On the use of images, metaphors and analogies

On the t8th ofAugust in the year 1787 Goethe wrote from Italy to Knebel: "After what I have seen of plants and fishes by Naples, in Sicily, I would, were I 10 years younger, be possessed to travel to India, not to discover anything new but rather to see the discovered in my own way."

In O.M Ungers fine booklet "Morphologies/City Metaphors" there is a introductory, short text. The text delineates the effect of "Designing and Thinking in Images, Metaphors and Analogies" and extrapolates further on " Image and Perception", "Metaphor", "Models", "Analogies", Signs, symbols and allegories". Try reading a few times while you are at work on your material. The text can be read/dowloaded here, or take to the original that should be available in the studio,  for more visual comparisons.

Re: model and other delineations

Regarding the model: as discussed on wednesday, the model will consist of 5 parts, to form the whole of Sandviken's waterfront. 

The parts will not be complete, as they are to function as (fine) working model(s), to be augmented/adjusted during the next weeks. For the presentation next friday, the models should consist of a bottom plate of plywood (6mm) with added houses/buildings of handcut-out blue styrofoam, renderes with plaster so that they be white ; for those who would like to try, make some samples of buildings/houses in as plaster casts.

The plywood base sould NOT (yet) be covered. The topography (and most of the height differences) will be dealt with the next weeks, according to consensus on what materials to use)

The first image above, delineates the area for the urban assignment for this semester, to be continuoulsy described via various architectural material... >  Sections and elevations in various scales are very welcome.

On the production of material (order & re-shuffeling)

Keep the production of material alive and in flow (remember A4 portrait, A3 landscape); In flow means that the material on the wall(s) is constantly replaced, as there should always be more material than space on the wall.  All material is private (initials on the back) yet simultaneously collective. (it is each group's description of Sandviken). Do not discard anything.

Collect all the materials in folders (black clips with front and back cover of green paper(90-120g).Same greeen collour as the Kull 26 logo on the sudio's blackboard wall. :-) Try figuring out what each folder might be tagged/labelled as. (should be an architectural condition)

For (further) order and other constant collections of material: use the fine Perm svart mapper from TGR - now also in Bergen, available at TGR in Bergen Storsenter, Strømgaten 8 (20 kr. each- actually cheaper than in DK)

More on the manufacture of model in next blogpost. In the mean time: here are some (some blurry) pics from he studio space and the first two days. > click here for dropbox link.

On the beauty of maps and mapping(s)

Here is an embed ofBBC4's fine series on The Beauty of Maps". Enjoy > courtesy of Marius Næss.

On figuring out the past of a place

Not so long ago, Sandviken was quite a different place. One can find out how by investigating the photographic collection of Bergen Univercity Library's picture collection > link here. There is a large on-line collection of Sandviken images on the site. A quick link to some of theses images available here.

On the map(s) of Nolli

When working with maps or mapping any kind of territory or city, one can always consult Nolli.
Check the link here to explore some interactivities. The whole map of Rome is available for viewing at the following site.

On architectural conditions

During the next ten days you have the possibility to capture and then re-present a multitude of architectural conditions on Sandviken. An architectural condition is in many ways subjective, as it, in many ways depends on the viewer, for its definition(s). Yet, simultaneously, discovering these architectural conditions implies that nothing new is invented. One discovers , or re-assesses conditions that have always been there. By making them visible and eventually by giving them a name, of injecting a term to make then even more present. First and foremost the conditions are dealing with SPACE.

Architectural condition can be: (fill in the many gaps)

-     Delineation of territories (in 2D or in 3D) The territories can be in any size and/or shape; They do not need to have any "functions".

-    Interstitial spaces (whatever IS between something(s) and something  (s) other;

-    Spaces delineated by other functionalities that might not be  visible (air space, water space, or things underground)

-    Spaces dependent on seasonal weather conditions

-     …. (fill in the next many lines)
To "capture" the spaces and make them visible, you can also aim at capturing and describing the conditions of the elements, or things, that actually make the space possible.

It is thus about the capture and re-telling of the "stories" of those spaces. Hopefully by next week all groups will have enough material as as to recognise the "site" with a kaleidoscopic eye.

a propos telling "stories": Here is a link to Raymond Queneau  (in danish)

a propos drawing some spaces check out the very subtle works of Emily Hass here.

start of phase ONE

the next two weeks will be the start of your urban assigment: after the fine introduction workshops giving various broader outloooks to the context, we will focus on architectural matters.

the outlook(s) and the material produced will continuously circle around architectural topics and the introductions of basic urban terminologies. at the same time it is also the moment where you have the possibilities to enjoy manuufacturing, reflecting and then share your views of Sandviken.  

during phase one, there will be very little "inventions". it is all about place and context. it is all about being able to convey an understanding of place and space. mostly space, eventually also about  existing actions and events in space. 

follow the blog, as it departs the next few days.(and after)

below are the handout for the assigment and specifics for phase ONE. 

the above (dry) "correlation chart" is from steven holl's pamphlet " edge of a city", from a project for milano. >
link to some pages here.