ARCH 430 – Building technology: Gravitas et Levitas

As Mario Salvadori writes in the introduction to his book Structures in Architecture, it is obvious that only a thorough knowledge of physics and mathematics can enable a designer to analyze a complex structure with the degree of precision required by modern technology. However, it is equally obvious that once the basic principles of structural analysis have been established, one does not need to be a specialist to understand them on a purely intuitive basis (Salvadori, 1992, pp. 4-5). What is needed, Salvadori continues, is to avoid commenting only on structure or only on form. Instead, one should teach students the necessary rationale behind structural and constructive thinking in space, so that future architects can engage in meaningful dialogue with engineers. As a consequence, a purer, more orderly, and structurally sound form in design will be achieved.

Starting from this premise, without delving into complex verifications or specialized calculations, the purpose of this course is to present and discuss the following topics: the fundamental construction logics of architecture; the basic principles of structural science; the characteristics of building materials and their static behavior.

The few analytical-mathematical references and the limited use of formulas will focus only on preliminary verifications and the pre-dimensioning of load-bearing elements. These concepts can be easily assimilated into the student’s workflow from the early stages of compositional development and dimensional control in design.

The class meetings will be divided into two cycles of four lessons each, followed by a test:

• Gravitas, or notes on the stereotomic logic of architecture;
• Levitas, or notes on the tectonic logic of architecture.

For each of these two cycles, during the first three lessons, knowledge of the proposed topics will be deepened through the analysis of a thematic selection of case studies from the history of architecture. The main objective is to maintain antiquity and contemporaneity on a synchronic and operational level. Structural form is not tied to specific linguistic trends, nor do these trends have any inherent connection to one architectural movement or another, anywhere in the world. Through the systematic use of guided readings – both compositional and structural – on ‘timeless’ masterpieces, the aim is to contribute to the development of a mature structural awareness in students, which will be essential for their future professional practice.

The fourth lesson of each cycle will focus on the static principles related to the two macro-themes – stereotomic and tectonic logic in architecture – along with the corresponding tools for the pre-dimensioning of structural elements. At the end of this fourth lesson, there will be a roundtable discussion, in which students will present their contributions to the iconographic research that inspired Assignment #2. This will help students to consolidate all the information gathered throughout the lecture cycle. Each cycle will end with a short learning assessment test.

In a nutshell, we may say that the primary goal of this course is to help students understand what Kurt Siegel called “the meaning of built things” (Siegel, Structure and Form in Modern Architecture, 1968, p. 6), to spark their interest and encourage them to pursue a more detailed study of this subject.

Course Format

This course is an introduction to the fundamental construction logics in architecture, with insights into related materials, processes, and craft of construction. It thus provides a conceptual framework connecting the physical conditions of construction and the more abstract processes of design.

Course descriptions may be subject to occasional minor modifications at the discretion of the instructor.