RING OF AUDIENCES 1. theatre typology study 2. study on the relationship of seeing and being seen from the film "Rear window" 3. building visual connections to transparencify the "black box theatre" 4. “ring of audience”- theatre prototype the relations of stage and audience are seen as a blured ring of seeing and being seen. The visual relationship and role changes as perspective changes. Ultimately, conventional scenery from the street are seen as a scenery through the distorted material with projection layer. 5. initial conceptual collage 6. "BLUR" further research on the use of immersive technology as a medium in experimental theatre. The role of projection was examined and how visual connection redefined the conventional perfomer-audience relationship. 4 LIST OF FIGURES >> >> Figure 1 | Zooming in, own drawing Figure 2 | Site overlook, own drawing Figure 3 | Untitled, own drawing Figure 4 | Overexposed, Diller + Scofidio, 1994. Source: https://dsrny.com/project/ brasserie Figure 5, 6 | Rear Window, Alfred Hitchcock, 1954.Source: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=6kCcZCMYw38 Figure 7 | Rings of audiences, own drawing Figure 8 | other thoughts on visual connection and spatial qualities, own drawing Figure 9, 10 | experiment design - types of panels, own drawings Figure 11 | experiment journal, own design - types of panels Figure 12 | Brasserie, Diller + Scofidio , 2000 Figure 13 | Moving Target, Diller + Scofidio , 1996 Figure 14 | A Delay in Glass, Diller + Scofidio , 1988 Figure 15 | transparency + reflection, own photo Figure 16 | types-of-reflection, source: Figure 17, 18 | Slipcover, Les Levine, 1966 Yuehua Wang 160412897 ARC3015 Theroy into Practice Space of Fictions * the title is paying respect to Diller + Scofidio’s EXPO project the Blur (2002) Figure 1 | Zooming in, own drawing The Vision >> “ DRAMA OFTEN OBSCURES REAL ISSUES ” BLUR ... the framing tool, From this point of view, I imagined Elephant and castle as a broader stage, where every solid wall or - Jenny Holzer The brief of my proposal is to The experimental theatre that I pro- design an experimental theatre posed will be closely engaging with in Walworth road, across from East Street market, Elephant and Castle |fig 1|, which was known for aim is not only to create a theatre that was accessible to the broader now to be on the second verge of people to engage with the theatre production, as an audience, also as which continuously contributed to the local culture at the back of time, my point of view, to see what we are familiar to as a scenario, one has to observe things beyond the ordinary ways, in the other perspective. In this case, architecture became a framing public and ethnic group, but also tool that could possibly visually con- showcasing individuality and allow the histories as a past, I proposed to stimulate the cultural interaction, in the performing form. the ‘show’ at the same time |fig 1|. In the local community and embedded with the diverse identities and individualities of local people. The its theatrical heritage and multicultural community. The area is gentrification. Instead of regarding barrier became transparent, revealing different stories’ of the area on vert a familiar place into a theatrical ‘performers’. Thus the experience will be immersive, interactive and In a talking in 2017 1, Elizabeth Diller, the co-founder of Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R) criticised those ‘productive nihilism’ of familiar everyday conventions, that, “Conventions are so obvious that we are blinded by their familiarity.” The New York studio DS+R is a cross-discipline architectural practice that is known of their cross-media works in all scales.2 While exploring architecture, theatre, and installation through scene to our perception. For exam- media and technology, the architect ple, tinted glass, window frames, or also experimented the relations reflective building facade, would all between the tool and ideas. provides the perspective that put the maintaining the transparent rela- ordinary living into a fantasy. tionships between each other. “ ...does the tool create the possibility for a new thought or does the thought require the invention of a new tool that inadvertently creates a new thought?”3 - Ricardo Scofidio 1.Diller and Scofidio, “Blur: Swiss EXPO 2002 Diller + Scofidio, Ear Studio, MIT Media Lab”, Assemblage, 2000, 25 . 2. p21, Guido Incerti, Daria Ricchi and Deane Simpson, Diller + Scofidio (+ Renfro): The Ciliary Function (Milano: Skira, 2007). 3. Ibid. 2. Figure | show on, own drawing Figure 3 | show on, 3own drawing Figure 2 | Site overlook, own drawing ... The Medium, ... The Medium, Diller Scofidio’s 1994 project ‘overexposed’ |fig 4| has conveyed time, people who are looking at this project unawarely see becoming the audience. The change of role was it, learn from its results and then destroy it”. After the great recession in the 80s, unlike the emergence of “paper architect”4, who exhibit their work on printed pieces in the gallery, Diller + Scofidio urged to test their ideas “in real operational Figure 7 | Rings of audiences, own drawing Similarly, I developed my conceptual drawing of ‘rings of audiences’ |fig 7| with this concept. In this performance by the means of visual connection and physical interaction through conversation or learning. seen as changing in perspectives. drawing, each ring layered up The definition of performance Alfred Hitchcock’s film ‘Rear win- while being seen as the performing doesn’t limit to what happens on dow’ (1954) played this concept in the cinema. Audiences in the cinema actually became ‘secondary stage by the next layer of audience. The core of the ring is the central stage of the experimental theatre and the first ring being audiences space. In another word, the whole in the ‘theatre space’, secondary building became the ‘stage’ and |fig 6|. The main character became the primary audience. The film ring being visitors looking into the theatre, third ring belonging to a broader public. The conventional everyone in the building not only as definition of audience and stage is visual relations and perspectives of ‘audience’ and scenes where two then blurred by these layers, where between these layer of spaces, just connections were made not only ‘stages’ took place. spatially, but also visually |fig 8|. Performers, crews, audiences, or also very imported to associate the visitors, all could be seen as part of concept into a practical level. only examined on the perception of visual relations and connections between spaces. To my understanding, material is a medium5 |definition | of spaces, and vice versa. from a conceptual level into material and practical aspect. The aim cock presented in their works; it’s 4. Ibid. 2 5. “Medium - Wiktionary”, En.Wiktionary.Org, 2018 [Accessed 18 April 2018]. 䈀 Diller + Scofidio did a related project showing their attitude towards material and media. They took a bold move in the Brasserie (2000) 䐀䌀䌀甀爀瘀愀琀甀爀攀䴀漀甀氀搀 |fig 12|, using recording device and screens to interact activities inside and outside of the space. Activi- 匀栀愀搀攀⼀猀栀愀搀漀眀 ties, body movements, and visual perceptions were connected by a series of screens and devices, which are intangible yet visible. The media devices created artificial scenes that was ‘virtual’ and extended the reality to another space that was 䰀愀礀攀爀㘀 ─ ㌀ ─ 㐀 ─ ㄀㠀─ 吀爀愀渀猀瀀愀爀攀渀挀礀⼀吀爀愀渀猀氀甀挀攀渀挀礀嘀椀猀甀愀氀挀氀愀爀椀琀礀㄀㔀─ ㈀ ─ ㌀㔀─ 㘀㔀ⴀ㜀 ─ 㘀 ─ 㐀 ─ ㌀ ─ ㄀㠀─ happening at the same time. The engagement and communication of movement and vision were also seen in Diller Scofidio’s early theatre work “Moving Target (1996) ”|fig 13| and “A Delay in Glass(1988)”|fig 14| , that engage the sight with movement, pre-recorded actions, and material - glass mirror. Rather than a surface, the rotating glass performs as a media that rotates, reflects and being projected. It’s becoming the ‘scenery tool’, as mentioned at the beginning of this essay, that changed the perception of spaces and perspectives. 吀爀愀渀猀瀀愀爀攀渀挀礀倀爀漀樀攀挀琀椀漀渀挀氀愀爀椀琀礀 “Glass: a slow liquid, continually molten, a reversible vantage and vanishing point” 6. p39, Guido Incerti, Daria Ricchi and Deane Simpson, Diller + Scofidio (+ Renfro): The Ciliary Function (Milano: Skira, 2007). 7. Elizabeth Diller and Ricardo Scofidio, “A Delay In Glass”, Assemblage, 1988, 62 . The moment of coincidence between image and glass is the section cut, where all the dimensions are true and undisturbed by perspective. 7 “ “ The mirror is a surface hing, rotating plan into elevation and elevation into plan. Figure 11 | experiment journal, own design - types of panels medium (plural media or mediums) (plural media or mediums) The chemistry of the surrounding environment, e.g. solid, liquid, gas, vacuum, or a specific substance such as a solvent. (plural media or mediums) The materials or empty space through which signals, waves or forces pass. (plural media or mediums) A format for communicating or presenting information. Figure 9, 10 | experiment design - types of panels, own drawings ... the blur, and ... The space of seeing and being seen,6 䄀 “ of the experiment is to discuss how Figure 8 | other thoughts on visual connection and spatial qualities, own drawing 吀夀倀䔀 the experiment because it provided an artificial yet potentially virtual consciousness, information, and ‘space’. It’s notable that this experiment different range of visual relations Plastics is a rather new material in architecture. However, the flexible operation and formation of this new material embedded my design as what Diller Scofidio and Hitch- From above: Figure 4 | Overexposed, Diller + Scofidio, 1994. Figure 5, 6 | Rear Window, Alfred Hitchcock, 1954. With the same principle, I did a serie of material experiments on vacuum formed plastics to explore though material |fig 9-11|. an audience but also play a role as a performer. The concept highlight deliberately made a double layer rather than a phyla barrier? I use media projection in the last part of spaces, with real bodies, and real material”. 4 the main stage, but also is consisted by everything that happened in building, even outside of the audience’ when they were looking at the main character |fig 5| observing into his neighbour’s room to blur and redefine the boundary between two spaces in material aspect. Furthermore, is there a potential that the boundary itself becomes an ‘in-between space’, Ricardo Scofidio described their studio as a laboratory, where they “conceive an experiment, enact the similar idea of observing daily experiences as a theatrical scene. In this project, working people in offices became actors and actress, without awareness. At the mean- The notion of glass is conventionally related to the concept of ‘visual connection’ and transparency. Material like glass, such as spatially and sensorily exclusive. However, the material exploration allows a possibility to break down the boundary and make the whole transparent plastic, usually has dual performance of visual effect - transparency and reflectiveness, that layer up together. The reflectiveness confuses our dimensions perception while transparency being honest to show thing through space interactive. One would be able to see what’s inside of the almost ‘transparent’ space in an abstractly filtered way, yet not being seen as an visual obstruction from the inside. The plastic wall plays a role as a device that changes the |fig 15|. The former changes with the form of the surface, while the later changes by different material conventional perspective of how we observe; it converts what we see as a familiarity into a ‘scene’, just as the ‘Rear Window’ and ‘Overexposed’. The intervention of projection media adds another layer to the concept. finishes|fig 16|. These qualities were tested in my experiment. Vision is distorted and filtered in different curvatures of surfaces. The boundary between spaces was artificially redefined by the sensory change through material. In the theatre case, traditional theatres usually are described as a ‘black box’. The wall defined the ‘in’ and ‘out’ theatre space, which created an isolated box that is From above: Figure 12 | Brasserie, Diller + Scofidio , 2000 Figure 13 | Moving Target, Diller + Scofidio , 1996 Figure 14 | A Delay in Glass, Diller + Scofidio , 1988 In Diller Scofidio’s projects, the media performs as a virtual space that interacts with body; They perform the role beyond their ordinary definition that we usually acknowledged. My design shares this concept, in which projection and media become the sensory Figure 15 | transparency + reflection, own photo Figure 16 | types-of-reflection, source: \\The \\The boundary boundary Bibliography: ‘the in-between space’ and layer up spaces beyond the auditorium. In the meantime, material not only is a matter of vision connection, it also performs as media, that filtering, modifying, and reflecting the spaces around. The space is lay- Mark Wigley wrote,“Architectural agitators must be disloyal to their disciplinary norms. Architecture can only shake us when it takes the risk of not being called architecture. ...The challenge to architects is to challenge architecture, to shake us, ered, filtered, yet transparent. One could immerse himself into this space and experience the space as a theatrical scene; a space everyone finds a position being audience and performer; a place of seeing and being seen. Just as Judd writes, and keep shaking.” 9 I devoted to blur the black-box boundary in my design and to create a space that everyone could express themselves and explore. Visual connection is a key identity in my work. Projection and material experiment is a way to examine the concept at a practical level. As the artist Les Levine said in his in- “Anything spaced in a rectangle and on a plane suggests something in and on something else, something in its surround, which suggests an object or figure in its space.” 8 8. Whitney Morgin Moon, “The Architectural Happening: Diller And Scofidio, 1979-89”, UCLA Electronic Theses And Dissertations, 2016. 5 boundary as the most critical point in the theatre design. However, what I want to address in my work is that architecture is never the real boundary. We obviously don’t have to make every space transparent to diminish the boundary. To me, architecture is always a part of social practice, the boundary exists not just because of a physical wall. It’s also critical to think it in a broader perspective. The gentrification verge is a homogenising process that eliminating diversity, creating a more segregated space with invisible boundaries; and I do prospect my design would create a place without these boundaries. terview for Slipcover (1966) |fig 17|, “visual and audio feedback is the most important aspect… visuals are the most direct way of how we perceive a space and it’s not always come with a price. Beside visual sensory, there are a lot of factors that architecture is engaging with. This project focuses on the visual Figure 17, 18 | Slipcover, Les Levine, 1966 Bell, Michael, and Craig Buckley, Permanent Change: Plastics In Architecture And Engineering C. Phillips, Patricia, "A Parallax Practice: A Conversation With Elizabeth Diller And Ricardo Scofidio", Art Journal, 63 (2004), 62 Diller, and Scofidio, "Blur: Swiss EXPO 2002 Diller + Scofidio, Ear Studio, MIT Media Lab", Assemblage, 2000, 25 Diller, Elizabeth, and Ricardo Scofidio, "A Delay In Glass", Assemblage, 1988, 62 Diller, Elizabeth, "A New Museum Wing ... In A Giant Bubble", Ted.Com, 2012 [Accessed 18 April 2018] Diller, Elizabeth, "The Blur Building And Other Tech-Empowered Architecture", Ted.Com, 2007 [Accessed 18 April 2018] "Frédéric Flamand: Combining Dance And Architecture", Iconeye.Com, 2012 [Accessed 18 April 2018] Incerti, Guido, Daria Ricchi, and Deane Simpson, Diller + Scofidio (+ Renfro): The Ciliary Function (Milano: Skira, 2007) Moon, Whitney Morgin, "The Architectural Happening: Diller And Scofidio, 197989", UCLA Electronic Theses And Dissertations, 2016 Pierce, Christopher, "Three's A Crowd: Drawing, Building And Photography In The Recent Work Of Diller Scofidio + Renfro", Architectural Research Quarterly, 12 (2008), 233 8. Ibid. 2. 6 11