The relationship between architecture and aesthetics has always been inseparable. Buildings of different ages have their own architectural styles, such as Gothic buildings in the Middle Ages in Europe, to the more popular modernist buildings in the 20th century, etc., all have different requirements for aesthetics. .
However, in the field of engineering, few people have mentioned the relationship with aesthetics in the past. The author believes that the engineering world is also full of the pursuit of beauty, from the precise calculation of road curves, the streamline shape of the aircraft fuselage, and even the various aspects of the building. Although the distribution and setting of building equipment and related equipment room pipes are highly functional, they all present the beauty of different forms of engineering to a certain extent.
Written by: Yuan Bailiang, senior engineer and former president of the Institute of Engineers
Most people think that engineering and aesthetics are irrelevant, but in fact, many engineering-related projects are hidden in the display of aesthetics.
For example, the curvature of a curved road and how to make the vehicle drive safely are all calculated through precise scientific calculations, but the author believes that the lines and directions of the road show different engineering beauty, and even the shape of the aircraft fuselage is calculated. , the mechanical calculation of the overpass project, so that the ponds, service reservoirs, etc., although they are all functional buildings, their shapes hide beauty from time to time.
There are also engineering experts in Hong Kong who directly present his aesthetics in art sculptures. Hong Kong sculptor Gao Huawen is a university professor, an expert in fluid mechanics and acoustics, and a pioneer in noise control in Hong Kong, specializing in engineering, environmental protection and safety. , together with the author, a total of four presidents of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers have been his students. Professor Gao's works are collected and displayed in the University of Hong Kong, the Polytechnic University and the headquarters of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers.
If you have noticed, engineers also pay attention to the art of "white space" when designing buildings. For example, they generally do not use all the space during design. Even if there are enough places for machinery, they will still reserve more space for For future maintenance and expansion purposes.
In addition, when designing and planning a building, engineers also pay attention to the user's five senses, such as the intensity of the lighting atmosphere that can be seen by the eyes, and the use of natural lighting in the building; the sound insulation of the building will directly affect the user's auditory senses; indoor humidity and ventilation Exhaust affects people's sense of smell and physical sensation.
For the computer room that is inconspicuous to ordinary people, especially covering the very complex mechanical and electrical engineering equipment of building equipment in the hospital, the author believes that there is also a hidden beauty in this place, such as large pipes are neatly arranged and scattered, and each pipe is After careful estimation and measurement, if you appreciate and feel it carefully, you can also appreciate its radiant beauty.
Many foreign buildings also place pipes of different heights and sizes outside the building walls, such as the Pompidou Art Center in France, or the hospital affiliated to RWTH Aachen University in Western Germany that I mentioned earlier in the article. Similar rough architectural styles, such as exposing pipes to create industrial-style buildings, I think it is also suitable to call it "engineering style".
However, such buildings are rarely seen in Hong Kong, because if the pipes are placed outside the walls, the floor space will be reduced in disguised form and the usable area of the interior space will be reduced. , it is not enough; Hong Kong projects are also often faced with the problem of tight construction time, which also becomes an obstacle to such non-ordinary buildings that require careful design.
Therefore, to combine engineering and aesthetics, both time and space are indispensable elements.
"01 Medical Clinic" cooperates with senior engineer Yuan Bailiang to launch a column "Yuantu has you" every Monday to share the big and small matters of engineering and medical care.
Yuan Bailiang has always been committed to promoting the professional development of the engineering field, and has just stepped down as the President of the Institution of Engineers.
Decades of professional journey are really worth recalling, and I am convinced that later generations may be able to understand the key points of the engineering profession.
Yuantu has you, let everyone experience it together.
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