Stories, Buildings and visualisation Building Assigment
NEWCASTLE UNIVERISTY
NEWCASTLE UNIVERISTY
ARC8017 / 3D Modelling & Visualisation
Due date : 16/01/2013
Building choice:
Langen Foundation / Tadao Ando
CONCEPT OUTLINES
The developing idea throughout the animation is to
combine a visual composition that is made up of simple geometric shapes. The
concept is to think the materialistic landscape as an arrangement of geometric
forms creating an organized composition like an abstract painting.
The first sequence of still images shows the process
of juggling with simple forms from art reference or inspirations to sketching
abstract starting ideas to a proper architectural project.
The components of the building emerge gradually as we
move forward. They have been drawn as
the visitor advances, progresses into the site.
Lines and shapes are nested one after another to
finally form a proper space ; the building
of Langen Fondation designed by Tadao Ando.
Once built , the idea is to get into the geometric
volume, to travel around and in between the two skins and the lines constituing the structure- to finally
back up – the final scene finally empahsis this idea of pure and minimalist
form.
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Architecture in
the information Age - Essay
NEWCASTLE UNIVERISTY
Introduction
An anachronistic constraint
At the moment
when the digital revolution seems about to melt all that is solid, we are
concerned by the future of the
architecture which has an ethical problem with everything that is not static,
and which feels only committed on its traditional role of giving shelter and
thus to a culture of stasis. Therefore the main expectation for architecture
might be to evolve in a way to lose its restrictive anchoring.
Technologies in disguise
Looking at
the current technologies, the architecture which should emerge will try to lose
the ballast of materiality integrating a certain intelligence, taking in
consideration that “the most profound technologies are those that disappear,
in the fabric of everyday life until they are indistinguishable from it.” Mark Weisner
The challenge of the following reflection is to imagine an
architecture corresponding at our current developing life style which is
characterized by a certain nomadism, an all time connectivity and a datavore
behaviour. The proposed architecture should be a “media-cloth”, an intangible
skin optimizing new possibilities of understanding and interoperate with our direct surroundings.
The starting point is the consideration that the future typology
will integrate the idea of “augmented
space” defined previously by Lew Manovish in “The poetic of
Augmented Space” ; which is about extracting and delivering invisible data
from/to the user .
The augmented reality is already embodying our world on wearable
accessories and other transportable tools for everyday uses, it is going to
integrate our places of life. What if the new typology in architecture which
will emerge for the digital age in a post library world might be a light device
travelling with its owner?
First we are
going to introduce the potential principles of functioning of this imaginative
future architecture, where flexibility
and nomadism characterize the main contemporary criteria and the recent system
called 'Cloud' in Architecture .
Then, we will speculate on how it could generate itself spatially
and we will imagine its external conception and appearance in the digital age
where the role of the image is dominant.
Finally, the last point will be about the change of the
architectural practice into a spatial laboratory.
Every aspect of the comment will illustrate a loss of
materiality which will develop practical
itinerant and driftable new kind of spaces.
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1-Functional Concept
Versatility through nomadism
Considering
the most advanced new digital technologies and the most inventive and
precursory projects from innovative
practices or science-fictions stories , the new type of space which might come
to emerge provides a 6th sense of knowledge. It is like a hub of
data on a concentrated spot composed of thematic districts, building of
information, motorway of communication, parks of interaction where everything
is available and controlled because of the mastery of the cyber instruments.
This architecture will be far less about responding to a rigid
program but much more about creating flexible, diverse, humane habitats for
electronically supported nomadic occupation. The new generation is unstable and
hyper-active, in a constant move for work, leisure or even for personnal
matters.
William J. Mitchell notes that modernism
is clearing the programming of space ;
“it makes little sense when wireless
electronic devices can support many different activities at a
single location or the same activity at many different locations.”
Similary, this could also apply for spaces. This versatility can happen as the augmented space allocate a
function like a light reversible
programming fabric.
The immateriality of
emergent technological disposals can define the spaces allowing a total
freedom of location as soon as there is a connection. The architecture could then lose the weight of its foundations, possibly
created and recreated and following the inhabitant. It becomes a nomadic architecture migrating depending on
its owner needs and moves.
Cloud architecture
The new
typology must be constantly evolving, we can imagine a neutral sphere, where
the content needed is floating around, selected sometimes, reconfiguring the
types of rooms, serving multiple users simultaneously on different tasks. As
the cloud computing for smart phones and tablets for instance, the idea is to
consider that all that constitute the data space is available unconsciously in an imperceptible surrounding but possibly
reachable from anywhere. This invisible back up of data avoid any settlement,
principle which seems maladapted and anachronistic looking back to our current
lifestyle.
The interiors of this new kind of architecture could be similar to
the “Domesti/city Project : The
dislocated home in augmented space”, proposed by Keiichi Matsuda.
The interior architecture becomes the
support of the information, a way of communication :
“ The information flows become visualized, and gain their own
structure. Virtual surfaces and objects combine to create new spatial
configurations and ambiance. Far from simply representing information flows,
this augmented layer may define the parameters of the space itself”
It is the hyper-visualization of the abstract content. The
architecture is informative itself ; in a post library word, the general
knowledge is not located in a specific building but residing everywhere.
Domesticity
It is
operating because of imaginative, informative and flexible parametric systems
which build a narrative space. A dualism is created between the idea of the
space of reading [intelligent software agent delivery] and the reading of
the space [reception by user]. Considering
this occurring process of genesis, the
new “cybrid” condition doesn't generate a common space but a “cybrid” space
which is going to be generated through certain domestic personalized overlaid
logics. Each visitor or user parametrises the place upon its own demand. The
private space is a subjective display built and perceived temporarily.
This usage of the spatial domain is called by Orlos
practice a “soft” occupation of space ; empowered by the “electro-nomad”, to
individually impose programme in a precise location, the same request could be
reiterated in an other place. This architecture provides an amazing amount and
diversity of uses and data as a complex
atlas. This idea of intangible localisation and immateriality of content is
combined with the multitude of
applications managed by the inhabitant.
2-Spatial Concept
The new space
is non-hierarchical, nomadic and unstable, those dynamic spaces describe
juxtapositions of the real and the non real. The link between the materiality
of the reality and the digital fields is concerning the relationship between architecture
and virtual media, it demands a new functional and typological concept. This
one won't be located in a particular space, appearing and vanishing. Its very
eccentricity allows it to break away from any obsolete static concept. The
architecture becomes consequently light context-less vagabond and versatile in
opposition with the imposing masterpiece of architecture from the past.
Organic cell
Speculating
on its appearance, this nomadic new nature could be hosted into individual
movable capsules, some intelligent cells ; the contrary of dead monolithic
buildings. Inside, a sanctuary of peace
and tranquillity, a place to think and wonder in awe of the changing nature of
nature… its colours, its textures and above all its inner content.
A kind of an open space as an open mind as an open source ; the
realisation is being out in nature but super-connected to cultural portals and
means of communication. The information age can bring all the data and virtual
elements to create an intimate and personalized context, a space built on
Demand.
This space, considered private, is organic, similar to an alive
cell ,an embryonic basic space constantly developing, containing its owner profile properties as an
DNA. It in a liquid of informations and
eventually associating with some others. The combination of different cells
could build eventually more complex environments, a collective architecture,
according to themselves on how to coexist on a collaborative platform for
instance. They could build common spaces even eventually some public spaces.
Under these complex conditions, every individual action works on
various level : locally and immediately
on to the direct spatial deformation of the mixed reality based module or the
proposed inhabited capsule ; and further away in disruption with sounds, lights
and visual patterns. The inside spaces are lunatic, its geometry moves. In
addition, some external factors could influence on the habitats “behaviour”, the space is an alive sculpture,
an organ. The Freshwater pavilion by Nox could be the most advanced example on
how it could work .
Inner Morphogenesis
Considering
the interior of this “Cloud Architecture” collecting constantly the data, the
smart space could organise itself by understanding the movements of users,
connections and information. A combination of emerging technologies developed
for the army, some video games as tridimentional computer graphic technologies.
The modular environment is automatically adjusted for each user through digital
networks and advances parametric software controlled by the “cyberdandy” that
we incarnate nowadays. In addition to being interactive, it becomes responsive.
Consequently, the main shape of this cloud is evolving, adapting to the change
of use. We talk of 'digital morphogenesis' of the architecture, subject
theorized by Kolarevic Branko, the potential organic form births from
the change of its inner settings.
The project Inspacein of the interdisciplinary studio for
innovative architecture and interactive design
Ortlos integrate a similar technological concept :
“The information that parametrically defines the form of this
area is grasped by telecommunication means, for example – over the Internet or
through input-stations distributed in the city. The user can pre-order his/hers
space-setting in advance over Internet and the space will reconfigure itself
also content-wise based on requirements.”
All vocabulary of surfaces in architecture is replaced by
different interactive documentary interfaces. The technologies are capable of
sewing and integrating information and application into any physical
environment. Walls could become smart screens, some specific furniture is
directly linked with some services brought home straight away as soon as it
used , potential windows are some other hyper links possibly using QR bar codes
opening again on some other worlds of data like it has been done at the Russian
Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale of 2012. This new way of using the
space creates a bit of virtuality, but
above all accessibility and assistance.
3-Architecture as communication
Media-Architectures
The
conception of the external appearance of the new typology is finally thought in
a new way. It is not about a composition of volumes , neither about the
coexistence between the materials, or proportions any more but it's a question
of surfaces, pixels, and leds. The evolving volumes far from being simple let
the outside façades the possibility to express as much as possible . The
building is inscribed in a logic of customizing and of packaging, pleasant to
seduce the urban citizen. Sensitive, interactive, animated the external skin is
not only made of playful videos or bright ornaments, it becomes a support of
communication, as a paroxysm of what was describing Robert Ventury in
Learning from Las Vegas.
On Christopher Hawthorne's opinion, this alive surfaces are
interfaces creating a true immersive environment in opposition with the mute
and static object of architecture from the past. Indeed, the “mediatecture” as
he calls it becomes itself a medium, an intermediate between the physical
constructed world and the invisible paradigm of data . This architecture-media
responds to a contemporary challenge which is trying to extend the body with
technological appendices accompanying us as a second nature, a sophisticated
transplant which link us with the augmented reality, helping us to visualised
the immaterial.
Rem Koolhaas defined the principle of
auto-monument, as soon as the building has got important dimensions, it becomes
a monument whatever the function with is embodied inside. It is precisely this
total loose of symbolism of those generic buildings which allows them to be a
support of communication. Open to any signification, as a display board the façade
absorbs the immaterial content and distribute it visually as a translating
portal. If the ornament was a crime according to Adolf Loos, it
has been replace by the preponderance of information of the digital age.
As our
societies rapidly evolve , this type of construction, having the possibility of
constantly updating could keep a link with the current socio-cultural trends
but as well with its changing locality. The static image is not able any more
to represent and communicate with the
instantaneous and ephemeral character of our contemporary society. The
external layer of the new typology must be as fickle as its inside.
4-Architecture as Human
science
Space Laboratory
The role of
the architect within a practice evolves
fundamentally as buildings become an extension of our primitive skills in its assistance by high
technologies. Its conception is now more a matter of human & social science
than an engineering problematic. The architecture needs to figures out the
instantaneous need of the user as a feeling. The "humanization" in architecture is then the basis of the new
functionalism. The contributions of an empathetic technology aim to improve
specific human faculties. As Paul
Dourish explains simply in Where
the action is, it has to develop an
intuitive form assisted by
parametric software agents.
The architect is finally a computer scientist as a researcher,
constantly looking for a sentient typology different for each individual that
we are. Always processing collecting information and modifying the
architectural product, the practice takes the form of a digital platform where
a networked collaboration is constantly connected, working onto the Cloud
Architecture testing configuration and digital systems compounding those new
buildings. We imagine the future architecture in a permanent state of mutation.
All the previous reflection demonstrates that possibly they
absolutely won’t be a unique new typology in architecture as the contemporary
characteristic traits of our society are
instability and change.
Limits of the human investment
At the age of
the digital revolution, the omnipresence of computing technologies is not
deniable, the architecture describes previously is totally dependent.
The object created is an alive toy entirely assisted by parametric
technologies and networks. The technology empowered becomes dominant on the
human ability to construct its own liveable environment. There is a issue of
implication and understanding in this new type of architecture. The dualism
between the direct manipulation of the human against the need of some kind of
software agent re-emerges here, already mentioned by Patty Smith. The
human awareness, “savoir faire” and imaginative conceptualisation is not
directly leading the project of architecture any more.
Consequently, we assist to a certain alienation to these
technologies, long time ago announced by Martin Heidegger introduced
by the notion Gestel in The Question Concerning Technology and Other Essays
already in 1954.
Secondly there is a paradox as we want to create an architecture
close to our own human functioning, almost intuitive similar to our way of
life. Nevertheless we could see a loose
of character in the architectural
masterpieces of our time. A detachment. What becomes characteristic ? What is the part of the job left to the human
architect if the architecture is not really designed any more but only
programmed? The built space might be
entirely setting up by a computer scientist, or a developing program instead,
far not concerned any more by questions of aesthetic, of location and History.
Moreover, we agree that with this new type of environment, the
architecture is not dependant any more on
certain place but rather in networks or anywhere where there is a
connectivity. Its design is not
influenced by its context, location settings and historical inherits.
“The aim is the de-contextualisation of space and a recombination
through the media, a new design of knowledge.” according to William J.
Mitchell. The cybrid element created
is loosing of its authenticity.
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Conclusion
The whole
current problematic is illustrated in this quote in News
from the cold metropolis:
“Nowadays architecture does not resolve any more the
construction problems but transmits a pure energy of urban communication and a
pure domestic imagination.”
Andrea Branzi
Nevertheless, because of an exaggerated desire of freedom through
a certain nomadism and an excessive
flexibility of use, we might assist at a loss of identity. The development of a
global, neutral architecture, maybe selfishly personalised but which won't get
the same purpose to last in time and be part of a patrimony. Indeed, the media-façade masque hide and
uninformed the original architecture, it constitutes an autonomous envelop
which has its own narrative to tell, not linked any more with the history and
story of the building she protects. In the aim to support any program, it is
becoming too neutral, an anonymous architecture is finally developed, the whole
contrary of the current phenomenon of trendy architectures stamped by the label
of some famous starchitects.
This living
typology is never achieved as the fluctuating content modifies its parameters
permanently. The project never reaches the statute of architecture but stays to
the level of a cyclothymic chameleon, there is no proper new typology as
architecture is about ephemeral objects.
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Bibliography
Ortlos – Architecture of Networks(2005) by Thom Mayne and David Carson
Cognitive Architecture. From Bio-politics To No-politics (2010) by Deborah Hauptmann and Warren Neidich
Defining Digital Architecture: 2001 FEIDAD Award by Yu-Tung Liu
News from the cold metropolis(1991) by Andrea Branzi
Domesti/city – The dislocated home in augmented space(2010) by Keiichi Matsuda
Digital Morphogenesis and Computational Architectures (2000) by Kolarevic, Branko.
The Question Concerning Technology and Other Essays(1954) by Martin Heidegger
The
Logic of Architecture: Design, Computation, and Cognition (1990) by William J. Mitchell
Where the action is ?(2001) by
Paul Dourish
Learning form Las Vegas(1972) by
Robert Ventury
The Computer for the 21st
Century(1999) by Mark Weisner
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