Impacts of McLaren Technology Centre Essay Example

As any practical discipline, architecture develops on a day-to-day basis since it is expected to serve the best interests of people. It is an indisputable fact that architecture succeeds in that to various extents. The outcomes of any high-scale project become a central object of intensive discussions in a narrow circle of experts as well as in the public masses. Strong controversies usually occur on the basis of discussion of the trends related to the architecture. In such a way, a style of deconstructivism occurs to be a frequent subject of arguments regarding its applicability to a contemporary practice of architecture. At the same time, the issues of sustainability, especially environmental, are also important for the establishment of deconstructivism as a complete independent style in architecture. However, its environmental impacts should be verified. Therefore, McLaren Technology Centre is a perfect example of deconstructivism. Its influence on the environment is commonly recognized as rather vague because of its morpho-ecological features which is why the following paper focuses on the discussion of that perspective.

The Perfect Example of Deconstructivism

The following study does not provide any findings regarding the subject but gives an account on the most important components of sustainable architecture and compliance of deconstructivism with its basic guidelines. The paper presents multiple points of view so that the results of this argumentative paper can be considered objective. Social, economic, and environmental sustainability are discussed in terms of McLaren Technology Centre’s features of deconstructivism. In other words, these three pillars of the sustainability are the main metrics of McLaren Technology Centre’s effectiveness. The paper does not discuss overall efficiency of McLaren Technology Centre but places the emphasis on the environmental impacts of the building. Morpho-ecological elements are a specific aspect of McLaren Technology Centre so that the majority of relations are compared with its relevance to solution-thinking.

Discussion

To discuss the morpho-ecological impacts of McLaren Technology Centre on the environment, the overall characteristics of deconstructivism should be indicated. McLaren Technology Centre presents a result of architectural harmony and unity that render an obvious stability visually as well as practically. The building may seem to demonstrate a drastic dislocation between its design and context. However, it is certainly not true as McLaren Technology Centre repeats the form of the land, into which it is cut. Along with internal peculiarities of the building, exterior renders a message about high technologies and creativity that are not limited to traditional linear approaches . Deconstructivism may impress with its chaotic solutions of material, design, and addressing surrounding context, but none of these decisions are made for a purpose of just entertaining the publicity. McLaren Technology Centre attempts to deliver the message that cutting-edge technologies are not placed in any frameworks and can exist in harmony with the environment.

As a building of deconstructivism, McLaren Technology Centre is definitely a new paradigm in architecture. However, that paradigm hardly fits the usual contexts and environments so that its efficiency can be argued. Mindful of the impacts produced on the environment is rather questionable since many concerned experts perceive the paradigm as strictly destructive because of its rejection of the entire past experience of architecture, without placing new feasible ideas for a contemporary philosophy of architecture . McLaren Technology Centre as well as any other product of deconstructivism architecture is seen as purposeful aggression on the human environments and senses. Hence, construction of such building is initially abusive to the environment as it generates anxiety and discomfort. As a consequence, a subject of sustainable architecture is far beyond the terms of discussion because the building does not address basic aspects of comfort and suitability. Thus, the new paradigm of deconstructivism makes many experts feel concerned.

In spite of the complexity that is perceived as accidental, McLaren Technology Centre contains a variety of functions. According to the pioneer of deconstructivism, Frank Gehry, chance collision in the exterior and interior serve the purpose of providing more space where it is necessary. In such a way, McLaren Technology Centre provides enough space for each department in accordance with their technical functions. Traditional approach to planning the building presupposes symmetric borders for a certain segment so that spacing becomes less flexible . The plan of McLaren Technology Centre suggests that some additional space can be always gained. Obviously, that makes a positive impact on the environment as the building harmonically follows the pattern of the land; equipment, cars, and etc. do not obtain external space around McLaren Technology Centre. Therefore, visually chaotic design of the building pursues the goal to provide more internal space for the Technology Centre.

By the same token, a variety of materials and purposes of their use were involved in the erection of McLaren Technology Centre. A plain combination of metal, concrete, and glass present an efficient reflector of solar radiation so that the roof and basic walls reflect excessive sunlight while the building is heated sufficiently inside . The expenditures on costs may seem to be not justified, but long term environmental impacts are worth investing in such deconstructivism projects. Such a combination of materials relates to modernism and postmodernism, which are focused on rendering messages of high technologies and urbanism. Thus, McLaren Technology Centre redefines this aspect since its environmental perspective correlates with a message of modernity and progress. That image can be embedded in the concept of deconstructivism in the nearest future in case the paradigm is accepted by the community of top architects and the society as a whole since deconstructivism influences the publicity to a distinct extent.

In fact, this influence is believed to be mainly negative. McLaren Technology Centre is also perceived as shocking so that many people consider its design to be aimed at scandalizing the brand of McLaren . More pragmatic viewers admit that deconstructivism hardly responds the environment because of its chaotic planning which is why McLaren Technology Centre is a certain mistake of the brand’s owners. Technology does not have to necessarily follow complicated patterns and shocking designs. The main purpose of high technologies is to make the life of people less complicated and more comfortable. McLaren Technology Centre looks definitely awe-inspiring, but it does not render justified effectiveness, especially from the perspective of environmental sustainability . Radical solutions need to be justified by the outcomes so that advantages of McLaren Technology Centre are not explicit to the publicity even though the brand owners claim that the building considers up-to-date green technologies.

Even though McLaren Technology Centre really does not produce any positive environmental impact, its technology and design address the current social trend. The building does not look outdated and average. These features reflect the global striving for uniqueness and modernity so that McLaren Technology Centre is definitely an object for public view. Artistically, such aggressive design complies with the contemporary social processes. The entire century can be marked as a period of extreme violence and aggression which is why magnified and chaotically placed buildings create an environment, in which society keeps itself in a strict discipline . Henceforth, perception of violence as dislocation, disjuncture, and discontinuity is reflected by McLaren Technology Centre. That makes people not to take aggression for granted as there is an excessive portion of that within the community. For this reason, McLaren Technology Centre reflects the context of social processes but does not support it since its technological capacity is aimed at more productive outcomes.

In regard to the subject of traditional practice in the architecture, a certain deviation from standards can be observed in McLaren Technology Centre. The problem is not based on the originality of design and incorporated technologies but on a disregard of past experience . This factor is relatively strong as long as architecture belongs to a sort of disciplines, which make a progress on the basis of the past experience . Thus, denial of previously valued traditions makes McLaren Technology Centre unoriginal. Traditional architecture presupposes buildings to be symmetrical. As long as McLaren Technology Centre does not follow a linear pattern, it does not deliver a message of stability. Absence of equal elements leads to absence of balance in technology, facilities, and storage. For this reason, deconstructivism of McLaren Technology Centre has to advance in many aspects as its efficiency is redundant.

In addition, McLaren Technology Centre does not comply with basic logical standards of architecture. The curved form of the building is not typical of technical center as it does not imply a systematized division of space within it. McLaren Technology Centre contains more negations of logical solutions rather than optimized approaches to spacing. This factor is a central concern with respect to applicability of deconstructivism to a contemporary architecture because even a late modernism includes a distinct compliance with symmetrical interiors. Further, McLaren Technology Centre cannot render sustainability to a meaningful extent. This can be explained by the evidence of its saving capacity. McLaren Technology Centre obtains more space than it could have been which is why a subject of economizing on energy, wastes, and etc. is far from embodiment in the empirical environment. These arguments are sufficient for claiming McLaren Technology Centre to produce negative effects on the environment, but specific morphologic details should be reviewed.

McLaren Technology Centre is designed for housing more than 18, 000 employees of the company which is why such a form was chosen . In fact, the building is divided into multiple segments that belong to specific departments. As a consequence, the access to any department is equal. There is no need to pass throughout all sections in order to enter the last one (Appendix 1). McLaren Technology Centre is completed by a lake so that this complex creates an integral circular system. Hence, McLaren Technology Centre fits the environment naturally. The lake is utilized for additional cooling of the building while McLaren Technology Centre covers it from excessive solar radiation. It is becoming increasingly apparent that McLaren Technology Centre is designed for purposes of the environmental sustainability since its architectural solutions address problems of greenhouse effect. However, this advancement is not a single advantage of McLaren Technology Centre’s design.

McLaren Technology Centre is constructed on an in-situ concrete slab so that it is cut into a deep ground of the land, which keeps the height of the buildings below a restricted depth. The building is surrounded by 100, 000 specially planted trees and ornamental shrubs. Conversely, McLaren Technology Centre creates favorable conditions for growing new trees. In combination with the lake, a new biodiversity is created in the area . In such a way, curved and semi-circled design of McLaren Technology Centre causes a growth of biologic population. To the contrary of the assumption that deconstructivism is a dramatically destructive paradigm of architecture, environmentally favorable design of McLaren Technology Centre should be admitted. It is hard to argue with the fact that exterior design of the building is completed in terms of the latest modernism while its internal peculiarities occur to address issues of the environmental sustainability.
Still, McLaren Technology Centre is reported to contradict the issues of sustainability as long as deconstructivism cannot address environmental problems in terms of relationship between technology and form. Deconstructivism is claimed to ignore solution-thinking concerns of sustainable architecture which is why such buildings as McLaren Technology Centre cannot provide sufficient environmental support . A sustainable building is expected to take solution-based thinking as a determining constraint that influences the ultimate form of a building. McLaren Technology Centre seems to be aimed to address the environmental issues initially so that the design constraint was primary at the early stages. As a result, inappropriately formulated balancing of design and incorporated solutions created a vague environmental advantage and questionable design as effectiveness of curves and semi-circled constructions can be argued. Stated differently, ultimate design form has to be determined by a constraint of solutions otherwise the relation between the design and sustainable solutions cannot be established.

In contrast, sustainability is not a sign of a particular style . McLaren Technology Centre addresses environmental problems in spite of its deconstructivism. In addition, deconstructivism of the buildings renders its sustainability. The concrete slab is cut into the land in a way that repeats its pattern. Similarly, the curved form of McLaren Technology Centre does not change the form of the hill’s top so that its environment is not harmed. Furthermore, McLaren Technology Centre utilizes the environment for mutual support. The concrete slab makes the ground more resistant to rains and underground fluids so that trees and plants are not exceedingly flooded. McLaren Technology Centre naturally fits a local biodiversity, especially the area of the lake as the building stimulates the lake’s heating and steam production. Sspecially planted trees not only neutralize the emissions of carbon dioxide but also generate more oxygen because of sufficient internal fluids from the lake.

In fact, the main advantage of constructivism is based on its diverse features. To be more specific, chaotic design presupposes a wide range of solutions for any architectural purposes. McLaren Technology Centre uses this capacity to a sufficient extent which is why technological perspective of the building is well-justified. Thus, McLaren Technology Centre is able to implement numerous green solutions even now as long as it is design is relatively flexible . Deconstructivism implies a random relation between design and solutions. This tendency can be explained by a relation of deconstructivism to functionalism and green postmodernism . Since McLaren Technology Centre includes elements of both styles, sustainable technologies are a compulsory part of the building’s design. To the greatest extent, the building was built with green solutions a priori, without an intentional purpose of addressing the environmental issues. Unintentional sustainable solutions are regarded as top green technologies in the architecture because there has been a little agreement on the balance between environmentally friendly solutions and design.

On the other hand, McLaren Technology Centre is complex with inherent power inefficiency so that it is mainly perceived as an object for a public view rather than an up-to-date product of high technologies . The building occurs to be ineffective in multiple cases even though it addresses certain aspects of sustainability. The Sspecific morpho-ecology of McLaren Technology Centre does not have to address one issue while the other one is dramatically harmed . In such a way, McLaren Technology Centre provides growth of a local biodiversity while extents of its power consumption leave much to be desired. The building attempts to comply with a status of high-profile public architecture rather than environmentally-friendly solution. Social sustainability is surely gained as a sufficient workplace as well as employment is provided while the environmental issue has been raged unabated yet.

Overall, McLaren Technology Centre is socially trendy. It reflects a social tendency of modernity and uniqueness which is why the building’s chaotic and curved elements of design are regarded as a fashion trend in the world culture. Hence, social sustainability is addressed throughout its exterior because McLaren Technology Centre definitely contributes to the progress of the world architecture. It can be argued that its inefficiencies overweigh the advantages, but McLaren Technology Centre is obviously progressive from the artistic point of view . Therefore, a major cultural contribution is evident. However, haphazard planning of incorporated elements of design are always attached to specific functions . For this reason, economic sustainability is addressed to a certain extent. These advantages of deconstructivism epitomize the style, and McLaren Technology Centre belongs to a group of buildings, which will demonstrate its full range of capacities in the nearest future. That is to mention, the framework of sustainable architecture only begins to formulate its basic constraints while social tendencies are changing with a proactive intensity.

Eventually, the last argument should be outlined to the contrary of McLaren Technology Centre’s value to the society and economy. In spite of the numerous facts of sustainable orientation of the building, McLaren Technology Centre contains a little space for addressing issues related to production and testing of sport cars. Without a doubt, this industry is especially harmful to the environment as emissions carbon dioxide along with the other waste of automotive production result in the pollution of the environment. McLaren Technology Centre leaves this aspect mainly unaddressed. The main problem of the building is based on the fact that it lacks green solutions internally while external elements such as the lake and surrounding trees are indirect components of the complex system . Consequently, elements of deconstructivism are not always favorable for gaining environmental sustainability.

The paper has focused on the discussion of McLaren Technology Centre’ morpho-ecological influence on the environment. The paper has covered various points of view regarding the phenomenon of deconstructivism and McLaren Technology Centre as its distinct representative. The discussion has included various arguments which is why the paper presents only an objective academic opinion, without contributing much to the findings in the related discipline. At the same time, the paper has discussed such essential aspects as environmental, social, and economic sustainability of McLaren Technology Centre. However, these perspectives revolve around the controversy regarding exterior design and distinct green solutions of the building. As it has become increasingly apparent, McLaren Technology Centre renders a little support of the environmental sustainability in comparison with social and economic pillars . The paper has shed light on the peculiarities of deconstructivism. Even though this style origins from late postmodernism and functionalism, attachment of design to particular solutions remains symbolic while a philosophy of exterior design prevails in McLaren Technology Centre.

It is appropriate to make a general comment on the fact that deconstructivism itself is not environmentally harmful even though rectilinear and curved elements are recognized as aggressive for a human perception. The matter of McLaren Technology Centre’s problem relates to the fact that practice of environmentally sustainable solutions is not sufficiently credible for implementation on a regular basis. Green architecture already has a certain history of development, but it does not suggest any vivid framework. For this reason, McLaren Technology Centre should not be regarded as an environmentally harmful building. To be more precise, the building does not render expected advances in establishment of sustainable environment. As a matter of fact, this objective is not feasible for McLaren Technology Centre at least in its current mode of technological solutions that can be enhanced in the future.