Jellyfish

Some people say Friedrich Kiesler's Endless House (1947-65).

Jellyfish!
Oh Hell - I don't want the all mighty after us for copyright infringement!

do i see eyes and gills on that endess house a-f?

Any other thoughts?

Again with the almighty. Open your closet alpha and don't let all the king james versions pummel you.

Again how Gustav? Anyway, sorry if my ironically sophomoric humor offended you.

As early as 1958!

alpha:
Not offended ;)
nod, nod, wink, wink, elbow nudge

Gaudi's Casa Mila and Mendehlson's Einstein Tower come to mind as important precedents here, though I'd characterize them more as early instances of plasticity in architecture. Their relevance to blobitecture shouldn't be overlooked though.

Do you really think Einstein Tower, db.
What if two buildings look similar but were made (designed) different?

lol

I suppose (and I thought this when writing my response above) it depends on how far back one wants to go. Blobitecture is a uniquely late 20th century phenomenon made possible only through the digital technology used to design it. However, a different way of looking at that issue is to think about other examples of plasticity in architecture in general. It blobitecture simply about the technology that produces it, or is there an overarching idea about the warping, folding, and molding of space as well as the exploration of new building technologies. Given the latter, something like Casa Mila or Einstein Tower does exist as a precedent, and those interested in producing blobs would do well to understand them as such.

now, on the other hand, if not these "old" examples, how close must we get to the present to find such an example -- Gehry's Vitra Museum -- ???

the problem as I see it is to relegate blobitecture to a period-style where only things that look like and were produced in the same manner serve as precedents. In such a case, it would be a very self-referential depthless pursuit destined only to produce further products that are mere iterations rather than (r)evolutions that serve to truly advance the discipline.

Much more interesting to think about a larger trajectory of expressionism -- popitecture (archigram) -- deconstruction

to db's point, one could also look at the fluid spaces of german expressionism. most notably hugo haring and the early works of hans sharoun.

It's the problem of names and styles again. It's pretty pointless to name every piece of architecture with a molded space or curve in it (eg. Scharouns early villas) a "blob". Then you might as well include art noveau, rococo and baroque. No, the word "blob" relates to bubbles and fluidity, and quite the opposite of expressionism: formlessness. Where expressionism is strong and dynamic, the formless is amorphous and swelling, frightening and repulsive.

there was another thread about this: "the history of blobitecture"

I'll check that out spaceman, thanks.

"Where expressionism is strong and dynamic, the formless is amorphous and swelling, frightening and repulsive."

Maybe it's me alone on an island- I think blobs are plain dull not frightening. Someone wanted an easy step to nothingness, too easy.

Of course, how do you give form to the formless? Then again, how many styles aren't boring when they have been defined?

great book by rosalind krauss and yve-alain bois called Formless: A User's Guide. specifically art-historical -- though also broadly theoretical in the way that krauss and bois generally tend towards.

db, that is a great book. and for ppl interested in the frightening and repulsive [and not just being ironic] you can try anthony vidler's the architectural uncanny. vidler has been on to kiesler for a while now but that is not what this book is about. it's a good one though, to distinguish 'formalism ' as a search for autonomy [wittkower, rowe, eisenman, lynn] from a more posmodern exploration [something krauss would be interested in]

a-f:
A straight line can be nothing- museum dinasoar prop.
How does boring relate to the undefined?
A blob can not be formless because it has a base.

blobs can be anything...that is not architecture, that is a cop out

The idea of the straight line has no form, a straight line has the form of a line, which is straight, independant of its material. The idea of formlessness has no form, a form-less object has no form independent of its material. If I remember it correctly, this is a bit what the starting point is in Krauss' and Alain-Bois' "Formless".

A blob can not be formless because it has a base.

The blob in "The Blob" is most certainly formless. It has no base, but is "Indestructible, Indescribable, Nothing can stop it". Don't you feel the same about Selfridges Birmingham?

How does boring relate to the undefined?

How do you define boring?

Any blob you draw on computer has a form, even if it is constantly changing shape. I like blobs and think they may be a better description of reality. What I don't like is your description of them as formless, they are, unless you have some very strange keyholed definition of "formless".
If you call a static form of a blob formless, so is a straight line.

Hi

Maby it's just me, but I still wonder how you all want to se these come into reality --- realy I don't se the great thing in totaly organic forms ,I mean why that, why all the trouble just getting a lot of trouble and depending on skilled craftmen and I garentie, get somthing that will not hold the measures .
Ok I find rounded geometrics far nicer, sort of Lego but not somthing you fear shuld lose the air, realy I love when somthing new evolve ,if it then can develob further and uncover some new aproach --- but if I shuld se these as buildings I wonder how expensive the roof will be compared just a tradisional one, I wonder where the rain water will run I wonder why rooms must act smaller being round just for the roundness of it, -------- I rather have somthing that will develob into somthing taking profit from the computer, somthing that make a cheap place to live, somthing that will spark some new jobs a different architecture even, ------- do you want a way to acturly build these things ?

Then why not take a boat and turn it upside down , that will be double as Bloob and you will profit from technikes develobed to acturly build it ;))

a-f
and by goring I meant facile, but I've changed my mind since then.

What I tried to pinpoint was that there is an difficult paradox in the idea of creating literally formless architecture with the static materials the typical blob is built with. I only say this because I believe the basis of the "blob" movement is the frightening, horror movies, Bataille, ugliness, the primitive, surrealism, the formless etc. At least it gives an explanation to why it is called "blob" and not "architecture with double-curved surfaces" which is more geometrically precise but not as catchy and less culturally descriptive. But then again, how often doesn't an analogy in architecture fall a bit short?

btw. Another example is Sverre Fehn's (unrealized) pavillion for Osaka Expo 1970. No images on-line though.

There may be some people who find the blob very beautiful (not in an ugly-beautiful way). There is something otherworldly about them that always brings me to music of the spheres (I haven't figured that out yet). I think you have something going with the blob. If you describe it in a different manner, it may help you springboard to a more formlessness between heaven and earth.

???

blobs aren't architecture.

Sorry I can't agrea that having the oppotunity to project hell and form heaven then you chose doing the vorse of options . This is what I don't understand, as I simply fancy shaped forms and the presant of an artist.

Build a bloob a thing that bloob it's own form , what building methods shuld build a dream is I guess the most promising in modern architecture is, that it offer both beauty and hell , I still just wonder if this shuld be build by only skilled workers , _can you Romans realy make up a trend that is just a bit better than the vorse of styles sad ones. --- Realy _that is not what is put into an bubbling shapeless building structure. But can you Romans even make it as 3D hologram ?
If you get the chance chosing a hightech lookalike or the thing that will make the jobs, realy what would you chose, as it will bring whatever you can draw on screen, just in 3D-HoneyComb, just as an assembly
sheet cut 3D assembly in full scale. Bloob I never realy understood it, guess you think this will make the jobs it will not.

Hi

Sorry ofcaurse I think it is better somthing is build, but realy if bloob shuld have a role, it must be that making the methods making it possible, soon will lead to designing it swell and nice, with just a bit room for human beings in other words, you will soon chose to build fancy and nice rather than expensive and useless I guess,

This inflatable punching blob is a knock out for serious blobbers. Great for building ideas and stress venting!
The Blob Tower inflatable punching blob is made by Everlast, a familiar name in quality building equipment. With each punch the blob rocks back and forth for that knock-down/instant motion that builds endurance and sharpens reflexes.
The punching blob workout also helps burn calories, improves coordination and flexibility, and is a wonderful way to release tension and anger without violence. The blob has rugged PVC construction, and comes with an easy to use foot pump and an anti-leak water-weighted base (fills directly from the tap). Folds flat for storage. Stands tall for all blobbers.