SOUVENIRS DE VOYAGE : ROME 2004 The Portable Museum Kit © in action
Daniele Mancini
© interaction design institute ivrea 27 may 2004
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SOUVENIRS DE VOYAGE: ROME 2004 The Portable Museum Kit © in action
Thesis Committee Daniele Mancini Interaction Design Institute Ivrea 30 May 2004
Stefano Mirti Associate Professor Primary advisor
Britta Boland Associate Professor, Art Director Secondary advisor
Gillian Crampton Smith Director
Andrew Davidson Chair of the Academic Programme
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A C K N OWL EDG EM EN T S
Thanks to Davide, Hernando, Dario, Gaurav, Mathias, Tal, Karmen, Eyal, Ivar, Belmer, Valentina, Giorgio, Søren, Aparna, Tarun, Michal, Luther, Peggy, Helma, Steven,Jennifer,Giovanni, Andreea, Benjamin, Bernd, Dessislava, Erez, Ruth, Maya, Ethan, Patray, Myriel, Öznur, Christian, Noel, Simone, Matty, Anurag, Thomas, Akemi, Haraldur, Nathan, Simona, Mario, Line, Rajesh, Shyama, Ryan,Francis Dianna, Chris, Deepak, Sergio, Jan, Francesca, Rikako, Oscar, Natasha, Livia Jason, Magnus.
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AB ST R AC T The Portable Museum Kit ® is an inflatable interactive system for collecting, documenting and presenting in an exhibition the experience of travel through particularly meaningful objects. The kit is a set of instruments packed in a custom designed white travel bag. Radio Frequency Identification tags (RFID tags) allow each object to store and release upon demand selected visual or acoustic memories. “Souvenirs de Voyage: ROME 2004” is an exhibition of 20 souvenirs documenting a 15 days exploration in Roma, through the Portable Museum Kit ®
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CONTENT
1. CHAPTER ZERO 8. thesis structure 9. overview
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2. THE PORTABLE MUSEUM KIT ®
3. INFLATEGOS
4. HORIZON OF SENSES
5.
WHAT TO SAY AT THE END
18. concept
62. the simbolic house
84. work in progress
105. technology
24. museum bag
68. plato’s cave
86. areolandia
30. museum kit ®
70. trento proposal
90. radical insights into the utopia
34. RFID_TAG_SYS®
72. nuit blanche 2003 paris
94. everyday life and critical design
40. INFLATEGO_KIT®
74. europan 7
99. easy pieces: what I like mostly
56. exploring IDII 52. souvenir de voyage: rome 2004
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1.CHAPTER ZERO
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T H E SI S ST R U C T U R ES This thesis report is structured around three main chapters: the Portable Museum Kit, where I document the final steps of my thesis process; the Inflategos, where numbers of early projects are detailed described; the Horizon of Senses where I take care to present through commented books, pieces of art, movies, projects and architectures, the universe of conceptual and visual references, I’ve been watching at during the thesis preparation. Also, this last chapter should clarify the implicit issues and motivations that moved my interest towards the travel as moment of growing (the souvenirs de voyage); the selection as tool to built an identity (the kit); the narration as moment of necessary communication ad seduction (the kitsch collection)
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O VE RVIE W The thesis experience goes from September 2003 to June 2004.
of the dirty but live material that tells the story of my thesis is stored there.
Nevertheless I’ve included some relevant projects completed before the
As usual the thesis process is not
official beginning of the second year.
linear: do a project, do it again, do
Among them the most important is the
mistakes, change a little bit, refine
entry for the Europan 7 competition
details, change directions, go back to
about an innovative dwelling unit.
the previous decisions, do again and
I participated a team of six people:
again etc. It’s not my intention to
Stefano Mirti, Walter Aprile, Eyal Fried,
report these facts here. The Wiki does
Dario Buzzini, Line Ulrika Christiansee
it in an excellent way ! I’d rather prefer
e Karmen Franinovic. Togheter we
to give a unified picture of the whole
built up the first prototype of an
process through a dry and schematic
inflatable cylindrical structure called
presentation of my design experiences.
CICCIO (Curiously Inflatable Controlled Interactive Object). This object has
Since the beginning, the design
been used as platform to develop many
strategy of my thesis has been based
interactive installations and projects,
on an episodic approach BUT NOT
included some of my thesis explorations
methodological. Stratification and accumulation of meanings and critical
By a methodological point of view, all
points of views emerge. Sometimes, the
the activities of documentation and
explorative nature of my experiments
formalization (description, evaluation,
makes them closer to the field of art
critic) of the projects, has been done
than to any other orthodox and rigorous
along the year on the Inflatego Wiki, an
design process. Anyway, a “sustainable”
on-line collaborative Content Manager
vision of the problem (reducing the set
System set up and managed by Walter
of rules to get the biggest benefit in the
Aprile to support the students work. In
case of the Portable Museum Kit) and a
that context the thesis has growth. Most
subversive/critical point of view about
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the everyday life environment (the
The Souvenir de Voyage: ROME 2004
kitsch in the Roman Souvenirs) short the
is the conclusive experiments, where
distances.
fragments of a journey memory turn out to be stored behind the astonishing
Projects here are presented in inverse
beauty of the ugliest and kitsch-est
order: first the latest, then the earliest
souvenirs of Roma.
in order to go back to the seminal ideas and verify the assumptions or the incoherence. Three are the main constant concepts that come along all the thesis process: the idea of traveling as moment of knowing and awareness; the approach to objects as condensers of memories and relationships; the faith in the soustainable discipline of do-it-yourself (let’s find the resources around us). The Symbolic House, released as interactive installation at the end of the winter term in december 2004, explored the main issue of memory and space. The Exploring IDII project explored the idea of a transportable technology. The Portable Museum Kit is a big and concise synthesis.
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2 . T H E P O R TA B L E M U S E U M K I T 速
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C ON C EPT Imagine you’re an explorer or a
WHAT: The Portable Museum’s Kit ® is
findings and the proper contents; for
traveler. You are planning a new
packed up into the foldable, modular
the final exhibition, the explorer set up
journey. In order to watch, to study,
and flexible white Museum Bag ®
an installation where selected findings
to analyze, to describe, to document
PortableMuseumBag. The Kit is made
are displayed. On the other side there
and to communicate all the findings
up of: the Inflat Ego Kit® InflatEgoKit,
is the visitors’ experience: during the
that trigger your curiosity or your
providing an inflatable surface to be
exhibition, they are asked to pick up
scientific interests, you need the most
used either as Base Camp BaseCamp
findings (objects, Polaroid like pictures,
appropriate tools and “sensors”. And
or as display surface; the RFID Tags Sys
labels) and watch/hear the multimedia
of course you need adequate space
Kit® providing a radio frequency system
contents, triggered by the tags read by
either to set up locally your tools,
based on small tags; a 12 inches laptop;
an antenna.
metaphorically a Base Camp, or to
a digital camera and a video camera
display an exhibition at the end of your
for video shooting; the Explorer Sack®
VALUE: This open-ended system can
mission. Objects of your exploration
to collect findings; power suppliers;
be used for many different purposes:
could be many different: you could be
rechargeable batteries; The Portable
to carry out a user testing research;
interested either in human artifacts
Museum’s OS® on Cd-Rom; a Do-It-
to track a traveling experience;
as condensers of relationships and
Yourself Handbook®; and numbers of
to document a material culture
memory; or you could be fascinated by
usefull tools.
environment (tangible collection);
the ephemeral beauty of the natural
to make more playful a teaching
environment; or you might need
HOW: On one side there is the traveler’s
experience; to support the usual
simply to collect sounds; or to record
experience: findings of the daily
museum activities.
interviews. What kind of “probes” will
exploration are documented through
you need in all the situations? How are
pictures and videos (or audio tracks),
you going to catch, gather, to collect,
shot moment by moment on the sites
to archive both the transient and the
visited; an RFID Tag is attached to each
tangible reality? How then you can
finding; a database associates tags,
display all this in a very suggestive way?
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01_
This is the Portable Museum ‘s Bag ® a custom designed white travel bag where all the kit is packed in
02_
This is the Portable Museum KIT ® , a set of tools to document and to present in an exhibition the experience of travel
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03_
This is the The RFID Tag Sys KIT 速 to store and release upon demand selected visual or acoustic memories
04_
Traveller Experience: this is the Inflatable Base Camp 速 where the traveller documents specimens found time by time
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05_
The Traveller Experience : Inflatego Explorations 速 are based on documentation through video camera and digital camera
06_
The User / Visitor Experience: the Portable Exhibition 速 allow to display quickly the findings, and set an interactive exhibition
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07_
The User / Visitor Experience: video and audio content can be display through the RFID Tags technology
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T H E MU SEU M B AG
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01_
This is the Portable Museum ‘s Bag ® a custom designed white travel bag where all the kit is packed in
02_
It provides two detachable parts, to be carryed separately
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03_
The Inflatego Traveller can use the Bag in many different ways thanks to the ergonomic dimensions
04_
The Bag is modular and flexible and can be used as a very light sac
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05_
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07_
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M U SEU M KIT
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01_
This is the Inflatego Kit ® . It provides the tools to build up different light inflatable structures in polyethilene
02_
This subset is composed by a 12’’ laptop, a digital camera and a stero video camera
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03_
This package provides power, storage, communication and the RFID technology
04_
This package contains essentially paper based tools
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05_
This is the Explorer_Sack 速 that allows the Inflatego Traveller to gather all the findings along the exploration
06_
This transparent slice of the Bag, contains the RFID Tags
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R F ID_TAG _SY S速
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01_
The Inflatego Traveller, go out for his explorations and document the findings in the most appropriate way
02_
The Inflatego Traveller goes back to the Base Camp 速 with all the findings in the Explorer_Sack 速
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03_
Using the RFID Tag Sys KIT 速 and other tools, the Inlfatego Traveller go throught the database process
04_
A database associates tags, findings and the proper contents
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05_
During the exhibition visitors are asked to pick up findings (objects, labels)
06_
Visitors put the tag on the RFID antenna and trigger the content associated
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07_
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I N FL AT EG O_K IT 速
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00_
The Bag is modular and flexible and can be used as a very light sac
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01_
The 33 x 22 x 29 cm portable case contains the whole Inflatego Kit 速 (The fan and all rest to blow inflatable structures)
02_
The Inflatego Traveller finds a place, opens the case, take all the Inflatego Kit 速 out, and starts with the fan
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03_
The Inflatego Traveller unfolds the transparent surface already prepared
04_
The Traveller fixes the fan to the surface throught the extension and the two white clips
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05_
He switches on the fan, checks the surface inflating slowly, makes some adjustements
06_
He keeps the fan on, brings up the surface, curves it just to make it stable
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07_
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E X PL OR IN G IDII
The technological core of the second year students’ thesis projects
This is the first experiments where
“the soul” of his own project . I also
the RFID Tags system has been tested.
ask an object, and artifact, hopefully
On porpuse I wrote some routines in
a technological one, which at the best
ACHIEVEMENTS: This experience proves
python, embedded into the core code
represents the core of the project. I
that the RFID System (hardware +
written by Walter Aprile and Massimo
shoot a 30’’ video to document the short
software) I’ve conceived, works in a
Banzi, to make possible the system
talk. Then, I prepare the exhibition
very robust and easy way: I was able
working according to my needs.There
packaging the “findings” gathered, into
in fact to set up the whole exhibition
was also at this stage,the seminal
trasparent balls. Each ball is provided
in less than 45 minutes, which is an
idea of the Portable Museum Kit. This
with an RFID Labels. A database
important achievement.
explorantion has been presented in
associates the tags, the spheres and
January as end of the term presentation
the proper content. Visitors of the
ATTEMPTS: About the installation in
at IDII
exhibition are asked to trigger the
itself, it was an attempt to put togheter
content of each sphere/object, reading
the many aspects of the my thesis:
Second year students exhibit their
the tagged label on the RFID antenna
the idea of portability and lighness of
installations for the Public Thesis Review
set up on purpose.
the system, the idea of traveling and
on 25 05 2004 . It is also an Open Day
aspect of the thesis projects.
documenting the environment, the idea
where public is coming from outside .
TOPIC: The focus/topic of this
of collecting data and display an amount
I ask each student to tell me which is
exploration was on the technological
of information in a soustainable way.
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The “findings” of the exploration are packed into a transparent bubble . To each bubble is attached a folded descriptive label . Embedded to the Label there’s an RFID Tag
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AUTHORS : Aparna Rao and Mathias Dahlström
AUTHORS : Giorgio Olivero & Peggy Thoeni
AUTHORS : Dario Buzzini
FINDINGS : Lettera 22 Typewriter keys
FINDINGS : A miniaturized videocamera
FINDINGS : Piece of termosensible Fabric
PROJECT TITLE : 22 Pop
PROJECT TITLE : Teleportation
PROJECT TITLE : Not-So-White Walls
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AUTHORS : Luther Thie
AUTHORS : Gaurav Chadha
AUTHORS : Michal Rinott
AUTHORS : Davide Agnelli,Tal Drori, Dario Buzzini
FINDINGS : A silicon made thumb
FINDINGS : An accelerometer
FINDINGS : A small joystick
PROJECT TITLE : Superthumb
PROJECT TITLE : Gestures in Mobile Communication
PROJECT TITLE : Audio-Tactile
FINDINGS : Device reacting to the electromagnetic field produced by a mobile receiving a call PROJECT TITLE : Fashion Victims
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S ou v en i r s d e Voy a ge: R om a Imagine you’re a tourist. You come The kith, the ugly, the common, the quotidian, the trash, the usual, the banal
What do the turist buy mostly ? Where
At the end of the exploration, my
to Roma. You spend few days. You
do they buy ? Who sell the souvenis ?
collection of souvenirs was made of
go sightseeing around hundreeds of
Who produce them ? Who distribute
about 20 pieces. Each of them with its
churches, monuments, archeological
them ? How do they do those bad
own fragments of memory.
sites then, the last day, you run and buy
copies of Michelangelo ? Why don’t
souvenirs for you or your relatives and
they do better? How many levels
Then I decided to prepare an exhibition
friends. It could be you find someting
of verisimilitude ? How big is this
called Souvenir de Voyage: ROME 2004
very special because of an unespected
market ? Why tourist buy this instead
and nice situation. Then, you go back,
of something else nicer ? What do
In this exhibition ther will be objects,
you have a lot of tickets, invoices,
they want ? Which i sthe relationships
their description and evokative material
pockets and postacards. When you
between this world and the world of
in the shape of sounds or Audio.
invite your friend for a dinner, just after
design ?
your small holiday, you show them your souvenirs, what you have bought and
Going around I discovered that Roma
The exhibition will be set up inside
you start evoking the memory hidden
has, according to the cliche’, four souls:
a CICCIO provided with an RFID Tags
into these objects speaking, with
Roma spiritual, Roma profane, Rome of
system, a projector and an audio system
rethoric formulas. And you guests will
dialect, Rome of art and museum.
imagine the situation.
Visitor of the exhibition will be asked to Each one, produces different typology
explore the fragments of memory inside
Fragments of memory are often hidden
of souvenirs sold to different typology of
each object
behinde the ugliest souvenir or the most
visitors with different expectations
common and quotidian objects. Then I uderstood that souvenirs are not bought because of a mechanism of I decided to use the Portable Museum
seduction as many other products.
Kit for 20 days, pretending to be a tourist going around observing other
And also souvenirs are given most of the
tourists, sometimes doing interviews,
time to friends and seldom are bought
buying souvenir and shooting videos.
to remind the visit to a place.
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The “findings” of the exploration are packed into a transparent bubble . To each bubble is attached a folded descriptive label . Embedded to the Label there’s an RFID Tag
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To this souvenir has been associated the
Again another link to a Movie: the last
Fontana di Trevi. You express your
“Morto un papa se ne fa un altro” .
famous sequence of La Dolce Vita. Anita
sequence of Roma Citta’ Aperta by
desire. You launch a coin into the
From a romanesque dialect a way of
Ekberg jump into the fountain and call
Rossellino. The priest is killed. Kids go
fountain. You’ll never say to nobody this
saying interpreted by Alberto Sordi
Marcello to follow her.
back home sad, the director make us
secret desire ..
rememebre the responsibilities of the vatican during the II world war
LA DOLCE VITA Fontana di Trevi, May 17th 2004
RESPONSIBILITIES San Pietro May 18th 2004
PEOPLE DESIRE Fontana di Trevi, May 19th 2004
WAY OF SAYING San Giovanni, May 20th 2004
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Rita works in one of the biggest
Luigi has a small foldable desk to sell
Is it true that at the Vatican Museum
souvenirs shop in Roma. She explained
on the street souvenirs. He shows me
the quality of the souvenir is higher ?
me everything about what turist buy,
how to sell and gives me important
Does the object have the same price
why and who produces this souvenirs in
information about the souvenir market
comparing to other places in Roma ?
Italy
in Roma
RITA’s KNOLEDGE Santa Maria Maggiore, May 16th 2004
LUIGI’s KNOWLEDGE Piazza di Spagna, May 18th 2004
HIG LEVEL Vatican Museum, May 20th 2004
A short intervie to two american tourist
AMERICAN TOURSIT Campidoglio, May 22th 2004
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Gladiators on the feeth of Colosseo ...
How many times a monument, a statue,
Link to a movie. It is called Il Marchese
Totti and soccer ! Lando Fiorini sings the
a church, is shooted ?
Del Grillo. A priest is killed on the
offical Roma football team song
guillotine and loose ... his head !
GLADIATORS Colosseo, May 17th 2004
TAKING PICTURES Roma, May 2004
MIND YOUR HEAD ! Fori Imperiali, May 23th 2004
TOTTIGOL Via del Corso, May 18th 2004
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Two people, a man and a woman sell
How do you compare the real with the
How do you compare the real with the
A short interview to zia Evelina. She
paintings. They are false. They cheat.
false ? Which grade of similitude ? A
false ? Which grade of similitude ? A
explains how to use a rosary.
Double cheat. Double kitsch !
moralist judgment ..
moralist judgment ...
TOTALLY FALSE Piazza Risorgimento, May 20th 2004
PIETA’... San Pietro, May 22th 2004
ALMOST THE SAME Cappella Sistina, May 20th 2004
INSTRUCTION Zia Evelina, May 28th 2004
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A short video presentation of the
Free analogies ...
installation in 12 postcards sent from
Almost all the souvenir the Roma. The
Switch a candle in church and you’ll
best of the best in a two minutes video
have your soul save
PHENOMENOLOGY Roma, May 29th 2004
SAVE MY SOUL Roma 2004
the Vatican Museum
THESIS IN 12 POSTCARDS Vatican Museum, May 24th 2004
PROSTITUTES Roma, May 27th 2004
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Pasquino is an antique marble statue
Colosseo by night
Bells
COLOSSEO Colosseo, May 29th 2004
MADONNA Roma 2004
where traditionally small sheets of paper are attached on. They are anonymous comments often related to italian politic situation ...
PASQUINO Historical Center, May 25th 2004
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3 . I N F L AT E G O S
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T H E SY MB OL IC HOU SE
CICCIO Symbolic House : Reducing the
DESCRIPTION: Symbolic House is an
language, Augmenting the reality
exploration in using the Ciccio as a
(Daniele Mancini, Luther Thie)
platform for interactive reactive sound and video space, authenticity issues
It’s an installation presented as first
related to mental projections of the
term thesis project (11th December
self onto the other, the everyday home
2003), called “It Sounds Strangely
objects invested with memory that
Familiar” . The concept of memory
evoke emotions associated with our use
embedded into an object, and the
of domestic space. The user enters,
interactive strategies to evoke its
triggers and adjusts a series of sounds
memory, has been the main constant of
associated with the home environment.
the next explorations.
Some of the interactions of the objects use variable feedback to slow down the sounds to zero and accelerate to normal speed. Other objects are simple switches and pressure sensors. The ambient sound of bells slowed to 10% gives an ominous and impending doom to the capsule-like white glow of the interior. The video is triggered by opening the window and reveals an aerial view of a large urban city that slowly falls away into the distance as if the space is leaving Earth. KEYWORDS: Reactive space, sound installation, domestic objects and situations, the other, authenticity, the strangely familiar
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CONCEPT: Idealized domestic space
not a design brief and never a clearly
the final installation incorporates the
becomes strangely familiar through
defined meaning, although we did agree
fallen, broken sink and disrepair of
the evocation of memories associated
on the strangely familiar as a common
the house: there is always a gap in the
with domestic situations such as
theme and goal to turn an everyday
system of the symbolic where the realm
being reminded to take out the trash,
domestic situation into a David Lynch-
of the unexpected haunts the defining
updating one’s bank account, washing
like terror of the strangely familiar.
language. The punctuated scream,
one’s face, reading a book, eating, and
In this context, the final result is an
aspetta (wait) shows our desire to pull
relieving one’s self. But the relentless
interesting success in its illustration
back from the inclusion in the symbolic,
monotony of these activities are broken
of several ideas I have been wrestling
our terror in the face of being sucked
by sound exclamations that open us
with that Slavoj Zizek writes about. We
into language, diced by the coding
to the real experience of shattered
sort of backed into the Zizek theory
process.
dreams, unsettling memories and no
(following Lacan) of fantasy masking
traces of comfort.
the inconsistency of the Big Other. The body enters the space and is castrated
EQUIPMENT: Two Channel Audio, one
by the inclusion in signification. As
Channel video installation triggered
we are pulled into the symbolic, we
by sensors controlled by MAX/MSP/
lose our bodily selves. The process
Jitter through the Making Things
of signification into the symbolic, in
microcontroller. 4 incandescent lights,
Zizek terms, creates an enjoyment
4 potentiometers embedded in objects,
vacuum, and this is why, for the viewer,
simple touch and pressure sensors
the piece falls flat in its interactive nature, although as a symbolic house it
FURTHER THOUGHTS
is actually perfect. We do not want to enter a symbolic house that sucks out
This project is an exploration in the
our enjoyment and leaves us castrated
design process coming from two
(powerless) and submissive in the
different directions: one from art,
language of the Big Other. Therefore,
the other from architecture, with not
this work illustrates the process of
completely successful results. There was
symbolic conversion to the point where
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PL ATO’S C AVE
It is a project devloped in december
these objects and spaces. The sounds
2004 as proposal for the Salone del
and projections will span the entire
Mobile IDII event togheter with Luther
length of the Ciccio on opposite sides,
Thie
allowing the projections to scale and travel in time and space. A continuous
Using the Ciccio as a domestic
encirclement (video and sound loops)
environment, the user will enter the
of the Ciccio interior will be possible by
darkened space and interact with 7
using 2 projectors and 2 speakers. One
objects and 3 living zones that pertain
projector is first triggered, a scene is
to everyday living. Moving the objects
played to one end of Ciccio, then the
within the zones triggers shadows
other projector is triggered and the
projected onto the 2 long sides of the
video plays from that end of Ciccio back
Ciccio, as well as associated sounds,
to the beginning of the loop. Spatial
symbolizing concepts associated with
sound is achieved by using 2 stereo
speakers and panning from one end to the other. KEYWORDS: Everyday Living, Domesticity, Intimacy, Staging of the Self, Authenticity, Mediation, Communication, Translation, Telepresence, Memory, Preconception, Shadows CONCEPT: The authenticity of human communication is open to multiple interpretations especially if it is technologically mediated. We are
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exploring interactions between people, objects, and space and the mental silhouettes associated with these interactions. Shadows are used as the symbolic JALLanguagethat? makes (and distorts) meaning. We are using the allegory of Plato’s cave
questioned by conjuring the notion that we can never communicate the real--our communication is always representative shadow-play that is open to multiple readings. The Ciccio serves as the membrane of mediation that translates the real into signification. Shadowplay = appearance = masked reality.
because of the shape and conceptual framework of the questioning of the real where the shadows and sounds represent the mental constructs associated with things--in this case, everyday living. Authenticity is
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T R E NTO IN STAL L AT ION
It is a proposal for an installation to be
Two are the main parts of the
be either switched on or off. The man
set up for the Galleria Civica di Arte
installation: an inflatable capsule (5m
who lives inside a bubble, can hear the
Contemporanea di Trento in december
long, 2.5m diameter), where an actor
visitors in the remote locations, through
2004. The project, called *CICCIO goes
(one of the author) will act a one day
loudspeakers. In one or more remote
to Trento : a 24h interactive living
performance, and one or more remote
locations, ideally some hotel rooms,
machine” wasm’t built up. (Daniele
locations, visually separated from the
visitors will be allowed to interact
Mancini and Luther Thies)
capsule, where visitors can interact with
with man who lives inside a bubble, by
the man who lives inside a bubble .
using a normal telephone. Screen will show prerecorded videoclips exploring
The skin opaque and impenetrable of an
basic human needs in the everyday life:
inflatable capsule is provided with holes
feeding, resting, evacuating, socializing,
whom visitors watch through. The result
communicating, well being activities,
is a blu neon like bubble (ipotetically
intellectual activities. In particular, the
it will be installed in the hotel lobby).
vidoclips are supposed to belong to the
A soft polyuretanic foam made carpet,
specifi memory of the man who lives
is the stage of the man who lives inside
inside a bubble.
a bubble. This surface is provided with some touch sensors. Some elio
KEYWORDS: Everyday Living,
inflated balloons fill the ceiling. Few
Domesticity, Intimacy, Staging of
Lights hanging from the ballons, can
the Self, Authenticity, Mediation,
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Communication, Translation,
to his past memory as a reference point
understanding of any idea. The Ciccio
Hotel Lobby:
Telepresence, Memory, Preconception
for the communication of his ideas. It is
space is divided into seven living areas:
- 1 Ciccio (inflated membrane 5m long, 2.5m
these past memories and preconceptions
feeding, resting, intellectual activities,
diameter, blue Wood light, 21 sensors)
CONCEPTS: Ciccio represents the
that get in the way of his creative
evacuating, socializing, communicating,
- 1 ciccio subject performing inside the ciccio
mind of the subject who grapples with
breakthrough. He attempts to go
well being activities. There are two
- 2 loudspeakers located in the ciccio
the problems of everyday living and
beyond the past, yet is always bound
audience situations. One is around the
- 1 phone with multiple lines, whose audio is
attempts to communicate through
by it. He is an electronic reader of a
Ciccio in the lobby. The other is in the
connected to the speakers
mediated systems. The subject/actor
computer hard disk with a conscious-
hotel room(s). The lobby audience can
communicates through a set of 21
-a machine with human qualities. The
see the live actor in the Ciccio and
Hotel Room(s) - Each room is outfitted with:
prerecorded actions. These prerecorded
audience experiences this humanized
hear the questions asked by the hotel
- 1 television monitor
actions represent his ideas and are
machine from a distance determined by
room audience. Therefore, to get the
- 1 phone to call the ciccio
conveyed to a live audience that views
technological mediation--an experience
full picture/message of this work, the
and addresses the subject/actor from
of the design mind filtered through
audience must go to both locations,
Other equipment:
a remote location--a hotel room.
technology. The separation of the two
travel a distance to connect the ideas.
- 1 Computer (actor input, audio/video ouput)
The prerecorded actions (or memes)
viewing areas that each display only
symbolize the subject’s preconceptions
a part of the whole picture further
EQUIPMENT: This interactive installation
that center around the design problems
exemplifies how our understanding of
is located inside the hotel in 2 or more
of everyday living. The fact that the
ideas is always connected to a memory
locations (the hotel lobby and hotel
subject speaks through a history/
and past experience that affects the
room(s). The setup includes:
memory illustrates his necessary referral
present, is indeed necessary for our
- 1 network connecting computer output to 1 channel of the hotel television system
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NU I T B L AN C HE 2003
This project, a pure Urban Capsule
House Future Present. Presented in
behind a shop window concerning the
the departement store window of
relationships between the private space
printemps, paris for the Nuit Blanche,
in public place, has been developed
2003. This project was concieved to last
with Brendan Macfarlane and Dominique
just 24 hours. It is imagined as a living-
Jakob, principals of the office where
working space sometime in the present
I spent my summer internship in Paris
or future. Using digital technology from
2003.
conception through to fabrication. We can imagine a space that is connected and ultimately fabricated By each inhabitant at their own whim. For example as the lady sleeps she dreams, her ideas are translated numerically from images into fabricated form; we see in the LCD screen above her head, the material of her present space being cut and prepared. In this future present we are each our own creater and realisator. Ideas thoughts are maybe more direct, less transformed, more personal and richer? Dominique Jakob e Brendan MacFarlane with Daniele Mancini
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EU R OPAN 7
This project is the submission entry
The Story: In terms of conceptual
They are equally important. I don’t
for a competition in June 2003 about
approach to the competition we have
think results and idealism are really
an innovative and radical living
to refer to our beloved Dutch guru,
opposite. They turn out not to be. I’ve
environment for the future
Johan Cruyff. In his seminal book:
said that from start. I am a bit strange.
“Ajax, Barcelona, Cruyff. The Abc
An idealistic professional, that’s how
of an obstinate maestro”, he was
you have to see it”. This is our point.
ableto frame the main conceptual
How to keep the poetry, without
issues developed in our competittion
forgetting the competition brief. To put
entry. What to say? We just quote him
together the masterplan requirements
directly: “...and that means you really
and our spatial explorations. It looks
were a bit of a strange if you look
quite difficult, but actually the difficult
In girum imus nocte et consumimur
at idealism in professional football.
challenges are more reasonable than
igni, Pescara, Italy 2003
Professional football means money.
the simple ones. Because (and here we
It means achievement. Idealism, of
go with the second quote): “I never
(Daniele Mancini, Stefano Mirti with
course, means loving beautiful football.
practice tricks. I play very simply. That’s
Walter Aprile, Dario Buzzini, Eyal Fried,
And it means never in your life making
what it’s all about. Playing simple
Line Ulrike Christiansenn, Karmen
concessions about one or the other.
football is the hardest thing. That’s the
Franinovic)
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problem of all trainers. Like a penalty.
You want a summary of the problems
dreams a deadline, to force ourselves to
on the theme of housing diversity. If
That’s not a problem. The thing is that
tackled, the conceptual problems...
face reality, taking the constraints as a
Nicholas Grimshaw is able to make an
a penalty seems to be very easy, which
oh my God... Problem number one is
main trigger to push ourselves more and
inflatable skyscraper, why couldn’t
is why it’s very difficult”. (thankyou
this fact that only 17% of prize winners
more. We chose Pescara as case-study
we address the housing theme looking
maestro...)
actually get to build what they dreamt
because it perfectly fits our vision. An
to some very intriguing experiments
in their mind. This fact lead us to take
Italian city on the Riviera, tourism,
of the sixties? In terms of strategic
a different approach. The joker and the
seasonal activities. What happens
reflection, we agree on the assumptions
stripped of time and matter, of all
thief (with some other friends) actually
during the long winter, when the city
as described in the brief. We live in
thieves but one. what are you doing
built their dream. Several protototypes,
goes asleep? What about a winter park,
a society where the sprawl rules, the
in my dream, he asked the thief. it is
try, error, try again, improve, refine,
glowing bubbles, termporary use,
car is everywhere, impossible to stop,
not your dream anymore, for I am the
take a picture, take two, go back and
sustainability, young people coming
but with quite lovely trunks. All around
thief the thief dreamt he was in a place
fix the fan... We believe in the value
from all over Europe? Not forgetting the
ourselves we can see this desire for new
stripped of time and matter, of all
of an architecture made of emotions.
dogs (as required from thebrief), the
spatial innovations, demands for new
jokers but one. what are you doing in
Architecture is in fact the simplest
masterplan and all the rest. To give life,
lifestyles. In our understandig, the real
my dream, he asked the joker this is a
medium to articulate time and space, to
excitement, desire, all year around...
challenge is the urban sustainability.
dream you will not steal away, for I am
model reality, to make people dream. To
the joker.
use the competition in order to give our
the joker dreamt he was in a place
Four keywords for our project: We started from some shared thought
individual autonomy, diversity of social
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interaction, professional mobility, speed
cluster ready to host differentiated
in order to see if it is possible to foster
long accumulation (without much logic),
of communication. With our proposal we
needs upon the strategic thinking of the
new dynamism, to favour the spatial
a variety of disparate intervention
try to addres the strong demand for a
local master-plan...
intensification of the social life that can
without much though for urban ecology.
take place within our bubbly worlds.
We can’t fix it the overall mess, but
Bubbly worlds conceived as new home/
we can suggest an idea of possible
new neighborood social life, as well as suggesting new possible sets of values.
the thief turned his back on the
We believe in a sprawl city completely
joker and made the place his own. he
work interface, technologically high
conceptual re-organization of the
transformed into a sustainable one, with
sat and he stood, he held his breath and
performance units. Another keyword is:
overall. In this strategic plot of disused
ecological and urban foundation. In a
filled his body with black air. he ate and
Simpletech.
and underused land, we add a very light
case like Pescara (given its nature of
he drank, he killed and devoured, he
tourist-based economy), our proposal
spread his arms and felt the warmth of
could be also seen as a strategic tool
the blood.
to put together economical value
layer of possibilities. Inflatable ones. We The first one will do Just passing
are working on the historical principles
thru The second one needs more I’ve
of town planning and traditional urban
been here before I’ve been here before
composition. The relevant thing is that
and desire. In terms of executable
In the brief we found: “...we now want
Wanna make me weak while you cry
upon our understanding, out ot the
architectural project, we used the
to work from, or nearby, to where
Not such a thing, till you die Gotta go
XXth? century we consider our masters
competition constraints in order to
we live, to invent new ways of social
I get high Gotta go I get high Deceiver
people like Constant, we cried when we
build a series of real prototypes,
interaction, and to fill our free time
deceived us And I deceived them Carry
read about New Babylon, Superstudio,
enabling ourselves to understand better
with sporting and cultural activities
my troubles home Married with the
Archigram and the design metaphors
the potentiality and the limits of our
without being obliged to trave great
humble
by Ettore Sottsass. Our mental (and
starting hypothesis. A new city for
distances from our homes...” Isn’t it our
tourists and mobile professionals, using
proposal perfectly fit to answer to your
The case-study area in Pescara is a
while offering urban coherence and
a radical typological approach. A housing
intriguing questions? It is an experiment
classical example of urban sprawl. A
environmental quality (liberating and
physical) landscape enable mobility,
P O RTA B LE M U S E U M KIT ® 76
integrating natural space). With an
In our proposal we define a new concept
incredibly simple network grid we are
of river park, using our inflatable
joker said and put his hand against the
If you also count general works (park
able to imagine a rational management
network throughout the space. The
wall. with you I don’t need to reach the
cleaning, road access, support buildings)
of natural resources (water, energy).
waste is managed in an indirect way
moon. with you I am on the moon with
we would then reach 750.000 Euro.
In terms of spatio-temporal strategy, a
(the bubble network overlap on the
you I can reach the moon, the thief
Obviously, the system can start with a
system like ours, works on a step-by-
different parts, without modifying
shouted and shouted and slammed his
symple bubble, connected to the world
step process. Experimental prototypes,
them directly). The river park gets the
hand against the wall. with you I can
in a much simpler way. In this case,
temporary events, camping like
network support (antenna + water &
make people believe they ARE on the
the overall cost would be contained in
situations, all the way to the housing
electricity box). Then, upon necessities,
moon, he screamed and said no more.
10.000 Euro.
frame.
desires, events, the bubble-city can
with you I can reach the moon, the
Euro each (altogether 72.000 Euro).
freely grow. The buildings in the area
The old incineretor building and the
aren’t restored or demolished, simply
space around are the best areas where
woke up from the dream that they have
were in love, a smile on their faces. I
kept as they are, in order to become
to start our bubble-city experiment. In
dreamt. I want to tell you about my
am the joker, said the joker, welcome
the perfect environment for our new
terms of cost the overall system (a first
dream. will you listen? I want to tell
to my home. isn’t it the most beautiful
world. With the same system, could be
series of 24 bubbles) would be quite
you about my dream too. I will listen.
place you have ever seen? and the thief
located the requested activities (the
cheap. The overall networking (internet
I dreamt I was in place so free I could
dreamt that a man and a woman came.
music town, the botanic garden, the
connection, television antennas,
not destroy. it was a dreadful dream.
they were in love, a smile on their
kennels park). In few words: a “house in
broadband, water, electricity) would
now tell me your dream. I dreamt I was
faces. I am the thief, said the thief,
the park”, with different typologies of
cost about 500.000 Euro. 24 bubbles
in a place so free even you could not
this is MY home. it is the most beatiful
inhabitants.
(each bubble has a main cylinder +
destroy. it was a wonderful dream.
then a man and a woman came. they
place you have ever seen.
that night the joker and the thief
3 smaller spheres) would cost 3000
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4. HORIZON OF SENSES
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W OR K IN PR OG R ESS
My thesis project, a real scale fullworking prototype of an interactive, inflatable (and portable), modular, sustainable and individual house, takes inspiration mostly from the research activities I was involved in during the summer, within the CICCIO (Curiously Inflatable Computer Controlled Interactive Object) Research Group this site is the result of. My thesis research share formerly the idea of the interactive, inflatable and flexible platform for experimentation and fast iteration of design and spatial ideas (the teaching platform ClassTeaching), latterly it is oriented to the more specific realm of the inflatable living environment, radical, nomadic, portable, light, etc. Moreover, to a more abstract and theoretical level, it deals with the Critique of the
Everyday Life (Lefebvre, de Certau, Perec, Venturi) This section formally constitutes the first draft organization of my thesis’ background research chapter. It mainly draws on the resources (books and links) already present on the book section of the main CICCIO’s site. Of course this chapter, as well the rest of the thesis will be improved, modified, refined coherently to the directions taken time by time.
I consider fundamental inspiration of my design approach to the thesis project. Each of these pieces has been stimulating my research for long time, therefore I consider the material posted as sort of debating platform everybody can join.
There are four sections. Three of them contain a very short presentation and list of relevant books whose I’ve prepared a specific and focused abstract. The forth section is dedicated to design projects, buildings, books, paintings, movies
P O RTA B LE M U S E U M KIT ® 85
AR EOL AN DIA At the beginning there were just air castles and soap bubbles, then hot air balloons invaded the sky. A bit later, pneumatics invaded the ground. Now our society is full of inflated egos. This section mainly makes the point of the contemporary inflatable realm, investigating the field of art, fashion, design and architecture
Topham, S. (Edited by) (2002), “Blowup - Inflatable Art, Architecture and Design”, Prestel Verlag, Munich, Berlin, London, New York. [BlowUpInflatableArt]? Architects are the most inferior people of our epoch”, asserted a merciless Jean Renoir, the film director, in response to the modernized cityscape of Paris in the 1960s. His hostile criticism captured a popular feeling that the whole architecture profession could be held to blame for the unsightly buildings imposed upon Europe’s urban districts.(..) Radical architecture groups emerged all over Europe in reaction to the monotony of the new buildings. May of these collectives embraced inflatable forms as the perfect tool with wich to subvert traditional notions of architecture. They conceived inflatable entertainement complexes, housing projects, and whole expandable cities in an effort to draw
P O RTA B LE M U S E U M KIT ® 86
attention to the value of impermanent structures
buildings, furniture, and environments, all heavily
The most exhaustive and updated critical overview on pneumatic technology and a philosophical history of the inflatable, containing the whole inflatable universe’s bibliography and links.
influenced by American military structures and
Dessauce, M. (ed.by) (1999), “The Inflatable Moment: Pneumatics and Protest in ‘68”, Princeton Architectural Press, New York. InflatableMoment To a group of architecture students at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris in the turbulent year 1968, the idea of the inflatable held a promise of mobility, movement, energy, and escape. Seeking to overturn the inertia and oppression that they believed characterized mainstream architecture, the Utopie group (as they called themselves) designed a series of pneumatic
Maxfield Parrish, Air Castles (1904)
comic books as well as by the work of Buckminster Fuller, Henri Lefebvre, Jean Baudrillard, and
Jurgman, J.P., Stinco, A., and Utopie (ed.by) (1968), “Structures Gonflables”, Musee d’art modern de la Ville de Paris, Paris. StructuresGonflables
Archigram. Though Utopie architects Jean Aubert, Jean-Paul Jungmann, and Antoine Stinco were
Exposition internationale de structures gonflables:
unable to realize their dream of a society literally
vehicules et engins terrestres, marines, aeriens et
built on air, their fanciful, exuberant, witty, and
spatiaux; dispositifs, appareils et outils; travaux
highly detailed drawings remain some of the most
d’art; constructions, architecture; meubles;
extraordinary in modern architecture.
jouets et accessoires de plage; oevres d’artistes; objets publicitaires; arrangements our jeux et
The Inflatable Moment documents this fascinating intersection of architectural, social, and political history, as it presents a complete, annotated catalog of the designs of the Utopie architects alongside similar structures from the period. This book is also the catalog of the homonym exhibition presented at the Architectural League of New York in the summer of 1998.
fetes. Realisee par - Utopie - revue de sociologie de l’urbain
This book is the catalog of the exhibition “Structures Gonflables” which is meant to be the date of birth of the inflatable architecture, as we like to think about.
homonym exhibition Paradoxically, this exibition organized by Willoughby Sharp, opened just few days later the “Structures Gonflables” in Paris (Arts Council in Philadelphia on march 13, 1968).It exhibited the works of the Architectural Association Group (London), Hans Haacke, Akira Kanayama, Les Levine, Preston McClanahan?, David Medalla, Robert Morris, Marcello Salvadori, Graham Stevens, John Van Saun and Andy Warhol. In this catalog the curator already mentions the Structures Gonflables catalog by the Utopie group as the publication of reference. Different culture, different approach, different results ..
Sharp, W. (1968), “Air Art”, Kineticism Press, Philadelphia. Catalog of the
First crossing of the Channel by J.-P. Blanchard and J. Jeffries. Engraving. January 7, 1785
Air Art (1968)
P O RTA B LE M U S E U M KIT ® 87
AA.VV. (ed.by) (2001), “Air-Air: Celebrating Inflatables”, Le 27e Stratagème Inflate Unit Research, Grimaldi Forum, Monaco. AirAir Air-Air is also the generic term for aerial combat rockets; missil, from the Latin missilis meaning “to throw”, suggests the attack and/or defence of an area or a territory. The exploration and observation of recent history and current
at Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, held in 2000 to celebrate the 30 years of the first heroic exhibition about pneumatic structures and object in 1968, Paris by the Group Utopie. This exhibition in Monaco has been the last, most comprehensive and beautifull exhibition on inflatables. A complete on line catalogs of the pieces exhibited is also available in Air Air
events via inflatable structures in their various applications (architecture, fine arts, design, engineering) seems, with hte different media of the projects, to open up one or two trails,
AA.VV. (2000), “Blow-Up - Shaped Air In Design, Architecture, Fashion & Art”, Vitra Design Stiftung, Berlin.
frontiers, that form both a critical area and a nevertheless joyfull style of construction that
The transitory nature of air-based objects and
have a certain affinity with the Pothlatch.
the optimism radiated by their generous lines and soft contours ensured they were exemplary items
This catalog documents the exhibition
of a Pop culture which reached its initial peak
in the 1960s and 1970s. At the time, technical developments in the field of plastics gave rise to a flood of innovative objects and visions propagating an anti-conservative lifestyle. These items included objects for the living room or the swimming pool, as well as futuristic designs for
Clausen, B., Kuoni, C., Eames, R. (Illustrator), and Manzoni, P. (illustrator) (2002), “Thin Skin: The Fickle Nature of Bubbles, Spheres, and Inflatable Structures”, Indipendent Curators. New York. Soap Bubbles
light, mobile, transparent buildings, or even the giant female breast that pursued Woody Allen
The current popularity of works involving
through Central Park. Today, one of the reasons
malleable, inflatable materials, is identified as
for the enthusiasm for inflatable structures is the
a function of two contemporary conditions: a
current interest in giving high-tech a more human
new awareness of “in-between” spaces, spaces
face, a phenomenon characterized by the new
neither real nor completely virtual, situations
term “high-touch”. The JalIntroduction of new
neither entirely in our control nor totally beyond
materials and recycling methods has provoked a
it; and a new understanding of our own bodies as
plastics renaissance, causing artists, designers and
permeable sensors in constant osmotic exchange
engineers redirect their attention to the potential
as they move through these spaces. Thinness and
of pneumatic objects, which is still vast. A
transparency are indeed the symbolic, and maybe
minimum of materials is required, and the items
even the real, skin that encase contemporary
themselves are light, plastic and transparent.
spaces and bodies.
Andy Warhol, Silver Clouds (1966)
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Also this book is conceived as catalog of an exhibition. The point of view on inflatables is very original and fascinating. The essays offer the most stimulating critics on inflatable-bubbleskin realm Ant Farm (1970), “Inflatocookbook. A Pneu-age Techs Book”, Sausalito (San Francisco CA) InflatoCookBook Hexapillow: Make up this star figure. It is based on equilateral triangles. Cut off lengths from roll. Fold the points over to the center. Tape togheter & Inflate. Another Sapre Tire: Make up 2 star figures (above) only differnce being not taping the center seams 1/2 way in (or 2/3). Position one Star above another as shown. Fold top flaps
between these two. Continue around sliding the stars around for the best position to work from ...
“In 1970 Ant Farm published two thousand copies of its Inflatocookbook. Sold by mail-order for $3 each, these plastic-wrapped “recipe cards” explained how to erect a Do-It-Yourself inflatable structures. Having already installed several structures, Ant Farm went on to share technical know-how and usefull addresses. Technology is no longer the exclusive playground of a few specialists: anyone can join it. Each recipe card featured explanatory diagrams and hand-written instructions.” (Caroline Maniaque, in AirAir, 2000).
back. Pull 2 botton flaps just above gets taped in
De Pas, D’Urbino, Lomazzi, Scolari, Blow Chair (1967)
Risa Sata, Working now (2000) at Grimaldi Forum Monaco
Nihon Bankoku Hakuraukai Kyaikai (Edited by)(1970), “EXPO ‘70 Official Guide”, The Japan Association for the 1970 World Exposition “Expo ‘70 in Osaka elicited a great concentration of inflatable structures - projected or realized - for both national and commercial pavilions. It signaled the integration and institutionalization of the inflatable spectacular. This phenomenon of enthronement also manifested itself through the publications of anthologies on the experimental groups and the consolidation of their position in the culture industry.” (Marc Dessauce in The Inflatable Moment,1999) Link to EXPO’70
Yayoi Kusama, Dots obsession (2000), Grimaldi Forum Monaco
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R AD I C A L I N SIG HT S IN TO T HE U TOPIA Keywords: Intimacy, the Staging of the Self, The Skin, Miniaturization, Microarchitecture, Mobility, Transporatability, Nomadism, SelfConstruction, Technology, Selfhanging Structures, Innovative Materials, Ephemeral, Floating Architecture, Vernacolo, Anthropology, Toyo Ito, Paul Virilio.
Brayer, M-A. and Simonot, B. (Edited by) (2002), Archilab’s Futurehouse: Radical Experiments in Living Space, Thames & Hudson, London. Digital technology and the Internet may have changed our lifestyles over the last decade, but so far they have had very little impact on our dwellings. Advanced residential design has tended to concentrate on “embedded technologies”—
Radical dwellings, extreme living spaces and experimental monofamiliar housings are expression of the ancestral need of the human beeing to freely and intimatly adapt himself to the environment around both a natural or a urban one.
using technology for existing needs—rather than on the more fundamental issues of how we make use of domestic environments in an age when more of us work at home, travel extensively, and have access to huge amounts of information, goods, and services. Looking to the most innovative talents from around the world, ArchiLab?’s FutureHouse? presents ninety private community housing projects that challenge
We are all architects ! We are not architects. Nor have we ever studied architecture proper. We have, however, spent pretty much all of our lives living in some sort of house and have shaped those houses to better suit our need, which we guess makes us architects along with everyone else who has made a decision about the place they call home .. - Smith,C. , Topham, S.,
Nomadic House in Anatolia: the topakeve
“Xtreme Houses”, Prestel, 2002 P O RTA B LE M U S E U M KIT ® 90
Portable Architecture, Architectural Design Profile, Academy Editions, London
created by Mark Fisher, known for his designs for
accepted norms and offer ingenious solutions
This study explores the design of portable,
to meet the widely changing needs and desires
transportable, demountable and temporary
of today’s society. Against the background of
buildings. Using numerous examples - indigenous
globalization and urbanization, these designers
tents, Buckminster Fuller’s Whichita House
confront issues such as how to individualize
and Nicholas Grimshaw’s British Pavilion for
This issue of “Architectural Design” presents a
collective housing, radically reimagining how we
Expo 92 - the author looks at the development
compilation of essays and projects by leading
could live. Essays by international critics such
of these buildings from prehistoric to present
practitioners in the field of tensile and related
as Frédéric Migayrou (France), Bart Lootsma
day. He investigates the current design criteria
structures. As land prices increase and building
(Netherlands), Andreas Ruby (Germany), Manuel
for effective, economic portable buildings and
budgets are cut, there is an ever-increasing
This book explores aspects of the historical
Gausa (Spain), Kyong Park (USA), and Christian
examines the ecological advantages of this
need for buildings which can be moved from
and theoretical basis for portable architecture
Girard (France) complement the work of avant-
recyclable genre. He then compares the current
one site to another. This book provides
and provides an insight into the wide range of
garde and experimental architects and address
commercially available products with the work
examples of residential, leisure, business and
functions that it is used for today, the varied
a rich spectrum of local and international issues
of innovative designers such as Nick Grimshaw,
industrial portable structures, which are being
forms that it takes and the concerns and ideas
and conditions.
Richard Hordem, Jan Kaplicky and Renzo Piano
developed to overcome challenges which static
for its future development. Written by a team of
and examines the philosophical and technological
structures cannot cope with. Developed from an
international commentators, this volume provides
issues raised by these designers’ work and other
International Symposium and exhibition held at
a state-of-the-art survey of this specialist area
more experimental and futuristic prototypes.
the RIBA in May 1997, it features projects from
and should be of interest to a wide range of
Lorenzo Apicella, Richard Horden, Buro Happold
professionals across the construction and design
and FTL architects. In addition to the stage sets
industries.
Robert Kronenburg (1995), The Genesis, History, and Development of the Portable Building, Academy Editions,Wiley-Academy, London
Robert Kronenburg (Editor)(1998),
U2, the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd.
Robert Kronenburg (Editor) (1999), Transportable Environments: Theory, Context, Design and Technology, E&FN Spon, Routledge, New York
Michael Rakowitz, Parasites, Boston, Massachusetts, 1998 and New York City, USA, 1999 and ongoing
P O RTA B LE M U S E U M KIT ® 91
Richardson, P. and Dietrich, L. (Edited by) (2001), Xs: Big Ideas, Small Buildings, Universe Publishing, New York. This book is the celebration of small buildings, those unexpected structures that make us momentarily pause to ponder their meaning, or our own meaning, or simply to appreciate the elegance of their creation. From the spectrum of functions and styles of these structures, it is clear that size imposes no limits on creativity, and utility is no constraint to beauty. Thinking small is a wonderfully constructive exercise.
Siegal, J., Cordescu, A. and Kronenburg, R. (Edited by) (2002), Mobile: The Art of Portable Architecture, Princeton Architectural
Vito Acconci, Adaptable Wall Bra, 1990
Press, New York.
Wall stage set. All of the designs celebrate the
This collection of photographs, drawings, plans,
lightness, transience, and practicality that mobile
and essays features exciting, newly designed
The allure of mobile, portable architecture is
architecture makes possible. Mobile includes work
and built dwelling spaces by architects, artists,
worldwide and centuries old, from the desert
by Office of Mobile Design, LOT/EK, Vito Acconci,
and individuals that respond to our increasing
tents of the bedouin to the silvery capsules
Doug Jackson/LARGE, Mark Fisher, Michael Fox,
awareness of architecture’s ability to shape the
of the Airstream trailer. Mobile explores the
FTL Happold, Festo, and Lawrence Scarpa. In
way we live. Whether they are floating on top
ever-growing range of possibilities of portable,
beautiful color images, detailed drawings, and
of water or nestled underground, seemingly
demountable, and mobile structures. Jennifer
thoughtful text, the contributors reveal their
transparent or apparently invisible, these homes
Siegal brings together the work of the most
working methods.
push the envelope of what’s considered “normal” in domestic architecture. Yet each was designed
interesting contemporary designers of dynamic, active structures, whose work ranges from the microenvironment of a house that literally attaches to your body to the city-scaled
Smith, C., Topham, S. (Edited by) (2002), Xtreme Houses, Prestel Verlag, Munich.
in response to a very real and immediate concern, be it economic, spatial, resource-related, or aesthetic. Innovative, bold, and sometimes shocking, these homes, like their Modern
macroenvironment of London’s Millennium Dome, from the interior of a Boeing jet to an entire
The computer age, environmental concerns,
predecessors, signal a new way of thinking about
mobile community whose living units plug into
overpopulation, suburban sprawl, economic
what our homes can be. They will no doubt set
a framework of flexible communal space, and
boom and bust have all conspired to bring about
the standard for where and how we live, now and
from the practical design of transportable office
enormous change in our everyday lives, and
in the future.
space to the whimsical design of Pink Floyd’s The
perhaps nowhere more so than in our homes.
Toyo Ito, Pao: dwelling of Tokyo Nomad Woman, Seibu Store, Tokyo, 1985
Monica Förster (Snowcrash, Sweden), Cloud, 2002
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Tolla, A., Lignano,G. and Nobel, P. (2002), LOT/EK: Urban Scan, Princeton Architectural Press, New York.
the InspiroTrainer? (created for the Museum of
cold and storms in the stopping-places on the long
Modern Art), Mixer (a cement mixer-cum-video
journey of our existence. The survival clothing
immersion unit), the Meltzer Gallery, the Boon
designed by Lucy Orta is the expression of a
boutique, the MDU (Mobule Dwelling Unit), and
relational aesthetic that becomes a tool for the
The New York-based architectural firm LOT/EK
the Goree Memorial and Museum. It also includes
struggle against exclusion
(pronounced “low-tech”) has made a distinctive
more than 1,000 photographs of infrastructural
mark on the architectural landscape through
objects--everything from air conditioners to
a series of seemingly whimsical projects that
water tanks--that serve as the raw material and
make a point of using prefabricated industrial
inspiration for this creative practice.
materials in unexpected ways. In their hands, a shipping container can be transformed into a mobile working unit, a museum, or a restaurant. In the process, they question our relation to the industrial environment and the artificiality of the
Restany,P., Sanders, M., Morozzi,C., Budney, J. (1998), Process of Transformation - LUCY ORTA, Editions J. M. Place, Paris.
urban landscape. Lot/Ek: Urban Scan, the first and only monograph on the firm, is organized
Since to inhabit a space means to consider it part
categorically and alphabetically. Twenty-three
of one’s body, Lucy Orta maintains, clothes are
projects are presented in detail, including
fully entitled to become architectural dwellings,
American Diner (a restaurant in a container),
temporary shelters affording protection against
Atelier Van Lieshout, Sportopia, no fixed address, 2002
Lucy Orta, Studio Orta, Refuge Wear, no fixed address, 1992 and ongoing
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E V E RY DAY L IFE AN D C R IT IC AL DESIG N The Ordinary, the banal, the quotidian and then the infra-ordinary, the ugly, the common and the usual: the critic to the everyday life teaches us to reconsider the seemingly hidden aspects of our daily experience as a starting point for a renovated creative process
Blauvelt, A. (Curated by) (2003), Strangely Familiar: Design and Everyday Life, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota US. Design is a paradox in our life, both anonymous and conspicuous, familiar and strange. It surrounds us while fading from view, becoming second nature yet standing apart from the world in which it exist, an alien presence against the grain of everyday life. A light that responds to silence? A table that knows where it is? A pig farm the size of a skyscraper? Strangely Familiar: Design and Everyday Life brings together more than 40 such innovative projects, drawn internationally from the fields of architectural, product, furniture, fashion, and graphic design, that range from the sublime to the uncanny. Through works that question the
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habitual, transform the commonplace, alter our
common man for reclaiming his own autonomy
rarely used to praise architecture, but in fact
Peggy Deamer, Deborah Fausch, Ben Gianni and
expectations of dwelling, and blur the boundaries
from the all-pervasive forces of commerce,
they represent the interest of a growing number
Mark Robbins, Joan Ockman, Ernest Pascucci, Alan
of form and function, the exhibition challenges
politics, and culture. In exploring the public
of architects looking to the everyday to escape
Plattus, and Mary-Ann Ray.
our assumptions about the design of objects and
meaning of ingeniously defended private
the ever-quickening cycles of consumption
spaces around us. This fully illustrated catalogue
meanings, de Certeau draws brilliantly on an
and fashion that have reduced architecture to
includes essays on the tactics of formlessness and
immense theoretical literature in analytic
a series of stylistic fads. Architecture of the
its impact on everyday consumption, the potential
philosophy, linguistics, sociology, semiology, and
Everyday makes a plea for an architecture that
of an endlessly transformable environment to
anthropology--to speak of an apposite use of
is emphatically un-monumental, anti-heroic,
extend product life cycles, and ruminations on the
imaginative literature. He develop a social history
and unconcerned with formal extravagance.
Henri Lefebvre has considerable claims to be
strange and familiar worlds of design
of “making do” based on microhistories that move
Edited by Deborah Berke and Steven Harris, this
the greatest living philosopher. His work spans
from the private sphere (of dwelling, cooking,
collection of writings, photo-essays, and projects
some sixty years and includes original work on
and homemaking) to the public (the experience of
describes an architecture that draws strength
a diverse range of subjects, from dialectical
living in a neighborhood)
from its simplicity, use of common materials,
materialism to architecture, urbanism and the
and relationship to other fields of study. Topics
experience of everyday life. The Production of
range from a website that explores the politics of
Space is his major philosophical work and its
domesticity, to a transformation of the sidewalk
translation has been long awaited by scholars in
in Los Angeles’s Little Tokyo, to a discussion of
many different fields. The book is a search for
the work of Robert Venturi and Denise Scott
reconciliation between mental space (the space
Brown. Contributors include Margaret Crawford,
of the philosophers) and real space (the physical
Michel de Certeau (1984), The Practice of Everyday Life, University of California Press, Berkeley US Michel de Certeau considers the uses to which social representation and modes of
Steven Harris and Deborah Berke (1997), Architecture of the Everyday, Princeton Architectural Press, New York
social behavior are put by individuals and groups, describing the tactics available to the
Ordinary. Banal. Quotidian. These words are
Henri Lefebvre (1991), The Production of Space, trans. Donald Nicholson-Smith, Blackwell, Oxford
P O RTA B LE M U S E U M KIT ® 95
and social spheres in which we all live). In the course of his exploration, Henri Lefebvre moves from metaphysical and ideological considerations of the meaning of space to its experience in the
Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown, and Steven Izenour (1972), Learning from Las Vegas, The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachussets. Their insight and analysis, reasoned back through
theory and practice, between the mental and
the history of style and symbolism and forward
the social, and between philosophy and reality.
to the recognition of a new kind of building
In doing so, he ranges through art, literature,
a bibliography of writings by the members of Venturi and Rauch and about the firm’s work.
architects to be more receptive to the tastes and values of “common” people and less immodest in their erections of “heroic,” self-aggrandizing
everyday life of home and city. He seeks, in other words, to bridge the gap between the realms of
Learning from Las Vegas created a healthy controversy on its appearance in 1972, calling for
monuments.
Bernard Rudofsky (1964), Architecture without Archtects: An Introduction to Non-Pedigreed Architecture, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.
This revision includes the full texts of Part I of
that responds directly to speed, mobility, the
the original, on the Las Vegas strip, and Part II,
Originally published in 1964, concurrent with
architecture and economics, and further
superhighway and changing life styles, is the kind
“Ugly and Ordinary Architecture, or the Decorated
the exhibition Architecture Without Architects
provides a powerful antidote to the sterile and
of art history and theory that is rarely produced.
Shed,” a generalization from the findings of the
shown at MOMA, this slim volume of text and
obfuscatory methods and theories characteristic
The rapid evolution of modern architecture
first part on symbolism in architecture and the
photographs radiates heat and light when
of much recent continental philosophy. This is a
from Le Corbusier to Brazil to Miami to the
iconography of urban sprawl. (The final part
reviewed almost forty years later. In fact,
work of great vision and incisiveness. It is also
roadside motel in a brief 40-year span, with all
of the first edition, on the architectureal work
Rudofsky’s introductory essay is so fresh today it
characterized by its author’s wit and by anecdote,
the behavioral esthetics involved, is something
of the firm Venturi and Rauch, is not included
is almost inconceivable it was written the better
as well as by a deftness of style that Donald
neither architect nor historian has deigned to
in the revision.) The new paperback edition
part of four decades ago! Offering a scathing
Nicholson-Smith’s sensitive translation precisely
notice....” -- Ada Louise Huxtable, The New York
has a smaller format, fewer pictures, and a
attack on modern approaches to the landscape
TImes?
considerably lower price than the original.
and to problems of living more generally in a time
There are an added preface by Scott Brown and
of rampant population growth, Rudofsky shrewdly
captures.
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pointed to the fact that “part of our troubles
immutable, indeed, unimprovable, since it serves
people’s lives must necessarily challenge the
technologies on our lives. Dunne and Raby
results from the tendency to ascribe to architects-
its purpose to perfection.” Rooted in a practical,
difficulties of topography and the vicissitudes
investigate the real physical and cultural effects
or, for that matter, to all specialists-excessive
harmonious relationship with its setting,
of climate. His primary heuristic interest was
of the digital domain, demonstrating that mobile
insight into problems of living when, in truth,
primitive architecture exemplifies the art of
in elucidating the solutions creatively and
phones, computers and other electronic objects
most of them are concerned with problems of
living well through its consistent use of frugality
spontaneously generated by these people in
such as televisions profoundly influence people’s
business and prestige.” But what transpires when
in construction, cleanliness in line and detail,
order to make such rugged locales inhabitable
experience of their environment. Dunne and
the focus can be maintained on functionality,
and a general respect for “creation.” Further,
AND livable. Architecture Without Architects
Raby’s ideas have important implications for
efficiency, ease of use, and a design aesthetic
its impetus is aligned with a human dimension
demonstrates the way in which basic solutions to
architecture and design in this, their first major
that remains humbly in tune with and loyal to
fundamentally as opposed to an excessively
complex problems were developed historically
book, they introduce their extraordinary new way
the mood and visual imperative of the land under
hubristic predisposition to conquer nature at
and why those solutions are so important to
of thinking about objects, space and behaviour
development? To answer these crucial questions
whatever cost. Finally, from Rudofsky’s vantage,
remain cognisant of today.
to a broad audience. The book is divided into
Rudofsky takes us back a few thousands of years
these principles are usefully to be understood
to the origins of architectural strivings (even
as timeless guidelines for the future as well as
preceding man’s earliest efforts) and the material
descriptions of the past.
results thereof. According to Rudofsky, sophisticated people
three sections: 1. Manifesto, introducing the
Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby (2001), Design Noir: The Secret Life of Electronic Objects, Birkhasuer, Basel, Boston, Berlin
authors’ ideas about electromagnetic space. 2. Conversations. Dunne and Raby talk to a variety of designers, architects and artists about the impact electronic technology has on their
The essential point Rudofsky cares to make in
seek rugged country where what is intrinsic holds
these pages is that “vernacular architecture
sway. His search for the origins of a humanistic
London Designers Dunne and Raby explore the
practice. 3. Placebo. The intriguing results of a project involving Dunne and Raby’s working
does not go through fashion cycles. It is nearly
architecture was always in rugged terrain where
revolutionary and uncanny impact of electronic
furniture prototypes, including a table with an
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integrated global positioning system and a chair
speculation for some time, product design’s
look at what surrounds us, offering a refreshing
that lets the sitter know when radiation is passing
strong ties to the marketplace have left little
perspective on how we live. The rest of the book
through his body. Dunne and Raby are Research
room for speculation on the cultural function of
is taken up with a collection of pieces ranging
Fellows at the Royal College of Art; London.
electronic products. The book offers a broader
from the autobiographical to the surreal. Some of
Dunne trained as an industrial designer, and Raby
context of critical thinking on its aesthetic
these pieces are extremely compelling pieces of
as an architect, and both lived in Japan during
role in everyday life, and contains the chapters
storytelling, while others give you an insight into
the 1980s, where Dunne worked for Sony, and
“Psychosocial Narratives”, “(In)human Factors”
the oblique perspective of Perec. Occasionally,
Raby worked for Toyo Ito.
and “Real-Fiction”.
however, there is a weaker piece which, being a
Anthony Dunne (2001), Hertzian Tales: electronic products, aesthetic experience and critical design, RCA CRD Publication, London
Georges Perec (1997), Species of Spacies and Other Pieces, ed. John Sturrock, London, Penguin Books
completist text, it is naturally hard to avoid. But this considered, as a whole the book is a special collection which should form part of any Perec fan’s bookcase
Originally commissioned by his architect friend, This volume seeks to set the scene for relocating
Species of Spaces is a meditation on the spaces
the electronic product beyond a culture
which we occupy and the ways in which we order
of relentless innovation for its own sake.
them. Forming the main section of this book, it
Whereas architecture and furniture design have
is also one of its highlights: original, informed
successfully operated in the realm of cultural
and often witty. It’s a piece which takes a fresh
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F I F T E E N EASY PIEC ES: WH AT I L IKE M OST LY I’ve selected fifteen pieces I find stimulating material leading my approach to thesis project: they all have a precise logic strictly related to the main issue of the everyday life critic design within a neutral (?) inflatable space. I believe collecting and describing them as sharply as possible, is an extremely conceptually strong selfinflicted exercise.
Le Cabanon (1952), by Le Corbusier To a certain extent, it is a perfect piece of not-electronic-driven interaction design, applied to the issue of living space design. Moreover, the design of the everyday life experience (space, objects, services) here is beautifully distilled since it is completely related to the real needs and wishes of the owner, who was both the designer, a master, and the user: an house like himself.
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Casa Scroeder, by Rietveld
House (1991), by Hans Walter Muller
Basic House (2000), by Martin Ruiz de Azua
Polycarbonate House (2000), by Brigata Tognazzi in Tokyo
This is another incredible and unusal piece of architecture, whom it would be better to watch at with great attention ...
An inflatable volume, set up since ‘71 in La Ferte-Alais, houses the life and work of Hans-Walter Muller. This haven of experiment, moored to the rocks and transparent to the vegetation around, is a place of methodical and serious practice, the home of a small company quite inlike any other, based on the desire to share a passion.
No Compromises here. It’s just a matter of a few grams of lightweight metallic polyester and that’s it! The most minimal inflatable individual cocoon then ever for the maximum mobility and freedom
What I love in this project, which is actually cute, is the amazing story around. This is another perfect example of partecipatory interaction design.
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Pao I Dwelling (), by Toyo Ito - read more here ToyoItoPao
San Girolamo nel suo studio (1460), by Antonello da Messina -
The kitchen maid (1600), by Jan Vermeer van Delft
The betrothal of the Arnolfini (1434), by Jan van Eyck
The house of the future is an ovoidal, transparent tent. Inside, three blurring pieces of furniture: one for styling, one for snacking, one for the intelligence.
With regards to your thesis, this painting is an example of taking a neutral, cold space and placing a smaller, controlled, intimate environment within it.(thanks to WalterAprile for this contribution)
The quotidian has long been a touchstone for many artists and movements. For example, XVI-XVII century’s Dutch painters were masters in detailing famous scenes of daily life. Among them, Jan Vermeer van Delft whose the kitchen maid is the most famous piece.
This is a master piece by another Dutch painter, Jan van Eyck: sharply describing this scene, implies a big effort and patience, but at the end, you will realize this painting must be carefully analized to be really understood .. practicing the subtle art of watching!
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Life: A User’s Manual (1970), by Georges Perec
Italian Folktales (1956), by Italo Calvino
Learning from Las Vegas (1977), by Robert Venturi
Architecture without architects, (1964), by Bernard Rudofsky
The novel takes as its plan a block of flats in a Parisian suburb, over which the narrator must proceed by way of the moves of the Knight in chess, never landing on the same flat twice.The facade is removed from a the apartment house on the Rue Simon-Crubellier, permitting us to spy on its tenants in the grid of rooms and to examine their pictures and bibelots. Books, letters, clippings and announcements add to the textual welter, all interlocking like pieces of a puzzle, the novel’s chief metaphor..
As well as there is an architecture without architects (see Bernard Rudofsky below RudofskyNonPedigreed?), there is a literature without writers. This books is a manifesto. Of what? Imagination, simplicity, lightness, unespectedness. Also it tells stories on what was (and still often is) usual and quotidian in the italian way of life ... “once upon a time..” my dad used to say.
This book calls for architects and designer to be more receptive to the tastes of “common” dayly life environment: here the ugly and the ordinary become important values for a design strategy
Rudowsky proposed that architecture and design might disappear into the assembly of prefound materials, thus producing forms that were ad hoc and always by their nature unfinished; he also proposed to let people assemble their own homes out of availables materials: the everyday life is the engine for the partecipatory design
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Inflatocookbook (1970), by Ant Farm
The Do It Yourself paradigm here is perfectly exemplified. Moreover, it is related to the inflatable realm: let’s take a sheet of polyethilene, cut it, fold it, blow into and then..
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5 . W H AT TO S AY AT T H E E N D
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T EC H N OL OG Y Which approach ? Do I have first a
goal of every deisgn process: to question
technology to use for a vague needs ? Or
an environment and try to give anwer to
do I have to find the proper technology
real question
to solve a real problem ? Which role? Do I have to express the best from a technology, proposing new scenarios of need ? Or Do I have to solve problem ? Which approach is more ethic ? Is there any ethicity ? Is there a so clear distinction between them ? Considering the RFID Tags I used for my explorations, I noticed how I was inspired by the “magic” behaviour of this technology. My constant anxiety was to explore the expressivness of the medium. For exaples I tried to experience all these alternatives: 1. One Object - One Tag - One Story 2: One Story - Many Tags - Many Objects 3: One Tag - One Object - Many Stories But then I realized I missed totally the
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