Posts Tagged ‘Venice Biennale’

Digital Terracotta @ Venice Biennale

Wednesday, May 30th, 2018

Finally, I can share some photos of our latest research project coming out of the Robotics Lab at HKU entitled “Digital Terracotta”. The project is part of the current Hong Kong pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Curated by Weijen Wang with co-curators Thomas Chung and Thomas Tsang, the exhibition addresses the theme of “free space” set by Venice Biennale curators Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara of Grafton Architects through 100 experimental towers by 100 different architects. Our tower suggests a model for Hong Kong’s vertical fabric that innovates through a new 1:1 material system.

Robotically controlled terracotta extrusions that are tailored to specific conditions offer an alternative to today’s material practice. Terracotta has a long history within the Chinese context, yet nowadays the material has been diminished to dull façade tiles. The project, therefore, suggests revitalizing principles of the past with the technology of today to alter our built environment in Hong Kong in a sustainable way.

Venice Biennale, Architecture, 2018, Hong Kong Pavilion, Christian J. Lange, Rocker Lange Architects, Vertical Fabric, Density in Landscape

Venice Biennale, Architecture, 2018, Hong Kong Pavilion, Digital Terracotta, Vertical Fabric, Density in Landscape

Digital Terracotta, Christian J. Lange, robotic 3d printing, Venice Biennale, Rocker Lange Architects

Digital Terracotta, Christian J. Lange, robotic 3d printing, Venice Biennale

Digital Terracotta, Christian J. Lange, robotic 3d clay printing, Venice Biennale

The show will be on view until November 25th 2018 at Campo della Tana, opposite of the main entrance to the Arsenale.

Rocker-Lange wins honorable mention

Saturday, June 1st, 2013

Rocker-Lange Architects were awarded a honorable mention in the international design competition for a new bench design for the Kowloon East district in Hong Kong. The competition was held in conjunction with the 13th Venice Biennale International Architecture Exhibition, Hong Kong Response Exhibition.

Rocker Lange Architects, Urban Adapter HK 2.0, Christian J. Lange, Ingeborg M. Rocker, urban furniture

The redevelopment of Kowloon East will have a diverse array of spatial conditions, from new, open public waterfront parks to tightly planned former industrial areas. Traditionally urban furniture consists of repeatable standardized elements while being installed in various conditions. The problem with repeatable elements is that they don’t adapt necessarily very well to the specificity of each site condition. The key concept of the “Urban Adapter HK 2.0” project is to establish a system that can address the explicit conditions of each site, and to blend each bench with a variety of programs. The specific design methodology and the computer aided construction and assembly process allows making every bench unique while creating a distinctive family of urban street furniture that creates a merging identity for Kowloon East.

This project with its unique user surfaces will have the capacity to place the user in a new position with the urban reality and its ecologies as much it may reposition the urban reality all together. Not only will it improve the quality of the public realm, it will also establish a new framework for use and for seeing and being seen in the urban streetscape of Kowloon East.

The material for this street furniture will be wooden slats making it a positive sustainable contribution. The finish of the bench is made of climbing rope or rubber band finish. Each bench will have a distinct color out of a specific color family making each bench identifiable. The wooden slats are CNC cut, making sure that each bench can be precisely assembled.

Quotidian Architectures – Venice Biennale Response Exhibition

Saturday, April 30th, 2011

Rocker-Lange Architects work is currently on display in the exhibition “Quotidian Architectures – Venice Biennale Response Exhibition” in Hong Kong. Led by co-curators Juan Du and Chad McKee, Quotidian Architectures explores inventive ideas and responsible practices of architecture for everyday living. Quotidian Architectures was developed in response to the Venice Biennale 12th International Architecture exhibition’s central theme, “People Meet In Architecture” and invites general citizens, architects, artists, educators, and government agencies to come together and re-envision Hong Kong through the choices and spaces we encounter every day.

Quotidian-Architectures, Rocker Lange Architects, Hong Kong, Venice Biennale

The Quotidian Architectures Venice Biennale Response Exhibition will be open to the public from 30th April, 2011 – 25th June 2011 at the Former Central Police Station Compound, 10 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong. Opening hours from Tuesdays through Sundays will be 10am to 6pm (Mondays closed). Free Admission.

Rocker-Lange Architects @ Venice 2010

Saturday, August 28th, 2010

Rocker-Lange Architects are participating in this year’s Venice Biennale with their project entitled “Serial Architecture – Systems of Multiplicities”. The scheme on display is part of the exhibition “Quotidian Architectures” in the Hong Kong Pavilion.

Venice Biennale, 2010, Architecture, Hong Kong Pavilion, Rocker Lange Architects, Quotidian Architectures, Christian J. Lange, Ingeborg Rocker, Parametric Architecture,parametric tower, Housing Tower Hong Kong

Hong Kong housing is based predominantly on the typology of the tower. While this configuration allows for many different interpretations, the common approach to this design task is based on repetitive, reductive and profit driven ideas. The potential for innovation in form and organisation of this typology remains yet unbuilt.

Venice Biennale, 2010, Architecture, Rocker Lange Architects, Hong Kong Pavilion, Quotidian Architectures, Christian J. Lange, Ingeborg Rocker, Parametric Architecture, parametric tower, Rethinking Hong Kong Tower Urbanism

This project interrogates these circumstances by investigating possible alternative design techniques that can result into a series of tower configurations that vary and possibly produce unique identities.

Parametric Architecture, Venice Biennale, 2010, Architecture, Rocker Lange Architects, Hong Kong Pavilion, Quotidian Architectures, Christian J. Lange, Ingeborg Rocker, Parametric Architecture, parametric tower

With the introduction of digital media and digital manufacturing processes, the conception of modularized architecture constructed out of nearly identical industrially mass-produced components has been challenged. Today, with the use of the computer and various open software packages, architecture can instead be realized as varying prototypes of a series. Within each series a variety of design versions can be realized. Each of these design versions is unique and yet also part of the series.

Venice Biennale, Architecture, parametric tower, Rocker Lange Architects, Hong Kong Pavilion, Quotidian Architectures, Christian J. Lange, Ingeborg Rocker, Parametric Architecture

Rather than having a fixed form, this approach offers the ability to develop models that describe a flexible space that is based on a set of relationships of discrete elements. Hence, the designer is able to constantly redefine and alter the model, capable of producing many possible versions based on varying input data.