How to Look at Architecture

8/2/2019 How to Look at Architecture

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Citizen advocates guide to urban form

Introduction

This is the urban century with over half of the people in the world living incities and growing more so every day. Consequently, an informed public is

critical in helping the process in every community to review and guide the

development process. In many places, such review is left to the experts.

Sometimes experts have a stake in the game and are not unbiased: they

may be aligned with a particular firm or academic institution or a political

leader. Members of the academic community often blur the line between

their own personal design practice and their teaching. This means that all

citizens need to be better prepared and informed in the important elements

and lines of questioning that should go on in reviewing any design proposaland the incremental changes in their neighborhood and city. This includes

proposals to demolish or rehabilitate older buildings as well as new

construction. The purpose of this modest piece is to empower you to ask

questions, probe the thinking behind the project, and not to be intimidated

by experts, developers and politicians with their own agendas.

As Kevin Lynch once said, People think of places as just there, like a

mountain or a river, but in fact, places are created by people and at times

they are so beautiful they may be considered works of art. Cities are

organic and should be viewed as a garden to be cared for and used tosupport the everyday life of its people. I have seen lots of projects that

suffered for lack of participation, but never projects that got worse because

if it. As Athenian Youth declared in the Ephebic oath, Thus in all these ways

we will transmit this City, not only not less, but greater and more beautiful

than it was transmitted to us.In writing this, I hope that we can promote

meaningful citizen discussions that inform and illuminate, rather than

arguments on preconceived ideas that stymie whats best for the places we

love. I have divided this little piece into two sections, the first dealing with

basic principles of urban form and design and the second about cost,technology and value.

I. Evaluating Urban Form

Dont feel you need to take a class in art history or architecture to

understand some basic ideas. One of the major myths in the urban

discussion today, especially in academia, is thatmodernityis good, or


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progressive. Most proponents of the technology-forits-own-sake school of

design do not reflect the original philosophy behind modernism which is this,

simply stated:

Modernity: Advantages in mass production technology can provide

high quality design, using common materials, for the benefit of a

larger number of people.

Modernityhas come to be misunderstood by proponents of technology for

its own sake, not to save cost and improve the utility and indeed the form

and aesthetics at the same time. Modernism was born out of a noble desire

to make quality products and shelter for the common person, which was

available only to the wealthy and elite before industrialization and mass

production. Unfortunately today garish, weird and intentionally complicated

and costly buildings are often equated with modern. We see this belief inblogs and news articles all the timedaring, creative, bold are often

used to describe buildings of this type.

Heres an example. The Hancock tower in Chicago was a marvel in modern

technology because it used materials in such a sparing way that it was a

very lightweight skyscraper. This meant that the wind effect on the

building would be much more noticeable at the upper floors. The cross

bracing system visible as part of the structure was designed to reduce this

effect. Therefore, its elegant design reflects the idea of modernity as stated

above: use of technology to improve performance. On the contrary, the

CCTV tower in Beijing has its shape not for economy or purpose but to make

a statement. In fact it is one of the most costly buildings per square foot in

Beijing and of course it has been celebrated as innovative, and modern.


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The honesty of the Hancock Building vs. the star architect syndrome

Contextis how a development related to its surroundings. The elements of

context are land uses such as commercial and residential, age of buildings,scale or size of the buildings, materials, relationship to the street and

architectural styles.

One current fad and myth is that to be contemporary, buildings have to

contrast dramatically with their context in order to be of their own time.

This is a particularly dangerous ideology that has appeared only in the 20th

century. The concept that something has to be a certain style to be of its

own time is nonsense. Every building, place and street that exists today is

contemporary as a fact, regardless of when it was built or in what style. Forcenturies, architects referenced, borrowed and interpreted past designs in

their new buildings. Most of the city should be a fabric of scale, color,

texture and land use that fits together seamlessly into a composition

creating delight, assisting in way-finding and providing public character and

value. When you look at plans for changes, consider these relationships to

adjacent uses and buildings. At the same time, it is equally important for


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local neighborhoods to recognize the needs of the city and the region as a

whole. Civic review needs a combination of judicious self-interest as well as

accommodation and recognition of the bigger civic values and needs.

The following are two examples of looking at context, especially focusing on

the relationship of the buildings to the street:

Howard University Hospitala bad neighbor by design

Here is a typical boorish treatment at the hands of a medical institution,

often the least civic minded members of the community. They feel

because they are providing health services they can demand height, design

and transportation concessions and hardly any politician of group has the

ability to stand up to them and say NO! Walk around the periphery of

Howard University and you will see ugly boxes like the above, vacant lots

and parking garages encroaching on the adjacent residential areas. Howard

University needs a plan for its campus that reflects both better and more

integration of its original historic campus and the surrounding

neighborhoods.

Another aspect of context is Orientation. Orientation means the way abuilding or group of buildings interacts with the street and the immediate

surroundings. This is particularly important for behavior and the feeling of

safety. Barriers to visibility from and to the street create a sense that no

one is watching and that implies a safety issue, much like roll up doors on

storefronts. Here are a few examples:


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This residential complex pictured on the next page turns itself completely

away from the street, creating a monotonous walk for pedestrians and the

lack of activity and eyes on the street can also contribute the feeling of a

lack of personal safety. The fence and window bars add to the overall effect

of a fortress.

14th Street below Belmont

Vermont Ave. below Thomas Circle

Even if the building entrance is oriented to the street, the job isnt finished.

Here the planters look like afterthoughts and the obvious message is CARSENTER HERE. The monotonous brick faade and columns, air conditioningvent and concrete paving all give the impression that the pedestrian isinsignificant. Heavy pedestrian traffic areas like Vermont Avenue shouldrequire the architects and developers to come up with better ways of gettingcars in and out than crossing a busy sidewalk. This is a tradeoff:inconvenience a suburban commuter or improve the quality of the publicrealm for everyone elseyou decide.


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The following development, Logan Station, offers good attention to building

orientation:

12

th

and R St. NW

Logan Station, in contrast, shows that you can combine a sense of

residential privacy while still offering a pleasant and safe pedestrian

experience. Note also how the building faade is broken up with a variety of

materials, decorative elements and colors to reduce the feeling of size and

relieve monotony along the street. Think of orientation as a pleasant

conversation between the building and the people passing by.

Logan Station, rear view

The rear of this complex even provides a similar sense of thought with the

nicely detailed and rhythmic balconies, window lintels, and cornice even


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though the materials are not as rich and diverse as the front. This shows the

consideration of all the perspectives of the building to its surroundings.

The concept of context is critical to evaluating urban form and design,

because new design, demolition and rehabilitation impact the surroundings

in terms of visual, behavioral and functional aspects. Lets look at several

other critical elements of design: scale, materials, and rhythm. All these

elements need to work together to either assist in creating a sense of place,

or of disturbing that sense. From a human perspective, residents, new and

old, find certain elements of the public realm universally pleasing: the

safety of a sidewalk, shade and shelter from the elements, and the delight of

feeling that you as an individual are important and valued in the scheme of

things, not only the building owner, the ego of the designer, or the

automobile. Good urban design treats the person on the street as aparticipant in the urban fabric. Urban design is not just about the visual

aspect but about basic functionality. That means that the arrangement of

space and buildings helps people find and use the elements of their

surroundings. It is human nature to be touched and moved by the

arrangements and ornamentation of the places the make. 70,000 years ago

our ancestors added the sense of art and orientation to their caves and their

early sacred spaces.

Building types, street layouts, signs, parks and the array of commercial useswithin a residential area all help create convenient and efficient

neighborhoods which collectively form the city. Lets look at some examples

of these important design elements:


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Scale

View 14, 14th St. NW

This building is one of the favorites of those who believe jarring and

attention grabbing is the same as good and innovativeits not. Looking at

it objectively, it dominates the street by exaggerating its prominence on the

hill going up 14th street, thereby making the pedestrian on the sidewalk feel

intimidated. The overall design of the building has no rhythm--its faade

has three disconnected sub themes: the Mondrian-like glass and metal

pattern at the corner, the twisted window/balcony arrangement in the

middle and the northern end yet a different nondescript pattern. The

materials along the street level are rough, cheap concrete blocks and theprime corner, where you would expect the key orientation to announce a

welcoming retail space, is partially blocked by the concrete column at the

corner. Here the technology and structural design interfere with the function,

without any benefit.

How not to do an entrance


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Because people choose to live there doesnt necessarily equate with value or

good design, perhaps recalling Oscar Wilde, A cynic is person who knows

the price of everything but the value of nothing.At least it has retail space

along commercial 14th Street, albeit unoccupied. By focusing on the

balconies for the residents and skimping on the street, the message it sendsis clear: The owners care about their bottom line, not people who walk by.

Because of the additional design review required due to U street historic

district status, this new construction only one block south from the View on

14th Street exhibits many qualities: scale, attention to the street and the

incorporation of historical facades. While adding density, this development

does so with respect to the pedestrian and its neighboring buildings.

Two blocks south at 14th and U we see, courtesy of Richard Layman,

http://urbanplacesandspaces.blogspot.com, new infill buildings that
http://urbanplacesandspaces.blogspot.com/http://urbanplacesandspaces.blogspot.com/http://www.flickr.com/photos/rllayman/4136118060/http://www.flickr.com/photos/rllayman/4136118060/http://urbanplacesandspaces.blogspot.com/


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complement the street experience while serving the needs of new business.

The size of the buildings should vary within an overall context.

Materials

14th St. near Newton, NW

This picture shows a series of design problemscan you spot them? The

most obvious is the clash of materials: concrete blocks versus brick. Even if

this addition is completed with brick veneer, its lack of detail, window

treatment and monotonous flat front from the ground to the roof is a slap in

the face to this historic row of Wardman buildings. Even small changes of

scale, material and detail can have a huge impact on the street and the

neighborhood, so it is important that we get all projects done correctly, not

just the large ones. Its a shame to see such slap-dash treatment of many of

the formerly residential buildings along DCs commercial corridors added to,

altered and utterly disfigured when attention to character and detail can

balance new uses and contemporary needs with the original building design.

Here is a welcome unveiling of an original mid-century faade on 14th and

Q. This structure was covered over with sheet metal until redevelopment

began a few weeks ago. Spot the location of the clock that used to be at the


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entrance! Look what can be done with detailing basic concrete, wood and

glass. Washington has many really interesting mid-century commercial

buildings, like The Manhattan, below, which used to be a laundry.

The scale, materials (enameled metal, glass and a touch of terra cotta) and

clean detailing make this a great example of mid-century design.

Continuing our discussion of materials, the nearly ubiquitous glass box

never ceases to bore. When you see a building with each side the same, you

know that the designer is negating the fact that the sun crosses the skyevery day from east to west and relying on totally artificial mechanical

systems to control the interior conditions. In an era where we are trying to

reduce energy consumption and provide more integration with the natural

elements, it is inexcusable to design a building that relies only on artificial

mechanical systems for light, heat and cooling.


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Old Convention Center Site Rendering(DCMudd)

In addition, glass box design presupposes that a hermetically sealed

environment is more efficient and even good for the occupantsor maybe

the occupants dont really count in the scheme?

Here is a rendering of the proposedair rights complexover the 395

expressway--recently rejected by the Commission on Fine Arts. Photo iscourtesy ofhttp://www.mvtriangleblog.com. This is another case wheremaximizing rentable space overrides pedestrian space, context andimaginationlike a glass version of the hulking ugliness FBI building.
http://www.mvtriangleblog.com/http://www.mvtriangleblog.com/http://www.mvtriangleblog.com/http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HC0tnd5ZsdY/TCO_R6VmolI/AAAAAAAAB7s/ihADwCD4n78/s1600/City+Center+Office+Building.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HC0tnd5ZsdY/TCO_R6VmolI/AAAAAAAAB7s/ihADwCD4n78/s1600/City+Center+Office+Building.jpghttp://www.mvtriangleblog.com/


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Monotony and lack of imagination dont always involve totally glass boxes,either. One can expect the boring box at L and Vermont since that is thepredominant feature of many downtown corridors in the District, but to allowsuch a building as the prominent hotel on Thomas Circle demonstrates atrue contempt for Washingtons unique and inspired original plan.

Good examples of contemporary design can still be found, though.

9th

street south of U

As with Logan Square, this design uses no historical stylistic elements, yet

provides all the components we are discussing: variety of materials, broken


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up faade consistent color and rhythm, pedestrian friendly and welcoming

orientation. Note again how small changes in faade relief cast shadows that

play against the building and give your eye something of interest and a

varied pattern as the morning turns to evening.

Under construction, yet clearly a better example of scale, materials and

orientation is this 14th street project. Look at the entrance with its attention

to the importance of the corner, the change of materials from brick to glass

and the variety of the faade that mitigates the size of the building.


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Rhythm

Suburban style gas station interrupts the rhythm on 14 th street

The design element of rhythm is the sense of playful interest created by the

right combination of repetition and diversity. A street that has the same

pattern repeating over and over isnt very interesting, and similarly, jarring

discontinuities, like the gas station here interrupt the rhythm of the street.

Its setback, oversized canopy, neglected landscape and one-size-fits-all

signage all break the rhythm of 14th street and make it a place that we want

to hurry by rather than adding to the pleasure of our walk. This cookie-

cutter design came from the suburbs but no one demanded it be adapted to

the urban setting.


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Lets look at a couple images that show the balance between diversity and

repetition to form an overall place of enjoyment and functionality:

San Antonios famous Riverwalk demonstrates a variety of color and textures

( tress, water, buildings and walkway) yet a uniform sense of human scale,

size of the umbrellas and the setback of the buildings from the water--

simple in design but pleasant in effect.


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Washington DC residential rows offer brilliant examples of rhythm, scale,

color and texture. Here we see the simple sequence from street to building

of curb, tree planting strip, sidewalk, private yard and row house. Each

different in subtle ways, yet the uniform height and materials along with the

setback provide a practical, utilitarian yet strikingly handsome street. Payattention to how small changes in the architectural facadesthe cornice,

window frames and panes, recessed entrances, and fences all help provide

shadow elements that relieve monotony of too much flatness often found in

more contemporary residential blocks like this:

II. Cost, technology and value

Does the development proposal use technology and materials and

design to enhance the quality of the building in terms of cost and

utility for the user?

Lets look at an example:

http://www.districtdynamos.org/directors_blog/west_end_rip_offHere is a

thoughtful look at several library projects. You can judge for yourself the

merits of this and other public buildings. A cost review is critical to

understanding why designers are advocating for certain things. The bottom
http://www.districtdynamos.org/directors_blog/west_end_rip_offhttp://www.districtdynamos.org/directors_blog/west_end_rip_offhttp://www.districtdynamos.org/directors_blog/west_end_rip_off


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line here is the Shaw Library cost $636 per square foot. According to Saylor

Publications, adjusted for location, a multi story library with steel frame a

stone veneer estimated cost is $276 per foot.

So cost and technology need to be examined. I use this to illustrate that it

is not hard to find data for comparison and that the cost is not an absolute,

but when designers are touting the features and aesthetics of their particular

choices of materials, construction technology and design, cost is definitely a

factor. Lets compare the costs, technologies and aesthetics of two recently

built branch libraries--one in nearby Baltimore and one in the District.

Baltimore Orleans Street Branch

$4,000,000 Photo courtesy ofhttp://www.cbhassociates.com/

Shaw Library $14,000,000

At the risk of getting ahead of myself while I am on the subject of the Shaw

library, in addition to the cost, there are numerous design problems that are

not a matter of taste but objective observations.
http://www.cbhassociates.com/http://www.cbhassociates.com/http://www.cbhassociates.com/http://www.cbhassociates.com/


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First, the way this building meets the street is not pedestrian friendly,

especially the landscape on the R street side, which provides no amenity,

such as outdoor seating, but rather pushes the building away from the

sidewalk. Second, the architects created a problem by exposing the library

book stacks to light, then the solved their own problem with an ugly,expensive perforated metal screen on the Rhode island Avenue side, thereby

adding cost that could have been avoided by solving the natural light issue

directly. Granted the narrow site is a challenge, but not insurmountable with

proper conventional window treatment and interior arrangement.

Because the building has very poor visual identity as a public building--as

opposed to say, a telephone switching facility--it has to use up a great

expanse of street frontage to say LIBRARY. This contributes to its overall

uninviting street presence, in addition to the R Street set-back issue

mentioned above. Remember when I said a building should have a pleasantconversation with the street? What does this building say?

The entrance is mundane and once inside you wonder if you are in a parking

garage or a public building--except for the obvious book drop slots, one

wouldnt know. The entrance is not inspiring but simply monotonous

circulation elements as opposed to a true sense of arrival which should be

mandatory for a public building. This is in stark contrast to the Baltimore

example, which cost $10 million less, and, a slightly smaller square footage

provides an inspiring two story atrium, more seating and a nicer streetpresence.

OPPORTUNITY COST

Every dollar that the local government spends would be subject to the

concept of opportunity cost. While we all might like to have the most

advanced technology and the costliest materials in our public buildings, we

must realize that the money we spend on such things means that someone

is also MAKING THE CHOICE NOT TO SPEND IT ON OTHER THINGS. The

budget is finite therefore every budget decision has to be seen as a series of

choices or trade-offs.

In this guide I have focused mostly on design and how to look at changes in

an urban context. In order to be good stewards of the public realm, we also

need to look at costs, especially as they relate to the issues of design. So


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you should ask for each publicly funded or subsidized proposal, what are

we giving up building this development? In this example, $10 million

more for a library because of design and wasted technology means $10

million not available for parks and recreation, existing improvements, school

facilities, and affordable housing to mention a few choices.

III. Conclusion

It is imperative that cities be shaped by cultural values and the effective

participation of all parties especially residents. Such a process should be

guided by the government leaders, but in the absence of such leadership,

citizens armed with information on choices, tradeoffs and the compelling

issues of place making can manage their own effective process. In

presenting my perspective, I welcome contrasting and contrary opinions,

because in the end, the discussion of place is what matters. Thougheveryone may not agree on the specifics, I hope we can elevate the quality,

intelligence and mutual respect of our local discussions to make Washington

and all cities better places to live, work and relaxtoday and for our future

generations. We need to hold our public leaders and staff accountable to

help provide decent information, transparency and a willingness to hear and

guide effective discussion. From across the spectrum of no participation to

the hostile chaos that characterizes some online and in person interactions,

there must be the balanced happy medium of intelligent and informed

discussion that leads to accepted public decision making. Not a top downdictatorship, nor Me first NYMBYism, but a true civic vision and culture. I

hope you will get out and walk the streets of our city, look for yourself at

some of the places and designs Ive mentioned here and find new ones. I

love walking our city and I hope that this short guide will enhance your own

appreciation and delight in the civic realm.


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As the great urban design master Kevin Lynch remarked: Some people

think or a place as just there, like a mountain or a river, but of course

place are created by people and at times they are so beautiful that they are

works of art. Lets all work together to keep knitting the tapestry that are

our neighborhoods in our city.

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How to Look at Architecture