Alana Muir - Architectural Fiction - Design 8 - 2012: Act 6 - Scene 2 - Reading

Lynch, K., Banerjee, T., & Southworth, M. (1990). City sense and city design : writings and projects of Kevin Lynch. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.

Here we have a reading that explores the true nature of adaptability. It is difficult to accomplish in an uncertain future and often is dealt with by providing generalised flexibility. In theory flexibility means less material waste, but this needs to be well considered for each use in its context and its life time. I am a firm believer in anything can be re adapted to a new use, however the cost of this, can outweigh the benefit. Bangerjee and Lynch distinguishes between two types of adaptability. A "large house with many rooms widens choice, but may not be suited to future change", although a small house can be easily remodelled to suit a users needs. Lynch & Banerjee explain each typology of adaptability through biological analogies about evolution/ survival of species in order to explain the adaptation of the environment. There are many ideas about adaptability but implementation may prove inefficient for present function, or simply not be a happy place for human existence.

I will summarise Banerjee and Lynch's discussion below:

Un-specialised Forms

Multi-purpose spaces with large spans and concentrated structure can be considered flexible, however this can unintentionally also considered too vague. Complexity in design can be flexible, if considered with a purpose for future adaptability.

Zoning and Concentration of Structure

The zoning of places by segregating the temporary and permanent spaces could be more adaptable than if they are intermixed. It is important to identify areas that are like likely to change and separate them to avoid conflict between permanent areas. However where categories shift this can be an inflexible feature.

Additive Structure

This relates to the modular building type where, singular mass produced prefabrication units can be arranged into a variety of different shapes of patterns. This can benefits in simplicity of manufacture. However designs can be oversized, inappropriate and generalised.

Precedent: Below is a design by Architecture Studio 4of7 for a Pediatric Clinic in East Africa, which provide a variety of different sized courtyards surrounded by modular clinic buildings, which can be dispersed into a variety of patterns. The design is improved by visual guides to permance such as a tree, symbolically placed in the middle.

images from: http://www.designaddict.com/design_addict/blog/index.cfm/2010/2/4/Pediatric-Clinic-East-Africa

Variety

Creating a variety of spaces today does allow for individual flexibility and choice. However that does not allow for evolution or adaptability.

Over-capacity

Extra space leaves room for future growth and change. This however is at the expense of resources for no immediate gain. In time the space will fill up leaving the leading us toward an inevitability of zero flexibility. It is prudent to leave some space for change, but at a balance with present cost.

Growth Forms

The authors suggest that there are some logical urban forms that flexibility can take:

Own sketch of forms described in reading

Temporary Structures

"The internal parts of organisms are continuously being torn down and rebuilt to meet changing stress. Life is willing to pay a tremendous energy price to achieve flexibility." (Lynch, Banerjee, p389, 1990).
With temporary structures it is important to compare the life-time costs against more permanent structures. In poor economies, temporary solutions may be the only possible ones, however the hidden costs over many years for a temporary solution may outweigh that of a permanent one. Where small surpluses are possible it may be more economical to staged construction and have a longer life. There is a need to ensure that facilities are not used longer than intended. There are many instances where disaster accommodation is used for hundreds of years.

Precedent: Quinta Monroy by Alejandro Aravena incorporates adaptability in an economical sense. Start up buildings are constructed cheaply, whilst allowing room for people to build onto their dwellings when they are financially able. This staging allows, expensive land to be built upon cheaply and inhabited quickly, this is continually improving as extensions are built, strengthening the community in activity and ownership. see images below: