The significance of materials within the context of architectural design


Thesis Type: Postgraduate

Institution Of The Thesis: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Faculty of Architecture, Department of Architecture, Turkey

Approval Date: 2016

Student: BANU DENİZ

Supervisor: CELAL ABDİ GÜZER

Abstract:

The assumption of this study is that material usage has the efficacy to influence the architectural language and building tectonics. The consideration for the transforma-tive power of “materiality” in architecture has shifted as a result of developments in technology and science that have been rooted mostly in the Industrial Revolution. Throughout this research, changing relationships between materials and building tectonics as well as considerations for materials selection will be examined. As a result of this examination through literature review and comparisons of the case studies, this study aims to challenge the current tendencies that regard materials to be afterthought in the design process. Since the interrelatedness of materials and architecture as well as the “honest use of materials” have been disregarded to justify the transformation of the buildings into commodified objects to justify the transformation of the buildings into commodified objects in behalf of their appearance of facades for the profit motive, the “ essence of architecture ” that makes buildings resist time, belong a particular context, give references to a specific period in history, region and culture seems lost. Therefore, it is the claim of this thesis that it is essential to prevent architecture from losing its compelling status as a discipline that ensures built environments with architectural identities through a complete perception of the significance of materials within the context of architectural design. Otherwise, it seems inevitable for architecture to become a stylistic manifesto of the employers and designers.