Reconstructing the Relationship between

Architecture and Contemporary Society

A dissertation submitted to the Scott Sutherland School of Architectureand Built Environment, Robert Gordon University in partial fulfilment ofthe requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture/MSc AdvancedArchitectural Studied by:

Chin Chek Eng 0612725

Supervised by : Conrad Wiedermann

Scott Sutherland School, Robert Gordon University, January 2011

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Declaration

The work submitted in this dissertation is the result of my own investigation,

except where otherwise stated. It has not already been accepted for any

degree, and is also not being concurrently submitted for any other degree.

Chin Chek Eng

31 January 2011

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Table of Content

Abstract 05

List of Figures 07

Introduction 09

Disconnected society 12

Relational architecture 16

Literature Review

! Background and Influences 20

! In the Eyes of West

Transparency 23

Minimalism 27

Traditional Japanese Approach 31

! What is SANAA?

Unconventional Practice 33

SANAA's structure and procedures 38

Game without fixed rules 42

Case Study

! Site 44

! Transforming a Programme into Architecture 46

! De-hierarchy Spaces 53

! Fluidity and Flexibility 56

! Neutralisation of Structure and Material Use 60

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Conclusion 63

References 66

Bibliography 69

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Abstract

The rise of iconic buildings across the world, which arguably are the result

of society's egotism, has lead to a disconnection between society and

architecture. Architecture no longer plays a distinctive role as it did before.

This dissertation aims to raise one's awareness of this issue and to

encourage reconsideration of the role of architecture. The objective is to

identify the root of the problems mentioned above, taking SANAA as a

reference point because it claims that it creates architecture that connects

people. Its architecture will be used in a study to reflect on the problems

and form a case study for the purposes of argument and discussion.

Through web pages and journal research, recent examples of architectural

failure will be used to demonstrate the phenomena of egotism in

architecture, and from the books and lectures, the observations and ideas

of the architects in relation to this problem will be discussed and analysed

to identify the sources of the issue. Furthermore, SANAA's influence and

work will be reviewed and discussed through findings from several books

and journals by architecture critics. In order to show concrete evidence of

SANAA's design process and intention in relation to the theme, a case

study will be formed and explained through drawings and photographs with

analytical overlays.

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The future direction of architecture programmes needs to be more fluid in

order to be compatible with a constantly changing society. As

contemporary society is evolving every day, new questions and problems

arise, and the traditional ideologies and ideas cease to function.

Architecture also needs to constantly redefine itself to target the issues at

each particular time. It is the responsibility of architects to be more sensitive

and concerned about society, to create architecture that is for people to use

rather than just being self-representation, so that its distinctive features and

capabilities can be recovered. With this continuous practice and learning, it

is hoped that architecture can reconstruct the relationships between itself

and contemporary society once again.

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List of Figures

Fig.1 Vitra Fire Station 12

Fig.2 MIT Stata Center 12

Fig.3 Pao 21

Fig.4 Platform I 21

Fig.5 Platform II 21

Fig.6 Multiple entrances/exits in SANAA's work 21

Fig.7 Zollverein School of Management and Design in Essen 23

Fig.8 Structure neutralization 24

Fig.9 Space and function 24

Fig.10 New Museum of Contemporary Art 27

Fig.11 Aluminium-mesh detail 27

Fig.12 Farnsworth House by Mies van der Rohe 28

Fig.13 Glass Pavilion and Art Museum in Toledo 29

Fig.14 Plan for the 21st Century Contemporary Museum in Kanazawa 36

Fig.15 Plan for Glass Pavilion Art Museum in Toledo 36

Fig.16a SANAA's office 37

Fig.16b SANAA's office 38

Fig.17 Site plan for 'De Kunstlinie' Theatre and Cultural Centre 44

Fig.18 Proposed volume from programme required 45

Fig.19 Building shape in reference to surrounding context 46

Fig.20 Zoning 47

Fig.21 Mass volume placed at building periphery 48

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Fig.22 View from the lake, South facade 48

Fig.23 Options that was considered 49

Fig.24 View from the city 49

Fig.25 Process of subdivision 50

Fig.26 Plan for 'De Kunstlinie' Theatre and Cultural Centre. 51

Fig.27 Circulation / gallery space brighten with skylight 53

Fig.28 Rooms connected to the lake and internal courtyard 53

Fig.29 Conceptual drawing, “park” like spaces 56

Fig.30 Roof terrace and void on first floor 57

Fig.31 Variations of circulation path in relation to door 58

Fig.32 Wall detail section 60

Fig.33 View at evening, showing the transparency of the building 61

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Introduction

According to the recent observations of Paolo Baratta (Sejima 2010 p.12),

“it seems that there is a prevailing use of architecture as art for self

representation and self celebration.” This perceived selfishness has led to a

disconnection between architecture and contemporary society. “Alterations

to the architectural program” as suggested by Yuko Hasegawa, (Sejima

2010 p.28) are essential in order to dissolve and refine the complexity of

architectural issues and the connection between people and architecture.

This dissertation aims to suggest that there is a concern regarding such

disconnection, and an urge towards change in architectural programs that is

compatible with contemporary society; to raise the awareness of one's new

sensibility and perception of architecture's possibilities rather than its

conventions; to provoke one's reconsideration in architectural programs

regarding the importance of the public or users, rather than heteronomy; to

redefine the important role of architecture in contemporary society.

The objectives of this dissertation are to identify the disconnection between

architecture and contemporary society; to use SANAA's architecture as part

of a study in this dissertation, because SANAA is an architecture practice

that claims it has manipulated architectural programmes and made

architecture that connects with people; at the same time, it has been

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recognised by several critics, sociologists, and philosophers that SANAA's

buildings have met the needs of contemporary society. In order to support

the argument, a case study of SANAA's project is formed to reflect upon

these issues, while showing that the aims of this dissertation can be

achieved and how SANAA's projects may be considered as the model for

the future potential in architecture.

Firstly, the phenomena of how architecture can be overshadowed by

selfishness and how this has affects contemporary society, will be

discussed with the support of two examples. This phenomena will be

further analysed and its sources and causes identified in order to suggest

an alternative and strong solution. In relation to these issues, SANAA will be

introduced and the reason it is chosen as a reference to study in this

dissertation will be discussed.

Secondly, in order to analyse and summarise SANAA's work, the

backgrounds of Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, who formed SANAA,

will be studied in order to trace their roots and influences, which have

predominantly affected their direction and approach in their latter

architecture compared to that of other architects. A literature review is

included, involving books by a number of architecture critics who define

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SANAA's style as transparent, minimal, traditionally Japanese and as a

reinterpretation of Miesian. All of these works will be referenced and

discussed to identify which approach is most visible in SANAA's oeuvre.

Thirdly, an in depth case study of the 'De Kunstlinie' Theatre and Cultural

Centre in Almere will be formed to provide further analysis of SANAA's

work. I was fortunate enough to experience this building, which is SANAA's

second completed building in Europe, during my internship in 2009. In the

case study, the experience of the 'De Kunstlinie' will be broken down into

sections and SANAA's approach will be discussed and explained using

drawings and photographs with analytical overlays.

Finally, the conclusion will state the effects of SANAA's architecture on the

world and whether SANAA's approach can be considered as the model for

architecture in contemporary society, based on the findings in the literature

review and the case study.

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Disconnected society

Recent overviews of modern architecture have identified a trend towards a

design of self representation and self celebration. As Castle (2001 p. 5)

says, “it seems to be everything for everyone who wants it.” People are

making architecture for fame; making architecture for wealth, making

architecture for power; for example, in the case of Zaha Hadid's Vitra Fire

Station (Hadid 2011 fig.1), which “was a formal success but a functional

failure.” (Dyckhoff 2009) Even though Hadid proclaimed herself as a de-

constructivist, whose designs are based on the principal of functionalism, it

could be argued that she pursued the abstract form for the sake of

promoting her work, as the building was filled with sharp edginess and

corners, design features which had no practical purpose, and this led to the

closure of the fire station. Another case is that of the MIT Stata Center

(Evans 2007 fig.2), which is perceived as a “party of drunken robots”,

facing the problems of “leaking, crackling and sprouting mold” (Evans 2007)

and the renowned architect, Frank Gehry and the construction firm were

sued for the reason that they “failed to live up to their contracts and are

responsible for the Stata amphitheater's structural problems”. These are

some examples of how egotism in contemporary society has overshadowed

the true quality in architecture.

This situation does not just appear in individual architectural practice but on

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Fig.1 Vitra Fire Station Fig.2 MIT Stata Center

a larger scale, including the planning authority which has the “power” to

decide the future direction of architecture in the UK. For example,

environmental sustainability became a norm after the set up of 2050 Zero

Carbon target development which can be seen as a scale to measure good

architecture, making the most of the architects setting their targets solely

towards environmental issues to meet this new rules; the importance of

Zero Carbon development for the future has been stressed to the young

future architects in universities to the exclusion of other equally important

factors such as social issues and cultural traditions. Unequivocally,

environmental issues represent an important position in architecture, but

architecture is much more complex when other issues such as social,

political, economic and cultural factors are taken into consideration. The

emphasis on these particular elements in architecture has made most of the

architects lose sight of other important issues and therefore, many

meaningless, cheap, sensational, or heteronomous buildings have been

created across the world.

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The design of buildings based purely on one's desire means that the

buildings convey one's power or territory. The buildings become iconic

when people can only stare at but not interact with them. In this sense, the

buildings have become disconnected from people. This trend is contrary to

the purpose of architecture programs, which was to accommodate human

activities or events when traced back to an earlier age. These programs

were evident in important buildings such as churches or pantheons. The

space and function of the buildings was open to the public, people sharing

the space, and exchanging information. How did architecture evolve to the

current state where it is detached from people? Robin Evans (1997 p.88)

analyses the evolvement of architecture during different periods in his

books, Translation from Drawing to Building and Other Essays, and

concludes that during the nineteenth century, the “society that finds

carnality distasteful, ...sees... privacy is habitual.” Following the rise in

people's desire and demand for privacy and conventional norms, they can

afford to have their own things including space, leaving a clear boundary

between oneself and another. The architectural programs have shifted from

accommodating man's interaction to man's privacy. Isolation was born and

the social network has been dismantled, as David Page (2010) described in

a 5710 lecture, leading to the isolation of humans, with the division of

cubicles in order to obtain private space for oneself. Accordingly

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the wasted corridor space for circulation from one space to another has

been substantially integrated as a solution; however, the hierarchy of space

is generated where the corridor space has less priority to be filled with

natural light, compared to the cubicles which one spends the most time in;

claustrophobia is generated and artificial lights are used as a solution, as

though humans are creating problems and providing a solution for them, yet

generating another problem. Ultimately, complex questions and answers

have been generated and a series of systems has been created: so called

“planning”. The alteration of architectural programs is essential in order to

dissolve and refine the complexity of architectural issues and the

connection between people and architecture.

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Relational Architecture

SANAA, a Tokyo based architectural practice formed by Kazuyo Sejima and

Ryue Nishizawa, proclaim that they have been spending twenty years in

altering architectural programs to create architecture's “border”, which

forms a “connection” with people and activities rather than creating a

division, minimising the presence of architecture itself, and expunging

egotism in their architecture. (MUSAC 2007 pp.13-14) SANAA have

consistently retained these principles and approaches throughout their

career, building resolute architecture not only across Japan but in Europe

and America, and they have received numerous awards, particularly in 2010

when they were awarded the Pritzker Prize, which is known throughout the

world as the highest honour in architecture. In order to gain such accolades,

they must have developed expertise and skills in creating architecture that

is recognised by Toyo Ito as an “exception”. Iseku Hasegawa is convinced

that they have “the potential to start a social revolution” and to become

accepted by the world. (Feireiss 2006 p.39)

Their architecture did not receive much appreciation in the West ten years

ago compared to the present, as the disconnection of the social network

was not obvious at that time in the West. Moreover, Western architecture

was greatly influenced by the Modern planning theory, which “was

predicted on the work of cutting and dividing the pure, ordered internal

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world from the chaotic external world and on the act of leaving a clear

boundary between internal and the external.” (Sejima 2010 p.29) However,

planning has never been completely capable of anticipating the fluidity of

contemporary society, which is determined by people's constantly shifting

choices and actions. Eventually, the public have come to realise the need to

incorporate innovative architecture programs in contemporary society,

which may be found in the uniqueness of SANAA's buildings, which

awakens people's awareness of their interaction with architecture.

This uniqueness has always been misunderstood by conventional critics,

who draw their conclusions based mainly on atmosphere, style, and

aesthetic. The architects have never intended to produce and implement

their works based on such factors, but rather on their complicated working

method, which takes cues from the society itself, such as the program from

the client, plot size and condition, and budget. Accordingly, they came up

with multiple solutions for the social issues, all imbricated together to form

the concept. In other words, the architectural programs have constantly

altered and developed to suit contemporary society's needs. As they only

deal with social issues, SANAA seem to has the desire to “erase all traces

of [itself] from what” it created. (Cited Feireiss 2006 p.48) What SANAA

trying to create perhaps is just an ordinary product that “without

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seeking to express themselves or their age, or even to hold their ground

against the products of the competition, or forgeries”, (Fukasawa &

Morrison 2007 p.9) is an ordinary product that needs the users to give it a

meaning and function; suggesting that their building is never complete

without society to interact with and use the building, and at the same time a

connection between society and architecture is re-established. For this

reason, Yuko Hasegawa views SANAA's approach as “simply want[ing] to

place the architecture and observe what will happen, rather than predicting

and planning what effect it will have on the surrounding environment.”

(Cited in Sejima 2010 p.42) Thus, this ordinary product has become so

ordinary that it stands out compared to the others, and has become “super

normal”, something that is even less than ordinary and not extraordinary.

After so many years of practice and experience of searching and creating

architecture that provokes interaction, SANAA has realised a multitude of

buildings with new and creative programs that incorporate current

technology. It is concluded by Kristine Guzman (MUSAC 2007 p.173) that to

some extent, the buildings create new social behaviour that is “acceptable

to the most conservative of cultures”, which does not arouse any

controversy, unlike most of the post war modernist buildings in the

1950s. In order to examine the statement above, whether or not SANAA has

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succeeded the previous generation of architects and has invented

architecture that is compatible with the needs of the present time, the

background and works of Sejima and Nishizawa will be further explored and

analysed in the literature review.

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Literature Review

Background and Influences

The environment that one grows up in influences and affects one's life.

Japan suffered vast destruction and desperately sought for recovery to its

original state after WW II. Modernism seemed to be the most convincing

path to take as it applied the concepts of rationality and enlightenment,

resisting ornamentation, and mass, quick production. Architecture had

officially moved into the “Machine age” which was part of Modernism;

however, the Modernist movement soon reached its peak and a return to

traditional values was considered by some architects. The early 1960s were

the first time when Japanese Modernism started to manifest itself. Kisho

Kurokawa started the Metabolist movement to counteract the Modernist

movement, which conceived machines as architecture; Arata Isozaki had

established the basis of an alternative version of Japanese architecture.

(Knabe and Noennig 1999 pp.9-16) Sejima lived and grew up in this time

when Japanese architecture started to blossom. Accordingly, she can be

said to have truly experienced the influence and effects of the Post War

Modernist transformation, whereas Nishizawa is a child of the mid sixties

and this places him in another generation. It could be argued that Sejima is

the one who is influenced by the Japanese modernism from the past, yet in

spite of her age, is much closer to the younger generation and “may look to

some people as though [she is] liberated from the past.” (Cecilia and Levene

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2001 p.24)

As Sejima was an apprentice and as Nishizawa was one of Toyo Ito's

interns, it is not hard to see the echoes of Ito in Sejima's and Nishizawa's

work. Even when she was a student, Sejima admired Ito, who succeeded

the Kenzo Tange generation which followed the movement of Le Corbusier.

Ito innovatively created lightweight ephemeral structures to accommodate

the major issue in Japan: the shortage of land with an extremely high

population, facing booming inflation in land prices. (Feireiss 2006 p.46) Ito's

work, “Pao” (Cecilia and Levene 2001 p.26 fig.3), a vernacular mobile unit

which is designed as a “vision of a life for the Urban Nomad” (Wikipedia

2010) covered in fabric, caused Sejima to rethink the concept of

architecture. She challenged “the way in which 'Pao' tried to seal off of the

individual from urban surroundings... an architect should put up structures

that serve to mutually incorporate people, city and information or media.”

(Cecilia and Levene 2001 p.25) Platform I and II (Cecilia and Levene 2001

p.26 fig. 4, 5), Sejima's earliest independent commission as Sejima

Associates might appear to be another version of Pao in terms of the light

structure and transparency, but the fundamental concept behind it was the

complete opposite, a concept inspired by station platforms, where people

can freely pass through without any fixed orientation. Nishizawa was

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interested and impressed by the Platform, and joined her to refine and

further explore new architectural ideas. Eventually, the name of Sejima and

Nishizawa and Associates (SANAA) was established. The core concept

displayed in Platform I and II can still be easily perceived in SANAA's work,

yet it is expressed in an even more obvious and direct manner in. In recent

SANAA's works, (Cecilia and Levene 2007 p.88,146,178 fig.6) all of the

designs have multiple entrances/exits and blurred boundaries between the

building and the site. SANAA has succeeded in inheriting and reinterpreting

Ito's idea into its own language, created architecture that open to the

society and provided them freedom.

Fig.3 Pao Fig.4 Platform I Fig.5 Platform II

Fig.6 Multiple entrances/exits in SANAA's work.

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In the eyes of the West

Transparency

If one evaluates Japanese architecture based on the standards of the West,

one is in “danger of overvaluing the aesthetic aspects and thereby literally

only scratching the surface” (Schittich 2002 p.9), as Japanese architecture

possesses Western modernism's form, but tradition and customs have

always carried the most weight in Japan. Therefore, one must see Japanese

architecture from another perspective and not only from the Western

tradition's evaluation, which is based on clear and monumental form. This

judgement is likewise applicable to SANAA. There is no denying that its

buildings are finished with transparent quality, and 'transparency' is the

word that best describes SANAA's works. However, this quality is totally

different from that of architects who obtain transparency in spaces by using

glass, such as Steven Holl or Peter Zumthor. It is indeed significant that

transparent materials are employed in SANAA's work; nevertheless,

transparency is not Sejima's and Nishizawa's “ultimate goals”; what is

important “is to organize the components in a clear way.” (Cited Cecilia and

Levene 2007 p.33) Yet their finished buildings all lead to transparency, even

a concrete building such as the Zollverein School of Management and

Design (Kung 2007 p.87 fig.7). What is the true meaning behind making

buildings transparent? Is it just as simple as merely making the connection

between surroundings and the interior spaces? What does transparency

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really mean for SANAA? And what do they hope to gain by achieving

transparency?

Fig.7 Zollverein School of Management and Design in Essen

Sejima says that she is looking for “some kind of transparency without

transparent material. So not literal transparency, but through for example

some kind of planning method...” (Cecilia and Levene 2001 p.17) How could

organising the planning lead to transparency? The definition of transparency

for Sejima and Nishizawa has to be established to understand any of their

works. Nishizawa's definition of transparency uses traditional Japanese

houses as an example, where the structures are made with very thin and

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light material which could be very similar to the door or partition wall (fig.8).

All the elements become homogeneous and the structures are not so

obvious and therefore the presence of structure is neutralised, which leads

to transparency. Another example can be connected to the utilisation of

space, wherein the same room can be used for various purposes (fig.9); it

can be a living room, dining room, or bedroom. The space and functions are

all concatenated, so the relationship between them does not have a clear

boundary to define the function of the space and become “transparent”.

Thus, the meaning of the space is always fluid and decided by the users.

Fig.8 Structure neutralization Fig.9 Space and function

The transparency that Sejima and Nishizawa seek could be seen as a

phenomenological transparency, where the relationship between elements in

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architecture has been blurred or dissolved, but several critics or architects

have misinterpreted the concept of transparency as meaning that the

elements are transparent or the element is removed from the space. Rather,

the conventional element's character is displaced into something else. This

is the planning method that SANAA manipulates to create transparency in a

building, through eliminating or connecting the different boundaries or

elements in the environment, which are intended to evoke one's senses

within the space and create interaction between them. Hence, the

architecture and society could be connected through SANAA's transparency,

wherein the boundaries between architecture and society are dissolved.

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In the eyes of the West

Minimalism

SANAA's works have often been compared with those of Ludwig Mies van

der Rohe, one of the most influential exponents in minimal modernism, who

adopted the motto “less is more”; whose architecture's approach is

regarded by Mark Wigley (Morrill and Larner 2009 p.37) as “reducing

everything down to the least elements.” Despite the fact that Japanese

architecture shouldn't only be viewed with regard to its aesthetic value,

minimalism perhaps best describes SANAA, because its works have an

obvious reduction in the structure, wall thickness, and colour. However, the

intention behind this reduction was to achieve “transparency”. Another

strong point is that minimalism also sees ornamentation as “a crime”

according to Adolf Loos (2010 p.3) In that sense, SANAA is not minimalist

because some of its works have committed “the crime”. It does not remove

unnecessary elements such as ornamentation, but rather the ornamentation

is integrated into the buildings. For example, in its recent work, the New

Museum of Contemporary Art in New York (Archinfo 2011 fig.10), aluminium

meshed skins were carefully designed to the desire scale and proportion,

cladded onto the building's facade in order to soften the building's exterior

within the context. The ornamentation (Baan 2011 fig.11) became necessary

for SANAA as it would affect the whole surroundings and the perception of

the building. One “must therefore view the minimalism of SANAA's aesthetic

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rather as a reduction” as Kung (2007 p.5) suggests. In addition, the

architects are concerned with the environment where people live and aim to

connect the building with it and provide a sense of place that belongs to it.

Consequently, SANAA's architecture should be viewed together with the

environment as a whole and not only as an aesthetic.

Fig.10 New Museum of Contemporary Art

Fig.11 Aluminium-mesh detail

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Van der Rohe's concept of minimalism, inspired by X-rays during the 19th

century, has raised controversial issues. His design of Farnsworth House

(Costa 2010 p.25 fig.12), was criticised by the owner, Edith Farnsworth due

to its lack of privacy and intimacy in a house, which is supposed to be a

highly private building. She stated in an interview that “Mies talks about

“free space”: but his space is very fixed. I can't even put a clothes hanger in

my house without considering how it affects everything from the outside.

Any arrangement of furniture becomes a major problem, because the house

is transparent, like an X-ray.” (Cite Costa 2010 p.25) On the contrary, the

transparency of SANAA is accepted by the public and does not cause the

same issues as Van der Rohe's did. Sejima and Nishizawa can be said to be

aware of the problem and distinguish between their works and formal

minimalism, which exposes the structure and interior of the building like an

X-ray and which may result in a rigid and fixed space.

Fig.12 Farnsworth House by Mies van der Rohe

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SANAA's Intervention in the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion, Costa (2010 p.22)

has established that SANAA has “inherited the Miesian tradition of radical

transparency” and has reproduced the Pavilion with the understanding that

what is important by using glass is not its clearness, but the reflection it

gives. (Costa 2010 p.26) SANAA takes the manipulation of reflection to the

extreme in the Glass Pavilion in Toledo (Cecilia and Levene 2007 p.91

fig.13); the glass walls not only have a layering of reflection on the outside

as well as on the inside, but they are not in a linear straight line as in the

minimal style; instead they curve and ultimately create a mirage effect.

Exposing structure is not the objective, but to provide privacy for people

while maintaining the interaction between the public, visitors, the

surroundings and the building.

Fig.13 Glass Pavilion and Art Museum in Toledo

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In the eyes of the West

Traditional Japanese Approach

One may surmise that, if Sejima and Nishizawa are not minimalist, perhaps

their approach is related to traditional Japanese architecture, since they

have been influenced by and grew up in that environment. Furthermore, the

architects have used the example of traditional Japanese houses to define

the transparency in their work. Nevertheless, in the interview with Cortes

(Cecilia and Levene 2007 p.8), Nishizawa stated that they have “never

quoted” from the traditional Japanese architecture. However, SANAA's

architecture can be perceived easily by outsiders using the concept of

“ma”. Kevin Nute, (2004 p.11, 71) who is a professor of Architecture,

analyses the traditional Japanese room in his book Place, Time and Being

in Japanese Architecture, in which he states that it has the quality of interval

between built space and time, described as “ma”. In relation to this, SANAA

is interested in creating public space that gives users the freedom to

circulate and perform activities at will; the concept behind it was inspired by

the “park”, which “offers something for everybody and can absorb different

generations, people of different social backgrounds, individuals or groups”

(Feireiss 2006 p.62). In this manner, the meaning of space is generated in

time, as a space may be used for different activities at different times.

This tradition has influenced SANAA but it is ambiguous, as the architects

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themselves never refer to it. Is this concept perhaps unconsciously

implemented in the work by the architects during the process of designing

(as they have been working in Japan throughout their lives and have been

influenced by the environment)? Or did they disregard the past, history and

design architecture ignoring the context? In a conversation between Taki

and Sejima, she says: “I don't accept them (history and tradition) wholesale,

but instead try to start by rethinking assumptions that have been taken

almost completely for granted.” (Cecilia and Levene 2001 p.24) This

suggests that, rather than largely ignoring the past, SANAA's work has

evolved from it, but still preserves and reinterprets the quality of the past,

creating even more distinctive architecture in contemporary society.

The topics discussed in this chapter relate to SANAA to some extent, for

the reason that Japanese architecture was influenced by Western

Modernism and merged with traditionalism to form “a universal concept and

method which would be completely Japanese” yet “applicable

internationally.” (Cited Knabe and Noennig 1999 p.10) However, after so

many years of refinement, Japanese architecture has evolved to a state

where its roots are hard to distinguish. SANAA's architecture too has

evolved to an unprecedented state, whereby it cannot be compared with

the past. Therefore, it should not associate with any style or past because

SANAA designs only by considering the present society needs.

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What is SANAA?

Unconventional Practice

An architectural style can be perceived and differentiated from other styles

by its form, material and structure. SANAA do not express their architecture

through any of the above aspects, as Sejima says “for us it is important to

explain the intrinsic relationships of each project quite clearly … to show the

idea clearly, not through figure, or form but by the most simple and direct

way.” (Cited Cecilia and Levene 2007 p.33) It can be said that Sejima and

Nishizawa are not devoted to any particular architectural style, nor are they

searching for or intending to generate one. They try to steer clear of

architectural style, as it is formed by individual experience and perception,

which “is so dependant on emotional and other variables out of our control

that, as an architectural study, it very quickly forms an end in itself.” (Cecilia

and Levene 2001 p.13) What did SANAA base its work on if it is not based

on the perception of individuals? How can SANAA not have their own

perceptions in making architecture?

It is perhaps more suitable for someone who has had direct contact with

SANAA to answer these questions. Florian Idenburgh, who worked for

SANAA for 8 years, held the position of project architect for the New

Museum of Contemporary Arts in New York and was appointed to

coordinate the exhibition: SANAA Works 1998-2008 in New York. In his

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introduction to the exhibition, Idenburgh said:

“I think the office doesn't have a style as much as a method. There is a

certain desire : do not go with conventional wisdom within architecture, so

we always question every function and the usage... So definitely there is a

constant questioning of what a space is; what a space can be; and what are

the conventions of the space and is there a new way to enjoy this

experience? ...literally how certain activities organize in relation to one

another. The choice of material, the detailing, the choices of colour or

anything else are always in support of the organisation or activities. “ (New

Museum 2010)

From the statement above, it appears that SANAA's way of working is to go

against convention, which involves the process of rethinking and

reinterpreting the relationship between function and space. Based on this

programmatic approach, the perception of the individual is avoided. On the

other hand, SANAA must have formed a perception to identify what a

conventional space is like in order to prevent creating one. However, in the

book SANAA Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009, Nishizawa writes : “we try

not to select options for which we can already imagine the outcome. In

other words, we try to select the direction with the most possibilities.”

(Morrill and Larner 2009 p.25) If this is true, it can be argued that, with the

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choices of possibility that can resist conventional ideas, Sejima and

Nishizawa chose a direction for finished space that could not be imagined

as a preconceived idea, and therefore the influence of individual perception

on the end product was dismissed.

The 21st Century Kanazawa Contemporary Art Museum (Futagawa 2005

p.116 fig.14) is a good case in point. The exhibition rooms with different

proportions and daylight were separated and organised close to one

another to form a streetscape and enclosed in a transparent cylinder. The

visitors can stroll freely in this space and have the option to go to the

exhibition, where they can have indirect contact with other art works. This

can be said to go against the conventional structure of a museum, which

normally has a large span of free space and partitions to divide the required

space.

In addition, the walls in the Glass Pavilion and Art Museum in Toledo

(Futagawa 2005 p.150 fig.15) do not possess the usual characteristic of

walls, which are normally used to divide up spaces that are always in one

component whether the walls are made out of brick, concrete, or plaster

board with or without insulation. The Glass Pavilion's walls have been

expanded into a buffer zone, which is formed by two layers of glass, like a

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bubble. Did SANAA resist the conventional for the sake of just wanting to be

different, when it could have maximised the floor area for a larger space

with conventional methods (with just a thin glass wall)? And why did it have

to create an 80cm thick air gap in-between? The reasons for SANAA's

unconventional approach are practical ones; the new walls' concept is

intended to meet the requirements of building and sound insulation.

Moreover, it can create closer relationships for people who are working in

the room with people who are nearby.

This unconventional method in architecture does not intend to suggest an

against to conventional approach, but to consider every aspect in designing

the building as equally important as a means of inventing high quality new

architecture, while in itself, delivering a message to world, asking people to

rethink architecture with regard to convention: is this the only way to create

architecture? Or are there better possibilities?

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Fig.14 Plan for the 21st Century Contemporary Museum in Kanazawa

Fig.15 Plan for Glass Pavilion and Art Museum in Toledo

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Structure and Procedures

By looking at an architect's office, visitors can have a clear idea of what the

architect's work looks like. Even though SANAA is a collaboration between

Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, they still maintain their own practices:

Kazuyo Sejima Office and Ryue Nishizawa Office, for handling small

residential projects. Sejima and Nishizawa, together with the other members

of SANAA, are working in a very open environment, where their three offices

are connected in an open space (Kung 2007 p.8-9 fig.16a, 16b ). The centre

part of the office is a meeting place, a living space, or a model displaying

area. Everyone is involved in all the projects, as Nishizawa says “it is

important for people who work here to be connected to the other projects

that do not relate directly to them.” (MUSAC 2007 p.10)

Fig.16a SANAA's office

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In a common office structure, the hierarchy normally consists of the Chief

Executive Officer (CEO) or director at the top to control or decide everything

relating to the organisation; however, SANAA’s office structure is rather

open, as every SANAA member has an equal position while working on the

projects and gives opinions and directions. Sejima and Nishizawa consider

everyone's ideas and work together to create totally new architecture,

pushing every different aspect in buildings (structure, construction,

functions and circulation etc.) to the limit, or perhaps beyond the limit. In

other words, the possibilities of architecture are being explored to the

maximum.

Fig.16b SANAA's office

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It could be said that SANAA works in an open and democratic way; as

Idenburgh suggests, “the way they work and the way they are, as people-

extremely accessible, extremely personal and really architecture just

becomes fun as they are just doing their hobbies and its not about work,

not about power, not about money... Its very much a practice in which

collectively ideas are brought to the table and Sejima and Nishizawa

function as an editor or curator of these ideas, and they pick the right ones,

and they combine them and they mould them, and they push them towards

certain directions.” (New Museum 2010) Despite that, how can SANAA be

so sure that they have picked the “right one” of all the possible ideas? Is it

just as simple as the outcome that they cannot imagine, as discussed in the

previous section? The process used in deciding this direction may be

questionable and needs to be clarified.

Sejima and Nishizawa have a sensitivity towards the reality of life in society.

Based on features such as plot shape and condition and client's wishes,

they develop their own ideas and solutions from their observations. All the

ideas are connected to their schematic drawings and converted with

“brutality” (Cecilia and Levene 2001 p.337) into physical buildings. This is

quite obvious in their works where the “detailed drawing looked like original

diagrams”.(Rattenbury 2006 p.18) During the process of combining the

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solutions to form the diagram and turning it into a physical building,

discussions occur between the architects and the team members, clients,

city officials and independent consultants, which then turn into “local rules

or 'regulations' to define the building.” (MUSAC 2007 p.16) SANAA

members adhere to and work within the boundaries of these agreed rules.

However, this is not sufficient to make a final decision on the building

design, as there are innumerable possibilities. The architects themselves do

not know which is the best solution, so they simply test all the possibilities

that they can think of, with a large number of plans and models as studies,

to decide different scales, proportions, allocation of different functions, and

so on. This methodology is repeated until the buildings are well defined and

no detail is left unexamined or unattended. However, this process cannot

prove that SANAA has picked the “right choice”, but rather within the range

of possibilities, it has chosen a stronger and more effective concept for its

projects.

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Game without fixed rules

One might argue that SANAA's way of designing architecture is “purely

experimental” (Cecilia and Levene 2007 p.21), “playing the game with

unknown factors in the program”(MUSAC 2007 p.182) without any

constricting expectation as to the end result. This might indeed be true;

however, ironically, this is also the way that any new architecture can be

invented too. It is dissimilar to what modernist architects normally do, where

the work is expected to have a certain quality of closure, where the rules in

architectural games are fixed. Contrastingly, SANAA's buildings simply

reveal themselves in time, and they can only be complete when they relate

to the environment surrounding them; when the meaning and function of the

space is given by the users. The continuous process that SANAA has taken

is like a process of “purification” (MUSAC 2007 p.171); the complexity of

different issues is layered together and simplified until the essence of the

scheme is discovered. With this flexible methodology in making

architecture, SANAA has won several such 'games' in different countries.

SANAA's approach can be described as almost like that of a scientist or

inventor, experimenting with different space arrangements to achieve the

new experiential space of forms, but using a more artistic intuition rather

than mathematical numbers as fact. As Nishizawa said in an interview, “one

difference between architecture and mathematics is that there is only one

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mathematical solution, whereas in architecture there does not have to be

just one, ... You can take different paths and arrive at different solutions.”

(Cecilia and Levene 2007 p.22) There are no correct answers in architecture,

as there are so many architectural theories that can be used to create

different perspectives. The main objective should be that the building

functions according to the environment and people using it, because

architecture requires “the interaction with place and people over long

periods of time that really give it meaning.” (Feireiss 2006 p.44).

SANAA treats each project as a new start, nothing is quoted directly from

any precedent such as traditional Japanese architecture, architectural

theories or previous projects. “Each project ends up using different criteria

to decide ... each project is decided case by case” (Cecilia and Levene

2001 p.20). However, in all the works of SANAA, whether they are in

different places, building types, or scales, through the working process its

works have produced notably similar qualities that provoke sensibilities

other than purely visual. These core principles, such as turning a

programme into architecture, de-hierarchy spaces, structures and

circulation will be analysed further in the case study of SANAA's work at

Almere, 'De Kunstlinie' Theatre and Cultural Centre, to discuss how SANAA

targets the issues in that project and connects the architecture with the

environment and people once again.

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Case Study -'De Kunstlinie' Theatre and Cultural Centre

Site

Almere is a new town located in the East of Amsterdam on artificially

reclaimed land and is one of the youngest cities in the Netherlands with a

population of approximately 110,000. With the rapid population growth, it

has been projected that by 2030, the number of inhabitants in Almere will

have increased up to 350,000. In 1994 Rem Koolhaas implemented a

masterplan in Almere to improve the population flow with a diagonal

shopping district and high rise buildings close to the train station; this was

intended to give the town a more familiar urban edge and provide a sense

of place with a movie theatre and a cultural centre building to give an urban

identity to the town. (Koolhaas 2003 pp.12-38, 70-75)

The site (Google 2011 fig.17) for the new cultural centre and movie theatre

is situated at the southern end of Almere's new town on the waterfront side,

where the Northern edge of the Weerwater Lake is. SANAA won the

competition organised by the municipality of Almere, merging the movie

theatre and cultural centre, which share the same cultural facility, into a

single volume building rather than two separate buildings. By doing so, it

could encourage the interaction between professional performers and local

amateurs, and create an opportunity to explore the possibilities of the multi-

layered brief. (Slessor 2007 p.79)

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Fig.17 Site plan for 'De Kunstlinie' Theatre and Cultural Centre

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From city centre shopping district

Weerwater Lake

New waterfront development

High rise apartment

Transforming a Programme into Architecture

The requirement for the movie theatre was a complex facility consisting of a

600 to 1100 capacity large auditorium, a 350 capacity auditorium, and a

150 capacity performance room, whereas the cultural centre required a

series of studios catering for “music, painting, sculpture, drama, dance and

computer.” (Fig.18) (Futagawa 2005 p.99)

Fig.18 Proposed volume from programme required

“It's not possible to go from programme to architecture in one leap. It's not

possible to use programme as a generating logic for architecture... So each

project ends up using different criteria to decide exactly which room goes

where; each project is decided case by case. Nothing predominant; not

aesthetics, construction details, regulations, nor the amenity of the interior.

You just pull out all of the smallest and the largest reasons for everything.

They get layered or pulled together into many different patterns, and then

you can make a decision.” (Cecilia and Levene 2001 p.20)

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SANAA made use of the programmes and targeted the issues that were

raised in the new urban plan of Almere; the new town with a new urban

interaction between identity and activity, and a new type of cultural centre

and art complex. (Cecilia and Levene 2001 p.288) In response, SANAA took

the mass that generated from the programme to form an interaction

between the landscape and the city; providing the cultural complex with

the image of public friendly architecture which can become similar to a

park, naturally encouraging the “exchange of information and encounters of

various sorts”. (Cecilia and Levene 2001 p.289) In other words, the

architects sought to merge the two programs into one building, creating a

more intense urban interaction, and used this “programmatic duality to

manifest itself in the shape of the building” (Cecilia and Levene 2007 p.65)

in reference to the horizontal surface of the lake and the high, large building

mass of the surrounding buildings. (Fig.19)

Fig.19 Building shape in reference to surrounding context

In an interview with SANAA from Shinkenchiku (2010), Sejima said: “For the

outside, I thought about how it floats on a lake or how its façade appears

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towards the city. Yet things that we thought about the inside have not come

to the outside. I would like to connect those. I want to close the gap

between an architecture that you can realise outside and an architecture

that you experience from inside. I want to continuously combine how we

think about the overall environment and how we think of... programme.”

Using SANAA's ideas, based on the client's requirements, the programme

was organised all on a single floor to create a very accessible building to

promote interactions. The functions that involved public use, such as the

movie theatre, cafe, gallery and foyer were organised and placed towards

the North where the city is, while the programme to be used for specific

activities, such as rehearsals, lectures and painting, was placed near the

South, where it faced the artificial lake. (Fig.20) (Cecilia and Levene 2001

p.291)

Fig.20 Zoning

However this is only the interaction within the building itself, and not the

interaction between the city and the building from the exterior. The need to

create such an interaction between building and city resulted in a building

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Weerwater Lake CityPrivate Public

that projected itself as a 108m x 90m single low-rise rectangular volume

floating on the water with three mass volumes (large auditorium, small

auditorium and performance room with office tower) raised up, standing

boldly at three edges of the horizontal plane in response to the city, (Baan

2011 Fig.21) and on the South facade (Baan 2011 Fig.22), it has a low and

horizontal characteristic as a reaction to the lake. (Futagawa 2005 p.99) This

was planned rather than placing all the functions together into a large urban

block, or minimising the presence of the building with an underground

theatre that would have a horizontal building. (Fig.23)

Fig.21 Mass volume placed at building periphery

Fig.22 View from the lake, South facade

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Fig.23 Options that was considered

Fig.24 View from the city

From the city viewpoint, the three vertical masses can be seen from most

vantage points within the city (Tan 2011 fig.24); from some viewpoints, the

sight lines can slip discretely through the gaps between these masses. The

emphasis of the horizontal extension space over the water can be seen

from the entrance and clarifies the extreme edge of the city. On the other

hand, at the view from the waterside, the emphasis is on the beginning of

the city and the thin plane floating on the water. (Cecilia and Levene 2001

p.288)

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'De Kunstlinie'

The programmes that consist of a large volume of theatre space and small

compartments for various functions, such as smaller performances,

rehearsals and administration, were made up of a replication of rectangular

boxes. It was organised like a patchwork that began with fractal geometry

(Fig.25) . All the small rooms were subdivided into smaller required sizes

and placed in an orderly pattern, close together to “bring within a single

building the co-existence of all sorts of individualities.” (Cecilia and Levene

2001 p.289) This method of organisation can increase the interaction and

relation between artists from various fields, such as painters, dancers and

musicians. At the same time, each of them can work independently in their

private space while close to nature, the lake or the courtyard (Futagawa

2005 p.98 fig.26), and have an interaction with the surroundings. In this way,

the outside is connected with the inside. Moreover, by revealing the

activities in the cultural centre, an image and identity for the culture and

urbanity of Almere is created. 'De Kunstlinie' Theatre and Cultural Centre

can be considered as architecture that represents Almere, which fully shows

the character and identity of Almere by linking the city, nature and culture

together.

Fig.25 Process of subdivision

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Fig.26 Plan for 'De Kunstlinie' Theatre and Cultural Centre

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1 Entrance 8 Patio 15 Children art studio2 Foyer 9 Pop music studio 16 Sculpture and 3d 3 Large auditorium 10 Percussion studio 17 Ceramic studio4 Loading bay 11 Sound studio 18 Performance room5 Small auditorium 12 Computer room 19 Theatre restaurant6 Music room 13 Photograph/video studio 20 Drama studio7 Ensemble 14 Painting room 21 Dance studio

Water

City

De-hierarchy Spaces

In one of SANAA's lectures in New York, Sejima told the audience to

consider every space's quality, treating every space impartially, as the

space for minor functions is just as important as the space used for the

main function of the building. (Slessor 2007 p.79)

This principle is likewise employed in the Theatre and Cultural Centre. The

architects sought to create a space that obliterates “hierarchy: there is no

difference, philosophically or physically, between the art gallery, the deep

blue theatre, the classrooms and the entrance spaces; all are equal.” (Morrill

and Larner 2009 p.72) A corridor space has always been treated as a lower

hierarchy space because it is considered merely as a tool for linking the

rooms, thus natural sunlight and ventilation are disregarded in the corridor.

In 'De Kunstlinie', the corridor space is eliminated and replaced by a

circulation space, which is lightened up with natural light.

When considering one's movement through a space from the outside

towards the inside of a building, it may be observed that one is moving from

a bright space into a dark interior space. This “produces a hierarchical

distinction.” (Cecilia and Levene 2007 p.19) SANAA has fed the light into

this single level deep plan through skylights that are covered in translucent

perspex (Sketelenburg 2011 fig.27) and through internal courtyards that are

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scattered around. The result is not only a hierarchy free, bright, natural

space within the building, but a space that can make one feel close to the

surroundings, the city and the lake. (Baan 2011 fig.28)

Fig.27 Circulation / gallery space brighten with skylight

Fig.28 Rooms connected to the lake and internal courtyard

Furthermore to strengthen the idea of equal space, white colour and

reflective material have often been used here, as well as in other SANAA

projects. White can be said to be the ideal colour for the art museum or

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gallery as it doesn't dominate the important features of the artwork; rather, it

highlights the artwork. Sejima explained in a lecture in Taiwan that the

reason she used white colour in architecture is not only to meet the

requirement of creating a standard gallery, but also because she did “not

want to expose the colour's hierarchy in a space. In addition, when light is

draw into a deep, distant space, the space with colour will naturally become

darker. If it is white, it will have the effect of dispersing light in a space.”

(Youtube 2010) SANAA can be said to have achieved the non-hierarchical

space by giving all the space similar spatial treatment with manipulation of

the light, colours and the characteristic of materials.

This type of spaces, containing different facets which share the same

qualities equally, can be very thought-provoking and can be perceived as

non-orientation. None of the space has particularly eye-catching features

that guide the visitors through the building, other than the art work,

activities and the presence of people, owing to the fact that these are

accentuated in this building. For this reason, when one is in the space, one

cannot help but think and respond to the surroundings and what one sees,

and this generates the curiosity and interest to explore and discover. In this

sense, people may realise and relate to the culture of Almere through

observing what is happening in the space.

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Fluidity and Flexibility

Another significant feature that always appears in SANAA's architecture is

the fluid and flexible movement through the space. Cortes (Cecilia and

Levene 2007 p.37) concludes that the organisation of criterion in 'De

Kunstlinie' “is simply the division of the plan into a group of rectangles and

squares that are directly attached inside the rectangular perimeter. The

building is a clear example of flexibility in the sense of exchangeable uses,

rather than the usual sense of spatial indefinition.” There is no physically

movable partition in this building to provide the user flexibility in changing

the room size but rather the function of the room changes according to the

user's need. This means that users have the freedom to choose the room to

occupy according to its size and view, rather than a room that was built for

a specific function.

From the plan (Futagawa 2005 p.98 fig.25), one can see that there is no

fixed, rigid indication for the circulation. Surprisingly, there are only a few

short corridors located at the periphery of the building near the lake. The

room's function can sometimes shift to one of circulation, therefore the

corridor space is reduced. Within the design plan, without the help of

corridors in the non-orientation spaces, one has to invent one's own circuit

to move through the space. In other words, the architects have given the

users an alternative to choose the route they prefer, to stroll around the

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building at will as in a “public park” (Cecilia and Levene 2001 p.289) without

a strong division of public and private space. As noted in SANAA

conceptual drawing, (Cecilia and Levene 2001 p.292 fig.29) all circulation is

connected through multiple rooms on a single floor rather than having a

narrow corridor that links them together. The spaces are interrelated, and

circulating through the building is similar to moving through a series of

rooms. The rooms can be accessed directly or indirectly through the space

around them.

Fig.29 Conceptual drawing, “park” like spaces

The elimination of the corridor not only gives the rooms a closer relationship

with one another, but also relates back to the competition proposal's main

concern of creating an interaction space between professional artists and

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practising amateurs. The only programme that is organised above the

ground floor involves the offices and technical rooms for the theatre, to

generate a high level of privacy and to create the appearance of the tower

on the exterior. In this case, the interaction between the office staff and

people on the ground floor is generated through the extension out on the

roof and the void of the internal courtyard space. (Cecilia and Levene 2001

p.297 fig.30)

Fig.30 Roof terrace and void on first floor

In this open plan, where public and private circulation overlap with each

other, the division of space becomes extremely important in order to

maintain the balance of each individual. As each rectangular space can be

used for various activities at particular times, the accessibility of visitors is

restricted at certain points and times. The space divisions can be changed

according to the variations in the specific uses of the building by the

opening of doors (Futagawa 2005 p.98 fig.31). Consequently, the circulation

in the building is liberated yet controllable.

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Closed

Fig.31 Variations of circulation path in relation to door

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Neutralised Structure and material used

In an essay quoted by Hasegawa (Cecila and Levene 2001 p.337 ), Sejima

says that “getting away from the concept of division, such as structure and

partitions, structure and finishing, I increased the number of rooms as

needed, which eventually led to the whole structure. This method opened

up new flexibility and possibilities”. The concept of using equally divided

grid structures and subdividing the space by partitions was not SANAA's

first concern, rather the architects placing consideration on the organisation

of multiple spatial relations, and carefully allocating a precise division of

space with different wall panels. The supporting structures which are made

up of steel flat bars, are then integrated into 60mm thick partition walls.

Thus, this generates a column free space and only a very few slender round

section steel columns, 60mm in diameter, are applied in the space where

division is not desired. The similar thickness of structure, wall, door, and

window frame means that all components have equal value, all are

homogeneous, none are predominant and this creates the effect of non-

hierarchy in space and elements. The usual role of load-bearing members is

shifted into the walls and the presence of what people perceived as

columns is neutralised.

The only different thickness of walls in the plan is where the three towers are

because of the large span and the sound insulation properties of the walls.

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Here again, the role of bearers is transferred not only into the walls, but the

bold grid facade. This deep window frame has overpowered the presence

of columns, and when one views the building interior from the outside, only

empty space is left, and the movement of people. The gap between what

people perceive from the outside and what people experience on the inside

is close.

Fig.32 Wall detail section

are accurately covered with a thin slice of aluminium plate, and the glass

panels is held closely to it, creating a flat, seamless glass surface on the

exterior. The architects examined different materials from glass, synthetic

plastic, plaster board etc. to achieve a different level of transparency,

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Although the structure and walls were

reduced to the minimum, SANAA did not

take the approach of excessive reduction in

the detailing. The seamless glass walls, the

restriction of thickness in all the

components, the need to address insulation

and water proofing requirements, and the

equally divided facade must be achieved

with precise detail by the architects. From

the the detailed drawing (Cecilia and

Levene 2007 p.78 fig.32), the eave and sill

translucency and reflectivity on the wall panels. All these materials were

treated as having equal importance and were placed in terms of how

insulation, lighting and acoustics are used for different purposes in a space.

On the exterior, the building was finished with various kinds of solid panels

including concrete panels and structural panels mixed with glass panels.

During the day, parts of the facade reflect the activities of the city; they also

reflect aspects of nature such as water, sky, and urbanity. In the evening

(Kok 2011 fig.33), the interior of the theatre is projected out onto the city,

and the building is turned into a live stage and the internal public “takes

part in this urban scenario of materiality and image.” (Cecilia and Levene

2001 p.288)

Fig.33 View at evening, showing the transparency of the building

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Conclusion

In the last century, people have shifted the focal point of their lifestyles from

social to private, meaning that it has been a time dominated by

individualism and materialism, based on the physical senses. However, “the

sense of sight, touch, hearing, smell and taste and various aggregates of

these senses, are set up in the brain of the recipient”, as explained by

Kenya Hara (2007 p.156), who has largely been involved in the field of

sensory perception. In other words, a person's focus should be based on

“consciousness” and not on “body”. For this reason, Hasegawa (Cecilia and

Levene 2001 p.337) states that “the 21st century will be the era of

'consciousness', 'collective intelligence', and 'co-existence'.”

SANAA's architecture has been built to perform in the 21st century. As noted

in the case study, SANAA placed the cultural centre and movie theatre

under one roof, and openly invite the participation of the public from

different backgrounds and ages (co-existence); organise the programme

with the emphasis on the actions and values of people, carefully

considering human interrelationships (consciousness), and with its

“collective intelligence”, SANAA tries to share its ideas through architecture,

creating buildings that not only liberate people from the hierarchy and give

them alternatives, but at the same time, contain the “strength that confuses,

unsettles and suspends the judgement of a viewer while ensuring meaning

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is constantly fluid and not fixed to one place.” (Sejima 2010 p.30) In other

words, SANAA's architecture is built to stimulate people's minds but the

effects are ambiguous, as to some degree, this “fluid meaning” is prepared

to absorb the force of the constantly changing society's needs. With this

provocative relationship between people and architecture, or people with

people, SANAA's buildings attempt to draw out the reality of human

behaviour, and have the potential to restore and heal one's awareness and

return it to its original state. Through its architecture, it has shown us that

architecture “can be employed to reinvigorate our sensibility in the physical

world.” (Idenburgh 2010 p.80)

Through exposing the reality, SANAA attempts to create a cultural change

for the present society, however, its architecture should not be followed

blindly on the aesthetic level, but rather, one need to have a deeper

understanding and to learn from its objectives and architectural approach,

which no doubt holds the potential of opening up new discoveries in

architecture and society. As contemporary society is evolving every day,

new questions and problems arise, and the traditional ideologies and ideas

cease to function. Architecture also needs to constantly redefine itself to

target the issues at each particular time. Therefore “we must look beyond

architecture because the new architecture does not proceed from old

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architecture but rather directly from the spirit of the period.” (Josep 1998

p.18) SANAA claims that it works only with regard to the concerns of

mankind and problems of the present, without referring to and without

developing any ideology or intervention, critically targeting all the present

issues from economical, cultural, environmental to social, building

regulations and technical problems. Every single aspect is treated as

equally important in every project. Thus, SANAA has subtly produced new

architecture with a spirit that belongs to this time.

What has already been discovered needs to be learned, rethought and

improved in order to seek for and discover even better solutions for the

rapidly changing society. An- architects must become engaged with society,

to design buildings that are for people to use instead of merely being the

architects' self-representation. It is hoped that this will lead to the

rediscovery of architecture's lost potential, so that the relationship between

architecture and society can be reformed.

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References

Book

COSTA, X., ed., 2010. SANAA, Kazuyo Sejima, Ryue Nishizawa : Intervention in theMies van der Rohe Pavilion. Barcelona: Mies barcelona.

EVANS, R., 1997. Translations from drawing to building and other essays. London:Janet Evans and Architectural Association Publications.

FEIREISS, K., ed., 2006. SANAA The Zollverein School Essen, Germany. Munich:Prestel.

FUKASAWA, N., and MORRISON, J. 2007. Super normal : sensations of theordinary. Baden: Lars Muller.

HARA, K., 2007. Redesigning design. Baden: Lars Muller.

IDENBURG, F., ed., 2010. The SANAA studios 2006-2008/ Learning from Japan:single story urbanism. Baden: Lars Muller.

KNABE, C. and NOENNIG, J. R., 1999. Shaking the foundations. Japanesearchitects in Dialogue. London: Prestel.

KOOLHAAS, R., 2003. Dutchtown : a city centre design by OMA/Rem Koolhaas.Rotterdam : NAI Publishers.

KUNG, M., ed., 2007. Walter Niedermayr - Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa -SANAA. Ostfildern: Hatje Cantz.

MORRILL, R. and LARNER, M., eds., 2009. SANAA Serpentine Gallery Pavillion2009. London: Koenig Books.

MUSAC, ed., 2007. Houses Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa / SANAA. Leon: ACTAR and MUSAC.

NUTE, K., 2004. Place, time and being in Japanese architecture. London: Routledge.

SCHITTICH, C., 2002. Japan: architecture, constructions, ambiances. Basel:Birkhauser.

SEJIMA, K., ed., 2010. People meet in architecture : Biennale Architettura 2010Exhibition. Venice: Marsilio.

Lecture

PAGE, D. 2010. Page/Park 5710 lecture on 28th October 2010. Aberdeen.

Page numbers

Journal

CASTLE, H., 2001. Editorial. Journal of Architectural Design, 71(4), pp. 5

CECILIA, F. M. and LEVENE, R., eds., 2001. Kazuyo Sejima 1983-2000 + RyueNishizawa 1995-2000: making the boundary. El Croquis, 77(1)+99. pp. 13, 17, 20, 24,25, 26, 288, 289, 291, 337

CECILIA, F. M. and LEVENE, R., eds., 2007. SANAA: Kazuyo Sejima, RyueNishizawa 2004-2008: architectural topology. El Croquis, 139. pp. 19, 21, 22, 33, 37,65, 66, 88, 91 146, 178, 337

FUTAGAWA, Y., ed., 2005. Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa 1987-2006. GAarchitect 18. pp. 99, 116, 150

JOSEP, Q., 1998. Miscellany of others' opinions and own prejudice about the World,the Devil and Architecture. El Croquis, 92. p.18

RATTENBURY, K., 2006. Plenty to bow about. Building Design, 1744, p.18-19

SLESSOR, C., 2007. Walking on water : arts centre, Almere, the Netherlands. TheArchitectural review 222(1328) pp.74-81

Web Page

ARCHINFO, 2011. Kazuyo Sejima – SANAA architects. [online]. Milano: Archinfo.Available from: http://www.archinfo.it/glry/sejima_progetti/01.jpg [Accessed 28January 2011].

BAAN, I. 2011. Theatre “de Kunstlinie” in Almere, the Netherlands by Kazuyo Sejimaand Ryue Nishizawa, SANAA for Domus 908. [online]. Amsterdam: Iwan Baan.Available from:http://www.iwan.com/photo_Almere_theatre_SANAA_de_Kunstlinie.php [Accessed28 January 2011].

DYCKHOFF, T., 2009. Zaha Hadid defies recession with ground-breakingarchitecture. [online]. London: Times Online. Available from:http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/architecture_and_design/article6292851.ece [Accessed 17 January 2011].

ELEMENTPLUSINC, 2010. 2010 SANAA lecture 7/7. [online]. Taiwan:Elementplusinc. Available from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CI7SuK6QP4s&feature=related [Accessed 17 Demcember 2010].

EVANS, C. D., 2007. MIT Sues Frank Gehry Over Design of Celebrity Architect's'Party of Drunken Robots' Building. [online]. US: Fox News. Available from:http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,310097,00.html [Accessed 17 January 2011].

GOOGLE, 2011. Almere, The Netherlands. [online]. UK: Google maps. Availablefrom: http://maps.google.com/ [Accessed 28 January 2011].

HADID, Z., 2011. Vitra fire station. [online]. London: Zaha Hadid Architects. Availablefrom: http://www.zaha-hadid.com/built-works/vitra-fire-station [Accessed 28January 2011].

Page numbers

KOK, P., 2011. Centro de cultura 'De Kunstlinie', Almere, Holanda. [online]. Utrecht:Pedro Kok. Available from:http://www.pedrokok.com.br/en/2010/09/centro-de-cultura-de-kunstlinie-almere-holanda/sanaa-kunstlinie-almere-6b/ [Accessed 28January 2011].

LOOS, A. 2010. Excerpts from Ornaments and crime (1908). [online]. Available from:http://www.mariabuszek.com/kcai/Design%20History/Design_readings/LoosOrnamentCrime.pdf [Accessed 17 December2010].

NEW MUSEUM, 2010. SANAA : works 1998-2008. [online]. New York: NewMuseum. Available from: http://www.newmuseum.org/exhibitions/300 [Accessed 17December 2010].

SHINKENCHIKU, 2010. An interview with Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa.[online]. Tokyo: kuu world. Available from: http://www.kuuworld.com/2008/01/an-interview-with-kazuyo-sejima-and-ryue-nishizawa-part-1 !"#$%&'(ー)*+ ,-. / [Accessed 17 December 2010].

STEKELENBURG, E., 2007. The Kunstlinie – SANAA. [online]. Antwerpen: ErikStekelenburg. Available from: http://www.archined.nl/oem/reportages/sanaa-almere/sanaa-almere-eng.html [Accessed 28 January 2011].

TAN, E., 2009. Is Almere there yet? [online]. Rotterdam: Dysturb. Available from: http://www.dysturb.net/2009/is-almere-there-yet/ [Accessed 28 January 2011].

WIKIPEDIA, 2010. Toyo Ito: career. [online]. Wikipedia. Available from:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyo_Ito [Accessed 17 December 2010].

Page numbers

Bibliography

Book

DEMETRIOS, E., 2001. An Eames primer. London: Thames & Hudson.

GRIMA, J. and WONG, K., eds., 2008. SHIFT: SANAA and the new museum. NewYork: New Museum of Contemporary Art.

HARA, K., 2004. Haptic: awakening the senses. Tokyo: Makiko Yabe.

JODIDIO, P., 2006. Architecture in Japan. Cologne: Taschen GmhB.

MELHUISH, C., 2004. Modern house 2. London: Phaidon.

POPLE, N., 2005. Small houses. London: Laurence King.

RUBY, I., 2003. Minimal Architecture. Munuch: Prestel

STRATHAUS, U. J., ed., 2006. Novartis Campus - Fabrikstrasse 4: SANAA / Sejima+ Nishizawa: work by Walter Niedemayr. Basel: Christoph Merian Verlag.

SEJIMA, K., 2001. Kazuyo Sejima in Gifu. Barcelona: Actar.

SEJIMA, K. and NISHIZAWA, R., 2003. Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa / SANAAworks 1995-2003. Tokyo: TOTO Publishing.

Journal

ADAM, H., 2008. New Museum of Contemporary art; Architects: Kazuyo Sejima +Ryue Nishizawa SANAA. Detail, 58(3) p.150

AOKI, J. 2004. Sketch book. Japan Architect, 53 pp.48-55

CAMPBELL, H., 2008. Artist of the floating world: SANAA, Niedermayr and theconstruction of atmosphere. Architectural Design, 78(3) pp.92-95

CASCIANI, S., 2007. Folly and Utopia. Domus, 908 pp.20-27

CURTIS, JR. W., 2010. Less is more? Less is less? Masters of simplicity SANAA winthe Pritzker Prize. Architectural Review, 228(1360) pp.31-32

DANNATT, A., 2007. Shock of the new. Building Design, 1799 pp.12-15

GRIMA, J., 2006. Glass Pavilion, Toledo. Domus, 897 pp.18-31

GRIMA, J., 2006. Zollverein School. Domus, 895 pp.76-85

GRIMA, J. and OTA, K., 2004. 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. Domus,876 pp.18-45

KELLY, P., 2006. Zollverein School, Essen. Blueprint, 247 pp.92-98

HO, C. L., 2008. New Museum, New York; Architects: Kazuyo Sejima & RyueNishizawa SANAA. Blueprint, 262 pp.34-37

IDENBURG, F., 2008. Essay: SANAA's foreign mission. Architecture and Urbanism,449(2) pp.122-127

IDENBURG, F. and OKI, T., 2007. Beautiful rough. Domus, 909 pp.12-21

IGARASHI, T., 2006. Crystal-clear public space. Domus, 895 pp.88-95

KAIJIMA, M., 2007. House in a Plum Grove, Tokyo. Werk Bauen & Wohnen, 94(61)pp.18-23

Page numbers

MERKEL, J., 2008. Interior eye. SANAA's New Museum of Contemporary Art, NewYork; Architects: Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa SANAA. Architectural Design,78(3) pp.98-101

MESLAY, O., 2008. The Lourvre-Lens (Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa SANAAwith Imrey Culbert and Catherine Mosbach). Architecture and Urbanism, 451(4)pp.114-119

MORENO, C. D. and GRINDA, E. G., 2004. Ocean of air. El Croquis 121/122, pp.27-39

OCKMAN, J., 2008. New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York. Casebella,72(763) pp.70-82

PEARSON, C. A., 2008. New Museum, New York. Architectural Record, 196(3)pp.132-139

PEARSON, C. A., 2007. SANAA's Sejima and Nishizawa create layers of reflectionsand perspectives in their glass Pavilion at the Toledo Museum of Art. ArchitecturalRecord, 195(1) pp.78-83

SANAA, 2007. 'De Kunstlinie' Theatre and Cultural Center, Almere. GA Document, 98pp.46-49

SANAA, 2007. New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York. GA Document, 100pp.92-107

WEBB, M., 2008. New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York; Architects: KazuyoSejima + Ryue Nishizawa SANAA. Architectural Review, 223(1334), pp.52-59

WOODMAN, E., 2006. Industrial evolution. Building Design, 1735 pp.8-11

Internet Resources

ARTIT, 2010. Societies, landscapes, building in time. ART it. Available from:http://www.art-it.asia/u/admin_ed_feature_e/vY0PpsjM8HmeNIWflwnd [Accessed28 January 2011].

IDENBURG, F., 2011. New sobriety. [online]. New York: SO-IL. Available from:http://so-il.org/artifact/195 [Accessed 28 January 2011].

MERRICK, J., 2010. Learning curve: SANAA's spectacular floating Laussanne libraryrockets them into architecture's premier league. UK: The Independent. Availablefrom: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/architecture/learning-curve-sanaas-spectacular-floating-lausanne-library-rockets-them-into-architectures-premier-league-1902816.html [Accessed 28 January 2011].

NEWEL, C., 2011. 68. taking a lesson from SANAA. [online]. Notes on becoming afamous architect. Available from:http://famousarchitect.blogspot.com/2010/04/sanaa.html [Accessed 17 January2011].

NHIT-SHIS, 2010. Theatre and Arts Centre De Kunstlinie in Almere by SANAAArchitect. [online]. Home and House Design. Available from: http://www.nhit-shis.org/theatre-and-arts-centre-de-kunstlinie-in-almere-by-sanaa-architect/[Accessed 15 November 2010].

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