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Fig.I
The project site.Defer to Fig. II to locate the primary site mithin the larger context
Fig.II
The larger context 1. Area enclosed by the dashed line see Fiy. II I. Reduced context to fit mithin the primary site is noted by the single-hatched
line 3. The primary site is noted by the double-hatched line
*g Form-Making
[Richard E. Mitchell]
stage of the derivation. The result of these first two stages, which begin with a specific programmatic structure dictat-
when combined, captures the essence of all the selected cues ing the project's final form.
on to the smallest unit of the derivation, the elemental Here, morphology is seen as the application of a se-
structure. This essence, referred to as the initial stimulus, quence of maneuvers contingent on cues, a process of
once overlaid onto the site plan, is evaluated and reevaluated elaboration, which resulted in a physical product that
in terms of cues, minimizing some maneuvers and accentu- suggests a design program. Like most artistic endeavors, it
ating others, preceding through additional stages of the is a process which allows for self-expression. It is not,
derivation until a final form, whether three or two-dimen- however, a process whose maneuvers, though interchange-
sional, emerges (Fig. III). However, these steps alone do not able, are unchangeable. The maneuvers develop and are
summarize the process as it exists within this derivation. subject to acceptance or rejection, as the process is followed.
The process transformed three-dimensional ideas into While, one may argue, such an evolution could lead toward
two-dimensional forms, ideas which stimulated by cues and subjectivity, the process appears "objective" due to the
initially seen as potential incongruities within the site specificity of each maneuver.
required resolution. Their resolution corresponded to an This "objective" subjectivity is represented through the
assigned meaning based on hierarchical relationships be- ability to control the overall direction of the derivation,
tween the cues to the primary site, which were consciously through will. It is evident in the graphically recorded
assigned to each individual element, operation, and stage of decision-making process which establishes the selection of
the derivation. The process precluded the enforcement of one particular maneuver, within each stage of the process,
any architectural or urbanistic ideology prior to the discov- over another. It is also evident in the choice of cues allowed
ery of the site's' intrinsic morphological and programmatic to influence the selection of the maneuvers. Will, the ability
structure; that is, the process presumed the existence of an to control the derivation, is in its idiosyncratic nature an
ideal form unique to each derivation. A form, therefore, integral part of self-expression and therefore of this process
unique to each derivation, for the site which could only be of form-making.
discovered through a morphological investigation, results As the product is ultimately judged by its form, the
in a unique program. This process, in fact, attempts to physical product, control and guidance of the process
demonstrate the reversal of most methodologies of design, through will justifies the means as a viable approach to
II
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Fig.III
The deriuation of the initial stimulus l.The inherent cues of the elemental structure. 2. The ouerlag of the reduced context. Refer to Fig. II. 3. The ouerlag of the uniuersity grid
G.The initial stimulus
form-making. The ability to guide the development of the results in two and not four axes. For example, with two equal
process, through the selection of maneuvers, is then of orthogonal divisions, the square possesses two rectangles
paramount importance. It is the foundation of the process. each with a long axis and a short axis. With four equal
Without the discerning selection and application of maneu- divisions, the square possesses four smaller squares each
vers, there cannot be a process or a product; consequently, with two undifferentiated axes. With nine equal divisions,
there could not be a morphological program to critique. By the square possesses nine squares each with two undifferen-
this, I mean an architectural or urbanistic program that tiated axes; however, the difference here is the uniqueness
results from the consideration of contextual cues and not of the center square. It is "squarely" centered, and the only
from a pre-determined program provided by a client. square that does not touch a border of the initial square. Its
Furthermore, it is exactly this aspect of the process location, may therefore, suggests a greater hierarchical
which allows each designer to formulate and employ differ- importance than the surrounding squares, a fact quite
ent maneuvers, which in turn precludes the cataloging of all enigmatic in its simplicity.6
possible maneuvers. Morphology is a design methodology And, what are the endogenous cues of the primary site? As
which can result in an infinite number of three-dimen- mentioned before, the primary site is centrally located along
sional forms; and necessarily, in order to guide a derivation, the East Liberty commercial spine, between the University of
a method of differentiation between the relative hierarchies Michigan and Main street. The result is, East Liberty, a major
of cues evolves, similar to the "objective" subjective develop- east-west pedestrian and vehicular thoroughfare which con-
ment of maneuvers. This method of differentiation includes nects these two areas, takes on the character of a spine or datum
line thickness, grid size and location on a vertical overlay to which all the contextual cues relate (Fig. IV). The endogenous
scale. With this development, the derivation can be ex- cues within the primary site are: an outdoor plaza, parking lots,
plored thoroughly in an "objective" fashion. a public library, the Kempf House, several apartment buildings
and several small houses, a few of which have been converted
Stage One: Inherent and Endogenous Cues
Before the contextual cues can influence the elemental into small business offices, the Community News Center which
structure, the cues within the structure itself must be houses a book and magazine shop, offices, and an educational
explored. What are the cues inherent in the square, the center. These inherent and endogenous cues stimulated the first
Fig.IU
The relationship of the three potential sites to the datum.
Stage THJO: Exogenous CUBS where both can be unified symbolically. It is a site where
At this point, the inherent and endogenous cues of the neither area completely dominates the other, where one is
primary site, that have been accepted, have been exhausted. equally aware of both. Which, if so, in responding to the
Attention is therefore turned toward the exogenous cues. contextual cues, produces a form which unifies both areas
For example, the site surrounding the primary site, which within the primary site, the elemental structure. Perhaps,
in addition to the primary site, forms a square, was reduced one could even say that the primary site appears to exist
to dimensionally fit within the elemental structure (Fig. ID. between two diametrically opposed entities. The University,
The selection of the area to be reduced to fit within the where the pursuit of theoretical understanding takes prece-
elemental structure was determined simply by my aware- dence over practice, and the town where practice subordi-
ness of its existence. The idea here, and in fact throughout, nates theory. However, in short, the primary site exists
was to allow the primary site to characterize the plan prominently along a spine, the East Liberty commercial
organization of the surrounding context. This maneuver of datum, between two polar opposites. Third, it exists within
reducing the surrounding site to fit within the primary site a system of geographical mapping which somewhat ruth-
is termed reflection: through reflecting the plan organiza- lessly demarcates along a one square mile grid, a realization
tion of the context, the primary site becomes inextricably which, perhaps, serves to reinforce the choice of the square
and uniquely, though tenuously, related to a portion of the as the appropriate geometric structure for the derivation.
whole context. This particular maneuver can be referred to Finally, there appears to be no other site immediately
as a form of contextualism. In fact, this entire process can be adjacent to the primary site with equal dimension; so
referred to as a form of contextualism. "Narrowly described relatively speaking, the primary site stands alone. These
Contextualism is the derivation of form from its context. It were the exogenous observations which stimulated the
depends upon and extends a preexisting form order."7 It is, second stage of the process. Without the recognition and
in effect, a method of grounding the ensuing derivation to selection of these cues, in addition to deciding on their
a series of maneuvers whose cues undeniably exist within relative importance to each other, the morphological form-
the surrounding context. making process, of considering and executing maneuvers,
The following groupings of exogenous cues, and the could not have begun.
actions that each of them stimulate, will be discussed in Drauring One
greater detail later in the paper. First, the most immediate After analyzing the site for one month, a parti was
exogenous cues to the primary site are its relationship to: prepared to represent the three-dimensional ideas that
East William street, Division street, Fifth Avenue, East would subsequently guide the derivation of the proposal.
Liberty, the central business district, historic buildings, the Drawing One depicts this parti while underscoring the
University of Michigan, and Main Street. Second, the pri- primary site's relationship to its context. In effect, it ques-
mary site's location suggests a point of transition between tions the validity of the given primary site as the most
two areas, the university and the town, middle ground appropriate site to be concerned with. Other sites appear
50
Drawing One: October 15.1990.
52
Draining Three: Houember 2, 1990.
54
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