Weekly Response 05: Structure

This is RebildPorten, a visitor's centre and exhibition space in the Rebild Hills and Rold Forest of Rebild, Denmark. Designed by the architecture firm, CEBRA, RebildPorten acts as a gateway into the natural reserve behind it. I found this building interesting, because the structure heavily features a unique set of trusses as an external support. The building in a way reminded me of the Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing. The fact that the trusses were wooden, though, stuck out to me as well. It seems as though most of the trusses we viewed in lecture were typically steel and patterned. The fact that this was a more random wooden pattern interested me, and I wanted to see if I could find out more about the purpose behind that design.
The architect describes having designed the building to feel similar to going into the forest that visitors later would do. The mismatched beams that meet one another at various points and heights can reflect the way tree branches cross over one another. This organization, along with the very natural wooden used to construct it, does a really good job of conveying this message of naturalness. In fact, this raw cut timber still gives off the scent of the woods, which further adds to the hiking-like experience one may have when passing under the beams.
From the inside, there is minimal structure to obstruct the space. There is just one large room inside, for the purpose of exhibitions. The effect that the trusses have in this regard, then, could also be similar to looking out through a group of trees. This whole building does a great job acting as a large transition for guests before they enter into the actual reserve. It shows the strength and serenity nature can have, and helps prepare them for their journey ahead.

This is a wing that was added as an addition to architect Louis Kahn’s Kimbell Museum in Fort Worth. Designed by Architect Renzo Piano, and opened in 2013, the Piano Pavilion wing was tasked with complementing, but not directly copying, the original museum designed by Kahn (shown in the third image).

Piano did a great job of opening up the gallery space on the inside of the building by designing the structure to be built around it. When I initially saw the images of the Piano Pavilion, I instantly thought about how well it reflected an example of frame construction. The posts and beams that make up the framework dominate the outside of the building. The larger, tan-colored beams that run across the building are very wide and simple, which contrasts well with the much thinner glass that runs across the top, as the roof.

While each individual element of this building seems to be very solid and heavy, the fact that they are all so space out actually sees to add lightness to the final product. One thing that Kahn did when designing the original museum was stress the use of natural light. By removing the structure from the inside of the building, Piano was able to allow the most amount of light to come in through the roof as he could. Had he chosen a load-bearing structure, the glass roof likely wouldn’t have the same effect, and the light and open feeling inside the building would not have been possible.

Inside the gallery, Piano kept the moveable walls thin as well, and chose to use a natural hardwood for the floors. The beams that seemed so prominent from the outside now are just a minimal element from the inside, simply housing the lights. The gaps that were prominent on much of the outer construction now really develop this open space. The combination of these design choices all creates a modern and natural space, that can really create an intimate experience between the art this building houses and the visitors that have come to see it.