Jose Luis Sert′s Naturalization of Architecture in the City

摘要

After four decades of Jose Luis Sert′s works, the success and failure of his buildings has now become obvious. Apart from Sert′s initial intention of design, his successful buildings attest the outcome of urban naturalization of buildings. It is neither passive adaptation of nor striking contrast to a building′s surrounding, but an active and sustaining vitalization which is latent and often assumed. The successful buildings show a concatenate response to the climate, a continuation of praxis, and an architectural contribution to urban environment, while unsuccessful buildings were lacking at least in one of the above points. Three buildings will show the range that Sert intended in accomplishing his tacit approach. First, the Holyoke Center, which was the manifestation of a city with a large building, has proven to be unsuccessful in the recent use of the building. The second building is Peabody Terrace, which expressed environmental adaptation and alternative dwelling to suburbanization through the compact massing and variegated design elements of the building enclosure. The third building is the 44 Brattle Building, which has acted as a catalyst for the enhancement of the building block for more than 40 years. These examples show the range of Sert′s initial conception and more over, their actual manifestation in the built environment.