The Universidad Adolfo Ibanez is a private design school with an interest in systems engineering. The physical school has been rewarded for its complex design.
View of Rectilinear Exterior Volumes
At first, I thought the interior curvilinear forms (Ramps and rooms) were possibly a response to the curvilinear nature of the mountains meeting the sky and the landscape. Then, the more rectilinear exterior forms would stand in contrast to the site and the interior. Additionally, the white exterior continues to stand in contrast to the blue sky and brown earth, while the off white and light brown interior relates to the earth of the exterior. Therefore, the site, exterior, and interior react equally with one another, and dictate the design.
View of Weaving Ramps
After taking a closer look, I realized the organization and form as a reaction to the exterior was unlikely. This is because the apertures in the main corridors are rectilinear and random; Very rarely are they related to the human, room, or hallway scale. Additionally, any stairs are designed to appear as they are floating in the middle and grounded at top and bottom by differing stair thickness and tread length. Lastly, the ramps are not understood alone but as a weaving of ramps, which is disorienting through circulation. Therefore, I concluded that the relationship between interior, exterior, and site was not the only design solution, but that the school is designed to trick and confuse the eye and disorient the user.
View of Floating Library Stairs
In relation to Lo Contador, and the comment made my a professor there, what is the purpose of having a confusing building. At first, I thought there is no purpose. But, Knowlton is a confusing building to outsiders but not to us. Most likely, Adolfo Ibanez is confusing to us but not the students and faculty. Similar to Knowlton, this most likely increases the sense of community of the building and in the school.
Hey Ellie,
I like the analysis of how a space makes the people occupying it feel. I think that is often overlooked, much like the professor at Lo Contador. I really like the idea of architecture being able to create a somewhat private community even in a public building. It is quite clear that Knowlton accomplishes that with how many non-Knowlton students complain of the confusing nature of the design. It surely seems like Adolfo Ibanez accomplishes that same goal based on our short visit. I just wonder if that goal is something that designers should be aiming for. Based on the PUC Lo Contador professor’s short speech to us, he clearly wanted to communicate the point that not enough architects consider the future tenant’s occupation of the space being created. While one choice may make a project more interesting, does it make it harder for the user to occupy that space? Should we design projects that close outsiders out? I think the context of it is different between UAI and Knowlton. In my opinion, this effect is perfectly understandable for UAI, which already is a private school located up a lot of winding roads into the mountains; however, maybe at Ohio State, this only serves to separate the student body even more. I find that many other students do not fully understand the design programs that we have at Ohio State, and especially those within Knowlton. Very provocative ideas, thank you for sharing!