NeoNatures Thesis by Abigail Whitelow

41 Pages·2015·3.16 MB·English

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Neo:Natures
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Abigail Whitelow
University of Greenwich
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Neo:Natures
Abigail Whitelow
University of Greenwich
Contents
Contents 3
Research Methodology 4
Introduction 6
1. Neo:Natures of Art Nouveau 11
1.1 Origins 12
1.2 Technologies 18
1.3 Discoveries in Biology 22
1.4 Eugene Viollet le Duc 26
1.5 Hector Guimard: Paris 30
1.6 Vienna Secessionist 34
Conclusion: Key Virtues and Analyse of Art Nouveau 38
2. Neo:Natures of Digital Nouveau 39
2.1 Origins 40
2.2 Technologies 44
2.3 Discoveries in Biology 48
2.4 Greg Lynn 52
2.5 Henan Diaz Alonso 56
2.6 Mark Foster Gage 62
Conclusion 66
Appendix 70

Bibliography 71
7
Research Methodology
Research Methodology
Research for this thesis was conducted in a number of methods:
Literature Survey Documentaries
This involved collecting existing information and theories around the existing There was an important series of documentaries about the Sex and
field, to do this I used the RIBA Library and Greenwich University Library, Sensibility: The Allure of Art Nouveau, it gave many insights to the
online databases such Wiley, Ethos, Jstor, Journals and Magazines, Internet social/ political issues at the time of Art Nouveau and showed a range of
searches, through social media and finally through sites such as amazon and different Art Nouveau work.
google books. The literature survey was carried out throughout the thesis, as
resources kept leading on to new information, so a good overview of the total Case Studies
subject area was created.
Initially a broad range of different Art Nouveau and Digital Nouveau
Image Searches Architects were researched to gain a broad understanding of the ideas, I
then choose specific architects on each era to focus on, firstly choosing
These were mainly done online using search engines, also using books from Viollet-le-Duc and Greg Lynn, who were both initiators of Art Nouveau
libraries, journals also using sites such as Pinterest and Flikr. Image search and Digital Nouveau respectively. Then choose Hector Guimard and
were extremely important for this thesis as Hernan Diaz Alonso, both very confident men, who committed to a style
Technology Survey and finally the Vienna Secessionists and Mark Gage, who both began
As this thesis looked at the aesthesis of nature, but the technologies that with very fluid work, but then moved in different ways.
have developed and changed the way that nature has been represented, it is
important to do a technical review into the materials and technologies that Reviewing
have made the natural aesthetic in architecture possible and how this is
developed and speculate on future developments. Research shall be done by The first part of the thesis analysed Art Nouveau to gain an understanding
using online sources, up to date technology sources. of the key virtues of the architects and also to understand how and
why Art Nouveau happened and also ended. These virtues were then
Lectures used to compare the relationship between the 2 eras. This was then
used to critically analyse the innovation of the designs and ideas of the
Watching online lectures, debates and interviews were another important Neo:Natures of the Digital Nouveau to see if the ideologies of architecture
research method. It was important to see how the architects in the Digital design had developed since Art Nouveau.
Nouveau described their work, and by watching debates it gave many different
viewpoints to a topic, especially the ideas of aesthetics. See Introduction for further Research Methodlogy.
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Introduction
Introduction
Key Terms
Neo:Natures
The synthesis of nature and new technologies generating new architecture
The advancement of digital technologies at the turn of the 21st century,
forms.
has brought about the flourishing of Neo:Natures; with fluid, complex and
ornamental forms in architectural design, for the purpose of generating new
Art Nouveau
spatial experiences (see fig 1). At the turn of the 20th century, there were similar
types of forms with the Art Nouveau style (see fig 2), but these were related to
A style of decorative art, architecture and design from 1890-1910, characterised
the industrial revolution and were created using the technologies available in
by designers moving away from past styles, embracing modern technologies
this period. Through both these periods, developments in biology have also
and ornamental designs; flowing curvilinear lines, natural forms, geometrical
impacted the architects understanding of nature and has generated an interest
details.
of how they could be applied to architecture. The relationship between new
technologies, discoveries in biology and fluid forms, has created a new image
Digital Nouveau
of nature in architecture which is apparent in both eras, displaying a possible
connection that will be explored throughout this thesis.
The concept ‘Digital Nouveau’ (Goldemberg 2012), will refer (for this thesis) as
an extension of Art Nouveau using digital technologies where the architecture
The subject of this relationship has been briefly mentioned by architects, such
generated in digital environments and contains complex ornamental designs
as Winy Maas and Greg Lynn. Maas (1999) described the digital designs of
showing flowing curvilinear lines, natural forms, geometrical details, focussing
Lynn and other contemporises as ‘Neo-Art Nouveau’, Lynn thought it was an
mainly on the work of Greg Lynn, Mark Gage and Hernan Diaz Alonso (even
interesting proposal, and mentioned that it was because of two principles that
though there are many other architects working in this way). This thesis shall
he felt he shared with the Art Nouveau designers; a focus on new technologies
investigate if Digital Nouveau is occurring in architecture today.
and moving away from ‘classical orders towards an abstract of nature’. (Lynn
1999) This thesis will explore these principles and also investigate further
to see if there are any other principles that they share. Even though Lynn
thought the idea was interesting, the comment was meant by Maas as a
damming condemnation as Art Nouveau can be seen as a negative, elitist
style, only interested in aesthetics. (Lynn 1999) The fact that there has been a
lack of investigation into Art Nouveau as a precedent to the digital designs in
architecture today could be due to this negative image of the style.
Eric Goldemberg and Armando Montilla have investigated the two periods in
more detail and developed the concept of ‘Digital Nouveau’ which has been
defined as ‘a continuum of pulsating geometries that brings together design
sensibilities of two different, but intricately connected eras’ (Goldemberg
2012). Their research has brought about a number of interesting ideas such
as, highlighting a number of key characteristics the two eras share; ‘Flow
and pattern as derived from organic models, deep ornament as pulsating
rhythm, exuberant curvilinear geometry, holistic ambience and immersive
space, synthesis/integration of art and architecture via technique and finally
movement as generative principle for design’ (Goldemberg 2012). The depth
of their investigations however lacks substantial referencing; questioning the
reliability of their information, and their focus is mainly on the aesthetical
‘ornamental and rhythmic’ connections between the two eras. Therefore this
thesis will endeavour to build upon the ideas mentioned, and look into the
Fig 1- Hernan Diaz Alonso Fig 2- Hector Guimard, Castel Beranger
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Introduction Introduction
areas in more depth, also include ideas of how discoveries in biology and new see how they impacted the Art Nouveau
technology has impacted the designers. architects.
Section 5: Hector Guimard: Hector Guimard was the advocate Paris Metro
This thesis will explore the relationship between architecture, biology and of Art Nouveau in Paris,
technology to see how and why nature has been represented through new This section will explore his key principles
technologies in architecture at the turn of both the 20th and 21st century, and explore how these were developed
also analysing the social, economic and political changes at these times, through his design of the Paris Metro.
to see if these impacted the designs. The aim of this thesis is to acquire an Section 6: Vienna Secession This section will once again analyse the
understanding of the representation of nature through new technologies from key principles of the Vienna Secessionists,
Art Nouveau to Digital Nouveau with the intention of speculating future and explore how their designs differed from
Neo:Natures in the authors design project. Hector Guimard and how they developed
away from the fluid, curvilinear ornamentation.
Many people have commented how new and innovative the architecture
designs and concepts of the ‘Digital Age’ are ‘…the concept of non-standard, Neo:Natures of Digital Nouveau
non-normative, non-repetitive design had become a major theoretical focus
of this new phenomenon recognized today as digital design’ (Oxman 2005) Section 1: Origins Introduction to Digital Nouveau; gaining
and with books also called ‘New forms of the Digital Age’ (Zeller 1999). By an understanding of what Digital Nouveau
comparing Digital Nouveau to Art Nouveau, the newness of the digital designs is, why it started and the changes taking
and concepts will be questioned, and speculation shall take place to question place at the time that influenced the designers.
if more could be done with digital technologies. Section 2: Technologies Focussing on the key technologies that
influenced the Digital Nouveau designers
This thesis will be divided into two main studies, Neo:Natures of Art Nouveau, and how they impacted the designs.
that will analyse the key virtues and the context that surrounded this period; Section 3: Discoveries in Focussing on the key discoveries in biology
and Neo:Natures of Digital Nouveau, that will also analyse the key virtues and Biology that influenced the Digital Nouveau
context, but also compare these back to the Art Nouveau period to evaluate the designers and how they impacted the
relationship and question the newness of the Digital Nouveau concepts. Both designs. Many biological developments
will contain six sections that will be structured to analyse similar questions for have occurred; this section will focus on
each period. These are as follows: Morphogenesis, as this had the biggest
impact on the Digital Nouveau architects today.
Neo:Natures of Art Nouveau Section 4: Greg Lynn: Greg Lynn is seen by many as a pioneer of
digital architecture, this section will
Section 1: Origins Introduction to Art Nouveau; gaining an critically analyse the project the
understanding of what Art Nouveau is, why Embryologic Houses, and compare back
it started, the changes taking place at the to the Art Nouveau key principles to
time that influenced the designers and why discuss the similarities and difference.
it ended. Section 5: Hernan Diaz Alonso This section will look at the work of Hernan
Section 2: Technologies Focussing on the key technologies that Diaz Alonso, whose work contains many
influenced the Art Nouveau designers and dark qualities and large amounts of detail
how they impacted the designs. similar to the Art Nouveau designers, his
Section 3: Discoveries in Focussing on the key discoveries in Biology ideas will be critically analysed and
Biology that influenced the Art Nouveau designers. questioned in relationship to Art Nouveau.
Section 4: Eugene Viollet-le-Duc was not an Art Nouveau Section 6: Mark Gage This section will look at the work of Mark
Viollet-le-Duc architect, but his theories and hypothetical Gage and critically analyse his ideas and
designs were of great inspiration for the question their relationship to Art Nouveau.
Art Nouveau architects. This section will
explore his key principles and designs to
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Neo:Natures of art NOUVEAU
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Orgins Neo:natures of Art Nouveau
Orgins
‘We stand at the threshold of an altogether new art, an art with forms which
mean or represent nothing, recall nothing, yet which can stimulate our souls
as deeply as the tones of music have been able to do.’
August Endell 1899
The turn of the 20th century (fin de siècle) was a time of change, where
architects and designers were responding to the developments of the modern
age; creating new ways of looking at the world and using new technologies to
modernise design, moving away from the classical eclectic historical styles.
Art Nouveau (1890-1910) was the zeitgeist (style of the age), that took place
in many European countries and in North America, and its name and some
aspects of the style differed according to each country (see figs 1-5), it was
called ‘Modernisme’ in Catalonia, ‘Liberty’ in Italy, ‘Jugendstil’ in Germany,
‘Secession’ in Vienna or Prague. Art Nouveau was not just a movement in
architecture, but in interior design, textiles, furniture, jewellery, clothes, art,
sculpture, its artists believed that all the arts should work in harmony to create
a Gesamtkunstwerk (total work of art). (Howard, 1996)
Fig 6- Art Nouveau sources
Art Nouveau was not only a concept but a way of life; it was about creating
‘art’ in all objects and art being a part of everyday life (Horth 2009). The artist’s
interests were in styles, symbols, emotions and subjectivity, creating sensuality
and spirituality. (Madson 1967). It took inspiration and had interrelations
with many other movements, but the main sources were from Nature and
Technology (see fig 6). One of the important ornamental characteristics of the
Fig 7- Whiplash, Belgian
style was the ‘whiplash’ line; an ‘asymmetrical, undulating line’ (Madson 1967)
used as an ornamental expression of energy, rhythm, motion and growth, the
idea of the line was used in many different ways (see figs 7, 8). The line was
seen by Christopher Dresser (1860) as based on mathematical logic, (see fig
9) and the beauty of the curve increased with more complexity, the line was
theorised as a revulsion for imitating nature directly even though it was still
Fig 1- Art Nouveau, France, 34 Avenue, Lavirotte
Fig 8- Whiplash, Scotland
seen as ‘intimately bound up with views of nature’ (Madson 1967).
Art Nouveau was controversial from the moment it started and has had many
mixed opinions Architect and historian Henry Russell Hitchcock (1977)
believed that Art Nouveau with its application of new metal technology, its
use of structure as design and its rejection of the copying past historical styles,
could be seen as the first stage of modernism, Pervsner also included Art Fig 9
Nouveau in his book ‘Pioneers of modern design’. However, Doreen Yarwood
(2010) a contemporary architectural historian thought Art Nouveau was
‘backward looking’ and that ‘It shield away from the current trend towards
Fig 2- Modernisme, Catalonia Fig 3- Jugenstil, Germany Fig 4- Liberty, Italy Fig 5- Secession, Vienna
Casa Batlo, Antoni Gaudi Atelier Elvira, August Endell Villino Giulio, Michelazzi Karlsplatz Stadtbahn Station,
Otto Wagner
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Orgins Neo:natures of Art Nouveau
Fig 10- Castel Beranger Floor Plan Fig 11- Castel Beranger Facade Fig 12- Castel Beranger Floor Plan Entrance Fig 13- Castel Beranger Door
industrialization. It was an extension of the ideas of Ruskin and Morris, based conflict, discovered the interior as a sanctuary of nature and female form,
upon to the craftsmanship of a smaller population in a pre-industrial age; it where monumentality was rejected for grace, rational symmetry and sensual
could not last’. irregularity’ (Silverman 1989). One of the main aims of Art Nouveau was to
generate emotions, and connect people to design and elegance.
The Industrial Revolution taking place during the 19th century was greatly
changing people’s ideas and views of the world, this was causing ‘massive In general Art Nouveau was for the bourgeois society, even though some
upheaval’, the political situation around Europe was also in conflict with designers did want the style to be for everyone (upper and lower classes) and
countries boundaries being contested and new states being formed (Howard wanted their designs to change lives. (Horth 2009) In a glass factory in Nancy
1996). These major changes were making many designers and intellects across for example, some of its designs were made in two versions, one detailed design
the continent question the need for new art, would be for the rich whereas the one with less detail would be for everyone
else. Most of the designers wanted to create unique detailed pieces for special
‘A key motivation behind the drive for modernity in the arts was the clients, but some also wanted to create items for the general public that could
recognition that the world was changing, that technical, economic and be industrially mass produced. (Horth 2009) Even though there were some
political developments were transforming the physical environment’ attempts to design for all classes, there was still a divide between the quality
(Greenhalgh 2000 p.18) of the objects designers for the upper and lower classes. The architecture was
aimed at the new bourgeoisie; with the buildings to create homes for the
With so many changes taking place in the political, social, economic and middle classes; in the asymmetrical design of Castel Beranger (see figs 11-14),
cultural sections, it was time that design also embraced this, and looked Guimard ignored the social hierarchy of Paris, and designed all the rooms in
towards changing its ideas which is what Art Nouveau attempted to do. Not the building to be the same size (see fig 10), so there were no larger rooms for
only could it be seen as a reaction to the rapid changes of the time, but also the wealthier, this was his attempts to create equality (even though it was still
a way to escape these changes, ‘This elite, fleeing from politics and social too expensive for the lower class). (Smith 2012)
Fig 14- Castel Beranger Structural element
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Orgins Neo:natures of Art Nouveau
Fig 15- Louis Sullivan’s Guaranty Building
Fig 16- Sunflower detail 51, rue Bellegambe, Douai, France
Nature was one of the main sources of inspiration for the movement, which called an organic system of ornamentation’ (Sullivan 1892)
can be seen quite clearly in a lot of the designs (see fig 15, 16), even though it
is mostly abstract and plants are usually not species specific. The 19th century There was a desire to improve on nature, to take it and work on it and to do
architects and artists were the first to look directly at nature for inspiration something better and something different. Salvador Dali (1933) remarked that
since the Gothic period. One of the best known representatives of Art ‘in reality nature has produced nothing but failed attempts at Art Nouveau’
Nouveau; Hector Guimard (1902) said that, and in an article in Minotaure journal Dali included a photograph of one of
nature’s creations, a stone eroded by water and wind, which he captioned:
‘Nature is a big book from which we can draw inspiration, and it is in ‘A geological attempt at Art Nouveau, failed as everything fails if it comes
that book that we must look for principles, which, when found have to from a nature deprived of imagination’. With the many biological advances
be defined and applied by the human mind according to human needs’. taking place, Dali was fighting against the loss of mystery, and recognised that
Guimard’s unsettling forms had made people wonder again at life.
Guimard felt that nature shouldn’t be copied directly but used as inspiration
and adapted to specific problems such as structure, form and aesthetics. This Art Nouveau was a short lived style, spanning over a 20 year period, it ended
can be seen in the synthesis of the structure and ornament in much of Art for a number of reasons; ‘it offered no solution to the problem of how to
Nouveau work. relate the machine to aesthetic norms’(Madson 1967), the complexity of
the designs were not easily mass produced and people became tired of the
For many of the Art Nouveau architects they saw ornament as a structural historical variety of ornament. ‘Art Nouveau was the first and last style which
symbol ‘there exist a peculiar sympathy between ornament and structure. depended on ornament’ (Madson 1967). Until the turn of the 21st century?
Both structure and ornament benefit by this sympathy, each enhancing the Part 2 will consider the possibilities that the digital age has moved back to
value of the other. And this, I take it, is the preparatory basic of what may be ornamentation.
Fig 17- 51, rue Bellegambe, Douai, France
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