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Virginia Tech

Stepping Back to Move Forward : A Poem Written in Light and Brick

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Louis Kahn, the master of modern architecture, said, "Even a brick wants to be something " the phrase explained how important it is to respect the properties and materials, each material has a structure or form that can be the most beautiful to express its essence. The reason that he taught the essence of materials by using "brick" as an example among numerous materials the characteristics of bricks are very simple and clear. The essence of the brick lies in 'stacking'. The stone and metal panels which can be found as common as bricks, the surface forms are smooth, but it held by various types of material. The surface materials require separate devices to overcome gravity instead of forming a large surface at a time. Architecture is the site where human technology overcomes the providence of nature. However, brick is not 'attached' material, its 'stacked' material. A piece of brick is placed and laid on, depending on gravity. The nature of bricks goes hand in hand with the history of mankind and is loved a lot. "Architecture is a poem written in light and brick," and brick can be a material that makes use of the essence of architecture: practicality and art. In fact, that the most common building around us is a brick building is evidence that the brick is imprinted with familiar and reliable materials for everyone. Moreover, the bricks are an inexpensive and fast-producing material. In this thesis, I 'd like to propose the housing for elderly residents on the Robinson North Terminal at the Potomac waterfront in Alexandria Virginia. Also I tried to understand and study the material properties of bricks, and to realize mix-used architecture that can conform to Alexandra's unique order and maximize the potential of only sites

Degree

thesis:*
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
2020

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Jo, Hyung
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Emmons, Paul F.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Feuerstein, Marcia F.
  • Dreher, Matthew David

Subjects

dc:subject × 6

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
vt_gsexam:26787
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/99693

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Jo, Hyung. Stepping Back to Move Forward : A Poem Written in Light and Brick. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/99693