See

discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/278027501

Architecture free from support - architectonic

structures illusion of floating
Conference Paper June 2010

CITATIONS

READS

63

2 authors:
Olivera Nikolic

Vladan Nikolic

University of Ni

University of Nis, Faculty of Civil Engineering

16 PUBLICATIONS 1 CITATION

15 PUBLICATIONS 1 CITATION

SEE PROFILE

All in-text references underlined in blue are linked to publications on ResearchGate,

letting you access and read them immediately.

SEE PROFILE

Available from: Olivera Nikolic

Retrieved on: 24 October 2016

ARCHITECTURE FREE FROM SUPPORT

ARCHITECTONIC STRUCTURES ILLUSION OF FLOATING
Vladan Nikoli1
Olivera Nikoli2

Abstract
The paper presents an assumption that throughout the entire period of
human civilization development, there was a continuity of an idea of
floating architectonic structures. This continuity was demonstrated by
historical examples. The paper also considers the causes of such formal
approach, from the utilitarian ones to the conceptual and aesthetic.
Through an analysis of the continuity of idea and the formal
manifestation of the mentioned structures, one discovers the ways of
creation of this effect and the resulting classification of the ways.
Contemporary examples have been presented as well s the visions of
future and architecture free of supports, architecture with very pronounced
futuristic, but not utopistic characteristics.
Key words: architecture free from support, floating illusion

I / TOWARDS ANALYSIS OF IDEAS /

HUMAN PRIMEVAL DESIRE TO FLY (FLOAT)
Eventually, architecture is nothing else than a form given to ideas.
Viollet-le-Duc (Conversations, volume 1)

architect, teaching assistant , The Faculty of Civil Engineering and

Architecture of Ni, vladan.nikolic@gaf.ni.ac.rs
2
architect, research assistant, The Faculty of Civil Engineering and
Architecture of Ni, o_milosavljevic@yahoo.com

Illusion of floating of architectonic structures should be dealt with a the

level of an idea, it should be conceived, developed, and then it should be
minimally supported in order to materialize the idea in this technological
moment. The floating structure on the surface of the Planet is, for the time
being, and unattainable ideal. For this reason, we are dealing with
alternative approximation to the idea.
Supports are by all means a necessity.
Their number, position and strength alike.
But removing supports does not mean to
devoid the system of stability, but to
empower it with a power akin to the
underlying idea. Because as necessity is never
favorable, but always encumbering and
detrimental, it must be marginalized and
eliminated to the greatest extent possible.
Figure 1 Undercover Lab,
Tokyo, Japan

Since the times when man became acquired self-awareness and

environment awareness, they became fascinated by the phenomena he
was not equal to. His wish to be bigger than the limitations and the
nature itself, was powering the civilization from the very beginning.
This arrogance of the self-aware creature, saying Needs must when
the devil drives, inevitably surpassed many limitations of nature and
of its own mind. The latter is even more significant, because it was
inherent to man and his limitedness and stupidity. This conquest of self
was evident in all aspects of the society, and the victory in
architecture occurred in 20th century, in the heroic age of the
Moderne. The moment man realized he was free of certain inhibitions,
the progress went on with incredible impetus. The dream of flying and
defying gravity was for centuries been materialized only in myths and
fairy-tales...
The dream of flying (and floating) is not only curiosity, excitement
and freedom, but also envy for all the creatures capable of it. This
dream is one of the earliest human premises and frustrations, which is
confirmed by the myths and legends emerging in the earliest phases of
civilization development. The myth of Icarus and Daedalus, angels, the
flying carpets, castles in the air By this, the dream pervades all the
aspects of human society and existence. In architecture, it occurred in
the earliest period as an idea of structures free of supports, this being
elucidated nowadays by the practical safety reasons, which, of course,

cannot be neglected. From the earliest myths to contemporary

science-fiction stories, this idea existed and developed. Its utilitarian
development can be tracked from pile dwellings to modern structures
on Earth or space stations that are materializations of this idea.

Figure 2
Icarus and Daedalus

Figure 3
Castle in the air

Figure 4
Flying carpet

Along the way, in architecture, a variety of approaches to the idea

of structures free of support has risen, and they ought to be classified
and placed into a clearly defined context of what we seek to single out
and monitor, both in terms of history and typology. Firstly criteria
should be set about how the idea is valued and its development
monitored, and then, what are our attitude towards its realization.
One aspect of analysis are oral and written documents, from myths to
science-fiction stories, and the other is historical-architectural aspect
which is inseparable from the previous one. As these aspects are
inseparable, that is exactly how they should be observed and analyzed
parallelly and equally. However for the purposes of easier analysis, it
is better to individually describe and analyze both aspects, and then,
after we have created a clear image and fully understood the idea, we
should consider the correlation and inter-dependency of both aspects.
Through the evaluation system we are about to create, all the
mentioned aspects may be passed and filtered, with the exception of
myths and legends which should only be noted, as they are the
archetypal birth of the idea itself, and they should be considered as
evasive, non-existing fulcrum of the latter events.
Particular emphasis in the paper has been placed on the historicalarchitectonic aspect, as well as on the numerous contemporary
examples of buildings where, in a variety of ways, the floating illusion
has been created.

II / HISTORICAL CONTINUITY OF THE IDEA

Continuity of the idea exists, regardless of the architectonic styles,
applied materials, historical circumstances and other influential
factors. Intensity and frequency of the continuity can be argued, but
never its interruption, and that will be proved through the following
examples.

Figure 5 Pile dwelling

Figure 6 Pile dwellings in an open air museum in

Zurich and an elevated stilt house in Japan

Pile dwellings are the structures built on piles above ground or

water. It is one of the oldest methods of construction, and the first in
the historical tracking of the continuity of the idea. The oldest pile
dwellings date back to Neolith and Bronze Age. Remains if the pile
dwellings can be found in the Alps, South America, and can still be
seen in southeast Asia, west Africa. Also, the remains of Neolithic pile
dwellings were discovered in Scotland and Scandinavia. In figure 6 a
replica of a pile dwelling is presented it has been built in the openair museum in Zurich, and the elevated house is from Japan.
Regarding their distribution and historical context, in the
development of almost all civilizations, the pile dwellings belong to a
group of extremely significant structures for emergence and survival of
the idea of floating structures. This group of structures came to
being firstly out of practical safety reasons and need for the sense of
security of their dwellers, meaning this is a utilitarian inception of the
idea, which later undergo all sorts of transformations.

Figure 7 Bangkok replica

of Thai pile dwellings

Figure 8 Contemporary examples of pile

houses on Ada Meica isle built for practical
reasons due to seasonal flooding

Oil rigs are contemporary industrial pile dwellings supported over

the surface of the sea. There are numerous examples showing massive
rigs and slender and few supports making them appear to be floating
over the sea, particularly in harsh weather and choppy seas. The oil
rigs are particularly interesting for observation as there are examples
when the deserted oil rigs become locations where large internet
servers are installed, keeping data for the free global internet
exchange. In the same manner in which this immense quantity of data
has no real leverage in origin and ownership, the modern pile dwellings
have no static leverage in their visual form, and through such
conversions they transcend the idea and reason of their emergence.

Figure 9 Oil rig in the North Sea Figure 10 Pile dwellings, V. Nikoli

When pile dwellings are observed, one may note multiple

columns, which is still remote from the structures achieving the
hovering illusion, but it is a first step in attaining the final effect.
There are numerous contemporary examples, that can be called
modern pile dwellings, which not only represent a continuity, but also
a formal and qualitative development of the idea.
Historical city of water, Venice is an
embodiment of the illusion of floating
architectonic structures, and if water is
observed as a neural fluid surface, and the
massive bulks of the edifices, we can consider
the entire city floating just above the sea.
Figure 11 Venice

Examples of the structures achieving the floating illusion in history

can be rarely encountered in architecture where the prevailing
building material was stone or brick, as it is the case in the history of
European civilization since ancient times until 19th century.
The examples which can be considered as the continuity of the
idea are Venice, city on water, and the medieval bridge Vecchio in

Florence, which along its entire span has craftsmen workshops

buildings on itself. Massive bulk of superstructure of the bridge, in
respect to the columns, as well as the relationships of colors,
materials, light-and-dark almost creates an effect of floating over the
river. Attempts to relieve the structures from weight, applying more
modern constructions, can be observe only in the opus of Viollet-le-Duc
(figure 13). The continuity of the idea in this long period of
development of civilization can be found in folklore architecture, as
well as in architecture of some less developed civilizations outside
European continent.

Figure 12 Ponte Vecchio, Figure 13 Innovative constructions of ViolletFlorence

le-Duc

Later examples of 20th century, such as the House over the

Waterfall by Frank Lloyd Wright represent a continuity of the idea in
the western civilization, facilitated primarily by implementation of
reinforced concrete and modern steel structures The house over the
Waterfall encroaches the waterfall, and massive horizontals of
concrete slabs appear as a free structure of floating elements in space
oblivious to gravity. A similar method of achieving the effect can be
seen in the contemporary building, at the turn of the 21st century,
America's Cup Building in Valencia.

Figure 14 Veles e Vents, America's Cup Building

In the opus of the Moderne architects of the 20th century, Le

Corbusiers, Mies van den Rohe, Kenzo Tanga, but many other,

numerous examples of structures which create a floating illusion

regardless of the original idea of designer.

Le Corbusiers vision of architecture was greatly affected by the

journey in the Balkans and near East. The near East houses habitually have
roof terrace, most often on slender columns. The most famous example
are the Semiramis Hanging Gardens, one of the seven wonders of ancient
world.
The displayed structures achieve the floating illusion by being elevated
above the terrain, on elegant columns, by the play of light and shadow,
and by whiteness of erected bulks. A continuity of the considered idea
might be found at most of the Le Corbusiers buildings.
Figure 15 Le Corbusier

Figure 16 Examples of structures from Tbilisi, Yalta and Warsaw

Figure 17 Mies Van der

Rohe, Farnsworth House,
Plano, Illinois

Numerous designs of Mies Van de Rohe

create a floating illusion. At the presented
house, this has been done primarily for
utilitarian reasons, but the hovering effects
is extremely successful in both cases of subbase character, both as a turf or during
high water season. A particular dynamics is
provided by the access plateau elevated
from the ground.

Oskar Niemeyers designs are particularly interesting for this

review, regarding the long period in which this architect worked.
Niemeyer often used the effect of floating structures in his designs.
Contemporary materials and technology of construction permitted a
most obvious realization of this idea in the Contemporary Art Museum
(figure 18) and later in this project presented in the Pavilion in
London.

Figure 18 Niteri Contemporary Art Museum, Figure 19 Kubiek, Flying

Brazil
Cathedral, Czech Republic

Folklore architecture and architecture without architects have

been and steel are a support of the continuity we are discussing.
Frequently those are contemporary examples of houses in the trees,
mountain cabins in inaccessible locations, but also humorous designs
such as Kubieks Flying Cathedral from Czech Republic (figure 19). In
fact, it is a balloon in the shape of a cathedral. It is an idea as old as
the dream of flying, realized in an imaginative way.
Numerous contemporary examples of the continuity of the idea are
presented in the special chapter of this paper. Contemporary
architecture is supported by powerful software and new building
materials and technologies. This has liberated the architects from
centuries old limitations and constraints and empowered them to
freely express themselves, concentrating on the essence of the idea,
and on the more persuasive accomplishment of floating effect.
Doubtlessly, the most of examples of this originate in 20th and 21st
century, and they will progress, not only in quantitative but also in
qualitative terms, creating the ever more perfect floating effect. As
the idea is bound to evolve, even though we cannot definitely predict
its development, we should at least set the guidelines, our visions, and
thus contribute to the development of the idea. Exactly here lies the
contribution of the utopists whose visions remained on paper only, but
surely intrigued anyone who encountered them. It is likely that
precisely those visions and designs were the strongest initiator, being
so bold and deliberately premature. Perhaps the greatest contribution

was made by the Russian Constructivists in the 20s of the 20th century.
Horizontal skyscrapers for the city of Moscow by El Lissitzky became an
inspiration of many a generation of architects. The Hidekel proposition
of the City on columns completely feeing the ground, and Malevichs
cities between the sky and the earth, Lavinskys design City on the
springs are worthwhile examples. Arata Isozaki proposed a townplanning design off a city of the future Clusters in the air in 1962.

Figure 20 El Lissicky, horizontal skyscrapers,1925. and a contemporary

interpretation of a similar idea.

Figure 21 Arata Isozaki,

Clusters in the air, 1962.

Figure 22 Space stations, the Mir and a

vision of future

In this review of the continuity of the idea, one should certainly

cast a glance at projections of the future, and they are inevitable
related t the outer space. When discussing the space and
weightlessness, the space stations are structures which are objectively
floating in space. The first space station, Russian Mir, is a first
structure of this kind. These structures lie remote form the futuristic
visions, but the trail has been blazed. The future generations of
architects will deal with formal and functional shaping of structures in
space.
III / TRANSITION OF THE IDEA THROUGH STYLES
Since the completion of the Pyramids, the architecture becomes ever
lighter, and in the 20th century, this process will accelerate, and it will
become even lighter. Bernard Tschumi

Figure 23 Kenzo Tange and MVRDV designs

Regardless of the styles, the idea of floating architectonic

structures did exist, and we concluded that from the historical
continuity of the idea. Transition of the idea through historical styles
was, and still is, a continuous uninterrupted process. It certainly
became lightweight if ones takes into account the previously
mentioned statement by Bernard Tschumi. As the structures have
become lighter, in an objective, material sense, in addition to
intensive formal research, geometrical progression of development in
the future can assumed. Architecture through history freed itself of
canons and restraints of clearly defined styles and by this created
conditions for a completely independent creative expression.
The factors affecting the method of accomplishment of floating
illusion are:
1. Practical issues
5. Construction technology
2. Climatic conditions
6. Available materials
3. Historical circumstances
7. Other factors
4. Style features
If the mentioned factors are considered, one will conclude that
until the Moderne, the style features had the most importance in the
architecture of public buildings, but also the practical issues and
climatic conditions in housing and folklore architecture. Of course,
construction technology and available materials must not be omitted,
but if their relatively slow development is taken into account, they can
be viewed as constant, with insignificant exceptions. Only in the
industrial revolution and with the development of technology and new
materials, and particularly with the heroic period of the Moderne,
other factors, which are difficult to define in general, came into play,
and those are primarily individual, creative and philosophical
characteristics of individual designers.

IV / ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE EFFECT AND CLASSIFICATION OF

ACCOMPLISHMENT METHODS

Figure 24 Santiago Calatrava, Sculptures

Architecture is the image we see. Spiro Kostof says: Buildings are

often born of images and live on images, so the illusion created in the
eye of the beholder can be considered a reality of the observed
structure. What arouses suspicion is only our previous experience
about the environment, that is, space we live in. The idea itself tends
to submit all our previous experience to self-verification and additional
reflection.
The illusion is primarily achieved by separation of the structure or
parts of the structure from the basis, simultaneously concealing the
supports. Most frequently those are structural systems allowing large
and wide consoles supported by slender supports. Crucial for the
creation of effect, apart from intention, is the skill of the designer to
confound the observer by the design, and lead him to ponder how the
structure survives in a gravity-laden space. The choice of the base is
also a generator of effect. It should provide a visual separation of the
base from the structure. It is most often the natural environment, that
is, turf or water base. Ground configuration can play crucial role in
creation of the illusion. Therefore, the effect of floating in space
affected by gravity is more or less successful optical illusion. Eo ipso, it
is a subjective component and acting on the visual perception of an
observer. Of course, the floating effect could be objectively
accomplished, but only in cases of architecture-on-paper, submerged
structures or in architecture of the structures in weightlessness.
The conclusion is that we have only two components of
accomplishing the effect of floating structures:
subjective (only visual accomplishment of the effect by creating

illusion in the eye of the beholder)

objective (visual accomplishment of the effect when a structure has
no supports indeed when it floats)

Classification of accomplishment methods of floating illusion of

architectonic structures
1. structures / water

2. structures / land

1.1

structures under water

2.1

structures slightly above

land
the height of the structure
above ground is lower than
the view point of the
observer

1.2

structures on water
in visual terms, structures
are on the very surface of
water
2.2

structures high above

ground
the height of the structure
above ground is lower than
the view point of the
observer

2.3

structures accomplishing
the effect by color and
shadow
the floating effect is given
only to parts of the structure

1.3

1.4

structures slightly above

water
the height of the structure
above water is lower than
the view point of the
observer

structures high above water

the height of the structure
above water is higher than
the view point of the
observer

3 . structures / space
structures in weightlessness

4. structures / on-paper
virtual architecture; architectureon-paper

V / CONTEMPORARY EXAMPLES OF THE CONTINUITY OF THE IDEA

A large number of contemporary structures were built with an
intention to approach to the idea of floating structures, that is,
gravity defying structures, by an optical illusion. Such a large
number of structures resulted from the accelerated development of
contemporary structures and materials, which have a decreasing
weight and an increasing bearing capacity. Application of computers
also facilitated progressive complexity of forms of the structures, as
well as static definition and construction the structures. Computers
also created conditions to create a number of most diverse visions of
architecture and floating structures which will remain only concepts
and ideas. The following examples are classified according to the
previously laid out classification of the method of floating illusion
effect accomplishment.

Figure 25 Jean Nouvel, Monolith, EXPO2002, Morat, Switzerland

Figure 26 - Diller+Scofidio, Blur Building, Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland
Figure 27 BDP, Armada Housing, Den Bosch, The Netherlands

Figure 28 Oskar Niemeyer, Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, London, UK

Figure 29 - UN Studio, Mobius House, Het Gooi, The Netherlands

Figure 31 Alsop Architects, Apollo Hotel, Almere, The Netherlands

Figure 32 - Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, House
Figure 33 Christoph Mckler, House Addition, Constance, Germany

Figure 34 Alsop Architects, Sharp Centre for Design, Toronto, Canada

Figure 35 - Klein Dytham, Undercover lab, Tokyo, Japan
Figure 36 Rem Koolhaas, Bordeaux house, Bordeaux, France

Figure
Figure
Figure
Figure

37
38
39
40

Behnisch, Behnisch & Partner, "Nord LB" Bank, Germany

- Subarquitectura, Tram Stop, Alicante, Spain
HG Merz, Porsche Museum, Stuttgart, Germany
Oskar Niemeyer, Communist Party Headquarters, France

Figure 41 afreestudio.com, Landscape Defiant, Living Box competition

Figure 42 - afreestudio.com, Tourist Info Center, Knjaevac , Serbia

VI / CONCLUSION
At the outset, there has been a supposition that through entire
period of human civilization development there existed a continuity of
idea of floating architectonic structures. The collected examples
confirmed the assumption and demonstrated that the idea existed both
in its manifest form, through a variety of structures achieving the
mentioned effect, and in the myths, narratives and fairy-tales. We
concluded that the reasons for such formal shaping were varied, from
utilitarian to aesthetic ones. The structures where this illusion is
accomplished have been quite frequent since the Moderne, until
nowadays, due to the technological development of construction and
materials. Through analysis of the continuity of the idea and the
formal manifestation of the mentioned structures, the effect
accomplishment methods and consequential classification are inferred.
It is also noticeable that certain architects frequently implemented the
floating effect of the structures or structural parts on a variety
structures for varied uses. This proves that the reasons for
implementation are not exclusively utilitarian or aesthetic, but that
there is a more profound contemplation and research in this direction.
The following architects and design agencies can be emphasized: Oskar
Niemeyer, Alsop Architects, Meyer En Van Schooten Architecten,
Christoph Mckler architectes, Jean Nouvel, and many other.

LITERATURE
1. Bahamn, Alejandro. Sketch Plan Build
2. Tierney, Therese. Abstract Space Beneath the media surface,
Talor&Francis Group, 2007.
3. Kostof, Spiro. A History of Architecture: Settings and Rituals, 2nd
edn. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995.
4. Petrovi, Milo. Istorija moderne arhitekture - avangardni pokreti,
Arhitektonski fakultet, Beograd, 2000.
5. 1000x European Architecture, Verlagshaus Braun, 2007.
6. The Phaidon Atlas of Contemorary World Architecture, Phaidon
Press, 2004
7. Radovi, Ranko. Savremena arhitektura izmeu stalnosti i
promena ideja i oblika, Stilos, Novi Sad, 1998.
8. Betsky, Aaron. UnStudio, Taschen, Koln, 2007.
9. hompson Cargill, Jessica. 40 Archiects Around 40, Taschen, 2006.
10. Jodidio, Philip. Architectur Now! 3, Taschen, 2004.
11. Jodidio, Philip. Architectur Now! 5, Taschen, 2007.
12. Fransoaz, oe. Urbanizam, utopija i stvarnost, Graevinska knjiga,
Belgrade 1978.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

www.hanthorn.com (09.2007.)
www.floatinghomes.com (09.2007.)
www.canada.archuseek.com (02.2008.)
www.theswitzerlandtraveler.com
www.wikipedia.org (2007 2009.)
www.it.urbarama.com
www.antanasijevic.blogspot.com
(illustration, Castle in the air, 2009.)
8. www.faculty.philau.edu
(illustration, Sculptures, 09.2009.)
9. www.brynmawr.edu (Viollet-le-Duc, illustrations, 08.2009.)
10. www.archdaily.com (2008 2009.)
11. www.kubicekballoons.cz (10.2009.)
12. www.miesarch.com