Student Name: VACALARES, JOHN NIXON F.

BS Architecture 2-1
Theory of Architecture 2
Professor: Ar. Jun Maghirang

S.R. Crown Hall

Mies van der Rohe

One the most beautiful Configured as a pure Column free interior space
rectangular form, 220' by 120' with the use of suspended
example of steel and glass
by 24 feet high roofs
construction

The building used a lot of steel and glass. The aim of Mies van der Rohe is to express his philosophy
on his design concept. Thus, he applied the concept of having a “universal space.” To do this, he made this
building with such an open floorplan where it is a column free interior which is only interrupted by two
service cores that could be endlessly adapted to new uses. It is characterized by an aesthetic of industrial
simplicity, with clearly articulated exposed steel frame construction. The steel frame is infilled with large
sheets of glass of varying qualities of transparency, resulting in a light and delicate steel and glass facade
wrapping the open plan, free flowing interior of the upper level. I don’t think there’s other material that can
substitute the materials used because it is the perfect material you can think of. Because metal has such good
tensile strength to support the building given that the glass used are not that heavy enough for it.
Universal space expansive interior economically Carefully-
space constructed proportioned,
repetitive elements
 Richards Medical Research Laboratory

Louis Kahn

innovative structural system of the brick-and-glass infill is a composed of 1019 pre-stressed

The building was based on the chief concept design of Kahn which is called served and servant spaces.
But given the fact that the materials used to build this is pre-made on a factory, this made the construction
very easy just like how the Architectural Record noted that the precision achieved seemed more typical of
cabinet making than concrete construction. I don’t think there is more suitable material to use than the
ones Kahn used. But given the fact that this building was restored and the glass were changed due to
privacy issues, the building is proven to be "the most consequential building constructed in the United
States" since World War II by MoMA.
theColumn
precision
"served" freeachieved
and interior seemed
"servant" space
spaces
more
withtypical
the use
of of
cabinet
suspended
making
than concrete
roofsconstruction
 S.R. Crown Hall

Analysis:

Given the fact that it was the most famous buildings built in 1954 with an innovative
technology combining steel and glass, I picked this because of the versatility of the place itself.
Given the concept of universal space, the building gives different use because of the temporary
walls you can use the floor area of the space. I also liked the industrial aesthetic of simplicity that
the building has because of the steel frames used in it. In fact, it used four steel plate girders
welded to eight H-columns form the primary structure from which the suspended roof is
connected. You can also clearly see the carefully-proportioned repetitive elements of the exterior
that implies both uniformity and precision of the construction. Another thing that I liked about it
is that it seems to float delicately above the lawn, reachable by a cascading waterfall of travertine
marble steps. In addition to that, they also took into consideration the students who’ll be using
the facility because the lower windows are sandblasted to screen students from outside
distractions, while upper windows freely admit light and views of the surrounding trees and sky.

http://www.architecture.org/learn/resources/buildings-of-chicago/building/crown-hall/

http://architectuul.com/architecture/crown-hall

https://www.louiskahn.org/gallery/richards-medical-research-laboratories/

https://www.moma.org/collection/works/397