Thursday Salute to Originals: Wall Evolution
The wall is a surface plane integral to architecture. Encloser of space, divider of exterior and interior, delineator of territory, threshold of privacy. The wall is a ubiquitous form, often overlooked for being so utterly commonplace. But taking an x-ray look into a wall section can actually tell quite a history. From ancient masonry blocks to modern lightweight structures, the wall has continued to evolve as a reflection of current materials and construction methods. So what will tomorrow’s walls look like?
Architectural firm Barkow Leibinger built walls of the impending future in this “Kinetic Wall” installation at the 2014 Venice Biennale. Set amongst a constructed timeline of ancient walls through stone, brick, wood, and glass partition, the kinetic walls extend into the utopian future, pointing towards an idealized architecture.
AD Interviews: Barkow Leibinger / Kinetic Wall from ArchDaily on Vimeo
Constructed of two layers of gridded fabric animated by motorized points, the wall ebbs and flows with robotic fluidity. Moving along the wall is an experience in compression and release, activated through real motion. The wall is both massive and lightweight, dynamic in its interpretation and experience.
This Thursday, we salute the under-appreciated wall plane. For being a blank canvas in expression of form, material, technology, or even movement, if walls could talk they would speak for eons. How do you envision the walls of the future?