| P R E S E N T A T I O N S
O P E R A T I V E | R E P R E S E N T A T I O N St
w
a comparative manual guide to the publishing operations of architectural practices
Table of Contents 1
Guide Checklist |
1
About the Guide | Introduction
2
About the Method | Comparative Methodology
3
Guide Manual | Overview
5
Getting Started | Analysis
7
Rem Koolhaas | Office for Metropolitan Architecture
7
El Croquis N53+79 OMA Rem Koolhaas 1987-1998
11
Architecture + Urbanism 94:08
15
Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large
21
Comparison | Photography
29
Comparison | Drawings & Diagrams
37
45
Comparison | Text Steven Holl | Steven Holl Architects
45
El Croquis N58+93+108 Steven Holl 1986-2003
51
Architecture + Urbanism 98:08
55
Intertwining
57
Comparison | Photography
65
Comparison | Drawings & Diagrams
73
Comparison | Text
81
Confirming Contents
Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa | SANAA
81
El Croquis N77[I]+99+121/122 SANAA 1983-2004
89
Japan Architect JA 56
91
SANAA: Works 1995-2003
95
Comparison | Photography
105
Comparison | Drawings & Diagrams
115
Comparison | Text
125
To Learn More | Bibliography
126
Appendix | Postscript
w
1 1
Guide Checklist | Confirming Contents
About the Guide | Introduction
Dust Cover
Traditionally, architecture is experienced through real time and spatial contact with a physical built work. As architecture proceed into the twentieth century with extensive development and availability of various mass media, specifically the printed media, architectural experience becomes one that is frozen in time, eternalized within the space of the printed media. The way in which architecture is presented and therefore experienced on printed matter subsequently becomes an important operative representation. Not unlike the individualized style and method of different architectural practices, operative representation of any architectural idea or built work can also be seen as non-neutral, highly subjective and even manipulative and distorted. This study is established within the gap of factual presentation and operative representation and seeks to use a comparative matrix of published built works by three architectural practices for closer examination.
h
Guidebook
2 2
About the Method | Comparative Methodology A comparative matrix is set up, based on a preestablished criteria consisting of: • three architectural practices geographically located across the world [ Rem Koolhas, Office for Metropolitan Architecture, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Steven Holl Architects, New York, USA; Kazuyo Sejima & Ryue Nishizawa, SANAA, Tokyo, Japan] • one museum project from each practice that is completed [ Kunsthal, 1992, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, Helsinki, 1998, Finland; The 21st Century of Contemporary Art, 2004, Kanazawa, Japan] • the work is published in three different format of publication, namely a monthly issue periodical [Shinkenchiku-sha, Tokyo, Japan], a seasonal issue periodical [El Croquis, Madrid, Spain] and a selfpublished monograph.
Using this comparative matrix as a graphical analytical framework, each museum project by the three architects can be examined through its publication in the three different publishing formats. Through a deadpan serial layout, this study attempts to express the consistencies and ambiguities of the representation of each project across the three publications, in order to analyze and critique the publishing operation of each architectural practice. Eventually, this graphical analytical exercise can also be seen as an instigation of architectural publishing operations that serve to set up apparent dialogue across different architectural practices as well as architectural publication formats which may seem autonomous in nature.
|
El
Croquis
N53+79,
OMA
Rem
Koolhaas
7|8
9 | 10
O
M
P
El
Croquis
C
O
N78+93+108,
Steven
M
P
94:08
Croquis
95 | 96 | 105 | 106 | 115 | 116
Holl
+
99
+
I
S
P 97 | 98 | 107 | 108 | 117 | 118
O
61 | 62 | 69 | 70 | 77 | 78
122,
Sejima
Nishizawa
83 | 84
M
27 | 28 | 35 | 36
Architecture
49 | 50
R
121/
O
||
1986-2003
59 | 60 | 67 | 68 | 75 | 76
N.77[I]
O
S
25 | 26 | 33 | 34 | 41 | 42
A
81 | 82
C
Urbanism
I
47 | 48
57 | 58 | 65 | 66 | 73 | 74
El
R
23 | 24 | 31 | 32 | 39 | 40
45 | 46
|
+
11 | 12
A
21 | 22 | 29 | 30 | 37 | 38
|
Architecture
w
C
3
||
1987-1998
63 | 64 | 71 | 72
SANAA
1983-2004
85 | 86
A
R 99 | 100 | 109 | 110 | 119 | 120
I
S 101 | 102 | 111 | 112 |
||
Small,
13 | 14
Medium,
Large,
15 | 16
Extra-Large
|
17 | 18
19 | 20
N
4
Guide Manual |
| 43 | 44
+
Urbanism
98:08
||
51 | 52
Intertwining
53 | 54
|
55 | 56
N | 79 | 80
||
Japan
Architect
87 | 88
S 121 | 122
JA
||
56
89 | 90
O
N 103 | 104 | 113 | 114 | 123 | 124
SANAA:
Works
91 | 92
1995-2003
Overview
This analysis is organized as three separate parts, each for one architectural practice. Within each part, the three different publishing layouts of the same project are arranged and organized in a deadpan order in terms of publishing formats. Each individual page is coupled as a double spread, highlighting any apparent relationships and contrast within each spread, as well as the flow, rythmn, connections and sequence of the presentation across the spreads of each project. These layouts are overlaid and analyzed together as an entity, as a serial cinematic format to seek out and understand the system of photographs, drawings and text used to explain each project. |
93 | 94
5
w
6
Getting Started | Analysis
El Croquis N53+79 OMA Rem Koolhaas 1987-1998 1998, El Croquis Editorial, Madrid
7
196 | 197
202 | 203
204 | 205
8
198 | 199
200 | 201
206 | 207
208 | 209
9
210 | 211
212 | 213
218 | 219
220 | 221
10
214 | 215
216 | 217
222 | 223
224 | 225
Architecture + Urbanism 94:08 1994, A+U Editorial, Shinkenchiku-sha, Tokyo, Japan
11
108 | 109
114 | 115
116 | 117
12
110 | 111
112 | 113
118 | 119
120 | 121
13
122 | 123
124 | 125
130 | 131
132 | 133
14
126 | 127
134 | 135
128 | 129
Small, Medium, Large, Extra-Large 1995, Rem Koolhaas, Bruce Mau Monacelli Press, New York
15
430 | 431
436 | 437
438 | 439
16
432 | 433
434 | 435
440 | 441
442 | 443
17
432 | 433
434 | 435
440 | 441
442 | 443
18
436 | 437
438 | 439
444 | 445
446 | 447
19
448 | 449
450 | 451
456 | 457
458 | 459
20
452 | 453
454 | 455
21
Hans Werleman | Photography
Hans Werleman | Photography
CĂŠsar San MillĂĄn | Photography
Hisao Suzuki | Photography
Christian Richters | Photography
Hans Werlemann | Photography
Hans Werlemann | Photography
22
Christian Richters | Photography
Christian Richters | Photography
Hans Werlemann | Photography
23
Hisao Suzuki | Photography
Hans Werleman | Photography
24h
Christian Richters | Photography
Christian Richters | Photography
Hans Werlemann | Photography
25
Hisao Suzuki | Photography
Christian Richters | Photography
Christian Richters | Photography
Hisao Suzuki | Photography
Christian Richters | Photography
Hans Werlemann | Photography
26
Hans Werlemann | Photography
27
Hans Werlemann | Photography
28
29
OMA | Circulation Diagrams
OMA | Circulation Diagrams
OMA | Diagram
30
31
OMA | Plan & Section
OMA | Unfolded Elevations
OMA | Plan & Section
OMA | Plans
OMA | Plan & Section
OMA | Plan
32
OMA | Section
& Section
OMA | Section
OMA | Plan & Section
OMA | Section
OMA | Plan & Section
33
OMA | Reflected Ceili
ing Plan
34
35
OMA | Plan
OMA | Plan
OMA | Plan
OM
MA | Plan
36
OMA | Section
OMA | Sections
37
OMA | Project Description
OMA | Project Description
Andrew McNair | Criticism
OMA | Project Introduction
Dialogue from Waiting for Gobot by Samuel Beckett | Circulation storyboard
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
38
OMA | Project Description
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
39
.
.
.
.
.
.
Dialogue from Waiting for Gobot by Samuel Beckett | Circulation storyboard
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
40
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
41
.
.
.
.
.
.
Dialogue from Waiting for Gobot by Samuel Beckett | Circulation storyboard
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
42
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
43
.
.
.
.
.
.
Dialogue from Waiting for Gobot by Samuel Beckett | Circulation storyboard
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
44
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
El Croquis N78+93+108, Steven Holl 1986-2003 2003, El Croquis Editorial, Madrid
45
242 | 243
248 | 249
250 | 251
46
242 | 245
246 | 247
252 | 253
254 | 255
47
256 | 257
258 | 259
264 | 265
266 | 267
48
260 | 261
262 | 263
268 | 269
270 | 271
49
272 | 273
274 | 275
50
276 | 277
Architecture + Urbanism 98:08 1998, A+U Editorial Shinkenchiku-sha, Tokyo, Japan
51
16 | 17
22 | 23
24 | 25
52
18 | 19
20 | 21
26 | 27
28 | 29
53
30 | 31
32 | 33
54
354 | 35
Intertwining 1996, Steven Holl Princeton Architectural Press, New York
55
88 | 89
94 | 95
96 | 97
5
90 | 91
92 | 93
98 | 99
100 | 101
57
Hisao Suzuki | Photography
Jussi Tiainen | Photography
Hisao Suzuki | Photography
58
| Photography
Jussi Tiainen | Photography
Steven Holl Architects | Model Photography
Steven Holl Architects | Model Photography
59
Hisao Suzuki | Photography
Hisao Suzuki | Photograph
Jussi Tiainen | Photography
Jussi Tiainen | Photography
Jussi Tiain
Steven Holl Architects | Model Photograph
hy
nen | Photography
hy
60
Hisao Suzuki | Photography
61
62
Hisao Suzuki | Photography
Hisao Suzuki | Photography
63
64
65
Steven Holl Architects | Site Plan
Steven Holl Architects | Site Diagram
Steven Holl Architects | Diagrams
Steven Holl Architects | Site Plan
Steven Holl | Watercolor Sketches
Steven Holl Architects | Diagrams
Steven Holl Architects | Plans
Steven H
Holl | Watercolor Sketch
66
Steven Holl | Watercolor Sketch
Steven Holl | Watercolor Sketches
Steven Holl Architects | Sections
Steven Holl Architects | Pl
67
cts | Plans
Steven Holl Architects | Elevation
Steven Holl Architects | Details
Steven Holl | Watercolor Sketch
68
Steven Holl Architects | Plans
Steven Holl Architects | Section
69
Steven Holl Architects | Section
Steven Holl Architects | Section
Steven Holl Architects | Details
70
Steven Holl Architects | Details
Steven Holl Architects | Details
Steven Holl Architects | Details
71
72
73
Steven Holl Architects | Project Description
Steven Holl Architects| Project Description
Steven Holl Architects| Compeition Entry Description
Steven Holl Architects| Project Description
Steven Holl Architects| Competition Entry Description
74
Steven Holl Architects | Project Description
75
76
77
78
79
80
El Croquis N.77[I]+99, Sejima Nishizawa SANAA 1983-2000 2000, El Croquis Editorial, Madrid
81
308 | 309
El Croquis N.121/122, Sejima Nishizawa SANAA 1983-2004 2004, El Croquis Editorial, Madrid
60 | 61
82
310 | 311
312 | 313
62 | 63
64 | 65
83
66 | 67
68 | 69
74 | 75
76 | 77
84
70 | 71
72 | 73
78 | 79
80 | 81
85
82 | 83
84 | 85
90 | 91
92 | 93
86
86 | 87
88 | 89
94 | 95
96 | 97
87
98 | 99
100 | 101
106 | 107
108 | 109
88
102 | 103
104 | 105
Japan Architect 56 2005, The Japan Architect Shinkenchiku-sha, Tokyo, Japan
89
16 | 17
90
18 | 19
SANAA: Works 1995-2003 2003, Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa TOTO, Tokyo, Japan
91
00 | 00
00 | 00
00 | 00
92
00 | 00
00 | 00
00 | 00
00 | 00
93
00 | 00
00 | 00
94
00 | 00
00 | 00
95
Shigeo Ogawa | Photography
Shigeo Ogawa | Photography
96
Hisao Suzuki | Photography
97
SANAA | Model Photography
98
Hisao Suzuki | Photography
Hisao Suzuki | Photography
99
Hisao Suzuki | Phot
tography
100
Hisao Suzuki | Photography
Hisao Suzuki | Photography
101
Hisao Suzuki | Photography
102
103
104
105
SANAA| Site Plan
SANAA| Plan
SANAA | Plan
SANAA | Plan
SANAA | Plan
106
SANAA | Detail Plan
SANAA | Detail Plan
SANAA | Detail Plan
107
108
SANAA| Plan & Elevation
SANAA| Plan & Elevation
109
SANAA| Details
SANAA| Details
110
111
SANAA| Detail Plan & Details
SANAA| Detail Plan
112
SANAA| Details
SANAA| Detail Plan
SANAA| Detail Plan
113
SANAA| Detail Plan
SANAA| Detail Plan & Section
114
SANAA| Detail Plan & Section
115
SANAA | Competition Entry Description
SANAA | Competition Entry Description
SANAA | Project Description
Japan Architect Editorial| Project Description
SANAA| Project Description
SANAA| Project Description
116
117
118
SANAA | Project Description
119
120
121
122
123
124
w
125
To Learn More
| Bibliography
1. El Croquis N53+79, OMA Rem Koolhaas 1987-1998, 1998, El Croquis Editorial, Madrid 2. El Croquis N78+93+108, Steven Holl 1986-2003, 2003, El Croquis Editorial, Madrid 3. El Croquis N.77[I]+99+121/122, Sejima Nishizawa SANAA 1983-2004, 2004, El Croquis Editorial, Madrid 4. Architecture + Urbanism Editorial, A+U 94:08, 1994, Shinkenchiku-sha, Tokyo 5. Architecture + Urbanism Editorial, A+U 98:08, 1998, Shinkenchiku-sha, Tokyo 6. The Japan Architect Editorial, The Japan Architect JA 56, 2005, Shinkenchiku-sha, Tokyo 7. OMA. Koolhaas, Rem and Mau, Bruce, Small, Medium, Large, Extra-Large, 1998, Monacelli Press, New York, NY 8. Holl, Steven, Intertwining, 1996, Princeton Architectural Press, New York, NY 9. Sejima, Kazuyo and Nishizawa, Ryue, Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa/ SANAA: Works 1995-2003, 2003, TOTO, Tokyo, Japan
126
Appendix | Postscript This comparative analysis of the three publications of three projects by three architects is set up as a matrix to allow a process of distillation. This distillation process breaks down the publication of the built works by these architectural practices, offering, on one hand, a method of understanding how a single project is being represented by neutral, objective journals as well as subjective monographs, on the other hand, a method of understanding the various styles and subjectivities of each type of publication. Through this organization, this study could serve to suggest a way of reading, comparing and perceiving the intentions and methods of architectural publications in its entirety.
Operative Representation is a research publication by Ernest Ng H. H, designed and produced for “Publishing as Practice,” a seminar class conducted at University at Buffalo by Michael Kubo in Spring 2009, as part of his Banham Fellowship at the School of Architecture & Planning. Michael Kubo is currently appointed as the 2008 Banham Fellow at the University at Buffalo, School of Architecture & PLanning. Michael studied at the University of Massachusetts, where he received his B.A. in Architecture magna cum laude in 2000, and at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, where he received the M.Arch in 2006, completing his thesis with distinction. His current practice spans across the domains of writing, teaching, editing, and publishing. Kubo’s editorial work is based on an alternative understanding of publishing as a critical form of architectural practice, in which publications can give structure to architectural concepts and elaborate new methodologies where the production of the book-object and modes of architectural investigation are inseparable in form and content. Some of the most prominent architects of the last century have also been prolific publishers, editors, journalists, critics, and authors. In this history, publishing has been a strategic tool utilized by architects for its unique capacity both to frame the practice of the architect and to perform as a critical form of architecture itself. Kubo’s research at Buffalo focuses on the history of publications by architects—manifestoes, monographs, pamphlets, magazines, articles, and interviews—that have constituted this parallel form of architectural practice in the twentieth century. Ernest Ng is currently a M.Arch candidate at University at Buffalo, School of Architecture & Planning. Prior to his graduate studies in Buffalo, he was in professional practice at Steven Holl Architects in New York City. Ernest studied at the National University of Singapore where he received his B.A in Architecture and has also spent a year of study abroad at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, as part of a M.Arch program from Singapore.
w
O P E R A T I V E | |
First published in the United States of America in April 2009 Lulu Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book maybe reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the author. Copyright
c
2009 Ernest Ng H.H.
Researcher, Editor, Designer : Ernest Ng H.H. Collaborator: Michael Kubo Printed and bound in USA