Case Study Of Building The Bund Shanghai - Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss aboutthe Case Study Of Building The Bund Shanghai Answer: Contextualization of the building The names of structures and/or buildings in most cases were in reference to certain characteristics or functionalities of the building. The names could be derived from the intended purpose to be served by the building or at times consider the location1. This seemed not to be the case with The Bund Shanghai. Whilst the name bund refers to an embankment in the Persian language and loosely translated as bind in English it took a different meaning in the Chinese context. In the Chinese context, the word defines an outer bank which in reference to the location, design and construction of the building is the Huangpu River. This was so because the Huangpu River was the part of the riverfront which was located at the farther downstream in relation to the inner bank. The inner bank is very close to the ancient walled Shanghai City1. The Bund Shanghai houses up to 52 buildings with varied architectural styles and characters hence perceived as a collection of a range of architectural skills, development and complexity with time. Among the styles encompassed in the building include Neo-classical, Renaissance, baroque revival, Art Deco Style, Romanesque, and Gothic Style besides Beaux-Arts Style. Important to categorically note is that the styles were never established simultaneously but instead were improvements of the preceding architectural styles. Art Deco Style is found to be the most predominant style in the Bund Shanghai. With the collection of different architectural styles and the location of the building, the context of The Bund Shanghai is identified2. The name was an idea borrowed from the location as well as the numerous styles in possessed. Still, the functionalities of the building contributed to its contextualization. Form follows function Starting from the neoclassical period through modernism, there has been push and pull among architects on whether function should follow form or form should follow function. In the neoclassical period, the design principle was function follows form3. In this light the functionalities of the spaces within a built structure and the structure as whole were to be determined by the shape of the building. This idea was however dropped and instead form follows function was adopted in the Modernism period. Having been built throughout the two periods, The Bund Shanghai exhibits both the two principles. The first principle, function follows form; the architecture of the Bund Shanghai incorporated the indignity of the people of chine in its design. Most of the structures of this building during this period heavily borrowed from the cultural practices of the local people4. A lot of focus then was on the form of the building which was to exhibit the heritage of the locality. Then the functionalities of the spaces could then be intercepted. The building illustrates its openness to tumultuous history of its cozzy cottages and western mansions of the colonial period as can be observed on the external facades. On the other hand, the building adopted the second design principle established in the neoclassical period. Most of the construction of the building went on through the neoclassical period and thus a significant proportion of the principle form follows function. The Bund Shanghai has undergone numerous transformations from the time it was first built5. These transformations have extended into the modernism which illustrations of the observable skyscrapers that are bursting into its existence. During neoclassical and modernism periods, [1]focus was on coming up with a functionally sounding structure that would accommodate the rise needs of space at the time. This led to deterioration in the aesthetic value of the building and attention diverted to structuralism. Conclusion Whether form follows function or function follows form is a subject to discussion and in-depth analysis. There no clear distinction between the two principles and in most cases architects and designers find themselves extrapolating into either of them in their design. There exists a tendency of interdependence between the two principles as such none of them can be applied wholesomely. In the design process, a designer should consider both the aesthetic values as well as the functionalities of the spaces to be designed. A consideration of the aesthetic purposes of the structure would enhance the function follows form principle. By attending adequately to the functionalities of the building, the form follows function principle will be incorporated in the design. Whereas collaborating the two principles may be quite challenging, a success meets the desired expectations. It should be remembered that architecture is both an art and a science and thus both aspects of the discipline need to be achieved in any piece of work. References Greenough, Horatio. Form and Function: Remarks on Art, Design, and Architecture. New York: University of California Press, 2013. West, The Bund Shanghai: China Faces. Peter Hibbard. London: Odyssey, 2015. [1] Greenough, Horatio. Form and Function: Remarks on Art, Design, and Architecture. New York: University of California Press, 2013 Ibid., 152 West, The Bund Shanghai: China Faces. Peter Hibbard. London: Odyssey, 2015. Ibid.,254 Ibid.,389