SELFIE AUTOMATON / curated by Tiberiu Bucșa, Gál Orsolya, Stathis Markopoulos, Adrian Aramă, Oana Matei, Andrei Durloi. Romanian Pavilion at the 2016 Venice Biennale. Image © Laurian Ghinitoiu

As part of ArchDaily’s coverage of the 2016 Venice Biennale, we are presenting a series of articles written by the curators of the exhibitions and installations on show.

The Romanian Pavilion at the 15th International Architecture Exhibition — La Biennale di Venezia showcases “Selfie Automaton”, an exhibition by Tiberiu Bucșa, Gál Orsolya, Stathis Markopoulos, Adrian Aramă, Oana Matei, Andrei Durloi. The exhibition consists of 7 mechanical automata, featuring 42 built in marionetes — 37 human and 5 creatures. Three of the automata will be placed in the Romanian Pavilion in Giardini, another three in the New Gallery of the Romanian Institute of Culture and Humanistic Research, and one nomad that will wander through the streets of Venice.

SELFIE AUTOMATON / curated by Tiberiu Bucșa, Gál Orsolya, Stathis Markopoulos, Adrian Aramă, Oana Matei, Andrei Durloi. Romanian Pavilion at the 2016 Venice Biennale. Image © Laurian Ghinitoiu

Caricatures of characters, fantastic animals, golden eggs, music boxes and mirrored reflections are assembled in predefined show parts that place the visitor on stage, in various positions, as dynamo and puppet in the same time. The authors thus propose a generic portrait of social relations, stereotypes and wishes, broken into pieces, to be reassembled by the user’s imagination, in an introspective self-portrait, or perhaps a selfie. It could be all just entertainment or it can be seen as an absurd show. It raises a few questions, but it certainly does not give answers.

SELFIE AUTOMATON / curated by Tiberiu Bucșa, Gál Orsolya, Stathis Markopoulos, Adrian Aramă, Oana Matei, Andrei Durloi. Romanian Pavilion at the 2016 Venice Biennale. Image © Laurian Ghinitoiu

To define the role that was given to marionettes in the exhibition, the authors of “Selfie Automaton” approached puppetry, where it is common for the manipulator to play with the meanings and possibilities of control. One is that the marionette can, and should, cross the usual human limits, of gravity for example, as it can jump and remain suspended. Another, to a tragic extreme, is to let it become aware of its manipulator and cut, or not, its own strings. Still, no such possibilities of escape were used for the installations. Even though constructed with the necessary joints that would allow them the “freedom of movement”, the wooden puppets are unstrung and literally nailed into a mechanism that allows them nothing but one predefined repetitive movement. And the visitor is no exception. Seated as part of the automaton, he is given one choice only: to make it work, by his own repetitive action.

SELFIE AUTOMATON / curated by Tiberiu Bucșa, Gál Orsolya, Stathis Markopoulos, Adrian Aramă, Oana Matei, Andrei Durloi. Romanian Pavilion at the 2016 Venice Biennale. Image © Laurian Ghinitoiu

Consequently, the comfortable bipolar stereotype of the manipulated (us) and the manipulator (them) – most often placing people’ actions at one end of the string, as humble and direct consequences of an unexplained exterior force responsible for them – is replaced by a system of closed choices, built in a series of automata. The exhibition takes these two directions further, by positioning the visitor in various relations with its objects of entertainment and himself, from leaving him the comfort or discomfort of the distant observer, up to making him a giant ballerina in a micro banquet, a victim of a Kafka-like commission, or a beggar of wishes.

SELFIE AUTOMATON / curated by Tiberiu Bucșa, Gál Orsolya, Stathis Markopoulos, Adrian Aramă, Oana Matei, Andrei Durloi. Romanian Pavilion at the 2016 Venice Biennale. Image © Laurian Ghinitoiu

Handles and pedals make the various shows possible, when provided with one human power. An apparent system of gearwheels transmit the motion to cyclical scenes: a bicycle is moving a circle dance, a cooking pot generates a “grand buffet”, a crank awakens a commission or a never ending fight, a turning handle moves a golden sh, a golden hen, or a flying bird – prisoner outside its cage.

SELFIE AUTOMATON / curated by Tiberiu Bucșa, Gál Orsolya, Stathis Markopoulos, Adrian Aramă, Oana Matei, Andrei Durloi. Romanian Pavilion at the 2016 Venice Biennale. Image © Laurian Ghinitoiu

“Selfie Automaton” reflects on the characters and actions embodied by the puppets that are nothing but dispersed parts of our own and can be combined or split, in search of a self-portrait, be it of an architect or of anyone else.

What remains, still, is the question of predetermined patterns. Whether they really exist, whether we are part of them, their victims or their generators. 

SELFIE AUTOMATON / curated by Tiberiu Bucșa, Gál Orsolya, Stathis Markopoulos, Adrian Aramă, Oana Matei, Andrei Durloi. Romanian Pavilion at the 2016 Venice Biennale. Image © Laurian Ghinitoiu

Exhibition concept: Tiberiu Bucșa, Gál Orsolya, Stathis Markopoulos, Adrian Aramă
Puppet design and construction: Stathis Markopoulos, Gál Orsolya, Tiberiu Bucșa, Andrei Durloi,
Perényi Flóra, Oana Matei
Automata design and construction: Stathis Markopoulos, Kostis Zamaiakis
Painting: Adrian Aramă
Visuals: Ana Botezatu
Photography: Dacian Groza
Texts: Dana Vais, Stathis Markopoulos, Tiberiu Bucșa Stories: Ada Milea, Cristi Rusu
Website: Dan Burzo
Design: Raymond Bobar
Communication & PR: Ina Drăgan, Ada Teslaru

Project management: Tiberiu Bucșa, Corina Bucea
Project detailing: Tiberiu Bucșa, Perényi Flóra, Oana Matei Carpentry: Yannis Tsioutas, Aggelos Romantzis
Fantastic animals: Alexis Papachatzis
Curtains: Elmaloglou family
Metal works: Anastasios Kotsiopoulos
Tapestry works: Victoria Berbecar (Giardini), Creș Ana and Titieni Are a (RCI)
Collaborators: Jácint Virág, András Vernes, Árpád Debreczeni, Konstantis Mizaras, Konstantina Mandrali
Print: Fabrik

Commissioner: Attila Kim
Representative of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Romanian Cultural Institute:
Cristian Alexandru Damian

Initiated by
Plus Minus Association, Romania

Organized by
The Romanian Ministry of Culture
The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Romanian Cultural Institute Architects Union of Romania 

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© ZhongNing

• Architects: ATA
• Location: Riverside Park, Tongling, Anhui, China
• Architect In Charge: LiZhu, Wang Jia Jun
• Design Team: ATA studio, Architects & Engineers Co. , LTD of Southeast University
• Area: 500.0 sqm
• Project Year: 2014
• Photographs: ZhongNing

© ZhongNing

From the architect. This project is a library built on an abandoned quay by the riverside. The library is an important part of the riverside park that was converted from an industrial wharf.The purpose of the library is not only to provide a place to read books and viewing for people, but also to preserve the historical memory of the place.

© ZhongNing

The quay was constructed of rubble and concrete. It is 40 meters long and 14 meters wide. We designed a 32*14 meters steel structure which is supported by 6 reinforced concrete columns on the quay. At the bottom of the building, there is the quay space.

© ZhongNing

In the middle of the building, there is the reading room of the library. On the top of the building, there is the platform that could see the whole riverside. The rough rubble，hard steel and soft bamboo which reflect the Chinese’s natural view at this moment..

© ZhongNing

Through a sloping ramp enter the library reading room. In the patio nearby the main entrance, there is a steel stair which is connected with the quay. On the other side of the building, some of the wooden steps leading up to the roof were arranged on the sloping lawns.

© ZhongNing

The interior space of the library is surrounded by three bookshelf walls. The desks are closed to the bookshelf walls.

© ZhongNing

People can see the river through the window. Inside the bookshelf enclosure, there is a ladder shape reading space. The ceiling of the ladder shape space is a bamboo device — “The upside-down landscape”. It shakes gently in the breeze. It looks like a symbol of Chinese humanistic philosophy.

© ZhongNing

Sections

© ZhongNing

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Courtesy of Bean Buro

• Architects: Bean Buro
• Location: Cape Mansions Block B, 56-62 Mount Davis Rd, Mount Davis, Hong Kong
• Design Director: Lorène Faure, Kenny Kinugasa-Tsui
• Project Year: 2016
• Photographs: Courtesy of Bean Buro

• Architectural Assistant: Katherine Leung, Aimee Daniels, Michelle Ho
• Contractor / Project Management: R&C Engineering Co. Ltd

Courtesy of Bean Buro

From the architect. Bean Buro has gutted the internal walls of the three bedrooms apartment of approximately 2,000sqft to transform a dark corridor layout into a light filled open space. The project is located in Cape Mansions Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.

Courtesy of Bean Buro

The brief was to create a fresh and calm space that feels natural as a seaside apartment for a Belgian-Chinese couple.

Exploded Axonometric

The concept was to remove all dead spaces by removing as much partitions as possible by using a series of foldable partitions to create flexible zoning. A hobbies room can be partitioned as a private guest room with a sofa bed, or remained opened up for most of the time to allow maximum natural daylight filtering through the apartment.

Courtesy of Bean Buro

High quality natural European Belgian timber washed with a contemporary tone was used to construct all joinery and flooring. A set of full height timber cabinets with a delicate pattern of display niches begin from the entrance and extends deep into the rear of the open kitchen, creating a continuous backdrop by linking the foyer lounge, dinning area and kitchen together. The timber cabinets provide high density storages, such as shoe racks, kitchenware, equipments, as well as a walk in wardrobe for outdoor sport gears and bicycles. Some of the cabinets contain beautiful objects, including antique western history books and contemporary Chinese art.

Exploded Axonometric

The full height timber cabinets are carefully designed with intricate shadow gaps and grooves to create a playful pattern. The previous corridor effect has been completely removed. The new opened up space allow a volumetric timber bookcase to fold into the circulation way before transforming into a work study. The bookcase is a curated display of art and antiques. Full height mirrors are lined at the windows bays to extend the panoramic view of the ocean, maximising natural daylight into the deepest spaces of the apartment. Roller blinds can be controlled electronically, and scene lighting control is used to create a range of atmospheres throughout the day to correspond to the changing colours of the horizon.

Courtesy of Bean Buro

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Courtesy of Bourne Blue Architecture

• Architects: Bourne Blue Architecture
• Location: Newcastle NSW, Australia
• Area: 3414.0 sqm
• Project Year: 2016
• Photographs: Courtesy of Bourne Blue Architecture

• Builder: PDA Constructions
• Engineer (Civil And Structural): Izzat pty ltd
• Electrical: EPA
• Hydraulic: McCallum Hydraulics Landscape – Tessa Rose
• Site Area: 3414 sqm
• External Play Area: 1032 sqm
• Floor Area: 639 sqm

Courtesy of Bourne Blue Architecture

From the architect. Garden Suburb Early Learning Centre is located in a suburb of Newcastle, NSW, Australia. This 94 place childcare centre, was designed to sit comfortably within a residential area, with a street presence that was compatible in scale with the vicinity. The centre caters for 24 children aged 0-2 years, 30 children aged 2 to 3 years and 40 children aged 3-5 years. The centre is divided into 4 components, Admin / Entry, Nursery, Toddler and Preschool.

Courtesy of Bourne Blue Architecture

The buildings are positioned so as to conceal the carparking from the street, as well as enable some mature eucalypt trees to be retained in the playground. Each age group is split into two rooms, which share bathroom, storage, changing facilities. The older children are accommodated at the rear of the block, with ready access to a large playground, the babies are at the front of the block, with direct access to a flat, North facing, purpose designed play area. Disabled access is provided throughout the buildings, and an elevated ramp connects the toddler area to the preschool area, by projecting out over the playground, providing an entertaining runway for children.

Courtesy of Bourne Blue Architecture

Plan / Section

Courtesy of Bourne Blue Architecture

The roof forms strike strong horizontal lines and each of the 4 components are set at differing heights, depending on ventilation or daylighting requirements. All rooms have extensive passive ventilation and good winter sun penetration. External shaded areas are provided by extending roof forms in an integrated way. The horizontality of the roof forms create a counterpoint to the mature trees that are visible rising above the buildings. The existing vegetation is also referenced, by the spotted gum cladding on each of the buildings.

Courtesy of Bourne Blue Architecture

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Courtesy of Graphicworld / Shutterstock.com

Have you ever had a conflict with a client over being paid for a file? Have you also been out of free space on your dedicated FTP? The dispute scenario often leads to architects being shortchanged for their work. But, a new cloud sharing platform might mean the end of an era of intractable conflicts. Fileship.io promises a system that leaves the architects and other members of the creative economy in control. The simple idea behind the website is that a client’s files are locked behind a paywall, meaning that in order to gain access designers must be compensated. The platform also doesn’t rely on predetermined limits to server space, a scenario that often makes architects err on the side of leniency in order to load newer work on their FTP. Put simply by fileship.io, “You get paid. They get their file.”

Testimonials:

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This is a really cool idea for freelancers. Lock your deliverables behind a pay wall. https://t.co/niS9ATdXgr

— Morgan Allan Knutson (@morganknutson) March 4, 2016

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Feel safe in the knowledge you get paid for your creative work by sending files through https://t.co/bj9i6om02Z

— Si Jobling (@Si) March 7, 2016

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Courtesy of BURKETTDESIGN

• Architects: BURKETTDESIGN
• Location: United States, Denver, CO, USA
• Design Team: Ben Niamthet, Project Designer ; Barton Harris, AIA, Principal & Project Manager ; Rieko Ishiwata, AIA, Project Architect
• Area: 5258.0 ft2
• Project Year: 2014
• Photographs: Courtesy of BURKETTDESIGN

• General Contractor: GH Phipps Construction Companies, Centennial, CO
• Structural Engineer & Enclosure Consultan: Studio NYL Structural Engineers & The Skins Group, Boulder, CO (Project Team: Christopher O’Hara, P.E. | Will Babbington, P.E. AIA)
• Mechanical: BCER Engineering
• Civil Engineer: Carroll & Lange-Manhard
• Total Project Cost: $6M usd
• Client: Denver Botanic Gardens (Brian Vogt, CEO)

Courtesy of BURKETTDESIGN

From the architect. The Science Pyramid is located in the south central portion of the Gardens’ York Street location. Defined by pools of water on the south and west sides, a depressed amphitheater to the northeast, and the El Pomar Waterway to the east, the building’s site selection assures 360-degree sightlines when viewed from the rest of the Gardens.Designed to respond to its surrounding environment while bringing a sense of scale appropriate to the site without dominating surrounding elements, the building rests on a square geometric platform from which it risesnearly 34feet to its ultimate shape of a pyramid. The Pyramid is also diagonally divided into two sections and pulled apart slightly to create a visual connection along a diagonal axis with the existing Four Towers water feature on the southwest corner. The Pyramid’s entry from the El Pomar Waterway, leads visitors to and from the building along a tranquil pool of water defined by tall vertical walls on each side. At the entryway, the building’s skin is raised, forming an eyebrow over the threshold along the east façade. 

Biomimicry was the dominant theme guiding the development and formation of the Science Pyramid’s design concept. Like a form emerging from the earth, the building portrays a dynamic, spiraling movement that symbolizes how tectonic plates push upward to create something brand new—in this case, giving way to a building that holds new life and knowledge at the Gardens. To further the concept, its building envelope or skin, imitates nature by shielding itself with hexagonal-shaped honeycomb cladding designed to protect the interior from rain, snow and wind, as is the nature of a beehive. The interior space and exhibits inform visitors to see the world of plants through a scientific lens.

Courtesy of BURKETTDESIGN

In response, Denver Botanic Gardens’ request for an iconic Science Pyramid to showcase their science work and a number of broader concepts such as global climate change, the Burkett Design team responded with a pyramid that mixes glazed and opaque systems. Further, rather than propose a conventional four-sided pyramid structure, the form was split and tweaked to respond to the Gardens’ circulation corridors, incredible surrounding landscape and daylight. Stretching the form also provided space for important functional requirements such as mechanical systems. Much like how the sides of a pyramid lean on each other allowing it to perform like a three-dimensional three-pin arch, the Science Pyramid’s faceted sides meet at the “spine,” a glazed ribbon of skylights cutting diagonally through the building’s footprint. The skin of the building derives its geometry from early structural concepts using hexagonal shapes derived from honeycombs to establish rigid diaphragms.

Floor Plan

The Pyramid’s technologically advanced, high performance skin (façade), designed by Studio NYL, is clad in four-foot-wide hexagonal-shaped ventilated Swisspearl fiber-cement panels that mimic the geometric efficiency of nature’s wax honeycombs. Thirty panels feature photovoltaic collectors tasked with gathering energy for interior exhibits. In addition, the central portion of the structure and multiple glass portholes are constructed of electrochromic glass, which adjusts in opacity from clear to 97 percent opaque throughout the day, based on solar intensity, or at the flip of a switch as the building’s program requires. At sundown, the windows lighten to reveal the building’s colorful interior exhibits and exterior flora nearby.

Courtesy of BURKETTDESIGN

The Science Pyramid has four layers to its structure and shell. The first layer, or primary structure consists of steel pipe elements which lean and balance themselves onto the “spine” of the building as noted above. The structure provides for a column-free interior to the “pyramid” and a primary structure that sheds all the vertical and lateral loads on it through flexure and axial loads through the pipe members. To avoid the costly and difficult to fabricate “fishmouthed” joints, the pipes with “T” and “K” intersections are square cut with simple “H” and “A” shaped connection elements, which saved considerable cost and schedule.

Section

The secondary structure is composed of six-inch hollow square structural shapes and six-inch light gage studs specifically arranged to meet the cladding systems geometry. It is also supported by slender rods to permit the ceiling to float over the primary pipe structural members.  

Courtesy of BURKETTDESIGN

The final two layers make up the Pyramid’s technologically advanced skin (façade), designed by Studio NYL. A continuous layer of rigid insulation sits outboard of the secondary structure with an air barrier system directly adhered to it. The building is clad in four-foot-wide hexagonal-shaped ventilated Swisspearl fiber-cement panels that mimic the geometric efficiency of nature’s wax honeycombs. They are mounted to a rail system held above the insulation and weather barrier with fiber reinforced polymer fasteners that thermally separate the outer skin from the interior structure.

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© Edmund Sumner

• Architects: Tadao Ando Architect and Associates
• Location: Puerto Escondido, Oax., México
• Local Architect: J. Alfonso Quiñones, Joaquin Castillo
• Taaa Team: Alex Iida
• Baaq Team: Luis Muñoz, Daniel Barragan, Guillermo Mauricio, David Serrano, Angeles Rubio, Alfredo Nader, Alejandro Nuñez, Emiliano Aivar, Inca Hernandez, Isabel Bezies, Alfonso Sodi
• Project Area: 250000.0 m2
• Photographs: Edmund Sumner

• Interiors: DECADA / Lucia Corredor
• Construction: Silvestre Vega, Hermelindo Dominguez, Jose Ramirez
• Advisors: Juan Sodi, Salvador Diaz de Leon, Victor Raygoza
• Structural Design: IESSA / Javier Ribe, Alfredo Adame
• Ironworks: Enedino Barragan
• Building Services: Miguel Angel Dorantes, Sergio Vega, Antonio Esparza
• Palapas: Alejandro Sanjines
• Framing: Javier Gomez, Ruben Dario, Josue Vazquez

© Edmund Sumner

Wabi House is a project by architect Tadao Ando, where BAAQ’ collaborated as associate architect on the development of the executive project and construction coordination.

© Edmund Sumner

Plan

© Edmund Sumner

It is located on the coast of Oaxaca 30 minutes from the city of Puerto Escondido on a site of 25 hectares.

© Edmund Sumner

Wabi House is a foundation created by the artist Bosco Sodi which aims to promote the exchange of ideas between artists of various disciplines and local communities.

Section

© Edmund Sumner

All spaces in Wabi House have been designed to accentuate the landscape of the area. Facilities include six private bedrooms, two shared studies, a multipurpose room, a screening room, an exhibition gallery, a sculpture garden and multiple recreational areas.

© Edmund Sumner

“Wabi” is derived from the Japanese wabi sabi, a concept designating an aesthetic ideal or way of life that finds beauty in imperfection, impermanence, accident and depth of nature.

Diagram

© Edmund Sumner

© Edmund Sumner

The entire project was built in exposed concrete under architect Tadao Ando’s quality guidelines and traditional palapas from the coast.

© Edmund Sumner

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Courtesy of Tomorrow

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), in collaboration with Entasis Arkitekter, has released new images of Karlatornet, a 230-meter tower project in Gothenburg, Sweden. Selected by jury in 2014, the tower is scheduled for completion in 2019, and will be Sweden’s tallest building. The project is part of Lindholmen, a new district being built adjacent to the city’s harbor. The full plan – ten blocks of office, retail, and residential space – is slated for completion in 2021, to coincide with Gothenburg’s 400th anniversary.

Courtesy of Tomorrow

Courtesy of Tomorrow

When announced in 2014, the jury described the intent for the competition as “[to] demonstrate how the skyscraper can be integrated into the structure of the neighborhood,” adding that “the building should be a part of the area’s social and architectural context, not stand as a solitary monolith.” Advancing the goals of the competition, Karlatornet will provide a variety of residential arrangements, including those for singles, couples, and large families, as well as social spaces, such as a roof-top terrace, hotel bar, and points of access to the surrounding street life, shops, and restaurants.

Courtesy of Tomorrow

Courtesy of Tomorrow

The urban plan for the area, being designed by Entasis, was described by the jury in 2014 as “safe and well thought-out” with interstitial spaces “[handling] connections admirably, both north-south and east-west, creating meeting points and spaciousness in a way that encourages outdoor gatherings.”

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