Entre a transparência e a espessura: a moderna fachada do edifício comercial americano 1945-1975

• Autor(a) principal: Santos, Michelle Schneider
• Data de Publicação: 2016
• Tipo de documento: Tese
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações do Mackenzie
• Texto Completo: http://dspace.mackenzie.br/handle/10899/25862
• topic: edifício comercial; arquitetura moderna americana; fachada; CNPQ::CIENCIAS SOCIAIS APLICADAS::ARQUITETURA E URBANISMO::PROJETO DE ARQUITETUTA E URBANISMO

In the twentieth century, high-rise building enclosure has become one of the prime architectural subjects of experimentations and investments, as well as physical failures and theoretical conflicts. Despite the term “envelope” has been commonly used, our focus is façade: a set of decisions that acts on building’s enclosure solution, composed by elements that mutually express the work of architecture. Thesis main objective is to understand how façade design has developed during the three decades after World War II, between 1945 and 1975, in a relatively homogeneous and restricted geographical frame: East North Central (Midwest) and North-East of United States of America. This subject may be examined from multiple perspectives. However, when the focus is by choice on the ample complexity of the design process the main question is how architects took advantage of the opportunities offered by their current industrial production, by that time, and have created a wide range of possibilities for façade, unfollowing a single language or style. A strong mobilization from industrial sector to create new materials for building enclosure, especially for office buildings, has enhanced the country as a fertile land for high-rises. This research intends to elucidate this relationship between manufacturers, architects, engineers and builders, while also identify prominent materials that helped to consolidate the image of American skyscraper. To illustrate this issue, the dissertation will address significant case studies that were published in the most relevant specialized journals by the time: Architectural Record, Architectural Forum and Progressive Architecture. To better comprehend the architectural practice related to high-rise office buildings it will consider arguments about façade, surfaces, transparency, ornamentation, and tectonics. Other debates and aspects equally important will be considered throughout the work.