Chasing Fleeting Structures

‘The only thing constant in life is change’ - this quip by the Greek philosopher Heraclitus has had many iterations over the years but the main idea stays the same. In this day and age, this idea is more apt than ever before. With the rise of design trends like Temporary Architecture, it’s safe to say that the idea has taken a corporeal form in modern architecture. 

 

But before we explore that, what is Temporary Architecture? Is it just some fad to excuse cheap building materials? Is it just a ploy to excuse poor design and iffy concepts? Maybe it’s just a smokescreen for activist propaganda? Well according to Andreea Cutieru, temporary architecture is a fertile ground for testing ideas, examining places, popularizing new concepts and technologies. With that definition, we can surmise that the aforementioned negatives are false - temporary architecture is the new wave of experimentation and exposition of architecture for the advancement of our profession and society. Every profession rooted in art and science has its place for experimentation; while artists have galleries and scientists have laboratories, our experimental outlet is temporary architecture. In this ‘safe space’, we can explore different things from new building materials, new construction methods, new forms, and new concepts. Essentially, it’s an amalgam version of a gallery and laboratory - it’s a place to explore the future of architecture.

 

If the only thing constant in life is change, then this new form of architecture fits right in. We’ve always been taught to 'build things that last', but this new trend of architecture takes the ideology of ‘building things that last’ to a whole new level. In this trend, it means building things that will be remembered or building to make an impact. Take the Serpentine Pavillion, for example - the Serpentine Pavilion (temporary summer pavilion), is as Bjarke Ingels puts it, ‘an icon for miniature architecture manifestos’. The Pavilion is a 'safe space' for radical input into architecture and, case in point, it has played host to some of the greatest minds in architecture. They have each made a statement with what they designed in the space, and much like how Bjarke Ingels put it, they have showcased their architecture manifestos on that ground.

 

The Serpentine Pavilion is the prime example of what temporary architecture is (through the lens of art) - an exposition of the artistry of modern architecture paired with the exploration of what’s new in our profession.

 

Another example of architects coming together to share architecture manifestos is the Venice Biennale of Architecture. While the Venice Biennale focuses more on smaller scales of architecture, it espouses the same ideals (although on a smaller scale) as the Serpentine Pavilion. Having been established first, the Venice Biennale of Architecture has contributed more ‘manifestos’ to our profession and has contributed more to the creation of temporary architecture simply by the collaboration of the greatest minds in our profession in a grand exposition of our profession. While the Serpentine Pavilion (and the Biennale, to an extent) may be the most prominent example/s, other forms of temporary architecture have also popped up in the last two decades, all ranging from works of exposition to practical uses of the trend. 

 

One particular work of exposition that has been ‘built to last’ (in the modern sense) is The Blur building by DS+R. The Blur building was part of the Swiss Expo 2002 and was built to have the citizens of Switzerland experience water in a different context. The idea was for the users to step into a massless form of liquid and experience being inside that as a form of appreciation for the Lake Neuchâtel and the Swiss culture. Being a part of an expo, The Blur building no longer stands. Although, because of the impact that it created, the Swiss created a bar of chocolate in honor of the building -which according to Liz Diller, was one of the highest honors that a building/architect can receive in Switzerland. Again, the immortalization of the design as a bar of chocolate is one of the foremost examples of the modern sense of 'building things to last'. While the structure itself no longer stands, the experience that it provided was so great and so memorable, that it deserved to be bestowed the aforementioned honor. 

 

While the structure was never going to complete its natural life-cycle, it is interesting to see the artistic exposition of our profession in action in many different ways and many different contexts. The short lifespan of the building created a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for those who designed it and used it, to create something new - which is precisely one of the purposes of this movement.

 

Of course, temporary architecture isn’t all about exposition, conceptual experimentation, or manifestos, it’s also about creating with a purpose. Because of the lack of usable space nowadays, temporary architecture has filled a niche within those small gaps. These temporary/transient structures can serve as houses, stores, auxiliary spaces, and emergency spaces, to name a few. Pop-up spaces have become more prevalent in this day and age and are a common solution to predominantly built-up areas - pop-up spaces allow for further flexibility when it comes to architecture. The architecture of the pop-up space serves a multitude of functions, all of which can become available to us designers and society easily - these spaces have successfully democratized areas that are ‘unusable’ in their current contexts. With this advancement, we have seen a prominent rise in more contextualized spaces in the urban fabric. Case in point, nowadays, more weekend markets are held in places that are originally designated for other purposes, i.e., open parking lots, side streets, and unused lots, to name a few. Temporary architecture isn’t limited to the physical construction of gargantuan proportions, it is also seen in simple, more functional, and more democratic ways like the aforementioned examples. This movement of architecture has also created better solutions to other, more pressing matters, predominantly temporary housing for disaster relief victims. Temporary architecture is a swiss knife, of sorts, that we as a profession have in our arsenal. It’s comforting to note that while the ‘starchitect’ aspect of this movement is prevalent, the practical, everyday, and democratic side of our profession still lives in it as well. 

 

With change comes new dynamics and with those dynamics comes a new understanding. Temporary architecture isn’t just about pavilions or designs. It's also not just about timed structures or practical spaces, at its core, temporary architecture is about advancement. It is true - nothing is permanent in this world except change. However, we’ve always been trained to influence and adapt to the future. Because of this, I do not doubt that this newest trend that we have, can help us better build the world around us. These days, we need to explore more of the unknown - that much is true, but our exploration of where to go next and what we can create better for society has to start somewhere. Why can’t it start with a few pop-up structures here, maybe a dash of more ‘reclaimed’ parking lots there? The corporeal form of the idea by Heraclitus, while rooted in our profession, isn't exclusive to us. It is a shared progression, it is a shared corporeal idea, and it's a shared vision of progress with society. We successfully have the tools to redefine the ideology of 'building things to last' - maybe we can focus on 'building more impactful things' or maybe we can focus on making a statement. The change that we create doesn’t need to be radical or all at once - sometimes all it takes to progress forward are spaces that won’t stay in the same space forever. The fleeting nature of this movement of architecture can inspire awareness and create a more modern sense of monumentality. We must find new ways to create more memorable and impactful designs even if the lifespans of said designs are short. We must also utilize this particular tool in our arsenal because it advances both the art and science aspects of architecture. After all, change is the only constant in this world.