Architecture of Harmony

Architecture of Harmony is an attempt to design a new urban living model. Inspired by the structure of choral music, the model translates the four functions of the city into an urban design for the future cities of the world.

Tafuri had criticized architecture of being the tool of capitalism and having no ideology of itself. In deed, it is a fact that most of architecture is a product, a proposal for a specific client, which makes it a product for the market. Moreover this product usually is so valuable that it remains at the same point for several years, till its lifespan remains. Furthermore property is a value like the currency, a tangible, reliable investment. This situation creates huge amount of attention on architecture and its products. On the other hand, an important part of architecture, similar to many disciplines, is the discourse. Architectural discourse that is generated in the universities, competitions, essays etc. is always there to create the next best thing for tomorrow. Therefore, although architecture may serve for the capitalism, regardless it is ideally for a better future.

On many occasions designers have tackled with the ultimate goal of designing a utopia that resolves the issues of urban life and they have designed cities. In many of these designs we saw one after another, the nature being part of the equation. Jefferson invented middle landscape, Frank L. Wright proposed an agrarian organic lifestyle, Howard designed the Garden City and so on…Therefore, we can almost suggest that nature is the ultimate problematic. How to engage with the nature? All through the world we created cities of concrete, roads of tarmac and then took photos of plants emerging between the cracks with our digital cameras. I guess we are all hypocrites. But that is the “nature” of the human being.

-It’s okay we’ll fix it, well I guess we will have to.

It has been more than 40 years that human was out in the space, seeing the world… without borders, as one… Since than we made probably made more damage to it than we ever did. Fuller was shouting out for a more efficient world 50 years ago and although we have more efficient devices today we have so much of them that overall consumption is growing and growing. It is immensely growing in the countries that are moving away from poverty. And yes, it is not really fare to ask them not to consume more since the culture of consumption is a common ground for everybody. But again we will have to do it. We will “all” have to consume less of the nature and the natural resources.

In my utopian proposal for an alternative urban settlement, I have been inspired by the harmonious structure of the choral music and translated the four segments to design a harmonious architecture. Howard’s Garden City was a good example for me, especially on his idea of how to limit the city. Secondly, since I have taken the personal transportation devices out of the equation and have to propose the public transportation, I laid out my settlement accordingly.

Lastly, rather than an ever-expanding megastructure, like the Superstudio proposals, I find that individual structures are far more sustainable. I value the architecture more, that appreciates and accompanies its environment “harmoniously”.