Editorial – RASSEGNA 87
François Burkhardt
“We always bury ourselves even underground” (Hans Hollein)
Presenting underground architecture as a topical subject may seem somewhat eccentric or even provocative. However, as demonstrated by the history of architecture – including modern architecture – it is a subject that, for various reasons, has always been relevant in the practice of building in every era, from the time of the cavemen to the age of skyscraper cities. Since the mid 18th century in particular, growth in urban population density has increasingly underscored the decisive role played by the organization of the urban subsoil, which houses important infrastructures. From the simple basements found in virtually all houses to the intricate network of pipelines for the distribution of fluids and water drainage, and transport systems with tunnels and subway and railway stations, many different functions and structures are tied to the concept of underground space. Outside urban areas, the reasons that drive to the exploitation of subterranean space increase. The bunkers of the Atlantikwall, the famous military defense line built by the Germans, the French Maginot Line and the Réduits in the Swiss Alps are subsoil constructions, and today they have become chilling tourist attractions or therapy and experimentation centers that probe human psychology and physiology. Thus, the focus has shifted from the function of the subsoil as a purely structural and technical reality to evaluation of the quality of lived space and the psychological phenomena of perception tied to it. ... continue |
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