Inhabiting The Schizophrenic Grid
‘‘ Because of its bivalent structure (and history) the grid is fully, even cheerfully, schizophrenic.’’
- Rosalind Krauss, Grids
Schizophrenia:
1) (Pathology) A psychiatric diagnosis denoting a persistent, often chronic, mental illness variously affecting behavior, thinking, and emotion.
2) (informal, figuratively) Any condition in which disparate or mutually exclusive activities coexist.
From German Schizophrenie, coined by Eugen Bleuler, from Ancient Greek (’’to split”) + (phren “mind)
This brief mines the hidden geometric possibilities of the grid, and deploys these geometries to create participatory spatial organisations. By looking at visualising arts of schizophrenic nature, its ability to be, and do, multiple things at once, we explore what the architectural opportunities of this inherently mercurial geometric organisation are.
Using the grid the project creates an ongoing circulation throughout the space. The exhibition space acts as the centre of attraction in the middle of the room. The viewing-point from which one could admire artwork would not only expose the artwork at a different angle, but also create a dichotomy between the viewer and the artists using this overpass as an experimentational space.
Moreover, is acts as a tribute to Mies’ Neue National Gallerie in Berlin by keeping one of his most precious materials and use it throughout the project complementing the superimposed spaces that contribute to his main gallery space.
Model
First year Project, 2016 Tutors: Ryan Neiheyser