Jingwen Eugene Kua 673907 Earth Book v2 by Jingwen Eugene Kua

On ‘Secrets’: Allegory and the Architecture of Desire

Studio Earth 2016 Jingwen Eugene Kua 673907 Scott Woods (Studio 5)

O n c e Up o n A T i m e . . .

...there lived a secret. His refuge the imagination of man, Funny, playful, mischievous, Charmed were the Muses then, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Til the Father intervened, Duped by the Brother ever so devious.

L E S S O N S F RO M D U CH A M P

MARCEL DUCHAMP (1887-1968) The influential 20th century French artist was the starting point of the investigation of “secrets”. His art, very controversial at the time, challenged art’s heavy reliance on “the retinal”, and instead, advocated for conceptual art - art that is “in service of the mind”.

L E S S O N S F RO M D U CH A M P THE TWO WORKS Duchamp’s art direction can be found in two significant yet least understood works : 1. Bride Stripped Bare by her Bachelors, Even (The Large Glass) 1915-23, 2. Étant donnés (Given: 1. The Waterfall, 2. The Illuminating Gas) 1946-66 .

I. BRIDE STRIPPED BARE BY HER BACHELORS, EVEN (1915-23)

2. GIVEN: 1. THE WATERFALL, 2. THE I

An allegorical piece that presents the invisible forces of eroticism - desire, ego - in a set of abstracted sequences, suspended in time, “delayed in glass”; namely, an ‘Amorous Pursuit’ (sexual desire) in the upper ‘Bride’s Domain’ and a ‘Fate Machine’ (the aleatory) in the lower ‘Bachelors’ Realm’.

Duchamp’s final work is a transition o to 3D space, manifesting in a form of is made to look through two peephole a brick wall with a cut-out hole, openi featuring a naked woman, face hidden twigs, holding an illuminated glass lam ‘masculine’ lust is triggered in the view made to feel like the seductive stare o presenting the erotic forces in the phy play on linear perspective allowed a “p

The ‘Bride’s Domain’ is ambiguous, gas-like, a metaphor of a woman’s act of seduction. The ‘Bachelors’ Realm’ is discrete, industrial-like, dictated by the motor-like ‘Chocolate Grinder’, a metaphor for the lust of men.

ILLUMINATING GLASS (1946-66)

of forces of eroticism from 2D plane a stereoscopic diorama. The viewer es of a timber barn door, revealing ing a view to a hyper-realistic scene n, her vagina exposed, lying on a bed of mp, under a mid-day light setup. The werâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mind, while the glowing lamp is of the woman. Optics was important in ysical world - the use of stereoscopy and popping outâ&#x20AC;? of a seemingly flat object.

3. MARCEL DUCHAMP AND THE ARCHITECTURE OF DESIRE (2013) A recent book by Penelope Haralambidou investigated the architectural potentials of the two Duchamp works relating to desire, via the act of designing assemblages as method of research (see below).

THE ACT OF LOOKING (2007)

STEREOSCOPE (2007)

4. THE DUCHAMP EFFECT The lessons learned from Duchamp were: 1. Allegory : as flexible design method, allowing for both conceptual and tectonic generation 2. Architecture of Desire : Masculine lust and feminine seduction, play between the ambiguous and the discrete, the hidden and the revealed. These ideas were partially tested in the three formal exercises, but heavily influenced the final project.

...learning the basics...

POINT / LINE / PLANE

DEPICTION OF A GRAND KABUKI PERFORMANCE IN THE EASTERN CAPITAL (1780s) by Katsushika Hokusai

1. The multi-perspectival traditional Eastern drawings have many different vanishing points, while the Western Renaissance perspectival drawing had typically one, two, or three. The interest was to experiment an overlaying of these two types of drawing to produce a composition that contains both the qualities of a “point-of-view” and a “birds-eye” oblique view.

MULTI-PERSPECTI

2. Tracing over the two dra a set of vanishing points a lines.

PERSPECTIVAL INVESTIGATION Duchamp’s play on perspective and stereoscopy was used as the reference for this formal exercise. The compositional technique involves the overlaying of horizon lines and lines of construction of a Western (Renaissance) linear perspective drawing over an Eastern multiple perspective drawing. Using this overlaid drawing as a guide, a set of stereoscopic drawings was created. A final physical 3D manifestation of the flat 2D composition was created using a pair of stereoscopic glasses to “read” the drawing. UKNOWN LINEAR PERSPECTIVE DRAWING

LINEAR PERSPECT

IVE TRACE

awings to obtain and construction

TIVE TRACE

OVERLAID DRAWING

3. The traces were overlaid to create a guideline (see above) for the creation of a set of new stereoscopic drawings (see below). The linear perspective trace forming the underlayer, while the multi-perspective trace becoming the overlay.

PROGRESS STEREOSCOPIC DRAWING

READING GLASSES

4. Two types of stereoscopic techniques were used to read the stereoscopic drawings: the reading glasses technique (above) and the cross-eye mirror technique (below). A physical form of the composition was created from this, making use of the “popping out” effect of stereoscopic vision.

CROSS-EYE MIRROR

POINT / LINE / PLANE

STEREOSCOPIC PAIR This stereoscopic set of drawings addresses the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Point/Line/Planeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tectonic with the use of a one-point perspective grid of crosses as the background, with a series of dense translucent coloured lines arranged in a hybrid oblique/ perspectival manner, surrounded by white geometrical shapes akin to abstracted eye floaters.

POINT / LINE / PLANE

STACKED RECTANGULAR PRISMS

PHYSICAL COMPOSITION Using stereoscopic vision, the 2D composition was translated into the physical world. The horizontal, perspectival coloured lines in the drawings were abstracted into long, rectangular transparent prisms containing a â&#x20AC;&#x153;coreâ&#x20AC;? of coloured string/line; while the top and bottom orthogonal and oblique coloured lines were abstracted into coloured threads that spill out from the base and outwards from the rectangular prisms. The perspectival grid of crosses were abstracted into a flat grid, overlaid on the base of the composition.

THREADS SPILL

TRACE OF THE 2D COMPOSITION

MASS

PEN DRAWING PROCESS

AUTOMATIC DRAWING Taking cue from Duchamp’s attempt to manifest a ‘psychological’ force in visible form, the first investigation of the tectonic of ‘mass’ involves the isolation of three senses - touch, smell, sound - to create a set of drawings of three solid objects: a piece of rock, a coin and a branch, prompting an unprejudiced expression of the ‘mass’ tectonic. Two types of media were used to draw: acrylic paint and fineliner pen, each producing a different sort of ‘mass’ tectonic. PAINTING PROCESS

ROCK DRAWINGS

TREE BRANCH DRAWINGS

COIN DRAWINGS

MASS

A MATTER OF [RE]PRESENTATION Duchamp’s experimentations on optics highlighted his interest in alternate modes of being. Echoing this, the second ‘mass’ investigation involves exploring two modes of presenting the conventional ‘atmospheric’ drawings of mass, namely with lines and colour. A typical ‘atmospheric’ drawing of an intuitive composition containing a ‘sunken pit’ was created and divided into eight quadrants, with four quadrants to be depicted using lines and colour (more discrete elements) while the other four depicted using smudges, painterly strokes and colour (more amorphous elements). The final drawing thus becomes a mosaic of a trace of a typical ‘atmospheric’ drawing.

Right: 1. Top - render of intuitive composition 2. Middle - atmospheric drawing of composition 3. Bottom - coloured atmospheric drawing of composition

Opposite: ‘Trace’ mosaic of intuitive composition, depicting two modes of presenting ‘mass’.

FRAME & INFILL

ANATOMICAL MANOEUVRES The final formal exercise was a first attempt at using an allegory to generate form. In this case, the allegory of an anatomy diagram was applied to generate both a physical form, as well as a conceptual notation that attempts to summarise all three formal exercises. The conceptual notation is an assemblage of part flowchart, part spider diagram, and part symbol (the waterfall-like element as symbol of transcience of form). The physical composition comprises mainly of operational moves akin to dissection. An assemblage of three distinct elements (each containing fragments of point/line/ plane and mass) are combined and layered together in a linear manner, resulting in a composition resembling the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;peel-awayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; effect of an anatomy diagram. Three perspective drawings of manifestations of the three elements of the physical assemblage were made.

Top - anatomical diagram of an arm Middle - diagrammatic sketches in development of the physical composition

NOTATION SKETCHES

‘WORLD’ SKETCHES

FRAME & INFILL

PHYSICAL COMPOSITION Metaphor: ‘anatomical implosion’ of infill elements through frame elements acting like thresholds. Three distinct sections: ‘skin peeling’ (top left), ‘suspended shrepnel’ (top middle), ‘skeletal remains’ (top right). The assemblage sits on a cavernous base, providing an allusion of a shared universe where the three distinct sections are individual yet interconnected ‘worlds’.

FRAME & INFILL

‘WORLD’ DRAWINGS Using the physical composition as a generative tool for imagined ‘worlds’ that express particular architectonics, namely : membrane-like forms (world 1), high-rise forms (world 2), and skeletal frame structures (world 3).

WORLD 1

WORLD 2

WORLD 3

FRAME & INFILL

NOTATION DRAWING An attempt to summarise the three formal exercises via symbolism, flowchart and spider diagram, creating a conceptual drawing that is both descriptive and ambiguous.

T H E CO N C E P TAC L E

SUGGESTIVE OBJECTIVITY The conceptacle is an amalgamation of the three previous formal exercises; in essence, an attempt to summarise the lessons learnt from Duchamp in a single entity. A base was first derived from a pair of sinuous lines, taken from the “diaphragm”-like element of the frame/infill composition, which was then developed further into an organic, sensual landscape that references Duchamp’s interest in eroticism and desire. A machine-like element with extending beams was derived from referencing the rectilinear yet ‘edgy’ and dynamic qualities of both the first composition and the line drawings from the mass exercises. Finally, three cubes sit along a line, directly opposite the machine element, acting as a buffer between the highly organic curves of the landscape and the sharpness of the machine.

T H E CO N C E P TAC L E

...and the story begins...

SITE FORENSICS

HERRING ISLAND & THE CITY Being located a few kilometres away from the Melbourne CBD, Herring Island is a unique site, being an island that is sited in an urban setting yet has the qualities of a secluded retreat. The site is surrounded by residential neighbourhoods at all four corners.

SITE FORENSICS

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD The immediate vicinity of Herring Island includes a majority of residential houses on the south side, while a mix of residential and industrial buildings occupy the north side.

SITE FORENSICS

HERRING ISLAND The island itself can only be accessed by boat from either public punt landing to the south or a private boat landing to the north. The island is currently a recreational arts area, hence it houses an arts centre to the north-east, and many landscape sculptures scattered around the island. The most flat area on the island is in the middle, where barbecues and grills are provided to people having picnics. The island is only accessible during the day, hence a set of simulations of night scenes in Herring Island were made. Opposite: Site map of Herring Island Below: Simulations of night scenes in Herring Island

SITE FORENSICS

1896

HISTORY Herring Island is a man-made island, initially created in the 1920s to reduce flood risks. The artificial island is made from dredged silt. it was then later used as a training ground for scouts. It was only until recently that Herring Island was designated as a reserve land and an arts recreational area. The soil being made of dredged silt, the land on Herring Island is contaminated many industrial pollutants, hence a soil regeneration programme has been launched to introduce flora growth on the island.

PRE-1928 QUARRY

1 SILT D

1930s TO 1940s DUMPING GROUND

1920S

1930s

1950s TO 1960s SCOUTS TRAINING GROUND

NOW WILDLIFE RESERVE & RECREATIONAL PARK

S P E C U L AT I O N

THE CASE OF THE URBAN GRAVEYARD Herring Island, being a unique island in an urban context, was thought to have great potential as a context to address the urban graveyard typology. With the increasing scarecity of urban space due to overcrowding and population growth, the traditional â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;necropolisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of cities are faced with the uncertainty of development.

THE CULTURE OF DEATH Another approach to the topic of death in architecture, was to examine the trends happening in current day culture. It was found that the topic of voluntary death, or euthanasia, is increasingly becoming a big issue. Despite this, the architecture to house this relatively new programme has hardly been explored, as they have long been places like hospitals and hotel-like clinics. Typically, funerary architecture is austere and serious, reflecting the sadness of mourning. How about funerary architecture that reflects a celebration of life, a joy in finding peace?

P RO P O S A L

RETREAT FOR VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA A speculative proposal set in the near future : a retreat for voluntary euthanasia, catered for the terminally ill. This retreat also functions as a processing plant where corpses of the deceased persons are ‘filtered’ and their nutrients extracted and recycled back into the contaminated land of Herring Island, thus allowing for land regeneration. In this vision, Herring Island also becomes a flora conservation zone, housing and protecting vulnerable and rare flora species.

FAIRYTALE AS NARRATIVE Using Duchamp’s allegorical design method, a fairytale book entitled ‘The Enchanted Forest’ by Ida Rentoul Outhwaite is used as a guiding narrative for the design of this speculative vision , Scenes from the chapters of the book are extracted and retranslated into architecture suited for the proposed programme. The use of a fantastical story allows the project to break out from the typical austere funerary architecture, and to convey a celebration of life rather than a mourning of loss.

THE ENCHANTED FOREST This fairytale is about a girl’s [dream] adventure into an enchanted forest where fairies, witches and goblins live. She discovers many fascinating things and meets many interesting characters along the way. Eventually, she returns back home [awakens]. In total, 9 ordered scenes were selected from the book and translated into both a ritual and an architectural space.

Opposite top: Diagram of speculative proposal for a retreat for euthanasia Opposite below: Diagram of fairytale narrative and translation into architecture

FA I RY TA L E CO L L AG E S

COLLAGE AS THINKING TOOL Prior to designing, the 9 acts from the story were recreated as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;pop-outâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 2.5D collage drawings to aid in understanding the qualities of each act, so as to learn how to translate them into architecture. The image above is a process sketch of the collage acts.

ACT 1: THE WATERFALL â&#x20AC;&#x153;The sun was shining through a break in the trees, and the light fell gloriously on a most beautiful fairy who sat in a stream...of water that flowed over a steep fall...the longest hair you can imagine...of fine gold and fell all round her like a veil...minged with the water... it was all gold together.â&#x20AC;?

FA I RY TA L E CO L L AG E S

ACT 2: DANCE PARTY “...when everyone cried : “Dance, dance!” and a number of tall, graceful girl-fairies came running along with their partners, which were enormous Teddy-bears...correctly dressed in evening coats, with white ties and waistcoats.”

ACT 3: POOL OF STARS â&#x20AC;&#x153;...the hill was covered with soft fine grass, and rose so high and steep...Fairy Beauty looked like a moonbeam or a silvery frosted figure... suddeny open her long slender hands and pour out of them shimmering streams of stars.

FA I RY TA L E CO L L AG E S

ACT 4: FLOWER MEADOW â&#x20AC;&#x153;When she woke she crept to the trunk, which rose long and straight...all made of the same soft satiny stuff like a flower petal...close by was a long line of toadstools...fairies sitting on them dressed in...different flowers...â&#x20AC;?

ACT 5: UNDERWATER â&#x20AC;&#x153;...she felt she wanted to cry...held out her arms wide and longed to hug the great sea, to kiss it and sink into it...she saw down below the million little ripples and wavelets twinking in the sun...she saw just in front a great white delicate shell...then she saw racing over the sea towards her the most extraordinary great shining sea-creature...â&#x20AC;?

FA I RY TA L E CO L L AG E S

ACT 6: THE GATHERING TREE “She came to a tree with a low-growing bough...and she climbed with some trouble up to this perch...sat there swinging her legs and piping, she found a large group of queer beasts had collected to listen to the music... they were sitting below her in a semicircle...”

ACT 7: ALONE IN A FIELD “...the great white moon, the fairies’ friend. came up behind a knoll near to the place where she had alighted...she kneeled down, stretching out her arms to it and praying it to help her. And the great white moon shone down on her and comforted her, and kept her company all through the night.”

FA I RY TA L E CO L L AG E S

ACT 8: HAPPY VALLEY â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fairy Beauty stood on a height looking out over the country that stretched away and away from the Enchanted Forest. It was called Happy Valley. The sun was painting the trees golden, and here and there the streams running through the grass made emerald patches...as Anne caught side of the house a strange feeling came over her.â&#x20AC;?

ACT 9: HOME “My child,” she said...”do you want to go home?”...she was immediately carried away, round and round, twisting and turning in the air...the dead leaves whirled around, but her face was set homewards, and the white house was very near.”

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

ALLEGORY The first step taken was to determine the appropriate location and configuration of the proposal. A high-rise configuration, located towards the north landing of the island was chosen, as minimal building footprint is wanted. The following moves were: 1. sketching out “moments” of the architectural space, 2. orthographic sketches of plans, sections of the proposal. An elevated greenhouse structure, borrowing the form of a tree, is also designed by first sketching out a typical tree structure.

Opposite top: Sketches of site configuration Opposite left: 1. Sketches of 3D massing 2. Storyboard of ‘architectural moments’ 3. Development of the ‘tree’ structure Opposite right: 1. Sketches of site plan development 2. Sketches of section model development