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The Analogy Of Skin In Architecture Revisited, Rene Croteau

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis re-examines the implications of skin as an architectural analogy. The metaphor of skin has a long history o f usage in architecture, particularly regarding the building enclosure system. This thesis focuses on the role o f the built skin as a place of interaction between the inside and outside, rather than a simple physical barrier. Through an examination of the structure and functions of human skin and building enclosures I investigated issues o f permeability in the design of a center for cartographic research in Miami Beach. I explored layering and interdigitation as strategies for controlling the passage …