Architecture of the forest. Observations on the relationship between spatial structures in architecture and natural spaces

Abstract

Seksjon: Vitenskapelige artikler utenfor tema

Architecture of the Forest deals with the relationship between the spatial and formal structure of
the forest and architectural space and form. A good introduction to the topic is provided by a
study of forest-related biological knowledge, literature, art and environmental aesthetics. Also
included within the scope of interest is the architects interpretation of this relation-ship.
This type of study falls into three strands of inquiry, with the first one focusing on the physical
and spatial structure of the forest from an archi-tectonic viewpoint. The second strand is
concerned with cultural and indi-vidual interpretations of the forest as it appears in, for
example, literature and art. To shed light on these issues, we can examine relationships be-tween
the natural world, culture, biology and architecture. In the third strand, the focus of interest
lies in exploring how the forest has been used as a source of architectonic space and form, using
examples from modern Finnish archi- tecture to illustrate the presented ideas. Architectonic
inter-pretation is conducted as part of the design assignment, using architec-tural methods. Such
interpretations can be analyzed to determi- ne what opportunities the forest offers as a
theoretical framework.
One of the aims of this study is to introduce concepts that could be used to characterize spatial
structures in both nature and architecture. Il-lustrative and practical terminology helps us to
understand the essence of architectonic space, viewed within the framework of natural spatial
struc-tures and representing an interpretation of the way humans inhabit their environment. In my
dissertation, the aim was to illustrate the theoretical perspective using my own design examples
and to put forward some pre-liminary interpretations of the relationship between the forest and
architec-ture. In this way, this article provides an example of integrating the artistic and
scientific approach in architecture.
Treating architecture, forest biology and culture as facets of a single study object allows us to
look
at architectural spatial structures in terms of topological relations.