Article Synopsis

CITATION:

Students Consider Architecture's Materiality

Kelly Carlson-Reddig

Journal of Architectural Education (1984-)
Vol. 51, No. 2 (Nov., 1997), pp. 96-104

Published by: Blackwell Publishing on behalf of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, Inc.

Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1425449

This article dealt with the architecture students struggle to develop critical thinking regarding architecture's materiality. The seminar was called "Intention and Materiality", which looked at issues relating to intended relationships, purpose, site, climate, typology, culture, society and other issues that affects decision-making about material choices.

The article outlined the structure of the seminar, and then discussed students' concerns and ideas regarding the role of materials in architectural design. Eugene-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc described the essential principles as "the nature of materials" and the students suggest that this "nature" hints at the appropriate uses or forms for the material. Today, most students of materiality embrace the "early modernist notion that architectural forms should arise from and be expressive of materials", and it is seen as important (or even positive) to understand the limits of using particular materials in architecture, even when considering their seemingly "unlimited availability".

Students however, in projects are using substitutions for the "real thing" which questions the idea of imitation of materials and when it is appropriate.

"Realness" and "honesty" of materials is always a concern for both architects and students alike, and imitation materials are perceived as being less real, even though they are in themselves in fact, quite real.