Contemporary architectural Design aesthetic(form) or function ?

Introduction Contemporary architecture is, in broad terms, means the architecture of the present day. The term contemporary architecture is also applied to a range of styles of recently built structures and space which are optimized for current use.

Aesthetics and function(design) It is a branch of philosophy that looks into the idea of art and beauty, while in metaphysics; it deals with laws of perception. The term aesthetics comes from the Greek word "aisthetike" meaning “to perceive”.

Aesthetics The philosopher Alexander Gottlieb Baumgarten defined it as “the science of how things are know through the senses.” In 1735.The term aesthetics was used in German, shortly after Baumgarten introduced its Latin form (Aesthetica), but was not widely used in English until the beginning of the 19th century.

Aesthetics Aesthetics is considered as one of the main qualities of architecture according to Roman architect Vitruvius (15 B.C.). His definition of good architecture depends on three criteria as venustas(beauty), utilitas (utility) and firmitas (firmness). Recently, these aspects of architecture were interpreted as form, function and construction

Aesthetics Aesthetics is a core aspect in design both should not compromise it self with function . A good design is one which has a good meaning or pleasing looking with in its environment and function as well

Architectural design An architect or engineer can design the most amazing project on paper, but even some of the best designs cannot be built. Every design must take into consideration elements, such as construction variables, materials, load weights, building codes, and cost that are necessary to bring paper drawings to life. The fourth Grace Design in 2002 for liver pool England by Architect Will Alsop. This project was cancelled due to spiraling cost, 107 rooms hotel- bar – restaurant.

Architectural design The Shimizu Mega-City Pyramid was a proposed project in 2004for construction of a massive pyramid over Tokyo Bay in Japan. The structure would be 12 times higher than the Great Pyramid at Giza, and would house 750,000 people. The reason this project can not be built is the design of the Mega-City Pyramids relies on the future availability of super-strong lightweight materials that are currently unavailable.

Design "Function" The functional requirements of buildings and other physical structures are defined by the requisites that the users make for the realization of their activities. To my view The functionality of a building start from paper works (Architectural work)to its buildability.

Design "Function" some of the most amazing architects throughout history have designed buildings which were stricken with issues that made it impossible to construct their Design. Similarly today, there are many designs with a fair degree of problematic issues that create havoc at the stage of construction .An example is the proposed stadium in Qatar design by a famous female architects zaha Hadid , from the time of execution of this project till date ,the stadium has claims over 400 lives.

Design "Function" I want to belief a functional construction method was not considered at the begin of the design which leads to lost of lives, the architect focused more on forms and aesthetics on this design project . The design for Qatar's Al-Wakrah stadium. Architect Zaha Hadid says it is inspired by the sails of Arab dhows Image by oliver wainwright blog.

Frank Owen gehry. Frank Gehry was born Frank Owen Goldberg on February 28, 1929, in Toronto, Canada. The Goldberg family was Polish and Jewish. Frank was creative at a young age, building imaginary homes and cities from items found in his grandfather's hardware store (scrap). This interest in unconventional building materials would come to characterize Gehry's architectural work. Architect Frank Gehry Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images

Frank Owen gehry. He graduate from the University of Southern California's School of Architecture. It was during his time that he changed his Goldberg surname to Gehry, In 1956, Gehry moved to Massachusetts, to enroll at the Harvard Graduate School of Design.

Frank Owen Gehry. Architectural career After leaving Harvard, Frank Gehry returned to California, making a name for himself with the launch of his "Easy Edges" cardboard furniture line. The Easy Edges pieces, crafted from layers of corrugated cardboard, sold between 1969 and 1973.

Frank Owen Gehry. Architectural career Still primarily interested in building rather than furniture design, Gehry remodeled a home for his family in Santa Monica with the money earned from Easy Edges. Gehry is known for his choice of unusual materials as well as his architectural philosophy. Gehry's architectural firm is based in Los Angeles.

Frank Owen Gehry. Architectural career "If you look at my drawings, you can see that I was thinking about Tibetan monasteries and how they looked on the hillside. When you approached the site from the Minneapolis side by bridge, it reminded me of the monasteries....I had a façade facing the river, and that's what I started drawing... Weisman Art Museum by Frank Gehry The University of Minnesota, 1993 Source : conversation with frank gehry by Barbara Isenberg, pp. 87.

Frank Owen Gehry. Architectural career Buildings are designed to look lopsided at the Ray and Maria Stata Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. But the unconventional design led to cracks, leaks, and other structural problems. The amphitheater had to be rebuilt, and reconstruction cost some $1.5 million. MIT filed a negligence suit against Gehry Partners, charging that their design of the Stata Center was defective. Source: Boston globe newspaper. MIT sues gehry. The Ray and Maria Stata Center, at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge.

Frank Owen Gehry. Architectural career Soon after completion of the complex, many people noticed concentrated heat spots, especially as the sun's rays intensified beyond the October opening day. Blinding glare affected drivers passing the building. Nearby residential buildings noted an increased use (and cost) for air conditioning. Los Angeles County contracted with environmental experts to study the problems and complaints seemingly caused by the new building . Walt Disney Concert Hall ,Los Angeles. Sources: "Microclimatic Impact: Glare Around the Walt Disney Concert Hall" by Elizabeth Valmont, University of Southern California.

Frank Owen Gehry. Walt Disney Concert Hall ,Los Angeles. Solution: Certain panels had to be dulled to become less reflective, but how could that be done? First workers applied a film coating, then they experimented with a fabric layer. Critics questioned the durability of these two solutions. Finally, the stakeholders agreed on a two-step sanding process — vibrational sanding to dull large areas and then orbital sanding to provide a more acceptable aesthetic look visually. The 2005 fix reportedly cost as much as $90,000 Walt Disney Concert Hall ,Los Angeles. Sources: "Microclimatic Impact: Glare Around the Walt Disney Concert Hall" by Elizabeth Valmont, University of Southern California.

Frank Owen Gehry. Bilbao in northern Spain. Completion: 1997 The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao Bilbao in northern Spain. Completion: 1997

Questions In design what should be the first consideration, Aesthetics or function. What should determine aesthetics in design. Art is part of architecture .but what is the basic difference between art and architecture.

Conclusion Aesthetics aren’t design, but they do play an important role in design. How a thing looks influences those who use it and it contributes back to the function of the thing being designed. The aesthetic of an object are ideally based on what the object is and does. However, an additional layer of aesthetic meaning can be added to provide new and different communication and even expand on the function of the object. Aesthetics can be pushed too far and forget where they come from. When form stops thinking about function, the aesthetics of a design can become tiresome. Form can lead and influence function at times, but it can’t replace it. When form arises out of function you get Architecture (design). When function arises out of form you get art.