The Ecole Spéciale d’Architecture in Paris today announced Ball-Nogues Studio from Los Angeles as the winner of the 2012 edition of the “Pavillon Spéciale” competition. Now in its 2nd edition, the Pavillon Spéciale consolidates its role as an annual spring architectural series that gives young emerging international architects the opportunity to build with students a temporary project in the heart of Paris. — bustler.net
Our very own Paul Petrunia, founder and publisher of Archinect and Bustler.net, had the honor to serve on the International Expert Committee for this year's pavilion competition.
9 Comments
really?....really? I mean the fact that the scale model had to be printed is a clear indication that there is no tectonic vision.
Actually Hunter... I was in their studio when they taught at SCIarc, and the individual units are actually based on the installation we made for Coachella in 2009. We built our structure out of bent PVC pipes, but you can search for "Elastic Plastic Sponge" and a couple images and articles will come up.
Some nice images here, but does this thing have any use? It does not seem very good for shade, nor does it look comfortable to sit on. It looks very tempting to CLIMB, which would be great, but the renderings and drawings do not indicate that this is intended or permitted.
Must a temporary pavilion these days be purely about tectonic experimentation? Is the only human sentiment this architecture supports one of curiosity about how the architecture is constructed? Are we perhaps focusing so hard on assembly, kits of parts, and structural showmanship that we're losing site of all other aspects of the profession?
If it has no use, is it not sculpture rather than architecture? I understand the need to experiment with novel ways of building, but I see no reason why program could not have been included in a much richer way in this structure. Every such pavilion is an opportunity to engage the public on as many levels as possible, not just the 'gee-whiz'.
See Archinect's feature on Ball-Nogues' Elastic Plastic Sponge installation at Coachella in 2009:
Student Works: Rock and Roll Fantasy - SCI-Arc at Coachella: Elastic Plastic Sponge
chopsticks and noodles. if someone could allow me to bring my uncles noodleshop under there, that'd be sweet
victimeyes - yeah -chopsticks and ramen.
Sculpture or Architecture? Pavilion was the term used in the brief. Pavilions, as we see them are temporary and open ended with respect to function. They traditionally "function" like sculpture in "public" environments as place makers.
The brief asked for a concept that could be developed over a few months by a group of students. As a response to this criteria, our scheme is deliberately open ended. Shade and program will develop in collaboration with students.
Printed / techtonics? We did the proposals in two weeks with a small stipend - we aren't going to produce an elaborate model that simulates material dynamics at the scale of model. There isn't time and it wouldn't mean anything anyway - materials like those we are proposing don't "scale up" from model to full sized.
Sometimes I read comments and I think what the F is going on with architecture.
So what I have learned from Hunter is this piece has no tectonic vision because the model was 3-D printed. In fact it's a "clear indication." I am just racking my brain to understand what you mean. "Clear Indication!" I think you meant to use an exclamation mark so I'll throw that in for you. Please explain why you are so offended. I have always understood that architects make representations wether it be drawings, models, diagrams....... Architects use abstraction. I think I used to have a model train set with a real looking mountain.
George Showman thinks this piece stands as an attacked on program and actually an attack on the profession as a whole (he also completely disagrees with Hunter about the state of tectonics). It must be sculpture if there is no program. Right? It must have a use. Just add program. I think it's funny when people talk about program like a cheap suit. Take this program and put it on and then you'll have a nice respectable piece of architecture that people can feel comfortable with. The general public will trust it and use it more. So dire George - I don't think you put too much trust in the "public." People in Paris are pretty smart. They can read and touch this piece how ever they feel fit.
well, its something, isn't it? its not a nice thing to put down the effort that went into making that thing - after all, words are less of things than that something. but to think of thing thing in such a way does not complement it, does it? in fact, i would even say that to add too many words to that thing makes it more of a thing than it already is. and to punctuate the sentence? it becomes an edifice, in itself a significant punctuation mark in the critic's lifetime.
but, its a bit of nothing as well.
- its not really a pavilion, it is perforated: offers shelter from neither rain nor sun. however...
- as a criticitique of functionality (as a shelter at the very least), it is anachronistic (and literal). it is anachronistic on - possibly- two accounts: 1- we have had many many instances of critical works preceding this. on that account, it is the opposite of original. 2- there is a strong argument that what we appreciate nowadays is not an excercise in formalism
- it is not really a wall or a roof (that is an outmoded way of complementing nowadays) - but it is also not a self-supporting thing. the structural idea is indifferent to the formal one.
- it is a melange of a little bit of postmodern (the columns, the materiality - seemingly to inch towards a reference other than the formal but what exactly - maybe indeliberately) and a little bit of ("hyper-") modernist (the tessellated form, the concept)- but it it carries no message and it does not contain within itself a mature tectonic.
- the concept of the ethereal is beautiful of course - the slinky coil. but the materials and the colours are not.
but really, those columns with that structure....
of course congratulations on winning and all and bravos for the effort and design.
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