The Space Within The Reveal questions ideas governed by reveal. From haptic to city scale, to what extent does the reveal govern our everyday experience of buildings?
Type: Washroom Pavilions
Location: Toronto, Canada
Structure: Concrete and Steel
Year: 2018
Criteria: Three Phenomenologies of spirit
Romantic
Cosmic
Classical
Professor: George Baird (Emeritus)
School: University of Toronto Daniels Faculty
Our built world is dependent on the reveal which may happen at different scales. When I talk about the reveal I mean, specifically, when two or more objects abut one-another. Objects can be buildings or materials. These points of contact become what we observe as either layman or professional.
From Gordon Matta-Clark’s “Reality Properties: Fake Estates” we begin to understand the reveal’s value, not as commodity but rather as an experiential device.
Matta-Clark’s work documented irrationalities of the city. He brought forward the question of meaning and value of property through anomalies in planning to reveal their contradictions. Matta Clark’s collection of “untenable” properties included a triangular plot, a tiny strip of land between two houses, and a curb-site. The result of his work was a catalogue of bits of land, which were all due to either errors in surveying or oddities in zoning.
Rosalind Krauss and Yve-Alain Bois - in their book “Formless” - pointed out that these properties are not typically perceived or seen, not due to their status of visibility and accessibility but rather via their value to the city. These are described as fake commodities and fake real estates.
From urban to haptic scale, the space between - the joint - is what we perceive as either laymen of professional. Whether urban gap between two buildings or abutting materials, the reveal is apart of our everyday inhabitance of all built-structures which is dependent on scale.
This thesis contends phenomenological activity is not through light itself but rather the architectural reveal, or the detail of joints and their positioning. In order to demonstrate this I have designed three washroom structures based on Christian Norberg-Schulz’s classification of phenomena in our built world and on how they hinge on the presence of reveal at different scales. These three categories of architectural phenomena are as follows: Romantic, Cosmic, and Classical.
“Site As Testing Ground”
The Sites In Question
The Urban Reveal Within The City
Chosen sites are narrow, deep, underutilized and difficult to build on. Each site is of one typology, either a passageway, alleyway, or a sandwich between buildings. As a component of the city, what value do they hold to the common dweller? The intended washroom structures create conditions of a unique singularity in Toronto’s otherwise typical downtown business frontage. The banality taken over by Toronto’s architecture lends itself to create moments of heightened interest to the consumer, either the everyday or visiting user. As displayed on the map, we see that their are many sites of the same size, proximity to the downtown core, and of the same type.
“Internal Components and Configuration”
Principles Of Structure
Composition:
Vertical or horizontal - dependent on site and phenomenological classification.
Components:
Stairs, toilet, sink, hand dryer, soap dispenser, toilet paper dispenser, sanitary dispenser, waste receptacle, etc.
Intent:
The internal components and spacial constructs of the washrooms utilize aspects of code to create and question the function of these spaces.
“The Public Bathroom, a Banal Program”
Ideation
Why bathrooms?
Why phenomenology?
Why three types?
Current understanding of the washroom is of a banal and undeserved space architecturally. It comes from a lineage of space, the bathhouse, which was once considered one of the most interesting architecturally and socially. In addition, it is one of, if not the most, complex spaces in a building. It takes all of the necessary components of any dwelling type to create a singular space which is usually small, dark, and hidden from immediate view.
“Phenomenology: The Spirit of Place”
Classifying
Three Classifications by Christian Norberg-Schulz
This term, while it may have many connotations, is being used in its literal as a device to argue the thesis. With Christian Norberg-Schulz’s definitions of architectural phenomena, I will contend that the spirit of place and its phenomenological aspects are governed by the reveal.
Phenomenology is defined as “an approach that concentrates on the study of consciousness and the objects of direct experience.” Additionally, intention, perception, and authenticity are intrinsic to the spirit of architectural built forms.
Norberg-Schulz classifications of architectural phenomenology give purpose to the way we read and the way we interact with constructed space. These three classifications are:
Romantic
Cosmic
Classical.
Romantic / Kiasma
Composed of multiplicity and variety.
Variation in detailing.
Introduction to free ornament.
Referencing context by way of material and form.
Light is used to highlight varieties and internal atmospheres.
Romantic (ism)
Composed of multiplicity and variety.
Variation in detailing.
Introduction to free ornament.
Referencing context by way of material and form.
Light is used to highlight varieties and internal atmospheres.
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Cosmic / Arab World Institute
Cosmic belongs to different spatial orders. Other than the grid, it appears rational yet abstract beyond its current condition.
Absence of atmospheric quality and configuration of basic elements.
Concrete composition, static and of a hidden rational order.
Building necessities becomes priority under its uniformity and logical order.
Cosmic (ism)
Cosmic belongs to different spatial orders. Other than the grid, it appears rational yet abstract beyond its current condition.
Absence of atmospheric quality and configuration of basic elements.
Concrete composition, static and of a hidden rational order.
Building necessities becomes priority under its uniformity and logical order.
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Classical / Jumex
defined by perspectival points of view.
comprised of concrete forms which are distinct in their. character
building components are active and passive.
light is used to highlight the built forms and their parts.
Classical (ism)
defined by perspectival points of view.
comprised of concrete forms which are distinct in their. character
building components are active and passive.
light is used to highlight the built forms and their parts.
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© 2021 Michael DeGirolamo
