3. the trunk or main mass of a thing: the of a tree. The term in architecture has its genesis in the classical culture of Vitruvius. As expressed by Vidler, this era saw the as directly projected onto the building, which both stands for and represents its ideal perfection. In this sense, architecture, by its very nature, is merely an extension of the human. This connection is furthered by how we then interact with the architectural form. Due to this inherent interface we cannot then make architecture without it being an extension of ourselves, as everything we make broadens our experience by replicating aspects of our own, both physically and metaphysically. This can be seen in common parlance and expressionisms such as building skin, and heart, and analogies in architecture such as the buildings nervous system or brain. The Kunstahs Graz, while denying the direct classical analogies of human proportion, is perhaps more aligned with the notion of than one would initially suspect, though not in a traditional sense. As stated by its architects Peter Cook and Colin Fournier, it is a biomorphic structure [with a] symbiotic interactive architecture...embedded onto its skin. This formal symbiotic analogy is embedded into the Kunsthaus very facade; it reaches into the realm of the cybernetic by employing an articulating and constantly changing programmable exterior membrane used to display visual messages. interaction > use with topography This creates an aspect of Kunsthaus that is itself a point of interaction with the environment and the people that occupy it. By employing a shifting membrane, it takes on an unmistakeable anthropomorphized quality, and like human beings, appears to change, or age almost in direct contradiction to the idea of the stagnant and intimidating dead house or building described by Vidler. surface generation > subdivision technique strategy: division/bifurcation/splitting //six
shell > cross section of building 3. the trunk or main mass of a thing: the of a tree. > environmental interaction strategy: negative vs. positive space The buildings skin achieves its quality by being a compound construction that consists of an acrylic facade covering an intermediate electronic membrane that sits on top of the buildings triangular structural frame. The illuminated shell is a BIX (big pixel) screen developed in Berlin by Realities:United, it comprises a field of more than 900 simple circular 40W fluorescent tubes (pixels) that cover an area of 60 by 150 feet. This relatively low resolution facade (only 930 dpi) however coveys a strong message, its coarsens and monochromacity is an advantageous limitation which allows the Kunsthaus to constantly reinvent itself and ironically represent the idea of the high-tech media facade. This technology is an importance exercise in the definition of in architecture, as the facade, or skin of the Kunsthaus is what itself appears to render images, pictures, and messages, not the technology it employs. interaction > relative scale vs. position strategy: relation in varying areas In this way the Kunsthaus is a cyborg it compounds the organic (skin) and technical (lighting facade) into a singular entity. One of the most intriguing aspects of the BIX screen on the Kunsthaus is the ability for constant, purposeful change over time. This facade treatment allows the facade of the building to radically shift, change, and adapt over time, much like the epidermis of human being. As Cook explains, the intent imbued upon the architecture by him and Fournier was a sequential narrative of events and revelations. One that should not be static but instead envisaged...as a chameleonic, interactive skin,...a solution that allows for the life of the building to contribute to its meaning, rather than being a over arching aesthetic formula visitors take in passively. These possible iterative patterns of communication can then be considered populations, as they have a specificity and uniqueness about them, and our interaction with them, then involves us into that populace. //seven
matrix > complete BIX layout 3. the trunk or main mass of a thing: the of a tree. permutation > possible BIX message In this way, the of the Kunsthaus is, as suggested by Ponty, tied to a specific experience, and creates the sense that the is not primarily the space (itself), as it is more of the space. The Kunsthaus creates populations of interaction by changing its facade and appearance and as such engages the environment and its occupants in a non traditional manner. The change in moods of interaction with the Kunstahus as compared to other buildings can be seen in the light of a paradigm shift from the age of the mechanical to the age of the electronic. This is epitomized by the BIX facade enabling the institution to present a transparency of information and content, and to further develop methods for dynamic communication between building and surroundings and between content and outside perception. This was demonstrated by the implementation of the Eintönen installation piece, a series of sound sculptures that were synchronised with the lighting program. This combination of visual and audio communication engage the user with the Kunsthaus in way that increases it anthropomorphic character and extends the analogy of a building as a living organism by incorporating several natural biological traits, such as visual mimicry and audible communication. permutation > possible BIX pattern //eight
observation deck 3. the trunk or main mass of a thing: the of a tree. 4th level 3rd level service core exhibition space administration exhibition space service core children s exhibits traveling exhibits support As we have seen with the Kunsthaus intelligent skin, the notion of permeates throughout the building. This concept carries on into the interior and exhibition halls of the building by acting as a noticeable buffer between the of the Kunsthaus and the rest of the city. Traversing the galleries and exhibition halls of the Kunsthaus again reinforces the idea of the, as moving through the space is intended to feel like traveling into the unknown, being swallowed and directed through the whale-like belly of the main building. The Kunstahus is laid out and intended to mimic its biological formal origins. Passages and halls guide one through the space and emerge into large open exhibition spaces that constantly change and evolve, conjuring images of anatomy and internal organs. The Kunsthaus in Graz is representative of a major paradigm shift in the way contemporary architecture deals with the notion of the. While the classical Vitruvian notions of proportion and scale are still universally relevant, what they are proportional to is challenged and exploited by the Kunsthaus. The organic from and nature of the Kunsthaus act to unapologetically separate the occupants from the exterior environment and make us aware of its presence as it envelops and swallows those who enter. However, undoubtedly, the most intriguing and successful analogy to the idea of in architecture is made by the Kunsthaus constantly changing and evolving outer skin. By analogizing its shell to a protective natural membrane, the Kunsthaus takes on metaphor of aging, change, and adaptability. We not only see this change, but are ourselves able to interact with it. The Kunsthaus engages and interacts with its occupants in an unexpected and revolutionary way, and it is this characteristic that perhaps best defines it and acts as a formal analogy to the notion of in architecture. permutation > BIX populations 2nd level gallery public area 1st level support cafe //nine
references: 3. the trunk or main mass of a thing: the of a tree. i. Anthony Vidler. The Building in Pain: The Body and Architecture in Post-modern Culture in AA Files 19, Architectural Association. Pg: 4. ii. Cook, Peter & Fournier, Colin. A Friendly Alien: Ein Kunsthaus fur Graz. Hatje Cantz Publishers. September 30, 2004. Pg: 45. iii. Architectural Design Volume 75, Issue 1, Article first published online 14 FEB 2005 iv. Anthony Vidler. Unhomely Housesin The Architectural Uncanny, MIT Press, 1992, Pg: 40. v. Architectural Record Jan 2004: KUNSTHAUS GRAZ. p 146 article by Liane LeFaivre vi. Kunsthaus Graz, Archiectural lighting; May 2004: 19, 3: ABI/INFORM Trade & Industry. Pg. 20. vii. Donna Haraway, When Man Is on The Menu, in J. Crary and S. Kwinter, ed Zone 6: Incorporations. Pg: 42. viii. Cook, Peter & Fournier, Colin. A Friendly Alien: Ein Kunsthaus fur Graz. Hatje Cantz Publishers. September 30, 2004 ix.m. Merleau-Ponty. The Synthesis of One s Own Body, in Phenomenology of Perception, 1962. Pg: 149. x. Peter Eisnenman. Visions Unfolding: Architecture in the Age of Electronic Media. In Kate Nesbit, ed. Theorizing a New Agenda for Architecture, 1996. Pg: 557. xi. Lights Kamera Action! Introducing Graz s Friendly Alien. Damian Lentini, emaj issue #2 2007 xii. Ibid xiii. Cook, Peter & Fournier, Colin. A Friendly Alien: Ein Kunsthaus fur Graz. Hatje Cantz Publishers. September 30, 2004 xiv. Dyckhoff, 2003: T. Dyckhoff, 'The Blob Has Come to Earth', The Times, September 16, 2003. Pg: 15. //ten