Jenks and the Cisterns
Post-modernism often seems an intangible analysis of what is. The ideology, when written, tends to evade understanding by remaining aloof, impalpable, and abstract. Jenks grounded my understanding of post modernism by architecturally and visually aiding the fundamental characteristics of post-modernism. Previously, I was unaware that I had experienced architectural post-modernism.
In Copenhagen, I visited an architectural installation called the Cisterns. Initially, I knew not what to call this particular experience. It evoked a feeling inside of me, yet I did not have the vocabulary to name it. All I understand, that this place, whatever it was, imprinted itself as an experience I could not forget, but simultaneously could not name.
It was a wet winter afternoon in Copenhagen. The air was cold, the ground was wet, and the wind was cool. I opted, with my partner, for a short excursion for the day, a visit to an art installation.
The Cisterns is an architectural installation in Copenhagen. Located underground, the cisterns were originally a subterranean Danish water reservoir for the Danish capital. Now, the cisterns are an integral part of the Frederiksburg Museum— where the architectural installation designed by Hiroshi Sambuichi pays homage to the elements of water, air, and daylight in an unorthodox space.
While pictures of The Cisterns pique ones interest, the experience of the cisterns is both breathtaking and mentally stimulating. Silence fills the air, and the sound of dripping water echoes loudly in the empty chambers. The entrance is dim, and the exhibition is seemingly pitch black, except for singular points of light. The instructions are to follow this lights. As I walked through the exhibition (there was only one entrance), the end, the path, and the center seemed elusive. The path towards the end only revealed itself as one continued along the path of darkness. Nevertheless, as I continued light began to reveal itself. It would reflect along rippling water. Across the hall, one could glimpse another pathway, wooden stairs atop water, with lanterns (or were they lights) lining the way. Near a bright window, was moss encased with glass. Near this were reflecting mirrors, a heavenly light seemed to drip from the ceiling and the walls, where the light from the mirror reflected. There seemed to be no center— and the objects I assumed to be the center were simply just parts of the pathway. Each corner of the path was its own experience. Each mirror and small hole of light in the ceiling connected with eachother, lighting the sub terrane reservoir
Jenks contends major themes of post-modernism include the absence of a center and ambiguous meanings. There was no center of The Cisterns, there was only the connection of light and the pathways where one could see that light. Furthermore, the cisterns fundamental characteristics were highlighted by absence, and the volume of that absence. The absence of light underscored the importance of light. The lack of sound accents the vital quality of silence in understanding the totality of the piece.
The Cisterns are visualized post-modernism. I'm glad I have the words to describe it now.
The Cisterns are visualized post-modernism. I'm glad I have the words to describe it now.
Post-Class Blog (Jencks, September 17)
ReplyDeleteLike you, Christelle, I appreciated reading Jencks’ piece to gain vocabulary and context for some of the architecture I have seen in my travels. A few years ago I visited Montreal, in Québec, Canada with my family. I was blown away by the wide range of architecture there. The city is a mixed with very old and very modern buildings. However, there was one sight in particular that stood out to me.
You talked about the Cisterns evoking a feeling in you, and it reminded me of the excitement that I got from first seeing this building, Habitat 67. My eyes were drawn to it when I was looking up what there was to see in the city before our trip, and when we got to see it on a boat tour it invoked so much awe in me! It was like a breath of fresh air.
Across the river from the main downtown district full of cathedrals and skyscrapers, there was a strange collection of ‘boxes’ that looked like they could be apartment buildings. (https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/may/13/habitat-67-montreal-expo-moshe-safdie-history-cities-50-buildings-day-35) Some of the square houses look like they are floating in mid-air, and others are only slightly supported by the squares beneath or beside them. It looked like a haphazard stack of blocks or Legos that can be knocked over in any second. The building spanned a huge portion along the shore of the river and vas so visually complex.
This complex, Habitat 67, was built in 1962 by Moshe Safdie. It represents some of the characteristics of postmodernism that we talked about. I see ‘new rhetorical figure’ and ‘absent center’ present in this complex. Just like how skyscrapers introduced height to city skylines as a new rhetorical figure, this popularizes a geometric design. We saw examples of this continued figure from the architecture Dr. Cummings showed us in class. Boxy buildings were popular in postmodernist architecture.
The absent center is probably what is most shocking about this building. It has holes in the building that were supposed to “balance cold geometry against living, breathing nature” according to the Guardian article that I found the picture from. Jencks talks about the absent center representing a time of transition and a time with “no clear sense of destination.”
I really enjoyed reading Jencks’ piece on the types/characteristics of post-modern architecture. It was a break for me after reading through a lot of theory on Structuralism and starting to dissect Benjamin’s writings on criticism. This reading provided concrete examples and allowed me to begin to process how theory has crept into human creativity and started to take form in our world. It made me realize that theory drives all production. Our concepts and designs are a born of cultural influence.
-Maura