FINE LINES
Simply said many of us might choose to consider we live primarily within a natural not a predominantly
man made environment. Open spaces, light, nature and landscapes do not just imbue us with feelings of
health, confidence and flexibility but intimately and innately provide us with vital visual relief and detail in
our lives, often utilising trees and plants extensively with buildings to provide diverse effects of flora,
fauna, shade and shelter.
Open space is synonymous with opportunity and critical open debate. Open honest aspirations in building
design and development can not unreasonably be considered an attempt to lead forward not to dominate.
Buildings and design elements are quite naturally positioned more significantly than others and can be so
in exceptionally good taste. New England churches and bell towers for instance, in themselves far from
insignificant scales of buildings, have unrivalled qualities of harmony over their associated settlements and
roof forms.
We consider the elevations of a building too often simply in terms of hard, basic material divisions abruptly
and sharply defining material spaces.
Fine contrast between subtle, even simple, proportional elements provides and defines the necessary
quality, key, or otherwise of elevations and their spaces, creating movement and unifying perspectives.
Proportion is precisely everything, mass and void, a discernible emphasis even of sophistication, sufficient
to be influential and to reflect creative thinking not crude elements. Scale in buildings often appears
relatively more elastic where elements of proportion, can be exaggerated through fineness, subtlety and
being confidently handled.
Simple elements considerations evolving simply to complex.
Such proportions can represent even the finest of divisions between glass sheets or the outline forms of
buildings.
Witness Boston.
Contrast can extend across groups of buildings displaying various associated qualities, for instance within
a high rise central business district across those much appreciated highly proportioned decorative facades
of earlier periods. These buildings could not easily be replaced in modern economics. One relevance is
that they show us buidings that we can more easily appreciate as having survived and been retained as
representative of fine, scarce and diverse values for us. Not an easy factor in considering contemporary
design in what are often many singular development contexts. Such earlier building compositions can
even be enhanced in modern times through fine choice of contrast in surrounding modern buildings,
a feature that can extend towards providing innovative, exciting compositions.
Indeed the juxtaposition of views of various prospective buildings can be held by some to require such
clear contrast to be considered simply in anachronistic fashion to the extent even of critical evaluation
being otherwise unattainable, rejecting the natural evolution of briefs and avoidance of under and over
stylised homogenous, exaggerated, elemental rationales and designs.
It is as if such could provide the only sufficient sources of relevance and contrasts.
Emphasis in preservation, though, is on the very real, urgent need to save the integral character of 'fabric',
of building or town, often in opposition to politically obviated ilks and espousals, specifically not on
associated replications, negative design or harmonisations nor simple, simplistic exclusion of modern
development. More usually the visual and active character of a use being loudly promoted as significant
is likely to be of concern in terms of basic deceit, lack of integrity, creativity, originality or interest. The wider element of conservation character for new design remains a philosophical one of choice and a
'geographic' issue for vernacular landscape and settlement character.
Appreciating the context of historic qualities alone does not have to be the only one.
‘New’ views of discernment not infrequently offer help to form diverse and complementary qualities to
enhance our surroundings.
No building elevation or open associated spaces ever need be left unconsidered. Diversity of opportunities
in design needs to be encouraged to avoid over simplistic approaches and restrictive interpretations of sites.
New can also be thoroughly artistic, particularly in terms of detailing and form, exhibiiting great craftmanship
and superb technology and hence notably enhance our wider perception and appreciation of surroundings.
In particular the proportions of buildings can give us a very real perceived sense of physically increased
space, not just of vertical appreciation but of expansve utilisable qualities, most specifically that in front of
and in close proximity to building facades and curtilages which so often appear otherwise of restricted
value and utility even to the extent of exhibiting overtly crude, imposing and significant wasted opportunities.
Why should we be so often restricted to two dimensions?
At their best building curtilages can significantly and visibly expand our interest not only in our perception
of their 'raison d'etre' but in that of their adjoining spaces, defining their resultant degree of 'closeness' and
'influential presence'. If proffered we are likely to offer both greater perceptive interest and time.
Such spaces are a prerequisite for constituting what is vital visual interest and can appear in character
flexible, almost mobile, a focus interleaved with surrounding spaces and activities.
Buildings should be actively enjoyed, with our participation and interest in their degree of wit and focus.
In this respect particularly, it is interesting to consider the influence of sculpture for our appreciation of
buildings, not least in that such is frequently specifically sited in close proximity to buildings.
Here, for interest, are some of the descriptions on exhibits from the Museum Of Fine Arts, Boston:
Henry Moore, 1898-1986
“sculpture for me, must have life in it, vitality. It must have a feeling for organic form, a certain pathos and warmth”
David Smith
Cubi XVIII
feeling of weightlessness and seems to extend into the surrounding space
Tony Cragg
exploring the effects of movement and volume within each sculpture multiple axes exist generating unexpected viewpoints
through symmetry and asymmetry resulting in contoured images and figures that are tangible but mysteriously revealed.
Zhan Wang
connection with the spiritual experience of nature to wander in their minds eye through a substitute mountainside
place for contemplation and meditation
With buildings much depends of course on their contexts and purposes. Functionally or visually dissimilar
associations of buildings where poorly handled could lead to an appearance perceived as far from influential or
complementary, even discordant.
Fortunately though there is frequently the opportunity to consider particular character in predominant, prospective
or opportune consideration or complement.
Buildings do have a life of their own and are generally viewed most extensively from inside. Outside at ground level,
though, they benefit from an associated informal use of their scale through an atmosphere of vitality and diversity to
make the most use of spaces particularly by those who are going to breathe life into their environs. Specifically, no
'side space' should be incapable of holding our considered attention since unifying detail can help us appreciate and
utilise spaces in much closer fashion. Spatial relationships involving buildings, though, are not always easily
established especially with regard to higher rise developments.
Our concern for what people see and what we hope they will discern and share in opinion as being 'just fine' is
evident wherever design is articulate in detail to avoid being crude, undisciplined or unfinished, especially in
prominent public areas. Intelligent, articulate and refined detailing in any design context and an appreciation of art
can realistically be used to stimulate interest, to reflect and reciprocate other persons' energies, sensibilities and
discernment.
Even the thought 'we can do better than that' is not idle here but a necessary and justifiable pride towards building
real abilities and a refined appreciation of the feelings and aspirations of a community seen through, held and led
by its members individually. Neither do aspirations in design in any way have to be based on precursors even
when influenced by many.
How we discern and discuss issues, consequently and consistently define them and raise levels of perception do
often become most significant elements of proportion.
Indeed at any stages of decision-making and design processes, even concerning very large prestigious buildings,
there should be evident continuous opportunities given encouragement to discern, involve and discuss existing,
new and evolving views and concerns. The prospect of discussions throughout offers opportunities for opinion
and prevents contradiction of what is prerequisite interest. Simple straightforward opinions can retain the facility
to integrate new, contrasting and subtly distinguished options and detailed evaluation of consensus or otherwise
following development can facilitate such interest for the future.
Many might argue that oral debate and discussion are the finest, most realistic and detailed forms of explanation.
With subtlety we cn aid ongoing and evolving formats of discussion throughout decision making processes.
Fine lines, superimposed perspectives and shared landscapes all involve detailed discussions, appraisals and
expositions. Sites and buildings have to relate to evolving refinement of views, values and opportunities and
such sensitivity has to be taken into account. What is most beneficial are realistically detailed practical
explanations to avoid abstractions that are ignorant and inaccurate. The backbone of scientific explanation is
available to us through detailed observations, honesty and experience.
Plans and designs are reproductions to the reality proposed. As in photography there can be a lot of posturing
and posing of issues. We need to apply detailed critical experience based on sound practical observation. In
terms of obvious and subtle good taste communities can fully appreciate and discuss this concern. Indeed, the
practice of their good sense surely leads to evident good taste. A design should not really have to be described it should be evident in appreciation.
Much of what is built will, of course, subsequently be demolished or changed and perhaps we should acknowledge
this point more often. How though to encourage economic and spatial provision for future redevelopments without
unintentionally giving encouragement to weak or poor development and what seemingly emerge as so many crass
overstatements. Would it be feeble instead to encourage the degree of subtlety given towards providing for future
flexibility and projecting degrees of influence.
Appreciation of issues frequently depends on active discussion, discernment and consensus, factors which are as
significant as visual explanation and description in considering development and design matters. Such should fit,
complement and perhaps best describe our perception of character in buildings, of their particular qualities,
notwithstanding that this should also include the character of the designer. Many persons extend this significance
of agreement to emotional, moral and spiritual factors of environment which we should do well to appreciate.
Plymouth, a small New England town of very distinguished and harmonious settlement character, and incidentally the
site of the first pilgrim settlement in North America, has much of interest in this regard. The historic character of the
town is primarily of timber frame buildings – except for a stone built Unitarian church in the foremost historical area.
At first sight and intrusively one might consider that this building in simple visual terms is an apparently discordant
visual feature with the rest of the settlement. However when informed that after a very destructive fire it had been
decided not to contemplate the risk of such conflagration again and to rebuild in stone one could appreciate such
a building as the best possible complement for the town and an outstanding decision made. One capable even of
changing physical visual perception.
The site itself was close to the earliest meeting house and place of worship.
The point being that our perception and design can be wholly and realistically based on what we know and consider
as a matter of discernment as much as by what we see. Over simplification of visual aspects and statements can be
insufficient in terms of discernment. Incidentally this rebuilding effort was endowed with some very fine Tiffany glass
windows.
It is of course a part of our lives to appreciate, retain and provide character in our environment and heritage. We need
to know who we are, how we are being influenced and how we are moving forward. At many times though there
appears instead to be too much dogmatic fashion of economic and political propaganda which dissipates our interest
in what for us are very real, precise matters.
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