Is a building’s structural system purely the remit of the engineering team, a ‘necessary evil’ of applied technology, which allows the architectural forms and façade materials to remain intact? Or do the structural elements themselves provide opportunity to enrich the architecture as integral elements involved in the creation of language and expression, designed by the architect’s hand in collaboration with structural engineers? This studio explores the implications and potential of a bolder integrated design approach, where structural elements are thoroughly engaged in the design, strengthening meaning and the richness of the architecture. It asks how the physical necessities of stability, strength and stiffness can help to inform and elevate design concepts.
With expressed structure as a driver, the projects conceive a standalone pavilion representing Australia for the upcoming Osaka World Expo. World Expositions have an extensive history of revolutionary architecture, with many pioneering structures built specifically for them: Crystal Palace (1851), Eiffel Tower (1889) and the Barcelona Pavilion (1929) to name a few. The theme for the Osaka Expo, ‘Designing Future Society for Our Lives’, advocates for a place where cutting-edge technology will be used to create new ideas and alleviate global challenges currently plaguing humankind, and also how best to represent the values and future direction of Australia as a country.
