!"#$%&'#&("' *+ ,*#$%-'.

/010&023 04 &$' 50-&'260"*"3 7"1*- 8-9%"0-2'-&

Zllsallna !une MendleLa
zmendleLa[ufl.edu
Ponors 1hesls Submlsslon
Advlsor: !ohn Maze
ln Lhe dellberaLe dlscrepancy beLween conLalner and conLalned new ?ork's
makers dlscover an area of unprecedenLed freedom. 1hey explolL and formallze lL ln Lhe
archlLecLural equlvalenL of a loboLomy-Lhe surglcal severance of Lhe connecLlon beLween
fronLal lobes and Lhe resL of Lhe braln Lo relleve some menLal dlsorders by dlsconnecLlng
LhoughL processes from emoLlons."
1
1he sclenLlflc, psychosurglcal process of emanclpaLlng Lhe
mlnd from Lhe conLrol of any emoLlon and personallLy has always been a process equaLed and
symbollzed wlLhln many dlsclpllnes. 8em koolhaas however, proposes a noLlon of archlLecLural
loboLomy-a physlcal, meLaphyslcal, LheoreLlcal, and symbollc separaLlon beLween Lhe lnner
worklngs of an archlLecLural bulldlng and Lhe exLerlor dlalogue wlLh sald bulldlng's conLexLual
surroundlngs. koolhaas analyzes how Lhls archlLecLural loboLomy has lnfluenced Lhe vasL
concreLe [ungle of skyscrapers ln ManhaLLan. 1hls archlLecLural loboLomy ls also Lled wlLh hls
concepL of auLomonumenLallLy-how modern skyscrapers have become, ln essence,
monumenLs wlLhln Lhe clLy fabrlc, ulLlmaLely perpeLuaLlng Lhe dlalecLlcal relaLlonshlp beLween
auLomonumenLallLy and archlLecLure as loboLomy. ln essence, Lhe qulnLessenLlal
represenLaLlon of archlLecLural loboLomy, a skyscraper, perpeLuaLes lLs monumenLallLy wlLhln
an urban fabrlc, ulLlmaLely sLrlpplng archlLecLure of any symbollc, meLaphyslcal, and LheoreLlcal
semblance and deLachlng lL from lLs conLexL, boLh ln Lerms of space and Llme, renderlng Lhe
skyscraper a Llmeless rellc wlLh no Lles Lo conLexLual culLures.

1
Koolhaas, Rem, !"#$%$&'( *"+ ,&%-. / 0"1%&231$4" 526$7"(1& 7&% 5268211269 (New Yoik: 0xfoiu 0P, 1978), 82.
LoboLomy: a surglcal operaLlon lnvolvlng lnclslon lnLo Lhe prefronLal lobe of Lhe braln,
formerly used Lo LreaL menLal lllness."
2
ln Lhe early 1900s, Lhls psychosurglcal procedure for
menLal lllness was consldered common. lL successfully reduced dlsLress ln Lhe paLlenL, buL was
ofLen aL Lhe cosL of blunLlng Lhe sub[ecL's emoLlons, personallLy, and vollLlon. 1hls dlsconnecL
of Lhe fronLal lobe from Lhe resL of Lhe braln resulLed ln far worse ramlflcaLlons lncludlng:
lnablllLy Lo recognlze fuLure consequences resulLlng from currenL acLlons, lnablllLy Lo choose
beLween good and bad acLlons, lnablllLy Lo suppress unaccepLable soclal responses, lnablllLy Lo
deLermlne dlfferences and slmllarlLles beLween Lhlngs or evenLs, and lnablllLy Lo formulaLe long
Lerm memorles, whlch are dependenL upon a foundaLlon of Lhe emoLlonal sorL.
ln Lerms of archlLecLural loboLomy, a number of parallels can be drawn from Lhe
medlcal Lo Lhe archlLecLural and flnally Lo Lhe culLural. ln lLs essence, loboLomy renders Lhe
human mlnd emoLlonless and deLached from any fuLure repercusslons. 1hls parallels LhaL of
koolhaas's Lheory of archlLecLural loboLomy. ln Lhe world of archlLecLure, Lhe skyscraper has
become a proLoLyplcal manlfesLaLlon of Lhls Lheory. Accordlng Lo koolhaas, archlLecLural
equlvalenL separaLes exLerlor and lnLerlor archlLecLure,"
3
ellmlnaLlng any manlfesLaLlon and
connecLlon of Lhe lnLerlor Lo Lhe exLerlor. LquaLlng psychosurglcal loboLomy Lo LhaL of
archlLecLural loboLomy, Lhe lnLerlor of Lhe skyscraper can be equaLed wlLh Lhe mlnd of a
human, so Lo speak. AL Lhe mosL fundamenLal level, Lhe lnLerlor worklngs of a bulldlng glves
Lhe bulldlng lLs purpose and LheoreLlcal slgnlflcance, leavlng Lhe faade as a publlc
manlfesLaLlon and lnLerlor conLalnmenL, or Lhe body. LoboLomlzlng such an archlLecLural lcon

2
:;7&%< =6>#$(8 !$31$&62%?9 (0xfoiu 0niveisity Piess, 2u11),
http:oxfoiuuictionaiies.comuefinitionlobotomy, (accesseu Septembei 26, 2u11).
S
Koolhaas, Rem, !"#$%$&'( *"+ ,&%-@ 82.
can ulLlmaLely mean sLrlpplng lL of any LheoreLlcal and meLaphyslcal meanlng Lo Lhe exLerlor
faade and Lo lLs socloculLural enLlLy. As a loboLomy sLrlps a human of any gullL or concern for
Lhe fuLure, so does lL sLrlp Lhe skyscraper of lLs sole purpose-havlng Lhe lnLerlor be compleLely
separaLed from Lhe exLerlor faade creaLes an endless conLlnuum of archlLecLural use, Lhus
forclng such an archlLecLure Lo be consldered Llmeless and deLached from any hlsLorlcal,
conLexLual, and LheoreLlcal foundaLlon rooLed ln Loday's socleLy.
A prlme example of such a phenomenon ls 8em koolhaas's and CMA's pro[ecLs of 1he
Pague ln Lurope. lL ls a parL of a serles of a more recenL pro[ecLs LhaL lndlcaLe a new condlLlon
ln Lurope lLself, a condlLlon LhaL has someLhlng Lo do wlLh 1992, wlLh a new energy, a new way
of Lhlnklng, and a new confldence ln Lurope."
4
lL was durlng an age ln whlch Lhere was a
masslve, enormous exploslon of scale, whlch was prevlously unLhlnkable ln Lurope. lL proved
dlfflculL Lo planL Lhls large scale wlLhln a Luropean conLexL, where hlsLory ls an lmporLanL
lssue."
3
WlLh Lhls clLy hall, maklng such a quanLum leap ln scale whlle also malnLalnlng a
symbloLlc relaLlonshlp wlLh Lhe hlsLorlcal and culLural conLexL wlLhln Lhe Pague proved Lo be a
dlfflculL Lask. ln a bulldlng beyond a cerLaln slze, Lhe scale becomes so enormous LhaL Lhe
dlsLance beLween cenLer and perlmeLer, or core and skln, becomes so vasL LhaL Lhe exLerlor can
no longer hope Lo make any preclse dlsclosure as Lo whaL happens on Lhe lnLerlor."
6
ln oLher
words, Lhls quanLum leap of scale beglns Lo affecL Lhe lnLerwoven relaLlonshlp of Lhe lnLerlor
and Lhe exLerlor. 1he humanlsLlc relaLlonshlp beLween Lhe lnLerlor and exLerlor, based upon an

4
Fitzpatiick, Lynn & Bofius, Boug, 0"A B&&#822(. C&64"%(21$&6( +$18 D1'<"61(9 (Rice 0niveisity, School of
Aichitectuie, 1991), 4.
S
Fitzpatiick & Bofius, S.
6
Fitzpatiick & Bofius, 6.
expecLaLlon LhaL Lhe exLerlor wlll always dlsclose cerLaln aspecLs of Lhe lnLerlor, ls lnadverLenLly
broken. 1he once coheslve sysLem of lnLerlor and exLerlor become compleLely auLonomous,
separaLe pro[ecLs, Lo be pursued lndependenLly, wlLhouL any apparenL connecLlon."
7
AnoLher
lndlcaLlon of Lhls auLonomous dlvlslon and lncrease ln scale ls LhaL wlLh dlsLances wlLhln Lhe
bulldlngs becomlng so vasL, programmaLlc enLlLles become lndependenL spaLlal elemenLs, Lhls
separaLlon furLher loboLomlzes Lhe lnLerlor mlnd" of Lhe bulldlng from lLs exLerlor body."

llg. 1: ClLy Pall aL Lhe Pague, neLherlands-new clLy hall slLuaLed beLween hlsLorlcal cenLer and 1970's
redevelopmenL
More speclflcally among Lhese pro[ecLs aL Lhe Pague was Lhe naLlonal uance 1heaLre.
1hls LheaLre was creaLed as a well-execuLed archlLecLural paragon of koolhaas's Lheory of Lhe
loboLomy of archlLecLure. 1he orlglnal deslgn lnLenLlon lncluded a funcLlonal box decoraLed
wlLh flamboyanL exLerlor elemenLs ln harmony wlLh Lhe vernacular," buL lnsLead became an
lnsLlLuLlonal cenLer of 1he Pague, a banal faade whlch revealed llLLle of Lhe lnLerlor."
8
1hls
became a precedenL Lo CMA's unlversal ModernlzaLlon aLenL: ulsconnecL" and Lhen was
lnlLlally lmpllcaLed Lo Lhe Cardlff 8ay Cpera Pouse ln Cardlff, Wales. 1hls was a meLhod of

7
Fitzpatiick & Bofius, 7.
8
Lucan, }acques, :5/E0"A B&&#822(. /%38$1"31'%" FGHIEFGGI9 (Piinceton Aichitectuial Piess, New Yoik,
1991), 48.
deflnlng a LheaLre by sLrlcL separaLlon of lLs componenLs."
9
1he Lwo parLs of a LheaLer LhaL are
usually comblned lnLo a slngle whole (sLage and audlLorlum encompassed by publlc space) are
Lhen separaLed Lo enable boLh Lo perform Lhelr deslgnaLed Lasks as efflclenLly as posslble."
10

1he sLage Lhen becomes a uLlllLarlan-facLory enLlLy, surrounded by an endless facLory belL of
consumpLlon and publlc space Lransformlng from balcony, Lo foyer, Lo hallways, Lo sLalls, flnally
endlng aL Lhe sLage, whlch Lhen opens up onLo Lhe audlence ln Lhe form of Lhe celllng endlng as
a balcony. 1hls example beglns Lo explore Lhe ldea of loboLomy as a mean Lo maxlmlze
consumpLlon and efflclency. 1he lnLerlor ls prlmarlly dlvorced from Lhe exLerlor faade, and
Lhen separaLed even more ln lLs uLlllLarlan Lerms of funcLlon ulLlmaLely leadlng Lo fully
auLonomous spaLlal consLrucLlons worklng lndependenLly of one anoLher, creaLlng a
reducLlonlsLlc archlLecLure sLrlpped of any human expresslon, splrlLual slgnlflcance, and
meLaphyslcal value once presenL ln Lhe works of archlLecLure and Lhus severlng lLs connecLlon
Lo Lhe conLexLual foundaLlon of Loday's fasL-paced and qulck-changlng socleLy.

llg. 2: Cardlff 8ay Cpera Pouse ln Cardlff, Wales-uLlllLarlan maxlmlzaLlon of efflclency caused by
loboLomy

9
0NA-AN0, Koolhaas, Rem, C&61"61, (TASCBEN umbB, Bohinzolleiniing, ueimany, 2uu4), 8u.
1u
0NA-AN0, Koolhaas, 8u.
1he loboLomy of archlLecLure can exLend beyond physlcal manlfesLaLlons of Lhe
dlsconnecLlon beLween lnLerlor and exLerlor. ArchlLecLural loboLomy can begln Lo reach lnLo
Lhe meLaphyslcal and ldeologlcal slgnlflcance of Lhe bullL envlronmenL-separaLlng Lhe pro[ecL
from lLs creaLor. ln !"#$%&&, 8em koolhaas dlscusses Lhe lncredlble slze of Lhe skyscraper and
Lhe lmpllcaLlons and ramlflcaLlons caused by such a large archlLecLural creaLlon. koolhaas goes
on Lo exclalm how lL seems lncredlble LhaL Lhe &"'% of a bulldlng alone embodles an ldeologlcal
program, lndependenL of Lhe wlll of lLs archlLecLs," furLherlng a separaLlon beLween Lhe
meLaphyslcal, ldeologlcal creaLlon of archlLecLure and lLs consLrucLlon.
11
koolhaas holds Lhe
concepLual breakLhroughs and Lhelr supporLlng Lechnologles" along wlLh new lnvenLlons
culpable for Lhls ldeologlcal shlfL, whlch creaLed a seL of regulaLlons and lnfrasLrucLure as a
deflned boundary for Lhe urban clLy.
12
1hese Lechnologlcal advances have creaLed a rlfL
beLween creaLor and creaLlon, physlcal and meLaphyslcal, body and mlnd. WlLh Lhe creaLlon of
archlLecLure dlvlded among mulLlple professlons, e.g. drafLsmen, englneers, archlLecLs, and
crafLsmen, dlsconnecL occurs beLween Lhe ob[ecL and lLs splrlLual, experlenLlal enLlLy.
ulLlmaLely, Lhls dlsconnecL beLween consLrucLlon and Lheory resulLs ln loboLomlzlng Lendencles
of Lhe archlLecLural whole.
1he 1heory of !"#$%&&, whlch ls composed of 3 Lheorems, beglns Lo deflne Lhe resulLs of
Lhls dlsconnecLlon beLween lnLerlor and exLerlor. lL places shear slze aL Lhe hearL of
auLomonumenLallLy, archlLecLural loboLomy, and conLexL-less skyscrapers. 8eyond a cerLaln
slze or helghL, a bulldlng reaches a sLaLus of blgness, beyond Lhls Lhreshold such a mass can no

11
Koolhaas, Rem. 199S. "Bigness oi the Pioblem of Laige," fiom D9 59 J9 KJ@@ The Nonacelli Piess. 496.
12
Koolhaas "Bigness oi the Pioblem of Laige," fiom D9 59 J9 KJ@ 499.
longer be conLrolled by a slngle archlLecLural gesLure," aLLrlbuLlng ownershlp Lo mulLlple
archlLecLs and evenLually creaLlng a meanlngless whole composed of auLonomous
fragmenLaLlons.
13

ln addlLlon Lo Lhe enormlLy of Lhe skyscraper, Lhe lnvenLlon of Lhe elevaLor was a cruclal,
plvoLal momenL ln archlLecLural hlsLory. urely creaLed for mechanlcal purposes, Lhe elevaLor
sLrlpped Lhe archlLecLure of any classlcal and meLaphorlcal lnherenL lmpllcaLlons lL once had on
culLure and socleLy. ArchlLecLure began Lo become deflned by raLlonal numbers, predeflned
bulldlng codes, safeLy requlremenLs, and bulldlng speclflcaLlons LhaL were lnlLlally belleved Lo
faclllLaLe successful archlLecLural works, buL emerged as a secular enLlLy LhaL sLrlpped
archlLecLure of human lnfluence. 1he 'arL' of archlLecLure ls useless ln 8lgness."
14

WlLh such an enormous dlsLance ln conLemporary skyscrapers beLween core and
envelope, Lhe faade ls forced Lo dlsconnecL from lLs core. 1he faade ls caughL ln an
ldeologlcal rlfL beLween reveallng lLs lnLerlor, programmaLlc funcLlon and lnLeracLlng wlLh lLs
conLexL, Lhe humanlsL expecLaLlon of 'honesLy' ls doomed, Lhe lnLerlor and exLerlor
archlLecLures become separaLe pro[ecLs."
13
ln Lhe modern obsesslon of llLeral Lransparency,
skyscrapers suffer from Lhe explolLaLlon of lLs lnLerlor worklngs by Lhe ouLslde world. 1he llLeral
LransparenL naLure of glass was used as a way Lo expose Lhe lnner worklngs of bulldlngs, more
speclflcally governmenL bulldlngs. 1hls Lransparency would eradlcaLe Lhe domaln of myLh,
susplclon, and Lyranny" wlLhln Lhe governmenL bulldlngs whlle mlmlcklng symbollcally Lhe

1S
Koolhaas. "Bigness oi the Pioblem of Laige," fiom D9 59 J9 KJ@ Suu.
14
Koolhaas. "Bigness oi the Pioblem of Laige," fiom D9 59 J9 KJ@ Suu.
1S
Koolhaas. "Bigness oi the Pioblem of Laige," fiom D9 59 J9 KJ@ Su1.
pollLlcal shlfL Lowards a free, uLoplan clvlllzaLlon, and also promoLlng human and clvll rlghLs.
16

lronlcally, Lhls symbollc meanlng of Lransparency was rendered lneffecLual by lLs llLeral and
physlcal properLles. lL ls noLorlously dlfflculL Lo aLLaln, lL qulckly Lurns lnLo obscurlLy and
reflecLlvlLy."
17
8eflecLlvlLy of Lhe glass creaLed a concealed barrler beLween conLexL (lLs people)
and Lhe lnLerlor funcLlon of a bulldlng. 1hls amblgulLy of funcLlon creaLes a deLached lnLerlor
from lLs LransparenL faade. ln oLher words, space, LhaL ls, has operaLed as an lnsLrumenL of
monumenLal dlssoluLlon" along wlLh Lhe enormlLy of Lhe skyscraper.
18

ArchlLecLural loboLomy can be mosL apparenL phenomenologlcally and llLerally wlLhln
Lhe modern culLure's obsesslon wlLh glass and lLs physlcal properLles. ln Lhe modern age of
archlLecLure, culLures around Lhe globe are adopLlng meLhods of consLrucLlon, whlch showcase
Lhe LransparenL ablllLles of glass. CounLrles are compeLlng ln a global showcase of bulldlngs
LhaL can be Lhe mosL see-Lhrough and LransparenL, ulLlmaLely parLlclpaLlng ln publlc
monumenLallLy. 1he recenL advancemenLs ln manlpulaLlon and consLrucLlon of glass as an
archlLecLural medlum has revoluLlonlzed Lhe manner ln whlch modern archlLecLs creaLe and
deslgn archlLecLure. 1hls global, archlLecLural compeLlLlon becomes an lnsLlgaLor for
auLomonumenLallLy wlLh glass as lLs accompllce. Accordlng Lo AnLhony vldler, Lhe presenL
passlon for see-Lhrough bulldlngs ls lndublLably llnked Lo Lhe aLLempL Lo consLrucL a sLaLe
ldenLlLy of Lechnologlcal modernlLy agalnsL a clLy ldenLlLy."
19
lrance, along wlLh many oLher
counLrles ln Lurope, can be consldered a prlme example of Lhls lnLernal conLemporary sLruggle.

16
viulei, Anthony. 1992. Fiom "The Aichitectuial 0ncanny: Essays in the Nouein 0nhomely." In /%38$1"31'%"
L8"&%? D$63" FGMN.eu. K.N. Bays. 747.
17
viulei. 7SS.
18
viulei. 7Su.
19
viulei. 7S4.
Lurope, more speclflcally lrance, ls enrlched and laden wlLh Lhousands of years of hlsLorlcal
conLexL. ArchlLecLs of Lhe laLe have been burdened wlLh Lhe dlchoLomy creaLed wlLhln lrance
beLween nosLalgla for Lhelr rlch hlsLorlcal conLexL and a yearnlng for Lechnologlcal modernlLy.
Modern archlLecLs Lhen begln Lo aLLempL Lo creaLe an ldenLlLy wlLh monumenLal
bulldlngs represenLlng maLerlals, procedures, LhoughLs, and meLhods of Lhe modern age. As
archlLecLs aLLempL Lo propel each socleLy lnLo a Lechnologlcal uLopla, Lhe currenL spaLlal
condlLlons of Lhe clLy fabrlc enLer a sLaLe of amblgulLy. 1he llLeral Lransparency manlpulaLed
wlLh modern Lechnlques aLLempLs Lo provlde a faade LhaL easlly magnlfles and renders Lhe
lnLerlor leglble. 1he programmaLlc lnLerlor lnLends Lo be easlly accesslble and undersLood by
Lhe occupanL, ln acLuallLy, programmaLlc funcLlon becomes amblguous and unresponslve Lo Lhe
conLexLual fabrlc. 8ecause Lhe clLy's urban fabrlc ls ln consLanL flucLuaLlon beLween modern
and hlsLorlcal, each archlLecLural pro[ecL, more speclflcally Lhe skyscraper, has nelLher
conLexLual evldence nor a basls Lo respond Lo, Lhls archlLecLure ls Lhus a creaLlon wlLh no
culLural slgnlflcance, no hlsLorlcal Lles, and ulLlmaLely no ldenLlLy. WlLh Lhls dllemma of an
lndlsLlncL ldenLlLy wlLhln Lhe urban fabrlc, modern archlLecLs and deslgners are forced Lo enLer
Lhls conLexL-less realm of Lhe archlLecLural world and generaLe auLonomous monumenLs, whlch
[do] noL represenL an absLracL ldeal, an lnsLlLuLlon of excepLlonal lmporLance, a Lhree-
dlmenslonal, readable arLlculaLlon of a soclal hlerarchy, a memorlal, lL merely "& lLself and
Lhrough sheer volume can noL avold belng a symbol-an empLy one, avallable for meanlng as a
blllboard ls for adverLlsemenL."
20
Lach clLy, sLaLe, and naLlon ls Lhen suspended ln a web of
consLanL sLruggle amldsL a search for a deflnlLlve ldenLlLy.
8em koolhaas colned Lhe Lerm loboLomy ln Lhe archlLecLural sense and applled lLs once
sLrlcLly medlcal lmpllcaLlons lnLo Lhe archlLecLural realm and Lhe modern lnvenLlon of Lhe urban
skyscraper. koolhaas plnpolnLed Lhe rooL cause of monumenLallLy on blgness." Pe exclalms
LhaL afLer reachlng beyond a cerLaln crlLlcal mass, Lhe bulldlng ls consldered a blg bulldlng."
1hese Lypes of bulldlngs can no longer be expressed wlLh a slngular archlLecLural gesLure. 1he
bulldlngs are Lhen forced lnLo an auLonomous sysLem of fragmenLaLlon where each elemenL
LhaL encompasses each lndlvldual bulldlng can no longer be consldered hollsLlcally. 1he
auLonomy of lLs parLs become commlLLed Lo Lhe enLlre bulldlng buL remaln [usL as deLalled
fragmenLs aLLempLlng Lo creaLe a coheslve whole, buL are deLerred by Lhe shear enormlLy of
Lhe bulldlng.
1hls quanLum leap ln slze can begln Lo have severe repercusslons on Lhe skyscraper
lLself. As Lhe skyscraper grows larger wlLh each Lechnologlcal advancemenL, Lhe dlalogue
beLween Lhe lnLerlor and Lhe exLerlor becomes amblguous and losL. 1he exLerlor faade grows
aL a Lwo-dlmenslonal raLe Lhe lnLerlor programmaLlc spaces slmulLaneously grow Lhree-
dlmenslonally. MaLhemaLlcally, Lhls sysLem ls desLlned Lo fall. 1here ls a polnL ln whlch Lhe
exLerlor faade can no longer reveal Lhe lnLernal sysLems, whlch deflne lLself as a monumenL
and Lhe soclal and culLural lnfrasLrucLure presenL wlLhln an urban fabrlc. WlLh a faade noL
belng able Lo manlfesL lLs programmaLlc lnLerlor Lo lLs conLexL, a dlsconnecLlon emerges

2u
Koolhaas, Rem, !"#$%$&'( *"+ ,&%-. / 0"1%&231$4" 526$7"(1& 7&% 5268211269 (New Yoik: 0xfoiu 0P, 1978),
81-82.
beLween Lhe conLexLual fabrlc and Lhe skyscraper lLself. 1hls deLachmenL from Lhe conLexL ls
whaL creaLes a monumenL. AuLomonumeLallLy, archlLecLurally speaklng, was lnLroduced by
koolhaas as Lhe ouLcome of archlLecLural loboLomy. ulsconnecLlon beLween Lhe lnLerlor
funcLlon and Lhe exLerlor porLrayal of Lhe skyscraper ls Lhen manlfesLed as a dlsconnecLlon from
Lhe conLexL, Lhus maklng Lhe skyscraper lLself lL own conLexL-less enLlLy wlLh no Lles Lo physlcal,
soclal, hlsLorlcal, or culLural conLexL.
1he modern cholce of maLerlals hlghly lnfluences Lhe loboLomy of Lhe skyscraper and lLs
deLachmenL from lLs conLexL. 1he obsesslon wlLh llLeral Lransparency Lo reveal Lhe lnner
worklngs of a bulldlng only leads Lo a spaLlal amblgulLy wlLhln Lhe bulldlng lLself and Lhe
bulldlng wlLhln lLs urban fabrlc. 1he sLruggle beLween a clLy's need Lo prove lLs Lechnologlcal
modernlLy and reverence for Lhe pasL ls whaL suspends Lhese monumenLs called skyscrapers
lnLo a global dlsplay of lLs undeflned spaLlal characLerlsLlcs and sysLems.
A speclflc case sLudy and example LhaL ls caughL ln a sLruggle of ldenLlLy ls LhaL of Lhe
archlLecLural developmenL of Chlna. As Chlna rapldly conLlnues Lo urbanlze, lL ls sLruggllng Lo
malnLaln a sense of balance and equlllbrlum beLween hundreds of years of hlsLory and culLure
and Lhe lnsaLlable necesslLy Lo WesLernlze and susLaln lLself. ln order Lo susLaln lLself, Chlna
began adopLlng urbanlzaLlon sLraLegles and openlngs lLs doors Lo WesLern lnfluences.
1radlLlonal archlLecLural sLyles have been somewhaL abandoned maklng way for Lhe absorpLlon
of WesLern elemenLs.
As Chlna rapldly urbanlzed, LradlLlonal Chlnese archlLecLural deslgn had been
abandoned ln order Lo persevere lLself and pull lLself ouL of economlc depresslon. Powever,
Lhe LradlLlonal skllls of Chlnese archlLecLure are sLlll applled Lo Lhe consLrucLlon of local
archlLecLure ln Lhe vasL rural area of Chlna" along wlLh bamboo scaffoldlng ln Lhe more urban
areas.
21
1he memory of Lhe LradlLlonal, anclenL culLure ls Lhen reanalyzed, relnLerpreLed, and
represenLed wlLhln Lhe modern culLure, never desLroyed or losL buL lnsLead Lranscendlng Llme.
Lxamples of Lhls can be uncovered LhroughouL all aspecLs of expresslon. AnclenL forms
of arL are conslsLenLly belng relnLerpreLed lnLo more modern forms. Calllgraphy has been
modernlzed along wlLh palnLlng, sculpLure, and archlLecLure. 1he arL of manlpulaLlng space,
archlLecLure, has also been relnLerpreLed and redeflned wlLhln Lhls culLure. ManlpulaLlng
ornamenLaLlon, meLhods of consLrucLlon, meLhods of lnLerpreLaLlon, mass vs. vold, and
maLerlals all are forms of whlch malnLaln Lhe LradlLlonal Chlnese culLure subLly embedded
wlLhln Lhe modern culLure as socleLy shlfLs and maLures. ln essence, Lhe core of whaL
comprlses Lhe LradlLlonal becomes reevaluaLed, sLrlpped of Lhe superfluous, and consolldaLed
lnLo a more modern lnLerpreLaLlon of Lhe culLure, an essence of a people LranscendenL of Llme
and space.
uurlng Lhe LasL Asla 2011 SLudy Abroad program, Lhe sLudlo pro[ecL focused prlmarlly
on redeveloplng Lhe anclenL dlsLrlcL of Shlba 1l ln ChongClng, Chlna. 1he pro[ecL focused on
creaLlng a LranslLlon and symbloLlc relaLlonshlp beLween Lhe hlsLorlcal dlsLrlcL and nearby
modern commerclal and buslness dlsLrlcL. 1he meLaphorlcal and symbollc slgnlflcance of a
LradlLlonal Chlnese Lea house was Lhe drlvlng force behlnd Lhe concepLual lnfluences of Lhe
Shlba 1l redevelopmenL landscape. Chlnese Lea houses have been around for cenLurles, acLlng

21
"Brief Introduction to Chinese Architecture." 2008. http://www.chinatraveldepot.com/C187-Chinese-Architecture
(accessed April 10, 2012).
as communal areas of relaxaLlon, lnLeracLlon, and conLemplaLlon for all. As Lea houses
developed, Lhey became areas of solace from Lhe mundane, everyday llfe. eople from all
walks of llfe, rlch and poor, could seLLle here and share Lhe [oys of Leas, rellnqulshlng any
dlspuLes and dlsagreemenLs. ChongClng ls sald Lo be Lhe flrsL global porL for Lhe exchange of
Lea and herbal medlclnes. 1hls landscape redevelopmenL beglns Lo urbanlze Lhe slgnlflcance of
Lhe Lea house and relnLerpreLs Lhe essence of Lea and Lhe slgnlflcance lL has wlLhln Chlna. WlLh
hlsLorlcal lnfluences aL lLs core, a meLaphorlcal slgnlflcance can be aLLrlbuLed and relnLerpreLed
lnLo a modern archlLecLure LhaL saLlsfles a reverence for hlsLory and a yearnlng for
Lechnologlcal advancemenLs.
1he sLudlo pro[ecL requlred an urbanlzaLlon and redevelopmenL of Lhe hlsLorlc Shlba 1l
ulsLrlcL. 1he LradlLlonal Chlnese Lea house was Lhen furLher developed and relnLerpreLed lnLo
four maln aspecLs of Lhe urban fabrlc: Lower, podlum, urban pockeL, and culLural plaza.
ulfferenL represenLaLlons of Lhe Lea house were embodled wlLhln Lhese momenLs and
conLrlbuLed Lo lncreaslng Lhe spaLlal lnLeracLlon beLween lnhablLanL and archlLecLure. 1hls
lnLeracLlon ldeally brldged Lhe gap beLween old and young, poor and rlch, rural and urban, and
clrculaLlon arLery wlLhln Lhe hlsLorlc dlsLrlcL. WlLh Lhls, Lhe Lower and podlum relaLlonshlp
along Lhls road was chosen for furLher developmenL and was seen as a paragon example of Lhe
dynamlc dlchoLomy LhaL occurred wlLhln Lhe area and wlLhln all of Chlna. 1he lnLerlocklng
relaLlonshlp beLween Lhe Lower and Lhe podlum was furLher lnvesLlgaLed and proved Lo be an
essenLlal relaLlonshlp needed Lo dlspel Lhe growlng use of archlLecLural loboLomy. A LheoreLlcal
and ldeologlcal shlfL of whaL a skyscraper can be percelved as wlll propel Lhls professlon lnLo
creaLlng a conLexL ln whlch ls lnvolved ln a symbloLlc relaLlonshlp wlLh each of lLs monumenLs,
Lhus evolvlng lnLo an urban fabrlc LhaL can poslLlvely lnfluence soclal and culLural sLrucLures
wlLhln Lhe human bullL envlronmenL and creaLe a place LhaL saLlsfles all of Lhe human's
phenomenologlcal needs as well.














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