Metapolis
architecture universities
industrial flouroshment Spatial Planning
information age
Friedrich Nietzsche
Modern Movement holograms East-Germany
structuralism communication
p (i) l o t
architecture platform « Interview »
Information as part of the architectural process
Andreea HAASE
issue #2
// Dragoş MILOTIN // Alexandru SENCIUC // Alexandru VOICU // // Corina NICOLAE // Vlad TODIROAE
//
p (i) l o t architecture platform Bucharest, Romania
Project Coordinator Dragos MILOTIN Project Partners Alexandru SENCIUC, Alexandru VOICU Project Members Corina NICOLAE, Vlad TODIROAE
Copyright Š 2010 p (i) l o t architecture platform Text copyright Š 2010 p (i) l o t architecture platform
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p (i) l o t architecture platform is a communication and culture platform generated by students from the University of Architecture and Urbanism ''Ion Mincu'' Bucharest. The main purpose is to generate discussions among people with ideas and similar interests: Architecture, Design, Urbanism, Arts, Culture, Sociology. The environment is one of informal discussions. ''Spoken lessons, without formality, antiacademic without stylistic and literary ambitions, full of repetitions and the formulation of fleeting thoughts, interrupted by reversals which stray, strolling along the drawing boards.''* The p(i)lot magazine is a collection of articles written by students, professors and professionists which exclusively published within this magazine. It is structured in four points starting with the main one called Symposium, a public discussion translated into virtual space. The second point is the Interview which is seeks to bring the outside (in a broader social and often different cultural context) opinions, attitudes and examples. Concept refers to articles of interest which have new ideas, issues and current paradigms. In complementarity, Archive contains articles which have been published, forgotten, lost, although their content is still the current one. Using walls to bring down walls is an electronic public library whose purpose is to bring closer the information necessary to build an inspiring background to the p(i)lot project.The library covers a wide range of areas and is formed in a subjective way. We want this information to develop in the form of an exchange and our proposal interests you, we will provide you the right to post. Our team members organize and participate to numerous events held by important names in architecture and people who have a word or two to say in matters of art and culture, the conference will later be published in the "Events" section in a media format. The approach addresses a wider range of people, given that architecture has seen a boom in recent years at an ideational level and captured an impressive number of people.
The project targets students and teachers in first instance from the University "Ion Mincu'', but is open to anyone. We want to open your appetite for architecture and discussion between all those who are in this profession and not only in order to take advantage of this theoretical and media platform as a source of inspiration for future projects. In order for the project p(i)lot to succed anyone interested to participate in the construction of this platform is welcome in the community. If you have proposals or any comments do not hesitate to contact us.
p (i) l o t architecture platform
Interview #2, 04.05.2010
Interview by e-mail Questions: The p(i)lot architecture platform team Answers:
Andrea Haase Dr. Dipl. Ing. Prof. of Urban Planning at Dessau Institute of Architecture
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The theme of the interview is, “ Information as part of the creation process ”. We have selected a definition from the Metapolis dictionary, thus creating a link between the abstract concept and the present context. This is the starting point of the questions below and with that in mind we invite you to blow us away! << def: information It is information, above all, that is becoming an essential component of the new architecture and new urban environment. In fact, information in the architectural field plays at least three fundamental roles simultaneously. First and foremost, there is "communication" that either educates, entertaines or advertises (it is no coincidence that today’s buildings go back to narrating stories); in addition, information also makes up the "production of infrastrucutre" for the multidisciplinary development of projects and the future management of buildings. But most importantly, the presence of information in today’s society is so great that it has become an "aesthetic challenge". Forward-looking architects around the world are attempting to create a generation of buildings and spaces that are "conscious" of the changes in the operational and social framework caused by information technology and capacity of expressing this revolution. >> source: "the metapolis dictionary of advanced architecture - city, technology and society in the nformation age" 1. Since most designs today can be taken out of context, what impact do you think the informational era has had on the connection between the design and the site itself on which it is located? Is the study of the site as significant as it was in the past (F.L.Wright, R. Meyer)? Does the site still influence the design of the project? Context has become even more important as a patchwork - framework for integrating or exposing the architecture which has been given the importance of signifying time, place, people and the author of the “creation” as a branding. 2. In the USA most architecture universities put a great price on old school architects that draw freehand. Do you think the role of freehand drawing has been diminished by the new possibilities the computer can provide and that more and more people resort to just using the computer instead of expressing their ideas by drawing? How much can this phenomenon influence architecture? Sketching and drawing is still the one technique which shows the search for form in its process considering different types, reasons, orientations and makings of a building. 4
p (i) l o t architecture platform
Interview #2, 04.05.2010
3. As part of your teaching experience you have taught urban planning, structural theory and you also have architecture design courses, a case rarely found in the romanian education. Why did you make this choice? The choice has its roots in the integration of urbanism in the discipline of architecture. This includes “Spatial Planning” in terms of “processes of guiding urban changes”, however not in terms of replacing “evolutionary processes” by one-off decisions. Information is needed about the courses of the social and economic processes to be guided. 4. Today, a lot of emphasis is put on information. We are in what has been called the Information Age. What is your opinion on the mobility of the creative spectrum offered by the virtual approach of information? Progress needs to be considered critically as well as creatively. Let us face the challenge – and retrace sketching as a tool to be translated onto digital media by photos… etc. In former times, copies of paintings were “originals”, nowadays we remain with copies of copies… let us remember the set of originals… and make the perceivable as such by multi-media… 5. There are increasingly more experimental projects of virtual architecture. Technology allows anyone to go anywhere and experience architecture with various virtual means (holograms). How do you see this way of living (fundamental point of philosophy) the experience of architecture related to the excessive globalization of culture? “Living” software worlds leads me immediately back to “originals” of different origin. 6. Lately, there has been a tendency to put the word "eco" in the title of any design. Thus, many architects introduce different sustainable technologies only for marketing purposes, technologies that tend to worsen the situation if not used properly, they pollute more than they save. Why do you think that society allows and encourages this process in what has been called a critical period for humanity? The tendency is all right: It is about going together with nature than against it how has been routine since the industrial flouroshment, the latest from the 1930ies.. The means need to be considered critically and their working together for mankind and nature. 7. During your conference “PhD by design”, part of the PhD Session held in our faculty, you mentioned us the link between thinking+practice and also presented us a certain diagram (a sketch is attached below). Can you provide us some more information about this issue in terms of the evolution that the access to information has had on the creation process, related also to the time evolution of different manners of thinking? The crucial “node” was brought into consideration since the industrial crisis around 1963-73 in western Germany and with a delay of around 15 years in East-Germany. The 1970ies and 80ies in France have carried the philosophies and mevements of the students’ revolution and had a very strong and fruitful impact on “structuralism” with effects on the theories of Lefebvre, Bordieu e.a. Herwith the same accesses to knowledge have been introduced via use, ima and concept of space with parallels in arts (Ranciere) and semantics/semiotics (Eco). 8. In your presentation "PhD by design" you made a reference to the term of "true judgement" (ratio+intuitio). Can you further elaborate on this subject with reference to the aspect of morality and the process of creation? You take your own body feeling as a membrane for finding out about “right” or “wrong”…given the fact, that your mind and emotions are aware of the range of questions equally to answer … 5
p (i) l o t architecture platform
Interview #2, 04.05.2010
9. As a conclusion we would like to get your opinion on this quote: “In architecture the pride of man, his triumph over gravitation, his will to power, assume a visible form. Architecture is a sort of oratory of power by means of forms.” Friedrich Nietzsche I can agree with this, however, there are much more simple and convincing contemporary descriptions about one and the same judgement on the importance of form, related to minimalism in architecture from the early expressions of Modern Movement into contemporary attempts to redefine values of a so called “Third Moderne” which is assumed to be a search for formgiving, close to mankind, nature and to technology relative to its fruitful impulses on renewing natural energies - by allowing them to simply flow.
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publisherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s acknowledgments The team of p (i) l o t architecture platform would like to thank Andreea Haase for the opportunity to publish this text
Information as part of the architectural process Andreea HAASE
p (i) l o t architecture platform