Archive for September, 2008
Manifesto
Architecture is about designing systems that are functional and practical. Is about building physical structures that reflect social structures at the same time that as define.
It’s also about expression and aesthetics. In this process of “building an expression”, experimentation is needed. And as the past show us, experimentation can not be separated from technique and materials. Innovation in many fields influenced the evolution of architecture. Today the computer and digital technologies opened a different “modus operandi”, even if more theoretical and dry, of doing and thinking about architecture. It is taking architecture in the hands of the computer, it’s true but this experimentation is necessary and healthy to provoke different approaches and different processes.
In the past, architects like Archigram and Buckminster Fuller purposed new visions that were criticized at the time and today we see their ideas putting in practice and used as inspiration. Both also developed ideas and concepts and they heavily influenced without making buildings ( one critic of the computational architecture). I am not saying that computational architecture is equivalent but is somehow similar and comparable.
What differ today is the society where we live and are part of. We live in a faster world today, where information and tools are available as never before. What is today avant-garde , in the next day is mainstream” (alex ).
I like futuristic visions. I think they open new perspectives, new ways of thinking about, int his case, architecture and cities. Experimentation is needed, new ways of thinking about space and structures is needed. If scripts and code are going to be the language of architecture in the future I don’t know…
Photo Essay
density
time
power
drama
craftsmanship
boundary
class
futuristic
gentrification
loud
chaos
waste
First class events - sunday discovering Long Island City
Swoon Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea at Deitch Studios on the East River in Long Island City:
This event made me discover hidden places in Lond Island city. Incredable or not, I live in LIC but normally I go more to Astoria and to the PS1 but I never had explored this area as today. Don’t ask me why but it’s true!!
Before the event I was walking around the area with a friend of mine and she told me about a very good brazilian coffeeshop and we decided to explore the are around the river to see if we could see the boats approaching the area.
I was really impressed by the work presented and the boats made of trash and found objects, very craftsmanship. The site was amazing since the contrast btw the artwork (boats) and the city created an experience that is not easy to describe. Some pictures:
First class events
This week, Dana suggested us to visit some exhibitions: Buckminster Fuller at Whitney Museum, Home Delivery at Moma and the Art Parade.
I visited the Buckminster Fuller exhibition at Whitney the week before school started since it was really something that I was interested in seeing. I think that he was one of the most important visionary personalities of the 20th century and I knew his work for a long time. One of the first works that I saw from him was the Dymaxion Map when I was researching about maps and cartography.
I found the exhibition well structured and it was impressed to see ( but not browse…) his studies and sketches since he was very very young about his ideas.
I skiped the Art Parade since a big storm and rain falled over New York on saturday. The exhibition at Moma stays for next weekend.
Link to syllabus
This blog is part of the Metaforms class at ITP, taught by Dana Karwas. To see the syllabus and website of the class, click here.