Gottfied Semper and Mies Van Der Rohe: A new concept of Interpreting Structures through Weaving

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Programme director. Environmental Sustainable Architecture Engineering Programme. Faculty of Energy and Environmental Engineering (FEEE) The British University in Egypt

2 Architecture Department - Faculty of Engineering - Ain Shams University (ASU) Cairo- Egypt

Abstract

For Semper the origins of each element can be found in the traditional crafts. 1] Hearth – metallurgy, ceramics, 2] Roof – carpentry, 3] Enclosure – textile, weaving earthwork –4] Mound. Semper, stating that the hearth was the first element created in architecture, around it was grouped the other three elements: the roof, the enclosure, and the mound. The Four Elements of Architecture was not the classification of a specific typology but rather was more universal in its attempt to offer a more general theory of architecture of Architecture. He was searching for a new style and a new epoch in architecture based on the dynamic relation among materials, structure, and space. Thus, a new style is born. Style for him was a manifestation of an idea based on a principle. In this the argument is presented based on the relation between the concept of building as revealed by Semper and experiment by Mies Van der Rohe especially in the field of weaving structures and the idea of the knot.
This will end by the concept of lightness versus heaviness as the new language in architectural design and composition.

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