Lecture M. Wolff-Plottegg
Tuesday 4th March 2008
The Bartlett School of
Architecture / UCL / University College London
/ 22 Gordon Street
MArch Urban Design 07-08 Lecture series
Date: Tuesday 04.03.08
Venue: Basement Lecture Theatre, 1-19 Torrington Place (corner of Torrington Place and Tottenham Court Road)
11:30-17:00 Lecturer: Professor Manfred Wolff-Plottegg
Lecture title: "Hybrid Architecture and Hyper Functions" Series of 3 lectures.
Synopsis:
The considerations to be presented consist of a selection of some basic thoughts / mental leaps with which Professor Wolff-Plottegg is concerned in his architectural practice and in his research.
Within this research Hybrid Architecture and Hyper Functions constitute exploratory foci that make possible the redefinition of functionalism, and they provide for two components of the ‘theory construction’ that we are concerned with at the Institute for Architecture and Design at the University of Technology in Vienna.
Since postmodernism in architecture proved that all forms can be built anyway, since with the help of computers forms of any kind (and even so far non-existent ones) can be generated, since goals such as the unity of form-function-construction (or its derivatives like form-follows-function) have become as obsolete as the typological grounding in place and history, the theory of architecture is caught in the limes-picture of exchangeable "-isms". It does not know how to carry on.
One way out of this situation emerges through Hybrid Architecture and Hyper Functions: here the processes of morphing, merging, scaling are applied to functions; this is not only the logical continuation of applying the tools but - under the term "hybrid building" - it also becomes relevant for the pragmatics of the real estate economy. Hybrid Architecture is the ultimate renunciation of the separation of functions and the planning of determinisms, as well as of traditional object-architecture. It leads towards a process-oriented control of architecture. Hyper Functions constitute intermediality, postmediality, intertextuality, de- and re-contextualization. Hybrid Architecture and Hyper Functions are tools of the nth order.
Keywords: Architecture, Functionalism, Hybrid, Hyper, Process
Bio:
Prof. Manfred Wolff-Plottegg is an Austrian architect, since 2001 head of the Institute for Building Theory and Design at the University of Technology in Vienna. Besides running his own architectural practice since 1983, he has been teaching and has given guest lectures at universities all over Europe and North America. Wolff-Plottegg took part in numerous art and architecture exhibitions. He also received several prizes such as the International Media Award for Science and Art, the Austrian Concrete Construction Prize, and the Architecture Prize of the State of Steiermark. He is the author of numerous articles in leading architectural publications and of several books including “Hybrid Architektur & Hyper Funktionen” (2007), “Architektur-Algorithmen” (1996) and “Das binäre Haus” (1989).
Vienna University of Technology, Institut für Architektur und Entwerfen, Karlsplatz 13, 1040 Wien, Austria >>> e-mail: plottegg@tuwien.ac.at
11:30-12:45 Lecturer: Professor Manfred Wolff-Plottegg
Lecture title: "Designing Design" (1st lecture)
This lecture traces the paradigmatic shift that is taking place on The Background of Design that resides beyond The Architect and the Rules (Saving the world & knowing better, Authenticity / Identity / Originality, Personal Taste). It neglects Architecture as Reflection, refuses The Clean & Proper Solutions as well as Specialisation and Quality Criteria. Designing Design discusses Rules for Rules, Separations, Allocations and Connections.
14:00-15:15 Lecturer: Professor Manfred Wolff-Plottegg
Lecture title: "Ahead of Time" (2nd lecture)
This lecture traces early developments, prototypes, references, finger exercises (Hybrid Architecture already in 1980, Typical Austrian Futon Construction, The Binary House, readme.1st, Door Stair (Stair Door). Precursors and new Phenomena analyse how functions in architecture appear Side by Side in Space or One after the other in Time and how A Different Use, A Different Place, A Different Authorship disclose possibilities out of quotidian assumptions and orders.
15:45-17:00 Lecturer: Professor Manfred Wolff-Plottegg
Lecture title: "Hyper-Design" (3d lecture)
This lecture provides the definition of planning methods after the theory of ´Separation of Functions´ and after ´Determinism´ in design: Transfer into the Operational Processes, Design of the nth Order, Suspension, Fragmentation, Free Interpretation, Non-sequential, Interrupt, All Inclusive, Overlappings, Abundance & Hyperactivity constitute descriptions of tools. Exemplarily, the Script for Hybrids of Actions demonstrates the shift from designing objects to designing processes, from an architecture as shape and optimized function to an architecture of flow in an open system. The offered Award for the Invention of a New Function shall encourage designers to contribute in the development and application of the new theory of Hybrid Architecture Hyper Functions.
Hybrid Architecture & Hyper Functions
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 |
Separation of Functions:
|
|
Schedule of accomodation >> inventing forms
Lars Spuybroek Waterpavillon
Schumacher / Hadid ..... Latente Utopien
|
 |
generating forms >>> generating functions
|
|
|
Mies van der Rohe |
Barcelona Pavillon 1929 |
Web of Life / Plottegg 2002 / ZKM Karlsruhe
>>>>>>> Y
= f ( x )
Separation of functions:
optimisation / reduction / proper solution /
destilled essence / purism / minimalism
Order by separation:
building is making order / sort ....... lines, walls
| From linear logic | > > > > | non sequential overlapping |
|
> > > > | |
|
> > > > |
|
The influence of rules:
Sierpinsky
Koch
Predominant rules ....... CHANGE
Saving the word & knowing better / improving all
Authenticity / Identity / Integrity / Originality
Personal taste
Architecture as reflection
Clean & proper solutions
Specialisation
Bildungspyramide Plottegg
Quality criteria
Rules for rules
Separations
Kamm, einhüftig, zweihüftig
 |
 |
| Neufert | Neufert |
Biennale Dejan Sudic
| Geteilter Teller | Plottegg |
Die Koch´sche Kurve / coastline ..... eine variable Grenze |
Allocations
Connections
|
|
| Plottegg Steinlampe |
| Striche für alles | Plottegg |
the tools:
morph merge scale shift spline ..... may also be used beyond generation of forms ..... these tools may be applied for allocations and connotations as well ..... first steps towards hybrids & hyper functions
AHEAD OF TIME
A client - an anecdote
Metarmorphosis of a city apartment
Hybrid architecture already in 1980
Typical austrian futon construction
The binary house
Readme.1st
Door-stair-stair-door
Architecture beyond identity and inclusion is
exclusion and difference from artPrecursors and new phenomena
Side by side in space
One after the other in time
A different use
A different place
A different authorship
Metarmorphosis of a city apartment
Hybrid architecture already in 1980
Hybrid Architektur Plottegg schon 1980 Kuh >>> Haus
Hybrid ´80
Der mythologische Zwitter prophezeit die zukünftige Verschmelzung von Mensch und Möbel
The binary house
 |
   |
| Lustenau | The Binary House / Plottegg 1988 |
Readme.1st
Door-stair-stair-door
Türtreppentreppentüre Trautenfels Plottegg 1992 >>>>>>>
Typical austrian futon construction
Typical Austrian Futon Construction / Plottegg 1997
Architecture beyond identity and inclusion is exclusion and difference from art
ARCHITEKTUR JENSEITS DER IDENTITÄT UND INKLUSION IST
EXKLUSION UND DIFFERENZ VON KUNST
Precursors and new phenomena
| Place de la Concorde | Donne nubiche |
Frères Bisson: La riscoperta dell`Egitto net secolo XIX |
| TX-Transform | Reinhart & Widrich |
| Kuhstall / Lequeu |
| Kuhwickel | Konrad Frey |
| Einkaufstaschen-Gebäude | Bauwelt |
| hot dog, TAIL O´THE PUP | www, Los Angeles, ca. 1938 |
| Chinesische Schriftzeichen Fisch | Plottegg |
| Umformung von Hartlauer | Plottegg |
Tokyo Shiiya Korridor
Side by side in space overlapping
One after the other in time
Stewart Brand: How Buildings learn
Detroit Michigan Theater / Garage
Wasserturm / Medienturm Graz (Plottegg 2000)
A different use
A different place
A different authorship
A. Cozens 1785
"New methods of assisting the invention
in drawing of original compositions of landscape"
"To sketch is to transfer ideas from the
mind to paper. To blot is to make varied spots ... producing accidental forms ... from
which ideas are presented to the mind ... To sketch is to delineate ideas; blotting
suggests them."
Arnold Schönberg, Zwölftonreihenbox, Zwölftonreihentafel, Zwölftonreihenschieber
| Binäres Haus | Plottegg |
| Neuronaler Architekturgenerator | Plottegg |
Hybrid Architecture & Hyper Functions
HYPER DESIGN
Transfer into operational processes >> Free interpretation >> Overlappings >> Design of the nth order >> Non-sequential >> Abundance & hyperactivity >> Suspension >> Interrupt >> Invention of functions >> Fragmentation >> All inclusive
Script for hybrids of actions
Award for the invention of a new function
