Designing Across Cultures
Lalu Villas Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan
Working internationally, we are often positioned to design in a place that is not ‘our’ place, where we must quickly develop a deep and respectful understanding of the local landscape, built culture, spirituality and economy. The vision of our clients is to create resorts that are very particular to their location, are sensitive to its ecology and create opportunities for development and self-confidence of the staff who host there.
The theoretical construct of ‘Critical Regionalism’ guides us in our design, helping us root our architecture in its context without resort to scenography. Kenneth Frampton is the best-known proponent of Critical Regionalism, describing its generative emphasis on “topography, climate, light; on tectonic form”; phenomenology (experience, reflection and ethics) rather than symbolism.
This is a softened modernism, with precedent, technique and function critical but always driven by the visceral perceptions of its inhabitants. The identification of the “first principles” of a place - its climate, topography, geology and biome - helps us to evolve an architecture that is deeply suitable and parallel to indigenous styles without parody, creating contemporary places of pleasure and pride.
