1) Interactive Architecture, Princeton Architectural Press, New York 2009, Michael Fox & Miles Kemp, “Sociological and Psychological Implications,” pp136-172
My project’s intent shares a lot with this chapter and I loved the interactive aspects of the architecture and technology represented in it. The “human behavior awareness” is an interesting concept because it highlights the opportunity for “an architectural environment to inform the users of their actions” which can potentially have a profound effect on their behaviors. The touch-sensitive floors and tabletops shown in the text are simple sensory interactions that give users satisfaction and this should be explored and used more.
2) Emergent Technologies and Design: Towards a Biological Paradigm for Architecture, Michael Hensel, Achim Menges, & Michael Weinstock, Routledge, New York 2010
This text goes into great depth about the technological exploration and breakthroughs concerning architecture structures and materials. I find this stuff fascinating in that humans are able to use computers to discover and map out revolutionary means of construction. Forms and structures that were once thought to be unachievable are now being fabricated out of minimalistic materials and in no time. The “Lattices” chapter made me think that these organic looking structures being conceived in computers may soon be made in an organic fashion and this could be tied-in with the “human behavior awareness” technologies to create something magnificent.
3) Ingo Maurer: Designing with Light, Bernhard Dessecker, Prestel Publishing, New York 2008, “Zufall, Licht, und Wasser” pp16-31
Much of Ingo’s work in this book is too bizarre and abstract for my tastes. However, the chapter “Chance, Light, and Water” contains some really interesting installations. Tableau Chinois was compared to my final project and I can see the similarities. Light is projected through a pool with swimming goldfish and mirrors and onto a white wall for some high-contrast imagery. His use of light, mirrors and water in some other installations of his gives of beautiful patterns in motion such as with Plastic Allegory and David is well and alive and living in Los Angeles.
4) Exploring Materials, Inna Alesina & Ellen Lupton, Princeton Architectural Press, New York 2010
This book is a really good and informative read. I especially enjoyed the opportunities noted in lighting with repeated structural patterns such as corrugation and honeycomb in addition to the translucence found in many non-woven textiles [pp102-104]. There’s a fabric that is made by embroidering on water-soluble plastic which is eventually dissolved leaving the translucent non-woven fabric [p77]
5) Studio Olafur Eliasson: An Encyclopedia, Taschen, Italy 2008, pp426-431
Olafur’s vast use of various materials is incredible and he and his studio also utilize computer software resources to come up with remarkable installations. Your Mobile Expectations is one of my favorite works from him not only because of the cool looking outcome, but the processes and materials he used to get to that conclusion. Constructed around a BMW H2R chassis, his team incorporated stainless steel, mirrors, ice, a cooling unit, mono-frequency lights into the installation. A ton of computer calculations and simulations had to be dialed-in prior, and the result was a “complex set of relations and exchanges with the surroundings” where the car structure “would change according to the viewer’s movement and perspective.”
