This post is a reflection of the feedback we received after our mid semester critique.
Scheme: Harnessing anxiety through surveillance
Brief Overview of Presentation
The approach that our group took was through harnessing anxiety through surveillance. As discussed previously, this can be achieved with varying levels of porosity through the performance space.
As seen through the precedents, we aimed to achieve porosity through the arrangement of functions across the site as well as through semi permeable walls. These porous walls followed the path through the site to allow viewers to see through the building into the porous rehearsal spaces to induce anxiety within the performers. However the further into the building you go, the porosity decreases providing quiet rehearsal spaces for performers.
Using field architecture to help us arrange spaces within the site helped us achieve greater porosity and more public interaction within the space. The grid like exterior surface provided the element porosity to be carried out throughout the performance space while tying it all together.
The stone massing study and site map show the field architecture arrangement of functions according to their porosity. While the section drawing shows the anxiety gradient within the space.
Critics Feedback
After presenting these ideas to the critics we received some feedback on the approach we took of using porosity to induce varying levels of stress and anxiety.
However they encouraged us to reduce the amount of porosity in the rehearsal space by hinting it in some places. This could be achieved through creating slits in spaces as seen in the oil painting or through gaps underneath walls where the dancers feet are only visible. An example of John Pawson's cake shop was given where only one element of the space is revealed. As seen in the photo below, the cake shop has only one cake on display while the rest of the store front is covered in translucent glass which creates a misty, hazy background for the cake.
Another idea given was that of a translucent ceiling where the feet of those walking above you can be seen partially. This really appealed to us and I therefore modelled and presented it to the class as a 'moment' image.
After thinking about the comments, we decided to include more misty elements in our space using frosted or translucent glass. This is would create diffused light throughout the space creating a light and airy atmosphere. I found this really intriguing because by eliminating shadows, you eliminate a presence as to me a shadow is a presence. As such, another idea was to illuminate the floor like a light box which would capture the smoky atmosphere on stage.
One of the critics also encouraged us to integrate the movement of a performer into the design of the space as seen in Wilkinson Eyre's Royal Ballet School where the bridge that connects the two buildings was inspired by the movement of a ballerina. Another example given was that of ANZAS dance studio by Yoshimasa Tsutsumi.
We were also given the concept of the double slit experiment, where the mere act of observing changes the predicted outcome of a light wave. This we thought could be applied to the exterior and interior appearance and atmosphere of the space, where what's expected is not what's always the case.
The contrast between inside and outside is something we'd like to experiment with, as this unexpected is another factor that induces stress and anxiety.
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