Evolo04(Summer2012):Re-ImaginingtheContemporaryMuseum,ExhibitionandPerformanceSpace

Thearchitectureforperformanceandexhibition,beingmuseums,galleries,musichalls,pavilions,etc.,hasbeenintheleadingedgeofarchitecturalinnovationthroughoutthehistoryandevolutionofthediscipline.Architectsanddesignersexperimentonnewaesthetics,concepts,andideaswithprojectsthattendtohaveaflexibleprogramandalargebudget.Inmanycases,themainrequirementofsuchstructuresisnotonlytoaccommodateaspecificprogrambutalsotoinspiretheimaginationofitsusersandchallengethecurrentstateofarchitecturaldesign.Someexamples,suchastheGuggenheimMuseumBilbaobyFrankGehryortheSydneyOperaHousebyJørnUtzonareconsidereddesignmasterpiecesofthe20thCentury.GehrysMuseumtransformedthecityofBilbaofromasmallindustrialSpanishcityintoaworlddestination,whileUtzonsOperaHousebecomethesymbolofSydneyandAustralia.ThisissueofeVolostudiesthemostinnovativeexamplesofperformanceandexhibitionarchitecturetoday.Theseareprojectsthatrevolutionizearchitectureonmanylevels,includingsustainability,aesthetics,technology,andurbandesign.Itisinterestingtopointoutthattheseworksarenotconcentratedinonespecificregion,butarelocatedineverycorneroftheglobe;fromMVRDVsComicandAnimationMuseuminChina,tothenewBroadMuseuminLosAngelesbyDillerScofidio+Renfro,orKengoKumasVictoriaandAlbertMuseuminDundee,Scotland.Thevarietyofprogramsisasdiverseastheirlocation.StevenHollsMuseumofOceanandSurfinBiarritz,Francecreatesawarenessoftheoceansfragilestateandemulatesthekineticsensibilityofwaterthroughsweepingwallsandcarefullyarticulatedvolumes.HolmArchitecturescircularSamaranchOlympicMuseuminTianjin,Chinaisastudyonframingandjuxtaposingartificialandnaturallandscapestogenerateacontinuousexhibitionloop.X-TUArchitectsPrehistoryMuseuminJeongok,SouthKoreawasparametricallydesignedasafuturisticvesselerectedasabridgeatophillsalongtheHantanRiverpreservingtheuntouchedhistoriclandscape.Amongotherprojects,DillerScofidio+RenfrosMuseumofImageandSoundinRiodeJaneiro,Brazil,isaninterfacebetweenexhibitionspacesandthecity.OthersmallerscaleprojectsareWORDsHolocaustMemorialforAtlanticCitysBoardwalk,whichactsasaninscriptiveapparatus,whichetchesthehistoryoftheHolocaustinourmemory,andtheAmericasCupPavilionbyDanielCarper,whichfunctionsasanepicenterforvariousactivities.Thedesignisbasedonthetectonicandfunctionqualitiesofhigh-endsailingvessels.ForthisissuewehadtheopportunitytointerviewoneofthemostpromisingarchitectsofMexico:FernandoRomero,whorecentlycompletedtheSoumayaMuseuminMexicoCity.Themuseumhasbeenpraisedbythecriticsasoneofthemostoutstandingworksofarchitectureinthecountrythisdecade.FernandoalsoshareswithusthehisexperienceinpracticingarchitectureinMexico,theUnitedStates,Europe,andChinaaninterestinginsightonthemajordifferences,challenges,andadvantagesofworkingindifferentculturesandeconomies.TheOpinionsectionincludesessaysonmorphogeneticcomputationaldesignandzero-energybuildings.EmmanuelRuffofromtheGrazUniversityofTechnologyexplainsstructuralpatternsformationandthedigitaltoolsutilizedtoexplorethesegeometriesandtheirpotentialuseinarchitecture.Ontheotherhand,Dr.EugeneTssui,fromtheUniversityofScienceandTechnologyinGuangzhou,China,proposesthefirsttruezero-energybuildingbasedonstudiesoftheTermitesnestofcentralAfrica.Dr.Tssui´sEvolutionaryArchitectureisanin-depthstudyoflivingorganismsandtheirnaturalprocesses.