inspired by nature: how plants grow
This is the last in this little series of posts on how nature has shaped what we do artistically, continuing on the post on the book, Inspired by Nature: Plants: The Building/Botany Connection.
The earlier post talked about the overt natural patterns that architects have incorporated into their works. The authors of this book also talk in more conceptual terms about how the way plants grow could also help us understand how buildings are designed.
One of the plant growth patterns is that of the epiphyte, a plant that grows on the branches of another plant. In this way the second plant can gain access to higher levels of light high in a forest. Just think of the many tropical orchids and bromeliads that use this strategy, living high in the treetops, enjoying the brighter light and protection that a treetop location affords.
Finding a parallel in the architectural realm the authors propose this project by the Dutch firm, Korteknie Stuhlmacher Architecten. The Las Palmas Parasite sits on top of another structure in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. By using the structure below, this little green addition takes advantage of the views and sunlight available dozens of feet up without the need to build a tall foundational understructure to get it up so high in the rooftops. Although called a “parasite” even by the architects, the project sits fairly benignly on its host, enjoying the location, but not drinking up its precious plant juices. To prove this point, the little structure was dismantled a few years after it was planted here on the rooftop, probably with minimal effect on the warehouses below. [ source ]
A true parasite has a more marked effect on the health of its plant host. Plants like mistletoe and dodder use another plant for support, as do epiphytes, but they also tap into the host’s reserves and draw nutrition directly from it, sometimes contributing to the death of the host.
Architectural equivalents of this are probably a lot more commonplace than that of the epiphyte–You probably have a neighbor with a room addition or remodel that seems to suck the life juices out of the original building. This book propose a couple examples of architectural parasites, one of them being this Fire and Police Station in Berlin by Sauerbruch Hutton Architects. Here the bright red-and-green glass structure hangs onto the frame of the original traditional brick structure. I’m not sure it’s sucking the host’s juices dry, but it certainly is making itself felt more assertively than with the epiphyte above.
And the last example I wanted to share was one employing the plant characteristic of the forest canopy. The trees of tropical forests grow up and up, often creating a thin concentration of greenery high above the forest floor, with tall naked tree trunks supporting the high-altitude garden.
An architectural equivalent is the Sharp Centre for Design in Toronto, built by Alsop Architects. This otherworldly building hovers high above the buildings below, like high treetops hovering high above the shade-loving plants of the understorey far below. [ source ]
Wild, eh?
None of these projects “fit it” in any traditional sense. The new buildings don’t rely on mimicking how the existing architecture looks. But to me these buildings have the same sense of happy coexistence that well-paired plants in the garden have. You can appreciate the individuals, but together they make something new and interesting.
September 24 2008 04:40 am | Categories: art • gardening • places | Tags: architecture • inspired by nature
Greg on 30 Sep 2008 at 7:52 am #
I’m getting caught up on your great posts–I’ve looked a few times, but usually at home late at night on my cruddy color-blind monitor…forgive me delaying commenting ’til I could see it right from the office!
This buildings are just nutty…but definitely interesting. With few exceptions, I’m game to consider just about any architectural form, although admittedly, some just don’t work. I like the red and green glass on the police/fire station, and would’ve enjoyed a larger photo to examine more closely.
The one with the bare legs that hovers over the train tracks is quite bizarre and interesting…I think we don’t get a proper sense of the scale of that building, and wonder just what part of the business that section houses…
lostlandscape on 30 Sep 2008 at 7:59 pm #
These buildings are definitely out there. I have no idea how well they function but they do make their statements. “Next time I’m in Stuttgart” (yah right) I’ll take you a better picture of that cool building with the red and green glass… The picture in the book was pretty clear and impressive, tho.