I find this thread fascinating. I started another thread not knowing of the existence of this one. I'm a masters student studying architecture and I would like to do my architecture graduate thesis on metal. I'm in the stage of research so I'm looking for material that is pertinent to metal and architecture. The examples posted so far are pretty interesting. There are instances of gothic design and a few churches which isn't really a surprise. Though the bank tower has a gothic style can it be representitave of a metal architecture since it is a corporate construction representing consumerism and materialism? Someone mentioned castles which makes sense being structures built not just for shelter but for security, suggesting a prolonged or constant state of war as well as representing strength, dominance and power. I find the suggestions of brutalist architecture and organiscism most compelling. Brutalism beign an attempt at achieving meaning through an honesty of materials. I posit that an architecture that is in alignment with metal should be distinctly regional. It should be expressive of local culture and heritage and it should be expressive and responsive to the local climate and environment employing local materials and techniques. I feel as well that a large appeal with heavy metal is the sense of empowerment and strength. There is architecture that represents power and the work of albert speer is a pretty good example. Speer's work is also monumental and highly symbolic, should architecture aspire to such monumentality? Is heavy metal a monumental genre? The themes of destruction, violence and suffering are also interesting to me I would like to incoporate these themes into my thesis as I believe they are rather important in metal. Any comments and suggestions of more architecture or writings that you feel are congruent with metal and architecture would be much appreciated.
Some of Gaudi's work is relevant. However, metal first and foremost is preoccupied with various questions pertaining to idealism. In continuing reading Goethe's works, I couldn't help but conclude that his
Novella is nothing more than an exercise in idealism (which is not to say, of course, that much of his work relates to the interplay between idealism, realism and human tragedy). The opening paragraphs capture the essence of metal perfectly: an abandoned castle being reclaimed by the forest. A short read. Also, I did a little reading on Japanese aesthetics, as it is interesting to see how traditional thought becomes manifest intentionally in human creation. (I'm not sure if, as an architect in training, you are required to familiarize yourself with the philosophical aspects of beauty, beyond the superficial, but it is worth checking out!)
This leads to an interesting question: did primordial man, in designing architectural wonders, consciously work towards synthesis of man and nature, whereby the placement, direction, purpose, etc. of the structure would engage in a complementary relationship with Nature...and, not coincidentally, the converse as well?