Architecture News

Artist Carsten Höller is the subject of a new film, despite his initial reservations. Over an eighteen-month period, the documentary crew trailed him from Venice to London, Arles, and the Fondation Beyeler near Basel. Notable figures such as Hans Ulrich Obrist, Jürgen Teller, Maja Hoffmann, India Mahdavi, and Bas Smets joined him, alongside an unusual companion: the colossal Polaroid 20x24, recognized as the world's largest instant camera.

This twenty-minute documentary, presented by The Polaroid Foundation as part of 'The 20x24 Project,' offers an engaging and humorous look into Höller's artistic domain through the interactive experiences detailed in his 'Book of Games.' Participants engage in simple yet profound experiments, such as hair-pulling, walking, posing, and other small acts. Höller's primary interest lies in observing the shifts that occur once individuals commit to these playful encounters. The massive Polaroid 20x24 plays a central role, its large-format photographs transforming the act of instant photography into a significant event. The project amasses a collection of portraits and moving images, capturing specific instances from Höller’s experiments on a scale that defies the typical, handheld instant photo.

The journey eventually delves into more personal territory, as Höller welcomes the crew to his Stockholm home, where an aviary housing approximately seventy birds resides. They also visit the rooftop of Moderna Museet and Brutalisten, his concept restaurant focused on dishes created from a single core ingredient. The group's adventures further lead them to the Camargue region of France for what the film refers to as a 'sad bird-watching' excursion. Höller has long used games to disrupt conventional behaviors and perceptions, and his 2024 publication, 'Book of Games,' compiles these experiments into accessible instructions. These activities range from social and psychological to deliberately whimsical, aiming to push participants towards extreme states of joy or fear by removing the neutral middle ground. Through these games, traditional distinctions between portraits, interviews, experiments, and jokes blur, with each photograph serving as proof of an event, and the game itself creating the environment for that event to unfold. Despite his initial reluctance, the accumulating footage ultimately paints a revealing portrait of Höller himself—his friends, his birds, his enduring curiosities, and the elaborate scenarios he continually devises to witness human reactions.

This documentary is a profound exploration of human interaction and perception through the lens of artistic play. By observing people's willingness to engage in simple yet unconventional games, it highlights the transformative power of art to uncover deeper truths about ourselves and our environment. Höller's work encourages us to step outside our comfort zones, embrace vulnerability, and find joy and insight in unexpected places, fostering a richer understanding of human nature and our collective experience.

Collectif MAGMA's 'What the Stones Whisper' project introduces a distinctive architectural intervention in Lunano, Italy, with a six-meter-tall timber tower. This creation stands as a contemporary reinterpretation of the region's enduring stone towers and scattered historical structures. Constructed over two weeks for the Fe.M – Festival di Microarchitettura, the installation showcases ingenuity through its limited material use, self-assembly methodology, and a repetitive structural design. The resulting lightweight landmark is thoughtfully positioned along a local walking path, inviting engagement and reflection.

The installation's dynamic design also extends to its interaction with the surrounding environment. The movable timber envelope creates an ever-changing interplay of light and shadow within the tower's interior, while also allowing the natural elements of air and sound to filter through. This thoughtful integration of movement and sensory experience offers a unique perspective on the landscape, seamlessly blending the modern structure with Lunano's rich historical context. The project exemplifies a harmonious dialogue between innovation and tradition, creating a temporary yet impactful presence.

Reimagining Traditional Architecture with Innovative Timber Structures

In Lunano, Italy, Collectif MAGMA has erected a six-meter-tall timber tower named 'What the Stones Whisper,' offering a modern perspective on the area's ancient stone architecture. This installation, conceived and built within two weeks for the Fe.M – Festival di Microarchitettura, demonstrates an economical and efficient construction approach. It utilizes a modest amount of timber, self-build techniques, and a standardized structural system, culminating in a light yet prominent landmark that complements the local walking routes. The project stands as a testament to how contemporary design can respectfully engage with historical contexts, creating something both new and deeply rooted in its surroundings.

The tower's design incorporates eight triangulated timber frames, meticulously crafted from 50 × 60 mm pine battens, assembled using recurring connections and bracing. A key feature is its facade, composed of ten layers of timber shingles suspended by jute ropes, designed to create a non-continuous outer shell that gently sways with the wind. This dynamic envelope continuously alters the light and shadow patterns projected within, while simultaneously allowing the passage of air and sound, thereby crafting a multi-sensory environment. The structure rests on a subtle timber foundation, largely hidden beneath the ground, further emphasizing its seamless integration into the landscape. This ingenious use of materials and construction methods by Collectif MAGMA offers a temporary yet profound reinterpretation of the region's robust stone architecture.

Sensory Engagement through a Movable Timber Envelope

The interior experience of 'What the Stones Whisper' is designed to be immersive, with two narrow entryways strategically framing picturesque views of the surrounding hills. As visitors step inside, the progressively upward-leading structural frames subtly guide their gaze towards the sky, enhancing the sense of ascent and connection with the vastness above. The tower's movable shingles play a crucial role in shaping the internal atmosphere, constantly shifting to create an evolving acoustic and visual tapestry. This dynamic interplay of elements ensures that each visit offers a unique and memorable encounter with the structure and its environment.

Built by a dedicated team of amateur constructors, the creation of this tower involved a two-phase process: initial fabrication of the timber frames and shingle modules in an open-air workshop, followed by on-site assembly. This approach underscores a commitment to accessible construction methods and community involvement. Collectif MAGMA's design philosophy for this project is rooted in the principles of repetition, lightweight construction, and a responsive, movable envelope. By employing these techniques, the installation offers a fresh, transient reinterpretation of the inherent permanence often associated with the region's traditional stone architecture, inviting contemplation on the nature of architectural legacy and innovation.