Architectural Design III: House Behaviorology in Switzerland – Basel (M.Kaijima)

Abstract

Lecture "Construction III":The lecture series gives the students an insight into different construction and design methods. The lectures are held by four different professorships in a block of 5 lectures in a row and showcasing their individual approach on design and architecture in general in yearly to study the construction design thinking through sketchbook.

Objective

Grading Criteria: The submissions will be graded before each review. Each submission is graded according to the following criteria: • Completeness and punctuality of submission • Research method, the ability to find and analyze information • Implementation of the concept of Architectural Behaviorology within the design • Choice of Typology, Design and Expression of the project, in connection with the concept of Architectural Behaviorology • Structural design, construction details and choice of materials in accordance with the design idea and the method of Architectural Behaviorology • Visualization, the ability to communicate a design effectively with compelling drawings, models and text. The final grade consists of the following partial grades: • Mid review 1 submission (individual work): 30% • Mid Review 2 submission (individual work): 30% • Final Review submission (individual work): 30% • Construction III submission (individual work): 10%

Content

Architectural Design III: House Behaviorology in Switzerland (M. Kaijima) The house is the foundation of our living environment. Housing is not only a fundamental field of architecture but also a reflection of broader social, cultural and environmental dynamics. Focusing on Basel, we will approach housing through the lens of Architectural Behaviorology, uncovering the relationships between buildings and their users, environments, materials and typologies. In the first phase of the semester, students will analyze and compare single-family houses from different historical periods in the Basel region. By investigating their spatial organization, density, materiality, site conditions, and socio-economic context, students will identify key behaviors and characteristics that define local housing typologies and ways of living. By mapping the relationships between inhabitants, architecture, and surroundings, they will develop a deep understanding of how these houses function within their settings: What roles do they fulfill? What behaviors do they enable? How do they respond to their environments? In the second phase, students will design multi-generational housing projects for 20 people, building on the qualities discovered in the case studies. They will address contemporary social and ecological challenges, such as the need for increased density, shared spaces, and inclusive design. How can new housing support communal life while respecting individual needs? What spatial and architectural strategies foster intergenerational living and vibrant communities? How do we accommodate diverse user groups, such as children and the elderly? Students will be introduced to the methodologies of Architectural Behaviorology and Actor Network Theory as tools for both designing architecture and understanding our built, lived and social environment. These approaches consider the house not as an isolated object, but as part of a vast, dynamic network of actors (human, non-human, climatic, material, typological). This course framework provides students with tools to better understand how and why specific architectural forms emerged, but also enables them to assess the impact of their own projects on the existing actor networks. It fosters an understanding of how architecture shapes (and is shaped by) its social and environmental context. By identifying the relationships between actors within the network, we observe how each actor’s behavior is influenced by others. How does a building behave towards its environment? What behavior do inhabitants engage in, within and around a building? How can we design in response to the behavior of materials, spaces, or climates? To help students articulate and communicate architectural ideas more precisely, the studio will collaborate with the Chair of Theory of Architecture. Each submission will be accompanied by a short original text of approximately 75 words. Course Structure: Typology & Research (4 weeks) • Analyzing a selected single-family house in Basel using Architectural Behaviorology. • Identifying, exploring, and formulating a research question around a specific element or relationship within the house. • Representing the house and findings in a large-scale hand drawing and a short text. Structure & Space (4 weeks) • Designing a housing complex with a given program based on insights from the case study. • Evaluating, refining and adapting the design. • Applying structural design principles. Improving Design + Details & Construction (5 weeks) • Sharpening the design idea, improving the project. • Detailing a section at 1:50 scale, incorporating construction and structural design principles. • Applying Architectural Behaviorology in design details.

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