Image: seier+seier | Flickr

When taking a closer look at the relationship between music and the theater in which it is played, the composer becomes a pivotal link between the two that provides some intriguing insight into ways that architecture shapes its occupants.

As architects, we like to think that we shape architecture — but as most of us know it also shapes us. The relationship between adaptation and environment often works both ways, and for this reason, I encourage you to watch the following video where David Byrne will take you through the evolution of music, and the strong role theaters and other “venues” play, as the space “surrounding” a performance actually becomes its extension.

In particular, look for his juxtaposition between the way music has developed to fit particular venues of its time, and how birds from different regions and geographic environments actually evolve to develop different bird calls. As you will soon learn by watching the video below, David Byrne paints a picture of not only why architecture is significant in uplifting the lives of its occupants through sound, but also will get you thinking about ways you can enhance your architecture by knowing full well that you are creating a context that your occupants will need to inadvertently fit into, as much as it will need to fit them.

Here is the video entitled How Architecture Helped Music Evolve: Read more

Image: fudj | Flickr

Going to the theater is usually an invigorating experience. A good production definitely considers the orchestration of numerous stimuli…all in an effort to feed the senses. Similar to architecture, theater set design must work to create an experience with space, and often such theatrical experiences tap into so much more that just the visual sense.

For this reason, architects can learn a thing or two from good theater set design and performance.

Space Filled with Dynamic Moments

What goes into producing an entire theatrical experience rests upon more that just the actors. There is an entire environment that revolves around them — everything from the theater building itself to the often dynamic and jaw-dropping stage environments.

As architects we can learn a lot from film compilation, music composition and story narrative; but the subject of theatrical design and performance is often an underplayed topic. If you think about it…how often can you see a synthesis of Read more

The following video is by Urban Screen, a company that claims to “put architecture on stage”. They basically design large-scale projections for urban surfaces.

You will notice how the building facade in this video becomes dynamic and its skin seems to “breathe” — even if it is only an illusion.

LAYERS OF FLATNESS

In some ways I think that the experience of this installation is very different on video than it would have been in person. I do; however, like the way the projection is scaled to “play” with the existing buildings design elements (windows and such).

Seeing a video like this is thought provoking in that it makes one aware of a state we call Read more