'When the peaks of our sky come together, my house will have a roof.' Paul Eluard.
On last Nov. 24 a discussion was held in Rotterdam between Wim Nijenhuis (arch/urban history, writer) and Pieter Lemmens (prof. Philosophy & Ethics Radboud Univ.) about the theory of making in the work of Bernhard Stiegler. Is digital technology a ‘pharmakon’; a medicine and poison at the same time? How to ‘make’ as an technological being? The recorded discussion will soon be on-line…..
After a delay of some time the long awaited, monumental monograph of Cedric Price (1952-2003) was published recently by AA/CCA; 2 volumes in a box document extensively the impressive works and thoughts of one of the most influential British architects whose line of thinking still is more actual then ever. Like the projects of his Dutch contemporary Constant, who worked for almost 20 years on his New Babylon-project, the works of Price – in particular Fun Palace – show another approach towards (re)thinking and designing the built environment. In the words of Guardian-journalist Jeremy Melvin after Price’s death in 2003: “The architecture was indeterminate, flexible and driven by what technology then existed – and some that Price anticipated – for exchanging ideas and goods, and the movement of people from place to place.” Above all, Price offers “a focus to the optimism of the time, when it seemed possible to remake society around the potential for delight and opportunity.” Lees verder
a Dutch building firm recently announced what they defined as a new concept in housing, i.e., they produce complete housing for young ‘start-ups’ that can be relocated if needed. Pre-fabricated in 2 sections and ‘in situ’ placed on top of each other it can be transported elsewhere since it answers the assumed need to take house and home with you. Lees verder
Currently in Museum Boijmans Rotterdam; an intriguing exhibition of the drawings by the American artist Richard Serra; famous for his large steel pieces but now illustrating the value of drawing. What matters for Serra is “what emerges from the process in producing it (..) and evade the sculptural or architectural reference.”. Maybe so, but their image is spatial all the same…..
wonderful talks at the New Institute Rotterdam by Mark Wigley and Beatriz Colomina who presented their little book; ‘Are we Human?’; a kind of summary of the 3rd. Istanbul Design Biennale 2016. Especially the link made by Wigley to Constant (Wigley wrote his great book: ’the Hyper-Architecture of Desire’ about New Babylon, 1998) about the moment Constant could longer envision man in his environments was a fine illustration of the problems we encounter with technology.
Dirk van den Heuvel (TUD), Mark Wigley, Beatriz Colomina.
the video-recordings of the 6th. IoT & Built Environment MeetUp on Art and Imagination at the WW-IoT-day in V2 Rotterdam are now online ! Look and listen back to a series of most interesting talks, comment and discuss further to ensure this important topic remains an issue. Listen to e.g. Rob van Kranenburg, Yvonne Droge Wendel, Michela Magas, Ben van Lier, Usman Haque, Frans Vogelaar.
#1_Welcome_Leon van Geest from 4D-FilmVisions on Vimeo.
a lecture by invitation of BNI on April 13th. 2017 at Intersteel Rhenen about the impact of IoT on interior-architecture and design; resulting in a fine discussion about the role/position of the architect and the consequences of technology within the home-environment.
a consortium of six European researchpartners has created the FloraRobotica project; which “objective is to develop and investigate closely linked symbiotic relationships between robots and natural plants and to explore the potentials of a plant-robot society able to produce architectural artifacts and living spaces.”
‘braid columns’
The program for the 6th. IoT-MeetUp at V2 Rotterdam is now online; together with an increasing number of meetings worldwide once again we pay tribute to an important development that needs to be discussed together with accompanying human – as well as artistic – values. Come, listen and above all discuss with a fine group of speakers, moderated by Leon van Geest.
On Dec. last year EC-FET’s Walter van der Velde gave a TED-talk in Louvain on future projects and research, the need to think ahead and recognize the value of ‘utopian’ thought.