it may be architecture |
i
ABSTRACT It may be Architecture by Ekin Erar
Architecture’s relationship to images is manifold: architecture starts with an image and results in an image. Staying true to the claim, the thesis posits that architecture and its images are interchangeable and enforces that the image should be translated into a spatial condition. The aim is to instrumentalize image-making techniques as a mode of designing space. The methodology of the thesis is constructed through formal analysis of contemporary image types, explicitly focusing on Instagram as the world’s largest image database. The ambition is to both understand and highlight the effects of the social media on image culture, specifically in architecture, and develop an alternative design procedure as a response to the rapid growth in the dependency on images in architecture.
ii
iii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Architecture has always been a collective endeavor for me. This thesis is the culmination of things that I have conversed and questioned with many fantastic people, and it would not have been possible without those that surrounded me in the past four years both in Houston and everywhere else around the world. I am grateful for the opportunity to explore architecture without having to stay within the convention and thankful for everyone who inspired me to push the limits in these years. First and foremost, I thank David Costanza for being a great mentor and an advisor. This thesis would not have been so fruitful and fun for me without his ingenious mind. I thank all my classmates who are passionate about critical ideas and a better future for architecture. I want to thank the entire school of Rice Architecture for making Houston home. I have to admit that after all these years, I do love Houston. I have learned immensely from being around such a special group of people both in the city and in the school. Lastly, special thanks to Sheila and Hannah for goodwill supplies and meticulous shop work, Dan Kleeschulte for tirelessly telling me that everything will be okay, Penny and Murray for emotional support, and my mom for always telling me that my happiness comes first.
iv
Contents
Abstract
ii
Acknowledgments
iv
Architecture and Images
22-11
The new turn: images and the internet
12-29
Uncanny images of #architecture
30-43
The domestic as a type, and its images
44-49
Image as Space
50-65
The Prototype
66-107
Exhibition
108-115
Drawings
116-122
Bibliography
124-125
Architecture + Images
Architecture’s relationship to images is manifold: architecture starts with an image and it results in an image.
It may be Architecture
Images have played a communicative role in architecture, both to describe an unbuilt space and document the realization of it. Even though the image has always been the primary communicative tool in architecture, it has been secondary to the architecture with the capital A and has been dismissed as representational tools.
Image 01: Drawing by Mies Van der Rohe, showing the interior of German Pavilion in Barcelona (also known as the Barcelona pavilion) The interior perspective is drawn prior to the construction of the pavilion to demonstrate the imaged space.
4
Architecture and Images
This claim presents a paradox: architecture as a discipline produces more product that stays within the images than exists outside of its images. To untangle this problem and set up a framework, the thesis assumes that architecture and its images are interchangeable: the image is the architecture.
Image 02: Designed by Mies Van der Rohe, The German Pavilion in Barcelona. Originally built in 1929. The interior perspective is photographed to document and display the interior-exterior relationship in the pavilion. The pavilion is immediately recognizable from its material qualities and the sculpture.
5
It may be Architecture
Historically, images served as representational tools to architecture, both to express an atmospheric set-up and document the mechanic realization of it. However, old images of architecture almost always implied a physical resolution for an architectural building, operating within an outdated definition for what architecture is. Architecture was synonymous to Building and images only served as representational tools. Traditionally, image-making in architecture required expertise in workflow and a significant amount of labor; therefore the number of architectural images were sparse. Moreover, the need to represent architecture resulted in specific and precise image-making that often included notation, accurate display of materiality and shadows.
6
Architecture and Images
Image 03-06: Drawings by Etienne Louis-Boullee for several unrealized buildings. The concept of sublime is expressed through drawing.
7
#architecture
#architecture
71,917,491 posts
Top posts Top Posts
Image 07: Snapshot taken from #architecture on Instagram on January 9th, 2018.
8
Top Posts
With the turn of the 21st century, the development of technology in various platforms has resulted in several changes in the image culture. With the advanced technology, image-making techniques that required artisanship are simulated through intuitive software tools, button clicks and artificial brushes that are unified across all digital programs. Since all computer and mobile telephone users have access to a camera and a few filters and brushes, anyone can be an image-maker in the contemporary world. Since image production processes are reduced to mere seconds, accessing those images, have become increasingly convenient as well. On an online image database, one can search for an exact image, find it and simultaneously obtain to a vast number of images that are similar to the original search. As images become easier to consume for the contemporary eye, the user can scroll through more images per unit of time, which renders them immune to a high level of stimulation and reduces their attention to detail.
9
It may be Architecture
(a short paranthesis)
(
)
Before diving deep into the world of images, it is pressing to address one question: What is an image, and how is it defined within the thesis?
10
An image is something that has been translated into a quantifiable data set; meaning bits and pixels. Anything that exists in the digital realm, even though it was created outside of the digital, is now an image. Images have subgenres that are defined by the technique they are generated with.
Now that I have explained what I mean by image, we can continue with our exploration.
Architecture and Images
im·age /’ imij/
noun noun: image; plural noun: images 1. a digital representation of the external form of a thing
Image 08: The definition of the word “image“ taken from google. The word “digital“ is inserted artificially between “a“ and “representation for the putposes of this thesis. “
11
The new turn: images + the internet
Image 09: Human eye and the mobile phone lens have very similar lens lengths, varying between 28-33 mm. The phone can capture an image very similarly to a human eye.
It may be Architecture
(a short paranthesis)
(
Before exploring the internet as an image database, it is necessary to explain the basic premise of internet searching; looking up a “hashtag�:
14
Beginning July 9, 2009, a novel way of generating information was introduced to Twitter: the hashtag. An informal way of marking taxonomy has been the most recognizable directory since then. The hashtag is entirely open source, and as of now, it is growing towards a periphery we do not know. What makes hashtag a unique categorization method is that is it not monitored by an intellectual authority, therefore resulting in free agency of the user. One can hashtag an image as anything, which results in blurring of the meaning of the original tagline.
)
The new turn: Images + the Internet
Image 10: The original post by Chris Messina in 2007, introducing the hashtag “#�.
15
It may be Architecture
With the emergence of smartphone and social media, image databases have become a primary platform to explore architecture. Within seconds, one can access millions of unique content under a specific keyword on any internet website. The operating system is equipped with Ctrl+f, a search short-cut to allow the user to access information under any taglines. Apart from being one of the most effective ways to participate in social media, image sharing differs from other forms of content dispersion because it eliminates the barrier of language between different users on the internet. Instagram is the leading image-based social network with 800 million members, allowing its users to post-process and hashtag their own content, as well as giving access to the rest of the users’ content under specific usernames.
Image 11: Instagram feed snapshot taken on December 11, 2018 under #pisatower.
16
The new turn: Images + the Internet
#pisatower 2,457,693 posts
17
It may be Architecture
In the past seven years, image databases have become a primary platform to explore architecture. Within seconds, one can access millions of unique content under a specific hashtag. One has not visited most of the buildings they know; instead, they have only seen images of them.
18
Image 12,13 ad 14: Content taken fron #pisatower on Dec 11, 2018. Notice the variety of images genres that can be found under a single hashtag.
The new turn: Images + the Internet
+
=
pisa tower?
+
19
It may be Architecture
With the assumption that no image is objective due to its authors personal perspective, the vastness of image data under specific hashtags causes blurring and diversifying of what a specific word means. As a keyword to test the limits of the subjectivity of images, I have selected #chair.
20
Image 15: The “most chair“ chair, according to two image analysis techniques used in this thesis; Google Image API and Online surveys.
The new turn: Images + the Internet
eerar
2 likes eerar #chair
21
It may be Architecture
Two different image recognition techniques were applied to a set of twenty images, first, google image API, and second, online surveys with anonymous participants to extract a logical pattern for subjectivity in images. The two-part experiment starts with online surveys that are conducted with social media users to determine the measures of identity of a keyword. In the second part, the selected images are submitted to an image recognition application, Google Vision API.
Image 16: Selected twenty images of #chair. Images are acquired from Instagram on July 07. 2018
22
The new turn: Images + the Internet
23
It may be Architecture
(a short paranthesis)
( 24
Online surveys :
The premise of the online reviews was to examine the cognitive behavior of the human eye when looking at an image. The surveyors are randomly selected from various social media platforms. For initial tests, the surveys are kept simple with a repeating question with a provided spectrum of answers and changing images.
GOOGLE Vision API:
An application programming interface, Google Vision can analyze image under thirteen different categories such as label detection, landmark detection, and object localizer. The image analysis is algorithmicized based on image tags on Google. The API recognizes each physical object with its most generic attributes. Apart from acting as an “objective“ alternative to online surveys, Vision API provides a systematic analysis that can be deployed in further explorations with the online users.
The new turn: Images + the Internet
Secure
https://www.surveyhero.com/user/surveys/77406/collect
is this a chair? no.
yeah! 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Image 17 (top): Online surveys are conducted on surveyhero.com. All twenty images are included in the same survey. Image 18 (bottom): Google image API response page displaying different percentages of matches for tagline. All twenty images are run through the application on the same day (July 07,2018)
Secure
https://cloud.google.com/vision/docs/drag-and-drop
Furniture
90%
Chair
88%
Product
73%
Beige
60%
Angle
55%
Slipcover
53%
) 25
It may be Architecture
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
After applying each image recognition techniques to the set of 20 images, various analyses were conducted with the results to extract a logical pattern for subjectivity. The analyses helped in understanding the two different tools more extensively and unpack their working methods. However, it remained an arduous task to extract a logical and somewhat simple pattern for what constitutes subjectivity. 26
20%
10%
0%
The new turn: Images + the Internet
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Image 19: A graph displaying the results of the image analyses.
27
It may be Architecture
The attempt at unpacking subjectivity resulted in one inevitable outcome: no matter what one thinks a chair is, as soon as a person thought of it as one, it is a chair.
28
Image 20: Selected twenty images of #chair. Images are acquired from Instagram on July 07. 2018. Does not matter what a single user thinks a chair is, as soon as it is tagged as one, it is a chair.
The new turn: Images + the Internet
%100
%100 %100 %100 %100
%100
%100 %100 %100 %100
%100
%100 %100 %100 %100
%100
%100 %100 %100 %100
29
Uncanny images of #architecture
In contemporary architecture, image-making has solidified its state as a stand-alone discourse.
It may be Architecture
Collage and Flatness, as the new black of the image, are highly utilized techniques for the matter, but yet, not always constructed through three-dimensional moves. It is also important to note that flatness and collage introduce a high level of abstraction into architecture, resulting in elevated subjectivity in images. This level of abstraction can be sufficient to communicate a narrative, yet, how it translates into a spatial experience remains in flux. Without the familiar geometric clues in an image, the eye cannot position itself within the space in a fixed point, continually oscillating between different layers of distance, exaggerated texture, surface treatment, and color. As these images are becoming the main architectural artifact in the contemporary field, they manifest as an uncanny version of the familiar spaces we know.
Image 21: Instagram is full of #architecture images. On the right, a selection of images displaying the techniques of collage and flatness are shown.
32
Uncanny images of #architecture carrosoul
24 likes carrousel # 1956 vs. 1994 - just what was is it that made yesterday’s homes so different, so appealing #richardhamilton #popart #collage photographer #afterlight #light #contrast #lights #colors #shadow #collage #architecture
hapellegrino
3,456 likes brettgorvy #swimmingpools #miamiheat #davidhockney #poemfortheday #art #boydreaming
zeanmacfarlane
78 likes
davidsonrafailidis
hapellegrino How I’m keeping myself entertained this charette #archstudent #superarchitects #architecturelovers #critday #imadethat
33
It may be Architecture
juanbenavidesl
so pleasant!
3,490 likes juanbenavidesl Acquired from architect’s website. Like count is a random number and is not objective.
Image 22-23: One of the images of #architecture is analysed for its spatial resolution.
34
Uncanny images of #architecture
is this a wall or a ceiling no corners?
giant plant super crisp flat water
saver? tiny life
huge flooring
is the floor flat or tilting up?
35
It may be Architecture
Renderings and digital photography can also be categorized as uncanny architectural images: materiality and atmosphere are enhanced, and camera angles are manipulated to fix the eye of the viewer at its most desirable perspective. The eye of the viewer is trained to understand the object of rendering as an orthogonal construction in the cartesian coordinate system, however, in closer examination, it is inevitable to recognize that everything we see in these images is based on our assumptions of how it could be realized in three-dimensional space.
Images 24: More images of #architecture. Renderings and photographs are uncanny images: they display architecture through warped perspective.
36
Uncanny images of #architecture ibrahim.salman1
zahahadidarchitects
120 likes ibrahim.salman1 ‘Facial Expressions’ beta
20,482 likes zahahadidarchitects #tbt stunning photo by @rafaelwien #repost The library & Learning Center (LLC) opened in 2013 in Vienna.
37
It may be Architecture
antoniappi
tile
toilet
bathtub
m roo h t ba nk si
shaggy rug
10 likes antoniappi #weekend #saturday #bathroom #selfie #home #december #winter #remodel #interiordesign #ootd #insta_good #insta_famous #followforfollow
The massive variety of images that one can access under specific hashtag results in blurring the architectural types we are familiar with. A typical bathroom is recognizable through its finishes, fixtures, and scale (Image 25). However, the new media gives access to millions of bathroom images that show the extent of what a bathroom could be. A bathroom with exaggerated cornices, chandeliers and reflective surfaces can be simultaneously perceived as a living room (Image 26). Another image of a bathroom, with 43% of the image surface as a landscape, can be removed entirely from its domestic context (Image 27). 38
Uncanny images of #architecture
life_at_number_63
crystal chandelier
where is the toilet?
thick cornice
life_at_number_63
large spatious windows
unusual bathroom bowl/tub
reflective surfaces everywhere !
769 likes
769 likes
life_at_number_63
life_at_number_63
If you’re looking for me this evening, I will be here! Hubby is working late, so why not take the chance and indulge in a little pampering?!? Also these amazing candles arrived today from @illumerlondon and I cannot tell you how gorgeous they smell! Hope you all have a relaxing evening planned in your gorgeous homes Just need to get the kids to bed now and then get some bubbles in here!
If you’re looking for me this evening, I will be here! Hubby is working late, so why not take the chance and indulge in a little pampering?!? Also these amazing candles arrived today from @illumerlondon and I cannot tell you how gorgeous they smell! Hope you all have a relaxing evening planned in your gorgeous homes Just need to get the kids to bed now and then get some bubbles in here!
pembeo
pembeo
view is 38,700 px = 43.85% of the entire image
2,634 likes
Image is 300x300 = 90,000 px
2,634 likes
pembeo
pembeo
Happy Thursday Insta!
Happy Thursday Insta!
#bathroom #bathtime #myself #myhome #luxurious #white #marble #relax #cool
#bathroom #bathtime #myself #myhome #luxurious #white #marble #relax #cool
Image 25-26-27: Various images of #bathroom is visually analysed.
39
It may be Architecture
The thesis posits that architecture and its images are interchangeable and enforces that the image can be translated into a spatial condition. The aim is to transform this symbiotic relationship into a methodology and therefore instrumentalize image-making as a mode of designing space: the resulting prototype originates as an image, iterated through image and ends as an image, implying a continuous design loop. The image is established as an architectural condition and always has a physical resolution to it. The thesis stays within to contemporary image culture by replicating mentioned image-trends, such as one-point perspective, flatness, collage, blurring of distance, and the collusion of types. However, the thesis takes these trends further to transform them into three-dimensional conditions, which would allow for a new set of possibilities: a singular image can house multiple typological and spatial readings simultaneously. The resulting prototypes demonstrate a tangible space that has uncanny qualities, as a result of the way its constructed. A room that looks very deep might, in fact, be very short, or an object that seems to be floating in the air might be a collection of multiple objects placed carefully in space. All these effects have spatial resolutions that can only be unraveled once experienced from multiple points of view. The multiplicity of reading allows for experiential richness in a single, limited room, allowing for multi-dimensional use.
Image 28: The thesis mainly focuses on five image making techniques.
40
Uncanny images of #architecture
one-point perspective
flatness
collage
blurring of distance
collusion of types
41
It may be Architecture
Image 29: A room that looks deep might in fact be very short
42
Architecture and Images
Image 30: An object that seems to be floating in space might be multiple objects carefully placed in space.
43
The Domestic and its Images
The domestic space is where the author of the image has the most agency over its surroundings and therefore can manipulate it as a stage set for self-expression.
It may be Architecture
The contemporary domestic space is shrinking and collapsing both physically and socially due to the infusion of social media to the home. Looking at images of them on instagram, it is inevitable to see that selected programs of the bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and dining room are increasingly diluted in meaning.
46
The Domestic and its Images
Image 31: Domestic is a stage set for self expression of the regular person.
47
It may be Architecture
With the emergence of the second digital turn, the domestic typology has significantly moved away from its standardization, as it can be witnessed on various image databases such as Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr. The hyper self-awareness of the user and the urge to document and share it have generated alternative uses for everyday objects, such as a selfie wall or a mirror. In the contemporary world, the bathroom is the designated space for self-appreciation, whereas, the bed is the pedestal to showcase the outfit of the day. Arguably, these alternative uses for everyday objects have always been prevalent. However, their recent dominance in the image databases has made it apparent that we cannot think of typology through its standardization anymore. In the new digital turn, the bathroom can exist without a toilet, and a bathtub can be found in the bedroom.
Image 32: Various images acquired from Instagram under #bathroom, #bedroom and #selfie
48
The Domestic and its Images bribri.jpeg illusorio_
26 likes illusorio_ #selca #selfie #daily #ootd #me #followme #instafashion
2,147 likes
destanbul
bribri.jpeg Wednesday Mood #bathtub #bathtubs #bathtubselfie #bubblebath #balloons #pink #pinkballoons #blondehairdontcare #champagne #bathroom #bathtime #bathroomshot #calvinkleinunderwear #calvinklein #calvinkleinwatch #calvinkleinthailand #lingerie #lingeriemodel #victoriasecrets #victoriasecretbra #whitebra #calvinkleinpanties #livinlavish #luxurylifestyle #happyhumpday
bribri.jpeg
destanbul
22 likes
5 likes bribri.jpeg Pink turtleneck Price: $16 Size: tag says XL... fits more like a M/L to me u decide for yourself
49
Image as Space
It may be Architecture
The methodology is developed through careful analysis of contemporary image techniques. When deployed as an architectural condition, these techniques allow for multiple readings in a single space. By blurring the distance, creating flatness and collage-like adjacencies, many typological juxtapositions and as well as stand-alone readings of these typologies are made possible in a single space depending on the point of view of the user.
Image 33: Blurring of depth, creating flatness and collage are the three techniques that are utilized in creating the methodology of this thesis.
52
Image as Space
depth
flatness
collage
53
It may be Architecture
The first group of techniques is developed to blur depth. With the tapering of the plan and the section of the room, the user perception of depth has changed from deep space to shallow space.
Image 34: Method 1, tapering the room to alter perception of depth
54
Image as Space
55
It may be Architecture
In a different sequence, the architectural element is relocated incrementally, which alters the reading of depth from shallow to deep.
Image 35: Method 2, Incrementally moving the architectural element away from the viewer to alter depth
56
Image as Space
1 2 3
57
It may be Architecture
The scale of space is understood in relation to the architectural elements it holds: by scaling a typical window up and down, the size of the space can be altered from large to small.
Image 36: Method 3, Scaling the architecture element to alter the size of the room.
58
Image as Space
Typical Window 66% scale
Typical Window 100% scale
Typical Window 133% scale
TAFCO Windows 36 in. x 70 in. 70000 RightHand Casement Vinyl Window (information acquired from home.depot.com)
TAFCO Windows 36 in. x 70 in. 70000 RightHand Casement Vinyl Window (information acquired from home.depot.com)
TAFCO Windows 36 in. x 70 in. 70000 RightHand Casement Vinyl Window (information acquired from home.depot.com)
59
It may be Architecture
An alternative way to modify the interpretation of space is through surface material manipulation. By applying mirror on the surfaces, width, depth, and height of the space can be multiplied. In an opposite case, Matte black surface treatment flattens depth, focusing the attention on the objects in the room.
Image 37-38: Method 4 and 5, changing surface finish type, from mirror to matter black.
60
Image as Space
61
It may be Architecture
A typical grid is projected orthogonally for standard applications, which help reading the depth of the space by generating construction lines. However, an anamorphic projection, which prioritizes the viewers perspective for construction can drastically affect the reading of the space, due to the viewers’ predetermined assumption of how a tile is applied on walls.
Image 39-40: Method 6 and 7, typical tile is designed and applied orthogonally to a space. Anamorphic application prioritized a singular point of view to apply tile on a surface.
62
Image as Space
63
It may be Architecture
Utilizing the technique of anamorphic projection, seemingly random lines can be harmonized in a specific image to generate a calculated composition.
Image 41: Another use of anamorphic projection to render a single object floating in space.
64
Image as Space
65
The Prototype
It may be Architecture
The thesis comprises of a prototypical continuous space that is designed exclusively through images. In the following pages, every element relating to the respective spaces other than the primary image is generated as an aftermath of the design process. The five images are developed with the basic premises of blurring depth, flattening distance, collaging, and scaling to orchestrate a highly specific space with a calculated outcome. These five images evoke an overarching reading in the first impression. However, the more time the viewer spends on the image, the further the image gets both unpacked and packed with meaning due to its uncanny spatial construction.
Image 42: The prototype is made up of five calculated images.
68
The Prototype
69
It may be Architecture
Although the architecture of the images is highly specific, generic objects of the daily life are embedded in them. Mostly seen unarchitectural, these mundane objects behave as familiar references for scale and program, giving the viewer ways to break down the image for many translations.
Image 43: Generic objects of daily life are placed in the images as a point of reference.
70
The Prototype
71
It may be Architecture
In the five images, materiality and color are reduced their formal qualities. A tile becomes a grid with legible contrast, and color only exists as light, dark, glossy, matte, opaque or transparent. The material palette of the images is limited in number with the intention to focus the viewer’s attention on form and scale.
Image 44: Material palette of the images is limited to focus the attention on form.
72
The Prototype
73
It may be Architecture
The sequence of five images starts with the entrance. Seemingly a standard, yet curiously shaped space holds three doors, with the center one being propped open to invite the viewer inside.
Image 46: The entrance
74
The Prototype
75
It may be Architecture
The application of the straight lines in the bottom and top registers look uncanny: not only they do not comply with orthogonal construction, but also they mark a calculated inconsistency. The doors are sized based on the viewer’s perspective, resulting in the furthest door being the largest and nearest door being the smallest.
7’ 5”
14’ 7”
Image 47: The entrance in axonometric view
76
The Prototype
decoration?
Image 48: Wall paint.
77
It may be Architecture
Moreover, the stoops are designed as uncanny: Seemingly leading up to same sized doors, the one on the left contains four landings, whereas the one on the right has only two. In this case, The flatness of the floor plane becomes questionable. Generic objects of daily use, such as chairs and bottles are placed in the scene as points of references. Their mundaneness does not lock the attention of the viewer; however, it makes them quickly recognizable for their scale. The chair by the center doors is the same scale as the chair in the front. By comparing the height of the door handles in relation to the chairs, the viewer can start to unpack the uncanny construction of these architectural elements.
Image 49: Generic objects act as point of reference
78
The Prototype
4 steps
18 in x 18 in x 30 in generic chair
generic bottles (beer)
2 steps
generic bike
79
It may be Architecture
Inside the apartment, the domestic types are being juxtaposed. In this image, the juxtaposition happens figuratively by collaging two seemingly different spaces together.
Image 50: The kitchen / reading room
80
The Prototype
81
It may be Architecture
The room is split in two via the viewer’s perspective, utilizing anamorphic projection. On the left, a kitchen is portrayed with a ceramic tile wall and a highly glossy floor finish. On the right, a reading room with tectonic objects drags the eye of the viewer up and down along the composition of the circular forms. Seemingly close to each other in location, the armchair looks significantly shrunken in size next to the kitchen bar with stools. Upon closer examination, it appears that the tile is applied through perspective on the left, altogether eliminating the depth of the space. However, on the right, the material is applied orthogonally, revealing the deep barrel vault. In 3 dimensional space, there are 20 feet between the chair and the kitchen bar; however, surface manipulation results in a closer adjacency. There is a flat surface behind the couch. The surface is also generated through perspectival projection, blurring the location of the wall in relation to the objects in the foreground.
20 ft
Image 51: The kitchen / reading room in axonometric view
82
The Prototype
anamophic projection wall tile
anamophic projection black wallpaint
flat surface painted based on anamorphic projection
generic couch
Image 52: The kitchen / reading room visual analysis
83
It may be Architecture
Various generic objects are placed in the scene to explain the construction technique and the form of the room. A hat is placed on a side table to reveal that the flat surface is a stand-alone structure and not attached to the side walls. The leg of the mirror is placed strategically in the middle to highlight the material change of the floor. The cords of the lighting fixtures are wrapped around the profile of the space to give away the barrel vault.
84
Image 53-54: The kitchen / reading room is cropped to highlight floor material change and wrapped lighing chords
The Prototype
85
It may be Architecture
The next image is a dining scene. The viewer is looking into a space framed by various black lines, focusing the attention on a window that seems to be standing far in the distance. The dining room is long and narrow with tall, monumental ceiling height.
Image 55: The dining room
86
The Prototype
87
It may be Architecture
In the isometric view, the room is revealed as rather short. The room is tapering down planometrically and sectionally to mimic the orthogonal construction of depth. The window, although fully operable, is shrunken to 18 inches by 20 inches. The viewer is placed on the toilet and raised by a platform to further alter the reading of the space.
Image 56: The dining room in axonometric view
88
The Prototype
18”x 20”
12 ft.
89
It may be Architecture
The room begins to dissolve in its scale once the viewer pays attention to the objects on the table. The room looks spacious, yet the objects appear large compared to the space that holds them. The crown molding draws the focus on the edges, but seem to be chunky. The bust of Napoleon is used as a scalie: more massive than a typical human, the bust stands as a quirky reminder of the uncanny scale of the space.
Image 57: Generic objects are used as a point of reference in the dining scene.
90
Architecture and Images
91
It may be Architecture
The next image is viewed from the opposite side of the dining room when sitting on the chair at the head of the table. In this case, the depth of the room is reversed due to its geometry: the distance between the toilet and the viewer is wholly collapsed, rendering the room as shorter.
Image 58: The bathroom, viewed from the dining room
92
The Prototype
93
It may be Architecture
However, the scale of the bathroom objects is maintained as standard, making it seem smaller than usual: the toilet, the sink, and the bathtub look tiny.
Image 59: The space is shortened due to its geometry
94
The Prototype
generic toilet (looks tiny though!)
95
It may be Architecture
The bent steel black structures function as visual thresholds between the bathroom and the dining room. These devices are the only physical separators between two different programmatic types. They not only mark the uncanny territory between the bathroom and the dining room but also frame each image, adding to the picturesque element.
Image 60: The bathroom + the dining room in aoxnometric view
96
The Prototype
97
It may be Architecture
The fifth and the final image of the prototype is the communal space. The image is split in two by using two contrasting surface treatments, and the bottom half of the image is depicting a room full of objects.
Image 61: The living room
98
The Prototype
99
It may be Architecture
In the first impression, the scene looks like a diorama: the objects seem uncannily small, ridding them of their programmatic use and turning them into dollhouse furniture.
Image 62: The living room cut in two to generate several datums in the image
100
The Prototype
101
It may be Architecture
As seen in the axonometric view, the viewer is raised by a 5-foot tall platform. The ceiling of this common room is incredibly tall, measuring about 20 feet in height. The line that separates the black wall paint from the white is selected to match an average ceiling height for a domestic space: it is nine and a half feet off of the ground. Since the viewer’s perspective is elevated to 10 feet off the ground, the room around the gaze becomes miniscule, resulting in the diorama effect. Furthermore, the enlarged checkerboard tile is applied through anamorphic perspective to generate a dollhouse effect.
Image 63: The living room in axonometric view
102
The Prototype
9.5 ft
20 ft
103
It may be Architecture
The five images in their spatial resolutions are stitched together to generate a continuous space. The resulting structure contains the five constructed images, as well as interstitial images that reveal the spatial overlaps between five views. Once inspected as a complete set, the images act as puzzle pieces, revealing the entire structure and its programmatic and spatial adjacencies.
Image 64: Prototype 1, all spaces combined.
104
The Prototype
105
It may be Architecture
Exhibition 01.10.19
The thesis defense for “It may be Architecture� took place on January 10th, 2019 in Anderson Hall at Rice University. The verbal presentation was accompanied by an exhibition in the Jury Room, which consisted of five tables with associated frames dedicated to each view that the prototype includes. At the head of each table, large-scale, hand-framed prints of images were placed. The table-tops were used to display interstitial images that reveal the space from different angles as well as adjacencies between the five different types. Each image was represented with an axonometric drawing that is meticulously annotated to inform the viewer about each image.
It may be Architecture
110
Image 65: MD Anderson Hall, Rice Architecture, Jury Room. The exhibition was set up for the thesis reviews on January 10, 2019.
Exhibition
111
It may be Architecture
Entrance
112
Kitchen/Reading Room
Image 65: MD Anderson Hall, Rice Architecture, Jury Room. The exhibition was set up for the thesis reviews on January 10, 2019. Five tables were dedicated to five images.
Dining
Exhibition
Room
Bathroom
Living Room
113
It may be Architecture
114
Image 66-67: Two tables are shown up close. Image 66 shows the living room while image 67 displays the dining room. Objects of reference are placed on the tables as a reminder of the scale of these objects in the images. .
Exhibition
115
Drawings
Each image in the exhibition was accompanied by an annotated axonometric drawing that unravels the methods of construction. Illustrations were printed at 18”x18” scale, laminated on 1/4” foam core, and placed in the middle of the tables for the viewer to read as they observe the images.
It may be Architecture
Door no. 237
Door no. 236
Two More Shades of Gray, Acrylic Wall Paint Complementary shades of gray [RAL 7040 (light gray) RAL 7042 (dark gray)] are selected for the decorative (and informative) lines two registers of the walls. These lines mark the top and the bottom of the doors: They look the same in size from the viewer’s perspective but vary in scale and thickness in three dimensions. Lines are produced with anamorphic projection: they look parallel to the ground in the image, however, waver in any other point of view.
Seemingly a standard object, the first door on the left is the smallest in scale, trying to match the other doors in the scene. The door measures 7ft tall, and 2,5 ft wide, functional and is entirely suitable for most humans. However, its generic look does not give away its smallness.
Door Bells These bells are modeled after the most typical bell shape, which is the church bell, or the Christmas bell. The “bellness” of the contemporary doorbell is harder to recognize in far distances due to its small scale and rectangular form. These bells are increased in size to draw the attention to their generic shape, as well as their existence at the threshold of the domestic space.
Propped open by a standard chair, door no. Two hundred thirty-seven invites the explorer into a space designed exclusively through images. The door is placed in the deepest point of the entrance lobby, which requires its size to be the largest. Door no. 237 is 15 ft tall and 6 feet wide. Although large, the door handle is placed 4,5 feet off from the ground, making it still accessible to most adults. The chair does not only keep the door open for the visitors but also helps humans of smaller sizes to access the
6 inch x 8 inches. Can be loud when rang.
*Anamorphosis is a distorted projection or perspective requiring the viewer to use a specific vantage point to reconstitute the image.
Chairs Two chairs are placed in the scene to help the viewer understand the scale of the three primary elements in the image: the doors. They vary in size from small to extra large. However, the construction of the image creates the illusion that they are all the same size. The chairs are standard objects, 18 in x 18 in x 48 in. They are left
Two Shades of Gray, Wall Paint These two shades of gray [RAL 7042 (light grey) RAL 7044 (dark grey)] are selected as neutral colors that do not draw the attention of the eye in the first look, however, in closer inspection, he realizes that the wall is divided anamophically. From his perspective, the line is completely straight, even though it is not in any other view. *Anamorphosis is a distorted projection or perspective requiring the viewer to use a specific vantage point to reconstitute the image.
Human no.1 (male, 6’3”)
White Ceramic Tile, 18” x 18” This generic white tile is applied orthogonally to the space, allowing the viewer to use it as a point of reference to understand the scale of the room. The black grout facilitates the reading of the grid and creates a scale reference in the lobby space.
Viewer no. 1 is approaching the apartment units. He is confronted with three doors. The foray is varied in depth, making sure that no entry is adjacent to another. But, the doors seem to be the same size in his view. After careful deliberation, he walks toward room 236 with the door propped open for him.
Door no. 239
Stoop - or stairs A recognizable domestic feature, the stoop is placed within the what-looks-like and apartment building interior. The stoop doesn’t only invite to neighbors to socialize within the domestic, but it also denotes the scale: take a moment to notice that the door on the left side requires more landings than the one on the right due to its size.
Entrance
118
Door no. 239 is a standard door with a standard size, measuring 80 inches x 32 inches. Similar to the other two doors, door no. 239 looks deceivingly same in scale with the other ones. Are the other two doors scaled to match this one, or is it by chance that this one is a genuinely standard door? One might never know.
Drawings
Thinking Objects Mirror Sphere and Concave Hanging mirror
Black Extra Glossy Epoxy Finish The glossy finish of the flooring adds a splash of luxury and drama to the kitchen area. The reflectivity reveals the custom-made tiles on the wall: in the image, the wall on the left side look flattened, yet the depth of the space is given away by the reflection.
Lighting fixtures Twin Lamps Two identical lamps are placed strategically to illuminate the space. Instead of dangling straight from the ceiling, their cords are wrapped around the profile of the room, revealing the barrel vault. One is placed in the foreground, and the other is placed behind the opening, creating an illusion of a mirror.
Apart from revealing the true nature of their environment, these objects are placed carefully to align with the opening on the wall, dragging the eye of the viewer up and down along the right side of the image. The right side is a deep space: Many objects are placed incrementally and taken out of their initial reading (to read more about these objects, continue following these notes).
Stand-alone wall with a hole
This concrete wall is constructed to generate a pantry area behind the scenes. The geometry is determined based on the anamorphic projection through the viewer’s perspective. The paint on the wall matches the bottom edge of the room. The matte gray color on the surface flattens the background of the right side of the image, undermining the curvature of the barrel vault.
Circular Image Frame 4feet in diameter The large image frame is placed at the center of the room, crossing over one space to the other; standing equally in-between the kitchen and the reading room. The frame holds an image of the circular opening on the barrel vault which creates the illusion of a mirror.
Kitchen Tile Size and Shape vary White ceramic. The tile is applied on the left side of the wall to denote the sanitary space. However, to separate from the reading room, the grid is applied anamophically to erase the extreme depth of the room. The background becomes flat and diagrammatic in the view, yet has a dramatic effect in any other direction. Space flips the course of its depth: the smallest tiles are closest to the viewer yet in orthogonal projection, they would be placed the furthest.
Side Table (IKEA) 18 inch x 18 inch x 26 inch Easily recognizable by most IKEA enthusiasts, this side table is placed strategically behind the stand-alone wall, peaking through the opening to unravel the autonomous construction. The hat acts as a signifier to give the table importance, and also a reference point for scale.
Grandma’s Couch 32 in x 32 in x 32 in Even though it looks small, this couch is a pretty generic one.
Kitchen Counter Lomas Kitchen Island 42 inch x 48 inch x 29 inch The contemporary kitchen is shrinking and bending its use in the dwelling unit. This kitchen only includes a single bar with a mini fridge and a simple tabletop stove. It performs as a plateau for eating and serving. The flat backdrop amplifies the platonic form of the bar. Three bar stools imply a performance that takes place behind the bar. In this case, the performance is not preparing, but presenting for the guests.
Matte Black Paint (RAL 9005)
Human no.2 (female, 5’3”, 5’5” with heels) Viewer no. 2 is now inside the apartment unit, looking directly into the kitchen/ lounge space. The viewer is placed perpendicularly to the cut line on the ground that separates the floor into two textures. Looking straight ahead, she sees the entire room as a stark collage of two different spaces: one is a minimalist kitchen with a flat background. The other is a dim reading room with tectonic objects to juxtapose various materials.
The strip of black paint is applied on raw concrete to reveal the continuity of the wall without the disruption of any dividers: the black color originates at the circular frame, and moves towards the viewer, spatially connecting the two.
Kitchen/Reading Room
119
It may be Architecture
Frames as Thresholds Bent Steel in Matte Black Finish, 2 inch diameter Crown-Molding Solid Pine molding, 12 inch x 12 inch in profile Driving inspiration from luxury, the crown molding adds a grandiose gesture to the room, as well as draws the attention to the edges of the room. The room is constructed to be seen deep, and the molding accentuates the corners of the room that results in the deep reading of the space.
Gray Acrylic Wall Paint, Rough Texture (RAL 4077) The wall paint of the room is selected to contrast with the baseboard and the crown molding of the room to highlight the edges, which generate a deep reading of the space depending on the viewing perspective.
Matte Black PVC Window 18 inch x 24 inch
Three steel structures are placed in the space to create virtual threshold: these frames are not separators, yet they still function as visual thresholds for the viewer in both directions. They can be understood as domestic infrastructure: the user can hang wet laundry, artwork or a screen for a projection, or decorate them for events. In perspective, the frames seem to be diminishing in space, focusing the attention on the back window. However, notice that they do not diminish into the distance: The fact that they are colored matte gray in a dimly lit space results in this reading.
Relatively small for a typical dining room (although still perfectly operable), the dining room window is placed at the altar of the room. Its small size adds to the deep reading of the room. The frames focus the attention on the window. Once the viewer starts to compare the window to the objects on the table, the scale slowly reveals itself.
Dining Table 6’ 6” inch x 2’ - 4’ (width varies) The oval dining table is shaped to imitate the geometry of the construction, further accentuating the depth of the room. The glossy epoxy surface serves as a display for the objects on top of it.
Concrete Pedestal for the Bathroom, 24 inch high. The bathroom space is elevated from the ground plane, acting as one of the thresholds as one leaves the dining table and moves towards the bath. The pedestal also adjusts the viewer’s perspective, rendering the dining space deep.
Human no.3 (male, 5’10”, sitting down, 3 feet) The third viewer is sitting on the toilet, looking towards the dining room table through the multiple virtual thresholds: Accretion and excretion take place in the same room, in opposition to one another, literally. As space tapers down to make the view look deeper, the user is invited to participate in dining. The head chair of the dining table has become the toilet.
Bust of Napoleon Imitation Articles on the table Plates, Utensils, Apples, Cups, Candles The articles on the table are placed arbitrarily as references for scale. Since the dining table varies in its width, it is difficult to estimate its size at a given section, and the articles act as reference points. Their generic identity belongs to dining experiences.
Dining Room
120
The bust is used as a scalie; however, it is larger than a human body. The head is 1,5 times bigger than a human’s head, confusing the scale of the large table and the space around it. If one has a table as big as this, why should they ever eat alone?
Drawings
Crown-Molding Solid Pine molding, 12 inch x 12 inch
Gray Acrylic Wall Paint, Rough Texture (RAL 4077) The wall paint of the room is selected to contrast with the baseboard and the crown molding of the room to highlight the edges, which generate a shallow reading of the room depending on the perspective.
The Mirrored Bathroom
Driving inspiration from luxury, the crown molding adds a grandiose gesture to the room, as well as draws the attention to the edges of the room. The room is constructed to be seen deep, and the molding accentuates the edges of the room that results in the deep reading of the space.
The newly claimed space for self-appreciation, the bathroom is mirrored all around to multiply the number of views it generates within itself. The mirror renders the space completely internalized architecturally, visually separating it from the rest of the room. With the elevated pedestal and the and the matte black painting application around the exposed slabs, the bathroom becomes an image within the image.
Bust of Napoleon Imitation The scale of the bust complicates the reading of the table. Is the table tiny? Because the statue is colossal as a scalie, it alters the interpretation of the table and the objects placed on it, further reinforcing the smallness of the space. The bathroom looks small, however the bathroom elements in it seem to be even smaller. The bathroom becomes an image
White Ceramic Tile 3inch x 3 inch A typical bathroom tile is applied orthogonally on the ground to mark the territory of the wet space.
Articles on the table Plates, Utensils, Apples, Cups, Candles Seemingly sparse in other views, the table seems to be small, cluttered with many items in this image.
Matte Black Frame RAL 9005 Matte Acrylic Paint Matte Black Acrylic Paint is added to the exposed thickness of the slabs to frame the view of the bathroom to further accentuate its singularity as an image-space. The matte black blends in with the bent steel structures between the dining table and the marble stoop.
Dining Table 6’ 6” inch x 2’ - 4’ (width varies) The oval dining table is shaped to imitate the geometry of the construction, further collapsing the depth of the room. The table seems short; however, the bathroom elements looks tiny concerning the depth of the table.
Human no.4 (male, 6’3”, 3’2” sitting down) Viewer no. Three is sitting on one end of the dining table, directly facing the bathroom. A concrete pedestal elevates the bathroom and frames it. The collapsing of the distance due to the shape of the room and the table causes an image-like reading for the bathroom space. The objects in the bathroom seem small like a diorama. The pedestal separates it from the rest of the domestic space, showcasing its elements and material qualities.
Marble Stoop Carrara Venato Slabs The marble stoop is added to give access to the bathroom. The bathroom is now a Greek temple.
Bathroom
121
It may be Architecture
Curved Profile The curved profile of the wall is rendered uncanny with the color contrast between the wall and the ceiling. It is unclear whether the curve happens vertically or horizontally.
Matte Black and White paint RAL 9005 and RAL 9010 The line that separates the wall into two is drawn strategically. The line doesn’t only match the eye of the viewer but also denotes a somewhat standard ceiling height (9 ft) for domestic space. The top half of the wall is painted matte black contrast the bottom half of the wall.
Matte Black Frame RAL 9005 Matte Acrylic Paint Matte Black Acrylic Paint is added to the exposed thickness of the slabs to frame the view of the bathroom to further accentuate its singularity as an image-space. The matte black blends in with the bent steel structures between the dining table and the marble stoop.
Matte Black Paint Shapes RAL 9005 The circular shapes are projected anamorphically onto the surface of the bottom half of the wall to generate flatness. The flatness results in an uncanny reading of the curvy profile of the wall.
Checkerboard Tile Anamorphic Projection Sizes and shapes vary A grid is projected anamorphically from the viewer’s perspective to generate the floor tiling. However, notice the scale of the tiles: The initial grid is selected quite large to add to the diorama effect.
Small Ladder A small ladder is placed next to the marble stand with the flowers. The ladder signifies the height difference between objects, hinting that the construction of the space might have something to the with the seemingly small scale of the objects inside it.
Viewing Platform Carrara Marble, 18in x 18 in x 72 in The viewing platform invites the viewer to position themselves to see the diorama image of the room. The marble pedestal acts as a pedestal for the human body, inverting the object - viewer relationship. The human is now an object on display for others to image. Human no.5 (female, 5’3”, 5’5” with heels, 9’ standing on
the platform )
The human gaze is raised to generate an uncannily small environment for the image. Since the point of view is changed, along with the ceiling height, the objects within the space look seemingly miniature, creating a diorama-like image of the lounge space.
The Bed Traditionally the most private part of the house, the bed is now a place to observe from: it is positioned at the center of the house and have visual access to all spaces simultaneously.
Living Room
122
Drawings
123
It may be Architecture
Bibliography
124
Bibliography
Carpo, Mario. The Second Digital Turn Design beyond Intelligence. The MIT Press, 2017.
Delanda, Manuel. Material Matters. Domus Magazine: October 2012
Carpo, Mario. Digital Style. LOG, vol 23. Fall 2011.
Evans, Robin. Translation from Drawing to Building. MIT Press: 1973
Carpo, Mario. Post-Digital Quitters: Why The Shift Towards Collage is Worrying. Metropolis Mag, 2018. Kipnis, Jeffrey, and Peter Eisenman. “I Am for Tendencies.” LOG, vol. 32, 2013.
Evans, Robin. Figures, Doors and Passages. MIT Press: 1973 May, John. Everything is already an Image. Anycorp. 2017
Linder, Mark. Images and Other Stuff, Journal of Architectural Education, 2012, 66:1, 3-8, DOI Flusser, Vilem, Into the Universe of Technical Images Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2011 [1985]. Jacob, Sam. Architecture Enters the Age of Post-Digital Drawing. Metropolis Magazine. March 2017. Ngai, Sienne. Our Aesthetic Categories. Modern Language Association: PMLA Vol.125. October 2010. Hayden, Dolores. The Grand Domestic Revolution: a History of Feminist Designs for American Homes, Neighborhoods, and Cities. MIT Press, 2000 Various Users. “#bathroom, #kitchen #livingroom, #architecture, #bedroom, #pisatower, #selfie and other” Instagram, Date accessed: Summer 2018Winter 2019, www.instagram.com Steinweg, Marcus. Inconsistencies, MIT Press: October 2017. Deleuze, Gilles and Felix Guattari. A Thousand Plateaus. (University of Minnesota Press, 1980) p. 409
125