Rethinking Modernism: From Glass Façades to Transparent Skins

Within the recent years, the issue of green buildings moved into the focus more and more. In 2009, the “Deutsches Gütesiegel Nachhaltiges Bauen” (German Seal of Quality in Sustainable Building) was introduced, which certifies the consistency of numerous contributing factors. For details, see http://www.dgnb.de/en/.

This worldwide development marks a general shift in thinking towards global responsibility.  Regarding architecture, it leads to interweave design closely with multiple demands towards building physics, climate technology and others. Especially, the outside covering of a building more and more changes its character from a plain façade to a versatile, transparent skin. Although it often needs highly specialized engineers for calculating, architects need a thorough understanding about the contributing factors themselves. But, besides this, traditional qualities marking excellent design remain valid. It is this ambiguous situation, which sets up a mayor challenge today.

Dessau Summerschool of Architecture in 2010 will work on the task of Transparent Skins in respect to its overall topic of ´Rethinking Modernism´. At Studio we will tackle this issue by doing a computer aided workflow from design to digital analysis of light modulation, detailing of glass membranes and the control of crucial joints in respect to building physics.

We start with an analysis on the multiple ways, in which light control and modulation is active part in Modern Architecture from the 1920s to now and continue with a design on a Studio for an Artist. We stepwise optimize the enlightened space and show the essential light effect with analogue and digital tools.

Ongoing, we detail the opening to light as glass membranes refering to the latest technology. We focus on its general function and its lateral joints to neighboring parts. At last, we check the energetic behavior and the isotherms of our construction. We optimize the construction in respect to its sustainability and generate a documentation of the workflow in total.

Studio will be embedded in Universities´ cooperation with the German Environmental Agency (UBA), which is located in Dessau, and with the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation.

Our excursions will lead us to highlights of Ecological Building in Germany.

According to exam regulations, successful completion of this module requires a written or drawn work.
Form of final exam: presentation. Start: May 17th, 2010. End: July 09th, 2010

Prof. Dipl. Ing. Stephan Pinkau, s.pinkau@afg.hs-anhalt.de