Gothenburg hills: Design methodologies employing local context
Typ
Examensarbete för masterexamen
Program
Architecture and urban design (MPARC), MSc
Publicerad
2022
Författare
Hansson, Joar
Modellbyggare
Tidskriftstitel
ISSN
Volymtitel
Utgivare
Sammanfattning
The purpose of this thesis was to explore architectural design through the development
of a design method. The method was established with the objective of exploring ways
to identify and interpret aspects of local context and regional characteristics, as well as
how to inform a design process by addressing such aspects.
The project was carried out by engaging with a site which itself possesses
characteristics typical for the greater region. Specifically, the entry point to the topic of
regional characteristics was the variance in topography, which in Gothenburg with its
many peaks and valleys certainly is evident.
With a base in site conditions, immediate aspects such as natural materials and textures
were explored, but also other more external factors, which originate from the views
offered by the site. Said site is a piece of unbuilt public land on top of a hill, bordering
a quiet back street whilst within close proximity to an urban node. For the reason of
keeping the land public, together with a need for new premises expressed by the local
district library, the choice was made to use a public library as building program within
the project.
The thesis relates to discourses within regionalism and contextualism as input for
architectural design, and was informed by written as well as built work that in different
ways deal with these themes. Sampling and reinterpreting were together important
design strategies for the process and were used as a way to communicate clarity
about adopting contextual references, while avoiding too literal gestures. The result
of the thesis is a building whose design originates from a range of different ways to
reference local context. In other words, the outcome can be described as a mixture of
strategies, which have the incentive to involve certain local characteristics in the design
in common.