New Generation Of Architects Research Articles

Milutin Borisavljević and His Scientific Aesthetics of Architecture

Milutin Borisavljević and His Scientific Aesthetics of Architecture Nebojša Stanković The name of Milutin Borisavljević,1 an architect, a theorist of architecture, and a publicist who was active between the two world wars, had been more or less forgotten for decades before it started to be mentioned again among architects and architectural historians in the 1980s. This comeback into architectural discourse was initiated by the revived interests of the post-modernists in classicism—which was the main idiom of Borisavljević’s architecture—and other pre-modern traditions, as well as by an interest in his theoretical work, which had been largely unknown to the new generations of architects. However, those interests generated only a very small number of studies that addressed his activities as architect and theorist.2 The majority discusses his [End Page 133] architectural designs and realized buildings. Only a few examine his theoretical views and concepts, which he extensively published in articles and books during his lifetime. The common impression given by both Serbian and international studies of Borisavljević’s architectural and theoretical opus is that of a lukewarm praise.3 They usually stress Borisavljević’s erudition and analytical skills, classical training and aestheticism, balanced compositions and careful designs, but most of them do not actually assess his possible contributions to architecture or architectural theory, giving an impression that no originality can be found in his work. The buildings he designed are often omitted in surveys of Serbian architecture of the first half of the 20th century, and his theoretical works remain known only to scholars and enthusiasts. Is that a sort of silent evaluation? And is, then, the evaluation positive or not? It seems to me that this ambiguous critical assessment of possible merits or shortcomings, as well as the fact that his works still remain insufficiently studied and that they have not been put into the historical and social context, keep Borisavljević, both as an architect-designer and an architect-theorist, in oblivion. The present article might not change this, especially for the reason that it addresses his theoretical work, rather than practice, and only a part of it, in the discipline he defined as scientific aesthetics of architecture. However, since aesthetics figures prominently in all segments of his theoretical oeuvre, I [End Page 134] hope that the present paper will shed more light on his aesthetical ideas and intentions. Milutin Borisavljević (Fig. 1) was born in 1889 in Kragujevac, Serbia, in the family of the physician Miloš Borisavljević.4 After receiving primary and secondary education in Niš and Belgrade, respectively, he enrolled in the Technical Faculty of the University of Belgrade. He graduated from the Department of Architecture in 1912 and the following year was appointed “sub-architect” in the Ministry of Construction. With the outbreak of the First World War, although previously declared physically unfit for military service, Borisavljević enlisted as a volunteer. In 1916, with Serbian Army evacuating through Albania, he reached Corfu. From there, he was sent to France for further education. On his way to Paris, he spent two months in Rome, studying its architectural monuments. In Paris, he enrolled in the École nationale supérieure d’art, but after a year he transferred to the Sorbonne. At the Sorbonne, Borisavljević studied aesthetics with Professor Victor Basch (1863– 1944)—renown philosopher, proponent of the Einfühlung Theorie in aesthetics, and activist5—and under Basch’s mentorship attained a doctoral degree in 1926, with the thesis entitled “Les théories de l’architecture: Essai critique sur les principales doctrines relatives à l’esthétique de l’architecture,” which was published the same year (Fig. 2).6 While in Paris, he taught aesthetics of architecture at the École des hautes études sociales à Paris (1921–26) and École spéciale d’architecture (1923–26), and published another two monographic works: Prolégomènes à une esthétique de l’architecture (1923) and La science de l’harmonie architecturale (1925).7 In 1926, Borisavljević moved back to Belgrade and the following year he founded the architectural studio “Parthenon”. In the years before the Second World War, he produced numerous architectural designs, primarily for private houses and apartment buildings, but also for administrative and business...

‘Complexity and Contradiction’:The Italian Architectural Landscape

AbstractItaly is renowned the world over for its vibrant design culture. Yet for decades its architectural heritage has held contemporary architecture in a stranglehold, stifling the real possibility of realising innovative schemes in historic cities. In recent years, there has been every outward sign that this situation has abated: a growing number of municipalities are actively setting out to attract signature architecture, and a new generation of architects has emerged ‐ largely educated abroad ‐ who are unhindered by the strictures of historicism. Though, as guest‐editor Luigi Prestinenza Puglisi explains, there are plenty of reasons to be hopeful, the situation is far more complex and contradictory than it first appears, as the passage of architectural advancement in Italy constantly stop‐starts and is beset by some major roadblocks. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Transformation of Tokyo During the 1950s and Early 1960s Projects Between City Planning and Urban Utopia

The subject of this paper is devoted to a short summary of the ″city planning/utopia″ combination that influenced most of the urban projects developed in Japan for its capital in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It aims to illustrate the relationship between the geneses of the visionary experiments of a new generation of architects, and the economic and cultural background of postwar Japan, at the dawn of its economic miracle. Focusing on the elements that promoted a strong criticism of current city planning methodologies, the paper attempts to further describe and clarify the origin of a period of insightful research in the field of urban design, that fostered the search for new design principles suitable to express the dynamic changes of Japanese cities led by several factors, that were especially evident in the case of Tokyo.

Campus: “lab” and “window” for sustainable design research and education

PurposeThis paper aims to diffuse the concept of a multi‐lateral learning process as a means to promote experimental didactics and research (and the cross‐fertilization between these two activities) in the field of design of sustainable product‐service systems (PSSs) and to consider the university campus as the locus for the design, implementation and dissemination of sustainable innovative solutions.Design/methodology/approachThe presentation, description and justification of the working hypothesis, i.e. the campus as community “lab” and “window” to design and promote sustainable innovation. It is described throughout the direct and experimental experiences matured by the design in emerging context for sustainability (DECOS) educational network. This is introduced by both a general overview of disciplinary contents and by the presentation, description and justification of the disciplinary issue. The achievements of the case study (the educational projects spin‐off) and the (disciplinary) contextualization of the case study (the educational design projects) are discussed.FindingsThe paper presents findings at two levels. First, disciplinary: the paper justifies the concept of sustainable PSS as a radical innovation model towards sustainability, highlighting its potentialities for emerging contexts (countries). Within this disciplinary framework, it points out the necessity of raising a new generation of designers equipped to operate as system sustainability innovators. Second, educational: through the presentation of a successful case study, it validates the multilateral learning process (network) as a means to develop and promote curriculum innovation and validates the hypothesis that university campuses can be used as optimum show‐cases for the design, testing and dissemination of sustainable solutions for society at large.Practical implicationsConcrete implications of the actions described in the paper are the introduction of advanced/experimental education courses within the curricula. It suggests also the development of tools and mechanisms (such as the use of specific collaborative design web tools and the students and teachers exchanges) as possible future developments for the presented actions.Originality/valueThe idea of studying the PSS applicability and potential in emerging countries represents an original approach. Furthermore, the paper presents an original and effective way of linking experimental didactic with open‐front research issues.

A new generation of designers: perspectives for education and training in the field of sustainable design. Experiences and projects at the Politecnico di Milano University

This paper is a contribution to the debate on the redefinition of needs and perspectives of university level education in the field of sustainable design. It discusses the role of design research in relation to the production of new educational forms, methods and tools for a new generation of designers (and designer educators) enabling them to more effectively confront the transition towards a sustainable society. The paper is based on two premises; Firstly: in today’s climate there is a need for a general redefinition of education, as a result of the influence of new technological opportunities and changed socio-cultural conditions. Secondly: the design activity itself needs to be redefined in order to positively and effectively contribute to the radical change required by the transition towards a sustainable society. Industrial designer, educators and other design practitioners are all searching for ways to enhance their environmental capabilities and to produce sustainable designs. The academic discipline of design education in Italy (at the higher educational level) has responded by broadening its scope to produce more ‘environmentally skilled’ designers sensitive to issues of sustainable production and consumption. The Interdepartmental Research Centre in Innovation for Environmental Sustainability (CIR.IS) of the Politecnico di Milano University has developed an innovative and highly flexible response to these new design education needs. A set of interrelated projects—co-ordinated by the author—is outlined in the following paragraphs. These projects are funded by the Italian Environmental Protection Agency (ANPA). A university network (RAPI.RETE) has been established and a group of innovative and technologically advanced tools (ECO.CATHEDRA, ECO.OFFICINA, ECO.DISCO and DPS.MANUAL) are being developed to support teachers and students in the educational content and processes. The tools are now going to be distributed (free of charge) in Italian Universities and, both the ANPA and the CIR.IS have given their consent for their translation/adaptation into other languages (without charge).

Some workmen can blame their tools: artistic change in an individual with Alzheimer's disease

Visual art is in essence a creative activity concerned with the generation of new designs and ideas. Acts of creation such as paintings capture our imagination, not simply because we are able to explore their nature, but also because they reflect the nature of their creator. It is this relation that makes the examination of artistic and creative talent in the context of illness so revealing.

Formalising building requirements using an Activity/Space Model

The specification of the spatial requirements for a building is the basis for the architectural design of the building. The specification usually takes the form of an extensive text-based document, a briefing database for large projects, or informal discussion between the architect and the client for a small project. The specification of a building is still a hand-crafted presentation of information that is neither carried forward to the next stage of the life cycle of the building, nor formalised so that it can be effectively used for another project. This paper presents a model, specifically developed to capture the idiosyncrasies of specifying buildings, that has the potential to provide the basis for specifying buildings more generally and could provide the basis for facilitating the generation of new designs or the reuse of existing designs. The model makes explicit the representation of activities, spaces and their relationships. The continued development of the Activity/Space (A/S) Model not only provides a formal representation of requirements, but could provide a standard for product modelling of buildings.

A New Sensitive System for Measurement of Thermally and Optically Stimulated Luminescence

An automatic system developed at Riso National Laboratory for measuring thermally and optically stimulated luminescence (TL, OSL) is widely used for radiation dose measurements. In the present model, high excitation and detection efficiencies were attempted, but inevitably there is a constant demand for improvements that would allow lower doses (or less sensitive materials) to be measured, with increased accuracy. This article reports on a new generation of designs that are intended to meet these demands. Substantial increases in sensitivity of the instruments are made by replacing the lens optics of the system with a combination of ellipsoidal mirrors and light guides, which also serve to make the system more flexible in choice of excitation source when OSL measurements are required. A variety of new light sources might be employed, adapted to allow the most efficient wavelengths of excitation to be used for the particular dosemeter under study. The capabilities and characteristics of the new design are described, and comparison with the existing TL/OSL system is made throughout the article.

Tacit Knowledge, Weapons Design, and the Uninvention of Nuclear Weapons

Tacit Knowledge, embodied in people rather than words, equations, or diagrams, plays a vital role in science. The historical record of the development and spread of nuclear weapons and the recollections of their designers suggest that tacit knowledge is also crucial to nuclear weapons development. Therefore, if design ceases, and if there is no new generation of designers to whom that tacit knowledge can be passed, then in an important (though qualified) sense nuclear weapons will have been uninvented. Their renewed development would thus have some of the characteristics of reinvention rather than simply copying. In addition, knowledge may be lost not only as a result of complete disarmament, but also as a consequence of likely measures such as a nuclear test ban.