A Design investigation of critical regionalist theory : light timber portal housing for south-east Queensland

Abstract

Critical Regionalism is one of the most influential architectural theories proposed in recent years. Critical Regionalist theory identifies a body of architecture which mediates between the two seemingly opposed forces of universal civilisation and rooted culture, while maintaining a critical position towards both. Its central dilemma is often framed in terms of Paul Ricoeur's paradox, '... how to become modem and return to sources ...' (Ricoeur 1965)}. Kenneth Frampton, the principal advocate of Critical Regionalism, proposes characteristic attributes by which Critical Regionalist works can be identified but offers little advice on how the paradox can be resolved in the practice of design. This thesis uses Ricoeur's key differentiation of the roles of 'culture' and 'civilisation' to suggest one path through the paradox, and illustrates this approach through examination of a case study design by the author.Successful architectural work from South-East Queensland in the period 1985 - 1994 is shown to have a consistent set of shared characteristics that satisfy Frampton's criteria for definition as a Critical Regionalist 'school'. The influence of a nineteenth century architectural model, the 'Queensland House', as a pervasive regional cultural symbol is proposed as a key to understanding the work of this group.The author's design, for a lightweight timber house construction system, is advanced as a case study example of architectural design consistent with the work of this Critical Regionalist 'school', linked by the author's associations with principal protagonists in the region and through shared architectural and cultural values implicit in the design. Through a detailed exposition of the considerations that led to this architectural design, the case study proposal is used to examine one way in which Critical Regionalist theory can be applied in practice.The design is premised on recognition of the 'Queensland House' as a potentcontemporary cultural symbol, and reexamines this precedent to develop a new house type appropriate to contemporary regional interests. The design process explores a technical shortcoming of the historical building type and proceeds to develop an alternative house construction system utilising lightweight timber braced-portal frames. The resulting design proposal is shown to substantially fulfil Frampton's criteria as a piece of Critical Regionalist architecture.The thesis concludes that Ricoeur's argument for the need to return to and refresh cultural symbols represents the first step in the Critical Regionalist design method, and that an understanding of the origins of our cultural symbols in terms of the technology, economy and scientific understanding of their generative civilisation is a necessary key to ensuring architectural works embody a critical response to both contemporary universal civilisation and rooted regional culture.The thesis is thus seen to propose, and demonstrate, a solution to this important paradox in contemporary architectural theory. The case study design, in itself, constitutes a small, original contribution to contemporary architecture; and the method of argument, drawing together a range of critical, creative and technical modes or investigation to develop and test the theory, is offered as a novel, but appropriate, model for research within the architectural discipline.