The reflexive memory in the course Architecture and Structure

509 ARQUITECTONICS DOSSIER The Reflexive Memory in the course Architecture and Structure MarIa gabrIela rIvera anD luIs vIllanueva Introduction A great gap separates the ¨”reproduced architecture” from the “innovative architecture”, a journey that goes from the perception of everything that surrounds us, the learning of contents and lived experiences, to the reflection and reinterpretation of what we keep in our memory to use in the present The Reflexive Memory (Rivera, 2012) is derived from this journey, which involves a work of remembrance from the origin of the memory to the action in the architectural project. If we analyze architecture from the perspective of the three chronotopic dimensions of architecture (Muntañola, 2008) and with them we also configure the project, we will be close to obtaining innovative results. This process has been implemented in some experiences since 2010 in the Universidad Nacional Experimental del Táchira UNET from Venezuela. The first implementation was carried out in the initial stage of the Architecture career, specifically “Project II” and “Design and Architecture”; then it began to be applied in final degree projects, and with this, several teachers have been motivated to work from this perspective, making possible a chronotope in movement within various learning scales in the UNET students. 510 ARQUITECTONICS ARQUITECTONICS On this occasion, the implementation is presented in the theoretical-practical course ”Architecture and Structures”, with Luis Villanueva a teacher, aimed at students with basic notions of architectural design and structural logic, to guide them in the dialogical analysis and prefiguration between architecture and structure within of the notion of PLACE = time + space. Theoretical Basis Students who enroll in “Architecture and Structure” course, already bring some background and experience lived in the “Design and Architecture” course, but in order to pursue our objectives it is necessary to lay the theoretical foundations in a simple and practical way through different classes in which outlines the dimensions of the chronotopic axes and the phases of the hermeneutical cycle of architecture. (Muntañola, 2004 and 2007). In general terms, the architecture must be comprehensive and for this it must be seen and resolved: a) Architecture as fine art —the aesthetic or psychogenetic axis— where creativity has an important role and fulfills the expressiveness function and enjoyment of the space created, through the formal and Image 1. Implementation of the chronotope theory within some academic experiences. 511 ARQUITECTONICS DOSSIER volumetric composition of the whole in relation with your environment. b) Architecture as functional art —the function or sociogenetic axis— expressed in an experiential art, by being able to live the interior and exterior spaces doing a specific activity. c) Architecture as a technical art —construction and environment or topogenetic axis—: the technical art of architecture is the construction that allows its materialization, guaranteeing the safety of the building and its users expressed in its stability —structural system— and durability —materials, construction and maintenance processes. (Monjo, 200; Muntañola, 2004 and Rivera, 2011). The diversity of architectural works recognized worldwide because of the successful connections between the designer’s ideology, the resulting aesthetics and technological advances, has demonstrated the importance of conceiving the structure as an integrated part of the architectural ensemble and not as a result of technical considerations. isolated in the design and the fact of living. A simple compression way is synthesized and relates the concepts given in the following graphs. Image 2. Dialogical, chronotopic and topogenetic relationship of architecture. (Muntañola, 2007 and Rivera, 2011). 512 ARQUITECTONICS ARQUITECTONICS Implementation The course “Architecture and Structure” has as general objective “Develop analysis and prefiguration skills in the dialogue between architecture and structure that respond to the notion of PLACE”. To achieve this mission, activities and exercises are defined, which begin with: Level 1: Identify the chronotopic axes in a fragment of a literary work, which is synthesized in a graphic representation. For it. the students individually read the assigned chapter, as many times as they consider necessary; then he elaborates a graphic representation accompanied by keywords, these located according to the chronotopic axes: psychological, sociological and topological; characterizing each axis with a phrase or word synthesis, as well as the general chronotope of this chapter. The exploration carried out by the student is very interesting when locating some significant words of the chapter in each axis, in the sense of associating them with the mental time, socio-historical time and cosmic-physical time; achieving the understanding and synthesis of the poetic essence from a literary fragment. See images. Image 3. Synthesis of the hermeneutical circle or spiral of the architectural project, according to Paul Ricouer. Muntañola (2004). 513 ARQUITECTONICS DOSSIER Level 2: At this level, the objective is to “Identify the dialogic axes and phases of the architecture-structure in referential cases”; For this reason, the analysis of the architect life, also of a specific building is approached with emphasis on the refigurable aspects of the chronotopic axes and hermeneutic circle phases. During the last few years there have been many positive experiences, all based on exploring that poetic-rhetorical dialogue between the building and the architect, where the greatest emphasis is to make visible the significant conceptual elements and that students can nurture their knowledge - culture and possible refiguration and incorporation in its own prefiguration and architectural configuration. Below is an example of some of the work done by the students. Images 4. Graphic representation examples of a literary fragment (Pernía, María y Acevedo, Fernando 2021). Images 5. Case study of the architect Rogelio Salmona (Monroy, Samira 2020). 514 ARQUITECTONICS ARQUITECTONICS What stands out from these referential cases is the level of depth obtained in the analysis and triangulation of the elements with the chronotopic axis and the hermeneutic cycle, in which significant experiences and concepts are extracted - refigurable. Level 3: The objective of “Formulating a dialogic architecture response – low-scale structure according to the Place” is proposed; based on the previous intentional experiences, in which the reflective memory meaning is Images 6. Assigned case analysis: Santiago Calatrava and Oriente Station in Lisbon, Portugal. (Acevedo, Fernando; Ballesteros, Ewart and Vivas, Jornely 2021). 515 ARQUITECTONICS DOSSIER built, capable to approach the new prefiguration as a response to the needs detected and the values of the Place; For this, a new challenge or topic is proposed each semester that seeks aesthetic - functional and technical exploration, among the topics that have been discovered: My house ideas, Shelter/sculpture for the herd (dogs) UNET, Module for the educational accompaniment of children and Module for the circular economy promotion. The development of each prefiguration challenge and architectural configuration is presided over by the analysis of the Place and the determination of the users needed aspects, as well as the construction techniques potential, materials and labor; With all these inputs, the student nurtures his prefiguration stage in a creative way in response to time - space. In the following images we will present as an example several academic proposals. Image 7. Exercise of my ideal house, the challenge was to visualize and prefigure his house, called Casa Jardín (Monroy, Zamira 2020). 516 ARQUITECTONICS ARQUITECTONICS The development of the architectural proposals made by the students are nurtured by the inputs and elements obtained from the Place, the physical and social reality of the environment and the users; allowing the three chronotopic axes to be creatively articulated and to go through the hermeneutic cycle in a coming and going that feeds back the entire process, making the student aware of the strengths and significant aspects of their proposals. Results The dialogical approach has been positive, since the reflective memory of both the teacher and the students has been enhanced, allowing the deeper analysis of referential cases, with a dialogical and refigurative approach; Innovative architectural and constructive responses have also been achieved, a poetics product framed in time-space; and the students have exercised Images 8. Shelter sculpture for the UNET herd, La Isla. (Carrero, Verónica; Lizcano, Emanuel and Medina, María 2020) 517 ARQUITECTONICS DOSSIER Images 9. Tree module for the educational children accompaniment. (Cañizales, Alejandro and Bohorquez, Will 2021)