CREATIVITY
EMBOLDENED
COUNTERING BOREDOM AND DISENGAGEMENT FROM SPACE
GRACE CHOY Thesis Advisor: Doug Jackson Bachelor of Architecture 2013 California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
CREATIVITY EMBOLDENED
COUNTERING BOREDOM AND DISENGAGEMENT FROM SPACE Design thesis for the degree of Bachelor of Architecture California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA At the time of publishing, all content created by the author is believed to be either public domain or used appropriately according to the standards of fair use and attribution. Inaccurancies may be directed to the attention of the author and will be corrected in subsequent editions. 2013, Grace Choy. Some rights reserved. Contact: gracehchoy@gmail.com Special thanks: Francis Choy, Janet Ho, Doug Jackson, Christian Pagh, Rasmus Johnsen, Courtney D. Coyne Jensen, Brian Vargo, Brian Ng, and everyone in Jackson Studio 2013 for all of your advice and support.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 003 | ABSTRACT 005 | THESIS MANIFESTO ontological issues of boredom the experience economy historical reactions to capitalism in regards to space creativity & authorship transformation of the subject in art levels of engagement solutions to public disengagement
045 | EXPLORATIONS design studies culture house typology site analysis
071 | THESIS PROJECT overview site plan building diagrams floor plans building section wall section details atrium components scenarios renderings physical models
141 | MISCELLANEOUS vellum 9: mรถbi thesis show: probe
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ABSTRACT Since the rise of modernity, individuals have become increasingly disengaged from both their immediate physical and temporal contexts. By means of mediated connections with others that are geographically and temporally separated in addition to the portability of customizable experiences through wireless devices, individuals have been unable to actively engage with the physical space in which they are present. In the absence of these mediated connections and customizable experiences, the present time and space become issues in that they fail to thoroughly engage and enthrall the contemporary individual, resulting in symptoms of detachment and boredom. In the public sphere, the contemporary “experience economy� has successfully capitalized on this symptom of boredom by providing distracting experiences for individuals to consume in order to counteract their lack of engagement with their present time and space. Because of the commercial nature of this cultural phenomenon where maximum profit is desirable, distraction marketing does not have any incentive to do more than to merely provide temporary relief from boredom. These seemingly engrossing experiences fail to foster true engagement because they only require a reaction to given stimuli, thereby temporarily distracting the subject rather than transforming the consciousness of the subject through meaningful and lasting engagement. To address this issue, it is important to target the cause of the problem, which is individual disengagement from the immediate time and space. This can be accomplished by utilizing the contemporary public’s interest in control over their experiences and personal customization, as exemplified in online practices of content creation and music selection/portability, and transferring this desire into the physical realm. As a result, individuals can become the authors of their spatial and temporal contexts rather than consumers of distracting experiences. By developing new strategies for architecture that permit the built environment to be creatively co-authored by individuals, the contemporary public will ultimately become more immersed in both the physicality and temporality of the moment, thereby simultaneously becoming fully engaged creators and participants who are critically aware of themselves and their surroundings in transformative experiences as opposed to merely being consumers of those experiences.
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THESIS MANIFESTO
ontological issues of boredom the experience economy historical reactions to capitalism in regards to space creativity & authorship transformation of the subject in art levels of engagement solutions to public disengagement
005
WESTERN EXPERIENCE OF TIME
PAST
FUTURE PRESENT
Figure 01: From the western perspective, the present is a point along the trajectory from the past to the future.
“THE BORED’S” EXPERIENCE OF TIME
PRESENT Figure 02: However, for the bored, the present drags on infinitely, for it comes from and leads up to nothing.
1. Johnsen, Rasmus. On Boredom: A Note on Experience without Qualities. Ephemera, 2011. p. 483. 2. Moran, Joe. Benjamin and Boredom. Critical Quarterly, 2003. p. 174. 3. Ibid. p. 179.
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ONTOLOGICAL ISSUES OF BOREDOM Boredom can be seen as an experience without qualities.1 In the experience of boredom, one’s identity becomes a problem with a high level of uncertainty that raises the ontological questions: Why can I not find value in my life? Why am I even here? The present seems to drag along for the bored as nothing seems to lead up to it nor does anything seem to come from it. In this sense, boredom results from a situation in which the individual experiences an acute awareness of the present moment that fails to satisfy him both ontologically and experientially. In Western culture, the present moment is rarely considered and experienced due to the fact that time is primarily viewed as a continuum from past to future. As a result, the present is traditionally seen as an infinitesimal point on the course towards the future (Figure 01). However, in the state of boredom, this intense experience of a meaningless present that cannot seem to connect to a past or a future leads to distress (Figure 02). Distraction provides experiences for the individual to fill the present moment in order to temporarily displace the individual’s attention from his current situation. Ultimately, the core issue is that boredom is the indication that the bored is unable to employ imagination and creativity in the drawn out present. In this experience without qualities, the bored does not choose to interpret a given situation as boring. Rather, he is unable to use the process of imaginative interpretation that would normally open up the creative center of his mind to create a situation for himself in which he is no longer bored. To alleviate this issue, strategies that promote creative participation in the present moment displace the future as a means to gauge the present. In turn, the present is given value and meaning on its own as opposed to being judged in relation to anything else. Despite the negative connotations of boredom, it has the potential to be useful. According to German philosopher and literary critic Walter Benjamin, “the experience of boredom helps to develop a critical awareness of those activities which are ordinarily too banal or repetitive to merit attention.”2 Boredom makes people realize that eternal sameness, such as that depicted in capitalism’s endless search for innovation and novelty, can be broken. In turn, “boredom’s revolutionary promise lies in its capacity to dispense with the often mistaken convictions and assumptions which give meaning to our lives, and to require us to face the fundamental question: how should we actually spend our time?”3 For Benjamin, boredom’s value arises when it can form an awareness that the monotony of the present can end with the creation of an alternative society marked by true creativity and pleasure. In this situation, architecture has the potential to manifest meaningful experiences to engage the bored as well as to counter and address boredom on a deeper level. thesis manifesto | ontological issues of boredom | 007
Figure 03: The marketers behind fast food chains and commercial stores epitomize the experience economy culture of consuming experiences as opposed to creating them.
4. Pine, B. Joseph, James H. Gilmore. Welcome to the Experience Economy. Harvard Business Review, 1998. p. 4. 5. Saren, Mike. Boredom and Consumer Culture: Is Marketing the Antidote or the Poison?. University of Leicester, UK, 2012. p. 1. 6. Grynsztejn, Madeleine. (Y)our Entanglements: Olafur Eliasson, the Museum, and Consumer Culture. Thames and Hudson, 2007. p. 22.
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CAPITALISM & THE EXPERIENCE ECONOMY The “experience� in the experience economy occurs when a company uses services as a stage and goods as props in order to engage customers in a way that forms memorable events.4 These experiences are inherently personal and exist only in the mind of the individual who has been fully captivated physically, emotionally, intellectually, or even spiritually. Within the experience economy, there are two dimensions: customer participation and the environmental relationship that bonds the customer with the event. As architecture provides the platform on which these experiences occur, it is important for architects to understand the role they currently play in the experience economy and how they can instead create unique and authentic experiences that will make an impact on the human psyche that will do more than merely feed this experience economy by producing temporary distractions. At the core of the experience economy are the concepts of boredom and the marketing tactics of distraction. Advertisers take advantage of this consumer boredom and distract them from engaging in other activities. Presently, the role of marketing in consumerist culture can be seen as an antidote to boredom that adds excitement to everyday products.5 The buying behavior of the bored consumer is ultimately governed by the meticulously constructed architecture, experience, and stimulation in retail situations. These tactics usually involve an element of playfulness, creating a distraction that supposedly enhances the experience of the customer. However, many products today are becoming the same due to mass standardization in design. While many of the marketing tactics are effective, overstimulation and hyper-real situations render it nearly impossible for people to choose from so many options. With an increase in the number of options from which to choose, all options are devalued, and therefore, the significance of the engagement with these options is reduced. It becomes impossible to find what is relevant and, in the end, to find meaning in anything. Consequently, the freedom to select from a variety of options is a weak form of engagement and does not reduce boredom. In an attempt to make it seem as if consumers are being fully engaged in the experience economy, the consumers, in all actuality, are participating in a more developed form of sedentariness. The experience is more so interpassive than interactive as the consumer has a limited opportunity to control the experience.6 Additionally, the act of
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Figure 04
Figure 05
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selecting or choosing from so many options still furthers the idea of the future end condition as opposed to the concentration on the fulfillment of the present moment in time and space. Maria Daskalaki, organizational theory and practice writer, observes that “the forces of capitalism have converted places that could encourage difference and interaction to ‘non-places’ of homogenisation and indifference. Diversity, encounter, and change, qualities that urban environments seek to encourage, are substituted by alienation and passive consumption. Commodification within capitalist cultural contexts has reinforced separation, fragmentation, and atomisation. Open spaces promote corporate images that reduce the public to mere consumers.”7 In response to this, architects have the responsibility to design the built environment in a manner that counters passive consumption and ultimately allows people to think for themselves and engage with the architecture in a way that has a lasting and meaningful impact for them. This entails a balance of open-ended authorship with predefined conditions that ultimately encourage initial and continued use of the space by the user. In a society that is so greatly influenced by the experience economy, it has become especially vital for architecture to not just become a commodity but rather a medium by which people can create authentic, immersive experiences for themselves where they have authorial control over the situation. As the experience economy has taken advantage of consumer boredom by creating so-called experiences of active engagement, architecture has the potential to counter the current state of affairs by generating meaningful, participatory experiences that address the ontological issues surrounding boredom and user creativity.
Figure 04: Parkour as a form of creativity in utilizing space for more than its intended purpose. Figure 05: Ambiguous landscaping of the SEB Bank in Copenhagen provides for an array of activities to co-exist. 7. Daskalaki, Maria. The Parkour Organisation: Inhabitation of Corporate Spaces. Routledge, 2002. p. 53.
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CASE STUDY: WALT DISNEY PARKS The business/experience model that is the source of much debate and controversy is the Walt Disney Corporation and its affiliated parks and media due to their embodiment of consumer society. It has created intricate storyboards of scripted scenes within a built environment that engage and appeal to its massive audience. However, the issue at hand is that while the visitor seems to be the protagonist of the entire experience, in all actuality, he is on a predefined track of meticulously planned experiences as the result of the Disney brand. These scripted spaces have led to a homogenization of experience to appeal to a wide customer base. In relation to this issue, contemporary artist Olafur Eliasson argues that, “facing the entertainment industry’s commodification of experience by excluding relativity through the suspension of time, the questions about self-reflection and identity have to be seriously reconsidered. We should avoid what we might call a Disneyfication of experience in order to leave room for individual evaluation, feelings, and thoughts. When preserving the freedom of each person to experience something that may differ from the experiences of others, art will be able to have a significant impact on both the individual and on society.”8 Ultimately, people need to have a sense of authorship in their experiences in order to be actively engaged with them. In other words, people should be able to script their own narratives instead of following one that is already predefined.
Figure 06: Walt Disney’s meticulous plan for his Disney Parks. Figure 07: The scripted experiences consumed by Disney Park visitors. 8. Eliasson, Olafur. Your Engagement Has Consequences. Lars Muller Publishers, 2006. p. 4.
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Figure 08: The flaneur aimlessly walks the streets of Paris, completely disengaged from his environment.
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HISTORICAL REACTIONS TO CAPITALISM “The advent of modernity increasingly tears space away from place by fostering relations between “absent” others, locationally distant from any given situation of face-to-face interaction.” -Anthony Giddens
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Figure 09
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THE FLÂNEUR Boredom is the result of the inability to either actively engage oneself or to find meaning within oneself and with the surrounding environment. This idea can be depicted in the concept of the flâneur, a 19th-century French concept for a man and his disposition that is a direct result of the overabundance of stimuli present in the metropolis in addition to the disembedded nature of the modern individual. British sociologist Anthony Giddens, in light of disembedding as an aspect of modernity, asserts that “the advent of modernity increasingly tears space away from place by fostering relations between “absent” others, locationally distant from any given situation of face-to-face interaction. In conditions of modernity, place becomes increasingly phantasmagoric: that is to say, locales are thoroughly penetrated by and shaped in terms of social influences quite distant from them.”9 Because of the disembedding of social systems prevalent due to the rise of modernity, people find it difficult to actively engage with the space in which they are physically present. In regards to the flâneur, Walter Benjamin asserts, “The street becomes a dwelling place for the flâneur. He is as much at home among house facades as a citizen is within his four walls. To him, a shiny enameled shop sign is at least as good a wall ornament as an oil painting is to a bourgeois in his living room. Buildings’ walls are the desk against which he presses his notebooks; newsstands are his libraries; and café terraces are the balconies from which he looks down on his household after his work is done.”10 With the flâneur, there is a certain critical distance between himself and the metropolis. In other words, the flâneur is a part of the experience yet apart from it as well. He is threatened by a new kind of boredom which is “paradoxically induced by the accelerated pace of change in the modern city and the inability to experience it except as a series of fluid and fleeting impressions.”11 Benjamin believes that one of the most significant developments of modernity is that the capacity to recollect and communicate experience to others is replaced by the feeling that life is nothing more than a series of disconnected impressions with no common associations, as felt by the flâneur. Ultimately, the flâneur’s habitual wandering through the city is a distracted perception with no real engagement, which is the antithesis of the goal of architecture. Rather, architecture should entice the user to experience it, to engage with it, and to discover his meaning as he is interacting with it.
Figure 09: The depiction of a typical flaneur. 9. Giddens, Anthony. The Consequences of Modernity. Stanford University Press, 1990. p. 19. 10. Benjamin, Walter. “The Paris of the Second Empire in Baudelaire” in Charles Baudelaire: A Lyric Poet in the Era of High Capitalism. New Left Books, 1977. p. 37. 11. Moran, Joe. Benjamin and Boredom. Critical Quarterly, 2003. p. 169.
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Figure 10
“[The spectacle] obliterates the boundaries between true and false by driving all lived truth below the real presence of fraud ensured by the organization of appearance.� -Guy Debord 018 | creativity emboldened
SITUATIONIST INTERNATIONAL A group of revolutionaries based in Europe, the Situationist International was founded in 1957 with their ideas rooted in Marxism and the advocation of experiences to fulfill human desires as an alternative to the desires created by advanced capitalism. They experimented with the construction of situations by setting up environments that catered to the creation of such desires. As one of the more influential members of the group, French social theorist Guy Debord wrote “The Society of the Spectacle” in which he discusses modern society and how authentic social life has been replaced by the passive consumption of commodities. The “spectacle” in this sense refers to the system of the junction of advanced capitalism and mass media. In regards to the lack of authentic experiences within the system of advanced capitalism, Debord states that “the spectacle obliterates the boundaries between self and world by crushing the self besieged by the presence-absence of the world and it obliterates the boundaries between true and false by driving all lived truth below the real presence of fraud ensured by the organization of appearance. One who passively accepts his alien daily fate is thus pushed toward a madness that reacts in an illusory way to this fate by resorting to magical techniques. The acceptance and consumption of commodities are at the heart of this pseudo-response to a communication without response. The need to imitate which is felt by the consumer is precisely the infantile need conditioned by all the aspects of his fundamental dispossession.”12 In keeping with the ideas of the Situationists, Debord calls for a life of active experiences that counter the passive experiences inevitably produced by the capitalist system. In the Situationist concept of the dérive, which is an unplanned tour through an urban landscape that is directed entirely by the feelings evoked in individuals by their surroundings, the ultimate goal is to encounter entirely new and authentic experiences and to engage with them. Unlike the disembedded wandering of the flâneur, an individual on a dérive has a purpose, which is found on the search for the aforementioned authentic experiences that are generated by the varied ambiances of the urban landscape. The need for the dérive, according to Situationist theory, was necessitated by the monotonous experience of everyday life as experienced by those engaged in a society of advanced capitalism. What was seen as a series of disconnected impressions of the city by the passive flâneur is now seen as an opportunity for an individual on a dérive to create a fluid set of experiences where meaningful and engaging encounters may occur. A critical project that attempted to capitalize on these disconnected moments by infusing them with creative participation, thereby turning the passive flâneur into a creative, active participant, was Constant Nieuwenhuys’s New Babylon proposal. Figure 10: In regards to the Society of the Spectacle, Dubord argues that what was once directly lived is now mere representation. 12. Debord, Guy. Society of the Spectacle. Buchet-Chastel, 1967. p. 219.
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Figure 11
Figure 12
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CASE STUDY: NEW BABYLON Designed as a utopian anti-capitalist city in 1959 by architect and artist Constant Nieuwenhuys, New Babylon was created with the Situationist idea of alternative life experiences by the formation of situations and the establishment of “unitary town planning,” which integrated the need for creative living as the primary standard for the formal development of the city. It was a proposal “to give material shape to the theory of unitary town planning, to maintain a creative game with an imaginary environment that is set in place of the inadequate, unsatisfying environment of contemporary life.”13 Nieuwenhuys admitted that to live means to be creative and that New Babylon was the object of a mass creativity in which people within this utopia were given the freedom to continually vary the arrangement of their environment as part of a dynamic way of life. The use of movable walls, constructional parts, stairs, platforms, and corridors that give rise to a wide range of ambiences was supposed to provide users a creative outlet to control their environments. In regards to user creativity and authorship, Nieuwenhuys’s proposal, although admirable, does not give people the ability to truly engage with the architecture in a meaningful way. The ability to change the ambience of a setting by means of color, sound, light, or climate manipulation does not amount to anything unless there is a reward or desired positive outcome from the manipulation. In other words, the ability to manipulate an environment for the sake of manipulating it does not serve a real purpose. In addition, the unlimited labyrinth of which Niewenhuys speaks is a circulation path that creates disorientation to foster adventure and play where one can wander for an extended period of time through interconnected sectors. While it may be playful, the labyrinth is merely a defined path that is not an elective choice to take. In this situation, there is no real creativity on the part of the subject because he is compelled to traverse the labyrinth. Without authorship of his own experiences, meaningful interactions among the subject and his environment and peers do not exist. Overall, Nieuwenhuy’s proposal for this utopian city was inherently vague, for it lacked the demonstration of any real methods or techniques which could actually gauge his theory.
Figure 11: Constant Nieuwenhuy’s plan for New Babylon. Figure 12: Rendering of the interactive, mechanical nature of New Babylon. 13. Nieuwenhuys, Constant. “New Babylon (excerpt)” in Ulrich Conrads ed., Programs and Manifestos on 20th Century Architecture. The MIT Press, 1975. p. 177.
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Figure 13: Olafur Eliasson’s Weather Project provides a setting and an ambiance that allows visitors to freely experiment with how they interact with space.
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CREATIVITY & AUTHORSHIP “If people are given tools and are made to understand the importance of a fundamentally flexible space, we can create a more democratic way of orienting ourselves in our everyday lives. We could call our relationship with space one of coproduction: when someone walks down a street she coproduces the spatiality of the street and is simultaneously co-produced by it.� -Olafur Eliasson When people are aware that they have control over their own experiences, they are more engrossed in their present situation and therefore are more likely to create experiences that are lasting and memorable. The integration of creativity within an experience further promotes this sense of active participation in the creation of meaningful experiences. Creativity in regards to architecture and experiences can be viewed in multiple ways. There is the creativity that results from the pure imagination of the mind. Some individuals, such as those involved in the parkour movement for example, view mundane space in a way that most people do not. They can take corporate space and transform it into an entirely new arena where they use their bodies in motion to create dynamic spaces that did not exist until they arrived. However, for most people, everyday spaces are viewed strictly for what they are: functional, static spaces. For these people, creativity is more so about using the given means to take control of their own experiences. The architecture is designed in a way to not merely predict how people will interact with it but also to provide enough leeway to allow for unexpected use of the space. This fine balance is difficult to achieve, but when done in a successful manner, people become the authors of their own experience with the space and are therefore more engaged and immersed in it as they know they are the ones in control, even though the physical means by which the experiences occurred were already given.
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CASE STUDY: FUN PALACE & POMPIDOU CENTER Designed, although never materialized, by architect Cedric Price in collaboration with theater director Joan Littlewood, the Fun Palace was a proposal for an educational leisure center that was meant to facilitate various spatial and programmatic reconfigurations at the will of its users. During the design phase, Littlewood proposed that “spontaneous and unscripted experiences could prove far more effective in raising political consciousness than conventional theatre.”14 The main goal for the structure was to facilitate social experience and awareness through fun and the breaking down of conventional boundaries between the actor and spectator. With operable wall, platform, and circulation systems, the Fun Palace was designed to stimulate activity among individuals, prompting them to realize their own potential within the space and therefore motivating them to manipulate it. Inspired greatly by Cedric Price and the Fun Palace, Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers designed the Pompidou Center located in Paris. This multi-purpose modern art museum, retail center, industrial design center, center for music and acoustic research, etc. is a cultural icon known for its flexible nature in the heart of a popular urban space. In regards to his design concept, Rogers stated, “It is my belief that exciting things happen when a variety of overlapping activities designed for all people – the old and the young, the blue and white collar, the local inhabitant and the visitor, different activities for different occasions – meet in a flexible environment, opening up the possibility of interaction outside the confines of institutional limits. When this takes place, deprived areas welcome dynamic places for those who live, work, and visit; places where all can participate, rather than less or more beautiful ghettos.”15 While both the Fun Palace and the Pompidou Center are commendable for the intentions of fostering public engagement with the space by providing endlessly flexible interior elements, the issue is that the potential of imaginative exploration is halted due to the fact that the elements, at least in the Pompidou Center, have only been able to inspire traditional, functional configurations that focus on the generic end condition as opposed to the actual experience of manipulating the spaces. The idea of “program” categorizes actual lived experience into an abstract group, thereby pulling focus away from the experience and event. In turn, the Fun Palace and the Pompidou Center’s emphasis on the flexibility of the programmatic elements concentrates on the abstract categorical level instead of the lived moment of the
Figure 14: Cedric Price’s proposal for an interactive Fun Palace. Figure 15: Series of moving platforms and escalators in the Fun Palace. 14. Ozkoc, Onur. Social Potentials of Pattern: Cedric Price’s Fun Palace. Middle East Technical University, 2009. p. 2. 15. Cole, Barbie Campbell and Ruth Elias Rogers. Richard Rogers + Partners. 1969. p. 11.
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experience. Because the Fun Palace was never realized, it cannot be stated for certain what the outcome of the architecture would have been, but at such a large scale where many people use the space at a given time, it is fair to question whether or not true authorship and individualized experience could have actually occurred. It would have required elements at a smaller, personal scale in order to achieve the playfulness of individualized experiences that the Fun Palace sought to accomplish.
Figure 16: Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers’s Pompidou Center. Figure 17: Inter-changing exhibition space of the Pompidou Center is limited by conventional functions.
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CASE STUDY: OLAFUR ELIASSON Danish artist Olafur Eliasson has been known to produce work that encourages “a critical attitude toward normative processes of perception while at the same time offering viewers opportunities to expand their ability to envision.”16 In the majority of his projects, Eliasson’s goal is to demand visitor’s engagement that is beyond the role of the onlooker. Rather, he designs for an interaction that encourages the reciprocal transformation of both the visitor and the artwork. This idea can be seen in two of his most widely known works: the Weather Project and Notion Motion. Installed at the Tate Modern in London in the winter of 2003, the Weather Project consisted of giant yellow orb hung approximately 90 feet off of the ground and 500 feet away from the exhibition’s entrance. 300 mirrored ceiling panels hung above, seeming to double the size of the already massive space of the Turbine Hall. The hazy atmosphere resembling the London fog obscured the architecture of the room, making the space feel boundless and fluid. Captivated visitors chose how they would interact with the ambiguous space. Many elected to lie down on the ground, searching for their reflections above, while others opted to engage with other people in creating patterns and abstract shapes with their bodies, also reflected in the overhead mirrors. Eliasson’s central goal for this project, along with many of his other ones, was to allow the individual to return to a heightened sense of himself in the act of both perceiving and acting. When a subject is capable of doing this, he regains a conscious ownership of his processes of cognition that have been otherwise standardized by a mediating world, such as the world of commodified experiences. In several of his works, Eliasson focuses on the kinetic involvement of the users in their engagement with space. First installed in Rotterdam in 2005, Notion Motion invited visitors into a darkened gallery planked with a wooden floor. A gray floor-toceiling scrim divided the space in half. Behind the scrim was a large but shallow basin filled with water with a trained spotlight, all of which were invisible to the viewer. Select planks on the ground were slightly raised, impelling the interested user to step on them to discover what effects might result from such action. When stepped upon, the plank activated a mechanical device that forced a crossbar to skim across the surface of the water, creating a rippling effect that was projected on the scrim. When multiple people interacted with the planks, the result was a constantly changing composition of ripples and shadows that connected the subject to the object, giving
Figure 18 & 19: Olafur Eliasson’s Weather Project encourages an interactive experience amongst other visitors. 16. Grynsztejn, Madeleine. (Y)our Entanglements: Olafur Eliasson, the Museum, and Consumer Culture. Thames and Hudson, 2007. p. 17.
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the former control of the latter. In this installation, Eliasson emphasizes how “reality is not to be found either inside or outside the body. It lies at the living edge between a haptic self and a heterogeneous and constantly changing universe, in an encounter somewhere between a concrete event and its luminous apperception.17 Ultimately, Notion Motion makes a remarkable argument for a process of negotiation and creativity among individuals in addition to an embedded understanding of being an active participant in the world. By means of active engagement, Eliasson encourages the prevalence of spaces that challenge subjects to critically think about their position in space and how their presence makes a difference in the overall environment. Their changes and manipulations of the built environment make an impact not only on themselves but also on everyone else around them. In this way, architecture is uniquely positioned to create environments that make people aware of their role in contributing to a transformation of both the space and the experiences of the people around them.
Figure 20 & 21: Olafur Eliasson’s Notion Motion makes visitors think about the consequences of their immediate actions via water and touch-sensitive floorboards. 17. Ibid. p. 18.
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CASE STUDY: MARIA ABRAMOVIC Contemporary artist Marina Abramovic is famous for her performance art that emphasizes the relationship between the performer and the audience in addition to the limits of the body and the creative possibilities of the mind. Abramovic believes that a strong relationship between the performance and the public is highly important: “Performance is some kind of mental and physical construction in which an artist steps in, in front of the public. Performance is not a theatre space, is not something that you learn and then act, playing somebody else. It’s more like a direct transmission of energy…The more the public, the better the performance gets, the more energy is passing through the space.”18 One of Abramovic’s earlier works located at the entrance of the Galleria Comunale d’Arte Moderna in Bologna, Imponderabilia consisted of a naked man and woman facing each other, leaving only enough space for the visitor to enter the gallery by walking sideways between the two bodies. In turn, the visitors was forced to think about which person to face and ultimately what that implied about their preferences not only to themselves but also to the people around them. This installation hosted a situation that confronted the audience with a piece of performance art that made them think about their own views of the human body, gender, and sexuality. In a 2010 work located in the New York Museum of Modern Art, Abramovich decided to be a part of a three-month exhibition called “The Artist is Present” where she sat at a table for the duration of the museum’s operating hours, inviting anyone from the public to sit across from her for as long as they desired. Both the artist and volunteer were then vulnerable to the presence and judgment of the public gazing at them. The premise of the work was that the artist was made present and that her own presence was enacted by the presence of the audience, thereby changing the dynamic of the performance dependent upon the participating audience member. Voluntary participants responded to Abramovic in their own unique way by means of smiling, laughing, frowning, being completely stoic, etc. They each became cognizant of their situation in space and were critically aware of how they felt being in the space as they were gazing at and reacting to the artist. Through the performative attitude toward this particular piece, Abramovic believes that spatial experience can be a vehicle for critical self-reflection and enlightenment.
Figure 22 & 23: Maria Abramovic’s Imponderabilia, both past and present, plays with the visitors thoughts and actions, allowing for critical self-reflection. 18. Nigianni, Betty. Marina Abramovic Presents: Architectural Experience as Critical, Self-Reflective Practice. Yale Centre for British Art, 2010. p. 2.
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Although her work is more abstract than that of Eliasson, Abramovic’s goals and intentions within her work are applicable to architecture in that built environments can be designed to promote creative participation, improvisation, and critical thinking. When combined together, people are more aware of their position and role in space and have the ability to become actively engaged with the surrounding environment in ways that were not immediately apparent before.
Figure 24: Maria Abramovic’s “The Artist Is Present.” Figure 25: The performance art evokes various emotions of the audience members/participants in “The Artist is Present.”
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RELATE
ACT
THINK
SENSE
FEEL
Figure 26: Different methods of employing architecture can allow for a variance of emotional and spatial experiences among occupants.
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LEVELS OF ENGAGEMENT There are various levels of engagement by which people participate with their environment. Bernd Schmitt, an international business professor at Columbia University, discusses five categories of “strategic experiential modules”: SENSE, FEEL, THINK, ACT, and RELATE.19 Although the strategies are linked to business models where companies analyze human interactions in order to sell their products, these categories apply significantly to architecture and designing for active experiences. In SENSE, the architecture appeals to the senses with the objective of creating experiences through sight, sound, touch, and smell. An example of this concept is Lars Spuybroek’s Water Pavilion. Located in the Netherlands, the structure does not contain exhibitions in the usual sense where moving and seeing are distinct actions. Rather, the building transforms virtual data in correspondence with visitors’ movement and speed into audible and visual effects, turning the relationship between the user and the architecture into an interactive and sensual environment. FEEL architecture appeals to people’s inner feelings to evoke affective experiences and moods. For example, Daniel Libeskind’s Jewish Museum in Berlin consists of a series of jagged paths and voids, each evoking different feelings by means of varying spatial volumes, materiality, and lighting qualities. In the Memory Void, as visitors step on the clanking metal faces, the echoes depict the forgotten voices of the victims of the tragedy. The cold, massive space also adds to the mystery of the experience. THINK architecture appeals to people’s intellect by creating cognitive problem-solving experiences that creatively engage the user, making use of surprise, provocation, and intrigue. The museum and conference spaces of OMA’s Kunsthal in Rotterdam use unconventional materials such as plywood and plastic sheets expected to be found in more industrial sites, prompting the visitor to question their preconceived notions of what a museum space should be. In addition, slanted columns and unusual locations for structural support cause the visitors to ponder the existing structure’s necessity. ACT architecture affects bodily experiences, lifestyles, and interactions. Located in Universal Studios in Los Angeles, the CityWalk designed by the Jerde Partnership is a
19. Schmitt, Bernd. Experiential Marketing. Free Press, 1999. pp. 61, 63
thesis manifesto | levels of engagement | 037
type & definition
effect on user
SENSE
WATER PAVILION BY LARS SPUYBROEK The structure does not contain exhibitions in the usual sense where moving and seeing are distinct actions. Rather, the building transforms virtual data in correspondence with visitors’ movement and speed into audible and visual effects, turning the relationship between the user and the architecture into an interactive and sensual environment.
appeals to the senses with the objective of making sensory experiences through sight, sound, touch, and smell
ACT
UNIVERSAL CITYWALK BY JERDE PARTNERSHIP The CityWalk is a three-block promenade that performs as a catalyst for social experiences communal interfaces, and alternative lifestyles. Comprising entertainment, urban street life, recreation, and shopping facilities, the promenade appeals to a wide demographic, which accounts for its consistent use over the last two decades.
appeals to the ability to affect people’s bodily experiences, interactions, and lifestyles
THINK appeals to engage people’s divergent and convergent thinking by means of intrigue, surprise, and provocation
FEEL appeals to people’s inner feelings with the intent of evoking affective experiences and certain mood settings
RELATE appeals to the need for individuals to be perceived positively by others, connecting the individual to a broader social system
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architectural description
? !
KUNSTHAL BY OMA The museum in Rotterdam use unconventional materials such as plywood and plastic sheets expected to be found in more industrial sites, prompting the visitor to question their preconceived notions of what a museum space should be. In addition, unusual locations for structural support cause the visitors to ponder the existing structure’s necessity.
JEWISH MUSEUM BY DANIEL LIBESKIND The museum consists of a series of jagged paths and voids, each evoking different feelings by means of varying spatial volumes, materiality, and lighting qualities. In the Memory Void, as visitors step on the clanking metal faces, the echoes depict the forgotten voices of the victims of the tragedy. The cold, massive space also adds to the mystery of the experience.
WORLD TRADE CENTER BY MINORU YAMASAKI The World Trade Center buildings of New York City stood as a symbol that represented American ideals to the world. They created a sense of power, unity, and social belonging to which many people could relate. Even after the 9/11 destruction, they are still relevant and leave a permanent trace on people’s hearts and minds.
three-block promenade that performs as a catalyst for social experiences, communal interfaces, and alternative lifestyles. Comprising of entertainment, urban street life, recreation, and shopping facilities, the promenade appeals to a wide demographic, which accounts for its consistent use over the last two decades. Lastly, RELATE architecture contains properties of the previous four, and it appeals to the need for individuals to be perceived positively by others, connecting one person to a wider social system. For example, The New York City World Trade Center buildings designed by Minoru Yamasaki stood as a symbol that represented American ideals to the world. They created a sense of power, unity, and social belonging to which many people could relate. Even after the 9/11 destruction, they are still relevant and leave a permanent trace on people’s hearts and minds. By being consciously aware of the various forms of engagement by which architecture can involve the user, architects can begin to create meaningful, captivating experiences by incorporating contextual factors (i.e. culture, economics, environment, etc.) of the given site. However, this is not merely an issue that program manipulation can solve. Program can be seen as a set of habits or a repetition of formulas that result in predictable activities. As mentioned previously, emphasis on flexible programmatic elements tend to focus on an end condition as opposed to the lived experience of the manipulation of those elements. Therefore, in order to redefine the architectural program, architects need to create sensation-rich environments that foster unexpected modes of interaction, engagement, and socialization that ultimately allow for the emergence of new cultures.
Figure 27: The five experiential modules employed in architecture. thesis manifesto | levels of engagement | 039
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POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TO PUBLIC DISENGAGEMENT Meaningful architecture and transformative experiences can be created in myriad ways. According to German architect Anna Klingmann, “architecture should never emanate from a controlled and overdetermined framework but should be regarded as a proactive tool to set up conditions that increase our capacity for social interaction, personal growth, and enjoyment in complex ways, not only enabling moments of comfort and ease but also of challenge, discovery, and personal transformation.”20 She also advocates the use of choreography, the planning of situations that give rise to a social environment that is not driven by the rigid system of the Cartesian planes and responds fluidly to the behavior and movement of people. Dutch architect Lars Spuybroek discusses architecture that responds to the body and vice versa: “Imagine a technology, which is geared towards speeding the body up rather than calming it down. Imagine that architecture is swallowed up by technology so that it becomes completely capable of absorbing and enhancing the body’s rhythm. That means that the body’s rhythm will affect the form. And conversely, it means that the form’s rhythmicality will in turn activate the body.”21 Danish artist Olafur Eliasson discusses subjective experiences by stating that affects need to be understood as more than just mere emotions of “I feel happy” or “I feel sad.” Rather, “affects are transformative shifts that allow the subject to recognize his or her subjectivity in transformation.”22 When it comes down to the core of the matter, experiences are what ultimately transform the subject. As philosopher Marshall McLuhan aptly comments, “Everybody experiences far more than he understands. Yet it is experience, rather than understanding, that influences behavior.”23
20. Klingmann, Anna. Brandscapes: Architecture in the Experience Economy. The MIT Press, 2010. pp. 54-55 21. Maurice, Nio and Lars Spuybroek. The Strategy of the Form. 2006. 22. Frichot, Helene. Olafur Eliasson and the Circulation of Affects and Percepts; A Conversation with Helene Frichot and Olafur Eliasson. John Wiley and Sons, 2008. p. 34. 23. Ibid.
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The overarching question then becomes: How can we create relevant, meaningful, and authentic experiences that are purely defined by architecture in a time of hypercapitalism? In the experience economy, individual identity and development have become increasingly crucial in the assessment of the value of architecture. Architecture can become a catalyst for new experiences and perceptions in the continual restructuring of both cultural and economic practices. More often than not, architecture has failed due to the inability to establish sensitive connections to the contexts in which they position themselves, forcing standardized formulas on the urban landscape. By favoring the formation of architectural objects over extensive urban interventions and by not considering the complex social fabric, architecture has resulted in an imitation culture, leading to boredom and apathy. In order for society to become re-engaged with their environment, architecture needs to have the potential to be ever-changing, promoting consistent and perpetual activity among its users. The spaces must be able to entice people to move through and engage with the architecture in their own way in which they have control of the situation rather than force them to participate. In this way, the unique and subjective experiential reward furthers the deeper connection that the users have with the space. Within this system of spaces, movement would be implied through dynamic circulation and form, which is ultimately changed based on how subjects use and interact with the space. The subjective perception of these changes would arouse responses from people, potentially leading to greater exploration of the architecture and surrounding environment. For this type of engaging architecture to exist, however, it requires a community that would be willing to break the status quo of static, corporate architecture that is so prevalent in cities today. Architecture should instead promote a way of life that supports creativity and personal transformation by means of dynamic spaces that provide open-ended authorship in unison with predetermined conditions that encourage initial and perpetual use. When this can finally happen, lasting experiences can result, and a transformation of the subject can occur.
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EXPLORATIONS design studies culture house typology site analysis
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DESIGN STUDIES The purpose of the design studies is to explore issues brought about in the thesis manifesto. It is an opportunity to design smaller scale solutions to problems which the thesis is critiquing. As a major focus of this thesis is the transformation of the subject, each of the design studies involves user manipulation and individual perception in relation to varying experiences. The three studies presented are the Escher-esque Cube, the Incubator, and the Roving Modules. Ideas manifested from each of the designs ultimately contributed to the final thesis project.
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ESCHER-ESQUE CUBE The first design study is an abstract form that provides a platform for varied user experiences. The structure does not have a dominant face nor a hierarchy in which it should be seen and positioned. In this way, a wall in one direction may be a set of stairs or a floor plate in another. Although abstract in nature, this study can be applied to a wide array of design fields (i.e. furniture, architecture, product design, etc.). The driving force of the study is the ability to make the user think about his position in space and time in relation to the object itself. Ultimately, different perceptions can influence a user’s interaction with the environment around him.
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THE INCUBATOR The second design study examines the role of the user in manipulating varying program elements with different environments and how this manipulation affects his perception of space. The system consists of a series of moving incubator work spaces with operable translucent/opaque walls. Each incubator sits in an infrastructural track system that house varied environmental conditions. The user is then able to control the positioning of his given incubator module and negotiate (or choose not to) with the people/incubators around him in order to change the space for a desired outcome. With an array of opportunities, the spaces created can be seen as both personal/private and open/communal. The ever-changing spaces not only provide different spatial relationships for the people who manipulate the modules, but they also give passersby the opportunity to view the system (and perhaps participate) in an infinite number of ways.
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CONCEPT ENVIRONMENT 1
ENVIRONMENT 2
ENVIRONMENT 3
PROGRAM 1
PROGRAM 2
PROGRAM 2
PROGRAM 1
PROGRAM 1
PROGRAM 2
ENVIRONMENT 4
ENVIRONMENT 5
ENVIRONMENT 6
THE MODULE glass ceiling smart glass folding panel system sliding door smart glass floor smart glass wall
groove for track
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SOLID COVERING The module’s ceiling is covered by a solid panel, preventing natural light to enter the space.
SLANTED PANELS Light enters the module by means of slanted shading devices, allowing for a more diffused atmosphere.
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SKYLIGHTS The light entering the module is more direct and therefore brighter by means of a skylight system.
GLASS CANTILEVER Views are maximized in multiple directions, and the module becomes a part of the exterior space.
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MOTION SENSE The user has full control over the movement of the modules/operable components by means of sensors on the interior panel surfaces.
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SEPARATE Each user has the freedom to keep his incubator space separate from the other ones. He can also choose to activate the smart glass panels to become solid screens to maximize his privacy.
JOINED Users can choose to combine their spaces to create larger incubator spaces for multiple functions subject to the desires of the occupants.
STAGGERED For a combination of different light qualities overhead, users can choose to stagger their incubator spaces and create both public and semi-public spaces.
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MIXED-USE 1 Dependent upon the number of systems in a row, a wide variety of spaces can be created. Single incubator spaces and pairs are utilized, taking advantage of combined lighting situations.
MIXED-USE 2 Dependent upon the number of systems in a row, a wide variety of spaces can be created. Single incubator spaces and larger configurations are utilized.
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SINGLE ROOM All the systems can come together to form one large space under the same lighting condition.
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ROVING MODULES The third design study focuses on the nature of configurable program elements and the spatial relationships created by user manipulation. Various divider modules have different functions and mechanisms that support them. The relationship between each one of them them is dependent upon the expansion or contraction of the modules, which ultimately create varied spatial sizes. As all of the modules move on a side-by-side track system, varying programmatic relationships can occur. For example, what may be a study space next to a cafe in the morning can shift into a recreation space next to a stage later that same day. With the ever-changing movement, in-between circulation space can be created in addition to programmatic adjacencies that change the perception of the occupants of the space. In turn, the entire system becomes an ephemeral yet dynamic place for visitors to explore, work, and play.
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MODULES Each module is built for a variety of programmatic opportunities.
PULL-OUT AND FOLDDOWN PLATFORMS
BUILT IN SHELVES
PROGRAM D
MA
PROGRAM E PROGRAM A
PROGRAM A
PROGRAM B
PROGRAM B
PROGRAM C
PROGRAM C
PROGRAM A PROGRAM D
PROGRAM D PROGRAM E
PROGRAM F PROGRAM B
PROGRAM F
PROGRAM D PROGRAM A
PROGRAM A
PROGRAM B PROGRAM E
PROGRAM B
PROGRAM C PROGRAM F
DIGITAL SCREENS
PROGRAM C
PROGRAM D
PROGRAM E PROGRAM B PROGRAM C
PROGRAM D
PROGRAM E
PROGRAM F
PROGRAM E
PROGRAM F
PROGRAM F
PROGRAM C
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PROGRAM D
PROGRAM D PROGRAM E
PROGRAM A
PROGRAM E
ROGRAM B
PROGRAM F
PROGRAM B
PROGRAM C PROGRAM C
PROGRAM F
SYSTEM AT REST Each program is created by a set of two modules.
PROGRAM D
PROGRAM A
PROGRAM E PROGRAM B PROGRAM C
MOVEMENT OF SYSTEM When the user moves the modules, the size of the program can change. In addition, program adjacencies can be shifted, creating new program combinations.
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PROGRAM F
MULTIPLE SYSTEMS An entire system of modules that can shift throughout the day alters the circulation path between program elements.
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Cobe & TRANSFORM’s Copenhagen Culture House encompasses various program elements inside of the building with a central atrium space to link them all together. 062 | creativity emboldened
CULTURE HOUSE TYPOLOGY Highly popular in Europe, the culture house is an amalgamation of a variety of program elements inside a single building. Dependent upon the needs of the city, the program within a single culture house can contain museums, theaters, dining halls, technology centers, libraries, classrooms, children’s centers, among anything else imaginable. Despite the wide array of activities that may occur within a culture house, the element that unites the entire building is the atrium. The atrium space is the most critical element of the building for two important reasons. Firstly, it provides the physical link among the wide range of different program elements of the building. Secondly, and perhaps more significantly, it connects the different types of people that would normally be segregated into the different program elements. With a common atrium space, individuals are encouraged to explore other interests that they may not have otherwise discovered had they not entered the culture house. The Copenhagen Culture House + Library designed by Cobe and TRANSFORM architects is a prime example of a successful culture house that caters to a wide demographic. There are different library sections that are designed for a specific age range or interest group, such as a children’s library, a young adults’ lounge, a theater/ production stage, and a quiet study space. Each of the differing program elements is accessible via the grand staircase system in the atrium. Spacious enough to accommodate social loitering, the atrium space acts as the connection between both the program elements and the visitors of the culture house.
In what is normally segregated based on use, the culture house model unites various program elements within a single atrium space, encouraging visitors to explore other interests. explorations | culture house typology | 063
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SITE ANALYSIS - SAN FRANCISCO The city of San Francisco is one of the most ethnically, socially, and culturally diverse cities in the world with a wide demographic of people. Even though it is a major tourist attraction with the reputation of being a city with constant activity, it is not immune to the symptom of boredom and disengagement from space. Moreover, its high tourist rate defaults the city into the category of the experience economy in that much of the activity being produced in San Francisco is marketed as entities and experiences to be passively consumed by the public. This city, therefore, could greatly benefit from a culture house typology to unite the population in engaging activities that make them consciously aware of themselves in their immediate context, thus providing a platform for them to be entralled in the present moment. The specific site chosen is the open space adjacent to Harry Bridges Plaza, west of the San Francisco Ferry Building. The location is at the node where Market Street and the Embarcadero meet, both of which are two of the busiest avenues in the city. With such a large population visiting the location daily, the culture house on the node serves to be a demonstration of the social potential of engaging architecture to the public at-large.
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E THE ERO CAD AR MB 4 3 5 2 1
6
HARRY BRIDGES PLAZA
EMBARCADERO BART STATION
ET
E TR S T
E
K AR
M 0’
500’
SITE: HARRY BRIDGES PLAZA The site is located at the intersection of Market Street and the Embarcadero.
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1
2
3
4
5
6
VIEWS Site images 1-6 show various views of and around the Harry Bridges Plaza location.
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SITE ANALYSIS
MA
RKE
TS
TRE
ET
TH
RO
ADE
ARC
B E EM
MAJOR STREETS
Node created at the intersection of Market St. and the Embarcadero.
CIRCULATION
MMAA MARRKKEE RKETT SS T STTRREE TREEETT ET
Pedestrian circulation along both Market St. and the Embarcadero.
PIER 1/2
EERROO CCAADDERO BBAAARRRCAD M M E E B TTHHHEEE EM T
EMBARCADERO 4 HYATT REGENCY
FERRY BUILDIN
ONE MARKET ST.
LL RRAAIIL HHTT RAI LLIIIGGGHT L
CIRCULATION BBAARR BARTT T
Public transportation with aboveground light rail and underground BART.
CIRCULATION Vehicular traffic along both Market St. and the Embarcadero. 068 | creativity emboldened
PIP PI
EMBARCADERO 4 HYATT REGENCY
FERRY BUILDING
ONE MARKET ST.
PIER 1
MARKET MIXED OFFICE/RETAIL HOTEL
MA
RKE
SA N
TS
TRE
ET
TH
RO
ADE
ARC
B E EM
SURROUNDING PROGRAM Site primarily surrounded by mixed-use facilities.
SA N
F R A N CI
VIEWS
F R A N CIS C O
Y BA
PIER 1/2
Major views of the San Francisco Bay seen to the east.
PROPOSED SITE
Bridging over to former Pier 1/2, allowing for maximum sun exposure.
EMBARCADERO 4
HYATT REGENCY ONE MARKET ST.
PROPOSED MASSING Culture house bridging over the Embarcadero. explorations | site analysis | 069
FER
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THESIS PROJECT overview site plan building diagrams floor plans building section wall section details atrium components scenarios renderings physical models
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OVERVIEW Linking the two sides of the Embarcadero, this 400,000 square-foot culture house is a demonstration project of the potential of architecture to engage individuals in the present moment in time. It consists of an auditorium, an innovation center, three cinemas, a multi-purpose recreation center, classrooms, a library, art/exhibition galleries, and a farmer’s market/food culture center. The atrium space consists of manipulatable platforms and programmatic dividers that serve to link the various program elements together. As the experience of each individual is based on timing and perception, no experience is the same for two people. Through the use of the moving elements, visitors must be actively engaged in the space, navigating the catwalks and platforms to reach their next destination. It is the hope that this stumble-upon quality of the space will encourage people to participate in activities that they might never have otherwise chosen to experience had they not visited the culture house.
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SITE PLAN
0’
200’
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BUILDING DIAGRAMS
PROGRAM (FEET) performance art auditorium farmer’s market & food culture
PROGRAM (TRUSS) innovation center cinema convention center art museum learning center
PRIMARY STRUCTURE A 60-foot high truss system and collector beam system embedded in the feet support the mass of the culture house. thesis project | site plan | building diagrams | 075
CIRCULATION Two sets of escalators, one in either foot, guide visitors into the mass of the culture house. A series of interstitial stairs and ramps connect the different program elements together.
SERVICE CORES Seven service cores with restrooms, fire stairs, and elevators are distributed throughout the building, bringing visitors down to a centralized corridor and fire stairs to ground level.
GREEN SPACE Green space is present at the ramped entrance, the roof, and the entrance on the opposite side of the Embarcadero, which leads straight to the bay.
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CATWALK & TRACK SYSTEM Catwalks and tracks run the entire length of the building, connecting the various program elements and holding up movable programmatic platforms and dividers.
PROGRAMMATIC PLATFORMS In constant motion, mechanized platforms (some large enough to hold events for many people and some purely for circulation) are held up by tracks.
PROGRAMMATIC DIVIDERS In constant motion, mechanized programmatic dividers connect the various program elements together, creating an ever-changing environment.
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FLOOR PLAN BREAKDOWN
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THIRD FLOOR innovation center cinema recreation center
mediating track system
gallery learning center
mediating track system
gallery learning center
open atrium space
gallery learning center
the embarcadero
food culture
SECOND FLOOR innovation center cinema recreation center
FIRST FLOOR innovation center cinema recreation center
GROUND FLOOR lobby/auditorium
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FLOOR PLANS
1
2
GROUND FLOOR 0’
40’
2
1
3
6
5
FIRST FLOOR 0’
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1. LOBBY 2. AUDITORIUM 3. OPEN FARMER’S MARKET 4. FOOD CULTURE / LEARNING
40’
1. INNOVATION CENTER 2. CINEMA 1 3. CINEMA 3 4. RECREATION CENTER
5. GALLERY 1 6. GALLERY 2 7. LIBRARY 8. CLASSROOMS
3
4
4
7
8
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FLOOR PLANS 1
2
4
5
SECOND FLOOR 0’
40’
6
1. INNOVATION CENTER 2. CINEMA 2 3. RECREATION CENTER 4. GALLERY 1
5. GALLERY 2 6. GALLERY 3 7. LIBRARY 8. CLASSROOMS
1
3
4
THIRD FLOOR 0’
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40’
1. INNOVATION CENTER 2. RECREATION CENTER 3. GALLERY 1
5
4. GALLERY 3 5. LIBRARY 6. CLASSROOMS
3
7
8
2
6
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BUILDING SECTIONS
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0’
40’
thesis project | building section | 085
BUILDING SECTIONS
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0’
40’
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BUILDING SECTIONS
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0’
40’
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WALL SECTION
0’
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8’
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DETAILS
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FOLDING PANEL pivot point hydraulic piston overall panel pivot point fold-down panel
RETRACTABLE RAILING W36x135 railing geared rail 1� plate gear and motor box system
TRACK SYSTEM geared rail data/electrical channels gear and motor box system moving platform W36x135
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ATRIUM COMPONENTS TIERED PLATFORM
30-foot wide platform with steps that can accommodate a wide range of activities.
REGULAR PLATFORM
20-foot wide platform used for circulation or smaller programmatic activities.
OBLIQUE PLATFORM
10-foot wide circulation platform used for traversing the atrium when program openings are not directly across from each other.
FLAT PLATFORM 30-foot wide platform, only located on the top floor, used to create controlled lighting conditions .
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FOLD-DOWN DIVIDER
2-foot wide divider with piston-driven surfaces, can also be used as a plain, projectable wall surface.
SLIDING PANEL DIVIDER
2-foot wide divider with sliding panels, allowing for privacy control; can also be used in conjunction with the tiered platform for addition seating.
ENCLOSED DIVIDER
20-foot wide divider that encloses the space; used to create controlled lighting conditions.
FLAT DIVIDER 1-foot wide divider used as a single wall or projection surface.
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SCENARIOS (MORNING) M3 M2 M1
M1: EMBARCADERO HISTORY Exhibition content is interchangeable throughout the day. Connecting the gallery space and innovation center, today’s exhibit teaches visitors about the history of the site.
M2: LIBRARY/READING ROOM In the morning, the central library space connects the learning center and the screen attached to the cinema.
M3: SPORTS VENUE The sports platform connects the recreation center and the learning center, creating a central location for many people to meet and play.
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M1
M2
M3 thesis project | scenarios | 097
SCENARIOS (AFTERNOON) A3 A2 A1
A1: IMPROMPTU FASHION SHOW In the afternoon, the larger platform is shifted to connect the gallery and innovation center, allowing for a fashion show to occur.
A2: TEACHING LAB Making use of the same platform from earlier in the morning, the teaching lab utilizes the table surfaces and the cinema’s screen.
A3: VENDOR During lunchtime, the vendor connects the recreation center and the learning center, providing a place for people to socialize.
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A1
A2
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SCENARIOS (EVENING) E3 E2 E1
E1: CONCERT At night, a concert draws a large crowd to the culture house, utilizing not only the movable platforms but also filling up the flanking program units.
E2: MOVIE Connecting the learning center and the cinema, the evening screening of a classic film draws a wide demographic.
E3: POP-UP BAR After a long day at work and school, the pop-up bar is an inviting place to spend time with friends and meet new people.
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E1
E2
E3 thesis project | scenarios | 101
AERIAL The Embarcadero Culture House becomes a demonstration for engaged social experiences.
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thesis project | renderings | 103
ROOFTOP The green roofscape provides a plaform to enjoy varied experiences and the views of San Francisco. 104 | creativity emboldened
thesis project | renderings | 105
FROM THE BAY The sloped greenscape from the water to the culture houe invites visitors in and provides a platform for great views of the San Francisco Bay and the cities beyond. 106 | creativity emboldened
thesis project | renderings | 107
SECTION THROUGH ATRIUM Activities all throughout the culture house shift during the day, creating an ever-changing, dynamic space for visitors to experience. 108 | creativity emboldened
thesis project | renderings | 109
EMBARCADERO HISTORY (MORNING) Visitors participate in active engagement as they learn about the site’s history.
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thesis project | renderings | 111
IMPROMPTU FASHION SHOW (AFTERNOON) While exploring the adjacent art gallery and innovation center, photographers and spectators stumble upon a spontaneous fashion show. 112 | creativity emboldened
thesis project | renderings | 113
CONCERT (EVENING) Filling up the entire venue, fans unite and welcome a famous band to San Francisco.
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thesis project | renderings | 115
LIBRARY / READING SPACE (MORNING) Students and other visitors are welcome to enjoy a quiet yet social place to read.
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thesis project | renderings | 117
LEARNING LAB (AFTERNOON) Learning in a culture house provides more educational opportunities by means of varied experiences. 118 | creativity emboldened
thesis project | renderings | 119
MOVIE SCREENING (EVENING) Evening films provide a social space for movie connoisseurs and stumble-upon visitors alike.
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thesis project | renderings | 121
SPORTS VENUE (MORNING) Between the learning and recreation centers, San Franciscans gather to cheer on community sports teams. 122 | creativity emboldened
thesis project | renderings | 123
VENDOR (AFTERNOON) The food vendor provides a social gathering space for visitors between the learning and recreation centers. 124 | creativity emboldened
thesis project | renderings | 125
POP-UP BAR (EVENING) Nightlife is encouraged by means of spontaneous events that welcome residents and visitors of San Francisco. 126 | creativity emboldened
thesis project | renderings | 127
OVERALL MODEL Culture House Materials: 1/32”, 1/16”, 3/32”, 1/8” Acrylic & Tamiya Spray Paint Base Materials: MDF & Behr Interior Paint Scale: 1/25” = 1’-0”
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SECTION MODEL Culture House Materials: 1/16”, 1/8” Acrylic & Tamiya Spray Paint Base Materials: 1/4” Acrylic Scale: 1/8” = 1’-0”
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MISCELLANEOUS vellum 9: mรถbi thesis show: probe
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Model: Donna Mena
VELLUM 9: MÖBI Möbi is an ambiguous metal sculpture and furniture piece whose function is derived from the subjective nature of the user’s perspective. A chair no longer has to be just a chair, nor a table merely a table. The ambiguity of this particular piece gives the user the opportunity to utilize his creativity to manipulate the furniture to be more than its typical use. At its initial position, the piece may have elements of a standard chair and is therefore utilized as such by the user. However, seeing additional non-standard elements makes the user wonder why they are present, prompting him to realize that there are other potentials and possibilities for this piece of furniture. The connected nature of the entire steel ribbon is seen as a unified piece where the inner face of one position is the outer face of another, but with the variety of possibilities of chair space, table space, leaning space, ambiguous art piece, etc. that was not anticipated, Möbi has created multiple functions and has ultimately changed the space in which it is situated, which is dependent on the subjective view of the user who is manipulating it.
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RAW COMPONENTS Möbi is composed of 8 pieces of 3/16”-thick steel custom-cut via water jet. Pieces 1-6, which were pre-sized based on the digital design on Rhino, compose the ribbon structure. The seams are determined based upon strategic places where they would not be visually obstructive. Pieces 7 & 8 act as support structure and were custom-water jet cut with their curves created based on the ribbon structure that was constructed. After the entire furniture piece was finished, it was sent to Full Spectrum to be powder-coated fire-engine red. 42-1/8”
44-3/4”
1
2
3
27”
18”
24-3/8”
10” 44-3/4”
25”
6
5
10”
23-3/8”
20”
4 7 18”
FABRICATED COMPONENTS 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
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8
1’-8”
3-0”
ELEVATIONS
2’-1”
3-0”
1’-8”
3-0”
1’-4”
2’-10”
1’-6” 2’-8”
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CONSTRUCTION
01
04 5 & 6
2
1 & 2 1 3 & 4 1
welded to 2
3 & 4 5 & 6
02
welded to 1 & 2 welded to other two sets
05
7 & 8
4
3
3
7 & 8
welded to 4
03
welded to mid-length of set
06 5
6
5
welded to 6
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Finalized welded piece
SCENARIOS Möbi can be reconfigured in a variety of positions dependent upon the user’s needs and perception of how the piece should be placed. With its ribbon-like structure constructed in a loop, there is no hierarchy of which side should be the top or the bottom. Much like the Möbius Strip, the inner face of one side of the ribbon in one position is the outer face of the ribbon in another.
chair position
alternative chair position
table surface position
leaning surface position
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THESIS SHOW: PROBE “In this year’s thesis show, PROBE features the work of 19 architectural undergraduate thesis students who challenge and agitate prevailing disciplinary practices. Each of these unique and provocative thesis projects shares a common interest in re-aligning architecture with contemporary cultural interests in openness, the manipulation of social relationships, and the creative participation in producing, disseminating, and remixing content and experience. Accordingly, the work on display deploys architecture as a potential platform to re-engage the public into highly participatory, spontaneous, and creative types of experience—in stark contrast to the top-down, formalized, and highly regulated experiences that have thus far dominated much of contemporary practice. While the projects challenge a diverse range of issues—individual social empowerment, the re-alignment of program with experience, the effectiveness of sustainable practice, and others—the exhibition as a whole capitalizes on the themes of participation and undetermined outcomes through the conflation of the produced and producer: work is presented as an open platform for individuals to navigate and discover new content. This investigation thus invites individuals to experience content as active participants rather than passive observers.” The show consists of 19 individual stations, each equipped with an iPad, a gooseneck lamp, and an auxiliary mechanism of the student’s choice. Each station projects a designed presentation created with InDesign or Prezi, with multi-touch interaction made possible by Ubi software via an Xbox Kinect system. As the visitor approaches the station, he has the ability to scroll through, slide over, hover above, etc. the projected presentation. Using Aurasma, an augmented reality appplication for Apple, the user can see additional content over the projection or physical models, dependent upon the design of each individual student. In a fully immersive experience, the user is able to delve into each project at multiple scales.
PROBE show text description by Kathy Kao.
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IMAGE CITATIONS P. 2: Tan, Michael. Life Voyage Photo Blog. 2012. Photograph. Web. 4 June. 2013. P. 4: Caillebotte, Gustave. Paris Street; Rainy Day. 1877. Painting. Art Institute of Chicago Building, Chicago. 4 June. 2013. P. 8: Crue Consulting Chronicles. Master of the Mall. Photograph. Web. 4 June. 2013. P. 10 (TOP): Brashaw, Adam. Infinity List. 3Run Greece Adventure. 2012. Photograph. Web. 4 June. 2013. P. 10 (BOTTOM): Gehl Architects. Making Cities for People. 2012. Photograph. Web. 4 June. 2013. P. 12 (TOP): Disney Corporation. Hollywood Renegades Archive. 1954. Photograph. Web. 4 June. 2013. P. 12 (BOTTOM): Disney Corporation. The Walt Disney Company. News Release. 2009. Photograph. Web. 4 June. 2013. P. 14: Caillebotte, Gustave. Paris Street; Rainy Day. 1877. Painting. Art Institute of Chicago Building, Chicago. 4 June. 2013. P. 16: Spenot. DeviantArt. Le Flaneur. 2012. Drawing. Web. 4 June. 2013. P. 18: Debord, Guy. The Society of the Spectacle. 1967. Photograph. Print. 4 June. 2013. P. 20 (BOTH): Wigley, Mark. Constant’s New Babylon: The Hyper-architecture of Desire. 1998. Photograph. Print. 4 June. 2013. P. 22: Tate Modern. Olafur Eliasson: The Weather Project. 2003. Photograph. Web. 4 June. 2013. P. 24 (BOTH): Price, Cedric. The Fun Palace. 1962. Drawings. Web. 4 June. 2013. P. 26 (BOTH: Piano, Renzo. Le Centre Pompidou. 1977. Photographs. Web. 4 June. 2013. P. 28 (BOTH): Tate Modern. Olafur Eliasson: The Weather Project. 2003. Photograph: Web. 4 June. 2013. P. 30 (BOTH): Eliasson, Olafur. Notion Motion. 2005. Photographs. Web. 4 June. 2013. P. 32 (TOP): Abramovic, Marina. Imponderabilia. 1977. Photograph. Web. 4 June. 2013. P. 32 (BOTTOM): Rudd, Scott. Museum of Modern Art. Imponderabilia. 2010. Photograph. 4 June. 2013.
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P. 34 (ALL): Anelli, Marco. Museum of Modern Art. The Artist is Present. 2010. Photographs. 4 June. 2013. P. 36 (FAR LEFT): Spuybroek, Lars. The Water Pavilion. 1993. Photograph. Web. 4 June. 2013. P. 36 (MIDDLE LEFT): Rowlands, Cheri Lucas. Daniel Libeskind’s Jewish Museum. 2011. Photograph. 4 June. 2013. P. 36 (MIDDLE): Hoshino, Fuminori. OMA’s Kunsthal. 2013. Photograph. Web. 4 June. 2013. P. 36 (MIDDLE RIGHT): Universal Studios. Jerde Partnership’s CityWalk. 2012. Photograph. Web. 4 June. 2013. P. 36: (RIGHT): Mendoza, Monte. Twin Towers, NYC. 2008. Photograph. Web. 4 June. 2013. P. 40: Olmos, Antonio. The Guardian. Street Photography: Antonio Olmos. 2012. Photograph. Web. 4 June. 2013. P. 62 (ALL): Cobe. The Library, Copenhagen. 2011. Photographs. Web. 4 June. 2013. P. 64: Yost, Gary. Gary Yost Photography. The City of San Francisco. 2013. Photograph. Web. 4 June. 2013. P. 150: Kasperovich, Josef. Cal Poly CAED Berg Gallery. 2013. P. 152 (ALL): Kasperovich, Josef. Cal Poly CAED Berg Gallery. 2013. P. 153 (ALL): Kasperovich, Josef. Cal Poly CAED Berg Gallery. 2013.
List includes only external sources. All other photographs and diagrams included are taken and made by Grace Choy.
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