Philosophy and Works Of

Norman Foster

Name – Viraj RajanRoll No – BARCH/8007/10BITIC . RAK

• Norman Foster was born in Manchester, England in 1935.• He went to private school and grammar school but left early to earn a living.• After leaving school he worked for two years in the city treasurer’s office, studied commercial law.• He entered Manchester University School of Architecture and City Planning when he was 21 (1956) and graduated in 1961.• Master’s Degree in Architecture from Yale University• Foster Associates (now known as Foster and Partners) was founded in 1967 and now has offices in London, Berlin, and Singapore, with over 500 employees worldwide.• Foster and Partners has received over 190 awards and has won over 50 national and international competitions.• In 1999 he was was awarded the 21st Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate.

Introduction

PHILOSOPHY

“the best architecture comes from a synthesis of all the

elements that separately comprise a building…” - Foster

•The structure that holds it up;•The services that allow it to work;• The ecology of the building – -Naturally ventilated, whether you can open the windows, the quality of light;•The materials used, their mass or their lightness; •The character of the spaces;•The relationship of the buildings to the skyline or streetscape; •The way in which the building signals its presence in the city or the countryside.

•Sir Norman Foster’s buildings have dynamic appearance and yet very environmentally aware.

•Designs are environmentally friendly. His design process includes ways to reduce elements that are harmful to the environment such as carbon dioxide emissions, greenhouse gases and fuel consumption. • Each detail is carefully planned ,space is always taken into consideration.• Foster’s designs have many bold shapes and• uses colour to enhance and emphasize his work includes – - everything from door handles and tables to airports, bridges, and office buildings. •He doesn’t limit himself in the design world to just one field, • Works on small as well as big projects and the big projects become famous .• Foster’s advances in the design has allowed him to alter many architectural rules

Elements

Hong kong and Shanghai bank-

•He wanted to create a building that was not solely a bank• Wanted change in current trend of building skyscrapers. • Hated the idea of a central service core, pushing service areas to the edge of the building in his design.•Structural steel frames supported the floors.• Positioning of elevators, banking halls and atrium done in accordance with feng-shui .• The atrium pulls light into the heart of the building and pushes it through the building, penetrating all spaces.•Foster pushed the elevators to the very edge of the building, thus opening interior space and allowing more flexibility. Glass and steel appearance from interior and exterior.

Kanawa House-•Installation of series of louvers in the ceiling• The louvers have the capability to track the sun’s movement •This quality of light and shadow is found in the adjustable ceiling, allowing for wide variations in the appearance of the interior. •The louvers can be fully opened, and the ceiling becomes a window,• The result is a house that mixes Japanese spirit with Western technology.•For this design Foster studied traditional Japanese house designs andsynthesized traditional and high-tech elements.

Reichstag –• Roof- having the symbolic import of unification, ecological function by collecting and conserving solar energy and also handling natural ventilation•Obsession with light•This dome funnels light into the building during the daytime.•Dome is completely transparent ,suggesting that democracy should be transparent and inviting.

•Use of high-technology, all of the elements inthe building were computer tested and even the dome was subjected to computer windsimulations in order to maximize space and minimize excess. • Its power station also burns a special linseed fuel mixture, based on corn oil, not fossil fuels, minimizing energy consumption.•At night the mirrors,which bring daylight into the chamber work in reverse by acting as a signal on theskyline to show that Parliament was in session.

The tallest building in Europe, demonstrates that sustainable energy conscious design is possible at the scale of the skyscraper.

Development of plan -

•The plan of the tower is triangular, giving the form of three “petals” with a central “stem.” •central atrium space.•layout includes a core area for circulation, mechanical, and other basic building needs.•core functions were pushed to theouter corners of the building to make way for the atrium space.•brings light directly to theinterior offices and the heart of the structure.

Commerz bank , Frankfurt ,Germany

Winter Gardens•The winter gardens in this building providea great number of functions.•The stacked gardens allow ventilationthrough the atrium•Natural light is brought directly to the center of the building•Offices facing the center of the buildingare provided light and exterior viewsthrough the gardens.•And finally, the garden spaces provide amuch more green, natural space .•Foster wanted to emphasize the difference between the office levels and the garden levels, so the exterior walls surrounding the gardens have a different window cladding system.•Venetian blinds, the windows act as a passive cooling device, saving on air-conditioning costs. The blinds

•The distinctive outer shell and unique framework.•10 storey building.•Oval form enables the building to perform consuming only the minimum amount of energy necessary.

•Use of steel formwork for the slab results in a reduction of costs in construction waste.

•The inclined steel column system -cost effectiveness, -simplicity, -easily constructed•Circular steel columns 508 mm in diameter are lined up on top of each other connection from floor to floor and are angled to line up with the floor plate

London City Hall

•The roof of City Hall is provided with a completed installation of photovoltaic solar panels.• Running along the interior atrium is a stepped ramp which continues spiraling up above the debating chamber.

Foster’s Design Elements

Light :•Through harnessing and collection of light, individuals feel close to nature.•Consideration of light and its effects on thestructure.•His commercial buildings have a central atrium that draws light to the core of the building.•Believes light has a healing function, -one that keeps individuals sane in a busy modern world.•In Reichstag, Foster uses light to remind German citizens that building serves as their democratic center.•The Willis-Faber & Dumas building’s walls of glass become transparent at night, allowing outsiders to see inside.

Layers:• Foster likes to play with different layers sending message. •The Reichstag has public viewing areasabove political buildings to send the message that- politics should work to support the citizen.•Reichstag also layers the idea of old and new,

High-tech:using high-tech equipment andpushing the edge of structural engineering, he is able to push the edge of architectural designing. High-tech buildings are more flexible, and thus more distinctive. A high-tech building, is also energy efficient

•Environmentally aware in designs and creates ecologicallysensitive buildings.

•He uses lines to form organic shapes. skeleton of the outside of the building is visible to the eye rather than hiding it .

• Many spaces inside are enclosed in glass and almost cause you to feel as though you are outside.

•Puts a lot of thought into-how his designs will make us feel once you’re interacting with them through the use of different materials and the space of an area

•He has designed structures inTokyo, Hong Kong, London, Barcelona. Many of his designs have been named as a“landmark”

Conclusion