Post-Traumatic Urbanism Book Launch

The book launch of the Post-traumatic Urbanism issue of Architectural Design (AD) will be held on: 6:30pm - Thursday, 11th November 2010. Location: Architext Sydney, 3 Manning St, Potts Point NSW 2022

Launched by Adrian Lahoud, Charles Rice and Anthony Burke. See Adrians site here.. 

This issue features some of my own artwork "Ubiquitous City", a conceptual urban design for Buji Village, Shenzhen China.

International Architecture Film Night

The EXPANDED ARCHITECTURE film night at Performance Space, Carriageworks Sydney 6th November 2010 tackled the question “What is Architectural film?”

The curators of the festival, Sarah Breen Lovett and Lee Stickells identified a group of local and international artists, architects and students whose work proposed a different relationship to what is Architectural film.General themes of the films ranged from a graphic and material fascination with architecture and the city to narratives associated with architectural space to the exploration of architectural phenomenology.

On the whole it was an interesting range of works that flowed together quite seamlessly. Like all film festivals, the themes of some works seemed less relevant than others, or perhaps just a little obvious. However, on the whole it was a good range.

I was unable to stay for the panel discussion after the films however the Expanded Architecture website reports “the discussion highlighted the differences in opinion of what constitutes an 'architectural' film. The varying opinions included films which: Represent architecture, have a narrative associated with architecture, convey journeys through architectural space and urban fabric, investigate the materiality of our spatial environment, investigate architectural phenomenology , multi-channel, expanded cinema and installation films which enable the viewer to be embedded in the filmic experience rather than a viewer of it.” 

A few standout films of the night were:
“SURFACE: A film from underneath” by TU+ (Bangkok/New York)
This short film is “an experimental film, exploring the emotional journey from an underground urban perspective.” The whole film is viewed from under the surface of the street (the street in this context being a translucent 'prop' platform).What made this film so engaging was its powerful graphic quality, cleverly synchronized with a rhythmically engaging soundtrack of urban samples and beats. By altering the viewer’s perspective of the city, the dramatic quality of the streetscape and its inhabitants was increased. Human interactions and their connection with city and surface were emphasized, making for a powerful and evocative piece. Check it out - http://www.surfacefilm.com/ . This is definitely worth a viewing. Its message is expressed with a fluidity and levity often absent from this genre.

Eduardo Kairuz (Venezuela/Sydney) featured an interesting single channel video projection called “Supermáquina” (rasgadura central/esquizofrenia) (2006). The abstraction of the subject (a journey through the suburbs/city?) made for a visually interesting way to digest what would typically be a mundane subject. This technique revealed patterns and rhythms to the urban fabric that might only be revealed through filmic space.

For any current, or ex-Architecture students who've suffered an obsession with photographing/filming car parks (...and I know you're out there) see Sommertagsraum by Sabine Pils (Austria). Yes, this theme has been done before, but this example is better than most. It's graphically engaging, well edited and concise.

Worth a mention is RedCat gala video by Citrusink. This piece was featured in the foyer of the film festival before the main features. The film was was projected against one of the off-form concrete walls of the Performance Space. The combination of animated graphics against the textures of the building was a brilliant way to view the work. This form of installation was a great addition to the festival.

Belgian Pavilion

'Usus/Useres' exhibit, Giardini Venice, 2010 Architecture Biennale

The Uses/Useres exhibit explores the wearing down of Architecture from the standpoint 

of those who take an interest in building materials. This collection of Architectural parts presented like a Minimalist Art show. Comprised of old building fragments such as worn wooden treads, stained carpets and desktops removed from their original context, these inanimate objects took on a life of their own, through the expression and trace of human usage. This exhibition was a highlight of the Giardini Biennale. The analysis of wear quietly but convincingly made the point that Architecture is accountable for the ecological and social consequences that lie in its wake.

 

Netherlands Pavilion

'Vacant NL' Where Architecture meets ideas exhibit, Giardini Venice, 2010 Architecture Biennale

This installation made subject of the thousands of buildings in the Netherlands that remain unoccupied. Vacant NL aimed to show how this enormous quantity and diversity of temporarily available property offers a range of possibilities, and that temporary use can give positive impulse for innovation within the creative knowledge economy. Ironically, the building where the exhibition takes place had also been empty for over 39 years since its inauguration in 1954. Rietveld Landscape (the exhibition curators) emphasized the theme by leaving the ground level of the pavilion empty. From below, one could make out a suspended ceiling of blue foam. From the first level of the pavilion, the suspended field revealed itself to be a collection of model churches, schools, water towers, factories, hangars, light houses and offices. A diagram on the wall shows the connections that could be made between vacant buildings and creative professionals.

U.S Pavilion

'Workshopping'  exhibit, Peachtree Centre model, Portman & Associates, Giardini Venice, 2010 Architecture Biennale

Australian Pavilion

'Now & When' exhibit,  Giardini Venice, 2010 Architecture Biennale

The exhibition Now and when was presented in 2 parts, using stereoscopic (3D) technology in effort to change the way Australian urbanism is seen. 5 of Australia's urban and non-urban regions were depicted as they are now, before presenting 17 futuristic urban environments, imagining a "when" for 2050 and beyond.  The creative vision for these films was sourced from a national design competition hosted by Australia's creative directors for the Venice Architecture Biennale (John Gollings and Ivan Rijavec). The ambition for this exhibition was productive, and parts of the films were quite engaging. The total result however read somewhat like an over produced music video. Under these conditions it was hard to critique the proposals individually, and some of the theoretical basis was lost.

French Pavilion

'Metropolis' exhibit, Giardini Venice, 2010 Architecture Biennale

French Architect Dominique Perault is the curator of the French Pavilion this year. His project explores the theme of "Metropolis." The theme aimed to demonstrate that a metropolis itself is not a city but rather a territory mostly comprised of empty and available spaces. Consequently, the perception of these voids as the places where all possibilities can still be realised guides the approach to the subject and overall design of the pavilion. Walls of the exhibition space were  covered from floor to ceiling with film projections, promoting a sense of virtual inhabitation of the five French territories in question. The interplay of screens and mirrors exponentially increased images and sensations, creating an immersive sensory environment, forcing the viewer to engage with the discourse proposed. Though at times the message was a little sensationalized, the proposal was clear and well produced. The strength of this exhibit lay in it's integrated approach to the subject and demonstration of this approach through the exhibition design.

Architecture Biennale 2010

'People meet in Architecture' Arsenale Artiglierie, Venice

"The 2010 edition of the Biennale is an exhibition about finding Architecture; to reconsider the potential of Architecture in contemporary society" (Sejima 2010). 

This year's Director of the Biennale Kazuyo Sejima of SANAA invited architects, artists and engineers to explore the relationship between architecture and human interaction. Many architects were also invited to study their own work in films in an attempt to explore how people within the space make the space itself.

Transolar & Tetsuo Kondo Architects, Cloudscapes

Smilijan Radic+Marcela Correa, The boy hidden in a fish 

Anton Garcia & Ensemble Studio, Balancing Act'  

Architecten de Vylder Vinck Taillieu, 7 houses for 1 house

Hans Ulrich Obrist, Now interviews

Bahrain exhibit, Reclaim

Amateur Architecture Studio, Decay of a Dome

Estonia exhibit, 100 Maja/Houses 

Anton Garcia & Ensemble Studio, 
Balancing Act'

Olafur Eliasson 
Your split second house

Research summary

The investigation will explore the relationship between the temporary nature of architectural exhibits and the techniques and materiality of film set construction. Central to this research will be an analysis of the 12th International Architecture Exhibition, Venice 2010. 
The project will pursue how these temporary qualities might translate to more enduring spatial conditions in architecture. This knowledge will also be used to rethink the way in which architecture deals with spatial sequence and spatial narrative in cities.  

A series of interviews will be conducted with leading Architectural academics and practitioners teaching at the Architectural Association School and Bartlett School of Architecture, London and TU Berlin. Selected Art and Film Professionals from Europe and Australia will also be interviewed.


Watch this space. More info + images to follow....