Phenomenological Architecture: Steven Holl's Linked Hybrid

Introduction: Phenomenology and Architectural Practice

Discussing the practical application of a phenomenological theory of architecture can present an initial challenge, because the basic tenets of phenomenology, as first articulated by Christian Norberg-Schulz and others, are deceptively simple. Phenomenology favors simplicity above all else, but not the kind of simplicity that results in a single identifiable aesthetic. Rather, the ideal simplicity as conceived in phenomenological theory has to do with the use of a few essential colors and motifs within any given piece in order to generate a complexity of experience out of a few simple ideas. A perfect example of this is Steven Holl's Linked Hybrid in Beijing, which uses a few primary colors and shapes to construct a visual and tactile representation of the life that inhabits any given architectural space, mirroring the kind of structured yet nonetheless open experience of inhabiting and moving through the design.

By examining Linked Hybrid in conjunction with relevant theories of phenomenological architecture, one is able to see how architectural theory intersects with actual architectural practice such that the building itself offers a kind of commentary on that theory.

Before addressing Linked Hybrid in particular, it will be useful to discuss some relevant phenomenological theory regarding shape, color, and the individual experience of place in general, in order to see how Linked Hybrid actually embodies and engages with this theory. Practically any discussion of phenomenological theory begins with Norberg-Schulz, who developed the concept over the course of more than thirty years, finally condensing his thoughts in his 1980 book Genius Loci: Towards a Phenomenology of Architecture. In addition to this seminal text, it will be useful to consult an earlier essay of his regarding the particular notion of "place," an essay by architect and theorist Juhani Pallasmaa discussing the particular use of geometry in phenomenological practice, and some of Steven Holl's own theoretical writings. As noted above, the key tenet of phenomenological architecture is a particular simplicity, and examining this theory with an eye toward its discussion of shape, color, and individual experience will serve to inform the subsequent description and analysis of Linked Hybrid.

Key Phenomenological Theories of Place, Shape, and Color

The most crucial portion of Norberg-Schulz's theory for this investigation is his discussion of place as having an "atmosphere," such that it "is therefore a qualitative, 'total' phenomenon, which we cannot reduce to any of its properties, such as spatial relationships, without losing its concrete nature" (Norberg-Schulz 1980, 8). This concrete nature is what arises out of the meeting between objective reality and a human being's individual experience, so that "the concrete things which constitute our given world are interrelated in complex and perhaps contradictory ways," but these interrelations nonetheless work in conjunction to generate the sense of place — which is merely those phenomena that "form an 'environment' to others" (Norberg-Schulz 1996, 414). Thus, the phenomenon that is a particular place is nothing more than the structure in which other phenomena may occur. Recognizing this allows one to understand the role of architecture itself in phenomenological theory: the actual physical structures of buildings serve to provide the visitor with meaningful cues that structure the individual experience of the building in order to generate meaningful emotional and intellectual phenomena.

This leads to the first tenet of phenomenology, which is simplicity. Because "everyday experience […] tells us that different actions need different environments to take place in a satisfactory way," each design must begin with an eye toward those different actions in their immediate social, historical, and geographic context (Norberg-Schulz 1996, 415). As Norberg-Schulz notes, "'similar' functions, even the most basic ones such as sleeping and eating, take place in very different ways, and demand places with different properties, in accordance with different cultural traditions and different environmental conditions" (Norberg-Schulz 1996, 415).

In Juhani Pallasmaa's essay "The Geometry of Feeling: A Look at the Phenomenology of Architecture," he discusses how phenomenological theory proposes looking at architectural practice not as "a kind of game with form [which overlooks] the reality of how a building is experienced," but rather as an exploration of the way "forms or geometry in general can give rise to architectural feeling" (Pallasmaa 1996, 449). In particular, phenomenological theory attempts to demonstrate how "the meanings of an artistic work are born out of the whole, from a vision that integrates the parts, and are in no way the sum of the elements," because the human experience of architecture — and indeed all art — stems first and foremost from the symbolic meaning generated by these essential elements, a meaning wholly indiscernible from the individual parts themselves (Pallasmaa 1996, 449).

Pallasmaa is describing how buildings, far from being merely "a concrete composition built up out of a selection of basic given elements but no longer in touch with the reality of experience outside itself," actually serve as constituent elements of the phenomenon of a place, with the "selection of basic given elements" working together with human experience to generate meaning far more complex than the constituent formal elements that produce it (Pallasmaa 1996, 449). Thus, the use of a few repeating shapes and colors in phenomenological practice is not simplicity for simplicity's sake, but rather an attempt to simplify the individual formal elements of a structure as a means of almost paradoxically multiplying the meanings generated from the interaction of those formal elements with human consciousness.

Simplicity, Context, and Urban Experience

It is important to note the centrality of subjective experience in phenomenological theory, because this is what separates the simplicity of phenomenological practice from other architectural styles that elevate a relative simplicity only through the prescription of certain general motifs — such as the International and Prairie styles. Phenomenological practice almost never demonstrates the same homogeneity, because every design is dictated by immediate context rather than a focus on any particular material or formal element.

This may seem like an obvious consideration for any architect, but in phenomenological architecture the immediate context of the building is far more central than any other concern, to the point that it serves as the organizing theme of the design, because "if a building does not fulfill the basic conditions formulated for it phenomenologically as a symbol of human existence it is unable to influence the emotional feelings linked in our souls with the images a building creates" (Pallasmaa 1996, 351). Thus, the seed of any phenomenological practice is "a conceptual stratagem in response to the special conditions of every project" (Masheck & Holl 2002, 26). Because the design of a building is guided by the visual and emotional experience of both the surrounding context and the intended use, phenomenological practice requires simplicity in order to ensure that the experience is open-ended enough to allow for the variety of uses that may occur while nonetheless suggesting to the viewer the particular actions and functions ideally suited to the place.

When Steven Holl discusses the application of phenomenological theory to urban architectural design, he begins not by enumerating what elements any successful urban building must have, but by highlighting the fact that "spatial perception and development in an urban setting require a three-dimensional, sectional approach that gives primary importance to the views of perambulating residents who traverse shifting ground planes, experiencing the city from multiple frames of reference" (Holl 1988, 5). The use of simple colors and shapes aids in this effort, because relatively simple constituent parts can be combined to create a number of different views and perceptions of a single structure, providing the means for ever-multiplying phenomenological meaning to be produced.

A building — especially one in an urban setting — is not experienced solely by walking through the front doors, but from every possible angle and at every possible height. While a given building will mean different things to someone living in it and someone living next to it, those vastly different meanings are generated by the same concrete elements that form the actual physical structure. In this way, phenomenological practice is essentially the practice of structuring physical material and space so as to encourage meaning-making, much like placing old train cars in the ocean to provide the structure necessary for the emergence of a coral reef. Meaning grows on the concrete elements of a building alongside the people moving through it, so that "perception and the senses are intertwined with the material, space and light of urban form" (Holl 1988, 6). Imagining architecture as the structure upon which meaning grows and contributes to the phenomenon of a place is particularly helpful when investigating Holl's Linked Hybrid, because the design expresses a desire to meld the objective, concrete reality of the building itself to the experience of the residents living and moving within it.

Linked Hybrid: Design Overview

Construction on Linked Hybrid began in 2003 and was completed in 2009, when Holl's design won the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat's award for Best Tall Building (CTBUH 2009). Part of a wave of new developments born out of Beijing's revitalization surrounding the 2008 Olympic Games, Linked Hybrid is a mixed-use development consisting of "a ring of eight 21-story towers, linked at the 20th floor by gently sloping public sky bridges, lined with galleries, cafes, restaurants, bars and shops" (Busari 2008). Each tower is rectangular, with some towers additionally linked at the base with horizontal extensions. The face of the buildings is nearly uniform, with square windows breaking up the concrete walls except where diagonal lines of concrete cut across multiple squares, giving the exterior of each tower the appearance of a kind of fence or netting held rigid by diagonal reinforcements — lending the complex a lightness not otherwise possible.

The aforementioned sky bridges extend outward from corners and edges, punctuating the sharp rectangles with slopes and curves, giving the impression of biological filaments growing between the concrete structures of the towers. These perform the "linking" and hybridity hinted at in the name, connecting each tower while simultaneously providing a visual departure from the monotony of the towers themselves.

The eight towers and linking sky bridges form a rough ellipse around a massive water feature and green space at the center of the site, providing a sense of intimacy while nonetheless remaining a "porous urban space" (Holl 2009). The sky bridges and the frames of the inset windows feature blue, red, yellow, and green details and lighting — the only color in the complex apart from the green of the rooftop garden spaces.

Conclusion: Structure, Emergence, and Meaning

Steven Holl's Linked Hybrid in Beijing demonstrates the intersection of architectural theory and practice by exemplifying the phenomenological ideals of simplicity and integration into the immediate context of the structure. Through its novel and multi-layered interpretation of hybridity, Holl's design provides space for any number of complex, emergent phenomenological experiences arising from a few relatively simple design elements. Green space and stark concrete mix to create an intimate space that is nonetheless porous and open; building and geological formations interact to bring the structure's functioning more in line with natural processes; and the bridges linking towers together imbue the project with a connective quality that hints at its proposed use as a liminal place where different interests, uses, and interpretations may meet and interact. By blending the natural and amorphous with the produced and structured, Linked Hybrid guides its visitors to experience the complex as the unique phenomenon it is — alternately offering opportunities for structured interaction and free-flowing movement.

References

Busari, Stephanie. CNN, "Beijing Embraces Brave New World of Buildings." Last modified June 24, 2008. Accessed November 6, 2011. http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/06/18/beijing.hybrid/index.html.

Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. "2009 Awards." Last modified October 2009. Accessed November 6, 2011. http://www.ctbuh.org/Events/Awards/2009Awards/tabid/851/language/en-GB/Default.aspx.

De Zeen Magazine. "Linked Hybrid by Steven Holl Architects." Last modified July 8, 2009. Accessed November 6, 2011. http://www.dezeen.com/2009/07/08/linked-hybrid-by-steven-holl-architects/.

Holl, Steven. Steven Holl Architects, "Linked Hybrid." Last modified 2009. Accessed November 6, 2011.

Holl, Steven. "Within the City: Phenomena of Relations." Design Quarterly 129 (1988): 1–30.

Lee, Evelyn. Inhabitat, "Linked Hybrid Housing Development." Last modified January 1, 2006. Accessed November 6, 2011. http://inhabitat.com/linked-hybrid-housing-development/.

Masheck, Joseph, and Steven Holl. "Steven Holl." BOMB 79, Spring (2002): 24–29.

Norberg-Schulz, Christian. Genius Loci: Towards a Phenomenology of Architecture. New York: Academy Editions, 1980.

Norberg-Schulz, Christian. "The Phenomenon of Place." In Theorizing a New Agenda for Architecture: An Anthology of Architectural Theory. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1996.

Pallasmaa, Juhani. "The Geometry of Feeling: A Look at the Phenomenology of Architecture." In Theorizing a New Agenda for Architecture: An Anthology of Architectural Theory. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1996.