Postmodernism, means more expensive more technology?
I have been to Koolhaas designed New CCTV building and slept one night at the bottom of the cantilever structure . What I want to say is that: "So expensive, and heavy duty ". Chinese spent so much money on this. They used more steel than regular skyscraper. You can see the first picture, they built a steel model to figure out how thousands of steels were connected with each other. And they spend millions of RMB and asked my professor to test the vibration of this huge cantilever under transportation loads. I think if we don't have technologies to support, postmodernism is just expensive.
The third picture is a collage I drew for my New York Dumbo project. I think there are some connection with postmodernism, more interaction, more diversity, and more fun. I like this kind of way of living. But if there is no lighter structure, no more cheaper transportation, it is not that fun. I read some science fiction that people live in the giant trees and their house is the leaves of the tree, and they can fly to their houses. But all of these depend on high technology.
I totally agree with that technology is important for architecture. Sometime, technology is a good way to solve the problem. Just like Maison à Bordeaux designed by OMA. They combined the elevator with the studio together to make it more convenience for the disabled host. The technology and the creative idea are both important in this project.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that technology play an important role for architecture for the society lately, without the technology, postmodernism maybe just an expensive dream for architect.
ReplyDeleteAny sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. What if you think that this sort of expensive building is also a force to push the technology forward.
ReplyDeleteWe are always winning and losing with technology. Experimenting with the possibilities technology has to offer sometimes comes at great cost, and sometimes it is the architect's ego that comes in the way. Lack of standardization and structures that try to defy gravity are going to be very expensive and use a lot of steel. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWhen we think about an ideology, we should not be constrained by COST and TECHNOLOGY.
ReplyDelete"The horse is here to stay but the automobile is only a novelty - a fad." - The president of the Michigan Savings Bank advising Henry Ford's lawyer, Horace Rackham, not to invest in the Ford Motor Co. in 1903. But we all know what happened then.
Time always goes forward and so do the technologies. With technologies developing, the cost will not remain being an obstacle for spreading the it to the public. So it's more like to make a thought experiment. Will this building a good example for now and the future?