Rem koolhaas

a case study by Galina Novikva

Rem Koolhaus

A mind of willingness to challenge the boundaries of design, Dutch Architect, Rem Koolhaas has influenced the architectural urban design society in a profound way. His standing work as an architectural theorist, urbanist and Professor at Harvard University is what he has achieved but does not define his design like his work does itself. With intent and logic, Koolhaus’ had founded a firm called Office of Modern Architecture, who’s work lies in the unexpected realm of that which provokes controversy. His inspiration is formed by critical observation of culture and its inhabitants, enjoying the chaos and randomness of the urban city, with a “chance-like,” busy atmosphere, to him it is a pure celebration of life. Koolhaus takes notice of the factors that contribute to a functioning metropolitan area, and by doing so, is able to shift design with intervention.

Born in the Netherlands, November 17, 1944, Koolhaas then lived in Indonesia for a portion of his childhood, experiencing diverse culture at an early age. There, in Indonesia, he drew fascination towards Asia. Returning to the Netherlands, Koolhaus took on journalism writing for the Haagse Post. Soon after hanging out with film students, Rem was influenced to study film himself. In and of itself, Koolhaus took on the film profession, though not for too long, which inherently inspired much his work today. After film, he decided to build, and went off to study architecture at the Architectural Association School in London in the 60s, with a thesis inspired by the divided city. At University, his research and design was most unusual and OM B A, Ro in ook tte sp : D rd ire e am d ler by io u M s an NY Bo h , AA lan rn i OM atta Lo Scho ds n R A, n nd ot Ne on ol of Pr te w rd A o W je rch Y am or as ct i t e ,N k ctu hi : S ng e et r e , he to att rn le US Li b A ra ry ,

Frank Gehry

Elia Zenghelis Madelon Vriesendorp

significant, which “proposed walling off portions of London and asking citizens to decide on which side of the wall they wanted to live.”Moved to build, Koolhaas is now considered a leading architect and urban thinker.

Known for Iconic, billion dollar projects that vary in scale, Koolhaus has established his motives and concerns for current events, globalization, economy and urban problem-solving. Although some of this may be true for other existing celebrity architects, Koolhaus takes pride in examining the cause and effect of culture and circulation. For example, his designs of the CCTV building are located in the heart of Beijing and has impacted the culture through its immersive, abrupt form. Koolhaas rejects the proposition that architecture can aspire to lead society toward a better future; he insists that architecture can mirror the flux of the larger world in unique designs and processes intended to challenge predictable societal relationships.

One of his most recent propositions, involves organizing a group of Harvard students to research and explore the ‘Fundamentals’ of architecture, and by picking the brains of Harvard students, he has organized a book for the bennial architecture 2014.

Journalist Sander Pleij describes his unconventional project, as “Their project should result in a big book about the fifteen most important elements in architecture: the wall, the door, the roof, the toilet, etc.

Koolhaas will curate the Venice Architecture Biennale in June 2014.” The Harvard students acquire their research at the OMA firm, where Koolhaas’ critics to help guide the young architects in the right direction.

Koolhaus does not belong to one discipline, and likes to consider himself an urban thinker rather than label himself an Architect, he says: ‘I hate being an architect. I actually hate architects.’ His work entails more than a title of architecture, even though at a first glance that is the work he genuinely creates.

Projec OMA, t: Beijing CCTV Head Beijing quarte rs,

Born Novermber 17, to Anton Koolhaas (1912–1992) and Selinde Pietertje Roosenburg (born 1920)

19 44

The City of Captive Globe

Rem Koolhaas’s drawing of The City of Captive Globe presents Manhattan in grid form, communicating a phenomenon of the urban space, a “culture of congestion”. The characteristics of the formulaic gird create a layout for this drawing, where each city block has various meanings. Each block is programmed as its own city, lifted by a structure to show identity. With deeper purpose and intent, “Koolhaas's metaphor proposes an urban model in which unity accommodates heterogeneity.” This interpretation of New York City is fairly accurate considering the success of a city, with emphasize on cultural urbanity.

To Present

Seattle Library, OMA

To Communicate

In this drawing, Rem Koolhaas and his firm, OMA, have illustrated and visually represented the functional intent of each space within the Seattle Library.

Using text, “the arch-nemesis” for architectural representation, Koolhaas has successfully revealed another layer of communication to his drawings. With infographic qualities, the OMA office has taken initiative to create a drawing that literally communicates each function of the building through different font size, hue and typeface. The orientation of genre books, public space and other library functions are recorded in various black character and fonts while the yellow symbolizes architectural functions, such as designated locations, showing public use.

Exodus, or the Voluntary Prisoners of Architecture

I chose this image for its profound underlying intent, to emote. From a series of eighteen drawings, Koolhaas has conveyed a walled city that stretches through London, an urban intervention that reflects, “ a new urban culture invigorated by architectural innovation and political subversion.” The story board placed against the black submissive wall is to be read as a factual and fictional scenario for the contemporary city of London pop culture. In and of the drawing, Koolhaas reniforces his vision as a journalist and film student to emote to his audiance. Here, Koolhaas and his team use collage and water color to create vivid scenes of life within this indulgent urban culture which confronted with seclusion, is simmilar to his thesis on the divided city.

To Emote

The CCTV Headquarters, Beijing

Section AA of the CCTV tower shows both scale and depth through a section elevation. In this type of drawing, we can note how many levels and floors are in this skyscraper, portaying the intricacy of the design. The spatial awarness can not be measured here since this is not a plan, however it is implyed through the form that is highlighted by line wieght, a hiearchy that is functional. Made up of two towers, the CCTV structures height reaches at highest of 234 m(first tower), that is adjacent to 210 m(second tower).

To Measure

1950s He spent four years of his youth in Indonesia, where his fascination with Asia began.

1960s Worked in Journalism and publishing, for the Haase Post in The Hague

Screen writing and film became of interest to him, after socializing with film students

Line, Composition and Color

Hand Drawn

Cross Hatching

Stipple

Hand Drawn Wide Bracelet

Scribble

Dashed

Decomposed

The process of creating a drawing includes the use of color, composition and line as tools to further communicate design intent. Overtime, the use of color and how it’s applied has changed from the 60s to 2000s. Rem Koolhaas has considered the modern flux of color use as a cause of a Open Composition technological graphic media influence, with the use of renderings, which in turn has created a sort of aspiration towards contemporary architecture. As computer graphic software advanced, the use of highly saturated colors Hand Drawn started to reflect pop-culture in modern day society.

Koolhaas describes this relationship as “over stimulating” because physical reality has been heightened through technology. While, it is with the rule of thirds, composition Closed Composition can be quite effective. When a primary subject or focal point is off center, additional tension, energy and interest are created within the image through open and closed fields. Composition should have balance and weight. Line Hand Drawn in and of itself is what defines, creates and illustrates boundaries. A huge part of the design process, a line, is used widely in analogue drawing to communicate various Wieght and Balance elements, such as hierarchy and textures.

Hand Drawn

1970s Started study of Architecture at AA school of London, from 1968 to 1972

Studied at The drawings for Cornell: Exodus, voluntary prisoners of Archi- 1972-1975 tecture were created

1975, Founded Office Of Metropolitan Architecture, OMA

Published 1st book:Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan

1980s First commission: Parc de la Vilette, Paris, 1982-1983

Hand Drawn

To Emote with Culture

A Series of drawings

Hand Drawn

The Unexpected

1990s Commision: National Dance Theater, 1983 to 1987

Graduate seminars at Harvard University, 1995

Second Important book pub- Projects ; -Netherlands lished: S, M, Embassy in Berlin(1997-2003 -Seattle Public L, XL, 1995 Library(1999-2004) -CCTV Head quarters,2008

Present

In studying an iconic figure such as Rem Koolhaas, an observer might notice a reluctant mind and mannerism are exactly what form his keen vision for design. As an urban thinker, Koolhaas has influenced contemporary design through mass intervention of culture, by his creative approach to his projects. Although Koolhaas isn’t an architect who creates an obscene amount of drawings, those completed have supported his intent. Drawings are important, in that they communicate a logical path of ideas that have led up to that very design. Weaving an image together, is a fusion of art and architecture and it may be hard to determine if the image should be classified as modern art work or a more complex endeavor.

In researching the intent and underlying meaning of a drawing, I have found those that are most moving to be those that emote. In Koolhaas’ drawing of the EXODUS, what really drew me to his work was his incorporation of a story board that portrayed the pop culture of London. He alludes to the Cold the Berlin wall as a massive barrier towards a culture, calling the inhabitants prisoners. This image, although barbaric for its scenes of nudity, brings a touch of humanity and intervention. Work that is able to emote is significant for creating relationships and references between the drawing and societal realities.

Creating a series of drawings is a technique which helps to emulate ideas revolving around a narrative. Not only does an artist not have to constrain to the four wall of a plane, but multiple planes that together create an understanding of some stray concept. Similar to an investigation, a series of drawings shows a result of research. Koolhaas, who usually persuades his clients into creating a prelude or study to his commissions uses this as a tool of analysis. Recording research data from studying various functions and patterns can result in profound drawings.

Koolhaas has a nag for tension as his desired form of intervention. This can be found in his designs and are sought as, “The swimming pool that extends between the two wings enjoys a magical view of the Eiffel Tower, in a nose-thumbing gesture, marred with a piece of orange plastic fencing. In the Villa Dall'Ava, there is a discomfort level, in this case, by narrow passageways and a clanging metal staircase. “ The level of discomfort clearly reflects Koolhaas design intent, of taking the expected aesthetic scenario to create an unsettling yet artistic piece of work. This is Rem. He is able to think outside of the box intelligently diagramming and piecing together a project through critical analysis. All of this relates back to the design process and how what is to be visually communicated.

3rd book published: 2014 biennial, fundamentals of Architecture