The Matter of Form in Invisible Components Role of Foundations

What would happen if ...to a building the ground line changed or if many layers of land disappeared? If the foundation was suddenly completely visible and no longer hidden? If elements were added or removed from a given structure, how would the design react? With the intention of analyzing how a building appears if in its final perception the ground line is modified, revealing hidden layers from time to time, it is interesting the work that Steven Holl does in the chapter "correlation programming" - contained in the volume Parallax. (2) Here Holl shows what he calls "primary relationships" that is the fundamental relationships that a building establishes with the ground, dividing them into: below ground, in ground, on ground, above ground. This highlights how the same volume completely changes its perception and form according to the different relationships it can establish with the ground. Similarly, Pierre Zoelly, imagines the section of the Pantheon completely underground, drastically changing its perception. (4) The intention is to investigate through drawing the possible variations of the case studies examined. This becomes an experimentation, through which an attempt is made to generate new knowledge. The motivation is driven by the intention to investigate the theme of the relationship between form and structure, in the connection to the ground. Besides studying different examples of ground connection, the intention is to evaluate how the same project reacts in the modification of some elements.

(1) Rodari Gianni (1973): “Che cosa succederebbe se..“, in Grammatica della fantasia, Torino: Einaudi Editore

(2) Hool, Steven (1997): Parallax - working with doubts, Primary relations, Princeton: Princeton Architectural Press

(3) Zoelly, Pierre. Representation of Panthoen (113 - 124 d.C.)- in Alois Diethelm, “Foundation - Plinth, Building underground” in Deplazes, Andrea (2008) “Constructing architecture: material, processes, structures; a Handbook” Basel:Birkhauser