Arch 504 Urban Design Seminar University of Idaho
Leon Krier
Prologue – Introductory thoughts
Stylist Swings of Urban Design and Architecture
As designers, we rarely appreciate the significance of
Greco- Roman Architecture, that which is considered Classical Architecture. In
the European idiom, the
Architectural style of ancient Rome, at
her apogee, established the ideological hallmark of power and success.
Following Rome’s dissolution, this evolution of design
hallmark of architecture became muddled, foundered. Style became obscure. The
pendulum of design moved towards the non-intellectual middle. So things seemed
for the next eight hundred years.
However during that eight hundred year period, civil
authority redeveloped, commerce and trade matriculated, intellectual thought
began to permeate Europe. During the nascent Renaissance period societies
resumed building, creating. Power consolidated. Accommodating this, designers
rediscovered and reinterpreted Classical Architecture. Designers intellectually
ascribed the Classical world’s
power and image to their contemporary period. What better way to appeal
to the public than to infer power through association?
Since the Renaissance, designers have associated and revived
inference. Enlightened France and England celebrated Classical Revival Periods.
During this country’s inception, Classical styles were applied to civic
architecture, in direct reference. The following hundred year period found
Classical idioms sprouting up in more Federal and State civic structures. There
have always been and shall be stylistic dialogue incorporating the Classical
style. Other styles evolved, such as Gothic. These, too, have reappeared
Revival style – Gothic Revival and Romanesque.
Following the First World War, Europeans eschewed
directions which led to the war.
Decimation, new technologies led to questioning, if not abandonment, of
traditional lifestyles and style. Across the globe, change was abundant. Much
of this was based on the postpositive belief that we could surmount problems
through scientific process. Establish a Problem. Generate a Hypothesis /
Theory, then test and solve. Architectural and Urban Design could solve issues
through rational thought. Change led to the evolution of the International
Style. The pendulum swung away from Classicism. Examples may be found in Weimar, later Dessau, Germany and
Le Corbusier’s Radiant City concept. In North America, as the International
style was morphing into Modernism, Art Deco found its way into a traditional
vernacular.
With the International Style was ascendant, cultural,
economic and political winds shifted across the globe, and regions. These found
themselves in resurgent stylistic movements. As Germany ascended, her Urban and
Architectural Design shifted to more Classical or Traditional motifs. A prime
example can be found in Albert Speer’s design for Linz, Austria. Holistic,
severe, Speer’s work reinterprets Classical and traditional elements to tie
Germany’s current political world to that of empire.
Speer’s Neoclassical work came to naught. Following the
Second World War, Urban and Architectural styles continued to pursue Modernism.
Reconstruction of cityscapes, transportation developments, construction cost
lead to the evolution new towns. These were in a Modernist dialogue. These
could be found in the massive housing projects of North American cities and
Europe. England experienced three waves of `New Town’ developments, to
alleviate housing shortages following the Second World War.
In both hemispheres, Modern design attempted to provide
solutions to ill perceived social needs. Or, Modern design idioms solved
problems while creating new ones. An unfortunate hallmark of Modernism is the
denigration of human scale and quality of place. Often, political movements
which eschewed and fostered Modernism ( The Great Society ) promoted wholesale
demolition of neighborhoods and communities in the name of progress. It is
difficult to find a large city in this country which has not suffered from
Urban Redevelopment occurring during the sixties. Examples which abound. Ones
familiar to the Pacific Northwest include, and are not limited to:
Boise, Idaho – Boise’s `Chinatown’ was razed for extension
of the downtown business core. Now home to the city’s taller buildings and
Boise Town Center, the loss of humanely scaled commercial/housing caused the
lower class citizens and ethnic minorities to disperse with loss of cultural
identity. The `Old Boise’ vestigial remnants (the Basque Center) are survivors,
which have been invigorated due to their sense of place in recent years.
Seattle, Washington – Seattle’s Pioneer Square area
experienced radical demolition during the sixties and early seventies. While
intended to `clean up’ blemished area, displacement of businesses and
population occurred while the `improved’ Modernist cityscape lacked scale,
interest and attraction. Much of that population migrated to another lesser
healed neighborhood, the Pike Place Market. Of benefit, municipal planners and
architects understood the flaws found in Pioneer Square, then aggressively
worked to save and improve the sense of place found in the market.
Calgary, Alberta – Calgary eliminated their traditional
Chinatown, and a block through the center of town, to provide LRT and an
improved modern business district. Akin to Boise, a population was dispersed,
never to return.
In Europe, Modernism, in the form of Urban Design, created
`Council Houses’ estates such as Telford; Milton Keynes; Red Road Estates,
Glasgow; Wixam; and Newtown, Birmingham. Refer to attached examples. Per the
attached exhibits, these, and most of their contemporaries have had profound
impact on the populations served. In the past twenty years, significant expense
has been invested in rehabilitating these, and/or demolition and replacement
with more humane urban structures.
Modernism, as a movement, has had mixed impact on Urban Design and Architecture, any
movement shall create a counter movement. Much of that counter movement can be
observed in what is referred to as the Post Modern Movement. `PoMo’ for short.
In the field of Architecture, three individuals stand out for their pioneering
work : Robert Venturi FAIA, Charles W Moore FAIA (late ) and Michael Graves
FAIA. All three architects
generated pioneering works, incorporating traditional elements into
current buildings which bespoke to a humanity and humane scale. Venturi
documented his thoughts in his pivotal “Complexities and Contradictions in
Architecture,” published in 1977. Moore’s works re-invigorated the urban
landscape (Piazza d'Italia ) and the rural landscape ( Sea Ranch w/ MLTW 1977
) Graves work, though limited, established Post Modernism as an architectural
style. He employed traditional elements in creating an intellectual dialogue between the individual and his
environs, fostering scale and
traditional connections.
These individuals had a profound impact on
Architecture. This class,
and this blog concern themselves with Urban Design. This introductory prologue
is intended to introduce the written topic for the associated Module
Assignment. Much as the Post Modern Movement was formented by pioneers, who
would never had ascribed their architectural work as such, much of our study
has dealt with `mainstream’ Urban Designers. Little has been mentioned about
the pioneering Urban Designer, who broke with traditional Modernist Planning
and redefined Urban Planning – Leon Krier.
Module Assignment –
Leon Krier
From Speer to Celebration
And beyond.
English Modernist housing communities, i.e. `Council
houses,’ in England were an attempt to address housing scarcity in a Modernist
style. Often inhumane, perversely lacking in scale, these projects were
constructed on a grand scale. Often with grand debilitating effect. HRH Prince
Charles, Prince of Wales, an advocate of traditional English values, has been
involved in Architecture and Urban Design since the mid seventies. He is
construed to be a stanch critic of the Modernist Movement. The Prince has aggressively lobbied to
rehabilitate London in a more traditional sense. In the late eighties, he felt
the need to develop a more rational response to the Modernist Council Homes /
Estates which dotted the British Isles.
During that period, Leon Krier, a Luxembourgian Architect
and Urban Designer, found himself
in London beginning private practise. Krier haled from an architectural family.
Richard Krier, his brother, had established a reputation as a Modernist
architect. The Kriers embraced the Modern Movement for much of their early
career. In time, Leon Krier became disenchanted with the austerity and lack of
personal scale the Modern Movement had imposed on society. While nominally
trained in the University of Stuttgart, Krier apprenticed to Norman Foster,
then taught in London during the period the Prince began his involvement.
During this period Krier became more interested in more humane communities as a
planner, and an epiphany found him abandoning the Modernism of his
apprenticeship.
Serendipity can oft time make strange bedfellows. Over time,
Krier and the Prince became acquainted.
These lead to conversations between the Urban Designer and Prince
regarding more habitable living conditions based on traditional values and
architectural elements. Kindred spirits, and eventually a commission. Charles
had determined to demonstrate his ideals, through the development of a new
urban community within the Duchy of Cornwall, on his property. Krier criticized
Modernist design approaches. He expressed appreciation for the humane settings
found in traditional European and English villages. All these found a willing
ear.
Towards the end of the eighties, Leon Krier embarked on his
pioneering work, his opus, Poundbury.
A planned community which will eventually result in a population of
approximately six thousand people. Built with traditional materials and
indigenous architectural features, Poundbury’s compact size and scale
encourages community, easy access and a humanity not found in the Modernist
Council House Estates. It has been hailed as the pioneering New Urbanist
community.
New Urbanism eschews ten principles :
Walkability
Connectivity
Mixed- Use and Diversity
Mixed Housing
Quality Architecture & Urban Design
Traditional Neighborhood Structure
Increased Density
Smart Transportation
Sustainability
Quality of Life
Krier and Poundbury are concurrent with the development of
New Urbanism,. This Urban Design Movement promulgated in North America in the
early eighties. Krier’s Poundbury became the prototypical New Urbanist
community. Of the New Urbanist principles, Poundbury provides most. The
community falls short on Connectivity and Smart Transportation. Herein, the
increased automobile use by inhabitants and distance to employment, are a product
of place. Poundbury sits on the perimeter of Dorset, the center of business and
industry.
New Urbanism’s best early examples of community are Seaside,
Florida and later, Celebration, Florida. The former, Seaside is the product of Andrés
Duany, and his firm Plater-Zyberk ( DPZ .) Well
documented and the stage for numerous films and documentaries, Seaside draws
heavily on traditional architectural elements, a diverse scale and a higher
density, mixed use and walkable community. The latter is an extension of the Disney Corporation’s interest in
designed communities eschewing nostalgia, early American values and a sense of
scale. Much of their architectural elements may find inspiration in Christopher
Alexander’s work onarchitectural elements and their interrelationships.
The late Walt Disney originally
exploited nostalgia, early American values and a sense of scale in the
development of his Orange, California’s Disneyland. Disneyland cannot be
considered Urban Design. It’s function was to establish a sense of Place for
it’s visitors. Developed on an altered scale, Disneyland offered a massaged
size to manipulate their visitors’ sense of scale. Disneyland offers no
housing. Rather, it offers an extreme walkable experience which is targeted for
commercial gain.
Celebration, Florida acts as an
extension of Disney’s interest in traditional Americana elements. Celebration
differs from Disneyland as it is a true New Urbanist community, connecting to
Disney’s Epcot Center. New Urbanist principles are espoused.
There is area in the New
Urbanist principles, which is unsettling. Similar to Neo-Marxist Planning, both
Seaside and Celebration contain similar architectural patterns. Themes if you
will. These make their respective communities tie together. Many of their
architectural elements promote a sense of personal scale. The approach to
architectural design is to treat architecture as theme. In development of
Celebration, this led to the publication of a related `Pattern Book.’ The heavy
reliance on architectural elements to provide a `theme,’ can take New Urbanist
communities in the direction of a `1984’ scenario where the community may be
controlled. In consideration of
Celebration, this may be forced, and its homogeneity may prove a
limitation. Duany has mentioned as much in a
recent lecture.
Krier’s work continues on
Poundbury. His appreciation for traditional architectural themes has led him to
become a defender of the Neoclassical design elements and shapes.
Controversially, he has found himself supporting Albert Speer’s work on
Linz.
That controversy resonates in
New Urbanism. Many New Urbanist proposals espouse the adherence to local and
regional design elements, features and building shapes. Yet there have been
times when a New Urbanist planner has offered up the design of an Italian
Hilltown in a North American setting. This approach, adopted and advising on
non-indigenous architectural styles suggests that Urban Design may be more akin
to Hollywood stage settings, than serious communities in which to live.
Similarly, Krier’s defense of Speer’s neoclassical design work raises questions
about the validity of traditional elements of classical architecture and New
Urbanism’s reliance on the past.
Krier may even contradict
himself when he is stated “ Modernist architecture and town planning is
inimical to the human beings…. Based on the Darwinian concept that evolution is
open minded, that there must always be something new and better.”
While Leon Krier may be
considered “The Godfather of Urban Soul.” Better still, The Godfather of New
Urbanism. For New Urbanism to respond, to continue, it is incumbent to consider
the Past prologue, re-evaluate the reliance on rubber stamped themes and create
new traditions.
Sources:
Alexander, Christopher, Ishikawa, Sara, Silverstein, Murray.
The Pattern Language – Towns- Buildings – Construction. New
York. Oxford University Press. 1977.
Council Houses + exhibits - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_house
Disneyland – Moore, Charles & Allen, Gerald. Dimensions
– Space, shape & scale in architecture.
New York. McGraw Hill. 1976.
Andrés Duany -
Lean Urbanism: An Introduction – Andrés Duany
Léon Krier -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Léon_Krier
Krier quote:
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2006/jun/28/communitiesguardiansocietysupplement
Charles W Moore FAIA- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Moore_(architect)
New Urbanism - http://www.newurbanism.org/
Pevsner, Nikolaus. An Outline of European Architecture. Baltimore, Maryland. Penguin. 1968.
Poundbury, Dorset, England - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poundbury
Seaside, Florida (exhibits )-
http://www.seasidefl.com/history/architecture/gallery-2/
Venturi, Robert. COMPLEXITY AND CONTRADICTION IN
ARCHITECTURE. New York. Museum of Modern
Art. 1977
