Collecting & Curation, A Museum of Spatial Typologies by Ed Fisher

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;If the city is like some large house, and the house is in turn like some small city, cannot the various parts of the house be considered miniature buildings?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Leon Battista Alberti, Ten Books

Edward Fisher Material & Form

Collecting & Curation A Museum of Spatial Typologies

Introduction

Collections I. II. III. IV.

Methods behind the collection The content and the container Paradigms of spatial organisation Staircases

Rooms I.

Eight rooms in Porto, elements drawings & transposed rooms I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII.

II.

Bolh達o Market S達o Bento Railway Station Casa dos Vinte e Quatro Majestic Cafe Lello bookshop Capella Das Almes Church S達o Nicolau Baths & Wash house Church of S達o Francisco

Curation I.

Curating a collection of rooms

II.

Methods of arranging rooms I. II. III. IV. V. VI.

The physical representation of space through model making

Linear Form Core & Shell Frame & Object Subtractive Space Raumplan Hotel Particulier

Material Language

Critical Reflection

Bibliography

Appendix I. II.

Body In Space Preservation vs. Modernisation, critique of the real

Collecting & Curation, A Museum of Spatial Typologies

This thesis is an exploration of collections and the curation of spaces, that questions the language (/methods) of architectural production and the conventions of the design process. Why Make Collections? Collections may be formed for many reasons: from the Wunderkammer (cabinet of curiosities) collections that were designed to be a tool to elevate the owners position in society, to Bernd & Hilda Becher’s photographs of industrial typologies that invite comparison, the process of interrogation makes differences in the imagery more pronounced. Collections all have different ambitions and intents dependant on the interests of the collector. How are collections formed? The methodology for composing collections is a defining element in their display. The ceramics of de Waal are described as an ‘accumulation’ (Veiteberg, 2007) of vessels. Suggesting that the ceramic pots are interchangeable where the fundamental quality is its open endedness. In contrast to the looseness of de Waals accumulated pots, the Becher’s photography was taken using tight constraints and parameters ensuring a consistent result in the quality of the image. What is the role of the curator? Hans Ulrich Obrist (2014) defines the art of curation as ‘filtering, engaging, synthesising, framing’. These actions are devices to mediate space and the relationship between the artist and the public. The sculptor Donald Judd addresses the role of the curator by placing equal importance on the space the object occupies.

‘It takes a great deal of time and thought to install work carefully. Most art is fragile and some should be placed and never moved again.’ Donald Judd,1987

This thesis proposal examines how spatial typologies can be collected (elements), transposed (rooms) and curated (building). The study oscillates between a range of scales - elements / rooms / building - as a means for this architectural investigation. A series of culturally significant rooms found in Porto form the basis of the collection, the purpose of which is to question the character and identity of the rooms. The architect’s role is thus redefined. Acting in a quasicuratorial role one must seek new strategies drawing upon a diverse range of sources from throughout architectural history (enfilade, raumplan, etc.) to order and make sense these wide-ranging spatial types; liberated from current architectural vogues the study therefore presents a new working method for curating space interested in the relationship between the content (rooms) and the container (building). This introduces a volumetric discourse generated by the connection of the heterogeneous spaces forming an engaging sequencing of spaces. ‘Architecture is not conceived in plans, but in spaces. I do not design floor plans, facades, sections. I design spaces‘ Adolf Loos,1930

The photographic collections of Bernd & Hilla Becher

Containment diagrams, Vessel & Vitrine Content & Container

Exploration of spatial arrangements

Physical representation of space and character

Overlay of Edmund de Waal vitrine revealing the space â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;inbetweenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Fig. 1.1

Collections

Directory of Collections The directory of collections consists of four fragments. Revealing the incremental process, developing from composing general collections to the highly specific study of staircases. I. II. III. IV.

Methods behind the collection The content and the container Paradigms of spatial organisation Staircases

Methods behind the collection

The Wunderkammer (cabinets of curiosity) collections were ‘theatres of nature’ (Marotta, 2012) consisting of weird and wonderful objects of natural history. The cabinets usually belonging to members of the aristocracy embodied their owners dominion over nature and culture; the rooms in which the collections were held formed microcosms of the universe placing the owner at the centre of it. John Tradescant’s collection of curios allowed him to forge a new identity for himself, as a self made man and a cultural pioneer. The collections were a mirror to the world startling the guests with their collections of curious objects that had never been seen before. There was no clear rational to the ordering of the objects they were curated to generate awe and wonder.

Fig. 2.1, Engraving from Ferrante Imperato’s Dell’ Historia Naturale

The work of Bernd & Hilla Becher formed vast collections of photographs around a highly controlled typological study. Water Towers Cooling Towers Gastanks Coal Bunkers Blast Furnaces Were some of the specific industrial building types that the Becher’s studied and adopted their systematic methodology and serialisation of industrial structures producing a consistent collection of images. The composition of images enabled the typological study to be cross referenced, comparing the similarities and differences of the appliance like structures. Becher (2003) states, the aim and purpose of the their vast collection of photographs was to reveal the unappreciated beauty of these derelict industrial structures that represented a global industrial movement during the 19th Century.

Fig. 2.2, Collection of cooling towers

John Soane’s house at Lincoln’s Inn Fields forms the container for Soane’s collection of artefacts and art. His collection is placed through out the house and have become part of the architecture, creating a symbiotic relationship between the building and objects. The museums collection is arranged by Soane and treated as décor, each carefully cataloged item was hung in its place on the walls. The haptic quality of walls are described as a ‘piece of theatre’ covered in architectural artefacts, an inspiring experience for architecture students whom Soane had intended the building be primarily used by. The vast collection of architectural relics and art work contained his own models and drawings in the collection. These were deliberately displayed in association with the celebrated buildings of antiquity, intended to form part of the bequest to posterity as a museum.

Fig. 2.3, Architecture and the artefacts

Jacques Herzog & Pierre de Meuron are interested in the paradoxical idea of exhibiting architecture in architecture. In every exhibition they test different registers of exhibiting: the architectural exhibition as a genre in which architecture is mediated to an interested public. ‘Archaeology of the Mind’ was the title for one of their exhibitions where they objectively arranged models by their form and morphological character. Then split them into 6 categories. Transformation + Alienation Appropriation + Modification Stacking + Compression Imprints + Moulds Interlocking Spaces Beauty + Atmosphere

Gerhard Richter ’s Atlas, a collection of collages, photographs and sketches form a visual diary of his life (Urspring, 2002) that reflects his desire to create a sense of order, established through type both in context and form. He meticulously curates the arrangement of his work in space through architectural sketches, this is part of Richter’s process and therefore forms part of the collection. Curating the work to complement the spatial character of the gallery space is key for Richter. Resulting in not one of his exhibitions being the same there is a process of constant reconfiguration in relation to the inherited space. The Atlas gives an insight into Richter’s artistic practice, and the relationship between his life and his art.

Architectural exhibitions identify the hierarchy between finished buildings, sketches and models. The curator is a mediator between the artist and the public (Urspring, 2002). To achieve this he defined the rules of the game. 1. Each object has its own label. 2. No panels of text on the walls. 3. No pointers to existing buildings. 4. No documentary photos. 5. No clients models. 6. No plans. The curation of their work is used as means to convey there ideas and engage the viewer.

Fig. 2.4, Curated layout of the exhibits

Fig. 2.5, Atlas collection

The fragments exploration of methodology has informed an approach for devising the collection of transposed rooms that capture the experiential qualities of culturally significant spaces in Porto. The Wunderkammer collections introduce the relationship between the collector and the collection where the value of the collection was in its ability to elevate the owners position in society. The display of the collection was equally important as the individual objects in placing the owner at the centre of the grand collection that reflected their power in the world. This demonstrates the ability the method has to embody the value of the collection. The method of displaying objects can articulate ideas and a way of thinking; the Becherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collections implemented an ultra rational approach to the cataloguing of building types. Displayed in a methodical fashion allowed them to interrogate the built fabric of the industrial structures. The images are a portrayal of the collectors interaction with the environment. Similarly the collection of spatial typologies that form part of the thesis proposal reflect the unique environments embodied within the culturally significant rooms found in the city of Porto. Devising a working method for the process of transposing the rooms requires a select group of key reference points to draw on that define the constraints and parameters, enabling the character of the spaces to be reflected in the idiosyncrasies of the transposed rooms.

II.

The content and the container

The curation of space can dramatically alter the atmosphere and character of a space. The next excerpt in my directory of collections focuses on work that deals with the relationship between the content and the container, and looks at the curation of art work in spaces.

The ceramics of Edmund de Waal described as an ‘accumulation’ (Veiteberg, 2007) of vessels implies that his series of pots have the capacity to be altered and reconfigured. They bode something as un-sculptural as impermanence where nothing is locked into place, where the fundamental quality is its open endedness. Working in multiples allows the crafted pots to be interrogated and compared as well as the space they are exhibited in. The process and relationship of production and display is paramount. His work does not just concern the vessel, but the space it occupies in which it is seen and experienced. Placing his vessels within a vitrine which he describes as a ‘sculptural frame’ introduces a spatial hierarchy firstly the enclosed volume crafted in porcelain by hand on the potters wheel and its exchange with the ‘sculptural frame’. Secondly, the relationship between the vitrine and the room in which it is exhibited. His work has qualities at both intimate and distant scales. It is only from close up that you can appreciate the individual craft of each vessel. From far away you observe the series of multiples and the repetitive composition of the porcelain vessels within the vitrine and its contrived relationship to the room. Each Installation exudes confidence of an artist who has mastered the articulation of space (Veiteberg, 2007). Edmund de Waal is always conscious of how he intends the viewer to see and experience the work.

Fig. 2.6

Fig. 2.7

Breathturn, I 2013

Donald Judd’s sculptural objects are often fabricated as a series of multiples that are designed and curated specifically to set up a discourse between the content (the fabricated object) and the container (the gallery space). The construction process of his sculptural objects were delegated to fabricators allowing the use of industrial machines and materials. The object became highly controlled and precise where it was immediately unclear as to where the makers hands had been (Ballentine, 2012) the edges were so sharp and well detailed that the joints were almost entirely concealed. Judd was able to achieve these intricate details through collaboration with the fabricators, he states drawings were his way of ‘working the gap’ (Judd in Ballentine, 2012) refining his drawings to the necessities to reduce the confusion between drawing maker and object maker. Judd (1986) describes his work as site specific suggesting his process of design is intimately linked to particular spaces where he embraces the inherited idiosyncrasies of the space setting up a dialogue between the sculptural object and the room. Judd’s artwork places equal importance on the existing space as his fabricated objects. The fabricated volumes set up a new dialogue and a spatial hierarchy that play with the scale, light and proportion of a space.

Fig. 2.8 Sculpture in 101 Spring St, New York

Brodsky & Utkin’s ‘Columbarium Architecture’ was an architectural competition proposal for a mausoleum to preserve the buildings in Moscow of historical and architectural importance that were at risk of being demolished by the political regime in power (Nesbitt, 2003). Brodsky & Utkin’s proposal depicts an architectural fantasy where the collection of buildings are exhibited on a network of shelves that enclose the room. The image holds an ambiguity over the scale of the space, are the shelves large enough for a house to sit on, if so how do people observe the collection of preserved buildings? The rational approach to the housing of the objects suggests the columbarium is an archive for the interrogation of architectural artefacts. An interesting relationship occurs between the homogenous quality of the storage and the cherished artefacts that inhabit the shelves reflecting their distinct characters, the walls become a piece of theatre similar to the house of John Soane.

Fig. 2.9 Etches of the proposed scheme

This collection explores mediating space. The work of de Waal, Judd and Brodsky & Utkin’s all deal with repetition and the use of multiple objects. Both Judd and de Waal explicitly work in multiples challenging the modernist ideas about the unique, original and autonomous piece. Repetition reduces the importance of the individual object (Veiteberg, 2007). The artists challenge the cherished views of the modernist movement similarly the collection of transposed rooms questions how cherished context is within schools of architecture. This study of the content and the container brings to light the role of the curator who’s job is to be the anonymous link between the artists and the public; playing a crucial role in the arrangement of objects, and defining the character of space. Similarities between the curator and the architect become apparent in their ability to organise objects/rooms of which they have an intimate knowledge to create a coherent whole. In the seminal examples shown there are two elements that require curation, firstly the multiple objects and secondly the room which contains the objects. An interesting discourse unfolds where the artist considers the space occupied by his objects to be as important as the work; demonstrating the importance of the relationship between the ‘content and the container’. This notion can be appreciated on a larger scale when considering the relationship between a collection of transposed rooms that form a series of objects contained within the parameters of a building.

III. Paradigms of spatial organisation This collection allows me to interrogate complex spatial arrangements and identify methods of arrangement ranging from linear forms using enfilade to the interlocking volumes shown in the work of Loos. I am interested in articulating the notion of the architectural promenade a term coined by Le Corbusier declaring â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;architecture is experienced as one roams about in it and walks through itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (Samuel, 2010) in the arrangement of the rooms in Porto.

Frame and Object Kettles Yard, Cambridge, England 1957 - present ‘An eclectic mix of old and new forming a curious collection of modest yet sophisticated buildings’, (Gregory. R. Architectural Review, 2005, May). Kettles Yard has undergone four phases of expansion since Jim Ede first built the original cottage. 1957, Jim Ede’s house was built to accommodate his private collection, the cottage has traditional windows and a domestic character. The scale of the rooms create an intimate atmosphere whilst surrounded by his art collection. 1970 - 1984, Leslie Martin’s expansion of Kettles Yard reveals an immediate interest in space and light. As you descend from Ede’s house you enter a sequence of spaces that gradually increase in volume. Martin has produced a harmony between the domestic character of Ede’s house and the ideal environment to exhibit artwork (Gregory. R. Architectural Review, 2005, May). The informal domesticity of the expansion is highlighted in section allowing the occupant to make a visual connection between the floors. 1994, Bland, Brown & Cole‘s arcaded entrance lobby gave the gallery civic presence on the main street and provides informal gallery space, connecting with the informal nature of the spaces in the original cottage. 2014, Jamie Fobert’s proposal deals with embracing the physical and spiritual illumination the gallery posses. His work returns our attention to the potency of simple forms and volumes of making rooms. Kettle’s Yard consists of a diverse and idiosyncratic collection of rooms a result of the three phases of expansion. The sum of it’s parts ensures a functional and interesting sequences of spaces providing a usable and enjoyable place to observe artwork. The frame & object method of arrangement embodies the expanding nature of the gallery, acknowledging the nature of the extensions that plug into the existing building forming new thresholds.

Fig. 2.10 Four phases of expansion

Core and Shell Goya Museum, Zaragoza, Spain Herzog & De Meuron, 2005 The museum was an inherited building in which Herzog & De Meuron inserted four unique spaces they call ‘anchor rooms’. These rooms are not facsimiles but physical replicas of spaces that contain Francisco Goya frescos, thus inseparably linking programme and architecture. Uniting the artwork, architecture and place the Goya Museum highlights the importance of authenticity of place; Herzog and De Meuron (Urspring, 2002) are not interested in producing sterile ‘white box’ gallery spaces that are synonymous with contemporary galleries. The ‘anchor rooms’ are refined spaces that create a physical experience that matches the original rooms. Every room is finished in the same grey brick providing a unifying materiality to link the rooms. The new rooms disrupt the historical continuity and spatial configuration acting as landmarks as one walks through the museum. They open up a number of new perspectives to the building (Herzog. J. El Croquis, 2011). A dynamic interplay between the artwork and the architecture, the inherited building and the addition of the new ‘anchor rooms’.

Fig. 2.11

Fig. 2.12

Anchor rooms

Frame and Object 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London, England Sir John Soane, 1808 John Soane purchased three townhouses next to one another to house his vast collection of architectural artefacts. He reinvented the spatial character of these town houses completely rearranging the structural walls allowing the rooms to be reconfigured, his alterations are highlighted in black. The frame and object method of arrangement, uses the existing townhouses as a structural framework which Soane altered by inserting a collection of heterogeneous forms. Soane’s house was a testing ground, constructing his ideas in miniature such as the lighting for the top lit banking halls at the Bank of England. He made alterations to the original town house opening floors up to create a three storey voids with roof lights above flooding the lower levels with natural light. As you walk through the museum you are constantly aware of the changing scale and proportion of the rooms it is an immersive process where you fell like you are walking through a labyrinth. Fig. 2.13

Fig. 2.14

Soane’s spatial alterations

Core and Shell Comlongon Castle, Dumfries, Scotland 1493 The Scottish Tower House consists of a series of vertically stacked volumes, each floor consisting of a central hall which has secondary smaller rooms â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;boredâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; into the surrounding wall (Deplazes, 2013). This in turn forms autonomous vessels that inhabit the wall which can be up to four metres thick. The vessels have different spatial qualities to the central hall which remains in darkness due to the lack of openings in the thick defensive walls. The openings in the vessels allow natural light in to the cosy intimate spaces.

Fig. 2.15 Collection of bored rooms

Raumplan Villa Müller, Prague, Czech Republic Adolf Loos, 1930 The Villa Müller is arranged using Loos’s theory of spatial arrangement, Raumplan. It was based on his principle that architecture should be conceived by designing spaces not purely from working in plans and sections. The rooms are arranged on an array of levels interlocked by a complex network of circulation spaces and several staircases. Adolf Loos strongly believed each room should be designed with a particular function in mind defining the requirements and dimensions of the particular space giving each room a unique quality through proportion, scale, material and light. Fig. 2.16

Fig. 2.17

The interlocking volumes connected by staircases

Enfilade (Linear form) Palace of Westminster, London, England Charles Barry, 1840 The Palace is set out along a linear form where the long procession of rooms are formally arranged using enfilade. This particular method produces an altered perspective, accentuating the length of the space pulling you further down the promenade. The linear arrangement is bookended by the two most significant spaces in the building, The House of Commons and the House of Lords giving the elongated form purpose.

Fig. 2.18 Elongated arrangement

Trajectory Dutch Embassy, Berlin, Germany OMA, 2004 Koolhaas describes the embassy as a ‘virtuoso spatial fantäsie’ arranged on a strictly cubic space it continually twists and turns upon itself. The term ‘trajectory’ is used to describe the circulation space that connects the elements of the programme. The elongated drawing shows the sequence of spaces and the architectural arrangement where the program plugs into the trajectory of circulation at different levels. Continually altering in proportion, scale and level as one walks through the building the trajectory is a device that weaves together the elements of the program to form a functioning building. Koollhaas (2004) describes the circulation space as a ‘veritable architectural promenade, offering constantly varied aspects, unexpected and sometimes astonishing’.

Fig. 2.19 Trajectory of circulation connecting the program

Dissimilar figures in a regular grouping Hotel Beauvais, Paris, France Antoine Le Pautre, 1655 The Hotel Beauvais is one of a small collection of complex building type called Hôtel Particulier’s. The plan is a distortion of a conventional seventeenth century organisation for large urban houses requiring an axial arrangement of formal salons,courtyards, and extensive service spaces. The distortion was a creative response to an irregular building lot, a result of a medieval urban pattern. The composition embeds a set of figural spaces in a matrix of small subsidiary spaces and poché. The challenge for the architect was to align the individual axes of symmetry with one another. Le Pautre turned a severe limitation to his advantage by creating the distinctive shape of the principal courtyard. Though it is in response to the constraints of the site, its shape creates a forced perspective that make the site appear considerably larger than its actual dimensions. Around the formality and stability of its central cour d’honneur works an internal situation of great richness and freedom.

Fig. 2.20

Fig. 2.21

Spaces manipulated to fill irregular site

Subtractive space Therme Vals, Vals, Switzerland Peter Zumthor, 1996 Zumthor devises a symbiotic relationship between mountain and building. His rich understanding of the nature of the local material and quality of light has allowed him to design and arrange a collection of rooms that feel as if they have been carved out if the mountain rock. The layered stone walls resemble a large porous stone connected by precisely cut caverns. The subtractive method he has employed is a highly contextual approach to the arrangement of rooms, embedding them within their context.

Fig. 2.22

Fig. 2.23

Carved space

Studying the architects role as a curator, examines their responsibility to establish a method of organising spaces, exercising a degree of sequence control. If we can consider the architect to be a curator of spaces/rooms then one could propose that a building can be considered a container; a cabinet to house a collection of objects (rooms) of differing scales and proportion creating a dynamic sequence of spaces. The diverse range of sources for the study of spatial arrangements display a variety of methods each with their own distinct characteristics. The precedents all consider the scale and sequencing of space, which are critical components to be addressed in the configuration of the transposed rooms. The fragment forms a reference point for the arrangement of the collection of rooms in Porto. Allowing the spaces to be tested adopting a number of these methods to establish which creates the optimum relationship between the rooms forming an intriguing â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;architectural promenadeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; that links the collected spaces.

IV. Staircases This collection of staircases was a device to aid the design of a room that transcended the Lello bookshop. The staircase that occupies the bookshop is a flowing sculptural element that sits in the heart of the room. The selected staircases focus on the speed of movement, spatial generosity, and the opportunity to observe and be observed from the stair. These are all characteristics that define the existing experiential qualities of the staircase that must be articulated in the transposed room. This fragment concludes the directory, bringing it from the broad study of methodologies behind the collections to this highly specific study of staircases to inform the design of one of the transposed rooms.

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Caruso St John, Newport Street Gallery The eye of the elliptical staircase allows light to drop to the bottom connecting the floors. Fig. 2.24

Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Donnell & Tuomey, London School of Economics The in situ concrete construction implies a certain fluidity in form and movement. Fig. 2.25

Jamie Fobert, Travertine stair The carved staircase has a sculptural quality. Fig. 2.26

Victor Horta, Hotel Tassel The art nouveau inspired form has flowing elegance suggesting a relaxed movement across the stairs. Fig. 2.27

Lello Bookshop The existing stair that occupies the space is the focal point in the room, accentuating the fluid gestural form. The stair forms a raised stage in the room to observe from. Fig. 2.28

Graz Castle The two interlocking spiral staircases articulate the fluidity of the form. The point where the two spiral stairs clash there is a more generous space to pause allowing others to pass on the tight staircase. Fig. 2.29

Caruso St John, Tate Britain The platform that projects over the stair is not just the point of entrance it is a stage to observe people moving on the stair. Fig. 2.30

Herzog de Meuron, Kuppersmuhle Museum The ear shaped staircase has been designed to prescribe the speed of the movement. The geometry of the stair has been manipulated to create areas of slow and fast movement. Fig. 2.31

Ferdinand Chanut, Galleries Lafayette This gestural staircase opens itself up to the vast space where it acts like a stage offering a place to observe and be observed. Fig. 2.32

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The directory has formed an essential tool in the development of the museum of spatial typologies. The series of collections explore the value of collections at general and highly specific scales and have become a critical component in forming a method of developing the design of both the autonomous rooms and the arrangement of them within the confines of a larger container. The configuration of the fragments that make up the directory have enabled an interrogation of the collections comparing and contrasting each of the constituent parts that form each fragment, realising the value of collections as an educational device.

Rooms I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII.

Bolh達o Market S達o Bento Railway Station Casa dos Vinte e Quatro Majestic Cafe Lello bookshop Capella Das Almes Church S達o Nicolau Baths & Wash house Church of S達o Francisco

The format for this section presents the elements drawings with a caption that describes the character of the space, followed by drawings of the transposed rooms with 3D images some show the room whilst it was in a stage of development.

The elements drawings are a series of composed images that graphically represent the experiential qualities of the culturally significant spaces in Porto. By extracting three architectural elements within the space at differing scales the drawings encapsulate the spatial character at intimate intermediate and distant scales. The methods of architectural projection used in the drawings accentuate the particular idiosyncrasies and variety of the spaces. The drawings formed a critical reference point allowing the qualities of the spaces to be initially dissected and then transposed and manipulated. The captions that accompany the drawings describe the spatial characteristics addressing the quality of the light, proportion and material surface informing each spatial typology in the collection. The design process of transposing the spaces was one of constant reflection, returning to interrogate the source material ensuring a level of rigour was present during the design process in order to accurately reflect the spatial character. This notion of transposing space introduces ideas on architectural facsimile vs. multiples vs. transpositions. Herzog and De Meuron address the subject of the architectural facsimiles and the physical representation of space in their design of the Goya Museum. They establish a dynamic interplay between art and architecture through the addition of four unique spaces they call ‘anchor rooms’. The inserted spaces are reconstructions of the interiors where Goya created in situ works. Here we see the museum establish an architectural discourse between the original source material and the physical representation that forms the collection of ‘anchor rooms’. Similarly the collection of spatial typologies engages in a dialogue with the city allowing a new encounter with the character of Porto that is embedded within the collection of transposed vessels. The ‘anchor rooms’ do not contain the original frescos by Goya, but their size and proportion create a physical experience that matches the original locations. The rooms reflect an authenticity of place, a character rare especially with respect to museums (Herzog.J. El Croquis, 2011). Herzog and De Meuron definition of the spaces as ‘anchor rooms’ introduces the notion of working with multiples, where the rooms form a collective and become landmarks/focal points within the building as one roams through the galleries. A quality that is present in the transposed spaces in Porto. This point brings to light the relationship between the content and the container introduced earlier by the sculptural work of Donald Judd who believed the space between the objects played as significant a role as the objects themselves. This poses the question how will the transposed rooms be arranged and how do they relate to one another? The working method used to form this collection of spatial typologies is interested in physically representing the character of the existing culturally significant spaces. The process of transposing the spaces draws on information from a select group of references. The elements drawings, the captions, a personal experience of the space and a catalogue of photographs all form useful tools in obtaining a rich understanding of the experiential qualities to be transposed and manipulated into the collection of spatial typologies. The collection of transposed spaces are shown in a series of architectural drawings accompanied by a three dimensional image of a physical or a computer generated model depicting the particular character and the heterogeneity of the rooms.

Bolh達o Market

The market is arranged on two levels, the upper gallery wraps around the perimeter of the market which takes an entire urban block. The roof of the market forms an amphitheatre like atmosphere in the space generating a sense of enclosure. Descending the grand staircase one is immediately confronted by market stalls. The claustrophobic feel of the tightly packed stalls; are connected by a tarpaulin canopy creating a network of narrow dark lanes between the stalls.

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Fig. 3.3, transposed room Fig. 3.4, computer generated 3D focused on the spatial qualities of the room and how the space would be occupied Fig. 3.5, Image of 1:50 physical model suggests a material language. The design of the room has developed

S達o Bento Railway Station

The station sits at the base of a man made valley carved out of the rock, the undulating topography of Porto means that buildings surrounding the site tower over the station. The industrial nature of the structure, an assemblage of filigree components talks a different architectural language to the rest of the city. The open canopy supported on two rows of columns means the station has an ambiguous edge, the perimeter of the station bleeds out in to the valley. Standing on the platforms you are confronted with three large tunnels that have been blasted into the rock, there is an air of mystery as the trains exit the dark abyss and enter the station.

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Fig. 3.7, transposed room Fig. 3.8, computer generated 3D of a revised proposal beginning to consider the relationship between the content and the container Fig. 3.9, Image of 1:50 physical model that draws attention to the filigree roof structure heightened by the reflective floor surface

Casa dos Vinte e Quatro

The scale and proportion of the triple height space as you enter is accentuated by Fernando Tàvora’s ultra precise inserted structure, which draws your eye to the ceiling. The space has a unique condition, the small footprint of the space and the vertical expansion give a genuine sense of generosity. Tavora’s decision to open up the entire North side of the building reveals expansive views across the old town giving an accurate reflection of the crumbling nature of a lot of the buildings.

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Fig. 3.12, transposed room Fig. 3.13, Image of 1:20 physical model considering the material surface finishes

Majestic Cafe

Approaching the cafe from the pedestrianised street you are presented with a complex array of sliding/ folding doors offering flexibility for the permeability of the space. Lined with framed mirrors the interior sets up an optical illusion, a never ending series of portals that pull you into the frame. Walking through the space you are drawn towards the sheltered garden to the rear of the cafe, offering a tranquil escape from the busy street of Portoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Old Town.

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Fig. 3.16, transposed room Fig. 3.17, computer generated 3D showing the exaggerated perspective Fig. 3.18, Image of 1:20 physical model that uses mirrors to create an optical illusion

Lello bookshop

As soon as you enter the space you are immediately drawn to the incredibly elaborate stair case that sits at the heart of room and is the focal point within the bookshop. The flowing staircase is a piece of sculpture that offers opportunities at various landings to pause and glance across the room; as others gaze at you whilst standing on the sculptural object. The stained glass roof light above the stair casts an even light across the room filling the ornate timber lined space with a red and brown hue.

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Fig. 3.21, transposed room Fig. 3.22, plans for the proposed staircase layouts for the varying gradients/speeds of the staircase

Capella Das Almes Church

The churches interior is formed by a series of portals at varying scales creating spatial compression informing a spatial hierarchy. Entering from the street you are immediately compressed into a small timber lined kiosk where you can enter into the tall central space. The window openings in the central space are framed by deep reveals reducing the amount of direct sunlight entering the space providing an even level of light to wash over the space.

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Fig. 3.25, transposed room Fig. 3.26, computer generated 3D revealing the proportion of the space and deep window reveals

S達o Nicolau Baths & Wash house

The subterranean nature of this wash house has a claustrophobic quality generated by the stereotomic construction and the confined linear nature of the space. The only source of natural light is via a narrow roof light, which also functions as a navigational device illuminating the circulation route through the building.

Fig. 3.27

Fig. 3.28

Fig. 3.29, transposed room

Church of S達o Francisco

The textured floor surface has been arranged using a select palette of materials to inform a route through the church, material is being used as a device to define space. The churches central nave is lined with smaller chapels that have an intimate scale and a secluded feel to the space.

Fig. 3.30

Fig. 3.31

Fig. 3.32

Fig. 3.33

Fig. 3.32, transposed room Fig. 3.33, computer generated 3D of a revised proposal showing the cellular quality of the space

The physical representation of space through model making This chapter explores the models ability to communicate the character of a space. Adam Caruso and Peter St John advocate the use of large scale models as a tool to engage with what the experience of the space could be (Floris, 2011). They firmly believe the opportunity to engage with space is far greater through the use of a large scale models than through perspective drawings which prioritise a single viewpoint setting up a latent power game within the drawings composition. The model offers a greater understanding of construction and material surface. By photographing the model you can easily shift your viewpoint obtaining a range of perspectives and richer understanding of the proportions of the room. Photographing a model is a method of articulating the character of the space, using light, material surface finishes, scale and proportion to suggest the experiential qualities of the space. The image possesses a pictorial form of realism like an Edward Hopper painting.

Fig. 3.34, Room by the sea, Edward Hopper

Fig. 3.35, Arosa Sporttheatre, Caruso St John

Fig. 3.36, Transposed Majestic Cafe

The imagery created by Caruso St John aims to communicate the character of space through the construction of a physical model large enough to photograph a similar approach to the work of artist Thomas Demand who they have collaborated with on a number of projects. Thomas Demand work consists of large format photographs of temporary life size paper constructions that he builds in front of his camera with an image already in his mind. These paper works are destroyed once the photo has been taken. His ‘ephemeral sculptures’ (Bonami, 2000) form part of his process, the finished object is the imagery generated by the model articulating the character of the space represented. He places equal significance on the detail in the model as the composition of the image to successfully communicate the idiosyncrasies of the space. Demand and Caruso St John are both interested in the image portraying as true a depiction of the space as possible, not falsifying the quality of the space through the use of photoshop. Demand believes, ‘There is no innocent room’, (Bonami, 2000) that architecture is not just a signifying space, but that it acquires a history and is the vector of a personal or collective narrative. His images portray models made to meticulously elude all the accumulated significance of place in an attempt to recover the innocence and purity of the space. Demand describes the details of his models as what ‘make a place — not a generic place, but this place, singular and with character. Without a character it becomes idealistic. With a character it becomes a place in the real world’ (Taher, 2012). Demand’s desire to remove the inherited

significance of place results in his models appearing untouched. The accurate depiction of the material surfaces and the removal of inherited significance creates a sense of familiarity whilst still requiring a second glance to ensure it is not an image of the original space. Demandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reconstruction of existing spaces differs form the approach of Caruso St John who use the model as a device to engage with the spatial qualities of their own designs. This forms an integral part of the design process, ensuring a rich understanding of the internal spaces. Modelling the collection of rooms has formed an important device for engaging with the character of space testing; light, material surface, scale and proportion. The objective for the rooms in Porto is to capture the experience of the existing culturally significant spaces forging a subconscious discourse between the original spaces and this collection. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;It is not possible to paint a thought, it is only possible to paint the things that were necessary for this thought.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Rene Magritte (Floris, 2011) Fig. 3.37, Presidency, Thomas Demand

Fig. 3.38, Transposed Casa dos Vinte e Quatro

Curating a collection of rooms ‘Today, curating as a profession means at least four things. It means to preserve, in the sense of safeguarding the heritage of art. It means to be the selector of new work. It means to connect to art history. And it means displaying or arranging the work. But it is more than that. Before 1800, few people went to exhibitions. Now hundreds of millions of people visit them every year. It is a mass medium and a ritual. The curator sets it up so that it becomes an extraordinary experience and not just illustrations or spatialised books’. (Obrist, 2014)

Linear form The stretched arrangement tests the method of enfilade connecting rooms forming a procession of spaces book ended by the two most substantial spaces. This formation accentuates the perspective pulling the occupant through the spaces, an ideal method for some spaces but not all.

This chapter explores the role of the curator within the confines of an architectural context. Is there an exchange of disciplines between the curator and the architect? Hans Ulrich Obrist (2014) defines the art of curation as ‘filtering, engaging, synthesising, framing’. Curation is an anonymous art form that has gone far beyond the world of art and museums forming part of our daily experiences. In Obrist’s book ‘A Brief History of Curating’ he recalls JB Ballard’s description of the curator Sergei Diaghilev as a ‘junction maker’, it is the curators ability to mediate space, forming a harmonious connection between a collection of objects that interest me. The arrangement of the transposed rooms with their own scale and proportion makes the process of curating the spaces complex. The mediating process must retain the idiosyncrasies whilst exercising a degree of sequence control creating an architectural promenade. Previously Adam Caruso revealed his interest in engaging with the interior, believing to many architects today design spaces that have only one internal character he proposes, ‘A public building should consist of a range of interiors’(Adam Caruso in Floris, 2011). Exploring different methods and practices of configuration, testing against order, scale, optimum relationships and external factors (light, etc) gives the collection of rooms in Porto new meaning. They were no longer autonomous vessels but a curated collection of spaces adhering to the tight parameters defined by the method of configuration.

Fig. 4.1

Core & Shell

Frame & Object

This arrangement holds an external courtyard at the heart allowing the rooms to form an inhabited wall around it generating the buildings form. The courtyard forms a central mediating space that connects the rooms, which are positioned by their requirements for natural light. The arrangement dictates an insular quality where everything becomes internalised and focuses around a central space.

A building where the primary space sits at the core allowing secondary spaces to plug in along the perimeter. The heterogeneous nature of the attached forms generate new and interesting thresholds between the spaces. The concerns with this arrangement is the secondary spaces form dead end spaces, there are few opportunities to generate a sequence of spaces.

Fig. 4.2

Fig. 4.3

Subtractive Space

Raumplan

Carving space immediately sets up a symbiotic relationship between the building and the landscape. The sterotomic spaces have an inherited permanence embedding themselves in the landscape creating particular spatial qualities not allowing all the rooms to retain their idiosyncrasies making the rooms generic subtractive spaces.

Fig. 4.4

The interlocking arrangement of spaces connected by a labyrinth of staircases creates a complex series of spaces. This method of arrangement promotes the heterogeneous nature of the rooms creating an intriguing architectural promenade. The complex arrangement is held within a uniform frame presenting the internal complexities of the exterior in a formal manner.

Fig. 4.5

Hôtel Particulier The site specific method of arrangement embraces the awkward nature of the inherited site. The plan is composed by placing the primary spaces along a central axis filling the majority of the building lots footprint then using the subsidiary spaces and poché to fill the awkward gaps between the site edge and the formal rooms. The spatial hierarchy creates an interesting sequence of spaces differing in scale.

Arranging the spaces reminds us of the paradoxical idea introduced earlier by Herzog and De Meuron of the architectural exhibition, presenting architecture in architecture. Proposing the rooms are a collection of preserved artefacts embodying the experiential qualities of the culturally significant spaces in Porto the architect is required to position himself in the role of the curator, the ‘junction maker’, connecting the artefacts within a larger framework (building). This is a reminder that curating has indeed become a discipline that accommodates for a plurality of platforms, strategies, contexts and actors. The methods of arrangement tested have varying degrees of success, certain methods lending them selves to specific spatial qualities. The outcome of this collection of methods of arrangement suggests that the system for structuring the collection of rooms would take the shape of a hybrid, tailored to the requirements of the individual spaces allowing them to retain their heterogeneous character. Adjusting the scale of the rooms, offers an opportunity to create interesting clashes between the thresholds of the rooms. It asks the question why is scale preserved? Scale has some bearing on the character of space but it is not as critical as material surface, light and proportion, given that the collection is of transposed rooms and not facsimiles the rooms have the flexibility to distort to accommodate the site geometry. Allowing the collection of transposed rooms to expand enables the museum of spatial typologies to expand and reflect the cities changing conditions. Édouard Glissant believed in the development of ‘exhibitions that always build a relation to their place, that change permanently with their different local conditions, that create a changing dynamic’ (Obrist, 2014).

Fig. 4.6

Material Language

Fig. 5.1

‘The vernacular is not about appearance but about presence. It is a physical artefact that contains within itself the continuously evolving social and technological situation in which it was built. Vernacular constructions are increasingly difficult to define. Globalisation of technology and information has made the local a more complex situation. However, the manner in which forms are built up in the vernacular, through agglomeration and adding, the slow and steady way in which technologies are taken up into a tradition: these things are still worthy of study’ (Adam Caruso and Peter St John in Allison, 1998)

This positions my thoughts on the material language of the ‘museum of spatial typologies’, referencing local materials and construction techniques the proposal acknowledges the changing conditions of Porto’s material language. The collected spaces reference the manner in which the vernacular constructions are built, an important part of retaining the experiential qualities of the space. The image is an accurate depiction of an archetypal building found in Porto’s Old Town where the traditional stereotomic structure made of granite has been added to. This is a typical approach to vertically extending a building, the corrugated tin structures are crudely placed creating an interesting patch work of materials in elevation acknowledging the internal alterations. The container in which the spatial typologies are curated offers the opportunity to juxtapose and contrast the material language of the autonomous vessels. Prompting an interesting dialogue between the content (the transposed experiential spaces) and the container that encloses the rooms. This sets up an element of surprise when one enters the transposed spaces as the language differs, similar to the surprising qualities in the cabinets of curiosities of the Wunderkammer.

Critical Reflection The methodical structure of the thesis is reflected in the museum of spatial typologies composed of a collection of transposed rooms derived from a collection of found culturally significant spaces within the city. The process of making collections formed a fundamental part of the design process, they were a tool to inform and enhance the development of the autonomous rooms. This process of working posed the question, what is the value of collections? The collections allowed the process of transposition, generating a series of rooms that embodied the experiential qualities and the character of the significant spaces in Porto creating a new encounter with the character of city. An inherent value of this collection is its capacity to expand, enabling the collection of spatial typologies to adapt and evolve to the changing cultural conditions. The project seeks to mediate between the autonomous vessels (transposed rooms) and the built object that forms a container to house them in. Positioning the architect as a curator of space introduced an interest in the architects role to exercise a degree of sequence control. The process removed any site parameters placing primary importance on designing the content housed within a container. Allowing one to gain a rich understanding of the spaces and consider how the vessels connect to one another. The method of working challenged the importance of context in Architecture proposing an alternative method of architectural design one that dealt with collections, multiples and transpositions challenging the modernist ideas about the unique, original and the autonomous. Each chapter in this thesis has documented a distinct stage within the process. The result of this extended investigation into the art of collecting and curating is a building that acts as a cabinet of curiosities, housing a collection of transposed spaces each with their own inherited idiosyncrasies. This project of analogy reflects a new language for architectural production in which the conventions of the architectural process have been questioned and redefined.

Bibliography Books, Allison. P. AA Files 35, The Presence of Construction: Walsall Art Gallery by Caruso St John, 1998 Ballentine. P. Working Papers: Donald Judd Drawings 1963-93, 2012 Bates. S. Sergison. J. Sergison Bates Architects, Buildings, 2012 Bates. S. Sergison. J. Sergison Bates Architects, Papers 2, 2007 Becher. B. Becher. H. Typologies, 2003 Bonami. F. Durand. R. Quintin. F. Thomas Demand, Foundation Cartier pour lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;art contemporain, 2000 Deplazes. A. Constructing Architecture, 2013 Hanlon. D. Compositions in Architecture, 2009 Judd. D, Complete writings, 1975-1986, 1987 Judd. D. 101 Spring Street, 1986 Koolhaas. R. The Dutch Embassy in Berlin, 2004 Lustenberger. K. Adolf Loos, 1994 Marotta. A. Typology Quarterly Museums, 2012 Nesbitt. L. E. Brodsky & Utkin: Complete Works, 2003 Obrist. H. U. A Brief History of Curating, 2008 Obrist. H. U. Sharp tongues, loose lips, open eyes, ears to the ground, 2014 Ursprung. P. Herzog & De Meuron : Natural History, 2002 Rossi. A. The Architecture of the City, 1984 Samuel. F. Le Corbusier and the Architectural Promenade, 2010 Taher. S. AA Files 64, In Conversation with Thomas Demand, 2012 Veiteberg. J. Waters. H. Edmund de Waal at Kettleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Yard, 2007

Journals, Gregory. R. Kettleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Yard, Architectural Review, 2005, May Herzog. J. De Meuron. P. El Croquis, Herzog & De Meuron 2005-2010, Espacio Goya, 2011 Floris. J. Holtrop. A. Teerds. H. OASE # 84. Models: The idea, the representation and the visionary p.128-133, 2011 Yoshida. N. Architecture & Urbanism, OMA at Work, 2000, May

Videos, Edmund de Waal: Making Silence, (http://www.hibrow.tv/player/?em=ZmOXJ2ODqtIkYftnSam1QN8ymN_AkaJS) Edmund de Waal: John Tusa Interviews, (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00ncysg) Stephen Bates & Jonathan Sergison: On Continuity, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgOk0qCbkSc)

Image refrence list 1.1,

Authors own

2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 2.10, 2.11, 2.12, 2.13, 2.14, 2.15, 2.16, 2.17, 2.18, 2.19, 2.20, 2.21, 2.22, 2.23, 2.24, 2.25, 2.26, 2.27, 2.28, 2.29, 2.30, 2.31, 2.32,

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/RitrattoMuseoFerranteImperato.jpg Becher. B. Becher. H. Typologies, 2003 http://jwcsybaritic.blogspot.in/2011/02/sir-john-soanes-museum.html Ursprung. P. Herzog & De Meuron : Natural History, 2002 https://www.gerhard-richter.com/en/art/atlas Authors own http://www.phaidon.com/resource/fd896ac00b89dc50f2e4804c44108070.jpg http://www.jamesewingphotography.com/data/photos/990_1judd_foundation_james_ewing_2300.jpg Nesbitt. L. E. Brodsky & Utkin: Complete Works, 2003 Authors own Herzog. J. De Meuron. P. El Croquis, Herzog & De Meuron 2005-2010, Espacio Goya, 2011 Authors own http://www.theprisma.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/A-quella-casa-Soane-Museum-3.jpg Authors own Deplazes. A. Constructing Architecture, 2013 https://th3architectureblog.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/7909079456_2ef98ec07e_h-1-copy-copy.jpg Lustenberger. K. Adolf Loos, 1994 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Palace_of_Westminster_plan,_high_resolution.png Koolhaas. R. The Dutch Embassy in Berlin, 2004 The Hotel Particulier, an architectural typology, Studio 1 ASD London Metropolitan University, 2008 The Hotel Particulier, an architectural typology, Studio 1 ASD London Metropolitan University, 2008 http://www.helenebinet.com/photography/architects/peter-zumthor.html Zumthor. P. Therme Vals, 2007 El Croquis. Caruso St John, Form & Resitance 1993-2013, 2013 https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/f0/ca/84/f0ca84ee30691cc44feb0f3ab13d5287.jpg http://jamiefobertarchitects.com/work/travertine-stair/ http://s212.photobucket.com/user/19thcentury/media/victorhortastaircase.jpg.html http://www.darkbeautymag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/AurĂŠlio-da-Paz-dos-Reis-Lello-Bookshop.jpg http://euroburo-steiermark.com/Graz-and-Land/Graz/graphics/doppelwendeltreppe.jpg El Croquis. Caruso St John, Form & Resitance 1993-2013, 2013 El Croquis. Herzog & De Meuron 1981-2000 Between the face and the landscape, 2000 https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/f1/83/77/f1837730a0944bb304ba5d9660baf6de.jpg

3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 3.10, 3.11, 3.12,

Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own

3.13, 3.14, 3.15, 3.16, 3.17, 3.18, 3.19, 3.20, 3.21, 3.22, 3.23, 3.24, 3.25, 3.26, 3.27, 3.28, 3.29, 3.30, 3.31, 3.32, 3.33, 3.34, 3.35, 3.36, 3.37, 3.38,

Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own http://www.edwardhopper.net/images/paintings/rooms-by-the-sea.jpg http://www.carusostjohn.com/projects/arosa-sport-theatre/ Authors own http://accessibleartny.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/presidency_i_lrg.jpg Authors own

4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6,

Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own Authors own

5.1,

Authors own

Appendix I.

Body in space

Body In space “Exquisite Corpse was a perfect parlour game, involving elements of unpredictability, chance, unseen elements, and group collaboration all in service of disrupting the waking mind’s penchant for order.” As an introduction to the unit, each individual completed a six week opening project. It was structured using a working method used by surrealist artists of the early 20th century, ‘the exquisite corpse’. This process involved each development only being revealed at intermittent stages so that at no point were the subsequent stages or final outcome evident. Adopting this working method meant that each step was unhindered by preconceived notions of a finished piece. The steps themselves also involved a seemingly unfamiliar way of working, creating abstract drawings and forms from a human movement observed in Porto. The project culminated with making a 1:30 scale model of the space, fabricated using 3D modelling software. The model was to show an appreciation for construction methods and appropriate use of material. Through out these tasks the abstract forms had revealed an interest in architectural tectonics and the two methods of construction as Andrea Deplazes defines them in Constructing Architecture; lightweight filigree and heavy solid structures. Prior to starting the construction of the 1:30 model a series of sketches were produced that set out the proposal and the process for construction, suggesting a hierarchy of structural components and space. The industrial nature of the frame offered flexibility and defined the parameters from which one could construct internal volumes. It was these drawings that initiated the translation from two dimensions to a three dimensional form. The problem with making models at this scale is that it is hard to control the precision. The casting of the heavy plinth into which the frame work is set was so large and heavy, there was no way of knowing if the undulating surface would come out as intended. Adopting this working method places significant importance on the unpredictable and unknown nature of the process producing interesting results.

Hierarchy of components

The unveiling of the cast revealed interesting areas where unexpected events had occurred in the pouring of the plaster. Following this an analytical study was taken of the surface of the cast plinth highlighting the faults in the same way that Julian Harrap did for the ceilings in the Neus Museum. ‘aspects of the incidental, accident: the unintentional and unplanned contribute further layers in the emergence of beauty’ Adorno. G. In Aesthetic Theory

The 1:30 model adopted an industrial aesthetic consisting of a complex lattice of filigree elements, the structural language reveals a clear hierarchy that was translated into form. The application of the framed structure shows clear connections to the work of Adolf Loos, particularly his essay ‘Principle of Cladding’ where he shows a direct interest in how the sensory effect of space can be manipulated by material surface and form. The filigree framework that encloses volumes in the 1:30 model display clearly the habitable space formed between primary and secondary structures. Donald Judd, a sculptor is interested in setting up a volumetric discourse between the room and the sculpture, the container and the content. A similar relationship is highlighted in the 1:30 model between the habitable space and structural frame. The six week project challenged any preconceived idea of conventional design process. The sequential stages; beginning with the recording of bodily movements, taking a three dimensional action into a two dimensional drawing and later using both digital and physical models to produce forms that have transformed from their original source information. The translation from three to two dimensions produced an interesting dialogue that developed the formal and spatial characteristics during the design process.

Process of casting the plinth

Mapping the unexpected faults in the cast plinth The relationship between the plinth and the structural framework forming volumes Overleaf: A collection of drawings produced over the six week process arranged in chronological order