The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture of the Senses “Beyond architecture, contemporary culture at large drifts towards a distancing, a kind of chilling de-sensualisation and de-eroticiation of the human relation to reality. Painting and sculpture also seem to be losing their sensuality; instead of inviting a sensory intimacy, contemporary works of art frequently signal a distancing rejection of sensuos curiosity and pleasure. These works of art speak to the intellect and to the conceptualising capacities instead of addressing the senses and the unrealated imagery leads only to a gradual emptying of images of their emotional concept. Images are converted into endless commodities manufactured to postpone boredom; humans in turn are commodified, consuming themselves nonchantly without having the courage or even the possibility of confronting their very existential reality. We are made to live in a fabricated dreamworld.” - (Pallasmaa J, pg 34)
“Perhaps, freed of the implicit desire of the eye for control and power, it is precisely the unfocused vision of our time that is again capable of opening up new realms of vision and thought. the loss of focus brought about by the stream of images may emancipate the eye from its patriarchal domination and give rise to a participatory and empathetic gaze. The haptic experience seems to be penetrating the ocular regime again through the tactile presence of modern visual imagery. In a music video, for instance, or the layered contemporary urban transparency, we cannot halt the flow of images from analytic observation; instead we have to appreciate it as an enhanced haptic sensation, rather like a swimmer senses the flow of water against his/her skin.”
The start of this project focuses on the loss of self reflection. We are replaced with technological culture, where our senses are seperated even more distinctively. That includes the emotional aspect, the form of one’s inner being. I want to explore the options of self-expression. Our modern society is led by the hygenic fear of mortality, death, pain, insecurities and everything else. The general society now allow themselves to be consumed and propelled by hyperbolic advertising techniques served to supplant our consciousness and thus diffuse our reflective capacity. This reference comes close to the uprising rage of, social media, the internet in general; which creates distance without any physical presence. Cut-ups (introduced by William S Borrough)is a way of exposing word and image controls and thus freeing oneself from them, an alteration of consciousness that occurs in both the producer and the viewer from pieces of selected images and words. His method will aid in my design process based on my consciousness and influence. The aim of my work is to delve deeper into areas where sensory experience is not deprived by technology. Divulging into the conscious relationship of human language with the environment via exploring the architectural direction behind the positivity in new brutalism and the use of light.
Introduction
Moodboard
Le Corbusier expressed his consciousness of the cosmic power of light in his personal synthesis of maxims in the beginning of “The Poem of the Right Angle”
Introduction to new Brutalism movement - positivity instead of negativity Light has been linked with divinity and holiness in many different religions. In Christianity the Bible speaks of God who “is light” or Christ as “the light of the world”. Even if the divine light and visible light are not the same, visible light appears as the most similar to the heavenly and thereby links both spheres. Each epoch has formed a new language of light: The glow of the Romanesque apse, the golden shimmer of Byzantine mosaics or the luminous walls of Gothic stained glass. As an artist as well as an architect, Le Corbusier expressed an exceptional sensitivity for the interaction of colours and light in his sacred buildings. His position as an outspoken agnostic seems very ambivalent in combination with his desire to open the soul to poetic realms.
The sun master of our lives far off indifferent He is the visitor – an overlord he enters our house In setting he says good evening to this mossy earth (oh trees) to these puddles everywhere (oh seas) and to our lofty wrinkles (Andes, Alps and Himalayas). And the lamps are lit up.
Punctual machine turning since time immemorial awakens every instant of the twenty-four hours the gradation the nuance the imperceptible almost providing a measure. Yet brutally he breaks it twice – night and day – these two phases rule our destiny:
A sun rises a sun sets a sun rises anew
“Instead of serving as a tool of religious persuasion, as it generally has in the past, light has become a quiet force to visually resist and elude, erode and outshine, the Church´s mandate. Light eats away and weakens institutional discipline, while exerting its own dazzling powers to draw attention out to the sky and its commonplace marvels – in effect using light to consecrate the natural universe”. -Henry Plummer
Sainte Marie de La Tourette, spiritual spaces
Le Corbusier’s light techniques emerge as a multifaceted language to consecrate his sacred buildings. His dynamic layers of light transcend the static building volumes – a cosmic cycle that changes with the course of the day, year and with a clear or overcast sky. His structural elements range from tiny stellar openings to large tubes, but even small interventions are used to generate remarkable light patterns that reflect cosmic power. Upward view, climax of sunset as golden light grazes over the tactile ceiling. Monastery of Sainte Marie de la Tourette
Ronchamp interior on light filling space, a sense of hope fills the building
positivity instead of negativity
Church of the Light, Architect: Tadao Ando The Church of the Light embraces Ando’s philosophical framework between nature and architecture through the way in which light can define and create new spatial perceptions equally
For Ando, the Church of Light is an architecture of duality – the dual nature of [co]existence – solid/void, light/dark, stark/serene. The coexisting differences leave the church void of any, and all, ornament creating a pure, unadorned space. The intersection of light and solid raises the occupants awareness of the spiritual and secular within themselves.
Modern Brutalism: Architect Tadao Ando
perspective sketch: inside the Church of Light
Translating light and shadow by natural oxidation effects: Test on fabric Fabrics were folded in various symmetrical shapes before dyeing Use of lemon juice (dried under natural light) and use of direct heat from fire at a specific point Absorption of heat breaks down carbon compound in lemon juice, causing oxidation Natural fabric colour represents light and oxidised area represents shadows
Paper and fabric moulage: Traditional origami layered symmetrically - folds on paper creates unique shadows with light
Layering, brutalism characteristics
digital simulation: paper/fabric moulage with print
Fabric and paper moulage example 1 Brutalist structure, portugal
Layering, brutalism characteristics
digital simulation: paper/fabric moulage with print Fabric and paper moulage example 2 Tadao Ando
Layering, brutalism characteristics
Antonin Raymond’s Gunma Music Center (1961) in Takasaki, Japan
Fabric and paper moulage example 3
FINAL 4 PRESENTATION BOARDS
The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture of the Senses “Beyond architecture, contemporary culture at large drifts towards a distancing, a kind of chilling de-sensualisation and de-eroticiation of the human relation to reality. Painting and sculpture also seem to be losing their sensuality; instead of inviting a sensory intimacy, contemporary works of art frequently signal a distancing rejection of sensuos curiosity and pleasure. These works of art speak to the intellect and to the conceptualising capacities instead of addressing the senses and the unrealated imagery leads only to a gradual emptying of images of their emotional concept. Images are converted into endless commodities manufactured to postpone boredom; humans in turn are commodified, consuming themselves nonchantly without having the courage or even the possibility of confronting their very existential reality. We are made to live in a fabricated dreamworld.� - (Pallasmaa J, pg 34)
The start of this project focuses on the loss of self reflection. We are replaced with technological culture, where our senses are seperated even more distinctively. That includes the emotional aspect, the form of one’s inner being. I want to explore the options of self-expression. Our modern society is led by the hygenic fear of mortality, death, pain, insecurities and everything else. The general society now allow themselves to be consumed and propelled by hyperbolic advertising techniques served to supplant our consciousness and thus diffuse our reflective capacity. This reference comes close to the uprising rage of, social media, the internet in general; which creates distance without any physical presence. Cut-ups (introduced by William S Borrough)is a way of exposing word and image controls and thus freeing oneself from them, an alteration of consciousness that occurs in both the producer and the viewer from pieces of selected images and words. His method will aid in my design process based on my consciousness and influence. The aim of my work is to delve deeper into areas where sensory experience is not deprived by technology. Divulging into the conscious relationship of human language with the environment via exploring the architectural direction behind the positivity in new brutalism and the use of light.
Moodboard
Church of the Light, Architect: Tadao Ando The Church of the Light embraces Ando’s philosophical framework between nature and architecture through the way in which light can define and create new spatial perceptions equally For Ando, the Church of Light is an architecture of duality – the dual nature of [co]existence – solid/void, light/dark, stark/serene. The coexisting differences leave the church void of any, and all, ornament creating a pure, unadorned space. The intersection of light and solid raises the occupants awareness of the spiritual and secular within themselves.
Sainte Marie de La Tourette, spiritual spaces Le Corbusier’s light techniques emerge as a multifaceted language to consecrate his sacred buildings. His dynamic layers of light transcend the static building volumes – a cosmic cycle that changes with the course of the day, year and with a clear or overcast sky. His structural elements range from tiny stellar openings to large tubes, but even small interventions are used to generate remarkable light patterns that reflect cosmic power. Upward view, climax of sunset as golden light grazes over the tactile ceiling. Monastery of Sainte Marie de la Tourette
Ronchamp interior on light filling space, a sense of hope fills the building
“Instead of serving as a tool of religious persuasion, as it generally has in the past, light has become a quiet force to visually resist and elude, erode and outshine, the Church´s mandate. Light eats away and weakens institutional discipline, while exerting its own dazzling powers to draw attention out to the sky and its commonplace marvels – in effect using light to consecrate the natural universe”. -Henry Plummer
Translating light and shadow by natural oxidation effects: Test on fabric Fabrics were folded in various symmetrical shapes before dyeing Use of lemon juice (dried under natural light) and use of direct heat from fire at a specific point Absorption of heat breaks down carbon compound in lemon juice, causing oxidation Natural fabric colour represents light and oxidised area represents shadows Hand drawn examples after moulaging
digital simulation: paper/fabric moulage with print
Paper and fabric moulage: Traditional origami layered symmetrically - folds on paper creates unique shadows with light
Layering, brutalism characteristics
Fabric and paper moulage example 1
Brutalist structure, portugal
Fabric and paper moulage example 2
Tadao Ando Antonin Raymond’s Gunma Music Center (1961) in Takasaki, Japan
Fabric and paper moulage example 3
Reflection
Fashion Futures 1st component: Group project with DFI students I was torn between choosing Lacoste and Peacocks medical group, but I decided to choose the latter instead. Surprisingly, I learned quite a bit from the DFI students, vice versa. I had the chance to renew my hands-on skills in their studio. As we had to create AFOs, they taught me how to use the new machines and was given the chance to laser cut and produce my own AFO design for the presentation. It was a fun and refreshing experience. As my strengths were more on the marketing and design aspect, I never regretted taking on those roles. At the same time, it is important to help my group mates along when they are unsure or overloaded with work. Teamwork and rapport is extremely vital as well, and I worked exceptionally well with the 2 boys from DFI (Dan and Rob). Lastly, being open and receptive to ideas from your group mates helps in the development of the project; but knowing when to stop to further develop on the ideas is crucial as well. That is something I would enforce during my next group project. 2nd Component: Personal Fashion futures project When it was time to work on our own project to explore, I had a plethora of ideas in my head that I wanted to try. That is a vice of mine, so I have to learn how to make up my mind on what I want to explore if not time is wasted. The time wasted could have been used on research and development. Exploring on new/modern brutalism has opened my mind to the world of architecture, and in order to understand it better, I read “The eyes of the skin: Architecture of the senses” by Juhani Pallasmaa. I discovered that as I’m much more of a visual person to explain conceptual projects, I respond a lot more to photography and rough sketches. My preference is producing such visuals, compared to illustrative drawings which are not my forte. Therefore in the future, I will try to incorporate both together in my sketch books during research and exploration.