Introducing Architectural Tectonics : Exploring the Intersection of Design and Construction

The second edition of Introducing Architectural Tectonics is an exploration of the poetics of construction. Tectonic theory is an integrative philosophy examining the relationships formed between design, construction, and space while creating or experiencing a work of architecture. In this text, author Chad Schwartz presents an introductory investigation into tectonic theory, subdividing it into distinct concepts in order to make it accessible to beginning and advanced students alike.

The book centers on the tectonic analysis of twenty contemporary works of architecture, located in over a dozen countries across the globe – Germany, Italy, Burkina Faso, the United States, Chile, Japan, Bangladesh, Mexico, Spain, Australia, and more – and designed by notable architects such as Tadao Ando, Herzog & de Meuron, Kengo Kuma, Peter Zumthor, Xu Tiantian, and Francis Kéré. Although similarities do exist between the projects, their distinctly different characteristics and range of interpretations of tectonic expression provide the most significant lessons to help you learn about tectonic theory.

This second edition has been updated to include the tectonic analysis of four new architectural precedents:

• From Nigeria, the Makoko Floating School by NLÉ.
• From Burkina Faso, Lycée Schorge by Kéré Architecture.
• From Mexico, the Matamoros Public Market by Colectivo C733.
• From China, Quarry #8 by DnA_Design and Architecture.

Written in clear, accessible language, these investigations examine the poetic potential of architecture, presenting lessons and concepts that you can integrate into your own work, whether studying in a university classroom or practicing in a professional office.

Chad Schwartz is an architect and educator currently serving as a Professor in the School of Architecture at Kansas State University in the US. He teaches both design and building technology, continually seeking to merge these two bodies of knowledge. His current research explores the role of architectural tectonics in the development of both contemporary and historic architecture.