by: Arif Javed
What is architecture in its purest
form? In my past two blog posts I arrived at the conclusion that reduced to its
rawest and most essential qualities architecture is the meaningful shaping of
space to serve a specific function. The Venice Biennale was as much an
exhibition of architectural works as well as a tribute to the ability of
architects to shape the experience of walking through a space. There were two
exhibits in particular in the Arsenale section that stuck out to me because the
architects really managed to treat their exhibition spaces in a way that, to
me, spoke to what the nature of architecture really is.
The first exhibit was called the
Vessel by O’Donnell + Tuomey architects. This was basically a wooden structure
that was erected along the path through the exhibits within the Arsenale, which
is an old brick building where ships used to be built. The structure, as the
first picture below shows, is an irregularly geometric form that is composed of
stacked wooden planks. These reference both the stacked brick construction of
the Arsenale as well as the wood of the ships that used to be built within its
walls. This abstract ship imagery is based on literary influences from Dante
and poet Seamus Heaney for whom the ship is a place for profound spiritual
reflection. When I saw the Vessel at the Biennale I was struck by how it seemed
to loom out of the dark sea of space around it. I was impressed by how the
architects used material, form, and site context to create a reflective and
contemplative space that really only functioned as a quick passage between two
areas. They managed to funnel the light through the chamber to further
emphasize the procession through the vessel while illuminating the tectonic
construction that balances the illuminated wood solids with the dark and hollow
voids between the planks. I am still amazed by how the architects managed to
make such a small passage into a shrine-like contemplative journey that
momentarily makes made me forget my destination.
The
next exhibit was the room designed by Märkli Architekt. While I realize that
this exhibit might not have come off to everyone as the most interesting
project, I thought that it was somewhat noteworthy because it embodies the idea
of the nature of architecture being the shaping of space. The room is sparse;
there are two columns of the original Arsenale towards the center of the room
and arranged around them are 6 sculptures of human figures placed on marble
blocks. The human sculptures resemble sculptures of humans from ancient civilization.
Märkli carefully arranged the sculptures around the two existing columns. This
orderly arrangement was done in order to create a certain “spatial tension”
between the elements in the space. The way the architect carefully placed the
vertical sculptures around the columns and even in relation to the walls of the
space creates a commentary on how people exist in relation to each other as
parts of a whole. This main thesis on the nature of human existence is only
possible due to the way the architect divided the space in plan based on the
installed elements and the forms that already existed on site.
The
time that we spent at the Biennale was truly invaluable; I think that getting
to experience and see all the different projects helped me get a much deeper
understanding about what the job and purpose and meaning of architecture is. The Vessel exhibit showed how space can
be shaped by form and manipulation of light and the Märkli exhibit showed how
simply arranging different elements in plan can also define the space in a
meaningful way.
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| The exhibit my Märkli, shows two main elements, column and human sculpture |
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| The Vessel by Odonnel and Tuomey, in relation to the Arsenale space around it |
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