We are constantly chasing the striking sensation of a spark. A mental spark which occurs when we piece information together to make sense. In other words, it is in our nature to desire something that is enchanting. An enchantment is the moment of a pleasant discovery. It is our appreciation for delicacy, precision, and thoroughness. And it is special in the arts, and in design. For example, cubism when we first encounter, it is enchanting. Because it is an artistic style that attempts to document geometric shapes at its purest form. In cubism art, three-dimensional objects appear to be flat. The art or the enchantment in cubism is in the way how an object, or a figure remains recognizable despite the stitching up in the perspectives of the subject in which to formulate art.
Just as enchantment has been important to the arts, so too has disenchantment. Sarah Cole creates links between cultural approaches in a robust theory to imagining violence in art and literature. That Cole suggests are the enchantment and the disenchantment. These theories are driven from T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land (1922). The dramatic monologue comments on the popular cultural allusions that present the ‘terror, futility, and the alienation of modern life in the wake of World War I’. Political affairs that shapeshift the media representation. As such, architecture is also very reactive to the changes in the world. Design of spaces on an institution level reflect broader issues of macro and micro political sensitivity of the time.
Curation of three-dimensional space is the core practice in architecture. In any given architectural design, there are elements of geometries and modules. The modulated geometries can be complex and sometimes have a formula-based structure to it. There is something cold and unforgiving about geometries and their formula. However, ironically, the outcomes from mathematical formulas and their cold-hearted logic could, be triggering an emotion from us. Specifically, an enchantment. This writing will be exploring how enchantments could be formed in State buildings by using geometry in public spaces. There is a collection of evident and forensic investigation in each architectural layer: in structure, material, circulation and in the architectural operation.
Geometric logic is omnipresent in spaces. It is the product of the self-organising qualities of gravity on the surface of the Earth and the genetic script of DNA of all life form. It can even occur in buildings.
Some enchantments are in their subtle findings, whilst others have shock value into enchantment. Enchantments can be brutal, but it can also be subtle. Border-crossing is an example of brutal enchantment, an aspect far from Madigan’s idea of subtle enchantments. The Border-crossing by the OFFICE KGDVS has a distinctive and simple geometric shape accentuated with the thick 9m walls bordering around the infrastructures. The project intended to amend the political tension between America and Mexico, the regulated palm tree grids within the frame creates an oasis in the middle of the desert. The enchanting properties of the project are the sudden change of the territory. The motion of crossing countries and philosophical man-made oasis driven within the geometric system. The symmetrical circulation built in the Border-crossing guides the footpath and the process of ‘finding’. The bold statement which comments on politically sensitive topics with an obscurely large volume strikes a reaction. The transit between the national region whilst being in a contrasting environment from the outer forces the enchantment. In contrast to Madigan’s enchantment in NGA and relationship to the surrounding landscape.
To a completed project there are the structures, modules, circulation, and systems. For instance, in the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) by Colin Madigan, a set of geometric laws can discipline a project’s physical form. There is a sense of mystery formulated by the possibility for an infinite expansion. Of course, which all obey to the set of logic: The spaces open and enclose, providing tension and release, all driven by a sequence of volumes. These emotions are controlled by a strict application of cubes and triangular shapes. A geometric logic. In the play of geometry at the NGA there are two types of spaces, which Goffman suggests they relate to two different activities of a public space. The “front stage” reflects everyday activities that we carry out which are the perceived as our internalised norms played out in public spaces. The front stage is meant to be intentional and purposeful, while the backstage is uninhibited and not intended for performance, the two very distinct realms remain separate to curate a functional space. (Cole. N 2019) In the NGA, the front stage is what is accentuated.
Inside or, the front stage, are the delicacy in the concrete structure. The beautiful sharp edges create light and the falling shadow. The gracefulness in the craftsmanship makes the building almost like a sculpture. There is a strict design language in the ceiling of the NGA. The ‘diamond crystal’ like geometric shapes at thirty-degree angle are laid endlessly hugging the exhibition spaces. The strict geometric rules ironically give freedom to the future of the gallery. The formulated geometric spatial planning gives the possibility of both interruptive extension and deconstruction. Where the façade is Australian brutalism with untreated concrete massing. There is a lack of consistency in the façade and the interior which creates a disruptive change in scene at the point of entrance.
Landscape is important for the State buildings in Canberra. The geometrical government buildings on flat Canberra’s landscape show the position of Australia’s regime. The Parliamentary triangle and the precinct codes are the key to the capital city’s circulation and views. The planet landscape around the High Courts of Australia is an example of how the federal architecture uses its visual connectivity to create monumental State buildings. Both NGA and the High Courts are shown on the hills that are the large volumetric massing over the horizons. Looking over the Parliamentary triangle, there are broader connections on macro level with other State buildings. The territory resonates with the geometric by the physical and the invisible linings of affinity of the governmental triangle. The gallery withholds community engagement and as being a monument for the capital city of Australia.
The High Courts of Australia uses forty-five-degree angular concrete massing. In contrast to the NGA which uses thirty-degree angles, or the angle of repose. The High Courts and NGA are connected by a foot bridge. There is a strange physical connection and a notion of disjoint formal and informality; of High Courts and the gallery; are reflected in the angles used in the plans. Forty-five-degrees derives an institutional power and authority in a building through the geometries. As symmetries can be achieved with forty-five-degrees unlike thirty-degrees. Therefore, the High Court create a sense of structure and order that is unobtrusive to the landscape in the High Courts. This application of geometry is subtle and seamless. Yet, yields to the landscape and derives enchantments from the subtle, almost unnoticeable between the DNA from the NGA and the High Courts.
The NGA, High Courts and the Border-crossing all commentate and uses subtle or brutal geometry to encapsulate enchantments through the spatial conditions which makes a project captivating. The appeal of the enchantments is lured by the layers of architectural design principles overlaid which provides solutions from the structural integrity to architectural systems. Architectural buildings which create enchantment relate the immediate site to the broader context. Each adding to the architectural layer to be explored in the project. The enchantment in both the frontstage and the backstage adds to the presence of the art or the passport control between countries. The frontstage makes their enchanting findings clear and brutal to demonstrate how the space works whilst the backstage is subtle and quiet in their enchantments to reduce distraction during the viewings.
In Candalepas’ design studio we are designing a temporary gallery extension that is attached to the NGA. To bring no obstruct disjoint or interruption in the existing building as the Architect intended to design an Australian gothic building. With the logic of the frontstage and the backstage, continued from the existing building, there will be foreground and backstage to the gallery extension. The frontstage of the gallery robustly shows the tactics used in securing the exhibition of its legal obligation. Which is to condition space suitable for borrowed art and their insurability. The backstage provides the setting for the art viewing. The structural compositions in the backstage are hidden in the spaces to reduce distraction during viewing art. The hidden structures reveal as the space circulates towards the front stage, where the subtlety no longer matters.
As the temporary addition to the exhibition, the space will change its curation regularly. By adopting the angle of repose into the plan, the extension aligns and elaborates on Madigan’s existing plan. The enchantment in the State of architecture for the NGA must not be disturbed by the addition of the temporary exhibition space, whilst the temporary gallery will be used to exhibit exotic art borrowed from around the globe. The compliance to art insurance policy for borrowed art is important for a gallery space to comply with the regulations. As the light and shadow must be calculated for the placing of open infrastructure for protection of the art.
There are two main ideas that demonstrate how geometry creates enchantment with light. Geometries play with vagaries of natural light, it ambiguates and blurs a district separation in transitional spaces. Respecting the preservation of borrowed art, natural light as a public infrastructure is both pleasant and concerning. Play of indirect sunlight in both precise and regulation needs to be considered in the making of the space. The exhibition space from the outer spacing of the gallery will offer circulation with exhibition space in the center to protect art from direct sunlight. Geometric repetition in the ceiling allows light to bounce back into the exhibited space to illuminate the sunlight in a reposed angle. Furthermore, the sun in the circulation path will draw the light and invite viewers to further explore the space following the sequence of light and shadow. The repetition creates a rhythm in the orbit hence curates an experience and finds enchantment in the joy of being led by subtle yet beautiful rays of light.
Ambiguity of the interface happens when a single geometry acts to provide multiple architectural solutions. The buffer space for lighting conditions or the void in the space, the motion of blurring of spaces, illumination, views, and infrastructure captivates exploration of the space. The geometric solution following the formula-based rhythm shapes a space with unclarity. The geometric shape nudges the structure to be self-sustainable. The overbearing of load, shaping of the light and enclosure of active spaces of the gallery finds a logic behind the shape of the geometry to sit and enact the operation of the space. Structural layout with the intention of unrevealing the structural integrity using the foot circulation designs discrete structures that ever so slightly reveal at different angles of viewing. The twin façade bears the load bearing which supports the upper level’s cantilevered external circulation around the exhibition space promotes finding enchantment of spaces that are not visibly obvious promotes the notion of physical findings on a structural and systemic level of the gallery.
The extension of the outer shell, or the balconies blurs the hard edge of front stage and backstage of the existing and creates another link of connectivity to the Parliament triangle to promote a contemporary understanding of the political landscape of Canberra today. Leaning democratic left-wing in modern politics in contrast to the authoritarian sacred politics of Madigan’s time. In applicants and opens up visibility and freedom. Newly found appreciation for nature, as our fascination of built infrastructure has faded, collectively with current desire of environmental expression of the landscape Canberra offers.
The key to geometric forms to be structurally built is in the use of the material. Material gesture of the existing NGA is constructed by in-situ concrete. Poured concrete, although it is solid, carries out its original form of being a liquid. The moldable properties of concrete allow the material to carry out its nature of fluidity after the curing process. The precise, delicate and almost liquid like fluidity once cured offers cost-efficient steady structural properties. The enclosing the exotic gallery with refined and delicacy of concrete show the duality of a material property and the conflicting expression versus the solidity creates an architecture enchanting to its usage for its properties. That further shapes and casts shadows to its calculation for its location and sun path.
The temporary exhibition provides in the frontstage the exhibition experience and the viewing art. The enchanting setting makes the building captivating to its space whilst not overtaking the art exhibition. As a subtle background support that reassures easy circulation, directional gestures and undisrupted viewing makes the space enchanting and joyful. The backstage of the exhibition space worries about the practicality for insurance and structure. The sustainability of the building and insurability of the space. While both use geometry to achieve the desired settings, the material choice of concrete supports the durable structure for achieving structurally sound composition of space. The subtlety can be enchanting through the materiality of concrete. Concrete can be hard but also ambiguous and plastic and an effective way of being enchanting.
Geometry is a universal language. Investigating geometries specifically in Australia State buildings and the hidden enchantment, we can find out how the Australian government has positioned themselves in Canberra. The planning of the city has centered around the Parliamentary triangle, which has strong suggestions to the power structure of the planned city and the importance of the buildings that are acting as the nodes of the triangle.
Architecture can achieve integrating geometry and enchantment to enrich everyday life. The hard, brutal and monopolous geometrical concrete sculptures of the state buildings comment on the Australian landscape. Of the structured, and centralized configuration of Australian government. However, the parliament buildings are also pleasant, and enchanting. The frontstage of the Canberra shows the monumental and powerful infrastructure that represents the Australian party. Whilst the backstage shows the delicacy in the enchantment and happy findings as reflected in Australian landscape. Australia as a place of paradise, findings, and discovery. Our forest of enchantments.