Reveries of a walk: Architectonics and an Attunement to Nature

Architecture has been primarily ocularcentric for the last century. This thesis proposes a more sensible approach to architecture. A multisensory experience that gives the user a deeper response to the building. Architecture can activate and engage multiple senses through the revelation of nature such as: wind, light, and shadow. Architecture has the power to reveal the essence of nature and natural phenomena. It can also become a catalyst to help us understand nature and attain a deeper connection with it and ourselves. Through derived forms and attention to details, architects can capture the essence of nature without direct imitation. Architecture has always had the power to reveal. The architect must choose what is revealed. This thesis is an exploration into the idea of architecture as a revelation of nature in a specific climate, location, and context to allow the user to become more attuned to nature. Architecture can allow the users to explore and discover nature in a way that was previously ignored or overlooked, or perhaps it can reveal a phenomenon for the first time. Architecture can reveal nature through: orientation, material choices, form, function, openings, details, and spacing. Allowing natural phenomena to be a part of the design process creates a building attuned to nature. These revelations can occur with careful consideration to components, conditions, and details such as: wind, light, shadow, and structure. In order to achieve these, special consideration must be give to the tectonic and stereotomic construction.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Architecture

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Architecture

Department dc:contributor.department

Architecture

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Gunnels, Aeric Taylor

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Jones, James R.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Gartner, Howard Scott
• Jones, Kevin William

• Organic architecture
• Biomimicry
• Dendriform
• Telluric
• Rammed earth

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:16501

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/83765