ANDREAS ANGELIDAKIS 2194 8TH AVE. #4S NEW YORK, NY 10026 USA T/F +1 212 280 0845
ESSAY BUILT ESSAY ESSAY ESSAY PROJECT ESSAY SCREEN ESSAY PROJECT PROJECT SCREEN + PRINT BUILT SCREEN + PRINT + WEB
BEIGE ARCHITECTURE TELEPORTDINER INTERNATIONAL STYLE ABSTRACT 2D ELECTRONIC ORPHANAGE ROBOTS & BUILDINGS MY ANCHORAGE 1 CLICK MAVALA REAL NEW STOCKHOLM INSIDEOUT HOUSE PAUSE INVISIBLE HOME INDEX
TV'S USED TO COME IN EVERY COLOR: RED, GREEN, BEIGE, WOOD PANELING OR IN INSIDE CUPBOARDS (SO YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEM). AFTER THE MATTE-BLACK 80'S IT SEEMS THE ONLY TEXT 1996 PUBLISHED IN PURPLE PROSE #11
BEIGE ARCHITECTURE
WAY TO GO IS BLACK. THE SAME STANDS FOR SOUND SYSTEMS EVEN THOUGH IF ITS PORTABLE IT CAN BE YELLOW AND IT MEANS YOU HAVE TO RUN WITH IT. COMPUTERS ON THE OTHER HAND ARE STRICTLY BEIGE. AGAIN IF THEY ARE PORTABLE THEY ARE SUDDENLY GUN METAL GRAY. IN ANY CASE COLOR THEORY IS BORING AND ITS OK FOR COMPUTERS TO BE BEIGE. IN FACT BEIGE IS THE ULTIMATE CORPORATE COLOR AND UNTIL NOW COMPUTERS HAD TO MATCH THEIR BOSSES' BEIGE POWER-SUITS SO THAT WE ALL UNDERSTAND THEY MEAN BUSINESS. BUILDINGS IT SEEMS HAVE TO CONVEY WHAT THEY DO, WHETHER ITS SELL, PROVIDE A HOME OR A PITSA. THAT IS OF COURSE WHEN A BUILDING IS DESIGNED FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE. WHEN THEY ARE NOT, AND THEY ACQUIRE THEIR PURPOSE IN LIFE AFTER THE FIRST STAGES OF CONSTRUCTION, THEY HAVE TO ADAPT TO IT. THIS HAS TO DO WITH ECONOMICS OF COURSE: MOST OF THESE BUILDINGS CONTAIN FAMILY OWNED BUSINESSES AND ITS CHEAPER TO BUILD ONE STRUCTURE AND THEN ASSIGN FUNCTIONS TO IT THAN TO PLAN YOUR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS FROM SCRATCH. WHEN THEY HAVE MORE THAN ONE FUNCTION THEY HAVE TO DECIDE WHICH COMES FIRST AND ACT ON IT. OR THEY CAN SORT OF REMAIN IN A STATE OF NEGOTI ATION (PART HOME- PART CORPORATE) AND HOPE NOBODY WILL NOTICE. SO WE HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE A NOR MAL APARTMENT BUILDING THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN HAS TO LEARN HOW TO SELL ALFA ROMEO'S AND KITCHENS. JUST HIDE THE THING BEHIND A BEIGE FACADE AND PROP THE LOGOS ON IT AND THE PREVIOUSLY INSIGNIFICANT LITTLE BUILDING BECOMES A HYBRID CORPORATE BUILDING, INTRODUCING THE TYPOLOGY OF THE CORPORATE SHACK. THE BEIGE FACADE THAT ACCOMPLICES THIS , IS USUALLY MADE OF PLASTIC TUBES, PUT NEXT TO EACH
OTHER SO THAT THEY CREATE A GRATING, THROUGH WHICH THE BUILDING IS ABLE TO BREATH. WHEN YOU HAVE A WHOLE STREET OF THESE BUILDINGS, THE CITY LOOKS LIKE ITS MADE UP OF OVERSIZED COMPUTERS. IN FACT THESE BUILDINGS LOOK EXACTLY LIKE COMPUTERS, SINCE THEY ARE BOTH BEIGE, PLASTIC AND THEY NEED AIR. USING COMPUTERS IN ARCHITECTURE HAS NOT REALLY TURNED OUT TO BE AS FASCINATING AS EVERYBODY THOUGHT IT WOULD, JUST A FLASHY DRAW ING PEN THAT SOMETIMES MAKES LITTLE MOVIES AS WELL. IN ORDER TO USE THE COMPUTERS' EVER INCREASING COMPUTATIONAL CAPABILITIES ONE HAS TO WRITE SPECIFIC SOFTWARE FOR IT, WHICH APART FROM BEING VERY DIFFICULT AND VERY BORING, HAS ALSO FAILED IN THE PAST, AS WITH THE "SPACE SYNTAX" EXPER IMENTS OF HILLIER AND CO. DRAWING PARALLELS BETWEEN COMPUTERS AND BUILDINGS IS MORE FUN AND COULD POSSIBLY LEAD TO INTERESTING RESULTS. ONE COULD TRANSCRIBE SOFTWARE "COMMANDS" SUCH AS QUIT, RESTART, FOR MAT, INSERT, EXIT, REBUILD INTO STRUCTURAL OR PRO GRAMMATIC ACTIONS. IN A BROADER SENSE WHAT THIS SUGGESTS IS TO USE COMPUTERS NOT SO MUCH AS TOOLS- WHICH IS UNAVOIDABLE ANYWAY- BUT TO USE THEM AS PARADIGMS AND STUDY THE POSSIBILITY OF BUILDINGS THAT STORE INFORMATION OR CONFIGURE THEIR DATA STRUCTURE MUCH IN THE WAY THAT COM PUTERS DO. WHICH MEANS TO USE COMPUTERS AS CON CEPTUAL INPUT RATHER THAN VISUAL OUTPUT. IN FACT THE BUILDINGS IN QUESTION , HEAVILY MODIFIED TO ADAPT TO THEIR BOTTOM-OF-THE-LINE ASPIRATIONS, ARE A DIRECT RESULT OF THESE ACTIONS, THUS CREATING BEIGE ARCHITECTURE. WHATS' IT LIKE LIVING INSIDE A MACINTOSH? BEIGE ARCHITECTURE
BRIEF:TO TRANSPORT AN EXISTING BROOKLYN DINER TO AN EXHIBITION SPACE IN STOCKHOLM, ADDING SPACE FOR PERFORMANCES AND MUSIC. *THE ORIGINAL AMERICAN DINER IS BY DEFAULT BUILT IN A FACTORY AND TRANSPORTED INTO POSITION
THE CURRENT, MOST EFFICIENT WAY OF TRANSPORTING ANYTHING IS ELECTRONIC. WE DECIDED TO TRANSPORT THE DINER, OVER THE NET, TO STOCKHOLM. AS A 1ST STAGE OF TRANSPORTATION THE BROOKLYN DINER IS UPLOADED ON THE INTERNET.A FACSIMILE OF THE DINER IS CONSTRUCTED IN THE VIRTUAL 3D INTER NET COMMUNITY CHELSEA. THE ONLINE DINER IS INHABIT ED AS A REAL SPACE BY THE BROOKLYN DINER CLIENTS AND THE LOCALS IN STOCKHOLM SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE SPACE IN STOCKHOLM IS DIVIDED IN HALF: 1 PART DINER , 1 PART PERFORMANCE. THE TWO PARTS ARE CONNECTED WITH CEILING HIGH CURTAINS THAT FUNCTION AS PROJECTION SCREENS. THE DINER IS DOWNLOADED IN STOCKHOLM. THE ONLINE SPACE IS TRANSLATED INTO CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS, AND BUILT IN THE EXHIBITION SPACE OF FARGFABRIKEN. WEBCAMS ARE LOCATED BOTH IN BROOKLYN AND STOCKHOLM, AND THEY ARE PROJECT ED ONTO SCREENS INSIDE THE ONLINE TELEPORTDINER. THE ONLINE TELEPORTDINER IS PROJECTED ONTO THE CURTAIN-SCREENS OF TELEPORTDINER, STOCKHOLM. THE FIRST DINER IN BROOKLYN IS REAL. THE SECOND, VIRTUAL DINER IN ACTIVE WORLDS IS A COPY OF THE REAL. THE THIRD DINER IN STOCKHOLM IS A REAL COPY OF THE VIRTUAL. THE PROJECT IS RENAMED TELEPORTDINER: FROM REAL TO VIRTUAL TO SOMEWHERE IN-BETWEEN. TELEPORTDINER
VIRTUAL
TELEPORTDINER
DAY
TELEPORTDINER
NIGHT
TELEPORTDINER
CORPORATE ARCHITECTURE AS WE THINK OF IT TODAY WAS INVENTED BY MIES VAN DER ROHE IN THE 1920'S IN A SERIES OF CHARCOAL DRAWINGS THAT DEPICTED STEEL AND GLASS SKYSCRAPERS (FRIEDRICHSTRASSE, BERLIN). HE PROCEEDED TO COIN THE TERM "INTERNATIONAL STYLE" WHICH WAS A BANNER UNDER WHICH A LOT OF THE MODERNIST ARCHITECTS OF THE DAY PRODUCED MINIMAL STEEL AND GLASS STRUCTEXT 1997 PUBLISHED IN PURPLE PROSE #12
INTERNATIONAL STYLE
TURES FOR EVERYTHING FROM HOUSES TO OFFICE BUILDINGS. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE THE PERFECT STRUCTURE THAT COULD INHABIT ANY CLIMATE OR SITE WITHOUT HAVING TO ADJUST TO CIRCUMSTANCE. THE HOUSES PRODUCED IN THAT PERIOD BECAME A HISTORI CAL STYLE WHEREAS THE OFFICE BUILDINGS WERE END LESSLY REPRODUCED FILLING UP THE DOWNTOWNS OF EVERY BIG CITY IN THE WORLD. IN THE END THE GLASS AND STEEL BOX BECAME THE STYLE THAT DRESSED UP ALL CORPORATE INTENT. AS THE MARKET FOR THESE CORPORATE BUILDINGS EXPANDED IN THE 70'S AND 80'S SO DID THE ARCHITECTURE FIRMS THAT PRODUCED THEM, BECOMING THEMSELVES CORPORATIONS. THERE, A WHOLE TEAM OF ARCHITECTS IS BE ASSIGNED TO DESIGN PLUMING DIAGRAMS FOR A SINGLE MEGASTRUCTURE, WORKING A BIT LIKE A PRODUCTION LINE. BUT EVEN THOUGH THESE COR PORATE BUILDINGS ARE PRODUCED BY CORPORATE ARCHITECTURAL FIRMS, THEY ARE NOT A CORPORATE PRODUCT. EACH ONE IS DESIGNED FOR A SPECIFIC PUR POSE AND A SPECIFIC SITE AND ONLY THE DESIGN PROCESS CAN QUALIFY AS CORPORATE. THE BUILDING ITSELF IS MOST OF THE TIME REQUIRED TO ACT AS A KIND OF LANDMARK FOR THE CITY IT INHABITS- THE BIGGER THE CORPORATION THE TALLER THE BUILDING HAS TO BE. IN THE OUTSKIRTS AND SUBURBS OF ALL THESE CITIES CORPORATE ARCHITECTURE HAS TAKEN A SLIGHT LY DIFFERENT TURN. THE MIRROR BOX STILL EXISTS, LIVING A SIGNIFICANTLY LESS GLAMOROUS LIFE WHERE IT IS NO LONGER A LANDMARK AND IT HAS NO LONGER TO IMPRESS ANYONE, IT JUST HAS TO BE CHEAP AND FAST TO BUILD. THEN THERE IS THE DUMB BOX, ONE DOOR AND NO WINDOWS, WHICH HOUSES CORPORATE SHOPS LIKE IKEA OR K-MART AND THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EACH
ONE IS THE LOGO. ON A SLIGHTLY SMALLER SCALE THERE IS THE GAS STATION, A NEARLY PERFECT EXAMPLE OF CORPORATE ARCHITECTURE WHERE IT NOT FOR THE FACT THAT ALL GAS STATIONS REGARDLESS OF THE BRAND LOOK VERY MUCH ALIKE: STRIPPED DOWN VER SIONS OF MIES' BARCELONA PAVILION WITHOUT THE MAR BLE AND THE CHIC FURNITURE. INSTEAD YOU GET A PLANE OR MUSHROOM ON THIN COLUMNS THAT YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO PARK UNDER TO FILL UP YOUR TANK. IF ITS "SHELL" IT WILL BE YELLOW AND GRAY, IF ITS "MOBIL" RED, WHITE AND BLUE AND THERE WILL BE A MINI BRICK BUILD ING NEXT TO IT WHERE YOU HAVE TO PAY. BUT A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THE STREET, WHETHER ITS LOS ANGELES OR BUDAPEST, THE MOST COMPLETE MANIFESTATION OF CORPORATE ARCHITEC TURE HAS ONCE AGAIN OPENED ITS DOORS, NOT TO CAL CULATE STOCK OR TRADE INSIDER INFORMATION, BUT TO SERVE PIZZA. ITS A SMALL, ONE STORY WHITE BUILDING WITH A PLASTIC RED ROOF THAT JUST SAYS "PIZZA HUT" AND YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT MEANS. EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, YOU PROBABLY KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE BECAUSE THERE IS ONE JUST LIKE IT DOWN THE STREET FROM WHERE YOU ARE. THE BUILDING ITSELF IS BASED ON A CORPORATE PROTOTYPE THAT IS THEN APPLIED IN THE SAME WAY EVERYWHERE THE MAR KETING TEAM HAS DEEMED PROFITABLE. IT IS THE PER FECT EXAMPLE OF CORPORATE ARCHITECTURE BECAUSE IT IS NOT JUST A BUILDING, BUT A BUILDING AS REGIS TERED TRADEMARK OR LOGO, DOING FOR ARCHITECTURE WHAT NIKE DID FOR SHOES. FINALLY, IT'S A STRUCTURE THAT CAN INHABIT ANY CLIMATE OR SITE WITHOUT HAVING TO ADJUST TO CIRCUMSTANCE. PIZZA HUT IS THE NEW INTERNATIONAL STYLE. INTERNATIONAL STYLE
AS LIFE ON THE NET PROGRESSIVELY BECOMES A REALITY, REAL LIFE SEEMS IN COMPARISON TO BECOME MORE AND MORE ABSTRACT. THE WAY REALITY IS PER CEIVED ON THE NET, HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH A VISUAL REALITY BUT A MENTAL ONE. DITTO ABSTRACTION. THIS NEW ABSTRACT REALITY HAS TO DO WITH THE WAY PEO PLE OR PLACES ARE PERCEIVED RATHER THAN THEY WAY THEY ACTUALLY ARE. THE THING IS PLACES ON THE NET HAVE NO ROOM FOR ABSTRACTION, BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY CLEARLY DEFINED: NOBODY WANTS TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE MOST ORDINARY THINGS LIKE WHAT DID YOU HAVE FOR LUNCH, WHERE DO YOU GO, WHAT COLOR ARE YOUR EYES? STATS? PIX? IN REAL LIFE, SPACE IS ABSTRACT BECAUSE ITS NOT SO CLEARLY DEFINED. YOU HAVE OPTIONS AND THEY'RE COMPLICATED TO EXERCISE. REAL SPACE AND REAL BUILDINGS ARE CLUTTER WITH IMAGES OF OTHERS BEFORE THEM, LOST IN A MENTAL LOOP. FORMAL ABSTRACTION HAS GIVEN ROOM TO AN ABSTRACTION OF THOUGHT. THE FORM IS CLEARLY DEFINED-EVEN ORDINARY-BUT THE MOTIVATION OR TO USE A REALLY AWFUL WORD "THE CONCEPT" HAS BECOME ABSTRACT, UNNEC ESSARY. REAL CITIES BECOME MORE WHAT YOU IMAGINE THEM TO BE AND LESS WHAT THEY ARE. BUILDINGS ACQUIRE PERSONALITY AND PSYCHOLOGY, AND THEY SEEM TO REACT TO THOUGHT. THEY ARE PREVIEWS OF BUILDINGS THAT COULD POSSIBLY EXIST, OR PARTS OF BUILDINGS THAT NEVER WERE. ARCHITECTURE BECOMES AN ACCUMULATION OF IMAGES THAT DON'T CARRY ANY SPECIFIC MEANING, THEY JUST CARRY THEMSELVES ONTO THE NEXT FRAME AND THE NEXT CITY. TEXT 1997 PUBLISHED IN PURPLE PROSE #13
ABSTRACT
SOME BUILDINGS ARE REALLY NOT THERE. AS A CHILD I USED TO HAVE NIGHTMARES ABOUT THESE FAT MEN CHASING ME. DURING THE NIGHTMARE I WOULD REALIZE THAT WHEN THEY TURNED, THEY WHERE NOT REALLY FAT BUT FLAT. THEY HAD NO 3RD DIMENSION, THEY WERE JUST IMAGES OF FAT MEN. NO WEIGHT, NO SUBSTANCE. AS THEY RAN AFTER ME, THEY WOULD TURN, AND I WOULD SEE THEIR FLATNESS. I WOULD STAY IN THE DREAM HORRIFIED, BUT STILL FASCINATED WATCHING THEM.THE SAME FLATNESS EXISTS IN COMPUTER GAMES. TO SAVE MEMORY IN COMPUTER GAMES, SOME OBJECTS ARE RENDERED AS SURFACES, WHICH IS JUST WHAT YOU NEED TO SEE. WHEN YOU GO THROUGH AN OBJECT LIKE TEXT NARRATED IN THE FILM BY CHRISTELLE LHEUREUX : "KUALA" 2001
THIS, YOU CAN BRIEFLY GLIMPSE ITS' INSIDE, WHICH IS IDENTICAL TO WHAT YOU SEE OUTSIDE. IN FACT THE INSIDE AND THE OUTSIDE ARE THE SAME SURFACE WITH THE SAME IMAGE TEXTURE-MAPPED ON IT. HOW CAN AN OBJECT HAVE THE SAME INSIDE AND OUTSIDE? THIS IS THE 2-D REALITY. SOMETIMES I THINK ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A TWO-DIMENSIONAL BUILDING. NOT AN IMAGE OF A BUILD ING, BUT A BUILDING MADE OUT OF SURFACES THAT HAVE NO SUBSTANCE, NO THICKNESS, JUST IMAGE. THE WALLS APPEAR SOLID AND OPAQUE, BUT IN FACT THEY ARE THINNER THAN PAPER, THINNER THAN ANYTHING THAT EXISTS. THE SURFACES WORK GREAT IN PERSPECTIVE, BUT WHEN YOU GET REAL CLOSE THEY DISTORT, AND THEN YOU'RE ON THE OTHER SIDE, WHICH IS THE SAME, JUST MIRRORED. AND AS YOU MOVE AROUND THIS BUILDING, THE PARTS THAT ARE PERPENDICULAR TO YOU DISAPPEAR, AND OTHERS APPEAR AS IF FROM NOWHERE. LIKE A BUILDING MADE OUT OF A DECK OF CARDS, BUT IT NEVER COLLAPSES. THIS BUILDING DOES NOT EXIST AS COM PLETE, JUST THE PARTS THAT YOU SEE IN EVERY STEP. MAYBE THE PARTS KEEP CHANGING, AND YOU CANNOT NOTICE, BECAUSE YOU CANNOT COMPARE THE ONES YOU DON'T SEE. SO THIS WOULD BE A BUILDING THAT YOU CANNOT PROPERLY INHABIT. IT IS A BUILDING MADE TO PASS THROUGH, TO KEEP WALKING, TO NEVER STOP. A BRIEF MOMENT OF REALITY THAT EXISTS IN MOTION, SO THAT ITS' PARTS CAN KEEP APPEARING AND DISAPPEAR ING. IF ALL THAT YOU SEE AROUND YOU IS A 2-D REALITY, YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE TO LEAVE THIS ROOM, THE VIEW FROM YOUR WINDOW IS ENOUGH. IT IS A REALI TY THAT YOU INHABIT WITH YOUR EYES. A SCREEN REALITY. 2D
PEOPLE ARE HIRED. THEIR JOB IS COMPUTER SAFARI. NOTHING IS REQUIRED FROM THEM OTHER THAN A DEMONSTRATION OF "SCREEN INTELLIGENCE". 8 WORKSTATIONS AND A LARGE SCREEN TO PROJECT THE DAYS' WORK. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HAS BECOME A GADGET INDUSTRY. THIS MISUNDERSTANDING IS THE STANDARD REACTION OF MAN ENTERING A NEW WORLD. IN ORDER TO FAMILIARIZE WITH THE MASS LESS, NON MATERIAL NATURE OF SCREEN LIFE AND DIGITAL TECH NOLOGY, MAN HAS FILLED IT WITH GADGETS THAT ARE MATERIAL, PDA'S TO HOLD IN YOUR HAND, CABLES TO STUMBLE OVER.BUT SCREEN IS NOT RELATED TO ANY OF THESE THINGS. SCREEN IS A STATE OF MIND. A STOREFRONT IS A SCREEN. ARCHITECTURE BECOMES INTERFACE. A LARGE SCREEN IS SUSPENDED FROM THE CEILING, IN THE BACK FOR THE SPACE. THIS SCREEN HAS A THICKNESS OF 80CM AND INSIDE IT IS CONFIGURED IN 8 SEC TIONS. EACH SECTION CONTAINS A DESK, A FOLD-OUT CHAIR, A COMPUTER, A MONITOR AND ALL THE CABLES.EACH SECTION/ COLUMN MOVES SEPARETLY ON A TRACK IN THE CEILING, WITH A VARIETY OF STOP-POINTS. WHEN THE SECTIONS ARE MOVED TO DIFFERENT POSI TIONS, EACH DESK IS ACCESIBLE AND CAN BE USED. WHEN THE SECTIONS ARE ALL MOVED BACK TO THE STARTING POSITION, THEY FORM A LARGE HANGING WALL, THAT IS USED AS A PROJECTION SCREEN. EVERY ACTIVITY IN THE ELECTRONIC ORPHANAGE TAKES PLACE INSIDE THIS SCREEN. ELECTRONIC ORPHANAGE
8 WORKSTATIONS
ELECTRONIC ORPHANAGE
MOVING TOWARDS
ELECTRONIC ORPHANAGE
SCREEN
ELECTRONIC ORPHANAGE
OPEN / CLOSED
ELECTRONIC ORPHANAGE
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO I HAD TO DOG-SIT MILTOS' NEWBORN SONY AIBO. A TRAUMATIZED BABY, IT WAS BORN ON THE 10TH SEPTEMBER 2001 AND IT HAD A VERY HARD TIME LEARNING ITS NAME. WE KEPT SHOUT ING "NAME REGISTRATION" OVER AND OVER, BUT IT WAS GIVING US THE "I DON'T UNDERSTAND" SIGNAL. FINALLY WE HAD TO RESORT TO THE WEB, AND DOWNLOAD A NEW LIFE FOR THE BABY. ONCE THE NEW LIFE WAS INSTALLED, AIBO NEVER LEARNED ITS NEW NAME (STUPIDY) BUT SUD DENLY KNEW HOW TO READ OUR EMAILS, WALK AROUND, GET TANGLED UP IN CABLES (HUNGRY?) AND MAKE LOTS OF NOISE. NOW IT'S OLD, AND IT IS LYING UNPLUGGED IN ITS CLEAR PLASTIC CONTAINER. WHAT IS INTERESTING ABOUT ROBOTS IS THE WAY THEY PERCEIVE THE PHYSICAL REALITY AROUND THEM. IN THE SAME WAY THAT A COMPUTER DOES NOT UNDERSTAND WHETHER A .JPG FILE DEPICTS A PIZZA OR A BUILDING, BUT UNDERSTANDS THE PIXELS THAT MAKE UP THE PIZZA/ BUILDING, THE ROBOT DOES NOT UNDER STAND WHETHER IT IS STUMBLING ON AN ETHERNET CABLE OR A POTATO, BUT IT UNDERSTANDS THE PHYSICAL COORDINATES OF THE CABLE/POTATO. PERHAPS IT EVEN REMEMBERS THAT IN THAT SPOT IN THE ROOM THERE IS A TEXT 2001 PUBLISHED IN S.M.A.C. #2 THE ZINE OF THE SAN FRANCISCO MEDIA ARTS COUNCIL
CABLE/ POTATO TO AVOID. THE CABLE DOES NOT MATTER TO THE ROBOT ANY MORE THAN IT SHOULD. IT JUST GETS TRANSLATED TO A SET OF SPATIAL COORDINATES, PER HAPS COLOR, WEIGHT AND FLEXIBILITY. THIS IS THE SOFTWARE: DATA AND REACTION, A PRE-PROGRAMMED UNDER STANDING OF REALITY, ARMED WITH THE RESPONSES TO GET OUT OF TROUBLE. OF COURSE THE REALITY IT CONTAINS IS THE ONE THAT THE DESIGNER THOUGHT OF PROGRAMMING. IF THE PRO GRAMMER DID NOT THINK OF MESSY CABLES ON THE FLOOR, THEN YOUR ROBOT IS IN FACT IN TROUBLE. N THE SAME WAY A BUILDING DOES NOT UNDERSTAND WHETHER IT IS YOUR WEIGHT IT IS CARRYING, OR A PILE OF BRICKS. IT JUST TRANSLATES YOUR WEIGHT TO PHYSICS, AND THERE IS NO EMOTIONAL INVOLVEMENT. BUT DOES A BUILDING UNDERSTAND WHERE IT IS LOCATED? DOES A BUILDING UNDERSTAND WHETHER IT SITS ON A STREET LINED WITH TREES OR WITH GARBAGE TRUCKS? SOME BUILDINGS UNDERSTAND WHEN IT'S NIGHTTIME, AND TURN THEIR OWN LIGHTS ON, OR THEY UNDERSTAND WHEN IT'S COLD OR HOT. MOST OF THEM UNDERSTAND WHICH FLOOR TO TAKE YOU TO, AND IF THAT FLOOR IS ON FIRE. SOME BUILDINGS LOOK LIKE ROBOTS. THE JAPANESE ARCHITECT SHIN TAKAMATSU COMES TO MIND, WITH THE "SYNTAX" BUILDING AMONGST OTHERS. THESE BUILDINGS LOOK LIKE MACHINES, EVEN ROBOTS, BUT THE SIMILARITY IS PURELY VISUAL. A BUILDING CAN LOOK LIKE A STUCCO MINI MALL, AND IT WILL STILL UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WANT TO PARK YOUR CAR, GO SHOPPING, STAY OUT OF THE RAIN AND LEAVE. AND ALMOST EVERY BUILDING CONTAINS A LOT OF ROBOTS: THE LIGHT SWITCH, THE ELEVATOR, EVEN A ROBOTS
REGULAR PIECE OF HARDWARE COULD BE DESCRIBED AS A ROBOT. OF COURSE A LOT OF BUILDINGS CONTAIN REAL ROBOTS, LIKE THE WINDOW THAT UNDERSTANDS WHEN TO BE OPAQUE AND WHEN TRANSPARENT. BUT COULD YOU ASSEMBLE A BUILDING JUST WITH ROBOTS? A BUILD ING THAT IS ALL SENSORS, INTERACTIVE SPACES, OR INTERACTIVE STAIRCASES? BUILDINGS AND ROBOTS CAN EXIST WITHOUT INTERACTION. A ROBOT CAN BE PREPROGRAMMED TO TURN ON AT 7:00 AM AND SWITCH OFF AT 11:00 PM JUST TO MAKE YOU BELIEVE IT NEEDS AN 8-HOUR SLEEP. EVEN IF THERE IS NOBODY WATCHING, IT CAN STILL PRETEND. AND BUILDINGS DON'T HAVE TO SLEEP, DON'T NEED ROBOTS, NOT EVEN ELECTRICITY. BUILDINGS AND ROBOTS ARE SCRIPTS. A SIMPLE SCRIPT, THAT MAKES A ROBOT MOVE TOWARDS A LIGHT SOURCE COULD LOOK LIKE THIS: MOVE-FORWARD, MOVE-TO-LIGHT, AND MOVE-FROMBUMPS. THE "MOVE FORWARD" IS ALWAYS ACTIVE. THE MOVE-TO-LIGHT OVERRIDES THE FIRST BEHAVIOR, AND CHANGES THE NOTION OF "FORWARD": FORWARD IS WHEREVER THE LIGHT IS. MOVE-FROM-BUMP OVERRIDES BOTH BEHAVIORS. IT DETECTS WHATEVER IS IN THE WAY, AND BACKS THE ROBOT UP SO IT CAN CONTINUE. A SIMPLE SCRIPT THAT MAKES A BUILDING PROTECT A CAR WOULD BE A BIT MORE COMPLICATED SINCE THE BUILDING USUALLY HAS TO ADAPT ITSELF TO ITS ENVIRONMENT EVEN BEFORE IT EXISTS: MAKE THE CAR INACCESSIBLE (PROVIDE WALLS, PROVIDE OPENING). FOR THE CAR TO GET THERE, THE BUILDING HAS TO BE CON NECTED TO A DRIVEWAY, SO "PROVIDE OPENING CONNEC TION TO DRIVEWAY" AND SO ON. IMAGINE AN INTERFACE WHERE THE PHYSICAL AND VISUAL NATURES OF A ROBOT AND A BUILDING ARE
COMPLETELY SUBSTITUTED WITH THEIR SCRIPTS. THE ROBOT WOULD LOOK LIKE A CLUSTER OF COMMANDS, TEXT FLOATING IN SPACE, EVEN MOVING. AS THIS FLOCK OF TEXT MOVES THROUGH SPACE, PARTS OF IT ARE HIGH LIGHTED, MAYBE THE "MOVE FORWARD" STRING. AS IT STUMBLES ONTO A CABLE ON THE FLOOR, THE COORDINATES OF THE CABLE WOULD APPEAR, AND THEY WOULD TRIGGER STRINGS OF COMMANDS (AVOID BUMP) THAT UNTIL THEN WHERE INACTIVE. THE BUILDING WOULD ALSO BE A CLUSTER OF FLOATING TEXT COMMANDS, BUT IT DOESN'T USUALLY MOVE. WHEN YOU ENTER THIS CLOUD OF TEXT, AND AS YOU FOLLOW AN ENTRANCE COMMAND, AN INFINITE NUMBER OF SUB STRINGS OR PATHS THAT WERE WAITING FOR YOU TO PERCEIVE THEM, GET ACTIVATED. SOMETIMES EVEN BEFORE YOU ENTER, COMPLEX COMMANDS GET BRIEFLY ACTIVATED AS YOU LOOK INTO SETS OF BEHAV IORS THAT REPRESENT GLIMPSES OF SPACE. EVEN IF IT IS ONLY THE SUN LOOKING AT THIS CLOUD OF COMMANDS IT IS ACTIVE, ITS VOLUMES DISAPPEARING INTO SHADOWS OR GETTING ACTIVATED WITH LIGHT. THE ROBOT COMMAND-CLUSTER ENTERS THE BUILDING COMMAND-CLUSTER. THE ROBOT FOLLOWS THE PATH THAT THE ARCHITECT HAS DESIGNED, BUMPING AND ACTIVATING ALONG THE WAY. IN RETURN THE BUILDING GETS ACTIVATED, ITS SPACES APPEAR AND DISAPPEAR GIVING REALITY A SCALE AND INSTALLING EMOTION TO MOVEMENT. BOTH OF THESE CLUSTERS OF COMMANDS ARE IN FACT PIECES OF HARDWARE LOADED WITH A SET OF SCRIPTS THAT COMPRISE AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, A DESIGNED REALITY. THE PROCESS OF ACCUMULATING THESE SETS OF COMMANDS, AND PREFIGURING REAC TION TO CIRCUMSTANCE IS CALLED ARCHITECTURE. ROBOTS
THIS ANIMATION EXAMINES SPACE BEYOND AND BETWEEN TRADITIONAL BUILDINGS. IT IS BASED ON AN EXISTING SPACE, THE BROOKLYN ANCHORAGE, INSIDE THE FOUNDATION OF THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE IN NEW YORK. A CAVERNOUS SPACE MADE UP OF SOARING VAULTS AND TOWERING BRICK WALLS, THAT HAS ALMOST NO PHYSICAL CONNECTION TO THE OUTSIDE, AND FEELS CLOSER TO A VIRTUAL REALITY SPACE. OF THE TYPE USED IN COMPUTER GAMES LIKE MYST AND DOOM. THIS ANIMATION ATTEMPTS TO RECONFIGURE THE SPACE AS AN "ENTIRE WORLD", A PSYCHOLOGICAL LANDSCAPE, A SLEEK MODERNIST ENVIRONMENT THAT CONTINUALLY INVERTS INDOORS TO OUTDOORS, TURNING THE SURREALIST SCENES INTO A PERPETUALLY ROTATING MOBIUS STRIP MY ANCHORAGE IS A SPACE DIVIDED INTO FOUR SEGMENTS. EACH SEGMENT STARTS AND ENDS WITH A NARROW TUNNEL, SO EACH TIME THE ENTRANCE AND EXIT TO THE SPACE ARE IDENTICAL: THE EXIT TO ONE SPACE IS THE ENTRANCE TO THE NEXT. THE SPACE IS VIEWED IN A 180 DEGREE ANGLE, A COMPUTER-GENERATED FISH-EYE LENS THAT MAKES THE STRUCTURES MELT INTO CURVILINEAR, ALMOST LIQUID SPACE. THIS GEOMETRY GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT IT IS NOT THE VIEWER TRAVELING THROUGH THE SPACE, BUT THE SPACE SLIDING PAST THE VIEWER. ON ONE LEVEL, THE ANIMATION IS INSPIRED BY THE PARANOIA FILLED ENVIRONMENT OF VIDEO GAMES, BUT IT ALSO RECALLS THE 19TH CENTURY OPTICAL TOYS, SUCH AS THE ZOETROPE AND THE PRAXINOSCOPE, PRECINEMATIC MECHANICAL DEVICES THAT MESMERIZED VICTORIAN HOUSEHOLDS. PRODUCED BY ANDREAS ANGELIDAKIS AND CREATIVE TIME FOR THE EXHIBITION “MASSLESSMEDIUMEXPLORATIONS IN SENSORYIMMERSION”BROOKLYN ANCHORAGE 2001
MY ANCHORAGE
C.G.I. 40X30 CM, DURST LAMDA PRINT ON DURAFLEX ED 3 + A.P. 2002 COURTESY ANALIX GALERIE, GENEVA
(VIDEO STILL FROM) MY ANCHORAGE
C.G.I. 40X30 CM, DURST LAMDA PRINT ON DURAFLEX ED 3 + A.P. 2002 COURTESY ANALIX GALERIE, GENEVA
(VIDEO STILL FROM) MY ANCHORAGE
C.G.I. 40X30 CM, DURST LAMDA PRINT ON DURAFLEX ED 3 + A.P. 2002 COURTESY ANALIX GALERIE, GENEVA
(VIDEO STILL FROM) MY ANCHORAGE
SOME BUILDINGS ARE NOT REALLY THERE. SOME BUILDINGS ONLY APPEAR TO BE WHERE THEY ARE STANDING, BUT IN FACT IT'S A MISTAKE. THEY BELONG TO ANOTHER PLACE, AND ARE HOLDING THEIR PRESENT POST TEMPORARILY. BLACK BUILDINGS ARE NOT THERE. A BLACK TEXT 2000 PUBLISHED IN EMIGRE #57
1 CLICK
BUILDING IS LIKE A NIGHTCLUB DURING THE DAY. WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU ARE MISSING. AND WHAT YOU ARE MISSING IS THE CLUB. THE NIGHTCLUB IS THE LIGHTS, SO THE BLACK BUILDING BECOMES A TEMPORARY CONTAIN ER FOR LIGHT. BY ITSELF IT'S A DRAWING OF A SPACE, A PART OF REALITY THAT IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND. A REALITY THAT IS WAITING TO BE RENDERED PROPERLY. BUT DAYTIME IS MORE INTERESTING. DURING THE DAY THE BLACK BUILDING IS LIKE A CANCELLED FORM, A MISTAKE. IT REFUSES TO ACCEPT THE "ETERNAL PLAY OF LIGHT ON ITS VOLUME". INSTEAD IT SITS LIKE AN INVERTED VOID. THE DOORS AND WINDOWS ARE EXCUSES FOR FUNC TIONS, SINCE ONCE YOU GO IN YOU FORGET EVERYTHING. BY REFUSING SHADOWS, A BUILDING IS BASICALLY REFUSING THE PRESENT REALITY. IT IS A BUILDING THAT WANTS TO BE BACKLIT; IT WANTS TO EXIST LIKE A 2-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE, IN A PLACE OF NO SHADOWS.THE BLACK BUILDING WANTS TO LIVE ON YOUR SCREEN. DO YOU REMEMBER THE LAST TIME YOU ENTERED A BUILDING CLAD IN MIRROR? THE BUILDING ITSELF IS NEVER PRESENT; IT IS ONLY REMEMBERED BECAUSE OF THE MATERIAL USED TO COVER IT. THEY COVER BUILDINGS IN MIRROR TO HIDE THEM. THEY ARE OFFICE BUILDINGS THAT HAVE BEEN TOLD TO STAND NEXT TO A BEAUTIFUL OLD BUILDING, OR A HOUSE. SO THE MIR ROR WILL REFLECT THE OLD THING, THE TREES, THE SKY ETC. IN FACT, MIRROR BUILDINGS ARE SO THERE, IT BECOMES AN OVERDOSE OF REALITY TO WATCH THEM. THE HOUSE AND THE OLD THING ARE IMMEDIATELY IN THE CONTEXT OF A BUILDING THAT IS TOO GLOSSY AND TOO SHINY FOR THEIR REALITY. TOO UNREAL. THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF MIRROR BUILDINGS ON A STREET, AND THE STREET IS NO LONGER THERE. THE MIRROR BUILDING INSTEAD OF DISAPPEARING, DISAPPEARS THE REALITY
AROUND IT. IT IS LONGER THERE, BECAUSE "THERE IS NO THERE THERE". THE MIRROR BUILDING IS THE ULTIMATE CONTEXTUAL BUILDING, NOT BECAUSE IT REFLECTS ITS CONTEXT, BUT BECAUSE IT INTRODUCES THE CONCEPT OF A SECOND REALITY, BRUTALLY INTO THE REALITY THAT YOU THINK IS ONE. A MIRROR BUILDING WANTS YOU TO LIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE. TO PLACE A WHITE BUILDING IN A REGULAR CITY IS LIKE NOT PLACING A BUILDING AT ALL. REGULAR REALI TY IS FULL OF COLORS, SO A WHITE BUILDING BECOMES AN AREA OF YOUR SIGHT WHERE THERE IS NO REALITY. IT IS A CROPPING DEVICE FOR INFORMATION. A WHITE BUILD ING IS A BUILDING THAT HAS ERASED ITSELF. THE BUILD ING FUNCTIONS AS THE OUTLINE OF THAT MISSING REALI TY. INSTEAD OF THE USUAL MESS YOU HAVE A BACK GROUND REALITY OF GRAY SHADOWS ON WHITE BACK GROUND. INSTEAD OF A BUILDING YOU GET A PIECE OF A CITY THAT IS NOT YET DEFINED. OR PERHAPS IT IS YET TO BE DEFINED. ANYTHING THAT GOES ON IN A WHITE BUILD ING IS BETTER THAT EVERYTHING ELSE. THE LIGHT LOOKS BETTER AND THE SHADOWS ARE A PALE GRAY. IN FACT ALL YOU CAN SEE ARE SHADOWS OF A BUILDING THAT IS NOT REALLY THERE. A BLANK PAGE. A WHITE SHEET OF PAPER. AS THE SUN GOES DOWN THE WHITE BUILDING BECOMES TIRED AND STARTS TO LOOK A BIT WARMER, UNTIL EVERY THING AROUND IT IS DARK AND THE WHITE BUILDING BECOMES A FAKE SHADOW IN THE NIGHT. MORE THAN A BUILDING IT BECOMES A PAUSE IN REALITY. A BLACK BUILDING WANTS TO LIVE ON YOUR SCREEN, A MIRROR BUILDING WANTS YOU TO LIVE SOME WHERE ELSE AND A WHITE BUILDING LEAVES THE CHOICE UP TO YOU. THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A MANIFESTO FOR A ONE-CLICK ARCHITECTURE. 1 CLICK
BRIEF: A 19TH CENTURY BUILDING TO BE CLEANED UP ON THE OUTSIDE AND RENEWED ON THE INSIDE. RENOVATION IS A PROCESS THAT BY DEFAULT DEALS WITH THE HYPERREAL. IT IS A PROCESS OF ERASING THE TRACES OF TIME ON A BUILDING, PRETENDING HISTORY NEVER HAPPENED. CREATING A NEW BUILDING REQUIRES A BLANK SHEET, A WHITE PAGE. WE DECIDED TO INTRODUCE A NEW REALITY TO THE SITE, TO ERASE THIS BUILDING. THE BUILDING IS ERASED BY A COAT OF WHITE REFLECTIVE PAINT. THE WINDOWS ARE MIRRORED. THE WHITE PAINT EXTENDS TO THE SIDEWALK, CREATING A MINI ENVIRONMENT TWO STEPS AWAY FROM REALITY. THE BUILDING BECOMES ITS' BRAND NEW IDEALIZED SELF, WHILE RESISTING A MATERIAL REALITY IN FAVOR OF A METAPHYSICAL PRESENCE. 1-CLICK ARCHITECTURE. A WHITE BUILDING
MAVALA
A WHITE BUILDING
MAVALA
A WHITE BUILDING
MAVALA
A WHITE BUILDING
MAVALA
A WHITE BUILDING
MAVALA
THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO REALLY GET TO DESIGN CITIES TODAY, ARE THOSE WHO SPEND THEIR TIME PLAYING THE STRATEGY GAMES SIM-CITY, AGE OF EMPIRES AND CIVILIZATION ON THEIR PCS. THE MAIN OBJECTIVE IN STRATEGY GAMES IS THAT YOU START CONFIGURING A NATURAL LANDSCAPE BY ADDING FIRST DWELLING ELEMENTS, CITY BLOCKS, PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND ULTIMATELY EVENTS THAT SHAPE YOUR CITY. SO IF YOU INITIATE A LARGE FIRE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, AND IF YOU HAVEN'T PLANNED FOR ENOUGH FIRE STATIONS IN THE AREA, THE NEIGHBORHOOD WILL BURN, WHICH WILL CAUSE IT TO DEVALUATE, PERHAPS INVITE DRUG DEALERS TO SET UP BUSINESS, AND IN THE FUTURE, CITY OFFICIALS WILL DECIDE TO BRING THE NEIGHBORHOOD BACK TO LIFE. FIRST THERE WILL BE ARTISTS LOOKING TO RENT BIG SPACES FOR LITTLE MONEY, SLOWLY SOME RESTAU RANTS AND GALLERIES WILL COME, THEN SMALL BUSI NESS UNTIL IT BECOMES A TOTALLY GENTRIFIED AND EXPENSIVE AREA AGAIN. SO, IN THE COURSE OF A GAME YOU BUILD UP A SCENARIO, AND YOU WATCH YOUR CITY GROW OR COLLAPSE. YOU EXPERIENCE YOUR CITY FROM A CITY PLANNER AND ARCHITECT POINT OF VIEW. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO GET TO EXPERIENCE CITIES AT MAXIMUM VOLUME ARE THOSE PLAYING THE ARCADE GAMES DOOM, HEXEN, URBAN TERROR 2.4 ETC. IN THE ARCADE GAMES, YOU GET TO FULFILL YOUR WILDEST CITY FANTASIES, YOU GET TO KILL THE ENEMY, PROTECT THE INHABITANTS OF THE CITY, AND BE A HERO. OR OF YOU ARE PLAYING ONE OF THE NEW GENERATION ARCADE GAMES LIKE GRAND THEFT AUTO, YOU GET TO BE THE BAD GUY AND WORK FOR THE MOB, STEAL CARS, SHOOT HELPLESS PEDESTRIANS, AND GENERALLY DO ANYTHING YOU LIKE. THESE GAMES ARE SET UP MORE LIKE A SCENARIO OF POSSIBILITIES FOR PROPOSAL REALIZED AS PART OF THE STOCKHOLM AT LARGE WORKSHOP .ORGANIZED BY FARGFABRIKEN CENTER FOR ART AND ARCHITECTURE, KTH SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND THE CITY PLANNING OFFICE OF STOCKHOLM.
REAL NEW STOCKHOLM
EXPERIENCE AND ITS UP TO YOU TO INITIATE THEM. THERE IS NO ENEMY IN PARTICULAR, AND NO SPECIFIC WAY TO WIN, YOU FIGURE IT OUT AS YOU PLAY ALONG. YOU CAN ALWAYS SIT BACK AND EXPERIENCE CITY LIFE. THERE IS A STRIKING DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DESIGN AND EXPERIENCE: DESIGN IN ALL THE STRATEGY GAMES IS ALWAYS VISUALIZED IN AN ISOMETRIC OR AXONOMETRIC VIEW. THESE VIEWS ARE USED WHEN THERE IS NOT ONE SPECIFIC FOCUS BUT AN ALL-ROUND, UNIVERSAL VIEWPOINT: A CONTROL VIEWPOINT. IN THIS VIEW, A SQUARE GRID LOOKS RHOMBOID, IT IS A FLAT-3D VIEW. EXPERIENCE ON THE OTHER HAND IS ALWAYS VISUALIZED IN PERSPECTIVE, SPECIFICALLY THE USERS' PERSPECTIVE MAKING CLEAR THAT THE GUY FIGHTING THE MONSTERS IS YOU. THIS PERSPECTIVE MAKES THE EXPERIENCE REAL. THE CITY GRID IS TRANSLATED INTO POINTS OF CONVERGENCE, LINES LEADING INTO A SPECIFIC POINT IN THE HORIZON. TO DESIGN A REAL NEW STOCKHOLM, WE USED A MASTER PLAN BASED ON THE WAY AN ISOMETRIC GRID LOOKS IN THE SCREEN, A GRID THAT IS NOT ORTHOGONAL 90 DEGREE ANGLE, BUT 30-60. THE REAL CITY IS EXPERIENCED AS AN ISOMETRIC GRID IN PERSPECTIVE. THE REAL NEW STOCKHOLM IS A LIVING BRIDGE CONNECTING THE KÄRSÖN AND FÅGELÖN ISLANDS TO BROMMA AND BREDANÖ/SÄTRA. FIRST THE INFRASTRUC TURE GRID IS SET IN PLACE, CONNECTING BOTH THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURAL LINES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISLANDS, MAINLY THE E4 ALL THE WAY TO ARLANDA AS WELL AS SMALLER HIGHWAYS AND ROADS. A RHOMBOID CITY BLOCK MODULE IS REPEATED THROUGHOUT, TO CONFIGURE THE CITY GRID. AS THE GRID INITIALLY TAKES THE FORM OF STREETS, EACH BLOCK IS STUDIED SEPA-
RATELY TO DECIDE ITS MODE OF HABITATION. AS THE NEW CITY IS LOCATED BETWEEN THE MOSTLY WEALTHY AREA OF BROMMA AND THE MOSTLY IMMIGRANT AREA OF BREDANÖ/SÄTRA, IT ATTEMPTS TO CREATE A NEW SITUA TION WHERE VARIOUS SOCIAL LEVELS CONNECT AT ONCE. DUE TO THE LARGE VARIETY OF SETTINGS IT CONTAINS, IT CAN PROVIDE HABITATION BY VARIOUS INCOME LEVELS. ESSENTIALLY THE CITY FABRIC IS USED AS A PHYSICAL BRIDGE TO CONNECT THESE PREVIOUSLY ISOLATED ISLANDS. AS IT CROSSES OVER, IT INHABITS THE ISLANDS THEMSELVES, OR SIMPLY USES THEM AS URBAN NATURE. BY TAKING THE FORM OF A SKEWED GRID, THE BOAT-LIKE CITY BLOCKS SPREAD ONTO THE LANDSCAPE AND THE WATER, CREATING SMALL BAYS OR ENCLOSED AREAS OF WATER BY LEAVING SOME CITY BLOCKS EMPTY, SEASIDE VIEWS ON EDGE CONDITIONS, HIGH-RISES AND VILLA SITUATIONS. FROM THIS JUXTAPOSITION OF URBAN FABRIC AND NATURAL LANDSCAPE SEVERAL NEW CONDITIONS ARISE. THESE RANGE THE MANMADE URBAN ARCHIPELAGO, TO SMALLER SCALE SITUATIONS THAT CREATE A STRONG VARIETY IN THIS NEW CITY. THESE ARE URBAN BEACHES, AREAS FOR URBAN SPORTS, AND FURTHER ELABORATED THESE WOULD INCLUDE URBAN SAIL ING, INDOOR RECREATION AREAS LOCATED NEXT TO OR ON THE WATER, ECO-DUCTS, INDOOR SKIING, AND ISLANDS FORMED AS LAKES ETC. MOSTLY THESE ARE INVERSIONS OF CONDITIONS ALREADY EXIST IN SWEDEN, BUT HERE THEY ARE REFRESHED WITH A NEW URBAN POINT OF VIEW. THE NEW STOCKHOLM AMPLIFIES THE EXISTING CITY TO THE VOLUME LEVEL OF A METROPOLIS BUILT IN NATURE. A WILD DENSITY. REAL NEW STOCKHOLM
ISOMETRIC VIEW
REAL NEW STOCKHOLM
DOCUMENTATION PHOTO TAKEN DURING STOCKHOLM AT LARGE
REAL NEW STOCKHOLM
PLAN VIEW
REAL NEW STOCKHOLM
THE INSIDE-OUT HOUSE IS EVERYWHERE. TODAY, WHEN YOU HAVE A COMPUTER CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET, YOU HAVE THE LARGEST MANMADE LAND SCAPE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE. WHEN YOU ENTER AN ONLINE CHAT ROOM YOUR BEDROOM BECOMES A PUBLIC SPACE AND IF YOU USE A WEB CAM, ANYBODY CAN SEE YOU. WHEN YOU CROSS A CROWDED PUBLIC PLAZA, TALKING ON YOUR CELL PHONE TO YOUR LOVER, THE PLAZA BECOMES YOUR BEDROOM.THESE REVERSED CONDI TIONS OF INSIDE AND OUTSIDE ARE COMMON TODAY, ALMOST BANAL. IN ARCHITECTURE, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN CONSIDERED A MERIT FOR A HOUSE TO CONNECT WELL TO THE OUTSIDE, ARCHITECTS TALK OF SPACES THAT FLOW SEAMLESSLY TO THE OUTSIDE, TO NATURE. NOW THE OUTSIDE IS INSIDE. THIS STUDY ATTEMPTS TO CON FIGURE THE HOUSE INSIDE-OUT. INSIDEOUT HOUSE
C.G. ANIMATION ON DVD 2’ LOOP ED.10 + A.P. 2002 COURTESY ANALIX GALERIE, GENEVA.
INSIDEOUT HOUSE
C.G. ANIMATION ON DVD 2’ LOOP ED.10 + A.P. 2002 COURTESY ANALIX GALERIE, GENEVA..
INSIDEOUT HOUSE
C.G. ANIMATION ON DVD 2’ LOOP ED.10 + A.P. 2002 COURTESY ANALIX GALERIE, GENEVA.
INSIDEOUT HOUSE
PAUSE IS A SPACE THAT'S NOT REALLY THERE. THE AESTHETIC OF THE SPACE ASSIMILATES THE TEXTURES AND LIGHTING OF A COMPUTER GENERATED IMAGE. BUILT IN FEBRUARY 2002 FOR THE EXHIBITION "JEAN-PIERRE KHAZEM IN A SPACE BY ANDREAS ANGELIDAKIS", THE 220 SQ M PAVILION WAS DEMOLISHED IN MAY 2002: A VIRTUAL SPACE PAUSED TO MATERIALIZE FOR ONE MONTH IN STOCKHOLM. PAUSE IS A SPACE DESIGNED TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED. PAUSE IS CONCEIVED AS A SPACE FOR PER FORMANCE, PHOTOGRAPHY AND EXHIBITION OF JEANPIERRE KHAZEM. PAUSE EXISTS BETWEEN TWO MAIN WALLS THAT ARE PERPENDICULAR TO THE FARGFABRIKEN SPACE, PAUSING THE PROCESSION OF COLUMNS. THESE WALLS ARE CLAD IN MIRROR, THAT MAKE PAUSE DISAPPEAR INSIDE THE SPACE THAT CONTAINS IT. THE SPACE ITSELF BECOMES AN OBLIQUE LABYRINTH, A CONTINUOUS SPACE THAT HAS NO DOORS, ENTRANCES OR EXITS, BUT A FLOW OF MOVEMENT SIMILAR TO THAT OF A CORRIDOR. KHAZEMS' MODELS APPEAR TO BE HAVE PAUSED ON THEIR WAY TO SOMEWHERE ELSE. DURING THE PER FORMANCE, THE PUBLIC STANDS OUTSIDE PAUSE, PER CEIVING THE MODELS THROUGH OPENINGS AND REFLECTIONS.
"PAUSE: JEAN-PIERRE KHAZEM IN A SPACE BY ANDREAS ANGELIDAKIS" CURATED BY JAN AMAN ALL MATERIAL COURTESY FARGFABRIKEN WWW.FARGFABRIKEN.SE CONSTRUCTION GENEROUSLY PROVIDED BY SKANSKA.
PAUSE
PAUSE SPACE PHOTO BY ANDREAS ANGELIDAKIS 2002 COURTESY FARGFABRIKEN, STOCKHOLM.
PAUSE
PHOTO BY JEAN-PIERRE KHAZEM COURTESY EMANUEL PERROTIN PARIS AND FARGFABRIKEN STOCKHOLM.
PAUSE
INSTALLATION SNAPSHOT
PAUSE
PAUSE SPACE PHOTO BY ANDREAS ANGELIDAKIS 2002 COURTESY FARGFABRIKEN, STOCKHOLM.
PAUSE
THERE USED TO BE A TIME WHEN PARTS OF THE PLANET REMAINED UNEXPLORED, AND WOULD BELONG TO THE FIRST PERSON THAT CLAIMED THEM. NOW THE ENTIRE WORLD IS DIVIDED UP INTO SOME TYPE OF PROPERTY. FROM CONTINENT TO COUNTRY TO STATE TO CITY TO NEIGHBORHOOD TO BUILDING TO APARTMENT TO ROOM. ARCHITECTURE HAS DEFINED ALL THESE DIVI SIONS AND SCALES OF PROPERTY. ONE OF THE MOST ELEMENTAL GESTURES OF ARCHITECTURE IS TO SELECT A PIECE OF LAND, AND TRANSFORM IT INTO A HOME. A PIECE OF PRIVACY IN A PUBLIC SPACE. IN THE 1977 FILM "POWERS OF TEN" THE CAMERA STARTS BY SHOWING THE 1X1 METER AREA OF A PICNIC BLANKET, GRADUALLY ZOOMING OUT TO THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE, THEN BACK IN UNTIL THE INTERIOR OF AN ATOM. MAYBE TODAY IT WOULD BE ENOUGH TO FOCUS ON A GOOGLE SCREEN. SOMETIMES THE MOST PRIVATE SPACE THAT YOU CAN HAVE IS THE INTERFACE ON YOUR SCREEN. SOMETIMES IT IS THE MOST PUBLIC. A PICNIC BLANKET IS THE MOST ELEMENTAL NOTION OF PRIVATE SPACE, AND ONE COULD IMAGINE SUCH A BLANKET THAT EXTENDS ENDLESSLY, FAR ENOUGH TO COVER THE WHOLE WORLD. THERE IS SUCH A BLANKET TODAY, AND IT IS CALLED CELLS-PACE . IT IS THE INVISIBLE NETWORK OF WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS, THAT EXISTS OVER TOPOLOGY AND PROPERTY INVISIBLE HOME
INFORMATION. ONE COULD ARGUE THAT CELLS-PACE EXTENDS A HOME OVER THE LANDSCAPE, AND MUCH FUR THER THAN THE EYE CAN SEE. TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS US TO ROAM THIS CELL-SPACE WITH A HANDHELD DEVICE, A PORTABLE INTERFACE/ HOME. AS THE INTERNET AND WIRELESS CONNECTIONS RENDER GEOGRAPHY OBSOLETE AND IT NO LONGER MATTERS WHERE YOU ARE, CELL-PHONE USERS ANSWER THEIR PHONES: "WHERE ARE YOU?", A NATURAL REACTION TO THE FACT THAT IT DOES NOT MATTER WHERE YOU ARE. AND THE MORE IT DOESN'T MATTER, THE BETTER WE CAN DEFINE IT. NOT ONLY CAN YOU SAY WHERE YOU ARE, BUT THANKS TO G.P.S. NETWORKS YOU CAN EASILY GIVE YOUR EXACT COORDINATES: "I'M AT HOME". ALL THE IMAGES ARE VIEWS OF THE INVISIBLE HOME, I.E. A NATURAL LANDSCAPE FLOODED WITH INFOR MATION SUCH AS CELL PHONE SIGNALS, WIRELESS COM MUNICATIONS ETC. THE PLANES ARE DERIVED FROM THE INITIAL LANDSCAPE THAT I USED, AND IN CERTAIN SEGMENTS OF THE FILM THEY FLOAT TO CREATE A LAND SCAPE THAT IS NOT ONLY ENDLESS IN LENGTH AND WIDTH, BUT ALSO HEIGHT. IT IS LIKE TRYING TO INHABIT THE SPACE OF INFORMATION THAT EXISTS AROUND US, AND ARE ALL BASED ON THE ASSUMTION THAT ALL THE SPACE AROUND US IS INHABITED BY DATA. IN "THROUGH THE INVISIBLE HOME" THE CAMERA TRAVELS THROUGH THESE INCREMENTAL CHANGES OF THIS LANDSCAPE (FROM SOLID EARTH + WATER TO COMPLETELY FRAGMENTED PIECES OF LAND FLYING AROUND). IN "TOWARDS AN INVISIBLE HOME" THE CAMERA IS STATIC, AND THE LANDSCAPE MORPHS AND MOVES TO INHABIT THE NEW DATA SPACE. THE ENTIRE PROJECT IS BASED ON A VERY
SIMPLE PREMISE: THAT WHEN WE ARRIVE AT A PLACE APPARENTLY UNTOUCHED BY MAN, LIKE THE INITIAL LANDSCAPE, A PLACE WHERE THERE ARE NO VISIBLE BUILD INGS OR HARDWARE, BASICALLY, THERE ARE ALREADY A SET OF STRUCTURES IN PLACE. THESE STRUCTURES ARE INVISIBLE, THEY RANGE FROM COORDINATES TRACKED BY GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEMS (GPS) WIRELESS SIG NALS, CELLSPACE: INFORMATION THAT ALLOWS US TO COMMUNICATE, AND AT THE SAME TIME SURVEY OUR EXIS TENCE. SO THE INVISIBLE HOME IS THE PLACE WHERE A NATURAL LANDSCAPE, A PRIMAL EXISTENCE OF MAN, REACTS TO ALL THE DATA THAT EXISTS EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME. ALL THE PLANES ARE SQUARE IN PLAN, JUST BECAUSE VISUAL INFORMATION IS NOWADAYS ALWAYS DIVIDED IN SQUARES: PIXELS. OF COURSE THESE PLANES HAVE DEPTH, AND THEY REFERANCE THE PIXELS USED IN COMPUTER GAMES, WHICH ARE CALLED VOXELS. I CHOSE THE TYPOLOGY OF "HOME", BECAUSE IT IS THE MOST ELE MENTAL NOTION OF PRIVATE SPACE, THE FIRST BUILDING THAT MAN CREATES WHEN ARRIVING AT A NEW PLACE. AS THE MOST ELEMENTAL SPACE, THE HOME HERE IS SOME TIMES TRANSLATED INTO A PIXEL, OR A VOXEL, BUT SOME TIMES IT LOOKS LIKE A LEAF BLOWN BY THE WIND, A PIECE OF AN ENDLESS PUZZLE. ALL THESE PIXELS CREATE AN ENDLESS HOME, A SPACE WHERE THERE IS NO MORE THE DISTINCTION OF INSIDE AND OUTSIDE, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, HOME AND AWAY. IT IS ALL HOME, ALL AWAY, ALL VIS IBLE AND ALL INVISIBLE. THE INVISIBLE HOME WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART IN ATHENS GREECE,FOR THE EXHIBITION "BIG BROTHER: ARCHITECTURE AND SURVEILLANCE" JUNE 2002. INVISIBLE HOME
WEBSITE WWW.INVISIBLEHOME.COM UNIQUE PIECE 2002 COURTESY ANGELIDAKIS.COM.
INVISIBLE HOME
STILL FROM C.G. ANIMATION ON DVD 3’ 20” LOOP ED.10 + A.P. 2002 COURTESY ANALIX GALERIE, GENEVA.
THROUGH THE INVISIBLE HOME
STILL FROM C.G. ANIMATION ON DVD 3’ 20” LOOP ED.10 + A.P. 2002 COURTESY ANALIX GALERIE, GENEVA.
TOWARDS AN INVISIBLE HOME
STILL FROM C.G. ANIMATION ON DVD 3’ 20” LOOP ED.10 + A.P. 2002 COURTESY ANALIX GALERIE, GENEVA.
TOWARDS AN INVISIBLE HOME
STILL FROM C.G. ANIMATION ON DVD 3’ 20” LOOP ED.10 + A.P. 2002 COURTESY ANALIX GALERIE, GENEVA.
THROUGH THE INVISIBLE HOME
COMING SOON
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COMING SOON
TETRIS MOUNTAIN
COMING SOON
NEEN WORLD
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