PHILIPS PAVILION
(Le Corbusier)
JENNIFER LENN
Architecture is viewed as a monumental and sometimes a permanent work of art dedicated to the fabric of its surrounding city. But not every building we see is classified as "architecture". If only some buildings are classified as "architecture" because they are considered works of art, and some exist as only "buildings", then how is it decided what is or is not "architecture"? In an era when the term "art" is used so subjectively, it is important to recall that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder". What one may see as "architecture" may be nothing more than a simple structure serving a function and vice-versa. As an architecture student, I have began to do my own analysis of what classifies as "architecture"; deciding for myself what is or is not art and examining why I see it that way. In doing so, it is important that I keep an open mind and that I am able to appreciate architecture even if it does not pertain to my own view of "architecture". Analyzing the Philip Pavilion has encouraged me to look past y first impression of a building and appreciate it for what exists beyond my own first impressions.
Over the past four years of education in architecture, I have developed my own list of characteristics which I look for to define a successful project. I tend to classify successful architecture as the following:
~ It responds to its surroundings appropriately without boasting
~ It takes advantage of present day technologies to be more economical
~ it is practical
~ It creates a symbiotic relationship between all of it's elements
~ It is sustainable
~ It gives back to it's community
These are the six minimal characteristics that differentiate a simple building from architecture. Le Corbusier, however, far exceeded these characteristics with his Philips Pavilion in 1958 with his partner, Iannis Xenakis who contributed to the building design while also writing music for the finished space. Philips Industries commissioned Corbusier for this pavilion to showcase their technology at the World's Fair. Corbusier worked side by side with Xenakis to create a pavilion that perfectly juxtaposed two different experiences within spaces.
Not only does the team succeed in clearly defining a threshold between inside and outside experiences but they also do so in using mathematical hyperbolic paraboloid forms and innovations in technology. The ending product, Philips Pavilion, is an artistic result of perfect harmony existing between mathematical design and construction innovations to create a form that follows function. The walls of the structure are made of rough slabs and cast in place by a moveable scaffolding. They are supported by a double network of cables that are suspended along the parabolic forms which are made of reinforced concrete. The interior is just as complex as the exterior in an effort to emphasize the acoustics of the music and also showcase the technologies of Philips Industries. An installation of 350 speakers complement the assortment of lighting methods along with film projectors, sculptures and more. The intense form and acoustical settings of the interior provide a clearly defined and remarkable experience of the space. 
Although this piece, overall, stands out quite dramatically from its surroundings it is doing so in an incredibly successful way. Corbusier made efficient use in technologies and collaborated very well with his Xenakis. The harmony which exists between the two architects is, no doubt, reflected in their final project. At first glance, Philips Pavilion is not a structure that I would particularly declare as impressive architecture because it stands out so boldly from its peers. However, I was able to look deeper into the structure and design of the project to see the reasoning behind the moves made in the Pavilion, which really allowed me to appreciate it much more than I would have initially. The fact that such a distinct juxtaposition between interior and exterior spaces based on the mathematical forms is quite artistic and impressive. The use of the hyperbolic paraboloid forms to enhance the acoustics even further justifies the need for such a complex structure. The piece, all together, is a perfect product of the synchronization of harmony and juxtaposition in architecture and those who create it.
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