Projeto Por Efeito

Fotografias de Modelos Físicos e a Construção da Imagem como Concepção do Projeto

Abstract

In a number of studios in Swiss architecture schools large-scale models are photographed in natural lighting conditions and simulating the observer’s point of view in order to generate images that captivate the eye for its atmospheric qualities. The photos of physical models currently produced in the architectural course of the Zurich Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, are part of a didactic tradition of more than thirty years that emphasizes the realistic image as a means to perceive and reflect on a project. This tradition is associated with a set of positions, which include regarding history as a living repertoire of solutions, valuing the visual expression of architecture and its material qualities and aspiring the production of atmospheres that are meaningful and appropriate to its place and purpose. This paper intends to discuss the role of photographs of physical models as didactic devices and discloses their contribution to the articulation of these values in design teaching. The article supports the hypothesis that this is possible by combining two factors: the control of image qualities and its use as the primary generator of conception. The arguments presented here are based on a study of pedagogical practices in the ETH Zurich and will be exemplified by the teaching methods in the advanced design studio held by the chair of Adam Caruso in 2013.

Key-words: Image; Architectural Design Teaching; Photography; Models; Atmospheres.