Amplified Representation

September 19, 2011 at 10:42 pm · Filed under Architecture General, Visual Arts, Visualization

The question of representation for me has always been one of great interest in its relevance to architecture. This topic has been exhausted in most instances with methods and techniques of representation ranging from technical drawing, digital rendering, watercolor, photography, or all of the above. We can, however, draw a line in the sand between those works which use a representational technique simply as illustrative of an idea, and a means to communicate the dimension and material of the architecture, versus those works who employ representation as implicit in part or whole of the concept. In the former, the art form and craft of the representational technique is distinct from the idea conveyed in the architecture, whereas in the latter the two are synthetic.

Historically, projects and architects who engage in this discussion are too numerous name – some recent / not-so-recent standouts for me are representations of projects from Morphosis and Wes Jones, to Ali Rahim and Hernan Diaz Alonso. All have a common thread, and are able to create compelling and communicative representation while still maintaining the semblance of a larger message and atmosphere.

Most recently, as architecture always seems to be the slowest to adopt lessons from other media, there has been a surge in what could be called amplified representation. This technique, rather than use reality as an unattainable benchmark, uses reality as a backdrop to amplify the subject (or visa versa), and a way to ground the absurd in something familiar. In effect, this tends to heighten the affect of both – as one registers each one against the other.

Three examples that come to mind may be familiar. The Amazing World of Gumball on the Cartoon Network has to be one of the most visually compelling pieces of TV I have seen in a while – not because of the content (although cute), but because of the visuals, which for me, steal the show. Here, cartoon characters are not just overlaid onto real backdrops, they are embedded in them. Materials reflect and characters cast shadows. The visual mood of the scene is translated to the characters through light and camera effects, all of which creates a surreal and incredibly compelling environment. Even the characters themselves begin to take on a vintage visual undertone which I never tire of.

While I don’t fancy myself an expert on comic art (read: nerds don’t kill me), I have always had an incredible appreciation for the methods and conventions of the craft. What comics lack is motion, and as such, they rely on the distortion and amplification of the subjects through representation to convey movement, action and atmosphere. Again, artists use familiarity to underscore the exaggerated, super-human characteristics of the subjects.

For instance, we know what our own legs look like, and we also know that they don’t ever appear backlit, menacingly bent, with a superfluous amount of muscles. Put together these are illustrative the subject, but are also synthetic to the very core idea of the comic – making still pictures move.

300, a movie out for long while now, also employs a different technique to achieve a similar end. Having begun as a comic, the director made painstaking steps to recreate scenes in the comic. However, as the comic was rooted in reality, but did not adhere to it’s rules, we find that making that leap required significant shaping of atmosphere, mood, physique, and physical environment by Zack Snyder.

Here, color is altered, contrast is elevated, action is subject to time changes – all in service of elevating or amplifying the subject to convey the aggression and moodiness of the story. Interestingly enough, the movie actually tried to slow the action in scenes to capture the still imagery conveyed by the comic.

While just a few examples it will be interesting moving forward to see how this type of technique will continue to trickle into architecture more convincingly than a SketchUp model Photoshopped into a street photo, as a way to underscore an larger concept.

MS

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