in-progress thesis

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sellperm


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Art investigates the objective truth.

Art explores the essential nature of reality.

Art embraces a deep aesthetic culture that values truth and beauty.

Art is a catalyst.

Art is restricted by the infrastructures that guarantee its circulation and

display.

pg 0/Art:


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Just as monumental train stations were built as

heroic last efforts to resuscitate an antiquated

idea, an edic complex has captured the spirit

of the art world despite a diconnect between

these icons and the needs of artists and the

public at large. We have come to accept a broken

throughline between artists, curators and thepublic as the paradigm for the display of art.

The world insists upon conict. Curators, in

response to the Bilbao Effect, are demanding

global, iconic museums. Contemporary artists

desire large warehouse formats, former factory

spaces, and purely utilitarian structures.

Ever-changing urban environments need

infrastructures that can respond to evolving

needs.

There is positive potential in conict. It is the

responsibiliy of designers not to compromise,

but to incorporate and integrate differenes,

culminating in an inclusive whole that is greater

than a sum of parts.

The current recession has provided us with a

unique and eeting opportunity to pause, step

back from pure production, and take a critical

look at the infrastructures of which we are

a part. Realizing a critical juncture, we must

reimagine the possibility of how we experience

art critically in the 21st century.

pg 2/Art in the 21st century:


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As architects, designers, and artists, it is our

responsibility to ensure that our cities dont

force us to merely adapt outdated leftovers from

the past, but to reimagine the possibility of new

environments.

To design the museum of the future is

senseless. Of the future quickly becomes

anachronistic. Instead, it is about designing a

lexicon, a script from which a multiplicity of

critical interventions can unfold.

pg 4/Dening the experience:


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Parallel to the shift away from a sense of self

dependent upon a stable physical place to a

sense of self cultivated through a multiplicity

of experience, art, as a virtual place, is no

longer characterized by rootedness but by

responsiveness and interconnectivity. This shift

calls for an infrastructure that supports analteration of stillness and motion, stability and

change, place and space.

In its inclusiveness, art is better suited to

the constantly morphing, impermanent,

and aesthetically driven needs and desires of

modern society than the nite, permanent, and

utilitarian tradition of architecture. This calls

for an open and exible system that is responsive

to both the needs of societyand the needs of the

environment, which encompasses an ecological,

systems-based, and socially responsible

intervention.

pg 6/Ephemerality:


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There is a deep-seated sense that the grounds for

art are shifting beyond the territory ordinarily

prescribed for art, likely for reasons more

pragmatic than romantic. Historically, especially

during periods of economic recession, similar

moves have been made by artists. In the past,

attempts were made to initiate dialogue witheasily distributed mediums such as photography

and video, as well as through un-distributable

ones, such as happenings or earthworks. The

former attempted to engage the popular culture,

while the latter sought to exclude it; though both

sought to reveal the hidden agendas of popular

media. Today, however, the nature of popular

media is participatory, shifting the focus from

the reveal to engagement.

Art is by necessity a response to a highly

specic set of individual, temporal, spatial and

theoretical cues. The honesty of the response

strengthens the possibility for engagement, and

by extension for the work to serve as a catalyst

in the urban environment and as a model for

future critical engagements and interventions.

pg 8/Engage your audience:


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Encouraging the intersection of thought and

use of any media lets go of determinist ideas

of the nite, the permanent, and the utilitarian

and is suggestive of artifacts and environments

that are constantly adapting.

This is not architecture.

pg 10/The interdisciplinarian:


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What do I want to know? What is going to help me

continue to grow personally and professinoally?

Be curious, study and explore. People are most

productive and interesting when they are happy

with what they are doing.

pg 12/Self-serving prophecies:


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pg 14/The Fantastical:


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A rapper walks down the street, passing a

neglected lot, a dead space in the life of the

street. Seizing positive opportunity, she feels

in her pocket for the meson, graps its smooth

pill-form, and skips it over the chain-link fence

surrounding the litter and overgrowth. The

meson, a sub-atomic particle that senses theelectro-magnetic eld of the environment, uses

its inherent intelligence to grow around the

existing frameworks of the lot. A beautiful,

open, and exible architecture without walls

emerges.

People are drawn to the site, inspired to further

the dialogue with their own works of visual

art, music, performance, and spectacle. Locals

who have never experienced anything like it,

are inspired by the art. Outsiders, unfamiliar

with the vacant lot, are inspired by the self-

determination of the neighborhood. The

intervention runs its course, and over time the

sun and rain begin to break down the material,

returning the site back to its original form, butforever altering its trajectory. The latent energy

of the site is activated.

pg 16/Artscientisturbanpoetect


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The work responds to the environment, indistin-

guishable from its context, yet it is an autono-

mous form. An artwork based in theoretical sci-

ence.

There are multiple, simple, elegant, beautiful in-

terventions backed by a rich and complex script.The discussion is about the meta-narrative, the

structure of the interventions, and the common-

alities of intent. It is about addressing prob-

lematic paradigms in urban environments and

creating new, sustainable, ecological, systems-

based, and socially responsible interventions. It

is about inclusive design that incorporates and

integrates, constantly critiqueing itself.

Each intervention has the potential to produce

an urban ripple effect. The long term value is

not in the intervention itself, but in the dialogue

it engenders with a dynamic conception of infra-

structure, not rooted in time or place, but in ideas

and experiences. The intervention responds and

challenges, while the dialogue endures.

In its role as an investigation of the objective

truth, exploration of reality, embrace of deep

aesthetic culture and as a catalyst, the interven-

tion is art in ways that architecture has never

been before: an object able to stand alone and

whose meaning or purpose is open to innite in-

terpretation.

pg 18/The proposal:


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pg 20/The concrete:


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pg 22/Gilles Deleuze: the role of other thinkersThe history of philosophy has always been

the agent of power in philosophy, and even in

thought. It has played the repressors role: how

can you think without having read Plato, Des-

cartes, Kant and Heidegger, and so-and-sos book

about them? A formidable school of intimidation

which manufactures specialists in thought - butwhich also makes those who stay outside conform

all the more to this specialism which they despise.

An image of thought called philosophy has been

formed historically and it effectively stops people

from thinking. (Dialogues, 1977. p 13)

Like philosophy, the knowledge, true experi-

ence and understanding of art is thought to

be held by the elite few, the art historian, the

curator, the artist, and in this sense keeps art

at a distance from the masses, conform under

the pretense I just dont get it. For Deleuze,

understanding the history of philosophy em-

braces a much more open, active, constructive

sense. Each reading of a philosopher, an artist,

a writer should be undertaken, Deleuze tells us,in order to provide an impetus for creating new

concepts that do not pre-exist (Differene and

Repetition, 1968 pg vii). In the true Deluezen

sense, one can use his critique to challenge es-

tablished ideas in the eld of art to incorporate

those who are outside.

What we should in fact do, is stop allowing

philosophers to refect on things. The philoso-pher creates, he doesnt refect(Negotiations, pg


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pg 24/Olafur Eliasson: The Weather ProjectOlafur Eliasson chose the subject of weather be-

cause it is one of the few fundamental encoun-

ters with nature that can still be experienced in

the city; its importance shown in its ability to

shape the content of most peoples small talk.

In The Weather Project, Eliasson explores howmuseums mediate the reception of art, from the

macro-branding level throughout the city, to mi-

cro-cues that the cultivate the experience within

museum-walls. Eliasson observes a discrepancy

between the experience of seeing and the knowl-

edge of expectation. For the exhibition, he cre-

ated his own cadre of marketing materials that

included simple questions or statements about

the weather. Eliasson also wished to explore

how the public understood the experience as a

construction. In the Tates Turbine Hall, you

were able to walk behind the sun and view the

wiring, see the equipments that was producing

the ne mist throughout.


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pg 26/Alice In Wonderland: Curiouser and curiouserAlice falls down a rabbit-hole into a fantasy world

populated by peculiar and anthropomorphic

creatures. The fantastical tale plays with logic in

ways that have given the story lasting popularity

with both adults and children. It is considered

to be one of the most characteristic examples of

the genre of literary nonsense.


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pg 28/Jaime Learner: Moveable InfrastructuresLerner is a longtime proponent of what might

be called blitz urbanism: the rapid, workable

improvement that does an end run on bureaucrats

and doubters

-Justin Davidson, Newsday

As mayor of Curitiba, Jaime Lerner transformeda gridlocked commercial artery into a spacious

pedestrian mall over a long weekend, before

skeptical merchants had time to nish reading

their Monday papers.

Since then hes become a hero not only to his

fellow Brazilians, but also to the growing ranks

of municipal planners seeking greener, more

sustainable cities. He has inspired a number of

his unique solutions to urban problems, including

sheltered boarding tubes to improve speed of bus

transit; a garbage-for-food program allowing

Curitibans to exchange bags of trash for bags of

groceries; and trimming parkland grasses with

herds of sheep. (From TED)

His latest ventures are temporary, responsive

urban infrastructures, including libraries and

museums, that can be plopped down anywhere

in the city, and moved as needed.


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pg 30 /Downtown Alliance: Re:ConstructionRe:Construction is a public art program

produced by the Downtown Alliance. This

initiative channels the energy of New York Citys

rebuilding process by recasting construction

sites as canvasses for innovative public art

and architecture. Each project uses standard

construction barriers to embrace the ongoingnature of Downtowns redevelopment with

original and whimsical design. The Downtown

Alliance works closely with public and private

developers to produce each installation.

http://www.downtownny.com/reconstruction


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pg 32/BiothingFeatured in an exhibition that blurs the boundaries

between art, architecture and theoretical science

in Vienna entitled Transitory Objects are two

models from Alisa Andrasek/BIOTHING. The

models are a part of a design project called

Mesonic Emission and were created using

an open-source algorithm that is based on thebehaviors of electro-magnetic elds allowing for

scripting sophisticated enough to respond to the

shape of the environment and to grow around

obstructing objects.

h t t p : / / w w w . b i o t h i n g . o r g / w i k i / d o k u .

php?id=home


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pg 34/David Edwards: ArtscientistDavid Edwards founded Le Laboratoire, an

experimental art and design center where artists

and scientists collaborate in central Paris.

Le Laboratoires experiments are backed up by

public meetings between artists and scientists.

These evening events, known as Synapses, offerdebates, discussions and sometimes experiments

with the public, on themes specically connected

with Le Laboratoires current activities.


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pg 36/B.I.G.: Yes is MoreB.I.G.s mission is to nd a way to incorporate and

integrate differences, not through compromise

or by choosing but by an inclusive rather than

inclusive architecture. B.I.G. sees their works

as the midwives of a continuous birth of

architectural species shaped by the countless

criteria of multiple interests.

Their monograph, Yes is More searches for a

playful, comic media in which they can decribe

the energy and ideas behind their work. This

format arose from a visit to their ofce by Bruce

Mau. The team showed Bruce their projects,

and later, at his request, sent him information

on the designs that they discussed. Bruce was

perplexed by the work that was sent his way;

he saw a strong disconnect between the energy,

action and intellect in the ofce and the dull,

straightforward character of the architectural

drawings. Yes is More is an attempt to

encapsulate the intelligence and vigor behind

each of B.I.G.s projects.


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pg 38/Tommaso Marinetti: The Italian FuturistsThis year we celebrate the 100th anniversay of

the Futurist Manifesto, written by Tommaso

Marinetti in 1909. The manifesto was precursor

in cultural branding as Marinetti blanketed the

front pages of papers across Europe.

The Manifesto called for the demolition ofmuseums and libraries, contempt for women

and the glorication of war, the worlds only

hygiene. It promoted the beautiful ideas

which kill and claimed that beauty exists only

in struggle. Marinetti set the template for the

proliferation of manifestos to come, including

shock tactics, declamation, and bulleted l ists.

Love of danger

Energy and fearlessness

Courage, audacity and revolt

Aggressive action

Love of speed

Splendour and generosity

The beauty of struggle

The glory of war

Scorn for women

Destruction of museums and libraries


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pg 40/Jonathan Hill: Illegal Architect


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pg 42 /Herzog + de Meuron: The Surface


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pg 44 /Alfredo Jaar: It is Difcult


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pg 46/Practical Idealism:


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A specic site, Waterview Tower, has been chosen

as the lens of focus with the understanding that

there is the potential for a dynamic network of

interventions in stalled building projects, inactive

sites, and underutilized spaces thoughout

Chicago, the country, and the world, each with

a specic dialogue producing a multiplicity of

reactions, responding to unique opportunities

and within the greater critique.

The site sat underutilized as a parking lot for

30 years prior to the ground-breaking on Feb

22, 2006. Waterview Tower, LLC self-nanced

the ground-breaking , condent that funding

would come later. Credit markets froze up, and

construction ofcially came to a halt on Jan 27,

2008. Financing may eventually come through

but rumors suggest that the existing 26 oors

may be converted to apartments or a parking

ramp.

The future of the site is uncertain.

pg 48/Grounded:


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pg 50/Grounded:


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Waterview Tower was designed to be the 5th

tallest building in the Chicago skyline, a 90-

story condominium and hotel on Wacker Drive,

designed by Teng & Associates Inc. The concrete

building was to be clad in glass, granite and

aluminum to convey a prismatic look. Inside,

233 condiminiums and penthouse residences,

with an average price of $800 per square foot,sit atop the 222-unit Shangri-La hotel .

Parking for guest and residents comprises

oors 2-11. Floors of 11-28 were reserved for

the 222-unit Shangri-La Hotel. A setback at

oor 29 was designated as a rooftop garden and

amenities level for guests and residents. Per one

of the citys approval conditions to include an

outdoor garden, a terrace was to spread over

approximately 8,000 sq ft featuring landscaping,

water elements, sun deck, and pet recreation

area. Floors 30-88 held the 233 condominiums

and penthouses.

pg 54/Grounded:


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Parking for guest and residents comprises

oors 2-11. Floors of 11-28 were reserved for

the 222-unit Shangri-La Hotel. A setback at

oor 29 was designated as a rooftop garden and

amenities level for guests and residents. Per one

of the citys approval conditions to include an

outdoor garden, a terrace was to spread over

approximately 8,000 sq ft featuring landscaping,water elements, sun deck, and pet recreation

area. Floors 30-88 held the 233 condominiums

and penthouses.

pg 56/Grounded:


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Parametrics

Rhino 3x Scripting...woo woo

working with Tuan

pg 58/Scripted:


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Working with Bruce Mau design on a fantastical

video conception of the project.

pg 60/Video/animation

in-progress thesis

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