FUNCTIONAL MONUMENTALITY: AN ARCHITECTURAL STUDY "COMMUNICATIONS, COMPUTER AND DATA TECHNOLOGIES"
FUNCTIONAL MONUMENTALITY: AN ARCHITECTURAL STUDY "COMMUNICATIONS, COMPUTER AND DATA TECHNOLOGIES"
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Date
1983-06
Authors
UGOCHUKWU, NWAKUDU
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Abstract
The starting point of this thesis is not the
monument, rather the monumentality is the end product
of the synthesis of an idea, an on-rushing phenomenon
and an impulse to express human aspirations on a
worthy scale - a functional monumental is that attempts
to graft our technological knowledge on all branches
of the human tree. The architectural foray lends
itself to the idea that, to quote Philip Johnson, "the
only real urge is immortality-not sex, Monuments last
much longer than words. Civilizations are remembered
by buildings. There is nothing more important than
architecture." 1/
This investigation is architectural, its womb is
a technological incubator, its eggs are communications,
computers, Data, ..., its character a scientific
graceland and its shell the monumental.
The thesis found its motivation in man's vertical
mobility; out into space-launching the Sputnik 1
Satellite in 1957 to expand our horizon, landing man
on the moon to explore other forces, spacecrafts
"loafing" out into space beyond the solar system to
contact the extraterrestrials, powerful radio
telescopes pointing skywards in search of signals from
extraterrestrial intelligence-all in a bid to enrich
our life on earth and probably glimpse our own future.
These and other basic human rations are served bybasic
human needs - the need for adequate information
are communication are the prerequisite for increasing
the productive capacity of the organism in the
environment. In a fast developing society like Nigeria
this need becomes paramount in it; ort to feed,
house and transform itself, to provide a sense of
belonging, and identify for its members. The
"information revolution" that futurists long
predicted has arrived, bringing with it the promise of
dramatic changes in the way people live and work. An
international Computer network coula bring important
agricultural and medical information to even the most
remote villages 2/. Thus was born the idea to
architecturally translate our development goals into
a physcial monument that best serves our basic needs
and aspirations.
In a larger sense, exotic technology is coming
home to all people, for it is the heritage of all
mankind. On this premise is the theme of this thesis;
Sharing tomorrow's technologies for the benefit of all
manking. Its aim is to achieve a functional and dynamic
monumentality, not a relic of the past nor an edifice
for the decaying present, but a symbol to the radiant
future
A monument in both spirit and function expressing and
serving basic needs and aspirations of contemporary
man in the anticipation of their future consequences.
Eliel Saarinen 3/ considered "spiritual function"
inseparable from "practical function" and described
"civilized existence itself as a "search for form".
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE POST-GRADUATE SCHOOL
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
"MASTER OF SCIENCE"
DEPARTMENT OF: ARCHITECTURE
FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY: ZARIA
DATE: JUNE 1983:
Keywords
FUNCTIONAL,, MONUMENTALITY,, ARCHITECTURAL,, "COMMUNICATIONS,, COMPUTER,, DATA,, TECHNOLOGIES"