Precedent Study: Good

Practices
Lesson 4
 What are some
good practices of
writing a precedent
study?
Brainstorm
 • Concise: it uses only as many
Learning words as is needed. (i.e. if you
Point 1: don’t need 20 words to
express an idea, don’t use 20
concise and words.)
precise • Precise: it should express
writing meaning as exactly as
possible
Learning Point 1
Good concise and precise writing can be achieved by
cutting out unnecessary ideas and by combining
sentences together.
Learning Point 1
• Example 1: The Arts and Crafts style architecture
was rather decorative which was something totally
against the trend of architecture in the late 19th
century which is more minimalistic.
• Revised: The Arts and Crafts style’s decorative
architecture contrasted the minimalistic trend of
the late 19th century.
Learning Point 1
• Example 2: The house can be seen as the basic unit
of form in architecture. We can also see a parallel in
how the family is the basic unit of form in society.
• Revised: The house is the basic unit of form in
architecture, as the family, society.
Learning Point 1
• Example 3: I’m not a master architect like Koolhaas
who can control a complex system, a huge project.
But I believe I could do something more complex
than a metal box. Just working on the same
concept, on a smaller scale.
• Revised: This concept can be applied to my own
architectural practice, albeit on a smaller scale.
Learning Point 1
• Example 4: Having the original old house
surrounded by the newly-built house, the two parts
mutually define each other through contrast. The
way they seem incompatible but at the same time
collaboratively work well as a residence shows the
architect’s talent in striking a balance between the
contrast and harmony.
• Revised: By allowing the newly-built house
surrounding the original old house harmoniously,
the architect plays with contrast, which allows the
two parts define each other.
 Read the following precedent
studies and discuss how they
Exercise can be revised in a more
concise and precise manner.
1.1
Passage 1
• Vincent Scully’s “The Architecture of Robert
Venturi” basically outlined the meaning of post
modernism and the social background when the
symbolizing house was built. Post modernism
suggests the reinterpretation of ancient
architectural features, which were deemed old
fashioned and unnecessary. The “Duck and
Decorated Shed” analogy indicates the difference
between modernism and post-modernism; the
later might be the one lasting longer among the
two, as its form is not constrained by its function.
Passage 1
• Revised: Scully defines post-modernism as a
reinterpretation of ancient architectural
features through the Duck and the
Decorated Shed analogy, and suggests that it
might outlast modernism as architectural
theory since, unlike the former, it is not
constrained by function.
Passage 2
• As the Deanery garden was an old building it was quite hard
for me to look up information from the internet. Therefore I
borrowed books from the library which I found some
surprising features of the House. I tried to compare Deanery
Garden with modern architecture as my tutor has inspired
me a lot “ Yellow looks more yellow when you look at blue.”
I juxtaposed modern architecture with deanery Garden by
reading books of Lutyens while looking at the environment
where I was. The most significant difference is the materials.
Modern architecture was made with steel and concrete,
Deanery Garden was made with red bricks, oak woods with
a little bit of chalk. These materials combined with the
traditional craftsmanship was the most powerful features of
the House. Moreover, the house has a stronger sense of
individuality compared to concrete and steel made
architecture.
Passage 2
• Revised: A comparison of Deanery Garden
and modern architecture suggests that the
building material is a huge factor for the
individuality of a building. The Deanery
Garden differentiates itself through the use
of red bricks, oak woods with chalk and
contrasts with modern buildings’ generic use
of concrete and steel.
 General Framework:

• Part 1: Facts about the

precedent
Learning • Part 2: Observations of the
precedent
Point 2: • Part 3: Analysis of the
Internal observations in terms of
individual components
Organization • Part 4: Discuss of use,
performance and meaning
• Part 5: Interpretation and
discussion of how the design
achieves its goals
Learning Point 2
This is a very general way of understanding the
precedent study. However, can we look for
something more rigorous and specific?
Example 1
The Wyly Theater’s striking vertical form is a direct
result of the design goal of providing the ultimate in
staging flexibility. This is achieved by vertical stacking
of functions. Note that the public entry is from
underneath so as to prevent an implied stage
orientation. Large diagonal braces are required to
stabilize the lifting of seating sections, as well as to
allow freedom at the corner. (Cited in Spector and
Damron 2017)
Example
Objective The Wyly Theater’s striking vertical form is a direct
result of the design goal of providing the ultimate
in staging flexibility.
Resulting form This is achieved by vertical stacking of functions.
Means to achieve the Note that the public entry is from underneath so as
form to prevent an implied stage orientation.

Special requirements Large diagonal braces are required to stabilize the

lifting of seating sections, as well as to allow
freedom at the corner.
Example 2
No survey of contemporary theater design would be
complete without consideration of the precedent set by
the Wyly. But ultimate flexibility is expensive and may
not be required for our community theater project. Our
clients have asked only for a theater design that
accommodates proscenium and thrust configurations.
Furthermore, our downtown site requires more attention
paid to contextual responses to the immediate urban
environment than was required by the culture park-like
setting of the Wyly. Still, keeping in mind the unusual
spatial organization of the Wyly may help us avoid
making unnecessarily restrictive decisions about how a
theater must be organized. (Cited in Spector and Damron
2017)
Example
Significance of No survey of contemporary theater design would be
precedent complete without consideration of the precedent set
by the Wyly.

Link to current project But ultimate flexibility is expensive and may not be
required for our community theater project.
Elaboration of current Our clients have asked only for a theater design that
project accommodates proscenium and thrust configurations.
Furthermore, our downtown site requires more attention
paid to contextual responses to the immediate urban
environment than was required by the culture park-like
setting of the Wyly.
Benefit of precedent Still, keeping in mind the unusual spatial organization of
the Wyly may help us avoid making unnecessarily
restrictive decisions about how a theater must be
organized.
Learning Point 2
What we see here is another close-knitted construction
of a paragraph. Every sentence has a very specific
purpose. Hence, when writing your precedent study:

• Consider what main points you want to get across

• Consider how many paragraphs you want to include
• Consider how long each paragraph should be by
looking at the component of each paragraph
• Make sure that nothing is redundant and every
sentence is purposeful
 Read the following precedent
study and discuss its
Exercise 2 effectiveness in terms of its
paragraph structures.
• Maison Louis Carré is a house designed by Finnish architect Alvar Aalto in
1959 for a French art dealer Louis Carré. The house served as a private
apartment, while a portion of the building was designed to be an
exhibition hall where the art dealer showcased his collection and invited
potential clients to pay a visit.
• Different from conventional gallery spaces which are usually formal and
cold, the design of the exhibition area in Maison Louis Carré aims to
create a cozy atmosphere which blends the exhibition zone into other
living spaces in the house. Located right in front of the entrance of the
house, the exhibition hall serves as the first stop in the spatial journey of
the house. The curved ceiling produces a wavy momentum which draws
visitors to walk across the exhibition hall, down a staircase to the big
living room right next to the hall. Besides, the overall tone of the colour
use creates a coherent, cozy and warm feeling in the house, making the
exhibition hall a lively gathering place for the art dealer and friends
instead of a stern meeting space.
• The design of Mansion Louis Carré integrates the house into nature
perfectly in various ways. The house is located on the top of a hill in the
commune of Bezoches-sur-Guyonne, 40 kilometres away from Paris. The
slanted roof, the curved ceiling and the stepped interior are built to echo
with and reinforce the characteristic of the sloping site. Besides, several
large windows and skylights are applied in combination with artificial
lighting to create a bright interior and introduce the natural landscape
views into the house.
Extra: Proofreading
• Check spelling. Many words are often spelt incorrectly,
e.g. spacial (spatial); president (precedent); progress
(process), etc.
• Check punctuation. Beware of run-on sentences that arise
from the over usage of commas. Also, use semi-colons and
colons to help you bridge different ideas together.
• Avoid second person. Try to use a more formal tone in
your precedent study.
• Keep tenses consistent. The precedent study should be in
present tense unless you are recalling historical facts that
concern the building
• Use your verbs carefully. Each word (to build, to design, to
engineer, to construct, etc) has slightly different meaning
that can affect the way you present your ideas.
Extra: Proofreading
• Use formal diction. Instead of writing like you are speaking to
someone (e.g. “This is a place that no one had lived in
before.”), consider rephrasing (e.g. “This place is previously
uninhabited.”).
• Use effective conjunctions. As you combine your sentences
together, use conjunctions (e.g. since, although, while, until,
rather than, provided that, etc) to indicate relationship
between your sentences.
• Choose specific diction. Avoid using words like “people” (which
are too general that mean almost nothing); instead, specify
(e.g. users, beneficiaries, designers, observers, bystanders, etc).
• Be careful with pronouns. Too often students write in a way
that does not allow the reader to find the reference of the
pronoun. In fact, avoid beginning a sentence with a pronoun.
• Be careful with passive voice. While using passive voice is
allowed, you have to use it correctly (e.g. “The shop can install
a conveyor belt” is not correct; “The shop can be installed with
a conveyor belt” is correct).
Writing Workshop