Shape

Main aspect

Probably the most outstanding point of the Okamura House, it is without a doubt the faction that makes this building unique and differential.

The shape is, a set of brick cylinders at different heights, which at the same time form a set , can also be studied separately since each section shows autonomy at the same time as union.

Being formed by cylinders, the building has a part of regularity, since although each piece is unique in size, diameter and height, it is still a cylinder that is repeated multiple times in different formats. It is for this reason that, despite seeing a staggered ceiling, the building is presented to us homogeneous and harmonious within its asymmetry.

Relation with natural elements

As is usual in art as a consequence in architecture, buildings can seek inspiration in nature. Although it is true that we have no evidence from Christian Kerez that confirm this rule, we can relate ourselves the form of the Okamura House with natural elements. This will be explored in depth next

We must bear in mind that the use of the cylindrical form is something exclusive to us of the architecture, if not that it is present in all the artistic areas, jewelry, painting and above all sculpture.

An example to propose in the latter sector is the sculptor Brancusi, whose essential forms used in his works can be related to the simplicity and regularity of the Okamura house.

We could even relate it to some specific works of the group of Basque sculptors.

The cylindrical shape is also directly related to the columns, one of the most representative architectural elements-

But these cylindrical forms so particular, although they are not the most common in ordinary buildings, we can find them in other architectural examples of the most curious and interesting.

EXAMPLES

Glass tubes

the French artist Cyril Lancelin project an experimental house using glass tubes, showing how it would be a set of cylindrical houses

BMW´s headquarters

BMW’s headquarters in Munich consists of four cylinders. Unlike the Okamura house, the shape of the Bmw headquarters is uniform and symmetrical, the four cylinders are of the same height and diameter and are arranged forming a clover.

Centre of the Joanneum museum

Related to the cylindrical shape, we should highlight the signature Nieto Sobejano. One of the outstanding projects is the centre designed for the Joanneum Museum in Austria. The particularity compared to the rest of the proposed examples is that the cylindrical shape instead of rising and creating volume in the space, create a hole in the floor.

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