“The diagram, a complex notation that meditates between the traditions of the past and the possible future.” P. Eisenman
I’m interested in the notion of the changes of architecture over time. Changes in architecture apply at all scales, from changing your dining room table to the change of Louis XIV’s main entrance. The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris went from religious gatherings to a crowd of tourists. The architecture was used to gather the believers and attract more of them in order to gain power. Now it seems to be appreciated more as an architecture object.
We are not able to define how architecture will hold with society’s changes. The architectural elements are still present, studied by academia and appreciated by large groups but the intentions have evolved.
The diagram is interesting but only one can make them up with their imagination but the accuracy is uncertain. I don’t believe it’s a good or bad phenomenon but maybe an interesting thought for architects to sometime let go of all the will to control all aspects of architecture.
We are often taught to think about the possible future of our designs, however there’s great beauty in the unexpected outcomes, and they are individual to each one of us. For instance, the Museum of Modern Art of Sao Paulo, designed by Lina Bo Bardi, is monumental for its “absence of space” under the concrete span. It has become a space of gathering for the whole community, a market, a concert hall and a central point for the city.
Spaces and voids become personal. They change depending on the people, over time and by purpose. There are unexpected consequences. For instance, Versailles’s main attraction is the Castle. However, I have fonder memories of La Place du Marché. It becomes a big market on Sundays, but mostly a space of interaction. During the week it becomes a space of gathering, a spot for lunch breaks and kids to play around. I believe it is important to design thinking about the possible futures but also important to embrace that we might not be able to control everything and the beauty that comes with.
Santiago 