Bilateral relations of tectonics through physical models: Anchoring architecture to the site

Abstract

Emphasizing the concentric relationship between the tectonics of Earth and the tectonics of architecture, this study argues that design ideas generated through this interaction have the potential to produce spatial constructs belonging to their sites, rather than objects merely positioned upon them. It examines a conceptually framed architectural design studio in which tectonics is explored as a design tool. By primarily questioning the concept of tectonics, it is defined in terms of relationalities, dualities, and dichotomies, thus offering students a robust and flexible methodology for idea generation. Within this framework, the scope is narrowed through the use of conceptual and physical tools. While tectonics is treated as a conceptual tool, the physical model is employed as a corporeal tool of inquiry. The discussions focus on analyzing the tectonics of the site and investigating its reproduction through physical models and how this form of representation affects architectural design. The study also critiques the process of analyzing the site and then moving on to idea generation, arguing that the site itself is a powerful datum for idea generation and that these processes are both incremental and deliberative. Within the architectural design studio that forms the scope of the study, the first stage was designed to question the concept of tectonics in order to raise students’ awareness of the project site. Questioning the Earth's tectonics constituted a pillar of the tectonic discussions that spread throughout the semester. The question at the center of these discussions is, “How can architecture anchor to the site?” In addressing the question, the conceptual framework of inquiry was defined as the dichotomy between tectonics and stereotomics. As a result of this inquiry process, the three-dimensional model was the medium through which the students would concretize their interpretations and findings. While the physical models constitute student-generated material, their abstraction, classification, and visual representation reflect the authors’ methodological reading of the design processes. The study ultimately proposes a methodological approach in which the relationship between site and tectonics is explored through physical modeling. On the other hand, it further argues that tectonics should be understood not merely as a descriptive category but as a critical operative concept within the design process. Owing to its inherently multilayered structure, tectonics offers a robust theoretical framework through which architectural production can be both interpreted and articulated. As such, the study provides a productive foundation for future research seeking to reassess the epistemological and methodological grounds of design practice.