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4. Agricultural Valleys

19/4/2018

 
Preserve all agricultural valleys as farmland and protect this land from any development which would destroy fertility of the soil, even if they are not cultivated now. Keep them for farms, parks and wilds. (Alexander 1977)
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Valbona

Albania
After the fall of communism in 1990, and the 1996 economic collapse, Northern Albania became the poorest part in Europe. However these agricultural valleys have been rediscovered as a uniquely preserved natural and cultural treasure with warm human generosity. There is however a concern that these rather untouched villages are being polluted with plastic. 
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250. Warm Colours

17/4/2018

 
The warmth of colours can make a difference between comfort and discomfort. For example greens and greys are often depressing and cold however reds, yellows and oranges can give the feeling of comfort and warmth. (Alexander 1977) Alexander does identify some superficial truth of colour affecting emotion, however I have investigated further with real life examples.

Tirana

Albania
From 1944 to 1992, Albania was governed under a Communist ideal. ​In 2000, the Mayor, Edi Rama gave Tirana a makeover as a promise of a brighter and colourful future after the grey years of Albanians past. Rama received criticism that he failed to address the real problems of Tirana, however he made the first steps to create an eye-catching and uniquely modern city.
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Today, the capital Tirana is undergoing an urban transformation which includes the restoration and refurbishment of existing buildings, the construction of a series of new public and private urban structures, which create religious tolerance between Albania's three major religions: Orthodox Christianity; Catholicism; and Islam. 

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31. Promenade

14/4/2018

 
"Each subculture needs a centre for its public life: a place where you can go to see people, and to be seen"
A promenade should be placed at the heart of every community which links the main activities and placed centrally, so each point in the community is in walking distance. Two main attractions should be placed at either ends to keep constant movement. (Alexander 1977)

Ruga AntiPatrea

Berat, Albania
Berat's promenade connects the old town to the new, keeping pedestrian movement constant. The end of the promenade is Berat's main stadium but also features a vista to the snowy peaks beyond. One side of the promenade is lined with Street Cafes where people catch up for their morning Turkish coffee. On the other side, the park is filled with street furniture. Here the men gather to play chess, sit and people watch. The generous width of the promenade also accommodates for bikes.
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206. efficient structure

7/4/2018

 
"What is the best way to distribute materials throughout a building, so as to enclose the space, strongly and well, with the least amount of material?"  
Alexander states, engineers don't have an answer to this question, but his solution is a system of load-bearing walls, supported at frequent intervals by thickened stiffeners like columns, and floored and roofed by a system of vaults. The most efficient structure will be a compression structure, which bending and tension are reduced to a minimum and a continuous structure, in which all members are rigidly connected in such a way that each member carries at least some part of the stresses caused by the pattern of loading. Openings in the walls have thickened frames, and rounded in the upper corners. (Alexander 1977)

Alberobello

Puglia, Italy
The Trulli are limestone dwellings which are notable drywall construction, a prehistoric technique still used in the Puglia region. The persistence of traditional building techniques, with the fact that they are still inhabited today make it an exceptional historic Urban Landscape.
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​The roofs often have mythological or religious markings in white ash and are topped with a decorative pinnacle or Roof Cap.
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​These settlements were identified as temporary and unstable, however their internal structure, compact and without supporting elements, remains surprisingly durable and although seemingly primitive, they are not. The Trulli is authentic in its form, design, materials, setting, and feeling and thus is an adequate example of Efficient Structure.

232. roof caps

6/4/2018

 
Roof caps can effect the overall feeling of the building by crowning the roof, adding detail and connection to the sky. To finish buildings with a human touch, choose a natural way to cap the roof, keeping with the construction and meaning of the building, with their main function being decorative. Roof Cap examples include the pediments on Greek buildings; pinnacles of the trulli of Alberobello, the top of Japanese Shrines; the venting caps on barns. (Alexander 1977)
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Alberobello, 'Pattern Language' Christopher Alexander
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Alberobello

Puglia, Italy
The pinnacles on top of the trullo cone have a primitive origin as it was believed the stones fell out of the sky from the sun. This is why they are linked to the worship of the sun as the roundish head of the pinnacles is meant to represent the link with the solar sphere.
The roof caps of Alberobello are fascinating for their primitive origins. However their purpose is for mythological and religious reasons and thus replicating such decorative features in modern architecture may not have the same cultural significance. Although the roof caps of Alberobello may not improve the visual quality of today's buildings, other patterns such as Efficient Structure may be applied to enhance quality of space.
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Pinnacles of Trulli

39. housing Hill

4/4/2018

 
Read more
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Matera

Puglia, Italy
"The houses are built along slopes of an elliptical depression, ten houses one onto the other one, as the seats of a theatre"
-George Berkeley
Matera is one of the best example of a troglodyte settlement in the Mediterranean region, perfectly adapted to its terrain and ecosystem. Natural caves in the tufa limestone, attracted the first inhabitants about 7,000 years ago. Later, more elaborate structures were built atop.

Not so long ago, Matera was claimed to be the “the shame of Italy” for its dismal poverty. In the 1950's, the entire population of roughly 16,000 people, were relocated to new housing projects in a poorly planned government program. It wasn't until 1986 when a law was passed to move people back in. Following this, in 1993 the the area was declared a UNESCO site.

Renovating the caves people discovered eight interconnected cisterns below the floor, part of a network developed to catch rainwater for drinking. Today, carved stone stairways still connect arches, attics and balconies, each grafted onto the other. Films, such as, 'The Passion of the Christ' (2004), and the 'European capital of culture' (2019) award has brought Matera back to life. 

“Matera is one of the oldest living cities in the world in terms of continuity,”
-Antonio Nicoletti, an urban planner from Matera.
References
Perrottet, Tony (2014). Smithsonian Magazine
How Matera Went From Ancient Civilization to Slum to a Hidden GemOnce the “shame of Italy,” the ancient warren of natural caves in Matera may be Europe’s most dramatic story of rebirth

41 years later...

1/4/2018

 
Are these towns relevant examples of 'A Living Architecture' or are they simply just beautiful?
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Italian Hillsides, Positano
Organic societies built on the basis of communal life.
Grabow, S. (1983)
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    Archives

    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018

    Categories

    All
    100. Pedestrian Street
    104. Site Repair
    108. Connected Buildings
    115. Courtyards Which Live
    116. Cascade Of Roofs
    147. Communal Eating
    206. Efficient Structure
    207. Good Materials
    223. Deep Reveals
    232. Roof Caps
    249. Ornament
    250. Warm Colours
    31. Promenade
    39. Housing Hill
    44. Local Town Hall
    46. Market Of Many Shops
    4. Agricultural Valleys
    55. Raised Walk
    61. Small Public Squares
    64. Pools And Streams
    66. Holy Ground

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