Abstract
This study is to seek the correlations between design intentions and building envelopes in contemporary architecture buildings by investigating the key words of intention and envelope. Building cases are limited to 208 printed in architecture magazine PLUS from 2007 to 2009, and focused on the housing, office, exhibition and education building. Firstly, design intention shows the four strands of outer revelation-oriented and inner mind-oriented, nature-oriented and function-oriented, which are representing the differentiation of individuality and identity and are shown slightly different. Secondly, housing mainly show the design intention of inner mind, nature and outer revelation, while office, exhibition and education building chiefly show the design intention of outer revelation, publicity and land mark. Thirdly, building envelopes appear to be from simple and clear facade to non-linear and twisted surface and form corresponding to design intention. And building materials show more transformed matter than original matter in exposed concrete and metal sheet to represent the design intention for differentiation. Concludingly architectural design trends change from function and context towards visualization and differentiation of identity, individuality and speciality, so building materials and envelopes continue to be developed and searched to show the difference.