WEEK 5: Concept Planning

Before the last workshop of the mid-semester we met together to plan the concept around our green screen exhibition. We used the plans of the storage container to draw over and add our idea into the space. We also did a similar thing with the sketch up model; adding our own models into the existing shipping container to give a visual representation of what it would look like. There is also supporting information.

 

WEEK 5: Shipping container exhibition research

Shipping container research:

Some existing art installations surrounding shipping container were that of:

Portal Between Tehran and NYC project created by Shared Studios

In which a skype link is set up one in Terahn and one in New York, participants are encouraged to enter the container and communicate with the other person they can see on screen.

Another shipping container art piece

Scott Whitby Studio transforms shipping container into "caution cinema"  in which there are over 1000 foam pyramids incorporated into the space used for movie watching by port workers on safety. They are made to appear sharp and pointy but in actual fact are comfortable to relax and enjoy a movie in their surroundings.

And Hold Up’s “From off to on”

https://vimeo.com/31203398

This exhibition incorporates a cave like atmosphere for visitors to enter and write notes and engage within the blank space and how the lighting interacts with viewers.

WEEK 5: Research on "Reactions"

When Jenny came and spoke with our group a key part of her talk that we all picked up on was how animals react in the spaces they are in. We have decided to focus on this idea of “reaction”.

But what does it mean to react to something? React is “something done, felt, or thought in response to a situation or event” (Google definition), reacting is an instinctual behaviour. Some people may think reacting and responding is the same thing, people tend to blur the line between the two, myself and my group however want to focus on the instinctual act of “reacting” as opposed to the more thought out process of responding. We don't want people to have time to sit their and mull over what is in front of them, we want instant and true reactions of the situations that they are put in.

As a group we want to get people to react to certain situations and video them, then display them in some way. The types of things that will cause the most interesting reactions are things that cannot be physically done in a small shipping container space so we want to explore the idea of using a green screen so that people can view themselves in these situations. We will research which types of things will get good reactions out of people, it could also be interesting to vary these ie fear, love etc.

We all know that scaring people will get the best reactions, people with fears will always react. Some common fears are spiders, heights, snakes, fear of small spaces and many more. We will have to look into this more but I think it could be interesting to have more of a variety of reactions instead of them all being fears. Some other things people react to for example are cute things ie puppies etc. These reactions may not even be provoked by sight it could be noise, we could have audio playing.

WEEK 4: Olivia's notes from Jenny's talk

WEEK 4: 'Frank the dog' exhibition inspiration

"Frank The Dog" exhibitions (by Jenny Gillam):

How did Jenny get the inspiration for her work?

It stemmed mostly from a silent video of two black Scottish terriers going for a casual walk.

She aimed to make work a series to pull it apart even more. It revolves around learning how humans relate to animals and how they react to us – what it tells us about ourselves in how they react to the world.

First piece: ‘Frank: The Engine Room’:

Still cameras set up – she was out of sight just watching how Frank would react in the gallery space. She’d hope people would get a different feeling about the space – that something had been there before them.

Second piece: ‘Frank: RMIT Gallery superimposed’: (what we're inspired by)

To keep the series going; she had to be re-think up an idea for a space in Melbourne. So they didn’t travel there. She asked them to take a photo of the gallery space and superimpose him through green screen into the space so it made it look like he was exploring the space. Movements were different: all over the place (as soon as the walls were taken away he was darting all over the place). You don’t have as much depth in the studio so you’d never see Frank by the far wall by the ‘door’.

Third piece: ‘Frank: Blue Oyster’:

Frank was flown over to Dunedin and explored a gallery with three cameras set up in three rooms.

Technical requirements: 

Prefers high end stuff. (better to have cables hidden)

Put the work upside down so Frank was running upside down (seeing the other opportunities for the work); she set the conditions but Frank was making the work – hang the tablet upside down – and plug it into the roof. The way the Frank exhibitions were displayed was with two screens/tablets side by side (with two perspectives) surrounded by white space.

Michael: WEEK 2/3: Het Dolhuis exhibition - Case studies: analysing spatial narratives

Rebekah and Olivia: WEEK 2/3: Exhibition case study - The Hormonorium

Case Study: The Hormonorium

8th International Architecture Exhibition Venice 2002, Italy; Swiss pavilion by Decosterd and Rahm

The Hormonorium is a proposal for an interior public space that was designed in 2002, it was developed within the Swiss pavilion of Giardini of the Venice Biennale for the International Architecture Exhibition in Venice. This exhibition was designed by architects Decosterd and Rahm.

The total space of the Hormonorium is about the size of a swimming pool.

Alpine Environment

The Hormonorium was designed to be a physiological stimulating space for the public who enter it. It is said “the Humanistic free will does not exist in the space as one cannot control how their body reacts within the Hormonorium due to the intense white light in the space”. Decosterd and Rahm designed the space to mimic the climate of an Alpine environment. This is done by the body through respiration (Breathing), through the retina (eyes) and through the dermis (skin). Decosterd and Rahm change aspects of the Hormonorium to affect these parts of our body therefore having multiple effects.

Plexiglas (clear material), a total of 528 fluorescent tubes

The content of the exhibition consisted of a floor made up of plexiglas (a clear material), to allow the passage of light from the 528 total fluorescent tubes located beneath. The fluorescent tubes emit a white light that acts as the solar spectrum with UV-A and UV-B rays.

”White day” cast on the space, meaning that one can no longer see the corners of the room

This type of light creates a ”white day” cast on the white wall rectangular space, meaning that one can no longer see the corners of the room. Some individuals have said they had the impression that they are floating in space, not knowing what way is up or down.

As you can see from this image the white light fluorescent tubes are below the individuals who enter the space. In normal situations where one experiences bright light we would tilt our head down to shield our eyes from the sun above, our eyelashes and eyelids also help with this. However in this case because the light is below the Individual we cannot shield the UV rays in natural ways, we are not able to block the radiation with our eyelashes or eyelids.

The bright light (between 5,000 and 10,000 lux) of the Hormonorium stimulates the retina which then passes on information to the pineal gland. The pineal gland controls the melatonin levels in our body, a hormone that affects wake and sleep patterns. The bright white light results in a decrease in melatonin levels which allows us to feel more awake, have a probable increase in sexual desire and also regulates our moods.

The increase of the gas nitrogen in the Hormonorium leads to a decrease in the oxygen level within the space from 21% to 14.5%. This level of oxygen is usually found at altitudes of around 3,000 meters. In other words, people will find it more difficult to breathe, causing a deficiency in the amount of oxygen reaching the tissue in their body. This results in states of the body, such as confusion, disorientation or bizarre behaviour. But at the same time, can also create intense excitement, due to endorphin (a feel good chemical) production.

After spending around 10 minutes in the Hormonorium space, the individual's body starts to react to some of the previous effects. There is an increase in the hormone Erythropoietin (produced by the kidneys). Reaching the bone marrow, where the production of red blood cells are stimulated, the hormone therefore helps the supply of oxygen to the muscles increase. The effects of the above processes will therefore have stimulating effects on the body, that could improve the body’s physical capabilities by up to 10%.

Summary:

Agenda: Designed by Decosterd and Rahm firm, 2002. Temporary work to showcase a new field of study called ‘physiological architecture’. “What does the future of Architecture look like?”

Methodologies: “Physiological architecture”. Architecture no longer simply the expression of the play of light and shade on bodies and materials but attains a physiological dimension.

Conventions: Minimalistic approach. Focused on placement of light and people’s interaction with the whole space.

Spatial Context: 8th Biennale of Architecture, Swiss Pavilion, Venice, Italy. A space for designers and architects to showcase new projects. Floor light size of swimming pool.

Technology: Plexiglas, 528 fluorescent tubes, UV-A and UV-B rays, box-like-chairs for people to sit and floor to walk on.

Audience: Anybody, everybody. Educate people about the notion of interconnectedness of an eco-system.

Works Cited:
Hormonorium. n.d. 8th March 2017. <http://www.philipperahm.com/data/projects/hormonorium/index.html>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu7cSt-HE7g
https://www.youtube.com/watchv=XAJE9zmUMUE
http://kokazone.wixsite.com/cyberempathy/issue5article2
http://www.spatialdesign.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/Introduction-to-Light.pdf

Honor: Week 2/3 Exhibition Research

Sound Box: Swiss Pavilion at Hannover Expo 2000, Germany by Peter Zumthor

This architectural installation is about the senses in particular sounds,words, smell and sight (Surfin, Paul). It is implied to change like a rhythm taking in to consideration the moment, for example the amount of visitors or temperature changes in the weather even down to the smell of the drying wood from the materials used. This exhibition has people access from either side of it as it is completely open.

The installation is made up of a series of  complex wood structures stacked on top of each other similar to that of walls but completely open which allow the elements to pass through between the wood structures. There was no form of glue or screws etc in the creation of the structure, instead just the Swiss origin wooden beams and binding straps with steel springs (Gwizda, Marta). By connecting the materials in such a way it meant that they could be recycled and reused for another purpose after the exhibition (Etherington, Rose). The series of walls form to create a series of pathways and rooms within the structure, allowing for more intimate experiences and resting spaces. Within the exhibition there is also projected Swiss words used to entice and draw in the visitors and encourage them to read and linger in the space longer. Throughtout the duration of the exhibition, there is a series of musicians who alternate regularly creating a constant change in musical style and performance, with the music playing this creates a musical sound experience while exploring the architectural structures, thus the sound box sensory idea.

Agendas, motivations: This art installation was created specifically as part of the Hannover expo, and was based around the idea of recycling and reusing.
Nature: The installation was very organic and original in nature as the materials consisted of wood and were not bolted together so could be reused for another purpose after the exhibition.
Methodologies: For this installation the methodologies were a mixture of performance based and sensory elements. Musicians performed but it was through the structure that the sound box was created and the way it was to built to create sensory elements for the viewer.
spatial context: The spatial context of this installation was ultimately architectural.
Technology: New technology in the method of how the wood was stacked and held together was incorporated, they were connected in such a way that the materials were not damaged therefore could be used for another purpose after the expo had ended.
Audience: The audience was intended to be anyone and everyone, particularly those with an interest in the music being played within, as the audience was invited to linger and enjoy the atmosphere of the space within.  

References:

Surfrin, Paul. “Swiss pavilion at Expo 2000 offers respite from assault on senses.” Swiss info. JUN 1, 2000. Web. 12 March 2017.

Zsolt, Eke. “GEMS OF TIMBER ARCHITECTURE - PAVILIONS OF EXPOS Hungarian pavilion in Sevilla and Swiss pavilion in Hannover.” Szechenyi Istv ´ an University. Date unknown. Web. 12 March 2017.

Gwizda, Marta. “Exemplary project - Swiss Pavilion 'Sound Box' designed by Peter Zumthor.” Student Folio. Date unknown. Web. 12 March 2017.

Franzoia, Elena. “P. Zumthor Swiss Pavilion at Expo 2000 in Hanover.” Floor Nature Architecture and Surfaces. 26 August 2002. Web. 12 March 2017.

Etherington, Rose. “Key projects by Peter Zumthor.” de zeen. 18 April 2009. Web. 12 March 2017.

All images found through Pinterest