Bernard Tschumi Architectural Design Style Kristen Billings

 Tschumi’s style of design is often an integration of linear and curvature forms in his architecture.  An example of the integration used in his design methods may be found in Parc de la Villette in Paris, France.  The primary basis of Tschumi’s designs is the grid. Whether it be horizontal or vertical, angled or straight, it is usually a dominant part of his designs.  The grids incorporated in his designs are usually derived from characteristics of the building site or the city.  The linear characteristics of Tschumi’s designs are often accompanied by those of curved or organic form.  Tschumi combines the urbanistic and naturalistic qualities of the site in his building designs to create modernist qualities in his designs.  Another key to defining Tschumi’s design style is that his designs strive to integrate into the environment they encompass. However, they don’t integrate in a way that they blend in, the integrate in a way that they work functionally and visually portray Tschumi’s design intentions.

 Tschumi derives the elements of his designs forms from:  The existing layout of an urban fabric.  Existing cyclical patterns:  Vehicular  Pedestrian  Sun/Shadow  Land/Building Use  Linear connections to relevant city features:  Parks  Museums  Public Spaces  Monuments  Natural Land Features  Topography patterns within the building site. Above is a master plan of Parc de la Villete. The red squares indicate Tschumi’s connections to the urban grid. In this project, Tschumi is showing literal connections to the site by the use of Follies, which are small buildings throughout the city that relate back to Parc de la Villette.

In each of Tschumi’s projects pictured below, the linear and curvature qualities of the grid and the curve are key elements that define Tschumi’s architectural design style.