M N E M O N I C S OF THE C I TY

A TRAM M U S E U M

IN H O N G K O N G

Texas Tech Universi Architecture

P U I P U I MAY LE E Library

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F A L L 1 9 8 9

T H S I S

P R O G R AM M I N G

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CONTENT

Thesis Statement

Architecture as f nemonics of the City: A Tram Museum in Hong Kong

Background Studies

Part I: Architecture as Mnemonics and "City" as the Theme in Architecture

Part II: A Brief History of the Development of Museum Typology

Part III: Context of the Tram Route and the Site

Case Studies

I. "London" by Marek Walczak

II. Three Projects by Fumihiko Maki

III. Castelvecchio Museum

Activity Analysis and Spatial Analysis

Activity Analysis

Spatial Analysis

Selected Bibliography

1-2

3-13

14-15

16-24

25-26

27-28

29-31

32-34

34-37

38

ARCHITECTURE AS MNEMONICS OF THE CITY : A TRAM MUSEUM IN HONG KONG

". . . the city is redundant, it repeats itself so that something will stick in the mind . , ."

Italo Calvino

Mnemonics, or the art of memory, was a vital technique in the ancient world when paper

and various other "note-taking" tools were not available. Greek and Classical scholars,

especially the orators who needed to remember long text of their speech, thus developed

techniques to improve their memory. They usually assigned different parts of their text

to various images, which were then stored in the memory as series of loci or places.

According to Frances Yates, the most common type of mnemonic system employed by the

classical scholars was the architectural one. Very often, the entire environment of the

building was used for the storage of memory. The orator would label each part of his text

with a specific image. These images were then placed upon imagination on features and

details of an existing building. When the orator "revisited" the building, he would be

able to recall the salient parts of his text"'.

Our memory of the city, however, is not organized as a logical sequence of text. People

remember the city in fragmented events that take place in particular urban settings, in

other words, urban images are already loaded with unwritten "text" of its residents and

visitors.

The intent of this thesis Is, therefore, to explore the possibilities of transforming

fragmented memories of urban images into an analytic and unified architectural design.

As Italo Calvino suggests. In order to see a city, one must discard one's preconceived

ideas and images, and to know how to abstract the essential parts among the numerous

stimuli that the city put in front of one's eyes^ . The transformation process, therefore,

must involve re-interpretation of these "essential parts" of our memories. They must

be redesigned into architectural expressions (which may not necessary resemble the

originals), that portray clear imageries that our feelings and spirits can recognize.

The resident constructs and appropriates his/her city around a series of daily rituals

and habits; to many in Hong Kong, traveling on a tram to work or to shop become an

unaware daily ritual. Unlike most North Americans, people In Hong Kong rely heavily

on public transports. Being the oldest and still operating vehicle of public

transportation, the tram has been an important witness of the evolution of the city. As

time goes by, the form and envelop of the tram changes, so does the urban images along

its route. The slow speed of the tram, from the point of view of a traveler, makes it an

excellent vehicle for observation. Day after day, the tram repeats its route back and

forth along the island's skirt, slicing through a panoramic section of the city. Having

been in service now for close to a century, the tram and its passengers have been loading

themselves, either consciously or subconsciously, with the images and memories of that

particular slice of the city. To the passengers these become fragments of the city that

inhabit the space of their imagination. To the tram, the terminal becomes a place where

it unloads and keeps its "memories".

A Tram Museum (to be combined with the terminal) to preserve the history of the tram

and more important, its "memories" of the city, which will be transformed into the

architectural language of the building, is therefore proposed as the "vehicle" of this

thesis.

1 Frances Yates, The Art of Memory (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1966)

2 Italo Calvino, "The Gods of the City", Havard Architectural Review IV (Spring, 1984)6

B A C K G R O U N D

S T U D I E S

P A R T

P A R T 1 1

P A R T 111

Teatro Olimpico, Vicenza.

BACKGROUND STUDIES

Part I: Architecture as mnemonics and "City" as the theme in architecture

The use of architecture as a mnemonic system dates back to the Greek and the Roman.

According to Quintilian, a spacious and varied building with elaborated ornament was

ideal for the storage of memory"' . During the Renaissance, theatres were built

exclusively as mnemonics, such as the Memory Theatre of Guilio Camillo in Venice and

that of Robert Fludd. The former was an adaptation of the Vitruvian theatre except it was

distorted by Camillo with his images for mnemonic purposes. Yates suspected that

Camillo's theatre might have influenced Palladio's design of the Teatro Olimpico, which

has a frons scaenae (back of the stage) heavily decorated with mythological images^ .

Robert Fludd, on the other hand, adapted the Globe Theatre as his model. To him,

materials and structural details of both the sceneries and the stage itself were important

sources of memory^ . John Willis' repository, which was described in his Mnemonica,

written in 1618, relied on the use of colors on his stage(s) to assist the recall of

memory images^ .

These examples, however, are a sort of "private apparatus". Images are "stored" not

"expressed" in the architecture. The choice of images and their relation to the

architecture depend entirely on the individual. In exploring the possibilities of

architecture as mnemonics of the city, investigations into how city has been used by

architects and other creative people as a source of inspiration or basis of their theories

are, thus, necessary.

The city as a "theme" comes in four "variations" in these investigations:-

1. Architecture as a reflection of the order of the city.

2. Architecture as a miniature city

3. The use of urban memory

4. Architecture as an interpretation of the city.

1. Architecture as a reflection of the order of the city

In Alberto Perez-Gomez's essay, "City as a Paradigm of Symbolic Order"^ , he argued

that cities used to be the embodiment of divine order, and hence, the city's order should

essentially be the order of rituals. He also reminded us that Greek classical tragedy as

mimesis was the initial transformation of ritual into art and thus became the paradigm

for all Western arts including architecture. Naturally the function of the Greek theatre

complemented that of the city^ .

The Roman took a different interpretation of the cosmological nature. Their identification

of geometry with ritual was not only manifested in the planning of their city, but also in

their architecture. Vitruvius's idea of a theatre was a perfect example^ .

During the Middle Ages, Christianity reintroduced the awareness of myth to the people.

The invisible order of the city was revealed in the mystery play, in which public spaces

of the city were literally incorporated into the realm of the theatre.

When the Renaissance man realized the distance between himself and God, divine order

was replaced by that of human. For the first time in history. Individual architect was

responsible for the creation of order. The city could now be "designed" and to be

conceived as a stage set for human dramas. The stage of the Renaissance theatre, thus,

became a microcosm of the city (eg. Palladio and Scamozzi's Teatro Olimpico).

One could, of course, argue that after industrialization, order of the city is an order of

function and efficiency, thus, the functionalist's approach to architecture is actually

continuing the same principle. The question is: What Is the function of a city?

2. Architecture as a miniature city.

Alan Colquhoun thinks that Alberti's statement that a building is a small city and a city a

large building^ has unintentionally predicted the birth of superblock and megastructure

of our century^ . Although there are numerous example of "building as a city", almost

all of them take a functionalist analogy of the city.

Nevertheless, there are architects who use the idea of miniature city in a typological

sense and realize it in small buildings. This Is particularly evident in contemporary

Japan. Japanese architects seem to have given up the hope to improve the extremely

chaotic urban environment in Tokyo and other major cities . Architects have become

interested in expressing what they think the order of the city should be in their

architecture. Fumihiko Maki's Kato Gakuen Elementary School (1972) represented this

idea by the arrangement of the classrooms in groups separated as well as connected by

several open inner courts and a system of interwoven multi-purpose community

spaces^ . Hiroshi Hara buries the city within his so-called Reflection Houses: the

Kato Gakuen Elementary School.

Kuragaki House (1977), his own house (1974) and the Awazu House(1972). These

designs involve reduction of scale and the redefinition of elements. Urban elements as

streets, intersection, "nodes", landmarks, tiny individual "city centres" and so on, are

introduced^ ^ .

O.M. Ungers has also developed a project titled "Hotel Berlin, the analogy of the city as

building". It consists of an external boundary wall that encloses a series of spaces or

houses. The outer wall, where the rooms of the hotel are set, forms an arcade on the

ground floor, corresponds to a city wall both in terms of function and material. The

emphasis of this project Is on the use of different materials to distinguish the identity of

each major component 2 ^

Hotel Berlin Project

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Hara's House

3. The use of urban memory

Alvar Aalto says that "the significance of form resides not in today and now but in

yesterday and then, and in its ability to bridge the "then" with the "now". Design,

therefore, is but the struggle to cast our fantasies into the molds of our memories". This

is the frame of mind that architects like Aalto, Rossi, Scarpa and perhaps many others

have when they explore the use of typology of urban fragments.

In the case of Aalto, the use of iconographic tripartite articulation of the urban facade

has been a frequent reference throughout his career: from the Jyvaskyla Apartment

Building In the 20's to the Enzo Gutzeit Administrative Building in the 60's. The "city-

crown", which featured in all important civic building before the era of Modernism, has

been reinterpreted by Aalto in his Saynatsalo Town Hall, the Seinajoki Town Hall, the

OtaniemI institute of Technology and several other designs"' .

Saynatsalo Town Hall

Otaniemi Institute of Technology

8

Aldo Rossi has, of course, manifested his belief in the importance of typology in The

Architecture of the City. To Rossi, observation is his most important formal education,

for observation later becomes transformed into memory "I ^ . One recurring example is

the typology of an "arcade" in many of his design: Gallaratese 2, the idea is magnified by

the effect of light and shadow; Cemetery of San Cataldo, the inevitable procession in life;

International Architectural Exhibition Section XV Triennale, Milan, a simple but strong

idea of separating path and exhibition space.

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Cemetery of San Cataldo

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Carlo Scarpa in the restoration of Castelvecchio has accumulated redesigned images of

architectural works of both the past and the "present" , and tried to reveal the Venetian

urban structure characteristic along his museographic route (see case studies).

4. Architecture as an interpretation of the city.

While the second and the third investigations are closely related to the idea of typology,

architecture as an interpretation of the city will discuss projects that are aimed at

expressing the impression of the city or abstract representations of the hidden

dimensions of the city. The Hadrian Villas may be regarded as a historical example. Rome

was a city of rapid expansion which resulted in leftover urban spaces throughout the

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city. Spaces or rooms within the Hadrian Villas were all constructed as individual

spaces in various non-corresponding shapes, presumably expressing the condition of the city.

In recent time, Zaha Hadid, in her Hong Kong Peak international competition entry of

1983, explains the four huge "beams" In her scheme, thrusting out on the top of the

peak, as an abstraction from the skyscraper in the city below," turned over on their

sides, brought up the hill, and driven into the hillside to form a horizontal

skyscraper""! 5 ,

%^syy^y':'^i'',Mad\d's entry to the Peak Competition of Hong Kong J

In another example, the London Project, which consists of seven individual projects

done by ten architects and artists, each presents an unique approach towards the

abstraction of the city. The most unconventional ones are Leslie Gill's and Reiser and

Umemoto's.

Since Gill has never been to London, she decides to base her entire project on literary

accounts about London experiences written by authors like Dickens, Wordsworth, Eliot,

Conrad and several others. The project is basically a collage of texts, architectural

drawings and prints of the city's fragments. The Intention is to extract new and specific

meaning from the confrontation of autonomous fragments"* ^ .

11

Reiser and Umemoto's intention behind their Mnemonic Theatre (inspired by the spirits

of the Renaissance theatre) Is an attempt to look into the contemporary universe and the

origin of our preoccupations and motives in the city to seek out typically characteristic

forms, which will then be transformed into a series of so-called engendering plates.

These metal plates become the "actors" in the shadow theatre which suggest a compressed

space in a compressed time"' ^ .

Valuable lessons on how one perceive and remember the city can be found outside the

field of architecture. Italo Calvlno's Invisible Cities teaches us to "see" the hidden city.

In th book, Marco Polo tells Kublal Khan stories about cities that he has seen within the

empire. All these places that Polo has described are In fact the same place. The

difference lies in the way one perceives it and the various values one assigns the city

with. As Calvino describes Kublal Khan's reaction to the stories:

". . . Marco Polo's cities resemble one another, as if the passage from one to

the other Involved not a journey but a change of elements... the Great Khan's

mind set out in its own. . . dismantling the city piece by piece, he

reconstructed it in other ways, substituting components, shifting them,

inverting them"^^ .

Reiser and Umemoto's Mnemonic Theatre

12

In dealing with the way we perceive the city, this thesis involves perceiving the city

from the point of view of a tram traveler. Although most people will not associate

"tram" with "speed", to see the city on a moving vehicle definitely generates an unique

sensation. A sensation that, as the Futurist asserted, "synthesize the manifold

experience of sense and memory in a coherent simultaneity". The most relevant lesson

to be learned front the Futurist is that one cannot simply represent any object without

enclosing them in their environment. The essence of "city", as that of architecture, is

not a simple manipulation of figure and ground, but a complex entity of the tangible and

the intangible.

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"" Frances Yates, The Art of Memorv (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1966)3 2 Ibid, 171-2 3 Ibid, 350-3 ^ Ibid, 337 5 from the Carleton Book (Ottawa: Carleton University, School of Architecture, 1985) 5 -1 8 6 In the classical theatre, the spatial interactions between the chorus, the Skene and the orchestra enable the protagonists (actors) to re-enact the wills of gods to the spectator. ^ According to Vitruvius in his De Architectura. Lib. V, cap. 6, he describes how the classical theatre reflects the proportions of the world: The positions of the seven gangways in the auditorium and of the five entrances on to the stage are determined by the point of four equilateral triangles Inscribed within the circle, the centre of which is the centre of the orchestra. These triangles, says Vitruvius, correspond to the trigona which astrologers Inscribe within the circle of the zodiac.

8 Although some argue that this idea originates from Palladio 9 FQc;pyq in Arrhitprtiiral Criticism ( Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1986) 104

10 Bognar, Botond, r.nntpmpnrarv ,iappnP<;P Architecture (New York: Van Nostrand

Reinhold Co., 1985) 153 11 Ibid, 336 . . r. u.- u 12 o . M. Ungers, Ar.h.tprtnrP as Theme (Mew York: Rizzoli International Publisher, 1982) 69 , . , 13 Pnrnhvrios Demitri, "The Retrieval of Memory: Alvar Aalto's Typological Conception of'Design" , Oppositions 22 (Cambridge: The MIT Press, Fall 1980) 59 14 Quantrill, Malcolm, T^P Fnvironmental Memorv (New York: Schocken Books, 1987)

15 Ed. Philip Johnson & Mark Wigley, Decontructivist Architecture (Boston: MOMA

Catalog 1988) 68 16 Marek Walczak (et al), T^^ I nndon Proiect (New York: Princeton Architectural Press & Artists Space, 1988)

18 I'tab Calvino, Ipyj^ihle Cities, trans. William Weaver (New York: Harcourt Brace

jovanovich. Inc., 1974)43

TEXAS TECH LiBRARi

14

Background Studies

Part II: A Brief History of the Development of Museum Typology

The world's first museum"!, built by the Greek, was intended as a research institute for

scholars. The portico of the Greek temple, however, became the germ of an exhibition

gallery. The Romans, who enjoyed active public lives, inherited the Hellenistic

collections on top of their owns and displayed them throughout their forums^ , thereby,

turning the entire city into a "museum".

Life revolved around the church during the Middle Ages. To the people, history began

with the Christian era preceded by a pre-history that was in the Bible. Therefore,

museum had no part in their life, except those treasures with their relics of saints.

Presentation of art and treasures were held by the priests in a sort of theatrical

performances^-

Renaissance was the age of amateurism. The royalties and the nobles lavishly presented

their collections in specially assigned rooms inside their palaces and castles. And since

the process of presentations and apprehensions of art involved only small circles of the

elite, Cabinet des Curiosites, or Wunderkammer , became, then, prototypes of private

museums. Scientific revolution in the 17th c. had expanded collectors' interest into the

fields of fauna and flora. Although, under the influence of scientific classification, each

cabinet or salon began to specialize Its content, "museum" as an unique building type had

yet to come.

The Roman's esprite publique , as far as museum was concerned, did not return until

after the French Revolution, which had transfered the ownership of art from the royalty

to the public. The Louvre, thus, became the first public museum. As political and

cultural power gradually became more democratic, more and more royal galleries and

salons began to admit the public. The mission of broadening public education had also

launched the incorporation of the museum into universities and monasteries. The

nervasive rationalism of the 18th century, added the task of restoration and conservation

to the museum. As the functions of a museum became more complex, new typologies

emerged.

15

The 19th century marked the Age of Museum, architecturally speaking. This was also the

age of nationalization of private collections. The logical organization of exhibition spaces

and the principles of orientation, both aimed to establish a spatio-temporal

correspondence between the period of the art works and the construction of the building

itself became the obsession of museum designers. In the first half of the century, the

museum took the form of a temple. They were also looked upon as temples which

preserved the vestige of human history.

Today's museums have become civic centres run by professionals for the benefit of the

public. Their functions include education, entertainment, cinema, eating, shopping,

making things and social gathering. Desparately trying to incorporate muesum into

normal civic life, the Modernists say no to the monumental staircases, the facade of a

Greek temple, and basically any other vestige of historical elements. According to Helen

Searing , the two major types in museum typology today are that of the public museum

tradition of Durand" , and that of the 19th c. "machines a exposer"^ which grew up

with the great exhibition (Crystal Palace). The concept of modern museum has now

been influencing architectural thinking to the point where these intriguing buildings are

taken as paradigms of the contemporary power of imitation .

1 Museum of Alexandria, built in the 3rd century B.C. by Ptolemy I Soter.

2 Art works were displayed in bathhouse, temples, courts etc., the Romans have no '

'museum' per se.

3 During Festivals, objects of art and curiosity were taken out and were solemnly shown

to people gathering outside the church.

4 For example, Stuttgart Staatsgalerie by James Stirling.

5 For example, Centre Pompidou by Piano + Rogers.

16

N e w T e r r i t o r i e s

Background Studies

Part III: Context of the Tram Route and the Site

The 13.5 km long tram route along the skirts of the north shore of the Hong Kong Island

reveals a gradual variation in the city's facade. The route stretches across eight

districts from Kennedy Town in the west to Shau Kei Wan in the east.

The meandering shore line, the hilly topography, and the fact that Hong Kong was not

industrialized until after World War II, "saved" the city from grid planning. Extreme

scarcity of flat land has been forcing the city, even in her early stage of British

colonization, to expand into the Victoria Harbor by reclamations, and to build along the

slopes all the way up to the Peak. Thus further exaggerated the verticality of the already

overcrowding "concrete jungle".

17

Like many other British colonies, "foreign" architectural language, lifestyles,

educational system etc., were introduced to this innocent Chinese fishing port ( that was

what Hong Kong used to be before colonization in the mid-19th c.)and her inhabitants,

thus deprived of their inherited culture. Early "urban planning" was rather chaotic and

arbitrary. At its best, planning considerations were based on topography and the

preferences of views.

The British saw their colonies as important markets for their domestic productions (or

as sources of raw materials). Therefore, the development of seaports in the colonies was

given the top priority. Naturally, the earliest boulevards in Hong Kong followed the

profile of the shore, and the tram route was basically along these boulevards. The sudden

expansion in population after the take over of China by the Communists in 1949 greatly

accelerated the growth of the city. Buildings started to fill up almost every "cavity" of

the city, resulting in a fascinating continuous facade along the route of the tram.

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Early development along

the Victoria Harbour, 1890

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18

Many fragments from the Old Hong Kong still exist In the areas from Kennedy Town to

Sheung Wan. Old fashioned retails and restaurants, light Industries and cargo piers

dominated these areas. Central District, the CBD of Hong Kong, with its many important

landmarks both from the past and the present (to mention a few: the Supreme Court in

Neo-Classical style, the Hi-Tech Hong Kong Bank by Norman Foster, the new China

Bank, 70 stories by I.M. Pel . . . ), portrays a collage of historical layers of the city.

the Supreme Court of Hong Kong

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Wan Chai, where the navy headquarters is located, has for many years the Nightclub

Paradise ( it is, in fact, the setting of Paramount's classic film " The World of Suzie

Wong"). However, the tram passes by the back of this "Paradise", a number of "wide"

city blocks on one side seem to be planned as screens to buffer the "immoral" side from

the "moral" side of the district. Opposites to these "wide" blocks are several narrow

blocks with narrow in-between spaces being utilized as markets.

As one continues one's journey on the tram from Wan Chai, heading from west to east,

one enters into the Causeway Bay District, the shopping and hotel centre of the Island.

Traffic is extremely busy here, so are neon signs. No matter when you visit this area,

there is always something under construction or repair. Entrances of department stores

become favorite waiting places.

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HAPPY VALLEY . SO KO < PO • TAI HANG • NORTH POINT

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Streetscapes of WanChai and Causeway Bay

21

The tension is released when the tram travels pass two of the largest urban parks on

both sides of its path as it enter the last three districts on its route: North Point,

Quarry Bay and Shau Kei Wan. North Point marks the transition from mostly

commercial to mostly residential. There are three major types of housing form in these

areas: 1) the more recently developed "housing estates", which are groups of high-rise

apartment with retail Incorporated into the whole system (sort of close to Le

Corbusier's idea of the Ville Radieuse). 2) the older medium-rise apartments

characterized by the so-called "illegal facade""" , and 3) the wooden hut slum housing in

"village" arrangement on the foot of the hillside.

22

Housing estates in Quarry Bay

Wyim, 98981101

Illegal Facades

1 Illegal extension of an apartment unit on the exterior, usually in the form of a metal "cage" structure.

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The existing main Tram Terminal/Tramway Depot is located in Causeway Bay, two

blocks behind the main boulevard. The Depot is protected by stone wall all the way

around, and is closed to the public at the moment. The immediate site (approximately

110,000 square foot) is surrounded by high-rises of either offices or apartments on

three sides and the Bowington-Canal flyovers run parallel to its west. Small retails of

various sorts occupy the ground level surrounding the site (a small wet market to its

north). The Depot itself consists of an electricity generating station (which is built

originally in 1904), a two-storey administration office and a covered tram terminal.

24

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The existing Tram Terminal

C A S E S T U D lES

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THREE PROJECTS BY

FUM I HI KO M A K I

C A S T E L V E C C H I O M U S E U M

25

Case Studies

'• "London"

by Marek Walczak, 1988

"London" is one of the seven experimental architectural projects from the "London

Project' , sponsored by the Artist Spaces and the Princeton Architectural Press. Each

of the seven projects explores different conceptual ideas about the city and the urban

architecture of London, without the constraints of pragmatism and construction cost.

As described by Walczak himself,"Londo/7 Is an attempt at exposing the structural

relationships of one culture that embedded these relationships in the form and layout of a

city."^ He sees London as a city that is composed of and summarized by a number of

well-known institutions (including the Globe Theatre that does not exist any more), each

symbolizes a certain political or social aspect of the city. Walczak is not so much

concerned with the iconographic images of these institutions but the role they have been

playing or should be playing (according to Walczak's Interpretation) in the city. Each

institution is then "compressed", with considerations of its original environment, into a

building that evokes its essential characters. These buildings are presented on a tabula

rasa along the Thames, corresponding to their original location.

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26

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Although this project does not directly deal with the use of urban memory, there are

several lessons to be learned here:-

1) The most common and effective way to represent the essences of a city is to identify

from each area an unique and unforgettable environment.

2) One cannot simply abstract elements from a structure without considering their

relationships with their original context.

3) In using iconographic images, one must recognize their Inherent symbolic values.

1 Marek Walczak (et al), Thg LgndQn Project (New York: Princeton Architectural Press & Artists Spaces,1988) 12

21

Case Studies

II. Three projects by Fumihiko Maki

a) the Spiral, Minato Ward, Tokyo, 1985.

b) the YKK Guest House, Kurobe, 1982.

c) the Fujisawa Gymnasium, 1984.

These projects are chosen in order to illustrate two important points

1) the architect's reinterpretation of traditional element/artifact

ii) the elasticity of scale

In both the Spiral and the YKK Guest House, the traditional Japanese architectural

element: the shoji screen is adopted, enlarged and presented in different materials.

However, its original purpose, "screening", and its translucent quality remain

unchanged after the reinterpretation.

In the case of Spiral, the shoji screen becomes a gigantic aluminum framed screen with

transparent and translucent glazing, announcing itself by projecting out at a slight angle

to the rest of the facade. The use of this oversized shoji screen not only provoke a

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Shoji screen in Katsura Palace

the SPIRAL

28

memory of traditional reference, but also goes in harmony with the sense of materials of

the entire facade.

In the case of the YKK Guest House, the screen Is again enlarged and is used in the

interior to enclose and define the vertical space of the main staircases. Thereby adding

an unmistakable Japanese touch to a Guest House designed primarily for foreign visitors.

The form of the Fujisawa Municipal Gymnasium Is inspired by another Japanese

traditional artifact: the Sumarai helmet. The helmet is not only a symbol of the sumarai

spirits to the Japanese, but also expresses authority and regionalism. The dramatic

curving form of the helmet Is emphasized In the abstraction, and the fact that the helmet

is a metal crafts makes Its steel structured analogy all the more appropriate.

YKK Guest House

Sumarai helmet

Fujisawa Municipal Gymnasium

29

Case Studies

111. Castelvecchio Museum, Verona.

restoration by Carlo Scarpa, 1958-1964.

Castelvecchio was originally built in 1354 as the residence of the Scaliger family. It

has been restored and expanded several times before Scarpa. Thus, the building has not

only witnessed the evolution of Verona, but has also bared in itself historical evidences

of the city. Scarpa's restoration has brought out the points of friction and conflict

between the different phases of construction and transformation of the boundary wall of

the Castle from the period of the Communes to the Napoleonic fort. The idea of the

continuous rhythms of large-scale expansions and narrow compressions in Venetian

urban structure was expressed in Scarpa's restoration: Walls separating each

exhibition room were considerably thickened to create alternating cramped spaces.

1-3 Plan of Castelvecchio in 1801; after the 1806 interventions; after the restoration by Carlo Scarpa.

30

Typical Venetian urban elements such as tall towers, walls, canals, reflecting pools,

hedges and alleyways were invested by Scarpa into the Castle. Due to the architect's

familiarity with the city, he has absorbed the local color of its wall, streets, pavements,

and stone cladding etc. in his restoration. For instance, on the far right end of the lawn,

at right angle to the axis of the first stretch of the gallery, one passed between pools of

water in ponds and fountains, to the entrance, placed on a slightly raised path paved with

the characteristic pink slabs of Prun stone used In the sidewalks and squares of the city.

31

The most controversial Issue of the restoration is the placement of the equestrian statue

of Cangrande. By placing the statue on a lofty cement plinth, projecting out into the

outdoor space, high above the sheer drop of the valley below, a "cinematographic" effect

is archived. As one follows the museographic route around the statue, one perceives

changing perspectives of the heroic figure posing against different backgrounds, it is as

if history unfolds Itself In motion. The statue Is undoubtly the focal point of the whole

T H E P R O G R A M

A C T I V I T Y

N

S P A T I A L

A N A L Y S I S

32

ACTIVITY ANALYSIS AND SPATIAL ANALYSIS

Activity Analysis

This project will be a "complex" consisting of the museum, the tram terminal and the

administration. The following activities are, therefore, categorized according to where

they take place.

Museum

a) Visitor

1. Arriving

2. Getting informations/

Orientation

3. Observing

4. Participation

5. Special activities

6. Shopping

7. Eating

Several trams will include the museum into their

regular route. Since the site is located in a busy

urban context, most visitors will be expected to

come on foot or by other modes of public transport.

Initial estimation of visitors: 300-350 per day.

Brochures etc., are available in the main lobby.

Most of the informations, however, will be in

audio/visual media. Visitors may leave their

personal belonging with the information counter.

Visitors are not only observing the displays, but

experiencing the "architecture" which is supposed

to provoke them their memories of the city.

Besides the main galleries, special tour may be

arranged to see the operation of the terminal.

School children (as a class) will be visiting the

museum as part of their extra-curricular

activities, they will sometimes do sketches inside

the galleries. Visitors are welcomed to "test drive"

(designated tram on display, not mobile) under

instruction.

Documentaries, slide shows, special lecture,etc.,

will be presented in the multi-media theatre of the

museum on specific schedule.

Books and crafts/souvenirs are available in the

Gift/Book shop of the museum.

Museum cafe expects to have 100-150 customers

per day.

33

b) Staff

8. Managing and

administrating

9. Exhibition design/set up

10. Service maintenance

11. Security Control

Collecting, researching, financing, public relation,

registration, curating, researching, visitor

receiving, etc. (3-4 persons).

2-3 persons will be responsible for designing

posters, sets/props, graphics etc., related to the

display production. Other activities may include

publications, photo-documenting etc.

Mostly rely on close-circuit system, supervised by

receptionist(s)

Terminal

12. Tram maintenance

13. Tram repainting

14. Managing the electricity

generating station

15. Security control

Including mechanical/electrical repairs or check­

ups, vehicle cleaning, interior repairs etc.

Tram is, in fact, an important Pop-Art medium in

Hong Kong, almost all the trams are painted with

commercials on their exteriors. Paintings are

usually done manually. Repainting of trams for

new commercials takes place quite often.

2-3 technicians

Building superintendents and security staffs are

hired.

34

Administration

16. Managing/

Administrating

17. Personnel/

Public Relations

18. Conference/

general meetings

General building management, updating route and

schedule, financing, bookkeeping etc.

Besides the conventional activities such as hirina.

payroll, handling commercials offers etc., party

organizing on special trams by request is included.

Besides meetings among staffs, board of directors

may sometimes come for special meetings.

Spatial Analysis

Terminal

1. Tram Terminal

2. Electricity Generating

Station

3. Equipment Storage

Administration

4. Manager's Office

The Hong Kong Tramway Company Ltd. currently

owns about 160 trams- However, only about 30

trams park in the main depot every night. The rest

park in other smaller stations along the route.

Tracks, of course, must be provided. Natural light

is desirable but not absolutely required. Trams

come in from Bowington Road Entry in the existing

condition. 180 degrees swing gates at the entry

must be provided. High degree of enclosure is

required for security reasons. Since tours may be

conducted to see the terminal access to the museum

should be provided. Access to administration area

is also required.

This is the original structure built in 1904, every

6ffort must be made to preserve the structure.

Tools and supplies for maintenance are stored here.

It should be contiguous to the terminal.

5. Assistant Manager's Office

•Natural light for all office spaces if possible

Provide enough space for 3-4 persons small

meeting. Adjacent to Conference rooms and

Assistant manager's office.

Part of the General Office. Easily located for

visitors.

35

6. General Office

7. Personnel Office

8. Reception Area

9. Conference Room

10. Staff's Lounge and

Locker Room

Provide space for 4-5 clerks including secretary.

Open type office is preferred. A small area for

computer and printer, photo-copier etc.

Provide space for 3-4 clerks. A small lounge area

for meeting with clients should be included (double

as a lounge for administration staffs); a view to the

museum for this area is desirable. Should be easily

located from main entrance.

This is the reception area for the entire

administration, located at the lobby of the

administration section.

Space for 6-12 persons conference. Good acoustical

quality required. May be used by museum staffs.

Space for drivers to check-in/check-out for work,

changing uniforms, relaxing during break etc.

Adjacent to terminal. Washrooms are included.

11. Staffs' washrooms Mainly for administration staffs and clients.

Museum

12. Director/Curator's Office

13. Assistant/

Secretary's Office

14. Exhibition Design Studio

15. Main Lobby/ Orientation

May be located in administration section but, in

that case, it must have direct access to the museum

section. Provide work space for 2-3 persons.

Adjacent to Director's Office. Access to Main Lobby.

May also be located in the administration section.

Provide work space for 2-3 persons.

Provide space for 3 drafting tables. North light and

a view to the outside are desirable. Access to

General Loading, Collection Storage and the

Galleries.

Transitional space from outside to inside. Provide

space for reception counter and small group

gathering and waiting. Informations will be given

out in audio/visual media, surface(s) for

slide/film projection should be provided. The

space should convey a sense of "scalelessness".

36

16. Multi-media Theatre

17. Gift/Book Shop

18. Cafe

19. Catering

20. Galleries

21. Collection Storage

May or may not be enclosed. Provide seats for 20-

25 persons. Attention to sight line.

Documentaries, films, slides and lectures will be

presented. Should not disturb or be disturbed by

other activities in the museum.

May be incorporated into part of the Galleries.

Provide space for the sale of books, posters,

postcards, crafts, T-shirts etc. Include small

inventory storage space. 1-2 staff(s).

Provide visual connection to the Galleries. Serve

mainly delicatessen (t)oth Chinese and Western

style). Provide space for 10-15 tables, serving

counter etc.

Provide services to the cafe. Contiguous to cafe

dining area. Access to deliveries

At>out 75% of the display are permanent. There

will be about eight trams each from different

period on display. One gallery will be dedicated fo

the display of record drawings/photographs of

selected Pop-Art from past to present ever painted

on the exterior of trams. Another gallery will be

available for photography of the city exhibition

done by local or visiting photographers. Visitors

should be in most cases view the displays from

various angles. Due to the nature of the permanent

exhibits, natural light should be used to

enhance/create a certain mood/atmosphere inside

the Galleries. Artificial lighting as well as other

special effects control will take place in number of

"fcMDOths" located in several areas throughout the

Galleries.

Storage space for relatively small display, slides,

videos, films etc. It should be adjacent to

exhibition design studio. Galleries and General

Loading.

37

22. Public Washrooms

23. Mechanical Room

24. General Loading

25. Custodial Storage

Adjacent to main lobby.

Provide separate room for mechanical equipment

for cooling and heating, electrical equipment.

Servicing and noise from this area should not

disturb of disrupt other activities in the museum.

Most of the deliveries will come by small truck or

van. Vehicles usually park right on the street or

sidewalks next to the loading receiving area entry.

^

38

Selected Bibliography

Arnell, Peter and Tel Bickford Ed. Aldo Rossi: Buildina.s and Proiects. New York:

Rizzoli, 1985.

Bazin, Germain. The Museum Age. New York: Universe Book Inc., 1967

Bognar, Botond. Contemporary Japanese Architecture. New York: Van Nostrand

Reinhold Co., 1985.

Dal Co, Francesco and Giuseppe Mazzariol Ed. Carlo Scarpa. The Complete Works. New

York: Electa/Rizzoli, 1985.

Kozloff, Max. Cubism/Futurism. New York: CharterHouse, 1973.

Quantrill, Malcolm. Alvar Aalto. A Critical Study. New York: Schocken Books, 1983.

Environmental Memorv. New York: Schocken Books, 1987.

Magagnato, Licisco. " Scarpa's Museum, the museographic route of Castelvecchio,

Verona", Lotus 35, 1982. 75-85

Muramoto, Katsuhiko and Stephen Parcell Ed. Carleton Book. Ottawa: Carleton

University, School of Architecture, 1986.

Searing, Helen. "Hypothesis on the development of the typology of the museum", Lotus

54, 1987. 119-127. Walczak, Marek (ed. al). The London Proiect. New York: Princeton Architectural Press

and Artists Space, 1988.

Yates. Frances. The Ar nf Kyiory ry Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1966.