Project: The "What If" Metropolis - Travelogue
It has been a while since you last saw any form of life along the dusty, barren pathway. The road ahead is a long one, and the rocky terrain at the foot of the towering mountains is a treacherous path to travel. Any traveller is advised to remain cautious of the cavernous depths of the mountains’ pathway. Trekking onwards, the path becomes thinner; more narrow, as you progress. But wait. You spy an opening. Perhaps a way out. The light draws nearer as you push forward, tip toeing between the tight spaces of the rocks and rubble scattering the path. It gradually becomes closer. You finally make it out. And there it is. Amplexus. Stumbling through the gap, you venture on to this strange environment. As you gaze upwards, you are only just able to decipher the peak of the monuments buildings aligned along the road into the city. Each building varies in height and shape. The abstract forms of the mass amount of structures leaves one puzzled, as it is difficult to determine where the en
OGR 07/11/2014
ReplyDeleteHi Chels,
There are a number of your thumbnails that I like: I like the spectacle of those cage-lights like lollipops (36) and the simpler, more 'pure' structures of some of the others; I like too the idea of using that green glaze as a binding element for your city in general terms. I suppose I'm not sure about that tower in your city, only because Deacon seems to favour lower-lying forms - so epic like this:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Beijing_national_stadium.jpg
and less like this:
http://www.shangri-la.com/uploadedImages/Shangri-la_Hotels/Shangri-La,_London/Shangri-La-Hotel-At-The-Shard-London-Hero.jpg
The other thought I had while reading your travelogue concerned the power-source - if your world is made of real materials - clay/wood/glass etc. - maybe you could look at a more 'lo-fi' idea in terms of power; there's something artisan about Deacon's work - hand-made, so maybe in terms of power-sources look at the technologies of craft: so kilns and potters wheels and forges:
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2122/2132541195_33a5cff9e3_z.jpg?zz=1
http://connecticuthistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/HerveyBrooksPotteryWheel-610x478.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/(Guédelon)_Forge.JPG
I think, if you look at Deacon's work, there's something 'non-tech' and traditional about his constructions and choice of material, and I wonder if you need to factor that back into the design of your city; you've got that tram, which is automated/computerised/floaty - but would Deacon think in those terms, do you think? Would there be mysterious power sources - or would it all be more old-school? I suggest you look at the techniques/technologies he uses to create his forms, and try and use those as a further set of design principles for designing your city.