The architecture of the cube

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The simple forms before the architecture of the cube.

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The simple forms before the architecture of the cube.

The shape of the cube and the relationship with architecture or design is so familiar that it appears everywhere, although we do not fall into it until we pay special attention.

Le Corbusier already told us … «Our eyes are made to see shapes in light: shadows and highlights reveal shapes. Cubes, cones, spheres, cylinders, or pyramids are the great primary shapes that light reveals well; their image is clear and tangible, unambiguous. For this reason they are beautiful forms, the most beautiful »

The simple geometric shapes In architecture they have always held a special place due to the unique combination of characteristics such as simplicity, rationality and creativity. The cube represents one of those simple architectural forms but at the same time very rich and brilliant.

The use of cubic shapes in architecture It serves a number of functions, from ensuring the durability of the structure or maximum efficiency in the use of space, to purely aesthetic functions, such as presenting the appearance of the building in a harmonious way or harmonizing strongly with its surroundings.

An architect of French origin Yannick martin I do a series of illustrations about the most famous houses in the history of Architecture placed inside a cube, he observed that the decisions made by architects in relation to the proportions of their houses and the elements that define them had a very close relationship with the cube proportions.

Martin, launched the question…. Does this relationship have something to do with the fact that the houses are seen by most professionals as architecturally unique?

But we can no longer only speak of the cube as a unitary element. We must delve into modular architecture to understand the theory of polycubes, a branch of mathematics that is deals with studying the behavior of cubic modular units, such that joined by their faces they configure forms in three-dimensional space.

Although the basic module is a cube, the combination of several cubes allows to obtain a great variety of modules that preserve orthogonality between their faces and, within the simplicity of their shapes, provide volumetric richness and modularity, establishing correspondences with forms of use. architectural that we can find in many buildings or projects that dazzle.

In an architecture biennial the project was presented Spine is a interactive installation based on twenty shiny cubes and an atmospheric sound composition.

In this case, cubes were presented that assimilated the movement of sea waves. The movements of the cubes, as well as the composition of sound, reacted to the visitors of the space who were totally trapped in a unique and strange environment.

It must be recognized that throughout the evolution in the construction of houses and houses, many planners, designers or architects have used the shape of the cube and the square to express their projects, there are many and very good examples, but if we approach Currently, we find two projects that fascinate and are winners of many awards.

Square urbanism:

The urban project suggests that instead of proposing a predesigned urban fabric, focuses on a collective pattern for individual interpretation: a matrix of gardens structures the area, and can be built around a square garden, not within.

Various actors (from large companies to individuals) can colonize these ‘extroverted plots’, fostering the diversity of building scales and urban relationships.

Once the support is fixed, the development of the urban project has investigated the relationships that these supports can produce, redefining the configuration of the free space based on cubes. It is committed to a collective space that can be reprogrammed in time and with the capacity for appropriation.

The result is a porous fabric, not only in terms of low environmental impact, but also flexibility in the construction and continuous process: a liquid that adapts to the changing needs of society.

We can also get closer to the article we made on… What is Cohousing? A sustainable and efficient model before the individualism of society)

The cube housing

Definitely the architecture surprises and this time with a risky but undoubtedly brilliant project.

From the Kežmarské Hut team, the architectural firm of Atelier 8000 propose a new concept for a housing destined for a high mountain lodge, a cube-shaped lodge based entirely on a bioclimatic and sustainable project for high mountain adventurers.

A shelter away from the typical wooden house that everyone imagines when thinking about this type of construction.

In short, the primary shape of the cube is and will be used as a source of inspiration for many great designers, the square shape is in fashion and we can confirm it from the article … «Facades of spectacular houses»

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