Close Up Exhibition

Los Angeles, CA

This large scale, prototype building section of our Guggenheim, Helsinki project was created as part of the exhibition organized by Hernan Diaz Alonso and David Ruy entitled Close-Up in SCI-Arc’s main gallery. Our project is a structural study of a dense pack of steel conoid tubes to create an exoskeleton structure that behaves in catenary compression for efficient long span conditions – a post digital, conceptual continuation of Gaudi’s research. Sometimes hidden and sometimes exposed, the interior and exterior surface of the envelope both reveals and hides the structure. GFRC panels on the exterior have the capacity for taught surfaces with both compound curvature and sharp seams. In this museum, apertures are restricted but where desired they create a variety of textures on the taut surfaces. Although this was a researching of new structural technologies, ironically this large scale (1:25) prototype was a handcrafted object with over 140 pieces constructed by many dedicated, talented hands.

The exhibition participants included: Nurit Bar-Shai / Nurit Bar-Shai Studio; Ben van Berkel & Caroline Bos / UNStudio; Neil M. Denari / Neil M. Denari Architects; John Enright & Margaret Griffin / Griffin Enright Architects; Frank Gehry / Gehry Partners; Ferda Kolatan & Erich Schoenenberger / su11 architecture+design; Greg Lynn / Greg Lynn FORM; Steven Ma / Xuberance; Elena Manferdini / Atelier Manferdini; Thom Mayne / Morphosis; Lucy McRae / Lucy McRae Studio; Dwayne Oyler & Jenny Wu / Oyler Wu Collaborative; Marcelo Spina & Georgina Huljich / P-A-T-T-E-R-N-S; Theodore Spyropoulos & Stephen Spyropoulos / Minimaforms; Tom Wiscombe / Tom Wiscombe Architecture; Michael Young & Kutan Ayata / Young & Ayata.

More information can be found at: sciarc.edu/events/exhibitions/close-up/