La cuarta dimensión de la arquitectura: el tiempo como herramienta integral en el diseño arquitectónico

Abstract

Attending the thought of a myriad of authors, this dissertation brings together a theory of knowledge regarding time, which departs from recognizing in the history of philosophy, the different ways ‘time’ has been conceived. It also acknowledges common characteristics between conceptions, which lead towards two main currents: Internal time, the one of the thoughts, of the spirit; and external or physical time, in which finally everything exists. Through recognition of architectural fact, as the fundamental encounter of architectonic encounter, three different classes of participants are distinguished, according to its way of dealing with intentionality. First, it comes to attention, the subjective component, the one in charge of formulating and directing intentionality; in second place, the objective component is pointed at, since it’s the one meant to receive intentional addressing; and last, there is the contextual component, which will condition every relation between the first two components. After the triple component core that conforms the architectural fact, is set, this study re-conducts its efforts, in order to define the structural complexity of the components. This gets tackled by setting a basic material quantity, or unitary complexity, a central consensual point, from which two complexity horizons can be projected, one towards multiple and the other towards partial complexity. Therefore having three structural possibilities for each one of the components, from which are distinguished amounts of time, directed to the architectural fact. By settling a system that seeks interaction between components, in any of their different structural complexities or better called, subcomponents, a dialectic treatment is pursued. This allows to recognize meaning, or importance, as result of interaction. With this a third level of association is achieved; this, will link every pair of subcomponents, in a causal or casual line of events, causal in diachronic order and casual in synchronic order. Diachronic differs from synchronic, in the way it admits two different orders by itself, depending on which subcomponent embodies the role of antecedent, and which the role of consequent. This provides again the system, with a triad. The whole resolves with a system of approaches, which takes care of the mathematical combination of the three levels or association, counting each one of them with a triad. The dialectic system then congregates 81 pairs, result of the combination of terms, which are formed by the subcomponents in any of the three possible temporal orders. After having achieved a tailored system of analysis, this study returns to the study cases, selected in a first moment, as they were detected, rich in temporal properties, after considering their component inherent qualities. The study elaborates on continuing the decision of tackling these five fascinating and notable projects: The Maison à Bordeaux of Rem Koolhaas\OMA, the Blur Building of Diller + Scofidio, the Kunsthaus in Graz, of Peter Cook and Colin Fournier, and finally, the Sendai Mediatheque, of Toyo Ito.

In order to provide with a comparative exercise among casual and causal, the same pair of subcomponents is grouped, with its three possible temporal orders, setting twenty seven packs, distributed according to the potential that each project exposed, in a more less equable way. Each pack of the system of analysis, was destined to a project, from which it was thought intuitively that a bigger and better amount and quality of information could be obtained, according to its author declared intentions. Exploration under this system, pursued deciphering temporal implications in the architectural discipline. Confining as well, every possibility in which time could influence architecture, under a universe of finite elements, defined by the variables implicit en the associative levels. Its task is to complement the three basic texts, dedicated to the study of time in architecture, written in the 20th century, being these: Space, Time and Architecture, of Sigfried Giedion; Architectura Occidentale of Christian Norberg-Schulz; and What time is this place? of Kevin Lynch. Besides taking advantage of them. This research offers an innovative system of analysis, while it points out new temporal concepts in five buildings, which form part of a new original kind of architecture, intelligible, appealing and passionate, full of addressed intentions, and well accomplished dares, an architecture conceived with time.