The Library of Unbabel by Daniel Springer

THE LIBRARY OF UN-BABEL Beirut faszinierte mich seit mehreren Jahren. Es ist eine Stadt, die in jüngster Vergangenheit sehr viel gelitten und dadurch auch erfahren hat. Nicht nur die Stadt, sondern auch ihre Bürger. Zudem ist es eine Stadt voller Gegensätze, und Gegensätze haben mich schon immer interessiert. Zum größten Teil darum, weil sie Konflikt bedeuten. Ein Konflikt muss aber nicht nur mit Waffen oder Gewalt ausgetragen werden. Vielmehr kann ein Konflikt auch positive Momente beinhalten, und zwar im Sinne einer Debatte, bei der alle Teilnehmer partizipieren und den eigenen Standpunkt vertreten. Die Frage dabei ist nur, ob die Teilnehmer mit dem jeweiligen Grad an Konfliktpotential umgehen können. Architektonisch betrachtet bietet die Stadt generell ein hohes Konfliktpotential; Beirut besonders. Sie befindet sich im Aufschwung, der durch dubaiesque Investorenarchitektur gekennzeichnet ist. Zum anderen gibt es auch zahlreiche Kriegsruinen und zudem ein starkes Bewußtsein über die Existenz an eigenem kulturellem Erbe. Diese zwei Tendenzen sorgen für eine große Debatte innerhalb der Beiruter Stadtplanung. An dieser Debatte möchte ich mich mit meiner Master-Arbeit beteiligen, da ich die Möglichkeit sehe, mein Konzept des Potentials von unfertigen Situationen zu testen. Beirut bietet viele unfertige Situationen. Sie ist eine Stadt im Zustand des dauerhaften „Werdens“. Eine prozesshafte Stadt ist eine Stadt mit Gegensätzen; mit unterschiedlichen Akteuren und kritikfähigen Bürgern. Für meine Master-Arbeit habe ich mir eine kulturelle Ruine ausgesucht, die im Spannungsfeld von Abriss und Neunutzung ist. Dieses Spannungsfeld möchte ich für eine Neuinterpretierung der monumenthaften gebrochenen Gebäudestruktur nutzen.

Projekt The Library of Un-Babel Ort Beirut, Libanon von Daniel Springer

THE LIBRARY OF UN-BABEL Online Bericht der Zeitung ‚Lebanon Now‘ BEIRUT‘S HERITAGE TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER? Just off Martyr‘s Square in the shadows of a long-abandoned, hulking concrete mass, the strumming of a guitar and the murmur of easy conversation and laughter fill the humid monday night air. Dozens of twenty-something “heritage activists” have come out for what they have dubbed the “eggathering” to—according to the facebook event page—“celebrate [the egg‘s] iconic presence... Further awareness about the importance of preserving our heritage,” and to “understand why lebanon is being sold piece by piece under the ‚patronage‘ of solidere, to non-lebanese.” The egg or, alternatively, the “dome” or “bubble,” was modernist lebanese architect Joseph Philippe Karam‘s creation. Completed in 1968, the Egg itself was a 1,000-seat movie theater and, with plans to buttress it with two towers, was to be part of the largest commercial center in the middle east. Only one tower was ever constructed, and it is now long gone. But after 15 years of civil war and decades of threats of demolition, the bullet-riddled, concrete ovule-shaped structure still stands, an undeniably distinctive icon of Beirut‘s city center, its war scars an object lesson in lebanese political history. Controversy over the Egg is nothing new. Demolition has seemed imminent over and over again only to be postponed. Over the years, many development plans have been put forth. In the early 1990s the Finance Ministry considered the Egg as a headquarters and even began construction of a new tower next to it. In 2004 Harvard-trained Lebanese architect Bernard Khoury put forth a well-received plan that would leave the crumbling plaster and mortar holes of the Egg as a grim reminder of the civil war and create gallery and exhibition spaces below ground. Both plans were ultimately still-born, and the Egg remained as is— frozen in time. More recently, the grounds of the Egg have been used as a cultural event space, hosting art exhibitions, theater programs, parties, and an event memorializing the Lebanese “disappeared” from the civil war.

“I‘m here saying goodbye to the Egg,” said one of the Eggathering organizers, Mira Minkara. “I‘m realistic. It‘s going to be completely changed. It‘s sad... It won‘t be ours anymore. After Solidere [all of] downtown is not my space.” The sense of nostalgia for a past slipping away as construction giant Solidere‘s breathtaking makeover of downtown plows forward was echoed by Joanna Hammour, a member of the related group Save Beirut Heritage. “We‘re being robbed of our heritage, it‘s not fair... We wish people would mobilize for all Beirut‘s heritage sites.” “Enthusiasm is needed. Other palaces and buildings have been destroyed and people did nothing,” added Naji Raji, who is too young to have patronized the center himself when it was operational but still felt a connection. “My mom came here. There was a really good sweet pastry shop... Buses parked outside. On the lower floors there were buses to Tripoli and all over Lebanon, a real public bus station. [Architecturally], its shape is unique and it has no internal pillars. The Egg [represents] a phase when Beirutis became modern.” “Do we need more hotels, more offices?” chided fellow event organizer Pia Bou Khater. “Beirut lacks public cultural space that is accessible to everyone...and is charming and unique. Downtown is unwelcoming. [Much of it] is closed off, and it’s only for elites and Gulfis... We need a cultural gathering place.” Just weeks ago, rumors of the Egg‘s imminent demolition were quashed by the urban planning department of Solidere, which administers the site (the Saudi company Olayan owns the land), and assurances were given that developers would integrate the Egg and “keep the shell.” However, many at the Eggathering argued that Solidere still enjoys special privileges and is still not transparent or forthcoming, and that rumors and criticism can only stop if their development plans are made public, particularly the details of the internal renovation of the Egg and its surroundings. Khater proposed that, ideally, there would be more community input in the process. “Let‘s make a case study out of it and hire a local architect,” she said.

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Pl채ne der existierenden Ruine, Quelle: Mak-Builders

(A French architect is rumored to be tagged for the design). Others, including those from Save Beirut Heritage, insisted that what is needed in the long-run is a preservation law that would protect all old buildings in Beirut from demolition. In the long struggle over the fate of the Egg, two things are clear: The real estate is too valuable for the property to remain unused forever, and the building is too funky, historical, and loved by Beirutis for them to see it demolished without a fight. (Source: Lebanon Now, https://now.mmedia.me/ lb/en)

SideWalk Limit

Steel Stairs

Ramp Toward

The First Basemen

Boundary Limit

Slab Limit Open Space

Concrete Step

Slab Limit

Open Space

Concrete Wall

Tower Crane Base

SideWalk Limit

Ramp Toward

The First Baseme nt

Tower Crane Base

CHURCH RUIN

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Dokumentarfilm „Saving the Egg“ von Aimee Merheb

THE LIBRARY OF UN-BABEL 1975-1990 B端rgerkrieg

Beirut 1982, Photo: Fouad Elkoury

THE LIBRARY OF UN-BABEL Karte Libanon & Karte Beirut; Quelle Wikipedia Libanon Fläche: 10.400 km2 Einwohner: 4.017.095 (Juli 2009) Dichte: 386,3 Einwohner/km2 Städtische Bevölkerung: 87 % Religion: 59,7 % Muslim (div. Untergruppen) 39,0 % Christen (div. Untergruppen) 01,3 % Andere Beirut Fläche: ca. 100 km2 Einwohner: 2.060.363 (2012) Dichte: 20.604 Einwohner/km2 Bezirke: 12

LEBANON MAP

TRIPOLI

Religion 59,7% Muslime (div. Untergruppen) 39,0% Christen (div. Unergruppen) 1,3% Andere

BAALBEK BEIRUT

SIDON

Libanon Fläche: 10,400 km2 Bevölkerung: 4.017.095 (Juli 2009) Dichte: 386,3 Einwohner/km2 Städtische Bevölkerung: 87%

DISTRICTS BEIRUT Beirut Fläche: ca 100 km2 Bevölkerung: 2.060.363 (2012) Dichte: 20.604 Einwohner/km2 Städtische Bevölkerung: 87%

AIN EL-MREISSE HAMRA & RAS BEIRUT

QANTARI

GEMMAYZE & MAR MIKHAYEL CENTRAL BEIRUT

ZOUQAQ EL-BLAT & BASTA ASHRAFIYE

MOUSSEITBEH MAZRAA Bezirke Beirut ist in 12 Bezirke aufgeteilt. Es existieren aber noch weitere in der urbanen Agglomeration.

THE LIBRARY OF UN-BABEL Temperatur-, Niederschlags- und Hรถhendiagramm, Quelle: ETH Studio Basel/Wikipedia

200 50 40

150

100

Hรถchsttemperatur je Monat

Niederschlag mm je Monat

35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

Durchschnittliche Temperatur je Monat

Mount Lebanon (2200m) Beirut (0m)

Beqaa Valley (940m)

Anti Lebanon

Distanz ca. 80 km

Damascus (690m)

Syrian Desert

THE LIBRARY OF UN-BABEL St채dtische Entwicklung Beiruts seit 19Jh bis heute; Quelle: ETH Studio Basel

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33째53`13``N 35째30`47``E Google Maps

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Hรถhen-Stadtmodell 1:10.000

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Beirut: Dichte und Straßennetzwerk

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Stadtmodell 1:2000

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Urbaner Kontext der Ruine

AXONOMETRIE

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Fotos der aktuellen Situation; April 2013

When Modernsim appears Brutalist „The absolute war has become reality, the monolith is its monument“ - Paul Virilio1 Beirut is very explosive. Not just because of the critical political situation also in terms of architecture and city planning. It seems that there are quite different opinions on how to deal with cultural heritage in Lebanon. As we recall images of post-war situations in 2006 and earlier in 1990, we see plenty of damaged buildings, clouds of smoke and debris. Now after six years of planning, developing and rebuilding Beirut, there are damaged buildings still standing as ruins in-between of investor identified new developments. Right in the spotlight of the city‘s constant discussions on preservation or demolition in Beirut, there is a building situated in the city center, which is still abandoned, war-scarred and also behaves very strangely in the existing urban fabric. During the internet research you‘ll find very odd labeling for that building commonly nicknamed „the Dome“, „the Egg“ or „the Soap“. After all, you‘ll find out this is not just an abandoned brutalist building, planned to function as a bunker or a water tank. Rather, it was planned for cultural purposes, namely to be a movie theater. In 1965 The Egg was commissioned as part of a Modernist set of buildings by the Lebanese architect Joseph Philippe Karam. The whole ensemble was thought to be the „Beirut City Center,“ a multi-use complex, which concentrated mainly on the hybridization of two programs: leisure (shopping mall, cinema) mixed with office spaces. If you look at the drawings of the original project by Karam, The Egg is just more or less an unobtrusive part of the whole set of buildings, which consists of two high towers and the egg shaped-shell sticking out of a large column supported plinth. But during several periods of war in-between 1975 and 2006, the ensemble largely disappeared. The Egg is the only part of Karam‘s plan for the „Beirut

City Center“ that survived the constant amputation over the decades of urban warfare, bombings and the further demolition of war-ruined parts of the city. So the appearance of the remaining structure namely The Egg has shifted from being unobtrusive to eye-catching. What you can see now in the city center of Beirut is more or less the reminiscent of the Bunker in the sense of Paul Virilio‘s „Monolith,“ which survived several wars, but still stands there and has become a monument. Also It simultaneously recalls the Brutalist architecture of Claude Parent, especially the Church of Sainte Bernadette de Banlay, in Nevers, France, but with scars, holes and other penetrations caused by constant unstableness. Finally the original planned „Beirut City Center“ transformed from being a clearly elaborated modernistic ensemble to a seemingly brutalist monument which is now perceived as the Egg due to it‘s remaining iconic shape. On a website, dedicated to the work of Karam, you‘ll find a description of his projects as follows: „One finds in his various works the revolutionary creativity of Le Corbusier, the fluid, more refined, formality of Oscar Niemeyer, and occasionally the brutal power of Kenzo Tange.“2 Maybe that is what the building went through during the decades of heavy amputation. It changed its faces and concludes being one of the most Brutalist building no one could ever imagine. Daniel Springer (originally written for clog-magazine) 1 Paul Virilio, Bunkerarchäologie (Wien: Passagen Verlag, 2011), 68. 2 Joseph Philippe Karam – Pioneer of Modern Architecture in Lebanon <http://www.joseph-philippe-karam.com/>

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Proteste um die Wahrnehmung des kulturellen Erbes; Fotoquelle: The Daily Star Online; Textquelle: ETH Basel

Values of Urban Cultural Heritage We identitfy four general values of urban cultural heritage. The first value of urban cultural heritage is artistic. The unique and admirable architectural styles of historic buildings are seen as a universal heritage, an outstanding example of the cultural production of humankind that must be presered as such. This is along the same line of thought as UNESCO present opposite. The second value is socio-political. Urban cultural heritage is used to preserve or reinvent a certain identity. These identities that often exist in resistance to other more dominant identities, such as colonial, global, or commercial identities. There is not only the idea of preserving one single identity. There is also that dealing with all the issues that would generate a profound discussion about the identities to be preserved and give all the different identities the right to be expressed in the landscape. This would help society grapple with a difficult history, and „the memory of stones“ to use Jad Tablet‘s phrase, would not only support certain identities but also help pacify unstable societies. The third value of urband cultural heritage is economic. „Authenticity sells“ as Robert Salida has stated, and is expressed in the use of existing local architecture and traditions, which can provide a ‚distinction‘ and can help to promote and sell a city. Therefore, urban cultural preservation is also seen as an important contribution to the economic development of a city, region or country. The former leader of the World Bank, John Wolfensohn, refers to this trend by saying: „For too long the range of values provided by culture attributes and artefacts has not been recognised - their role in job creation, social cohesion, tourism, and so on. Cultural preservation and renewal is not a luxury good, something to be done later. It is a productive sector.“ The fourth value of urban cultural heritage is academic. Academic heritage is predominantly used by architects, historians, and art historians as a rare testimony of a specific society and culture in the past.

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Das Konzept der Green LIne w채hrend des Civil Wars

The Green Line was a line of demarcation in Beirut, Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War from 1975 to 1990. It separated the mainly Muslim factions in West Beirut from the Christian Lebanese Front in East Beirut. The appellation refers to the coloration of the foliage that grew because the space was uninhabited. (source: wikipedia)

GREEN LINE BEIRUT

WEST BEIRUT

OST BEIRUT

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Verfügbare Raumgröße

The return of public libraries For the past 36 years Lebanon has had no national library. It was destroyed during the 15-year civil war, with books and archives being scattered in shelters located throughout Lebanon. It took two decades for the Ministry of Culture to step up and announce that in 2011, the Lebanese people will receive a much awaited gift: a new national library that will be set up in the Sanayeh area and that will hold 200,000 books and manuscripts in several languages. Work is scheduled to start this month. But prior to 2011, Lebanese book lovers could not bear to live in a country that didn’t have a national library. So they chose the next best thing. A group of passionate librarians, architects and activists created Assabil Association, which started to put pressure on the Municipality of Beirut to build public libraries around the city. “Before and during the civil war, there were no libraries in schools,” the head and founding member of Assabil Association, Lina Tannir, said. “If there were, they were in bad shape, which was an alarming situation. We wanted to fill in the gaps. Children had no access to books. And it is not just about them, but also about the local residents who need access not only to books, but also to newspapers and the Internet,” she added. Currently, there are only three public libraries in Beirut. The Bachoura library is the biggest one in Lebanon and is located in the Sodeco area, with two smaller libraries that can be found in Monot and Geitawi. “The forth one will be in Tariq al-Jdideh, and we have projects for eight more libraries in Beirut alone,” Tannir said. After the 2006 July War, the association came up with the idea of having mobile libraries dubbed the Kotobuses, which were a success. “We thought of bringing books to people who couldn’t reach libraries. The Kotobuses are doing well, and they go to public schools in Beirut as well as the suburbs. They also stop in public places, such as gardens, once a week,” she explained. The Municipality of Beirut covers the costs of functional operations of the three public libraries, speci-

fically pertaining to staff, wages and maintenance. Funds for buying books, furniture or training staff are often donated. According to Tannir, the three Beirut libraries are linked through the Internet and have an online database that allows the reader to search for the book he wants and find out which of the three libraries has it. The capital’s libraries, as well as the other 25 small public libraries scattered throughout Lebanon, will be connected to the national library’s database. Assabil has 31 members after it was first established 14 years ago in 1997. What gives Tannir hope is that most of them are under 30. “Most of the people working with us are young. They train the staff working in public libraries, and they supervise a resource center for book professionals,” she explained. However, the need to have a public library in any given neighborhood is not just about borrowing books; it is also about socializing. Tannir said that not only school children benefit from the three libraries in Beirut. “We have around 60 people who regularly come to the soirees at the library to listen to authors reading from their books and to listen to famous players performing at our weekly events,” she said. Whether it is about promoting reading or creating a social network, one can only hope that the return of public libraries be welcomed with the appreciation that it deserves. Ana Maria Luca - source: now.mmedia.me January 11, 2011

SPACE DIMENSION

884 qm

1700 qm

3169 qm

4160 qm

3065 qm

4160 qm

3065 qm

4160 qm

3065 qm

4160 qm

3065 qm

4160 qm

3065 qm

29.722 qm

24.247 qm

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Bibliotheksgrößen im Vergleich

COMPARISON OF SIZES

Public LIbrary Downtown Beirut

Neue Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart

BibliothĂ¨que national Francois Mitterand

Seattle Public Library

24.000 qm

20.200 qm

60.000 qm

34.000 qm

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Nutzung der Ruine

Liste an öffentlichen Bibliotheken in Libanon: Public Library of Aitat – the Touc Assaf Cultural Center (Chouf, Mount-Lebanon) Public Municipal Library of Aitit (South) Public Municipal Library of Aley – the Municipality of Aley and the Aley Women‘s Association (Mount-Lebanon) Public Library of Baadarane (Chouf, Mount-Lebanon) National Library of Baakline (Chouf, Mount-Lebanon) Public Library of Babliye – the Association for Solidarity and Social Development (South) Public Library of Barouk (Chouf, Mount-Lebanon) Public Library of Batroun (North) 1st Public Municipal Library of Beirut – the ASSABIL Association (Bachoura, Beirut) 2nd Public Municipal Library of Beirut – the ASSABIL Association (Geitawi, Rmeyl, Beirut) Public Library of Beit Meri (Mount-Lebanon) Public Municipal Library of Bocsmaya (Batroun, North) Public Municipal Library of Hammana – the Nagib Abu Haidar Library (Baabda, Mount-Lebanon) Public Library of Hermel (Bekaa) Public Municipal Library of Jezzine (South) Public Municipal Library of Joun (Mount-Lebanon) Public Library of Kefraya al-Koura – the INMAA Association (North) Public Library of Khreybet Chouf (Mount-Lebanon) Public Library of Miniara (Akkar, North) Cultural Center for Francophone Activities, Mtein, the Association for Words, Art and Light (Mount-Lebanon) Public Library of Saida – the Maarouf Saad Center (South) Public Library of the Cultural League in Tripoli (North) Municipal Public Library of Zahleh Bibliobus – AILES Association (South) Bibliothèque Parlante (Library for the Blind) – YAB Association (Beirut)

PROGRAMME

Public Monument

Urban Lobby EXHIBITION Exhibition Spaces Lecture Spaces / Screening

Meeting / Coffee Office Facilities Technical Facilities

LIBRARY Reading Spaces / Niches Lecture Spaces / Screening Archive

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Nutzung der vorhandenen Struktur. Augenmerk liegt nicht auf den Betondecken sondern den St端tzen.

COLUMN CLOUD

THE LIBRARY OF UN-BABEL Bestehende Erschließung. Ungenügend für Bibliotheks nutzung.

EXISTING CIRCULATION

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Inspiration der Turm(bau) zu Babel; Quelle: Google Images

Der Turmbau zu Babel 1 Alle Menschen hatten die gleiche Sprache und gebrauchten die gleichen Worte. 2 Als sie von Osten aufbrachen, fanden sie eine Ebene im Land Schinar und siedelten sich dort an. 3 Sie sagten zueinander: Auf, formen wir Lehmziegel und brennen wir sie zu Backsteinen. So dienten ihnen gebrannte Ziegel als Steine und Erdpech als Mörtel. 4 Dann sagten sie: Auf, bauen wir uns eine Stadt und einen Turm mit einer Spitze bis zum Himmel und machen wir uns damit einen Namen, dann werden wir uns nicht über die ganze Erde zerstreuen. 5 Da stieg der Herr herab, um sich Stadt und Turm anzusehen, die die Menschenkinder bauten. 6 Er sprach: Seht nur, ein Volk sind sie und eine Sprache haben sie alle. Und das ist erst der Anfang ihres Tuns. Jetzt wird ihnen nichts mehr unerreichbar sein, was sie sich auch vornehmen. 7 Auf, steigen wir hinab und verwirren wir dort ihre Sprache, sodass keiner mehr die Sprache des anderen versteht. 8 Der Herr zerstreute sie von dort aus über die ganze Erde und sie hörten auf, an der Stadt zu bauen. 9 Darum nannte man die Stadt Babel (Wirrsal), denn dort hat der Herr die Sprache aller Welt verwirrt, und von dort aus hat er die Menschen über die ganze Erde zerstreut. Genesis, Kapitel 11.

THE LIBRARY OF UN-BABEL Konzept des invertierten Turm zu Babel; Öffnung der vorhandenen Struktur für natürliches Licht und Luft. Facebook Konversation mit einer libanesischen Künstlerin über die Notwendigkeit einer Bibliothek 8:59pm Daniel Springer „what happened to green parks? what happened to libraries?“ that s also a concern I m interested in and working on in beirut. on a site in beirut I‘m planning a public library for my thesis project. just to forward you this on the subject of public libraries. let me know what you think, because I m collecting opinions. https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/ reportsfeatures/_the_return_of_public_ libraries 9:37am xx hello daniel, thank you for the link. where will your public library take place? and is it part of assabil chain? 10:45am Daniel Springer the site I m planning it is the old theatre dome. I m not fond of the new developments in the downtown area. in my opinion there should be more free spaces instead of density as solidere are trying to plan it. well actually I don t know exactly what assabil chain is, so it is not part of this. I guess it s a „chain“ or organisation who wants to forward the idea of public libraries, but I m not sure if it is good or bad what they are doing. so my interest or concept of planning a public library on this particular site is not related to the idea of assabil chain. it s more a conceptional approach. but as I do like the architecture of the old theatre dome , I ll keep it as public monument with a public library beneath the groundlevel. so far my ideas 10:55am xx the old theater dome is a beautiful monument, and has a lot of potential. i always thought of it as a venue as well. its acoustic is naturally sharp due to the perforations in its walls after the war. is it still true that it will be demolished? is your public library project in it applicable? or is it just a concept? any help you would need from my side would be more than a pleasure for me to offer.

11:03am Daniel Springer the actual plan is this or let s say the last state of the art 11:04am Daniel Springer which means like no go for this ! 11:04am xx are you in lebanon this summer? 11:04am Daniel Springer well not planned yet why? 11:05am xx to discuss it over and see how we could act or are you planning to make this project from afar? or to limit it to a concept which will not be applied on the ground? 11:14am Daniel Springer well it is a fictive project. in the first case I m presenting it to gain my diploma degree. but more and more I see the importance of (national) library in Beirut. or I call it a place for knowledge on the former seperation line. yes its a concept so far. I can invite you to the exhibition in july (!) if you are not so far away from stuttgart? afterwards I will see. but the actual developments in beirut are interesting and the top-down planning strategy really questionable. I like that the people are awake and they show that they don‘t want everything to be built what is going to be plannend 11:16am xx i am here until the 10th of july only. your project is interesting and can be taken seriously in the sense of applicable. unfortunately, contrary to what it seems to you, the people are NOT awake and this is why we must act and spread the awareness of

E CONCEPT OF UNBABEL NATURAL LIGHT

AIR

â&#x20AC;&#x153;void contains in itself all the potential of the space, all the relation not written and experienced. [..] Void is the place of tension of something that will be, a space in power, but also the only place where the recollection of reality, the composition of the parts, fragments, of life can happen.â&#x20AC;? Simone Pizzagalli

THE LIBRARY OF UN-BABEL Konzept angewendet an der vorhandenen Ruine. the danger beirut has been or is still heading to. 11:22am Daniel Springer well you are right probably I see it differently. the majority in beirut I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;t know. I see and read the discussions on forums like save beirut heritage and others. So I grab the image of people who do care about things going on. but the public opinion I cannot grab, because my circles doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;t reach so far. the exhibition is opening on the 10th. but I ll send you some things. because I m interested in what you think. 11:26am xx ok : )

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Diagrammatische Herangehensweise

BABEL

UNBABEL

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Platzierung der Öffnungen

Öffnung neue Erschließung Lichtöffnung

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programmatisches Diagramm der neuen Funktionen

URBAN LOBBY

0 bis -2 URBAN LOBBY

Markt / Soukh Hang-out

URBAN LOBBY

Café restaurant Büchertausch-regale

PUBLIC LIBRARY

Bibliothek Seminarräume Magazinbereich

PUBLIC LIBRARY

Bibliothek Mediathek Archiv kinderbereich

PUBLIC LIBRARY

Bibliothek Gruppenbereiche Archiv

PUBLIC LIBRARY

Bibliothek stiller Arbeitsbereich Archiv

-3 bis -6 PUBLIC LIBRARY

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Inspiration durch Gebäudesprengungen

Der Begriff Situation ersetzt den der Architektur – set of circumstances, a state of affairs, location. – die Situation ist bestimmt durch den Zustand. Demnach ist die Situation weitaus mehr als die Architektur an sich. Die Architektur ist Teil der Situation, genauso wie Menschen und Orte. Um ein komplettes Bild einer Situation zu bekommen, muss man das Zusammenspiel von Orten, Architekturen, Menschen und deren Umstände betrachten. Das Adverb unfertig verstärkt den schon nicht materiellen Zustand der Situation im Sinne eines laufenden und offenen Prozess, welcher nicht fertig sein kann, da er im Begriff ist ständig zu werden. Die unfertigen Situationen werden teilweise produziert oder entstehen aus sich selbst heraus. Sie sind vielseitig in ihrer Ausprägung. Im Allgemeinen sind wir nicht gewöhnt, mit unfertigen Situationen umzugehen. Sie suggerieren uns Brüche, die eine eigene Ästhetik entwickeln. Diese Situationen sind Bestandteil eines Prozesses, und entfalten erst dadurch eine gewisse Ästhetik (Logik). Erst unsere Vorstellungskraft erweckt das Potential der unfertigen Situationen. Die Vorstellung darüber, was einmal war, und was einmal sein kann. Die unfertigen Situationen liegen zwischen Start und Ende, Abfahrt und Ankunft, Vergangenheit und Zukunft. Es wird kein klares Bild vermittelt, deswegen werden unendlich viele Assoziationen hervorgerufen. Es ist die Grauzone des Transits. Die Wiederaneignung liegt im Auge des Betrachters. Sie liegt in den Möglichkeiten seiner Fantasie. Die situationistische Internationale hat Ende der 1950er Jahre das Konzept der Situation zum allgegenwärtigen und namensgebenden Programm auserkoren. Constant Niewenhuys, ein Mitglied der Situationisten, drückt es deutlich aus: „wir haben vor, hier Situationen zu schaffen – neue Situationen.“1 Anhand Techniken wie Dérive (Umherschweifen) und Détournement (Zweckentfremdung) wurden Möglichkeiten definiert, um neue Situationen hervorzurufen. Daraus entstanden zugleich neue vielseitige Experimentierfelder in einer sonst gewohnten Umgebung. Lebbeus Woods beschreibt die Aufgabe von experimentellen Räumen - “an ex-

perimental space, that is, one that gives us the opportunity to experience a type of space we haven’t experienced before. Whether it will be a pleasant or unpleasant experience; exciting or dull; uplifting or merely frightening; inspiring or depressing; worthwhile or a waste of time, is not determined in advance by the fulfillment of our familiar expectations, because we can have none, never having encountered such a space before. We shall simply have to go into the space and pass through it, perhaps more than once.”2 Das Experiment liegt in der Möglichkeit durch die Veränderung, Adaptierung und Nutzung neue Raumerfahrungen entstehen zu lassen. In diesem Sinne sind die Arbeiten von Gordon Matta-Clark erinnerungswürdig, der durch die Freilegung häuslicher Strukturen neue Perspektiven, Räume und letztendlich Situationen schaffte. “A simple cut or series of cuts acts as a powerful drawing device able to redefine spatial situations and structural components.”3 Daniel Springer (entnommen aus dem Vorwort der wissenschaftlichen Arbeit „Unfertige Situationen“ an der Staatlichen Akademie der Bildenden Künste Stuttgart)

THE LIBRARY OF UN-BABEL Konzeptstudien am Modell. Ă&#x2013;ffnung der bestehenden Struktur TWELVE SUBVERSIVE ACTS TO DODGE THE SYSTEM 01. Open the imaginary 02. Operate in illusion 03. Dislodge the immobile 04. Think continuity 05. Surf on the surface 06. Live the obliqueness 07. Destabilize 08. Use the fall 09. Fracture 10. Practice inversion 11. Orchestrate conflict 12. Limit without closing by Claude Parent, 2001 Quelle: Magazin 032c

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Lageplan

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Grundriss Erdgeschoss

ERDGESCHOSS 1:200

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Grundriss Untergeschoss -1

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Grundriss Untergeschoss -2

„Ich behaupte daß die Bibliothek kein Ende hat. Die Idealisten argumentieren, daß die sechseckigen Säle eine notwendige Form des absoluten Raums seien, oder zumindest unserer Anschauung des Raums. Sie geben zu bedenken, daß ein dreieckiger oder fünfeckiger Saal unfaßbar sei. (Die Mystiker behaupten, daß die Ekstase ihnen ein kreisförmiges Gemach offenbare, mit einem großen kreisförmigen Buch, dessen Rücken rund um die Wand läuft; doch ist ihr Zeugnis verdächtig; ihre Worte sind dunkel. Dieses zyklische Buch ist Gott.) Für jetzt mag es genügen, wenn ich den klassischen Spruch zitiere: Die Bibliothek ist eine Sphäre, deren eigentlicher Mittelpunkt jedes beliebige Sechseck, und deren Umfang unzugänglich ist.“ Die Bibliothek von Babel von Jorge Luis Borges

UNTERGESCHOSS -2 1:200

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Grundrisse Untergeschosse -3 bis -6

UNTERGESCHOSS -3 1:200

UNTERGESCHOSS -4 bis -6 1:500

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Diagrammatik der Öffnung

141,15 m2

1.095,62 m2

141,15 m2

1.095,62 m2

-1

31,91 m2

905,02 m2

-2

82,27 m2

733,01 m2

-3

62,65 m2

595,72 m2

-4

518,50 m2

-5

-6

THE LIBRARY OF UN-BABEL Konzept neue Erschließung

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Schnitt durch die geöffnete Ruine mit hängenden Gärten

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Detail-Renders des Schnitts

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Industrieestrich 3cm Stahlbetondecke 50cm

Abbruchkante Stahlbeton

Industrieestrich 3cm Stahlbetondecke 50cm

Stahl U-Profil

3cm

Flansch aus Stahl Abbruchkante Stahlbeton

Stahltreppe

Detailplan 1:20

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Terrassen

Begr端nung

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+7,26

+5,00

-4,12

-8,98

-12,48

-8,98

-15,97

-19,52

-12,48

-22,75 -15,97

-19,52

-22,75

Strukturdiagramm Gr端nterassen

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Darstellung einer Ansicht auf das Monument

PERSPEKTIVE

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Pr채sentationsposter

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Modellfoto

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Detailfotos des Modells !:100

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Pr채sentation; Fotos: Janis Rozkalns

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Pr채sentation; Fotos: Janis Rozkalns

Ort Beirut, Libanon Fotos Daniel Springer

ÂŠ Daniel Springer, 2013 Dank an: Wasili Seidensal, Frederick Rein, Benjamin Albrecht, Franziska GlĂśckler, Samuel Schmidt, Aimee Merheb, Wael Hag Shammas