Stories of an Island: An investigation of how geological systems can be translated into to architectural structures

Abstract

Architecture tells stories. Stories of historical, present, and future aspirations. For the past century, economic considerations have held the role as main character. This is a global trend. The result is unstimulating buildings and urban settings. Perhaps, to ensure the habitability of future architecture, is time to recruit a new main actor? Humans have an inherent need to connect with nature. It is our natural habitat, and the environment our brains were developed for. Perhaps, by gaining inspiration from nature, architecture can bring inspiration and excitement to its users? This thesis investigated how the logic of local geological systems on Öland can be translated into an architectural structure with the affordance of a historical museum. On Öland, the limestone bedrock is of great importance. It has provided the island with a unique landscape, containing various types of nature. On the alvar, an open and dry moorland, the limestone bedrock is exposed. This area, and its visible geological systems, was chosen as subject for translation into a building. The thesis presents developed methods for translation between these geological systems and architectural design strategies. The result was a museum proposal, inspired by the limestone joint systems and the limestone scarp systems of the bedrock.