Dissertation

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Architectural dreams - Unbuilt architecture. Inspiration of the Digital age

Student ID Number: 120013969 Aleksandra Belitskaja

M.Arch Architecture

2015



Abstract This dissertation examines the role of unbuilt architecture in the built and social environment. It will explore the origins of visionary architecture as well as the most influential groups that had the biggest impact on the contemprorary architects; how did it emerged into the architecture today? Finally it will conclude with the future prospects and possibilities. How digital technologies make an impact on visionary architecture and what we should expect from the future.



Table of contents

Abstact

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Introduction Visionary architecture and its origins

6-9

Part 1 Archigram: history and influence on architecture and 20th century visionary architects. Inspiration of the technology.

10-15

Lebbeus Woods

16-19

Cedric Price

20-21

Part 2 The vision of the architectural dreams. The role of the digital technology in contemporary architecture

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Asymptote

24-25

Dynamic Towers

28-29

Conclusion

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List of figures

32-33

Bibliography

34-35

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Imagine this situation.

You enter a well known restaurant to try out some food with promising reviews, recommended by a popular newspaper. The waiter would give you the menu, would talk about the special new dish, would tell you it would soon be the best dish in town. He would also describe it in every tasty detail possible, so you would almost be able to smell it. Would even show you a beautiful picture making you believe it is real, and tell you chef ’s promises that it will be the best meal you will ever have in your life.

But, you will not be able to eat it.

Thats how the unbuilt architectural projects feel like at times, do they not? However, this analogy might be incorrect.

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Fig. 1 - Section and Ground-plan of the Temple, Fig.2 - A Pyramidic Temple Fig.3 - Model of The Ideal City

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Introduction Visionary architecture and its origins If it is not built, it does not count. (Brown, 2012)

For the past 60 years, architects, designers and thinkers have created an incredible influential variety of design concepts, fantasy structures and utopian programs. (Spiller, 2007) In order to understand the reasons and approach to design a deeper understanding of history is required.

Or that is what most of the people think. A person becomes an architect to get things built, is that not correct? Peter Eisenman in his interwiew for the Architectural Review by Ansari (2013) argues that vigorously:

Since the publishing of “Hypneretomachnia Poliphili” by an unknown author in 1499 in Venice, visionary architecture started evolving. It is a romantic novel where the main character Poliphilus falls in love with Polia, continually providing the reader with backrounds of delusive landscapes. The most attractive and valuable feature of the book is considered to be 172 woodcuts - visual descriptions of beautiful architecture and imaginary gardens. On the pages of Hypnerotomachnia, a minimal detailing of the drawings could be reinterpreted in several ways: could be elevation or plan, a pyramid or an obelisk. (Cruz, 2011) (See Fig.1, Fig.2)

“The ‘real architecture’ only exists in the drawings. The ‘real building’ exists outside the drawings. The difference here is that ‘architecture’ and ‘building’ are not the same.” As Eisenman states, it is important to know the difference between architecture and simply a building. People tend to imagine architecture as something physical and actually built, something you can touch or inhabit. However, unbuilt projects form the body of Architectural theory, constantly providing proof that Architecture is something far more fundamental than just a building.

This book has been an important source of inspiration to later generations of artists and designers. In the next centuries visionary architects such as Boulle, Ledaux, Lequeu, Viollet-le-Duc and others changed the vision on architecture forever. They were one of the first to question the fundamentals of design and structure asking the question: ‘Why we build?”. Trying to visualize architecture for a perfect world, a lot of utopian cities were designed at that time. (Harbison, 1991)

The biggest dream of most architects is probably to see their projects being realised. However, the unrealised projects at times are far more important and fundamental than the realised ones. The beauty of visionary architecture is that there are no conventional limits or physical laws in the endless world of the designer’s imagination. However, there are two theories on unbuilt architecture. One says there is no unbuildable architecture, just the unbuilt one. And the other one believes there are structures which would not be possible to inhabit nor build. But, do people have the right to say that something is actually impossible when technologies are evolving so fast and allows to build things people could not imagine just a couple of decades ago? (Harbison, 1991)

Leonardo da Vinci’s “Ideal City” was followed by the plague that struck in Milan in 1484-85. It was meant to be a “complete organism”, which would end the plague and other deseases that spread around the city and killed people. (See Fig.3)

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Fig.4 Palmanova Fig.5 Competition entry for the Palace of the Soviets by Konstantin Melnikov, 1993

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The system of canals designed by Leonardo was completely independant from the street system. The streets were positioned on two levels, independent from one another. On the lower level there would be wagons and other similar services, and in the upper levels, sanitary and livable space for gentlemen. The result was a real breakthrough for urban planning but unfortunately was never built, as the result would require the reconctruction of the entire city. The concept of planning with upper and lower streets could be seen in some of the biggest shopping centers in New York, helping to manage the busy flows of the people. (Heptonstall, 2013)

Soviet unbuilt architecture requires special attention. The political situation in early years of Stalinism drove architects and engineers to imagine the impossible. Melnikov’s entry in the Palace of Soviets competition, 1932 is more responsive to Russian realities than Le Corbusier’s, but is harder to realize. (Harbison,1991)

During the Renaissance the idea of Utopian cities reached its peak and there was a particular pattern in their designs. It was all very geometrical and most of the times starshaped. They were organised in a regural plan celebrating beauty and control. Although many utopian cities were designed at that time, the closest in realizing these theories was a Venetian military outpost, Palmanova - a star plan geometrical city. (Harbison, 1991). (See Fig.4)

Although there were a lot of visionary architects creating revolutionary projects, probably the peak time for avant-garde architecture was the 1960’s. People were tired of the old traditions and rules that they felt it was the time to change something in the system. Not satisfied with the current political situation or life conditions in general, individuals with minds alike gathered in groups and by working together, made the world rethink the conditions.

Visionary architect, restorator and philosopher, Viollet-le-Duc (1814-1879) is considered to be one of the first theorists of modern architecture. He was mainly a restorator and hardly any of his projects were built. The most important part of his work were his sketches which were seen as very innovative for that time and influenced architects such as Antoni Gaudi, Victor Horta and Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright later.

These events had major impact on the development of the current architectural styles in the world.

Melnikov’s proposal was the merging of two conflicting shapes: a pyramid and a colloseum therefore it is probably quite fortunate that he never won the competition, otherwise it would have been one of the most crushing physical laws in the world. (See Fig. 5)

Viollet-le-Duc was the evidence that drawings are an incredibly powerful tool an architect can use to express his ideas.

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Fig.6 Part of the Archigram Opera Exhibition

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Part 1 Archigram: history and influence on architecture and the 20th century visionary architects. Inspiration of technology. Industrial revolution. Aesthetics of incompleteness

“A new generation must arise With forms and spaces which seems to reject The precept of ‘Modern’ yet in fact Retains these precepts. WE HAVE CHOSEN TO BYPASS THE DECAYING BAUHAUS IMAGE WHICH IS AN INSULT TO FUNCTIONALISM” An extract from a poem by David Greene (Cook, 1993)

Archigram started as the informal gatherings of six men and discussing what architecture is and what it should be like; three of them were young recent graduates and three of them were old members of London Council Architects Department: Michael Webb, Peter Cook, Dennis Crompton, David Green, Ron Herron and Michael Webb.

In mid-1960s the world was shocked by the series of the extraordinary waves coming from England: Beatles and Pink Floyd, and the miniskirt of the Canaby Street. However none of the above compared to the revolutionary selfpublished magazine called Archigram. (Cook, 1999) Reyner Banham proclaimed to architects in 1958: ‘Science fiction is one of the great mind stretchers, specialization-smashers of our day. It is part of the education of the imagination of every technologist’.

Continuing the visionary work of Boulle and Ledaux, Archigram became extremely important for history as they rethought architectural space and technology in completely new ways. They proposed a revolutionary new approach to architecture, to urbanism and changed traditional visions of the role of infrastructure in the city.

Until that time, architectural culture was a by-product of practice but the new thinking changed everything. Almost at the same time, all over the world Archigram made people discuss and talk about their ideas and question their life priorities. They had started a discussion which has still not finished and continues to influence young architects and thinkers. The title “Archigram”, came from the need of something more important and urgent than a journal or magazine; like “telegram” or “aerogramme” - “archi(tecture)-gram”.

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Fig.7 Walking City Fig.8 Plug-in City

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One of the most famous Archigram’s mobile projects was Walking City by Ron Herron, which he designed in 1964 (See Fig.7). Walking city represented the fast-moving pace of evolving technologies and free spirit of the value’s rethinking and questioning fundamentals. This project suggested that there is no more dependancy on one specific location. People would not have to stay in the same place for their entire lives. Moreover the ‘walking cities’ would be able to interconnect with each other and cooperate a much larger changing environment whenever it would be required to. However, separate living units would be transformable and easily maintaned.

‘Architecture is, and always will be, concerned, roughly speaking, with carefully balancing horizontal things on top of vertical things’, proclaimed James Cubitt. (Sadler, 2005) However, the Archigram Group developed a completely different perception on making an exemplary attempt at integrating culture, nature and science in one subject - architecture. Archigram had extended their thinking beyond the narrow boundaries of traditional architecture. The foundation of their group was the acceptance of the adaptation, travelators, expandability and rejecting curtains, design and graph paper. Inspired by the industrial revolution and technology’s discoveries, they proposed numerous projects of inflatable houses, movable cities and futuristic machines.

Similiarities can be seen in The Plug-In City by Peter Cook (See Fig.8). It proposed living units as separate capsules which would be attached to the mega structure. Every unit would be replacable and the overall scheme would constantly change and adapt to the inhabitants’ needs. Providing an analogy of architecture and a product Peter Cook treats a housing unit as something which eventually would be consumed, and would have to be replaced.

It was widely thought that the Archigram approach did not care about people. A majority of projects, such as City Interchange and PlugIn City, appeared to predict an “automated wasteland inhabited only by computers and robots”, says Cook (1999).

The plug-in capsule housing was intended to inspire investors so they would eventually finance the project and realize it. People would have benefited from a unique consumer product; something better than traditional housing “more related to the design of cars and refrigerators, than placing itself in direct competition with tradition”. (Cook, 1999)

If the projects would have been studied close enough, the real consideration of the human value would have been discovered, as the technological aspect of the projects was making people’s lifestyle more organized, easy and accessible. (Cook, 1999). Questioning Vitruvius’ vision on architecture as static, Archigram proposed numerous technologically advanced projects where it was suggested that the architecture is transformable to the human needs and mobile in general. It made a big statement for architecture at that time, encouraging people to question what they needed from architecture itself and what it could propose to them.

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Fig.9 “Cities in the Air� model by Arata Isozaki, member of the Metabolism movement Fig.10 Model showing the external structure and services of the Centre Pompidou

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Archigram Group admitted that they were not the first to propose the idea of mass-produced, expandable units of dwellings. They took inspiration from Le Corbusier’s and Prouve’s projects, minster Fuller’s Dymaxion house, the Phelps Dodge Dymaxion bathroom, the Dymaxion deployment unit and Smithson’s House of the Future in 1955. There was also work by the Metabolist Group from Japan which was exploring expandability processes as well. (Cook, 1999) (See Fig.9)

“The brief called for a flexible building; to design one Rogers and Piano turned to the mediagenic imagery of Archigram” (Leupen, 1997) Additionally, the two facts, the extremely large size of the building and provocative colorful façade, represent the futuristic sense of the time, which was the Archigram’s goal (Sadler, 2013). The Pompidou Centre reflects the principals of Archigram, with its free, adjustable, large public spaces, an activated façade, an exposed structure, a futuristic look, and in direct relation to these visionary projects and thier effect on architecture.

Archgiram continued its influence on contemporary architects such as Lebbeus Woods, Neil Denari, Takasaki Masaharu, Tom Mayne, Toyo Ito, etc. A great example of the direct influence of Archigram on built architecture could be seen in the Pompidou Centre in Paris by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers. (Curtis, 1999)

Even though Archigram almost never built anything, they were awarded an RIBA Gold medal in 2002 in contribution of conceptual ideas and moving architectural thinking forward. This fact proves one more time, how important it is to envision architecture in a different way. (Sadler, 2013)

The architects took the inspiration from Archigram’s futuristic designs. Pompidou Centre is a high-tech building, supported by mega structural steel-tube frames which consists of a system of gerberettes and trusses. The infrastructure is placed on the extended facade, showing all the mechanical and structural systems, allowing more open space in the building. According to Archigram’s philosophy of appearing technologically advanced, buildings had to be very flexible with changeable parts so that it could be adjusted to that contemporary condition and environment. Due to the special planning of the Pompidou Center, it was possible for all interior spaces to be rearranged should the need have risen, and for exterior elements to be clipped on and off (Rogers, 2013). (See Fig.10)

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Fig.11 Photon Kite Fig.12 High Houses

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Lebbeus Woods Architecture and war are not incompatible. Architecture is war. War is architecture. I am at war with my time, with history, with all authority that resides in fixed and frightened forms. I am one of millions who do not fit in, who have no home, no family, no doctrine, no firm place to call my own, no known beginning or end, no “sacred and primordial site.” I declare war on all icons and finalities, on all histories that would chain me with my own falseness, my own pitiful fears. I know only moments, and lifetimes that are as moments, and forms that appear with infinite strength, then “melt into air.” I am an architect, a constructor of worlds, a sensualist who worships the flesh, the melody, a silhouette against the darkening sky. I cannot know your name. Nor you can know mine. Tomorrow, we begin together the construction of a city. (Woods, 2002)

“I’m trying to bring people in rather than saying, “Here is another product offered by another architect.” I’m trying to say, “Here is a set of conditions…what do you think?” The gap is important. If there’s not a gap, there’s nothing left.” ( Flom, 2008)

Truly inspirational figure in architectural theory is Lebbeus Woods, who is one of the most important visionary architects of the 20th century and also influenced by Archigram. Although the work of Lebbeus Woods was often described as fantasy, he believed that it eventually could be and would be built. He never attempted to create an imaginary world. His mind was just extremely curious of what could it be if the world had a different set of rules and if everything would be conceived in a different way, different perspective or even another dimension.

It was a principal of his to stay away from politics and built architecture, as he believed that when you start working under someone’s rules, they take away the freedom of imagination. (Woods, 2007) His project were never meant to be reconstructions of particular buildings. He was aiming far beyond that. Woods (2007) discusses the idea that cities left after wars and disasters tend to have similiar issues, thus his idea is transformable and could be extended to different disciplines.

“I’m not interested in living in a fantasy world. All my work is still meant to evoke real architectural spaces. But what interests me is what the world would be like if we were free of conventional limits”. (Oroussoff, 2008) Most of his theoretical work is about stability. (See Fig.11, Fig.12) He questioned the stability of both architecture and society.

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Fig.13 Berlin Free Zones Fig.14 Damaged Elektroprivreda Building under siege in 1993 Fig.15 Reconstruction Design by Lebbeus Woods in 1994 Fig.16 Reconstruction Design by Lebbeus Woods in 1994. Computer rendering

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What makes Lebbeus Woods an outstanding thinker is the way he approaches the problem.

Lebbeus Woods believed that architecture has the ability to heal. To heal the city from the wounds, creating completely new series of spaces. Freespaces would be for those with inventive mind, who would be inventive enough to inhabite them, ‘would open way to the future’. (Woods, 1997)

The concept of the freespaces proposed by Lebbeus Woods is a protest to the politics and regime. This idea was suggested after him visiting Sarajevo in 1993. Having seen the destruction and the humiliation caused by the war, he became inspired to create theoretical project-solutions. After the war, people tend to want to forget the bad experience and hide everything away as if it had never happened. People restore, rebuild and hide the scars before anyone can see them, as if they are ashamed of it. Those new restored facades and perfect finishes is a lie. Just a beautiful picture for a tourist journal. (Woods, 1997). What Lebbeus proposes is completely new approach with the different perspective to the problem. He proposes to inject new structures into the destructed and damaged spaces. It would be ‘free spaces’ which do not propose to occupy them and would actually require an inventive mind to inhabit it. Moreover these spaces would be owned by people, not the government.

While architecture society talks about satisfying human needs, it is actually human needs have been shaped to satisfy the space. This is the main reason why Lebbeus Woods intentionally refused to give a purpose and function to the spaces. Overall, freespaces are useless and empty spaces. However, “emptiness” does not give any restrictions to the inhabitant therefore emptiness is the freedom. (Woods, 2007)

His sketches are not proposing any plans or specific sections. Moreover he made sure that it would be as abstract as possible so people would get the idea and not the immediate solution. Lebbeus Woods truly believed that architecture must learn how to transform violence into something else. “The scar is a mark of pride and honor, both what has been lost and what has been gained” (Woods, 2007). Inspired but Woods’ idea and having the ability to get a glimpse into the reality, 3D artist Carlos Fueyo in 2004 made a computer rendering of the possible look of the Electroprivreda building. (Fig.16 )

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Fig. 17 Fun Palace, rendered section Fig. 18 Fun Palace, an unrealised project for East London

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Cedric Price “Choose what you want to do – or watch someone else doing it. <...> Dance, talk or be lifted up to where you can see how other people make things work. <...> Try starting a riot or beginning a painting – or just lie back and stare at the sky? (Price, 2003)

In the same generation of architects such as Lebbeus Woods, there was another radical architect-innovator: Cedric Price. He as many others visionary architects started working in the 1960’s when he proposed Fun Palace (1960-61). He and many others shared the common direction towards breaking down the existing stereotypes and old fashioned rules in architecture. Fun Palace (See Fig. 17, Fig.18) was meant to be fully flexible and be able to change its function at any time as it would have moved from place to place. (Price, 2003)

It would have been a place with endless space of activities. There would have been a fun arcade, music and dance area. The Fun Palace would be constantly under construction, constantly changing as the users would be rearranging the wall panels adjusting to their needs. Architecture is a client-focused occupation. Cedric Price, stated that clientless projects were the ones what offered complete freedom and flexibility. That is why architectural competitions are so valuable. No client - no restriction to the imagination.

The idea that architecture should not be permanent and constantly changing was common for that time. Cedric Price was a good friend of Archigram and they shared ideas so it is not a surprise that the Fun Palace and Ron Herron’s Walking City project are similar. ( Price, 2003)

In the 1970-80’s Cedric Price was one of the few architects to acknowledge the potential in integrating computer technologies and design. (Spiller, 2003). His practice always used the latest technologies and construction techniques, such as aluminium castings, welded mesh and tension cables, to create light-weight structures.

The original idea of creating “a laboratory of fun” was by theatre producer Joan Littlewood. Price viewed her idea as a project with such an amount of detail that it was almost realised.

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Fig.19 Matrix Fig.20 An example of a generative primitive-variant pattern

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Part 2 The vision of architectural dreams. The role of digital technology in contemporary architecture “…Architecture depends upon its time. It is the crystallization of its inner structure, the slow unfolding of its form. That is the reason why technology and architecture are so closely related. Our real hope is that they will grow together, that someday the one will be the expression of the other. Only then will we have architecture worthy of its name: architecture as a true symbol of our time” Mies van der Rohe (Klinger, 2001)

Technology boom in the 1980-90s pushed visionary architecture progress far forward. The computer as a tool is similar to a comparison as an extension of the mind. The radical development and use of digital technology in the 21st century makes more ‘unbuilt’ or visionary architecture real and takes the visionary architectural dreams to a new extent. Architectural competitions and contests submitted by contemporary architects tend to look futuristic as it does not have to be necessarily built: today it is all about the idea and concept thinking. With the introduction of visual technology to architects in 1980, the building and architecture industry started changing (Zampi and Morgan, 1995).

Patrik Schumacher, partner at Zaha Hadid Architects, assumes there is a new, bigger style in architecture evolving after Modernism. He calls it parametricism. It became real with the creating of the parametric software where every aspect of structure and design is controlled separately and connected together in one complex program. (Schumacher, 2011) In parametric design the parameters are declared, not the shape. By assigning different values to the parameters, different variations could be created. In using parametric software, designers can create infinite amount of objects (Kolarevic, 2003). It is extremely useful in architecture practices as the brief and requirements are constantly changing, allowing enormous amount of time with digital parametric software to be saved.

The development of digital generative processes allows to investigate structural, conceptual and visual areas of architecture. The opportunity to create complex geometries, and polysurfaces (or ‘blobs’). It makes it possible to build kinetic architecture, and parametric design, investigating concepts of programming and script architecture. (Kolarevic, 2003)

Parametricism offers limitless amount of design option without boundaries or minimal human error. (Jabi, n.d)

Technology made it possible to realise the dreams of visionary architects of the past.

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Fig 21 New York Stock Exchange Fig.22 Virtual trading Floor Fig.23 Steel Cloud

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Virtual architecture Asymptote The ‘Steel Cloud’ project is essential in many ways. First of all it is a clear representation of the 20th century, its aspirations and expectations of the following millennium. It was an extremely forward thinking concept and the approach was almost without precedent. Finally, Asymptote were one of the first to give an unusable space a function and give it a new life.

The architectural practice called Asymptote, founded by Hani Rashid and Lise-Anne Couture in 1999 was one of the first to start emerging the real world with the digital one. The New York Stock Exchange (1998) (See Fig.21) and a virtual gallery for the Guggenheim Museum (1998) were one of the first projects to truly exploit the use of digital media. The NYSE project was presented as an image of the real trading floor (a software program that represents various data about stocks in 3D space) to allow the users to find data as they would do in real life. (Rashid, H. and Couture, L. 1995)

Nowadays Asymptote is the leading international architecture practice, well known for their exceptional ability to integrate art and architecture with technology. Moreover, they have their own research lab, which is heavily centered on digital scripting development.

Asymptote opened the door to a room of infinite space, a whole world of no gravity or restrictions. It all felt fascinating and amazing, however, Hani Rashid stated in his interviews by Kietzmann in 2012, that the world was not ready for this at that time:

This research lab provides the firm with constant innovations and practical soultions. With parametric architecture softwares, it became possible to design even and uneven wsurface grid paneling, Design decisions could be dependant on the software which could easily calculate the most efficient shape for the particular environment and conditions. (Rashid and Lan, 2010)

“In 10-15 years from now there should be more relationship between virtual reality and real life”, stated Hani Rashid. This is what their firm is maily working on, researching the possibilities of merging digital and physical. “ Being innovators in the digital architecture they have proposed a number of radical projects. One of their most famous unbuilt projects is “Steel Cloud” (1989) (See Fig.23). The complex would have included libraries, aquariums, parks and cinemas. 1600’ long steel structure would span above main roads. Although, it was never accomplished, the concept never died and was picked up by Tom Mayne from Morphosis and was used in the bridge proposal in 2000 and in the Wilshire-overpass bridges in 2008.

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Fig.24 Kunsthaus Graz Art Museum Fig.25 Exterior of the GLA building

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The dreams of Archigram were realized in 21st century, when the digital technologies started merging with architectural design processes. Peter Cook following the principals of Archigram was obsessed with the idea of metamorphosis, the concept of which he implied in the design of the Kunsthaus (See Fig.24). After designing the building Peter Cook and Colin Fournier in 2003, consulted engineers, and the initial shape, had to undergo small changes to improve its structural performance.

Digital materiality makes the designing process rich and full of choice. It makes it possible to design limitless amount of elements using different ranges of digital media. Such designs would make little sense before the availability of computers and digital fabrication. That is why it is important to understand the big impact digital media has had on architecture. The Bejing National Stadium by Herzog & De Meuron, also known as ‘Birds Nest’, relied heavily on parametric software to achieve the optimum design. It is the world’s largest steel structure and largest enclosed space. The surface of the structure is simple when the calculations were enormous and would not be possible to make it manually. (The Arup Journal, 2009)

Another great example of the advantages of the digital modelling is Norman Foster’s design for GLA in London (See Fig.25). Having consulted with engineers, they were advised to make a few changes to the design. The building’s oval form is a deformed sphere and has 25% smaller surface area than the cube of the same volume which helps to reduce solar gain and heat loss throught the skin. The new revolutionary curvilinear silhouettes of the buildings have completely changed the perception in public after Foster’s GLA building. People start accepting and finding some pleasing new aesthetics in these “blobs”.

Zaha Hadid is an important figure in the world of parametric architecture. Her signature design is a curve. However to realise most of her designs, she had to undergo the full path from conceptual drawings to the final product is structural details. Without digital software the construction of her design would not be possible. MAXXII National Museum in Rome. is a suitable example for that. The shape of the building, consisting from curvilinear shapes had to be designed with parametric architecture softwares to find the best possible solution to the construction problem (Guccione, 2010).

The use of parametric software in design development opens up a whole new world to architects and engineers. It changed the initial role of the architect, designing not the shape of the building but the set of parameters and principles, with what instances of design can be generated and varied in time. Parametric design opens up the world of infinite solutions and adaptations. (Aiello, 2014). The designing process is not restricted by paper and pencil anymore. Some shapes and design solutions could not simply be drawn by hand.

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Fig. 26 An artist’s rendering shows David Fisher’s Dynamic Tower

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The Dynamic Tower (also known as Da Vinci Tower) (See Fig.26) or the rotating skyscraper by David Fisher, is going to be the first moving building. The dreams of Archigram’s kinetic architecture are becoming real. It will be the world first prefabricated skyscraper with 90% built in the factory. Technology made it possible. Furthermore it is much safer as the construction works will be made off site. The time required to build it would be 30 % less than the average building of this scale. The entire tower will rotate 360 degrees. A single rotation will take 90 minutes. It also will be very sustainable as it will run with renewable energy, powering the five buildings in the surroundings (77 wind turbines will be fixed to the tower with solar panels).

The possibilities which have opened after the digital architecture became accessible encouraged architect to look for use of the new materials to produce desired aesthetics and spatial effects. (Kolarevic, 2003)

Is there more to come? And what are the challenges we still have ahead? Endless discussions of the disastrous environmental conditions and rapid birth rate on Earth suggest architects will look for new housing solutions. Architectural competitions are encouraging to think outside the box and not to be afraid of making bold moves. The idea, nowadays, is more valuable rather than a ready solution. By the end of the 21st century everyone would have to rely on passive house standards as natural resources such as fuel would run out. Although architecture has always been associated with something being built and tangible, it is important to know that the nature of contemporary architecture is not a static field of study. It could be seen as adapting and reinventing system of communication, otherwise knows as ‘autopoesic’, as stating Patric Shumacher in his book “Autopoesis of Architecture” (2011).

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Conclusion “We are surrounded by the built environment most of our time in our lifes. That is why it is so important to be able to rethink architecture. To be able to adabt to changes.” (BLDG BLOG) Visionary architecture is far more fundamental than just hyper realistic visualizations as one may assume. It is more concerned with the thinking and concept of architecture itself. All the radical thinkers of 20th centuries had a major influence on the architecture of the 21st century, when the architect could start realizing the ‘unbuildable’ dreams of the past. Nowadays technology has caught up with the imagination and it opens an endless world of freedom in design. The mentality of the 21st century states that nothing is impossible or unbuildable anymore.

Having analysed the information, it becomes clear that the most influential figures in architectural theory have rarely built anything. However those still active continue to inspire youthful architects. Digital architecture allowed to dreams of the 20th century to be realized and pushed visionary architecture even further, challenging form and structure.

Experimental architecture is the driver of design innovations. Time is constantly changing, society is evolving and learning on their own mistakes. As behaviour of the environment changes, architecture has to change itself. If there is a crisis, society has to deal with it and look for a solution. Following the example of the Lebbeus Woods’ proposal for Sarajevo, not hiding the past but adapting it for the future would be benefitial.

Cedric Price believed that cooking is a perfect analogical model for architecture where ideas could be tested and given immediate feedback. In food preparation there is cooking, eating and final excerting. He puts architecture as a product which has to be consumed and eventually evacuated. Digital architecture have basically gave the measures and prepared all the ingredients for the chef, wrote the instruction how to make it. The only thing what is left to do, is to cook.

It presents the chance to voice opinions whether social, cultural, architectural or political. To raise our opinion and position. It is visionary, like a project in develepment.

Architecture has always been reacting to the changes in the political and social world. It is adaptable and transformable. Besides, the crisises in the world are the main driver of the architecture, and visionary architecture itself, making people aim for the better future. With the constantly evolving world society does not design static programs anymore. We design a set of rules. We design a behavior. (Kolarevic, 2003)

Visionary architecture does not leave you unsatisfied but gives you a taste of the possible product. It is a desirable image. Like a meal which you are just about to try...

Visionary architects keep reminding us that architecture is not just a building, which is essential in this profession, when it is so easy to forget in this consumer world you just value the end-product.

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List of Figures Figure 1. Unknown (1499) Section and Ground-plan of the Temple [Woodcut] In: Unknown, Hypnerotomachia Poliphili. New York: Da Capo Press.

Figure 11 Lebbeus Woods, (1988), Photon Kite [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.designboom.com/wp-content/ uploads/2013/05/lebbeussfmoma05.jpg [Accessed 22 January 15].

Figure 2. Unknown (1499) A Pyramidic Temple[Woodcut] In: Unknown, Hypnerotomachia Poliphili. New York: Da Capo Press.

Figure 12 . Lebbeus Woods, (1995), High Houses [ONLINE]. Available at: https://lebbeuswoods.files.wordpress. c om / 2 0 1 0 / 0 2 / lw bl o g - h i g h - 2 1 . jp g ? w = 6 0 0 & h = 4 6 1

Figure 3 Galileo.org, (1800), The Ideal City [ONLINE]. Available at: http://galileo.org/tips/davinci/idealcity.html [Accessed 22 January 15].

[Accessed 22 January 15]. Figure 13 Lebbeus Woods, (1992), Berlin Free Zones [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.wordsinspace.net/ wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Berlin-Free-ZoneLebbeus-Woods.jpg [Accessed 22 January 15].

Figure 4 Italia Travel & Life, Palmanova [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.italytravelandlife.com/wp-content/ uploads/2013/06/Palmanova_Ecoplane.jpg [Accessed 22 January 15]

Figure 14. Lebbeus Woods, (1993), Damaged Elektroprivreda Building under siege in 1993 [ONLINE]. Available at: https://dprbcn.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/ saraepb-1993blog.jpg?w=600&h=412 [Accessed 22 January 15].

Figure 5 Harbison, R, 2013. The Built, the Unbuilt and the Unbuildable. Learning London Met, [Online]., Available at: http://learning.londonmet.ac.uk/ASD/ma-history/ rharbison_thebuilt.html [Accessed 18 January 2015].

Figure 15. Lebbeus Woods, (1994), Reconstruction Design by Lebbeus Woods in 1994 [ONLINE]. Available at: https:// dprbcn.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/saraepb-lw1994blog. jpg?w=600&h=390 [Accessed 22 January 15].

Figure 6 Archigram Archives, (1975), Part of the Archigram Opera exhibition [ONLINE]. Available at: http://archigram. westminster.ac.uk/img/prj_thumbs/4546_medium.jpg [Accessed 22 January 15].

Figure 16. Carlos Fueyo, (2004), Reconstruction Design by Lebbeus Woods in 1994. Computer rendering. [ONLINE]. Available at: https://dprbcn.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/ saraepb-1blog1.jpg?w=600&h=414 [Accessed 22 January 15].

Figure 7 Archigram Archives, (1968), Walking City [ONLINE]. Available at: http://archigram.westminster. ac.uk/img/prj_thumbs/185_medium.jpg [Accessed 22 January 15] Figure 8 Archigram Archives, (1964), Plug-In City Article [ONLINE]. Available at: http://archigram.westminster. ac.uk/img/prj_thumbs/796_medium.jpg [Accessed 22 January 15].

Figure 17. Cedric Price, (1961), Fun Palace [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.interactivearchitecture.org/ wp-content/uploads/2005/10/funpalace-cedric-price.jpg [Accessed 22 January 15].

Figure 9. Design Observer, (1960), “Cities in the Air” model by Arata Isozaki [ONLINE]. Available at: http://ad009cdnb.archdaily.net/wp-content/ ploads/2013/08/521f833ee8e44ebd90000057_ad-classicsshizuoka-press-and-broadcasting-center-kenzo-tange_2. jpg [Accessed 22 January 15].

Figure 18. Cedric Price, (1961), Fun Palace, an unrealised project for East London [ONLINE]. Available at: http:// design.designmuseum.org/media/item/4725/-1/92_5Lg.jpg [Accessed 22 January 15]. Figure 19 Rocker-lange.com, (2012), Matrix [ONLINE]. Available at: http://rocker-lange.com/blog/wp-content/ uploads/2010/08/MatrixRender_22.jpg [Accessed 22 January 15].

Figure 10. Anon, (1968), Model showing the external structure and services of the Centre Pompidou [ONLINE]. Available at: http://static.dezeen.com/ uploads/2013/07/dezeen_The-Centre-Pompidou-capturesthe-revolutionary-spirit-of-1968-Richard-Rogers_06.jpg [Accessed 22 January 15].

Figure 20 Allan William Martin, (2012), “An example of a generative primitive-variant pattern inspired by D’Arcy Thompson’s On Growth and Form.” Allan William Martin [ONLINE]. Available at: http://johnstonarchitects.com/wpcontent/uploads/2014/03/variant-results.jpg [Accessed 22 January 15]

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Figure 21. Courtesy Asymptote, Hani Rashid + Lise Anne Couture, (1999), New York Stock Exchange [ONLINE]. Available at: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/10/ asymptote/image/26.jpg [Accessed 22 January 15]. Figure 22. Asymptote Architecture, (1999), Virtual trading floor, by [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.elifbatuman. net/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/virtual-trading-floor.jpg [Accessed 22 January 15]. Figure 23. Asymptote Architecture, (1989), Steel Cloud (Los Angeles West Coast Gateway) [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.frac-centre.asso.fr/gestion/public/upload/ oeuvre/maxi/ASYM_993_04_01.jpg [Accessed 22 January 15]. Figure 24. Peter Cook and Colin Fournier, (2003), Austria’s Blob-Shaped Kunsthaus Graz Art Museum [ONLINE]. Available at: http://assets.inhabitat.com/wp-content/blogs. dir/1/files/2013/06/Peter-Cook-Friendly-Alien-Solar-Energy-Kunsthaus-1.jpg [Accessed 22 January 15]. Figure 25. Foster + Partners, (2002), Exterior of the Greater London Authority headquarters [ONLINE]. Available at: https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSHsTswNXJXzrO2VIluRXthFD-2gT5KoOIQr4NQHLb7WjCuKQ-y1Q [Accessed 22 January 15]. Figure 26. Assosiated Press, (2013), An artist’s rendering shows David Fisher’s Dynamic Tower [ONLINE]. Available at: http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-DC717_ Fisher_D_20090211095929.jpg [Accessed 22 January 15].

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