La disociación de masasincidencia de la estructura en la forma arquitectónica

Abstract

If we name active masses to architectural masses with load‐bearing function and passive masses to masses without loadbearing function –only closure–, we can study the relationship between them throughout history. This simple idea is useful to approach a methodical analysis (or an analysis method) of the incidence that the structure has had in the evolution of the architectural form. In traditional architecture there is a general identification between the active mass and the passive mass. We can talk, therefore, about associated masses architecture. With the arrival of new materials, after the Industrial Revolution, the structural possibilities change; this leads to the separation between the active mass and the passive mass, and we can talk about dissociated masses architecture. The dissociation between the active and passive mass enables the appearance of a new independet composition element, which is the structure itself. However, not all modern architecture is dissociated, since in part of contemporary architecture the use of the association is maintained. Considering the relationship between active and passive mass, a classification of architectural dissociation is proposed.