Exploring Modular Architecture
One area we've been really interested in looking at is modular architecture; a form of architecture comprised of separate modules that in some cases can be rearranged. A common example of this is using old shipping containers as modern architecture; like Container City in East London:
And more recently BoxPark shopping centre in Shoreditch:
We really liked the idea of a building having interchangeable sections, and especially being made out of re-purposed materials. Using shipping containers has been growing in trend since the early 90s, their relative ease to move and stack makes them ideal for certain purposes. These type of developments break away from the 'build once, destroy once' model of construction that is the accepted normality.
One of the very few "modular" buildings to actually be built is the Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo, Japan. It was built in 1972 and consists of two interconnected concrete & steel towers into which 140 prefabricated capsules are "plugged". They're each self-contained units built offsite and then transported to the towers, which can theoretically be removed or repositioned within the tower.
Another area we researched was adaptive/dynamic facades; the walls or roof of a building which are able to change or move due to different conditions or inputs. The main condition used in these adaptations is sunlight, for example like the video I showed in my previous iDAT302 final project blog post; "Tesselate", which allows different levels of sunlight in by moving different panels:
Tessellate™ and ZIRA™ façade mockup for KAFD Spas from Hoberman Associates on Vimeo.
Staying within the theme of "moving" architecture, the Taiwan Tower of Change (though never actually built) has a restaurant at the top, and the entire tower moves upwards to change the view/"experience" for the diner as the evening progresses. It's interesting as it's one of very few architectural designs where parts of the building actually move, rather than just change their appearance:
A final inspiration in the realm of dynamic and reactive architecture is "Reactor", a conceptual project by Christian Schmitt whereby the interaction of people within the space defines how the the space itself is arranged.
Imagine a new concept for museums and exhibition design! Reactor is designed like a chat room. The surrounding spaces alternate their connecting spaces permanently. Every space can interact with every other spatial unit within the structure. Changing habits, moods etc. are analysed and put into a spatial context in real time. As an organism, it is reacting to its users and its environment. Time makes it possible to enlarge the 3rd dimension to an endless continuum of space and time. The aspect of communication in art comes to the fore. The recipient will become an integral part of the work.
People move through a probability of space and time. The individual way of the visitor is calculated in context to the probability of each space. Every space knows where it should be and which location it could reach in a few minutes. Transferring this concept to residential living, neighbourhood is not a question of where but of when and with whom.
Reactor | Christian Schmitt, Germany from IDAT bcn on Vimeo.
This last project is interesting because it is set in a gallery space, which is something we hadn't thought about yet. A gallery seems like the perfect vocation for our eventual dynamic building plans.