Murcutt interview

[GuyR]

For those interested in Glenn Murcutt's work. Or those that prey at the alter of Murcutt like me :-),here (http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/national/sat/glenn_murcutt) is an interview worth listening to. If you are interested in the 'house of the decade' talked about here (http://www.agm.co.nz/index.html?category=33&id=227) is an article on the bach in question.

Guy

[blads]

Thanks Guy

for these links... I'm thoroughly enjoying the Glen Murcutt interview as I now type.

[Lashers]

Cheers for this Guy! I am a Murcutt fan! Is there a Murcutts Anonymous i would have to join?? :-)

[GuyR]

:-) I've read most of his books a number of times, I've obviously seen lots of pictures of him. Yet I never thought he'd sound like that when he talks! ;-) If only it was possible to go to the Masterclasses he runs every year...

Guy

[archjake]

I just saw him Friday at the University of Arizona. He had a lecture where he presented his process on a project.

He is not into computers for designing architecture. Or documenting it! He believes in the hand being an extension of the mind.
Here is what I wrote up for another forum thread:

I just attended the Glen Murcutt lecture at the University of Arizona last night. It was about an hour and a half and he showed multiple projects.

The first was a complete process from start to finish of a residence with initial site documentation to the 99% completed and furnished residence.

He also showed His own residence / studio, the Arthur and Yvonne Boyd Art Centre, an Underground Opal Museum, and a Governmental building proposal in Sidney of which they dropped the contract due to political nonsense.

First off I would like to say that this man has the most passion for the soul and heart of architecture that I have seen. He believes in a sustainable architecture that is exciting and built of necessity. He also believes that architecture is passed down to the youth and future architects. This thought has been in the back of my mind for the last few years (from graduation to now) in which I have been trying to find a true mentor who believes strongly that design is of necessity, and that teaching is our responsibility to the future.

That aside, I just wanted to talk briefly on the design process he showed. He stated that this is the first time he is presenting a project like this. A lot of the slides showing his sketches and drawings were of poor quality, but they expressed what he was trying to convey. He is a man who is humble and doesn’t need fame or to show polished work to be happy doing what he loves. Aside from the poor quality of slides, the work he showed was amazing. He started with showing us photos of the site and explaining his observations and how he made measurements to locate views and site features including topography, tree heights and projected tree heights so he could study sun angles and shading. He then showed how he took the views and had them in a sketch. From that view / skyline sketch he would start working in section to develop an orientation and study the effects of sun angles on the project. He would then take tangents into details almost immediately, but always asking himself if this was the direction he wanted to go into. After developing sections, orientation, and details he would then look at floor plan relationships. Once he worked out a plan he thought was enough to convey a sense and feel for the project he would then take a cleaner but still sketched plan and send it off to the clients for their input. This plan was covered in notes, as he had to convey to the clients what his thoughts were and how the building would truly function. Everything was noted including how the wind and ventilation would take prevailing winds from the pond and pull most air into the residence in the summer. From that Murcutt would continue to develop the plan, sections and tons of detail sketches for this project. The plan evolved a few more times before he and his clients were happy with the layout. It was then that he would began his documentation for construction. And yes, he documents. He does all his drawings by hand and draws every single detail there could possibly be. He had noted a conversation with Renzo Piano in which they discussed the fact that you need to document every single thing if you want them to build it like you designed it. Very true.

After showing some of the documentation, Murcutt then showed construction photos. It was then explained how by using steel to erect a frame for the timber and masonry construction to follow the contractors can’t get the steel and masonry construction wrong; it is framed. It was also shown how one wall on the exterior of the building was the living spine of the project where all the electrical and plumbing would go into the walls. The wood siding could then be removed if in the future there is a need to fix or modify the project.

A few photos showed how a contractor installed an incorrectly fabricated sun louver. The design had a bent louver for water shed, and then the photos progressed to showing the correct one installed.

I must say that this man is a master in framing the environment in every way possible with a building.

His projects were all great, but I think this design process was something extremely educational to learn directly from Murcutt himself.
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I'll have to give listend to the interview later. :)

[GuyR]

Amen........

[SCShell]

Hey Jake,
Thanks for sharing that! Very nice morning read.
Steve

[Roger Evans]

There are a number of Murcutt Threads on the PPB Forum very wortha look
here's one

www.pushpullbar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=745&highlight=Glenn+Murcutt