Characteristics

Characteristics of High Tech Architecture varied somewhat. They included the prominent display of the building's technical and functional components, an orderly arrangement of and the use of pre fabricated elements. Glass walls and steel frames were immensely popular. These traits combined created the industrial aesthetic.

To boast technical features they would be externalised, often along with the load bearing structures on outside. There can be no more illustrious example than Roger’s Pompidou Centre.  The ventilation ducts are all prominently shown on the outside. This is radical, as previous ventilation ducts would have been a component hidden on the inside of the building. The means of access to the building is also on the outside, with the large tube allowing visitors to enter the building.

The orderly and logical fashion in which High Tech buildings are designed to keep to their functional essence is demonstrated in the Norman Foster’s Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank HQ. Besides the technology being the overriding feature of the building, its design is very much functionally orientated. The large interior open space and the easy access to all floors very much enhance the function of being a bank. Also the elements of the buildings are very neatly composed to achieve optimal orderliness in order to logically solve the problem of the needs of a bank. This can be seen in the levels structure and the escalators.

Another characteristic involved using industrial objects out of its industrial context for example “factory lights for a living room” .

The High Tech buildings make persistent use of glass curtain walls and steel structure. It is greatly indebted to Modern Architecture for this and Mies van der Rohe’s corporate buildings. The SOM Sears Tower demonstrates that with glass walls and skeleton pipe structure of steel, a very tall building can be built.

High Tech architecture developed a technical language, free of historicist ornaments likes it predecessor, Modern Architecture. An example of this is the Žižkov Television Tower, Prague. From afar the unconventional structure looks like a rocket launching pad. This takes inspiration from the technical advancements of the age.

Many High Tech buildings meant their purposes to be dynamic. This could best be explained by Günther Behnisch and Frei Otto’s Olympic Stadium in Munich. This structure made sport in the open possible and is meant to be used for many purposes. Originally an abandoned airfield it now became a Sport stadium, for various disciplines.

Overall, the characteristic traits of High Tech architecture varied somewhat, yet all deal with the adoration of all technical elements.