Week One: Day One

Authors Own

Taking my theme for my FMP which is 'Provoking Perceptions', I started to put together various sub themes which I thought related to it enough to create a starting point for my work. I dove into the brainstorm with the idea of influences, xray, light and shadow, as well as exoskeleton, but branching out from these themes I found ideas such as spiritual freedom, mythology and elements of the world to also be big factors within my project. Developing from my initial brainstorm I started looking into various sections of architecture. From the idea of xrays, I was directed to looking into exposed structures which showed the interior foundation of the designs, e.g. pillars and overlapping rods. These are the most significant pieces of research which inspired me to take my next steps to develop my project.

(Architizer, website, 2011)

Cubierta de El Molinete

Cartagena, Murcia, Spain 

Amann, Cánovas y Maruri

Function: This steel canopy was built to protect the beautiful archaeological Roman ruins of Cartagena, Spain.

The unlevelled structure of the canopy mirrors the varying heights within the exposed ruins. The metal screens are lined with polycarbonate sheets, this in turn allows light to bounce around inside the structure, letting it play and cast spontaneous light and shadow areas – this helps to maintain a park life effect and keeps a natural resource supplied atmosphere within the structure. The canopy adds a sense of development in time to the site, it portrays the evolution of the Cartagena area in Spain; becoming a transitioning element for the era of the ruins to architecture today. The site in itself also represents the effects various influences (such as society, environment and culture) have on architecture and how this affects the designs. Covering the entire ruins site, the canopy is built using a long span structure, allowing a continuous outlook of the whole area. The glass provides a light feel and lets light through easily. The exterior is coated in steel plates almost like a skeletal protective barrier providing a safe and supported feel to the structure. Roman mythology talks strongly about the idea of heaven and the gods- the positioning and colour as well as effect light has on the canopy reflects back very well to this idea of a heaven above the ruins in my opinion. 

(Crab Studio, website)
Kunsthaus Graz

Graz, Austria

Peter Cook / Colin Fournier

Function: Public Art Gallery

Containing so much modern art under one roof the structure’s experimental, out there form reflects its function and also portrays the creative influences the architects have gone through to come to such a design. The organic exterior shape contrasts well with the very technical electronic aesthetics of the gallery as well. The skin is made up of iridescent blue acrylic panels and this in turn glows during the night due to the lighting system beneath it. The windows that come out similar to ears and nozzles oddly resemble features from an alien. This contradicts the environment the gallery is based in, it stands out from the historic town and almost creates a ‘space landing’ scene on site. Using a system called blob architecture, the design team worked away from the typical minimalist gallery white box approach, and aimed for something with more character and artist creativity to portray its insides clearly. The aesthetics of the building although not simple, provide a very calming and collected atmosphere which to some is crucial for a good gallery as this is a place many like to reflect and absorb new works/ideas. Similar to the Cubierta de El Molinete, the use of light creates an illuminated effect, almost like parts of the building are trying to creep through. This structure is also very similar to that of the Peix in Catalan structure by Frank Gehry. 

(Barcelona Lowdown, website, 2014)
Peix in Catalan

Barcelona, Spain

Frank Gehry

This fish inspired sculpture was make from intertwining steel strips which was supported by a metal base structure. The intense gold colour and the cracks within the sculptor help the sun’s rays to sink through creating the impression of scales. This although not a very exposed structure in terms of form, the shape is very organic and creates a contrast between with organic element and the geometric plating due to the steel strips on the inside. 

(Dezeen, website, 2013)
Fish Lamps

Frank Gehry

Similar to the previous sculptor by Gehry, Fish lamps clearly also was created using a similar concept with the clear use of exposure within light. Using shattered ColorCore laminate sheets Gehry established the pieces of broken plastic to look like fish scales. This technique exposes the cracks and partitions within the structures. Through the use of layering and variety of materials, Gehry produces structures which are out of the ordinary and imaginative. For this structure he relied on inspiration front the sea and various forms from nature to work out the movements within the structure and the types of patterns he needed to work with. 

(Design Boom, website, 2011)
Cloud Cities

Berlin

Tomás Saraceno

This spider web like installation consists of 20 large balloons, some of which you can actually enter; reflecting the constant interacting between humans and the creative world. Inside each pod the user can bounce on the transparent floors and then look through the spheres to see a network of cables that keep the balloons afloat. The installation shatters traditional concepts relating to place, time, gravity and traditional ideas as to what constitutes as architecture. Through this installation, Saraceno tries to capture the link between humans and how we live in a combination of environments, as well as how this effects our daily movements. The symmetrical geometric string patterning works well to manipulate light through each gap in the structure. His works are utopian and invite the viewer to play a part in their impact on a particular space. The artist creates gardens that hang in the air and allow visitors to float in space, trying to fulfill various fantasies people may have of flying, or being one with the air around them and their environment.

(Architizer, website, 2005)
Pedestrian Bridge in Austin

Austin, United States 

Miró Rivera Architects 

Function: Bridge

The Pedestrian Bridge is a long backbone like structure which connects the main house on property with a guest house. The structure itself was inspired by nearby vegetation, creating a contrast with the environment.As it is so heavily influenced by it's surroundings, the bridge camouflages into the plants due to their similarly built structures. The bars intertwine at the connection points and grow out over the bridge further more blending it into it's atmosphere. Through these elements, the architects try to develop the bridge as a symbolic, invisible link between the houses. The repetition works very well in terms of creating a comforting, safe feeling as you know what the next part with be like, it also carries similarities to the surroundings again as the plants and reeds are immensely multiplied all around.

(Art & Education, website, 1999)
Maman, 1999
Louise Bourgois

(Wikipedia, website, 2014)
National Museum of Art, Osaka
Arata Isozaki

(MAM, website)
Milwaukee Art Museum
Eero Saarinen, David Kahler, Santiago Calatrava

(ArcSpace, website, 2008)
Putrajaya Waterfront
Manfredi Nicoletti

The building should have a uniqueness that tells of its place of origin, which is culturally modern, Islamic and tropical in nature. This group of houses is on the artificial lake, so we conceived a complex of elements, like a fleet, each one inspired by a boat.

(Smashing Hub, website, 2014)
Ericcson Kista 
Mattias Hamrén

(West Land, website)

German Pavilion for Expo 67 in Montreal 1967

Frei Otto