Skin and Bones…hey, I’m not that skinny…

This house of folds that describes one form of Vidler’s ‘Warped Space’ is a very interesting concept. From a similarly abstract concept in that a ‘fold’ in itself is a free form capable of forming space or wall or roof or all three. However, in actuality a fold can be a very specific entity containing mathematical principles and be ‘embodied in objects and spaces, and can divide and join at the same time.’ However the physical ability of a fold to create shapes and form space is truly a unique idea embedded in the heart of the modernist movement. I marvel at the discussion of folds occupying space and time. Can this be another method of architecture that can be used to imply movement? However, when a fold can create space and occupy space in time, we have a truly remarkable architecture.

The ‘Baroque House’ allegory is an interesting example of how one can relate the body and the mind. This figural representation of how physical interactions are transferred through ones senses to the mind or soul can be described thorough his description. Yet, in his house he shows a physical manifestation of the paths the senses take to the brain as being folded, almost curtain-like, pieces of cloth that are abstractly connected through the top of the first floor of the house, or the physical interactions of the body. This relates to the Baroque movement, in which scrolls and other curvy and folding decoration reign. This architecture of endless folds creates something interesting to base the new ‘fold’ upon and will lead to more discussion throughout this narration.

When actions from past and present interact in this room of folds, or paths of sensory impulses from interactions, there creates a sense of oscillation or vibration that occurs from the innate interaction of the folds that remain in the room. These outside forces acting on new impulses or hanging folds, relates back to animate form in that we can take into account vector forces and a constantly shifting contextual environment into our architecture. Later still, the reactions of the folds in the room from the new oscillations then creates new folds and new paths for interaction and oscillation. I can see where this cycle gets at the same time, highly interesting and exciting, while becoming far more complicated. The brain is complex in this fashion and should not are architecture be as well?

This Leibnizian fold which is in constant movement enveloping former folds, and creating new ones on the surface seems fascinating to me. If only architecture could capture this sense of movement and excitement. I think there are some examples that do…But then we could go back to the argument of architecture actually moving, which this fold seems to be doing in my mind, and the values of that, versus static architecture that implies movement and the value of that…Again, there are great examples of both. I for one LOVE Calatrava’s Milwaukee Art Museum, sadly enough I could not attend Forum this New Years. But anyway this idea of this type of fold is one of those ever shifting complicated symbolic conceptual ideas that can either take one to someplace great, or nowhere fast.

As for animistic architecture, I think mixing those forms originating in nature and combining them with mathematical concepts is a great idea. It just has to be done correctly, or not at all. The Ville Surrealiste sounds very interesting and coincidentally a mixing of these two aforementioned ideals. I wish I could find an image of such a thing as google is currently failing. And what more can one say about Lynn, as his work is surely contemporary and the most complete of its kind, as even Vidler notes. However, like most works of extraordinary minds, he points out that Lynn’s work is more often than not, misinterpreted and is actually highly formalized while appearing informal, something Lynn may have intended and again brings up the point of architects who fail when attempting emulation. ...reduplicative perspectivity – an interesting phrase to say the least…

This concept of the fold being both inside and out, creating space yet occupying space, etc. is great. I really can’t get enough of this idea and find it very fascinating, in case you couldn’t tell by reading this entire response/thesis summary of this reading…how many people actually read these in their entirety anyway? If you read this, please comment just to say you did, that would make me happier than when I’m thinking about these folds.

In summary, the entire time I was reading this article I kept thinking about a few cool buildings that I want to post. I feel that these buildings can relate to the idea of folds on the one hand, and implying movement on the other. This reading was another one that I think I got the gist of, but would probably benefit from a second reading at another time.