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PhD Thesis: Wood as a Primary Medium to Eco‐Systemic Performance

Mar 2017 | Books & Other Publications, Design for Planet, Design for Society, PhD Projects

Wood as a Primary Medium to Eco‐Systemic Performance:
A Case Study in Systemic Approach to Architectural Performance

Doctoral Thesis by Marie Davidová
Prague, 2017

Czech Technical University in Prague – Faculty of Architecture
MOLAB Department
Supervisor: doc. Ing. arch. Miloš Florián, Ph.D.
Secondary Supervisor: Prof. Birger Sevaldson, dipl NCAD, MNIL, PhD

 

 The  present  research  considers  wood as  a  study  material for a wider  question  on architecture’s  environmental interaction. It aims to explore its potential for eco‐systemic performances and atmospheres as well as to broaden the discussion on this problem area by accessing the public space and professional practice calls. My project researches such interactions through practical experiments as well  as  theoretical  reflections,  including  examinations  of  other  scientific,  design,  artistic  and  crafts  disciplines. It honestly discusses the successes as well as the failures and weak points to develop a strong background for eco‐systemic collaborative design‐research practice.
The methodology Research by Design while full scale prototyping is covered by the Systems Oriented Design to interpret and develop complex environmental relations. While doing so, this work also claims develop the  methodology itself and to generate  theory through experimental practice. The fusion of  these process based fields led to the ratification of new design field: Systemic Approach to Architectural Performance.
This  is  an  article  based  thesis,  where  the  texts  of the articles  have been  shortened  of the parts mentioned elsewhere in the work and underwent through language check. These serve as an addendum covered with an exegesis. Most of the repeating images were removed from the articles. If there is an exception this is reasoned through its important relation to the present text.

All substantial contributions are mentioned within the text and/or summarized in the Thanks chapter. To mention the main institutions and practice/NGO’s respectively, this research has been collaboratively developed at the Faculty of Architecture at the Czech Technical University in Prague, the Faculty of Art and  Architecture  at  the  Technical  University  of  Liberec,  Faculty  of Forestry  and Wood Sciences  at the  Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, the Academy of Art, Architecture and Design in Prague, the Architectural Institute Prague, the Oslo School of Architecture and Design, the University of Chemistry and  Technology  in  Prague,  the  Faculty  of  Civil  Engineering  the  Czech  Technical  University  in  Prague,  Collaborative Collective, Defio, Oximoron, re.code.nature, CooLAND, Experis SDKM and reSITE.
This work is a second, revised edition of the thesis, when the first, work in progress, publication called Wood  as  a  Primary  Medium  to  Architectural  Performance:  A  Case  Study  in  Performance  Oriented  Architecture Approached through Systems Oriented Design (Davidová, 2016m) served as a tool to receive  broader  feedback  from  its  readers.  The  first  publication  was  kindly  supported  by  EEA  and  Norway Grants through the project Systemic Approach to Architectural Performance, was printed on paper  with  100%  of  recycled  fibre.  This  edition  was  reviewed  by  a  gender  equal  team  and  is  to  be  defended in front of a gender equal selection of opponents. The work itself is dedicated to our Biosphere.