Architecture, garden, and gravity.
Date
2016-2020
Location
Madrid (España)
Type
Residential
Trees
67
Area
3.500 m2
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Since ancient times, architects have worked with light to generate effects and emotions both inside and outside buildings. In this sense, the garden has always been a privileged place to explore these relationships, as nature and light are fundamental elements in its our designs. In contemporary architecture, the relationship between architecture and light and gravity has been one of the recurring themes in the exploration of new forms and materials. |
Richard Serra's work, for example, is often an inspiration for landscape architects and architects in this regard. His works, located in both urban spaces and natural landscapes, take into account the relationship between the object and the space and demonstrate how mass and weight can be effectively used in landscape design to generate influence on the viewer. In this project, our studio has developed a garden based on all these concepts. |
Architecture is the great book of humanity, the main historical document of the human race, the witness of evolution, the record of thoughts and dreams of men.
ABOUT LIGHT AND MOVEMENT
The relationship between architecture and nature has been the subject of reflection by numerous philosophers and architects. American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, who claimed that "architecture is the great book of humanity, the main historical document of the human race, the witness of evolution, the record of thoughts and dreams of men," argued that architecture should be in harmony with nature, and that light and movement were fundamental elements to achieve that harmony.
During the garden design process, we have studied the relationship between architectural volumes, light, and movement. During the preliminary research process before the design, we have analyzed the light entries of the house in different seasons and during different times of the day. In this way, through the landscape architecture project, we are able to control the effect of natural light on the building and its inhabitants, as well as the generation of shadows throughout the day and seasons.
DSTUDIO has worked on the planting scheme with a criterion of light and color, selecting plant species (Calamagrostis x acutiflora "Karl Foerster") that present leaves, flowers, or fruits with specific shades that reflect and complement the natural evening lighting, seeking to create a harmonious contrast between the color of the building and the landscape.
The choice of these plant species has also been studied from the perspective of movement to generate dynamism in the garden and break the rigidity of the building. We have used plants with long and flexible branches, which sway in the breeze and create a sensation of natural and fluid movement.
FEELING OF WEIGHTLESSNESS
DSTUDIO proposed raising the building 30 cm above the garden level as a strategy to create a sensation of weightlessness. We were interested in reinforcing the idea that the architectural mass floated above the garden. This sensation is a visual and spatial experience that can be appreciated from different points of view and perspectives.
The perimeter gravel strip surrounding the building also contributes to generating this sensation. Gravel, due to its texture and consistency, evokes a feeling of solidity and stability, which contrasts with the image of the building floating over the garden. This contrast between the mass of the building and the lightness of the surrounding landscape creates an interesting and attractive visual effect.
As landscape architects, referencing gravity is a strategy that allows us to explore the relationship between architecture and the garden, and which in turn can be interpreted as a metaphor for the relationship between man and nature, a feeling in which the building integrates into its natural environment without imposing itself on it.
