The sublime and the artifice

The Sublime and the Artifice

Sonny Eric Xu Bachelor of Architecture May 2013 College of Architecture, Art & Planning Cornell University Advisers: Andrew Lucia, Kevin Pratt & Val Warke

Thank you! to my family, professors and friends: Mother and Father, Professor Andrew Lucia, Professor Dana Cupkova, Professor Don Greenberg, Professor Kevin Pratt, Professor Mary Woods and Professor Val Warke, Anthony Terzino, Caio Barboza, Daniel Toretsky, Giffen Clark Ott, Helena Rong, Jamie Chow, Jenny Kwon, Jessie Zhang, Jimmy Chen, John Lai, Joseph Kennedy, Junyoung Lee, Karen Chi-Chi Lin, Kevin Jin He, Nata Saslafsky, Natalie Kwee, Prim Chanarat, Simin Wang, Vinayak (Vinny) Portonovo and Warren Davis. i

A thesis presented to the Department of Architecture in the College of Architecture, Art & Planning, Cornell University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Architecture Degree Sonny Eric Xu Bachelor of Architecture May 2013 Advisers: Professor Andrew Lucia ____________________ Professor Val Warke

____________________

ii

This book is dedicated to my mentor Professor Kevin Pratt.

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Table of Contents

I The Analysis of the Sublime

III The Rendered Perspectives

The Sublime: A Brief Historic Overview

Renderings

pg 2

Sublimity of the Digital Age pg 9

pg 131

Model Photography pg 141

The Sublime: A Catalog pg 12

The Sublime: The Construct, Perspective and Scale pg 28

IV The Production, Documentation and Presentation The Processes pg 163

II The Experimentation with the Artifice Thesis Statement pg 40

The Presentation pg 169

SX pg 173

Site pg 41

Site Documentation pg 47

The Experiment pg 54

The Evaluation pg 101

The Combinatory Conditions pg 119

iv

I The Analysis of the Sublime

1

18th Century Notion of Sublime

Taken from Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797)’s Sublime and Beautiful (1756)

Defined as “greatness beyond all possibility of calculation, measurement or imitation”, the Sublime is often used to describe the unbelievable sight and transcendent quality of vast landscape or architectural conditions. It causes astonishment and visceral experience in the viewer where all the motions of the soul “are suspended, with some degree of horror” (Burke, 57).

2

Architectural Propositions from the 18th -19th Century

3

Exterior vs. the interior

Exterior vs. the interior

Étienne-Louis Boullée: Cénotaphe à Newton, unbuilt (1785)

Étienne-Louis Boullée: Temple of Death, unbuilt (1795)

Paintings from the 18th - 19th Century

Caspar David Friedrich: Wanderer above the Sea of Fog (1817)

Joseph Mallord William Turner: Snow Storm: Hannibal and his Army Crossing the Alps (1812)

4

Paintings from the 19th Century

Albert Bierstadt: Looking Down Yosemite Valley, California (1865)

5

Frederic Edwin Church: The Iceberg (1891)

Photography of the Early 20th Century

Ansel Adams: Tioga Pass, (July 1940)

Ansel Adams: Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Monument (1942)

Ansel Adams’ Mt. Williamson, Sierra Nevada, from Manzanar, California, (1944)

6

Urban Sublimity of the Early 20th Century

By analysing architectural projects, landscapes, writings, drawings, paintings and photographs, I tried to understand how historically and contemporarily the Sublime is perceived and imagined. I drew upon precedents such as works by Étienne-Louis BoullÊe, Peter Eisenman, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Michael Heizer and etc.

Alvin Langdon Coburn: Fifth Avenue (1910)

7

Early 20th Century Redefinition of Urban Sublimity through Photography:

Alfred Stieglitz: Old and new New York (1910)

Berenice Abbott: Pike and Henry Lower East Side (1936)

Berenice Abbott: City Arabesquen (1938)

8

Sublimity of the Digital Age

This thesis aims to explore how the sublime is envisioned and created contemporarily. I re-examined the 18th century idea with contemporary thinking and with the help of 21st century technologies and methods.

Edward Burtynsky: Movie: Manufactured Landscapes (2006) Shipyard

9

Edward Burtynsky: Movie: Manufactured Landscapes (2006) Artificial landscape of coal

Edward Burtynsky: Movie: Manufactured Landscapes (2006) Ceconstruction of an aircraft carrier

Edward Burtynsky: Movie: Manufactured Landscapes (2006) Chinese factory

Precedents

By analysing architectural projects, landscapes, writings, drawings, paintings and photographs, I tried to understand how historically and contemporarily the Sublime is perceived and imagined. I drew upon precedents such as works by Étienne-Louis Boullée, Peter Eisenman, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Michael Heizer and etc.

Étienne-Louis Boullée: Deuxieme projet pour la Bibliothèque du Roi (1785)

Peter Eisenman: The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (2004)

Christo and Jeanne-Claude: The Mastaba (1977 - Present)

Michael Heizer: North, East, South, West, (1967/2002)

10

Man-Altered Landscape Conditions

I also looked at unique landscape conditions altered by human activities such as quarries, salt mines, stepped farms, the Carnac Stones and etc. I am trying to explore the grey zone between what is natural and what is manmade; aimed to first understand then produce meditative, poetic, and timeless spatial conditions that evoke the emotions of awe and calmness in its occupants.

Iberia Quarries

11

Saltmines

Moray

Carnac Stones

The Sublime: A Catalog

The collection of seemingly different and unrelated Sublime conditions are then catalogued based on found similarities. Some of the conditions have more than one category which they can fall under.

Catergories include: Monumentality, monolith, re-establishment of scalar relationships Man-altered landscape conditions Undulating forms/ surfaces Field condition of similar forms Field condition of forest of columns Confusion/ complexity/ incomprehensibility Suggestion of infinity, vastness Porportional relationship Sound Ambiguity Light and Contrast

12

The Sublime: A Catalog (1/9)

Monumentality, monolith, re-establishment of scalar relationships

Carl Zimmerman: model photography

Pilgrimage Church, Neviges, Germany, 1965-68

13

Michael Heizer: City

Kofun

Mario de Biasi: Milano, Piazza Duomo, 1951

Coolidge Dam

Christo and Jeanne-Claude, The Mastaba

Junya Ishigami: Balloon

The Sublime: A Catalog (2/9) Man-altered landscape conditions

Google Satellite Map of San Francisco Salt Mines

Salt Mines

Robert Smithson: Spiral Jetty

Lois Hechenblaikner

Mines

Inca Stepped Farms

Walter Niedermayr: Atmosphere. Mer de Glace 08, 2008

James Turrell: Roden Crater Plan

14

The Sublime: A Catalog (3/9) Undulating forms/ surface

15

Ryue Nishizawa: Teshima Art Museum

Toyo Ito: Crematorium in Kakamigahara

Peter Eisenman: City of Culture

Tara Donovan: Transplant

Pier 62

Chinese Landscape Paintings

Antelope Canyon

Kverkfjรถll Ice Caves, Iceland

The Sublime: A Catalog (4/9) Field condition of similar forms

Ice circles: form from slow rotating slabs of ice

Maya Lin: Wave Field

Alberto Burri: Gibellina Vecchia

Tadao Ando: Awaji Yumebutai Center

Peter Eisenman: Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

Carnac Stones, France

Mount of Olives

Robert Smithson: Dallas- Fort Worth Regional Airport

16

The Sublime: A Catalog (5/9) Field condition of forest of columns

17

Hypostyle Hall at Persepolis, Drawing

Hypostyle Hall at Persepolis as ruins

Tokyo Sewage System

Snøhetta: library of Alexandria

Mosque Cathedral of Cordoba Spain

Axel Schultes Architekten: Crematorium Baumschulenweg

Giuseppe Terragni: Danteum

Gerco de Ruijter

The Sublime: A Catalog (6/9)

Confusion/ complexity/ incomprehensibility

Junya Ishigami: KAIT Workshop

Giovanni Michelucci: dell’ Autostrada del Sole

Stepped Wells, India

Piranesi: Prison Drawings

Pieter the Elder: Library of Babel

Enric Miralles & Carme Pinos: Igualada Cemetery

Martha Schwartz Partners: Xi’an International Horticultural Expo

Yayoi Kusama: Fireflies

18

The Sublime: A Catalog (7/9) Suggestion of infinity, vastness

Israeli West Bank Barrier

Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Ten Million Oil Drums Wall Project for the Suez Canal, 1972

19

Christo and Jeanne Claude: Running Fence

Lynn Davis: Icebergs

Brasilia: Tunnels in the Federal District

William Turner: Fishermen at Sea

Peter Zumthor: Witch Trial Memorial

Gunnar Asplund and Sigurd Lewerentz: Woodland Cemetery

The Sublime: A Catalog (8/9)

Porportional relationship, sound, ambiguity

Taughannock Falls in winter time

Taughannock Creek

Tate Modern: Ai Wei Wei

Daniel Libeskind: Jewish Museum Berlin

Niagara

Niagara Falls

Random International: Rain Room

Antony Gormley: Blind Light

Christo & Jeannie Claude: Wrapped Reichstag

20

The Sublime: A Catalog (9/9) Light and Contrast

Étienne-Louis Boullée

Steven Holl: Chapel of St. Ignatius

21

Boullée: Cénotaphe à Newton (1784)

Kenzo Tange: Yoyogi National Gymnasium

Frank Lloyd Wright: Johnson Wax Factory

Peter Zumthor: Kolumba Museum

Peter Zumthor: Bruder Klaus Kapelle

James Turrell: Afrum I

The Sublime: A Catalog Monumentality/ Re-establish Scalar Relationships:

Carl Zimmerman

Coolidge Dam

Pilgrimage Church, Neviges, Germany, 1965-68

Junya Ishigami: Balloon

Mario de Biasi: Milano, Piazza Duomo, 1951

Lois Hechenblaikner

Inca Stepped Farms

James Turrell: Roden Crater Plan

Chinese Landscape Paintings

Kverkfjöll Ice Caves, Iceland

Michael Heizer: City

Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Ziggurat

Kofun

Robert Smithson: Spiral Jetty

Mines

Walter Niedermayr: Atmosphere. Mer de Glace 08, 2008

Salt Mines

Toyo Ito: Crematorium in Kakamigahara

Peter Eisenman: City of Culture

Antelope Canyon

Tara Donovan: Transplant

Mount of Olives

Maya Lin: Wave Field

Tadao Ando: Awaji Yumebutai Center

Giuseppe Terragni: Danteum

Tokyo Sewage System

Snøhetta: library of Alexandria

Giovanni Michelucci: dell’ Autostrada del Sole

Pieter the Elder: Library of Babel

Man-altered Landscapes:

Google Satellite Map of San Francisco Salt Mines

Undulating Form/ Surface:

Ryue Nishizawa: Teshima Art Museum

Field Conditions of Repetitive Forms:

Ice circles: form from slow rotating slabs of ice

Alberto Burri: Gibellina Vecchia

Peter Eisenman: Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

Carnac Stones, France

Robert Smithson: Dallas- Fort Worth Regional Airport

Forest of Columns:

Hypostyle Hall at Persepolis, Drawing

Hypostyle Hall at Persepolis as ruins

Mosque Cathedral of Cordoba Spain

Axel Schultes Architekten: Crematorium Baumschulenweg

Gerco de Ruijter

Enric Miralles & Carme Pinos: Igualada Cemetery

Yayoi Kusama: Fireflies

Complexity/ Incomprehensibility

Junya Ishigami: KAIT Workshop

Stepped Wells, India

Piranesi: Prison Drawings

Martha Schwartz Partners: Xi’an International Horticultural Expo

Vastness: Suggestion of Infinity:

Israeli West Bank Barrier

Christo and Jeanne Claude: Running Fence

Brasilia: Tunnels in the Federal District

Peter Zumthor: Witch Trial Memorial

Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Ten Million Oil Drums Wall

Lynn Davis: Icebergs

William Turner: Fishermen at Sea

Gunnar Asplund and Sigurd Lewerentz: Woodland Cemetery

Ambiguity:

Porportional Relationship: Sound:

Taughannock Falls in winter time

Taughannock Creek

Tate Modern: Ai Wei Wei

Daniel Libeskind: Jewish Museum Berlin

Niagara Falls

Random International: Rain Room

Antony Gormley: Blind Light

Christo & Jeannie Claude: Wrapped Reichstag

Peter Zumthor: Kolumba Museum

James Turrell: Afrum I

Light & Contrast:

Étienne-Louis Boullée

Boullée: Cénotaphe à Newton

Kenzo Tange: Yoyogi National Gymnasium

Peter Zumthor: Bruder Klaus Kapelle

Steven Holl: Chapel of St. Ignatius

Frank Lloyd Wright: Johnson Wax Factory

22

Case Study: Georges-Henry Pingusson: Memorial des Martyrs de la DĂŠportation (1962)

Extracts the use of languages such as floating mass, pinched passageway, narrow circulation, diminishing horizon, and sense of danger

23

Case Study: The Great Mosque of Cordoba (784)

Understands the scale, perspective, quantity and proportions of the columns and archways

21’

18.5’

9’

15’ 8’

24

Case Study: Arnold Böcklin: Island of the Dead (1880 - 1886) Variation on a theme

25

Isle of the Dead: “Basel” version (1880)

Isle of the Dead: “New York” version (1880)

Isle of the Dead: Fourth Version, (1884), photograph

Isle of the Dead: Fifth version (1886)

Isle of the Dead: Third version (1883)

Isle of Life (1888)

Case Study: Salvador Dali: Island of the Dead (1932 - 1934) Reinterpretation on a theme

The True Painting of The Isle of the Dead by Arnold Bocklin at the Hour of the Angelus (1932)

The Isle of the Dead - Centre, Section (1934)

West Side of the Isle of the Dead (1934)

26

Case Study: Etienne-Louis BoullĂŠe: Temple of Death (1795)

Identifies and changes the contrast, brightness and the shade of the interior condition of the iconic image

27

The Sublime: The Construct, Perspective and Scale

Each condition is then examined through its construct, the scalar relation to human figure and the perspective. The precedents are then categorized and catalogued.

The construct

The perspective

Alberto Burri: Gibellina Vecchia

View looking downa two city blocks

The scale to the human ďŹ gure

Scalar relationship to human

28

The Sublime: The Construct, Perspective and Scale (1/8)

29

The construct

The perspective

Junya Ishigami: KAIT Workshop

Field of unaligned grid of columns

Mosque Cathedral of Cordoba Spain

Corridors of aligned column-archways

Tokyo Sewage System

Two-point perspective showing the massive infrastructure

The scale to the human ďŹ gure

The Sublime: The Construct, Perspective and Scale (2/8) The construct

The perspective

Carnac Stones, France

Immersed in the field of aligned stones with varying geometries

Giuseppe Terragni: Danteum

Grid of glass columns

Mount of Olives

Field of tombs with similar but varing geometries

The scale to the human ďŹ gure

30

The Sublime: The Construct, Perspective and Scale (3/8)

31

The construct

The perspective

Axel Schultes Architekten: Crematorium Baumschulenweg

Field of unaligned grid of columns with light pouring down

Alberto Burri: Gibellina Vecchia

View looking down between two city blocks

Carl Zimmerman: Model

Interior view of the dome

The scale to the human ďŹ gure

The Sublime: The Construct, Perspective and Scale (4/8) The construct

The perspective

Toyo Ito: Crematorium in Kakamigahara

Artificial landscape

Peter Eisenman: Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

View looking down the corridor of rectangular extrusions

James Turrell: Roden Crater

The oculus and the crater

The scale to the human ďŹ gure

32

The Sublime: The Construct, Perspective and Scale (5/8)

33

The construct

The perspective

Arne Jacobsen: Danmarks Nationalbank

The triangular wedge plan and the suspended stairs

Pilgrimage Church, Neviges, Germany

The scale and the triangular geometries of the ceiling

Tate Modern

Floor covered by hand-crafted porcelain sunflower seeds

The scale to the human ďŹ gure

The Sublime: The Construct, Perspective and Scale (6/8) The construct

The perspective

Tadao Ando: Awaji Yumebutai Center

Landscape of terraced gardens

Peter Zumthor: Bruder Klaus Kapelle

The oculus framed by the charred timbers

Ryue Nishizawa: Teshima Art Museum

The oculus of the museum and an art piece by Rei Naito

The scale to the human ďŹ gure

34

The Sublime: The Construct, Perspective and Scale (7/8)

35

The construct

The perspective

Tara Donovan: Transplant

Textured artificial landscape

KverkfjĂśll Ice Caves, Iceland

Cave with undulating surfaces

Georges-Henri Pingusson: Memorial to the Martyrs of the Deportation

Descending narrow staircase with diminishing view of Paris on the horrizon

The scale to the human ďŹ gure

The Sublime: The Construct, Perspective and Scale (8/8) The construct

The perspective

Daniel Libeskind: Jewish Museum Berlin

Sound of metal clanking

Richard Serra: Gagosian Gallery

Narrow curved spaces

Indian Stepped Well

Meditative descending to a pool of water

The scale to the human ďŹ gure

36

The Sublime: The Construct, Perspective and Scale The Construct:

Junya Ishigami: KAIT Workshop

Mosque Cathedral of Cordoba Spain

Tokyo Sewage System

Carnac Stones, France

Giuseppe Terragni: Danteum

Corridors of aligned column-archways

Two-point perspective showing the massive infrastructure

Immersed in the field of aligned stones with varying geometries

Grid of glass columns

Toyo Ito: Crematorium in Kakamigahara

Peter Eisenman: Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

James Turrell: Roden Crater

Arne Jacobsen: Danmarks Nationalbank

Pilgrimage Church, Neviges, Germany

Tate Modern

Tadao Ando: Awaji Yumebutai Center

Artificial landscape

View looking down the corridor of rectangular extrusions

The oculus and the crater

The triangular wedge plan and the suspended stairs

The scale and the triangular geometries of the ceiling

Floor covered by hand-crafted porcelain sunflower seeds

Landscape of terraced gardens

Ryue Nishizawa: Teshima Art Museum

Tara Donovan: Transplant

Kverkfjรถll Ice Caves, Iceland

Georges-Henri Pingusson: Memorial to the Martyrs of the Deportation

Daniel Libeskind: Jewish Museum Berlin

Richard Serra: Gagosian Gallery

Indian Stepped Well

The occulus and art piece by Rei Naito

Textured artificial landscape

Cave with undulating surfaces

Descending narrow staircase with diminishing view of Paris on the horrizon

Sound of metal clanking

Narrow curved spaces

Meditative descending to a pool of water

Mount of Olives

Axel Schultes Architekten: Crematorium Baumschulenweg

Mario de Biasi: Milano, Piazza Duomo, 1951

Perspective:

Field of unaligned grid of columns

Field of tombs with similar but varing geometries

Field of unaligned grid of columns with light pouring down

View looking down between two city blocks

Scale:

The Construct:

Carl Zimmerman: Model

Perspective:

Carl Zimmerman Interior view of the dome

Scale:

The Construct:

Peter Zumthor: Bruder Klaus Kapelle

Perspective:

The oculus framed by the charred timbers

Scale:

37

II The Experimentation with the Artifice

38

Google Definition of the Sublime and the Artifice:

sub·lime /səˈblīm/ Adjective Of such excellence, grandeur, or beauty as to inspire great admiration or awe: „ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous‰.

ar·ti·fice /ˈärtəfis/ Noun Clever or cunning devices or expedients, esp. as used to trick or deceive others: „artifice and outright fakery‰.

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Thesis Statement

Following analyses of the sublime, a series of architectural moves are extracted and applied to the site as an experiment. The testing ground is a historic and now abandoned warehouse space in DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass), Brooklyn, NY. The thesis tries to recall the lost urban sublimity of New York and offers the artiďŹ ce as a device for urban reclamation. I aim to generate conditions that are inďŹ nite, incalculable, immeasurable and unrepeatable.

40

Site

Vinegar Hills, Brooklyn, NY It is right beside the water, and situated between the Manhattan and the Brooklyn bridges

The Empire Stores: It sits on landfill deposited in the late 18th century and early 19th century 41

Site

The Brooklyn Bridge Park: View of the Bridge and the Manhattan Skyline

Bird’s Eye Perspctive 42

Site

Situated between two parks

Proximity to the water 43

Site

Historic Photographs by Berenice Abbott (1930’s)

Brooklyn Bridge, Water and Dock Streets, looking southwest, Brooklyn

Warehouse, Water and Dock Streets, Brooklyn

44

Site

Jean Nouvel Jewelbox Houses Historic Carousel

45

Site

Nearby Building, The Tobacco Inspection Warehouse

The Tobacco Inspection Warehouse used as different public/ event spaces:

Market

Restaurant

Public art 46

Site Documentation: Maps & Aerial View

47

Site Documentation: Panoramas 1/3

48

Site Documentation: Panoramas 2/3

49

Site Documentation: Panoramas 3/3

50

Site Documentation: Sections

Site section:

Long section:

51

Site Documentation: Plan

Site plan:

52

Site Documentation: Details

53

Setting Up the Experiment

With the use of computer modeling and rendering, the project focuses to create conditions of the Sublime through the use of scale, precession, perspectives and framing of views. Catalogs were created to document the language palette.

In order to test what I have created, I physically modeled the conditions to represent how such an environment would feel and touch, and to capture the natural lighting of the space.

54

Field Condition of Columns: A Parametric Study

55

A Parametric Study of Different Conditions

I have extracted the following nine conditions from the analyses. These conditions were modeled digitally and rendered to capture the construct, the perspective and the scale to the human figure. The renderings are all captured as if the photographer, standing at 6’ tall is using a 35mm lens. I have also used consistent lighting conditions (natural day lighting). To keep the results of the experiment truthful, the renderings were left unedited.

Field Condition of Columns

Field Condition of Shaved Stones

Field Conidtion of Extrusions

Ground Condition

The Ditch

The Mount/ Monument/ Monolith/ Wall

The Monstrous Object

Ceiling Condition

The Perspective Cut

56

The Experiment

57

Field Conditions of Columns: A Parametric Study (1/5) Regular grid: 9x10, radius: 1’ Individual geometry: extrusion, full building height

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Regular grid: 17x18, radius: 6” Individual geometry: extrusion, full building height

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Regular grid: 34x38, radius: 2.5” Individual geometry: extrusion, full building height

58

Field Conditions of Columns: A Parametric Study (2/5) Irregularly populated field: 300, radius: 2.5” Individual geometry: with entasis, full building height

59

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Irregularly populated field: 100, radius: 6” Individual geometry: with entasis, full building height View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Irregularly populated field: 150, radius: 6” Individual geometry: with entasis, full building height View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Field Conditions of Columns: A Parametric Study (3/5) Irregularly populated field: 300, radius: 6” Individual geometry: extrusion with entasis, full building height

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Irregularly populated field: 500, radius: 6” Individual geometry: extrusion with entasis, full building height

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Irregularly populated field: 150, radius: 1’ Individual geometry: extrusion with entasis, full building height

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

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Field Conditions of Columns: A Parametric Study (4/5)

61

Irregularly populated field: 150, radius: 2’ Individual geometry: extrusion with entasis, full building height

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Irregularly populated field: 150, radius: 3’ Individual geometry: extrusion with entasis, full building height

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Irregularly populated field: 150, radius: 3’, Individual geometry: extrusion with entasis, exceeds building height

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Field Conditions of Columns: A Parametric Study (5/5) Irregularly populated field: 150, radius: 3’ Individual geometry: extrusion with entasis, exceeds building height

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

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Field Condition of Shaved Stones: A Parametric Study (1/5)

Regular grid based on the existing structural column grid of the building:

63

Regular grid: 17x18, Spacing: 16.1’x8.8’ Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum XYZ: 3’x6’x3’ View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Regular grid: 17x18, Spacing: 16.1’x8.8’ Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum XYZ: 5’x5’x5’ View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Regular grid: 17x18, Spacing: 16.1’x8.8’ Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum XYZ: 5’x5’x10’ View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Field Condition of Shaved Stones: A Parametric Study (2/5) Regular grid: 17x18, Spacing: 16.1’x8.8’ Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum XYZ: 5’x5’x15’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Regular grid: 17x18, Spacing: 16.1’x8.8’ Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum XYZ: 3’x6’x25’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Regular grid: 17x18, Spacing: 16.1’x8.8’ Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum XYZ: 3’x3’x35’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

64

Field Condition of Shaved Stones: A Parametric Study (3/5)

65

Regular grid: 17x18, Spacing: 16.1’x8.8’ Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum XYZ: 3’x6’x42’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Irregularly populated field: 100 Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum XYZ: 3’x3’x35’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Irregularly populated field: 150 Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum XYZ: 3’x3’x25’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Field Condition of Shaved Stones: A Parametric Study (4/5) Irregularly populated field: 200 Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum XYZ: 6’x6’x15’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Irregularly populated field: 306 Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum XYZ: 10’x10’x10’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Irregularly populated field: 500 Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum XYZ: 15’x15’x6’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

66

Field Condition of Shaved Stones: A Parametric Study (5/5) Irregularly populated field: 1000 Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum XYZ: 15’x15’x2’

67

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Field Condition of Extrusions: A Parametric Study (1/5) Regular grid: 17x19, spacing: 5’, wavy trimmed top surface Individual geometry: square extrusions, max XYZ: View from south-east corner, 35mm lens 3’x3’x1’~7’

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Regular grid: 17x19, spacing: 5’, wavy trimmed top surface Individual geometry: rectangular extrusions, max XYZ: 3’x3’x1’~7’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Regular grid: 17x19, spacing: 3’, wavy trimmed top surface Individual geometry: rectangular extrusions, max XYZ: 6’x9’x3’~8’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

68

Field Condition of Extrusions: A Parametric Study (2/5) Regular grid: 17x19, spacing: 3’, wavy trimmed top surface Individual geometry: rectangular extrusions, max XYZ: 6’x9’x5’~9’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Field Condition of Extrusions: A Parametric Study (2/5)

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Regular grid: 17x19, spacing: 3’, increasing slant trimmed top surface Individual geometry: rectangular extrusions, max XYZ: 6’x9’x5’~21’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Regular grid: 17x19, spacing: 3’, increasing slant trimmed top surface Individual geometry: rectangular extrusions, max XYZ: 6’x9’x6’~36’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Field Condition of Extrusions: A Parametric Study (3/5) Regular grid: 17x19, spacing: 3’, flat trimmed top surface Individual geometry: rectangular extrusions, max XYZ: 6’x9’x38’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Regular grid: 60, spacing: 3’, wavy trimmed top surface Individual geometry: randomly generated, max XYZ: 25’x25’x5’~9’ View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Irregularly populated field: 10, spacing: 3’, wavy trimmed top surface Individual geometry: randomly generated, max XYZ: 100’x100’x5’~9’ View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

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Field Condition of Extrusions: A Parametric Study (4/5)

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Irregularly populated field: 20, spacing: 3’, wavy trimmed top surface Individual geometry: randomly generated, max XYZ: View from south-east corner, 35mm lens 78’x78’x3’~7’

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Irregularly populated field: 50, spacing: 3’, wavy trimmed top surface Individual geometry: randomly generated, max XYZ: 45’x45’x 11’~14’ View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Irregularly populated field: 98, spacing: 3’, wavy trimmed top surface Individual geometry: randomly generated, max XYZ: 26x26’x5’~9’ View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Field Condition of Extrusions: A Parametric Study (5/5) Irregularly populated field: 249, spacing: 3’, wavy trimmed top surface Individual geometry: randomly generated, max XYZ: 14’x14’x14’~21’ View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

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Ground Condition: A Parametric Study (1/5)

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Irregularly populated field: 5000 Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum XYZ: 1’x1’x1’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Irregularly populated field: 20000 Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum XYZ: 6”x6”x6”

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Symmetrical mount Maximum height: 23’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from top of the mount at 29’, 35mm lens

Ground Condition: A Parametric Study (2/5) Symmetrical mount Maximum height: 33’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from top of the mount at 39’, 35mm lens, person can touch the ceiling at 42’

Symmetrical pit Maximum depth: 33’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the pit at -25’, 35mm lens

Symmetrical pit, flooded with water Maximum depth: 33’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View of the water-filled pit at 6’, 35mm lens

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Ground Condition: A Parametric Study (3/5)

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Irregularly sunken ground: 20, spacing: 3’, flooded with water Individual geometry: randomly generated, max XYZ: 78’x78’x4’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from on the pathway at 6’, 35mm lens

Nonuniform surface Polygon count: 759 808

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the valley at 6’, 35mm lens

Nonuniform surface Polygon count: 189 952

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the condition at 6’, 35mm lens

Ground Condition: A Parametric Study (4/5) Nonuniform surface Polygon count: 409 599

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the condition at 6’, 35mm lens

Nonuniform surface, flooded with water Polygon count: 759 808

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View of the water-filled valley at 6’, 35mm lens

Nonuniform undulating vertical surfaces Polygon counts: 393 216 each

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View of the surface at 6’, 35mm lens

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Ground Condition: A Parametric Study (5/5) Terraced surfaces Stepped by 2’

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View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View of the stepped landscape at 6’, 35mm lens

The Ditch: A Parametric Study (1/4)

33’ x 162’ x -12’ extruded

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from -6’ underground

22’ x 162’ x -18’ extruded

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from -12’ underground

13.5’ x 133’ x -24’ extruded

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from -18’ underground

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The Ditch: A Parametric Study (2/4)

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84’ x 154’ x -6’ extruded

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from 0’ ground level

84’ x 154’ x -15’ extruded

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from -24’ underground

84’ x 154’ x -30’ extruded

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from -24’ underground

The Ditch: A Parametric Study (3/4)

50’ x 270’ x -14’ tapered

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from -8’ underground

77’ x 165’ x -24’ tapered

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from -18’ underground

135’ x 243’ x -24’ tapered

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from -18’ underground

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The Ditch: A Parametric Study (4/4)

84’ x 154’ x -160’ tapered

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View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from -154’ underground

The Mount/ Monument/ Monolith/ Wall: A Parametric Study (1/4)

100’ x 243’ x 6’ tapered

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from 12’ aboveground

100’ x 203’ x 12’ tapered

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from 18’ aboveground

130’ x 130’ x 18’ tapered

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from 21’ underground

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The Mount/ Monument/ Monolith/ Wall: A Parametric Study (2/4)

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84’ x 134’ x 24’ tapered

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from 0’ ground level

134’ x 52’ x 36’ tapered

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from 0’ ground level

134’ x 52’ x 36’ extruded

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from 0’ ground level

The Mount/ Monument/ Monolith/ Wall: A Parametric Study (3/4)

110’ x 52’ x 36’ tapered upsidedown

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from 0’ ground level

84’ x 8’ x 36’ tapered upsidedown

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from 0’ ground level

32’ x 221’ x 24’ extruded

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from 0’ ground level

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The Mount/ Monument/ Monolith/ Wall: A Parametric Study (4/4)

4’ x 204’ x 45’ tapered

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View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from 0’ ground level

The Monstrous Object: A Parametric Study (1/5) Geometry: ellipsoid Length: 260’, width:31.5’, height:31.5’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Geometry: ellipsoid Length: 260’, width: 55’, height: 39’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Geometry: ellipsoid shell Length: 260’, width: 167’, height: 52’, thickness 6”, View from south-east corner, 35mm lens hole diameter 3’

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

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The Monstrous Object: A Parametric Study (2/5)

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Geometry: deformed ellipsoid Max length: 237’, max width: 120’ height: 38’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Geometry: deformed ellipsoid Max length: 237’, width: 120’ height: 38’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Geometry: deformed ellipsoid Length: 266’, width: 169.5’ height: 41’, thickness: 6”, View from south-east corner, 35mm lens hole diameter 1.5’

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

The Monstrous Object: A Parametric Study (3/5) Geometry: sphere, number: 4 Individual radius: 19.5’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Geometry: half spherical shells, number: 4 Individual radius: 19.5’, thickness: 1’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Geometry: cylindrical shell, number: 1 Radius: 19.5’, thickness: 1’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

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The Monstrous Object: A Parametric Study (4/5)

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Geometry: existing door extrusions, solid, number: 4 Individual length: 232’, width: 9.8’, height: 9.8’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Geometry: existing door extrusions, number: 4 Individual length: 232’, width: 10.8’, height: 10.8’, thickness: 1’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Geometry: existing door extrusions, crisscrossed, number: 4 Individual length: 232’, width: 10.8’, height: 10.8’, thickness: 1’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

The Monstrous Object: A Parametric Study (5/5) Geometry: Deformed ellipsoid Max length: 266’, width: 157’ height: 37’, thickness: 1’, hole diameter: 9’ View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

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Ceiling Condition: A Parametric Study (1/5)

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Symmetrical dome: Maximum height: 22’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View of the dome at 6’, 35mm lens

Symmetrical inverse dome: Maximum depth: 14’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View of the inverse dome at 6’, 35mm lens

Symmetrical inverse dome: Maximum depth: 22’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View of the inverse dome at 6’, 35mm lens

Ceiling Condition: A Parametric Study (2/5) Symmetrical inverse dome: Maximum depth: 35’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View of the inverse dome at 6’, 35mm lens

Symmetrical bowing ceiling, maximum depth: 3’ Number of cuts: 300, individual cut’s length: ~1.5’ View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View of the starry ceiling, at 6’, 35mm lens

Symmetrical bowing ceiling, maximum depth: 10’ number of cuts: 300, individual cut’s length: ~3’

View of the starry ceiling, at 6’, 35mm lens

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

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Ceiling Condition: A Parametric Study (3/5) Flat Ceiling: Number of cut: 1, length: 276’, width: 3.5’ extends into wall 4’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from under the cut at 6’, 35mm lens

Flat Ceiling: Number of cut: 1, length: 276’, width: 23’, extends into wall’s full height

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from under the cut at 6’, 35mm lens

Symmetrical dome with oculus: Maximum height: 19’, oculus short diameter: 44’, long diameter: 61’ View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

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View from under the oculus, at 6’, 35mm lens

Ceiling Condition: A Parametric Study (4/5) Nonuniform dome with oculus: Maximum height: 32’, oculus diameter: 20’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Symmetrical inverse dome with oculus: Maximum depth: 19’, oculus short diameter: 40’, long diameter: 48’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from under the oculus, at 6’, 35mm lens

Nonuniform inverse dome with oculus: Maximum depth: 32’, oculus diameter: 20’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from under the oculus, at 6’, 35mm lens

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Ceiling Condition: A Parametric Study (5/5) Flat Ceiling: 5’ gap between ceiling and the walls

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View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View of the gaps at 6’, 35mm lens

The Perspective Cut: A Parametric Study (1/3)

Plan of projection to A1

3D view

View from south-east corner

View from A1

3D view

View from south-east corner

View from B4

A B D E F G H 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Plan of projection to B4

A B D E F G H 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Plan of projection to C4

3D view

View from south-east corner

View from C4

A B D E F G H 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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The Perspective Cut: A Parametric Study (2/3)

Plan of projection to D4

3D view

View from south-east corner

View from D4

3D view

View from south-east corner

View from E4

3D view

View from south-east corner

View from E4

A B D E F G H 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Plan of projection to E4

A B D E F G H 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Plan of projection to F4

A B D E F G H 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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The Perspective Cut: A Parametric Study (3/3)

Plan of projection to F7

3D view

View from south-east corner

A B D E F G H 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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Sketches

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The Evaluation: A List of Criteria

Vastness Monumentality/ monolith Suggestion of infinity/ immeasurability Overpowering Re-establishment of scalar relationships Defamiliarizing Repetition Confusion/ complexity/ incomprehensibility Excellence/ perfection Unrepeatable condition

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Danger/ awe/ fear Surprise Lack of point of touch Lack of perception of boundary conditions Transcendence/ religious Ephemerality Light/contrast Sound/ silence

The Evaluation:

Using the criteria, I evaluated the various conditions I have created to determine how effective each one is in terms of simulating the sublime.

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The Evaluation (1/12)

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The Evaluation (2/12)

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The Evaluation (3/12)

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The Evaluation (4/12)

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The Evaluation (5/12)

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The Evaluation (6/12)

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The Evaluation (7/12)

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The Evaluation (8/12)

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The Evaluation (9/12)

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The Evaluation (10/12)

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The Evaluation (11/12)

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The Evaluation (12/12)

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The Crossbreeding of Conditions

A diagram showing the primary conditions combined

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The Combined Condition

A sketch showing possible configuration of conditions on the site

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The Combined Condition

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Sequencing of the Perspectives

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Combined Conditions

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Combined Conditions: Ground + Ceiling + The Monstrous Object, A Parametric Study (1/3) Flat ceiling with occulus Surface rolled in the shape of a frustrum of a cone View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

Symmetrical inverse dome: maximum depth: 35’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

Symmetrical bowed ceiling, depth: 3’, with oculus Irregularly populated field: 5000 Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum XYZ: 1’x1’x1’ View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View of the ring of light at 6’, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

View from top of the mount at 29’, 35mm lens

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Combined Conditions: Ground + Ceiling + The Monstrous Objects, A Parametric Study (2/3) Symmetrical bowed ceiling, depth: 3’, Number of cuts: 300, individual cut’s length: ~1.5’, Irregularly populated field: 20, 000 Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum View from south-east corner, 35mm lens XYZ: 6”x6”x6”

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View from within the pit at -25’, 35mm lens

Ground condition extruding out of the ceiling condition

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the pit at -25’, 35mm lens

Wall surfaces with a crack in the middle

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View of the water-filled pit at 6’, 35mm lens

Combined Conditions: Ground + Ceiling + Monstrous Object, A Parametric Study (3/3)

Bowed ceiling and pit filled with water

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from on the pathway at 6’, 35mm lens

Oculus cut through dome ceiling and object

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the valley at 6’, 35mm lens

4 Boxes with dimensions ~40’ x 40’ x 40’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the condition at 6’, 35mm lens

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Combined Conditions: Ground + Ceiling + Monument/ Ditch, A Parametric Study (1/3)

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Extrusion diagonally cutting through ceiling plane

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View of the ring of light at 6’, 35mm lens

Upsidedown triangular extrusion cutting through ceiling plane

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

Upsidedown triangular extrusion cutting through ceiling plane Geometry divided to fit passageway for a person

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from top of the mount at 29’, 35mm lens

Combined Conditions: Ground + Ceiling + Monument/ Ditch, A Parametric Study (2/3)

Wedge cutting through ceiling plane and wall

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from top of the mount at 39’, 35mm lens, person can touch the ceiling at 42’

Coplanar walls cutting through perpendicular ceiling and walls

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the pit at -25’, 35mm lens

Wedge cutting perpendicular through ceiling and wall

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View of the water-filled pit at 6’, 35mm lens

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Combined Conditions: Ground + Ceiling + Monument/ Ditch, A Parametric Study (3/3)

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Wedge void subtracted perpendicularly from ceiling and walls

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the valley at 6’, 35mm lens

Coplanar voids subtracted perpendicularly from ceiling and walls

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the condition at 6’, 35mm lens

Intersecting voids subtracted from ceiling and walls

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the condition at 6’, 35mm lens

Combined Conditions: Ground + Ceiling + Field Conditions, A Parametric Study (1/3) Bowed Ceiling with field of rocks Regular grid: 17x18, Spacing: 16.1’x8.8’ Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum XYZ: 5’x5’x15’ View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View of the ring of light at 6’, 35mm lens

Bowed Ceiling with field of rocks Irregularly populated field: 100 Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum XYZ: 3’x3’x35’

View from within the field at 6’, 35mm lens

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

Bowed Ceiling with field of rocks, Irregularly populated field: 500 Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum XYZ: 15’x15’x6’ View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from top of the mount at 29’, 35mm lens

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Combined Conditions: Ground + Ceiling + Field Conditions, A Parametric Study (2/3)

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Surface condition with field of rocks, Regular grid: 17x18, Spacing: 16.1’x8.8’ Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum XYZ: 5’x5’x10’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from top of the mount at 39’, 35mm lens, person can touch the ceiling at 42’

Surface condition with field of rocks, Regular grid: 9x10, Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum XYZ: 10’x10’x10’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from within the pit at -25’, 35mm lens

Surface condition with field of rocks, I rregularly populated field: 150 Individual geometry: randomly generated, Maximum XYZ: 3’x3’x25’

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View of the water-filled pit at 6’, 35mm lens

Combined Conditions: Ground + Ceiling + Field Conditions, A Parametric Study (3/3) Bowed ceiling with cuts and Irregularly populated field

View from south-east corner, 35mm lens

View from on the pathway at 6’, 35mm lens

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III The Rendered Perspectives

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I chose a few effective conditions and represented them through digital renderings and model photography.

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The Production, Documentation and Presentation

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Process: The Artificial Landscape

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Process: The Shaved Stones

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Process: Field Condition of Columns

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Process: The Monstrous Object

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Process: The Ditch

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The Presentation

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SX

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Sonny Eric Xu Bachelor of Architecture 2013 College of Architecture, Art & Planning Cornell University With concentrations in Visual Representation in Architecture, Architectural Science and Technology, and Architectural Analysis www.sonnyxu.com 174

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