a cross-sectional look at domestic greenhouses as a space for expanding the individual home. The greenhouse served as garden for vegetables, as passive heating device, or extra living room. Through superposition, juxtaposition, or all-over solutions, the greenhouse spatial structure constituted a new thermal buffer zone that interacted differently with the existing volumes. In Greenhouse Studies II and III, the studio will continue the survey, aware of new dimensions: from the individual to the collective, from the collective to the common, from the small villa scale to the collective housing, from collective housing to common programs. Together we will build on these concepts while exploring greenhouse-like solutions. What are the implications of such change? The results will contribute to an open-source, collaborative database that will grow each semester.

Type and Typology as framework

Typology is recognised as a fundamental concept for a better understanding of architecture and its history. It serves as a basic framework, a kind of tacit backbone for the organisation of architectural knowledge and can also be a tool for generating new architectural solutions. Some argue that typology is as old as architecture itself, as it involves the reproduction of dominant types and models that are deeply rooted in socio-cultural realities. Alternatively, it can be said that architecture responds to new social and economic needs by inventing or revising existing types. Typology and types traditionally interact with the formal dimension (buildings organised by a common form or element) and the functional dimension (buildings organised by a common function). However, this focus has often overlooked other, less tangible possibilities, such as structural relationships between types and climate in architecture.

Climatic Type as central theme

Conservatories, greenhouses, glasshouses, forcing houses, hothouses, invernaderos in Spanish, orangeries, jardins d' hiver or serres in French - many are the terms associated with the idea of housing plants. All of these artefacts have a common goal: to create a climate adapted to plant life. Although greenhouses were conceived with a very precise objective, this climatic space quickly became an exhibition space, a social space, and even a space for celebrations before it fell into disuse. In the second half of the 20th century, greenhouse-based solutions made a comeback, fostering solar architecture and reinforcing the foundations of bioclimatic architecture in western societies. During this time, horticulture continued developing greenhouses as productive spaces, and innovations led to intensive fields of production. In absolute terms, it is not the form or function that characterizes the greenhouse but the definition of a space with specific climatic conditions. In most cases, using wood or metal structures and transparent materials such as glass, these structures keep a very low ratio between the material used and the enclosed space, offering the most with the least. The characterization of the greenhouse as an artefact of a climatic nature suggests that the greenhouse as a type does not depend on scale or size. Since its inception, the multiform and multifunctional greenhouse space has been transformed into a social space with very specific microclimatic characteristics.

Commons

2.10.1976. - The office is set up; it rains lightly but gets steadily inside the office.

11.10.1976 - Today is my first day of work at the office; everything works.

14.10.1976 - The moisture problem has not yet been solved, the drawing paper is curling;the flowers are growing.

14.4.1977 - The greenhouse is not ventilated, the sun is shining, the inside temperature is 48 degrees Celsius at 12 o-clock, opening the ventilation flaps immediately reduces it to 24 degrees.

From Log Id's logbook. In LOG ID (ed.), Gruene Archen - Harmonie mit Pflanzen leben das Modell der Gruppe LOG ID (Frankfurt am Main: Fricke Verlag, 1983)

Unfolding over the course of two semesters, both design studios will explore the dynamics between greenhouses, greenhouse components or greenhouse functions and existing building structures as architectural forms, climatic spaces and temporary uses of space:

In the spring semester, Greenhouse studies III - The common, we focus exclusively on the communal dimensions of the greenhouse as a place for work and social interaction. The design studio will investigate how climate-based architecture can be implemented by designing a student house at EPFL Campus. The common space should be the centre of the student community and a critical review of contemporary space utilisation. The development of both phases will be undertaken in groups consisting of two or three students, and a Seminar Day will comprise a series of multidisciplinary theoretical contributions from external experts.

We will investigate the possible interactions between two different architectural spaces, and gain a better understanding of the typological transfers and climatic synergies between them. Greenhouse-like structures offer the opportunity to investigate prefabricated systems, test designs for deconstruction and reversibility in design thinking, and ultimately find a 'lighter' way to redesign existing buildings.

By looking at greenhouses as specific built environments, the studio will formulate solutions based on the concept of architecture as atmosphere, while exploring its transformative potential. In addition, the studio will examine greenhouses as climate-responsive artefacts, exploring how seasons can change spaces, or, in other words, what it means to inhabit spaces seasonally. If we change clothes according to the seasons, should our buildings change too?

Practicalities

Each semester will be composed of two parts. The first part - Research on precedents - will be developed individually to expand the corpus of references and help us learn from existing buildings. The studio will collectively build a visual atlas made of peculiar, strange or remarkable case-studies. The design study will analyse the characteristics of the case studies, like: flexible use of space, evaluate their thermal behaviour throughout the seasons, formmaking aspects, thermical airflow and mechanics of openings. The key findings from this body of references will inform the design phase. In the second part - Design Studio - participants will develop their own design in groups of two or three.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, the student must be able to:

Apply and present research capable to inform a design project

Analyse and interpret critically an architectural work

Formulate a problem and provide design-based solution

Represent accurately a design proposal with drawings and models at multiple scales

Develop a narrative and present arguments to specialised and non-specialised audiences

Develop awareness about the implicit and explicit messages of an architectural project

Work collaboratively and integrate knowledge from different disciplines

Type / Typology

Greenhouse

Atmosphere

Bioclimatic Architecture / Biophilic design

Climatic Types / Thermodynamics

Transformation / Reuse

Energy Resources

Collective Housing / Intermediate spaces / Inclusion

• Catégoriser
• Comparer
• Evaluer
• Formuler une hypothèse
• Visualiser
• Explorer - Apply and present research capable to inform a design project
• Comparer - Analyse and interpret critically an architectural work
• Formuler une hypothèse - Formulate a problem and provide design-based solution
• Visualiser - Represent accurately a design proposal with drawings and models at multiple scales
• Critiquer - Develop a narrative and present arguments to specialised and non-specialised audiences
• Evaluer - Develop awareness about the implicit and explicit messages of an architectural project
• - Work collaboratively and integrate knowledge from different disciplines

The course is designed to provide a rich learning experience through a variety of teaching methods. The course includes:

-Case-study analisis: basic research on type development, examining significant works that are incorporated into a shared knowledge database;

-Flipped Classroom: work in the design studio, where students develop their own positions on the topic using a building as a case study;

-In-hands workshop: learning and developing various presentation techniques such as 3D printing;

-Seminar day: organise and participate on a public seminar day where experts come together to discuss various aspects of the studio topic,

-Fieltrip: The design studio includes a field trip to visit case-studies and enrich the learning experience.

Progress checks and constructive feedback are provided, and individual and round-table presentations are held. Autonomous group discussions and supportive roundtables are encouraged throughout the semester.

- to develop its own design work, contribute to team's work, and collaborative hands-on construction

- to present the project by means of drawings, visualisations, oral presentations and models ranging from 1:200 to 1:5 scale, practical and manual skills.

- to work both independently-autonomously, and collaboratively sharing common goals of the design studio

- to active participate in the course, including lectures, roundtables, peer-to-peer discussions, mid-term and final presentation.

- to active participate in the field trip, the seminar day, in the common research and collective design survey

- to active participate in the design of the working environment in the studio

The course employs a continuous assessment method that combines a set of assignments and factors:

- Enquiry and research phase (30%). This includes data survey, rigor and critical reasoning, graphic and verbal communication.

- Project design and development (55%) with a focus on design concept, graphic implementation, model making and complex thinking. This includes conceptualization, spatial quality and architectural expression, site, programmatic strategy, process and progress, graphic and verbal communication, innovation and critical thinking.

- Multiformat representation and effective oral communication  (15%)

The participation of the student is expected throughout the course. Student engagement and self-assessment forms will support the evaluation throughout the semester.

After each phase - Research / Seminar Day / Design reviews-a joint evaluation is carried out in an open dialogue with the entire group. The common goals, improvements and successes of the course are assessed and discussed.

will be provided with a reader in feb 2025