SEEKING TRUTH LISA LAZAR BUILDING THEORIES PROF. STAUFFER
“When I allow these spaces and all that is in them to affect me as a whole, then I have the clear impression: this is beauty, this is truth.”
-Mies Van Der Roheʼs description of the Tugendhat house- 1
During the construction of the Tugendhat house, Mies Van Der Rohe refined his
vision of the truth and of beauty. The modernist style was said to be chaotic and lacking the understanding of warmth of architecture. Mies wanted to find organization through this chaos and chose to take a stance on truth and beauty. Linking the two together, he came to the conclusion that architecture, in the pursuit of beauty, is really pursuing a form of the truth. Taking an influence from St. Thomas Aquinas, Mies found truth to be a transcendence of the spirit, a path one must constantly revisit. Truth became a way to make space come to life and bring a higher meaning to the ordinary form. Unfortunately, Mies didnʼt really define the details of what the word ʻtruthʼ would mean in architecture. Reading Miesʼs strong convictions of the pursuit of the truth and believing that all architecture should portray a higher purpose, one can only wonder what is this ʻtruthʼ that Mies speaks of. How can a structure achieve this beauty, this truth, especially with the ever-changing standards of the current architecture time? In this essay, I will attempt to locate and explain ʻtruthʼ in terms of art and architecture.
1
Daniella Tugendhat. The Tugendhat House pp.31
Mies’ Truth
The Tugendhat house was built 1930, right after the Barcelona Pavilion, one of
Miesʼs greatest works. The Barcelona Pavilion played on Miesʼs ideas of functionalism and the Tugendhat house followed this idea. Like the mechanical precision of a Ford automobile plant, functionalism pushed architecture to be clean, simple and rational.2 The form of a building also seemed to be just an expression of the interior function. When less was more and decoration was a sin, the functionalist movement seemed to leave little room for provocative emotions and sublime revelations in a space.
Along with the rationalizing of space, Mies put great focus on materials. As the
article explains Miesʼs fondness of materials and design,
“According to Mies, only if materials are used in their true essence can architecture be saved from the idolatry of the object.” 3
He used steel as structureʼs bones, stone as its heart, and glass for its lungs; thus breathing life into his modern designs. Mies also loved the usage of reflective materials. In the Barcelona Pavilion, Mies plays with marble and steel. Perhaps these reflective qualities could be an answer to his idea of the ʻtruthʼ. Truth isnʼt something that is hiding on the outside, but maybe something that one must look for in his or her self.
Mies wasnʼt only fascinated with the building materials, elements of the natural
world also influenced his designs. Light, wind, and water were conjugation to take the viewer to another spiritual level. Like Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies found a way to connect the man made world with the intricacies of nature. Providing the buildings with ribbon
2
Antonio Roman “Simplicity, Rationalism, and Austerity”, A&T Magazine. 26 May 2008
3Javier
Mozas, “The Morality of Materials”, A&T Magazine. 22 May 2008
windows that opened up to nature, brought these natural elements in and blurred the line between the building and the surrounding environment.
Finding Truth in Phenomenology & Spirituality
The question becomes how does the organization, functionalism and the
materiality move the viewer closer to spirituality. Does spirituality automatically reveal the truth? One could look at spirituality and argue that phenomenology struggles with the same issue of human experience and achieving a higher revelation through these experiences. In the book Anchoring, Steven Holl examines how these experiences form a concept and how that concept may form an idea of the truth.
“Although the experience of semi-transparent planes of glass defining a space with a glow of light presents a sensory experience irreducible to a stated concept, this inexpression is not a gap between concept and phenomena, but the range or field where various conclusions intersect.� 4
If the truth of architecture is something that is only revealed when architecture is
experienced, then what experience constitutes a method for the truth of architecture to be revealed? Architecture is designed to superimpose a feeling or emotion on the viewer, maybe not always following the typical emotions of spirituality, but enhancing the sense of a higher revelation or deeper meaning. Totalitarianism was a movement that was propagated to evoke certain emotions in the viewer. HitlerĘźs Germania is a perfect example of this movement. Designing buildings and spaces that were enormous in
4
Steven Holl, Anchoring pp.10
scale, Albert Speer dismissed any inclinations of the sense of self in the German people.5 No longer was Germany made up of individuals, but a society of chess pieces ready to be commanded to their next move. These ideologies were probably not the answer that Mies thought of when he talked about the ʻtruthʼ in architecture. Yet, how can one dismiss such strong feelings that have been created by this style of architecture? If an architectural style still stings the public and seems to hold onto its hurtful baggage, then perhaps the ʻtruthʼ of the architecture is not about the meaning at the time that it was built but about the impact it carries throughout time.
Space provides Truth, not Buildings
Mies also puts emphasis on the materiality of the building, the physical building
itself. As mentioned before, materials save architecture. But there has been some argument recently pertaining to the abstract force that moves architecture: space. Is a building really beautiful if the space it holds doesnʼt reflect this same beauty? Can space destroy a buildingʼs truth? Can they even be thought of as two separate items that needed to have separate considerations? Bernard Tschumi would argue that they are separate entities, and each represent a different aspect of the truth. He has even configured a new phrase for this particular styles: “event-space”. In an interview with the Journal of Architectural Education, Tschumi relates much of architecture to that of a play or stage performance. Much of his research is based on movement in a film. Movement pertaining not only to the movement of actors on a stage, but movement of the lighting,
5
Albert Spear, Inside the Third Reich. Simon & Schuster <http://www.german-architecture.info/ GERMANY/TEN/TEN-NS-10.htm>
soundtrack, or even the switching of the camera views in a scene. Each of these elements create and enhance an experience in time. He relates these experiences to similar experiences that are created in architecture. He argues that the building is much like the work of the cameras or the music for the soundtrack, it merely is used to create these spaces and experiences.
“We were simply trying to deal specifically with space, and its experience. As I would always say, concept and experience is what makes architecture” 6
Even Heidegger explains space as the soul behind the truth. He is quoted,
“Second, the places are embodied by means of sculptural forms. These embodiments are the character which constitute the place. Sculptural embodiment is therefore the ʻincarnation of the truth of Being in a work which founds its placeʼ ” 7
Perhaps Mies might have been incorrect when emphasizing that materiality give
the building its truth. Much like the argument from Phenomenology, experiences, created by space, explains the truth of architecture.
Paper Architecture, Paper Truth
Thom Mayne also emphasize the importance of experience and how space
affects its viewers. When asked about how he views one of his most famous works, Diamond Ranch High School, Mayne describes his building as almost a beacon used to inspire people. Coming from a rough background and a hard childhood, one can see why Mayne would want to inspire other people or other designers. In an article in the Metropolis in March of 2003, Mayne is quoted in saying, 6
Journal of Architectural Education. Performace/Architecture-An interview with Bernard Tschumi pp.53
7
Christian Norberg-Schulz. Heideggerʼs Thinking on Architecture pp.435
“Mayne wants students to see that this building does not ʻaccept the nature of what a school is supposed to be today-the immense ordinariness. Itʼs trying to do something. It prove as illegitimate this reality that people are constructingʼ ” 8
Mayne also explains the power of the space on the school and how it affects the
experience.
“The power of the school is that it exists and interacts every day with students and teachers, and an entire educational system. ʻArchitecture canʼt just be on paper. You have to build. Thatʼs what makes us architects” 6
Mayne makes an interesting point that seems to loop back to the question of the
buildingʼs physicality. From what Mayne explains, one can derive that young architects who have not built a structure, can not provide the truth of architecture. If they can not provide this truth, then does their ʻpaper architectureʼ still produce a sense of this truth? Unfortunately, since the building is not yet built, the effectiveness of the impact may never be felt. In this case, can the buildingʼs impact or ʻtruthʼ be viewed as a bomb just waiting to go off? If a bomb is not denoted, then is it still considered a threat?
Mayne continues with the idea of ʻpaper architectureʼ as becoming a means by
which younger architects distance themselves from the general public.9 Even though Mayne also seems to agree with the importance of the buildingʼs experience or impact, by making these claims, he brushes off the idea of how a well designed space can help improve that impact.
8
Adam Davidson. Thom Mayneʼs Movement. The Metropolis March 2003 pp.122
9
Adam Davidson. Thom Mayneʼs Movement. The Metropolis March 2003 pp.83
Chaos provides Truth
Mayne also talks about another subject that is very similar to architecture and
could be pulled into Miesʼs discussion of truth. In the book A Report from the USA by Mayne himself, Mayne speaks about urban design. Unlike the last article, he doesnʼt talk about the actual buildings themselves, but about the interaction of the urban life and what the public is missing. Mayne focuses on the impact of the urban fabric and the experiences that are affected by it. Diversity is one of the main keys to his discussion. Society seems to lack it and without it, society fails. Many people seem to shy away from diversity, claiming that the city is diverse enough, but perhaps the diversity is what makes it thrive. As Mayne explains,
“Our society is subject to enormously varied and complex stimuli in its economic, political, and erotic life. Yet both the codes of inwardness and unity that have shaped our culture make it difficult to cope with the importance of diversity.” 10
When one would think of the urban fabric, one may picture a lifestyle full of
chaos, diversity and rigor. Seeking out this diversity or “chaos” might seem a little strange. Contrary to belief, cities are now trying to recreate this order and unity between its citizens. Unfortunately, the lack of diversity could hurt them more. Mayne explains his theory on why society needs this chaos.
10
“Present urban experience contradicts this-it desires to be defined through oppositions and disjunctions.....the recognition that diversity is the natural order of things. To accept this dynamic state rather than looking to replace it with something fixed, stable, whole, is to utilize the tremendous energy of the city.” 8
Thom Mayne. A Report from the USA. pp.49
Diversity may hold the key to finding the truth not only in urban design but also in
architecture. If a society yearns for oppositions and a little form of chaos, then why wouldnʼt a building require the same layout. Chaos creates experiences, experience creates truth.
Art in Truth
Art may avoid revealing a deeper meaning and create art for artʼs sake. Much of
Manetʼs art was a play on anotherʼs work. It twisted the theme of the art piece and threw it into the era of Manetʼs time. Dejeuner sur l'herbe by Manet was greatly influenced by the piece done by Titian, The Pastoral Concert.11 Dejeuner sur l'herbe was rejected by his critics and by society.
The Pastoral Concert by Titan
Dejeuner sure lʼherbe by Manet
Critics focused on the subject matter of the piece and claimed that Manet merely copied the idea from Titian, and tarnished the original intent of the art. To show a modern Parisian woman nude, among men and nature was appalling. The woman didnʼt hold the nymph like qualities, as in the original art, and seemed to emphasize the fantasy of
11
Lisa MacDonuld. Edouard Manet (1832-1883) 1999 <http://www.artchive.com/artchive/M/manet.html>
prostitution that seemed to be running rampant at the time. Manet argued that the art was not meant to be a copy of The Pastoral Concert, in fact he never intended the art to be viewed for its subject matter. Whether Manet was just ʻpulling the legʼ of his critics or really trying to persuade the public to focus more on the technique is argued today. Dejeuner sur l'herbe still remains to be one of Manetʼs greatest works, and can even be argued that it was the piece that forged the Impressionist movement.
One of Manetʼs supporters, Emily Zola, was quoted as saying,
“Painters, and especially Édouard Manet, who is an analytic painter, do not share the masses' obsession with the subject: to them, the subject is only a pretext to paint, whereas for the masses only the subject exists.” 12
Perhaps Manet was like many contemporary architects, he focused more on the form of the painting then the actual subject or experience. Since the experience has been cut out of the piece, would Mies still argue that this type of art reveals the truth? Is the truth finding the beauty in the technique or methods? Even finding the satire in the subject matter could be viewed as a peek into the truth.
The Satirical Side of Truth
Rem Koolhaas seemed to also share the views held by Manet. Koolhaas clearly
states his dislike of Miesʼs theories in his article, Miestakes, written on May 28th, 2008 on the website of A&T. After one of Remʼs works, McCormick Tribune Campus Center at the Illinois Institute of Technology was criticized for the attachment it shared with Miesʼs Common Building. Rem fired back with his article, declaring that he liked Mies, but did
12
Lisa MacDonuld. Edouard Manet (1832-1883) 1999 <http://www.artchive.com/artchive/M/manet.html>
not respect his work. The McCormick Tribune Campus Center seemed to carry on this argument. As described by Javier Mozas,
“In the Studentsʼ Center of the IIT, Rem Koolhaas has hacked off the rosy cheeks of
Mies, soiling the candor of Augustinian truth with abject materials. In the end, he says, he uses a limited palette, just like Mies. Glass and steel give way to light panels. With these panels and a patent called Panelite, which consists of a sheet of glass or polyester resin with a honeycomb core, he builds a wide variety of walls and partitions. Miesian puritanism with regards to steel, with those perfectly shaped corners drawn with exquisite candor, is transformed by the mad race toward the generic into a construction with a material as abject and iconoclastic as light paneling; a flashy, orange-toned translucent panel that recalls fast food eateries and that, in a perverse play of contrasts, brings even more attention to Miesʼs nil use of color. Here the material is not chosen for its physical properties. It intervenes in the project on a moral basis, precisely its being good turned evil.”13
Here, Rem is directly defying Miesʼs beliefs on the pure use of the materials and a higher spiritual experience. He replaces the pure materials with cheap, plastic panels, and the ʻhigherʼ experience becomes just a reminder of fast, convenience food restaurants that seem to have demoralized America.
Nonetheless, Rem has always been interested in this play on satire and uses it to
enhance his structure. In the same article by Javier Mozas, he explains,
“Koolhaasʼ penchant for the paradox and the oxymoron, which bring together phenomena that are apparently different from one another, even opposites, is a clue to his awareness of this unreal literary order. Experiences of this kind are what Koolhaas intensely looks for in his endeavor to violate Miesian puritanism. In the IIT Student Center, he no longer sets bad (schlecht) against good (gut). These are non-moral terms. Rather, it is goodness against what is evil (böse), perverse, abject. Morality comes into the picture, manifesting the true moral condition of materials.” 12
Does the beauty of Koolhaasʼs work come out in these moral conditions? Can the beauty of the conditions reveal a truth about architecture; the same truth that Miesʼs architecture was aiming to achieve?
13
Javier Mozas, “The Morality of Materials”, A&T Magazine. 22 May 2008
Conclusion
As shown above, it seems that Mies始s Augustinian principles seem to have some
flaws. What is considered beautiful or art in one piece of work, could be trash to another. Through this class and through these many readings, I came to the conclusion that like the diversity that is needed in the urban fabric, beauty in architecture needs these multi aspects to display the truth. Whether it be through form as Manet played with, the designing of space as Tschumi spoke about, or providing a sense of Holl始s spirituality; art and architecture each hold beauty. For the real truth is perhaps not following a set of assigned guidelines, but seeking out beauty in every piece of architecture.