Constructing Atmospheres

What really constitutes an architectural atmosphere," Peter Zumthor says, is this singular density and mood, this feeling of presence, well-being, harmony, beauty ... under whose spell I experience what I otherwise would not experience in precisely this way." Zumthor's passion is the creation of buildings that produce this kind of effect, but how can one actually set out to achieve it? In nine short, illustrated chapters framed as a process of self-observation, Peter Zumthor describes what he has on his mind as he sets about creating the atmosphere of his houses. Images of spaces and buildings that affect him are every bit as important as particular pieces of music or books that inspire him. From the composition and presence" of the materials to the handling of proportions and the effect of light, this poetics of architecture enables the reader to recapitulate what really matters in the process of house design.

Cities grow and change. New urban space emerges and existing urban spaces are being changed. We expect from these spaces not only to fulfil important functions, but also to possess particular spatial qualities. How can such qualities be defined and evaluated? Jürgen Weidinger, professor for landscape architecture at the Technische Universität Berlin answers to these questions by engagement with the phenomenon of atmosphere. This way, the spatial quality of urban places, such as parks, promenades and squares, can be augmented. Weidinger offers a method for the designing of atmospheric places. This approach can also serve to evaluate design concepts and realised projects. The reader presents comments by internationally active landscape architects as well as writers from different fields such as environmental psychology, theatre studies, the arts and literature studies. Cities grow and change. New urban space emerges and existing urban spaces are being changed. We expect from these spaces not only to fulfil important functions, but also to possess particular spatial qualities. How can such qualities be defined and evaluated? Jürgen Weidinger, professor for landscape architecture at the Technische Universität Berlin answers to these questions by engagement with the phenomenon of atmosphere. This way, the spatial quality of urban places, such as parks, promenades and squares, can be augmented. Weidinger offers a method for the designing of atmospheric places. This approach can also serve to evaluate design concepts and realised projects. The reader presents comments by internationally active landscape architects as well as writers from different fields such as environmental psychology, theatre studies, the arts and literature studies. Städte wachsen und verändern sich. Neue Stadträume entstehen und bestehende Stadträume werden verändert. Von diesen Orten erwarten wir, dass sie nicht nur wichtige Funktionen übernehmen, sondern auch über besondere räumliche Qualitäten verfügen. Wie können diese räumlichen Qualitäten beschrieben und bewertet werden? Jürgen Weidinger, Professor für Landschaftsarchitektur an der Technischen Universität Berlin, beantwortet diese Frage durch die Auseinandersetzung mit dem Phänomen der Atmosphäre. Die räumliche Qualität städtischer Orte, wie Parks, Promenaden und Stadtplätze kann in dieser Weise gesteigert werden. Weidinger bietet eine Methode für das Entwerfen atmosphärischer Orte an. Dieser Ansatz kann auch dazu dienen, Entwurfsideen und realisierte Projekte zu bewerten. Im Sammelband äußern sich neben international tätigen Landschaftsarchitekten auch Autoren aus den Bereichen Umweltpsychologie, Theater-, Kunst und Literaturwissenschaft.

The original vision on contemporary design and the encounter with other disciplines opens the architecture of Philippe Rahm to multiple possibilities. Constructed Atmospheres provides a selection of projects in which light, temperature, pressure, humidity, represent the 'brick' for a new discipline that can be defined by the term "meteorological design". Philippe Rahm's design is based on the principle that man faces reality from the inside and does not produce objects but atmospheres. The book provides a profile of the Swiss architect both as a theorist and as a designer, through the most recent works and a series of conversations conducted by Massimiliano Scuderi between 2011 and today. This book is in English only, it is a black and white edition of the bilingual book (English and Italian) "Philippe Rahm Architectes.Atmosfere Costruite _ Constructed Atmospheres" published by Postmedia Books (Milano 2014) isbn 9788874901241

The most authoritative synthesis of the quantitative spectroscopic analysis of stellar atmospheres This book provides an in-depth and self-contained treatment of the latest advances achieved in quantitative spectroscopic analyses of the observable outer layers of stars and similar objects. Written by two leading researchers in the field, it presents a comprehensive account of both the physical foundations and numerical methods of such analyses. The book is ideal for astronomers who want to acquire deeper insight into the physical foundations of the theory of stellar atmospheres, or who want to learn about modern computational techniques for treating radiative transfer in non-equilibrium situations. It can also serve as a rigorous yet accessible introduction to the discipline for graduate students. Provides a comprehensive, up-to-date account of the field Covers computational methods as well as the underlying physics Serves as an ideal reference book for researchers and a rigorous yet accessible textbook for graduate students An online illustration package is available to professors at press.princeton.edu

This book provides a presentation of the concept of “atmosphere” in the realm of aesthetics. An “atmosphere” is meant to be an emotional space. Such idea of “atmosphere” has been more and more subsumed by human and social sciences in the last twenty years, thereby becoming a technical notion. In many fields of the Humanities, affective life has been reassessed as a proper tool to understand the human being, and is now considered crucial. In this context, the link between atmospheres and aesthetics becomes decisive. Nowadays, aesthetics is no longer only a theory of art, but has recovered its original vocation: to be a general theory of perception conceived of as an ordinary experience of pre-logical character. In its four parts (Atmospheric turn?, Senses and Spaces, Subjects and Communities, Aesthetics and Art Theory), this volume discusses whether atmospheres could take the prominent and paradigmatic position previously held by art in order to make sense of such sensible experience of the world.

This book offers an ethnographic exploration of the role that atmosphere plays in work processes undertaken within an urban design studio. It provides understandings of how architectural practices are fuelled with atmosphere in various configurations throughout different design phases of selected projects for construction. From the outside architectural practices commonly appear well-ordered and carefully considered, established by proof and rationally justified. This book though poaches on architects’ preserves in order to draw attention to features of unpredictability and uncertainty within the design phases. By opening up into the ‘machinery room’ of urban designers, the goal is not to spoil the plaster saint cover of a ‘starchitect’ business, but to remind about the crucial value that pockets of doubt issuing questions rather than answers, open-mindedness instead of single-mindedness, play to the processes of design production and creativity. The book identifies these pockets as atmospheres enveloping the architectural practice.