Span and Space: Exploring Tectonics in Architecture

‘Tectonics’ in architecture is achieving the expressive qualities through construction and manoeuvring of forces in structure such that entity created cannot be defined only by structure and construction. In achieving tectonics- recognizing, selecting, and ordering of material and form plays an important role in design process. To achieve any architectural form, structural and construction modes play an important role. The way in which these forms and its volumetric qualities enrich the quality of space in architecture is the exploration studio is aiming at. With advent of new materials and new technologies aided by computer, form generation in architecture is expected to be challenging because of complex structural systems and forms. At the same time natural materials like bamboo and conventional materials like mud and compressed blocks are also finding their way in application with modern methods. Architects need to equip themselves to exploit the potential of these materials and methods, for which conceptual understanding of structural systems and form is essential. Studio will equip students to design and detail meaningful forms using fundamentals of structural actions and material properties along with construction technology which is essential as a part of design process.