Context
Southbank Central, which looks like a piling of blocks, resembles favela somehow.
If the building is examined closely, there is a box-type of empty space, which seems to be cut off from the long tunnel. This structure, neither a window nor a door, seems like to be ready to overgrow.
(I believed this space would be interesting if it becomes a public screen, a small stage for the audience to act, or a bungee jump.) There are lots of events take place outside the building, as well as inside. Exhibition, concert, movies, etc, are usually considered as activities take place inside of the building. However, Southbank Central hosts various events outside by making the building itself as a stage. (See below for detail.)
A hard and cold concrete emphasizes those events and exhibitions, as a red color in black background is easier to distinguish than a red color in rainbow background. The building is becoming a blank paper, and numerous events take place on this blank paper. Arts is something that can be coexist with our everyday lives on a street that we walk or wait, rather than something that is fixed at a certain locations or hanging on the wall like a frame.
Program
As discussed above, Southbank Central has hosted numerous events outside the building. Why did the building do so? Is it because there is insufficient space inside the building to host exhibitions or performances? Of course, lack of space can be a reason. However, when it is considered essentially, the reason for hosting events outside may be efforts “to show and to share.” I have counted people passing by the Festival Hall for 10 minutes; 68 peoples passed by the street in front of the Festival Hall. Then, I turned toward the Festival Hall and counted how many of people went inside of the Hall for 10 minutes; 9 people went inside. By excluding 10% of those people who were counted multiple times and who were exiting the building after the performance, there were 59 people passed by the Festival Hall, 9 people went inside. Thus, there were approximately 16% of people who passed by the street went inside. Outside events are basically open to everyone who passes by the building. People who pass by the building stop for a moment and see what is going on. Therefore, because South Central is located in heavily floated population area, the effect of outside events becomes greater. The extension of the performance, demolishing inside and outside, and provide an experience of “openness,” is the major performance of this building
Site research
Minimalism, a combined word of “minimal” meaning the least and “ism,” is believed to achieve a reality by minimizing the techniques and revision while concentrates on expressing the core because the difference between the reality and the work becomes minimal. (South Central seems like to be built on minimalism.)
There is a trend to remove all the unnecessary factors of the subject in painting and sculpture. As a result, a simple type of art works, which uses minimal colors to express a geometrical skeleton, has become a mainstream; one example can be works by Donald Judd, who is also an art theorist. I believe a phrase “minimizing the difference between the reality and the works” starts from “an experience” of touching, feeling, controlling the works directly. Among his works, box, which focuses on experience of space, is quite interesting. (Dancing and reading in the box makes the box completely different place.) As discussed above, you can find a box-shape space in South Central.
I have considered changing a simple “box” space into a place where people can “experience” something new. Of course, I would like to focus on the space rather than the box-shape. If so, how can people “experience” the space? If you hang a frame on a white wall, the white space in the frame is no longer a part of the wall. Exist in same time and same place, but experience the different space.
First of all, I would like to discuss the ways to change the space so that it can lead people to experience something different.
- Express the space (or a portion of the building) into the different space (focusing on experience) by using lights, illumination, shadows, etc.
- Recently, 3D is getting a spotlight. Therefore, lots of products related to 3D movies, TV, CAMERA… are rushed into the market. People want dynamic and stereoscopic vision.
Next
About a space built a light
I thought about making a stage outside the building by using lights instantly, and when there is a performance, making it more dynamic space by waving the light as to different sounds, and emphasizing each work by making frames by using lights in exhibitions. Therefore, I would like to research about making a space by using lights.
- Illuminated cubes, visual effects and electronic beats: these are the ingredients of the Kubik temporary open air clubs in Berlin and Barcelona. The dynamic space, light and sound sculpture is based on standard industrial liquid storage tanks. The incorporation of a
light bulb turns the plastic tanks into giant luminaires, which can be stacked and arranged to form objects of varying sizes and shapes.
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- Framed by Seoul’s skyline this enormous temporary chandelier created the central event space called “May Palace” for the festival program for one week-
- Keyword: stereoscopic, a stage built by lights, temporary extension of the building, speed, curve
