Exhibition TBT: ‘The Architect’s Studio: Tatiana Bilbao’
This week I have been thinking about space. A lot. In the UK there has been a slight change to our lockdown. We’re now allowed to exercise outside for an unlimited amount of time. More people are being encouraged to return to work if they can. This means that our concept of space is changing once more. And I’m interested in seeing what implications this has moving forward. This thought reminded me of an exhibition at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark: The Architect’s Studio: Tatiana Bilbao.
In this post, I’ll be reflecting on how architecture draws connections between space, urban development and sustainability.
Context
Tatiana Bilbao is a Mexican architect who has worked on various scales of development — from housing projects to masterplans. Bilbao established a studio in 2004, working in a multidisciplinary way with artists, other architects, local government and economists. Bilbao’s practice refers to the analogue method (of drawings and iterative models) ‘to keep design and development rooted in spatial and not digital exploration’ — which is an interesting choice within a digital world (Tatiana Bilbao Estudio).
This exhibition had three parts:
- Landscapes — investigating ‘the site of a future building’
- Curiosities — ‘an archive of processes from which the studio can draw inspiration’
- Places — ‘the leap from model to full-scale architecture’
Landscapes
For me, this section was the window to how space can be viewed by an architect. For Bilbao, ‘landscape is the sum of a place’s tangible and intangible characteristics:
- Nature
- Settlement
- Archaeology
- Political structures
- Social conditions
- Economy
Bilbao considers a series of artworks which respond to the characteristics mentioned above. Which could also serve as inspiration within the development process. Bilbao also stays true to the analogue method with large-scale hand-drawn plans on the floor.
I wonder how many of these characteristics are considered by other architects when developing spaces with a range of purposes?
Curiosites
In this section, Bilbao shares ways of displaying inspiration at different stages of a project. The development of ideas can be seen from collages and moodboards to drawings and models.
Places
In these 3D collages, Bilbao continues to emphasise her commitment to the analogue way of working. These ‘four assemblages’ link material, construction and scale together. Which allows Bilbao to showcase how places can relate to a landscape theme or philosophy. Bilbao chose these four themes as starting points:
- Ruin — ‘The ruin, which is slowly taken over by entropic nature is the symbol of the passage of time — this is one of the most important philosophies in Tatiana Bilbao Estudio’s work: that nature, the elements and people are eternally changing’
- Garden — ‘The garden is a way of bringing nature to the city — the botanical garden is the same as the master plan for a city, but with trees, pavilions and plants instead of towers and houses’
- House — ‘The house is the most intimate kind of architecture, the boundary between the individual and his or her surroundings. This house works with the home and the landscape: it reflects the forest it stands in and breaks down the boundary between architect and nature’
- Earth — ‘This project is work with place and timelessness. Forms grow out of the landscapes, built with the earth they stand on. The site-specific is confronted by pure geometry — universal principles which cancel time and rewrite space’
There was so much to see when walking around this gallery space! I felt like I was in a playground of ideas. Bilbao also included small details alongside these large collages. For example, there were technical drawings on the walls, representing each of the 3D collages. Also, in the corners there were photographs taken by Bilbao’s colleagues — which related to the real-life project’s the assemblages drew from.
My key takeaways
- This exhibition sparked thoughts on the relationship between decision making and space. And how this process can include more people than I initially thought. Tatiana Bilbao’s collaborative way of working shows the strength of including more expertise within the design process. Especially when designing spaces for people with a range of functions. You can find out more about Bilbao’s process here.
- It’s interesting to see how Bilbao chooses to work in an analogue way within the design process, during this digital age. I wonder where this thought fits in now when digital technology is being relied upon so heavily.
- Displaying an architectural perspective within a gallery space was a great way to introduce a different understanding of space, in a public setting. I’m not sure how many people are familiar with the architectural process of developing spaces. But this was certainly a new insight for me. Particularly when thinking about the role architecture plays within existing museum spaces. And what future redevelopments could mean for these spaces.
