ArticleOne2018FullSpreads

Spring 2018
Do you have an example of
something like that?
M: I made something a while ago, it's a
series of lamps. They don't really look
like lamps, they're these weird objects
that are kind of white and shiny that
have all these holes in it and look like
you want to touch them but they do
have a light and they are small lamps
that can be carried with you wherever
you go, kind of like a camp light. They
have human characteristics to them
because they have eyes and faces,
so it's just objects that have a little bit
more play to them. Things that have
blurred characteristics that people
can associate with could be a tool for
encouraging open ended relationships.
So, earlier you mentioned certain
architectural philosophies. Do
you think that there are certain
ones that people are studying and
reading about that have become so
prevalent, appearing in modernizing
cities outside of the US and Western
Europe. Are you noticing that the
newer buildings in these cities are
sharing a lot of traits that might not
seem like they match the cultures
that they're from?
M: Yeah. It's actually the idea of
Formalism. One of the architects
that does it the best is Bjarke Ingels
from BIG. He actually wrote a really
important architecture school book
when I was in school titled Yes is More.
It’s an architecture comic book that I
actually totally despise now because it
has dumbed down architecture almost
too much. Formalism is a multi-faceted
concept, but mainly it's buildings that
look so obviously like what they are. So
Zaha Hadid is kind of a formalist in that
she creates a shape and then shoves
all the program in it instead of it being
something that is informed by how you
walk into the space and how you live in
it. So, it’s top down instead of bottom
up. I’m more of a bottom up person I
think.
And there are amazing things that
have happened with that because that
style of explaining things has totally
infiltrated our architecture schools
and so when you go to any sort of
presentation, like, every kid's diagrams
look like a BIG diagram. Or at least
they did when I was in school! Now
buildings are starting to come up that
are very like much like this is a circle,
this is a square, this is a pyramid. Very
basic top down concepts, and I think
that's great because it's kind of opened
up the conversation of architecture a
little bit more. Bjarke Ingels gets so
many projects because of his ability to
talk to people who don't understand
architecture in a non intimidating way.
And in such a basic manner, but I think
that there's a middle ground that's
starting to come up in a lot in schools
where you're like, okay, we can take
this base thing but also integrate some
sort of intellect into that and some
substance so that we aren't totally just
like making buildings that are just kind
of ridiculous.
Would you recommend to read
that comic book, Yes is More: An
Archicomic on the architectural
evolution?
M: That’s a difficult question. I think
it's better to read it when you do have
a little bit more knowledge as to what
it's talking about. But any architecture
book that acts as a catalyst for
someone wanting to know more is
important, and so I would say everyone
should read it if it's going to make them
excited about architecture. There was a
story I was reading the other day by the
curator at the Serpentine pavilion, Hans
Urlich Obrist. He was writing about
the Serpentine pavilion and how there
was a girl who was there who's dad
was a taxi driver. On their one day that
they go out every week they go to this
pavilion that is designed by a famous
architect every year and after she saw
it, she immediately started studying to
go to architecture school. So it was just
like something that sat with her really
well. And so anything like that inspires
you is important. Books do that all the
time for me. Wabi Sabi for Artists was
that for me. I would never have picked
up and read the Serpentine Pavillion if
I hadn’t read about it in Apartamento
Magazine, I actually read a lot of
magazine and consume publications
more than I read books.
Thanks, Marki - we'll chat with you
about Kim K anyday. To read more
Farsighted, visit us online.
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