MASHUP

 

Architecture is a science, is technology, is geography, is typography, is anthropology, is sociology, is art, is history. All this comes together. Architecture is about introducing a sort of familiarity of the machine instead of the intimidation of the stone and marble and arches. It is really about welcoming people and about flexibility. A building for culture has got to be flexible, ready to change with the times. Apart from these literal kinds of movement, architecture can express movement—or in other words imply, convey or embody movement—without actually moving. Architecture represents implied movement within forms that are not themselves in motion. Architectural movement can be either represented or contained. Movement is ‘represented’ if, in the mind’s eye, one can fully and precisely imagine the building or building part in question passing through successive stages of displacement or transformation. ‘Contained movement’ is perceived when the imagination runs up the stairs, or follows virtual penguins along ramps. ‘Represented movement’ calls for suspension of disbelief in order to imagine that before our very eyes the building is moving. In order to push this to the extreme we can make five floors, one above the other, pushing all the fixed elements of the building outside, like stairs, escalators, lifts, and pipes, so that the floors were really like a completely flexible space,  semantically but also physically open to change. Harmony of spaces can be created through the use of light. Even a space intended to be dark should have just enough light from some mysterious opening to tell us how dark it really is. Each space must be defined by its structure and the character of its natural light. Attention should be concentrated on the effect of light and not on the origin. Interpretation of architecture in terms of specific movement patterns can be substantiated, primarily by communicating these patterns unambiguously through these visual means. Light and shade act primarily as devices that keep the eye moving. Light is the maker of material, and materials purpose is to cast a shadow. Darkness evokes the uncertainty of not being able to see. It also inspires deep mystery. Dark shadow lines and holes, from the precise defined molds, offer a fine texture on the massive walls.  So it's very much materialistic, but at the same time it's very idealistic, it's probably one of the most idealistic disciplines you can think about, because it's about people, it's about enjoyment, it's about utopia, it's about changing the world you know. And you do change the world in some way.

Light matters: Louis Kahn and the power of shadow – archdaily

The expression of movement in architecture – journal http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13602365.2011.598698

transcript of John Tusa interview with Renzo Piano, BBC Radio UK, http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/johntusainterview/piano_transcript.shtml