Abstract:
The physicality of architecture at the start of the XXIth century is an urgent issue. It should be enough to mention the short term building trends, the omnipresence of sustainability and energy savings, the influence of industrial (post)globalization, the pressure exerted by fast emerging countries, or the omnipresence of virtuality and of non-physical designing tools. In today's divergent contexts, styles and approaches, it appears necessary for practicing architects to establish renewed and adapted operational frameworks, which make it possible for this diversity to coexist. The reality of the act of construction remains a possible common framework for architecture. In consequence, the relationship between architecture and structure appears to be very relevant. We propose to analyze a particular approach through various projects of the Brussels's based architecture office AgwA (the authors are its partners). The illustrated projects aim to identify space and structure. However, space does not follow blindly the structural design. Rather, the structure follows flexible general principles, which allow variations in shape, size, material, design, and consequently can be used coherently in very different situations.
