Inflected Landscapes

We often see examples of architecture placed within a pristine landscape, where the beauty of that natural landscape has been diminished once the building has been placed upon it. And as the population continues to grow, the need to integrate architecture carefully into natural sites becomes more evident. As architects addressing this issue, we should not simply bury or hide the architecture, but rather design architecture that has the capacity to make a positive visual contribution to any natural landscape.

To address such a challenge, this design-led research investigation proposes that the built and the natural environments can enter mutually beneficial dialogues with one another – each being seen as an equal contributor to the unveiling of a narrative that enhances our recognition of the natural and built environments as mutual collaborators in an essential relationship. This thesis explores how strategies derived from literary narrative theory can be applied to the design of our built environment in ways that actively encourage these essential, mutual dialogues to unfold.

The aim of this design-led investigation is to explore how literary narrative theory can be used as a strategy for establishing meaningful dialogues between the built and natural environments, in ways that allow their unique identities to be equally expressed. The thesis proposes that the strategic integration of fluid and orthogonal forms and spaces (figurative geometries) can be used as a tool to help establish active dialogues between the built and natural environments, when perceived as an experiential journey and interpreted through agency.