Archigram: Anaesthetic Architecture

Archigram has created a utopian image which is an anaesthetic architecture in nature with respect to the current and 50 years ago. It is created for the time which is far ahead of the present time. As the present time is not yet ready for such kind of architecture, and this makes its insensitive or context less (Anaesthetic) to suit in todays time. At present situation its num in its own state as its not designed to feel the pain, present condition and needs of the time. The Paper aim is to explore historical dimension behind architecture and technology, imagination of future lifestyle and design approaches. It also aims at studying the evolution of the futuristic concepts and its influence on the present and future art and architecture. Image of Archigram You can roll out steel- any length, You can blow up a balloon- Any Size You can mould plastic- Any shape Blocks that built the forth bridge, they didnt worry
By Peter Cook- the key member of Archigram.

The Architecture and design belief for Archigram group is like everything and anything-is-possible. Archigram was lead by the group of six young and fresh London Architects which gave a different direction in thinking and possibilities in the art, architecture and technology. Their projects have challenged the permanency of conventional architecture, substituting a brand of architecture which is dynamic, expendable, instant, plug-in, and openended. The image of Archigram is like a Happy Architectural Dreams, where nothing is impossible, glorified, smooth, easy, convenient, where past or context doesnt matter. The entire struggle is to see the happy future. Their architecture was not meant for their times, it was for the future which is far ahead. Archigram is the combination of words ARCHItecture and teleGRAM. Architecture for the fast developing and progressing world. In 1960, the young Architects Warren Chalk-Political thinker, Peter Cook-Spokesman, Dennis Crompton-Technician, David Greene-Thoughtful poet, Ron Herron- Artist and Mike Webb- Conceptual genius came together in London to reform the world architecture. They had completely new visions and idea on modernity, as Peter Cook describe Continuing European tradition of well-mannered but gutless architecture and they believed that the way in which so-called modern architecture seemed to have betrayed the bravest of modernisms philosophies. Hence Archigram set out to mix architecture from its slumbers, inject it with new vitality and dramatically expand its horizons. Archigram is short on theory, long on draughtsmanship and craftsmanship as mentioned by Peter reyner banham in book Archigram. So lot of stress were on the images which had a language for themselves. At first glance everything appears to be utopia. But that was not what they saw in most of their works. They wanted to show world how it could be, then and now. It was the extreme reaction to the condition which was lead and the possibility in the future. Many of Archigram projects are immediately buildable using current techniques, But they are certainly not immediately buildable with the given politics, society and even economy. That makes Archigram projects Utopian. Time does not seem ready for it. They have tried to lay the situation which will come in future, where there is nothing like context or site, but where the importance is given to time, expendably, free movement etc.

Background: Effects of world war

At the completion of World War II, the mainstream of modernism in architecture was declining for a while after 1950s and struggling to accommodate the cultural dimension of technology while attempting to revitalize post-war societies with functionalism. A main reason for this is the post-war era, as most European countries needed the reconstruction of their environments, recovering from the devastation of the two World Wars. Simultaneously, the baby boom in the 1960s and the rapid growth of urbanism in Europe, additionally, necessitated to re-vitalized urban life and accommodation for society. Nevertheless, even under such a dilemma and complexity, the leading modern architects still persisted with their obsolete methodologies that were technologic oriented functionalism. As a result, they ended up struggling for a comprehensive response to the society claiming salvation. Within such a dilemma, Archigram emerged. Yet, Archigram reacted against the functionalism of former modern architects, and their focus was on comprehensible design for human association and local identity. The acknowledgement denoted that although Archigram and Team X were different in architectural expression, both commonly proposed alternatives and totality to a society depressed in the post-war, rather than simply following the modernism tradition. In contrast, positive opinions towards technology continuously and simultaneously were proclaimed in Europe around the early 19th century. Which were known as the European avant-garde, envisaging Utopian futures. The attempts were made by whose exponents were as fallow: Futurism in Italy in 1909-1916: The Futurist architect Antonio Sant'Elia expressed his ideas of modernity in his drawings for La Citt Nuova in Fig1 (The New City) (19121914). This project was never, but his ideas influenced later generations of architects and artists. The city was a backdrop onto which the dynamism of Futurist life is projected. The city had replaced the landscape as the setting for the exciting modern life. Sant'Elia aimed to create a city as a efficient, fast-paced machine. He manipulates light and shape to emphasize the sculptural quality of his projects. The city was not meant to last, and each subsequent generation was expected to build their own city rather that Fig1: The new city by Antonio Sant'Elia Inheriting the architecture of the past. Neo-Plasticism (De-Stijl) in The Netherlands in 1916: Its influence on architecture remained considerable long after 1931; Mies van der Rohe was among the most important proponents of its ideas. The Rietveld Schroder House Fig2 the only building realised completely according to the principles of De
Fig2: Schroder house.

Stijl.

Purism in France in 1918, Cubism in France in 1908, Constructivism in Russia in 1920: Its the combination of engineering and technology with political ideology. The most famous work of constructivist architecture was never actually built. In 1920, Russian architect Vladimir Tatlin proposed a futuristic monument to the 3rd International in the city of St.

Petersburg (then known as Petergrado). The unbuilt project, called Tatlin's Tower Fig3, used spiral forms to symbolize revolution and human interaction. Inside the spirals, three glass-walled building units - a cube, a pyramid, and a cylinder would rotate at different speeds. And Suprematism in Russia in 1913. These ideologies in the field of art, architecture and technology.
Fig3: Tatlins tower

Utopian thought overlaps with each other and the European avant-garde past history has formed the guidelines for Archigram. Peter Cook a central player of Archigram, stated in his book; We were conscious of the Avant-Garde of Europe. Therefore, an analysis of the European avant-garde seems necessary to explicate the nature of Archigram.

Archigram was influenced by

In European countries , Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius, contributed to the change associated with technologies in style of architecture and modern life. I n architectonic dimension, the Maison Domino (Fig 4) epitomized efficiency of a frame structure configured with vertical columns and horizontal floor slabs, removing massive walls as structure. With this structure, Le corburier evolved the idea of an open plan and flexibleness in a certain space. This was influential to Archigram in the manner that it enabled a structure frame in one of their projects, Plug-in-City, by plugging smaller dwelling units into it (Fig 5).

Fig 4: Fig 5: Peter Cook Plug in cities. (1962-1964)

Le Corbusier

Maison

Domino

(1914)

Characteristics
Characteristics of Archigram, Expandability and Mobility epitomized unpredictability of a future urban form. The aim seems to attempt to meet unpredictable general future demands. Projects

Plug-in City:
Plug-in city designed by Peter cook in 19621964. It was meant to meet the unpredictable general demands. It was based on the characteristics like Expandability and mobility. The framed mega-structure functions as urban infrastructure and has the capability of plugging-in transportation: monorails and roads and prefabricated units: dwellings, shops, services and facilities. It moreover, is equipped with the Crane-Way (fig 6), operating to move prefabricated dwelling units, in order for nomadic inhabitation in the hypothetical future and with the Bad Weather Balloons to cover the whole, when raining or snowing. It had broken a traditional hierarchy between architecture and infrastructure, in other words, houses and roads or streets it all starts functioning as one whole. They used the terms of Hardware and software,

where hardware is the rigid mega structure and software are the elements that are exchangeable. This radical shift was highly motivated by a technologic oriented hypothetical scenario, and it may have been the Archigrams negation of significance of traditional architecture. Consequently, this reduced architecture into one of urban elements, as if architecture was involved in an instrumental process of a huge machine.

Fig 6: Section of Plug-in City with crane for expnsion.

A Walking City (1964)- Ron Herron A walking city was based on the context on perceived as a future ruined world due to nuclear war, and to save people from the destruction of stationary buildings, so as they can pack their livings and go wherever they want to. At this time many nations was trying to recover from the wounds of the World War II. It had greater effects on the people and perception of architecture. The Walking City is made up of mobile buildings that can travel to where they are needed and 'plug-in' to the rest of the city to serve its residents. The pods were independent, yet parasitic as they could 'plug in' to way stations to exchange occupants. The citizen is therefore a serviced nomadic which is similar form of today's executive cars. Hence proposed building massive mobile robotic

structures
Fig7: A Walking city- Ron Herron (1964)

A Walking City was imagined as the fast-paced urban lifestyle of a technologically advanced society in which one need not be

tied down to a permanent location. The structures are conceived to plug into utilities and information networks at different locations to support the needs and desires of people who work and play, travel and stay put at same time.

Fig 8; Section of walking city pod

These hypnotically ideas and response to these situations are very anaesthetic in todays contexts. These are more of extreme reactions to the situation. In walking cities, a city to function in a rigid pod in not ideal and difficult to function. This kid of architecture could just be the immediate reaction and solution for that moment but can be a solution to function throughout.

Evolution of work Representation of Projects: Archigram style.

Archigram tried to merge pop-art with architecture. Pop Art reflects popular cultures and expresses ordinary objects of consumer products or advertisements. The art movement was generated in England around the 1950s and moved to the United State. Through all their works, graphics and illustration was predominant language. Their projects had short theory and long draughtsmanship and craftsmanship. For them the images speak a powerful language, they tell inspiring stories. The architectural drawings look modern, being very graphical even forty years ago. Archigram was always very aware of media, publishing was the best way they could express themselves and rebel against contemporary architecture.

From most of their drawings tells that human figures (fig 9,10) plays an important role. The human figure looks like they have been cut from the magazines and pasted on the surface of the architectural drawings. In many projects, all happy human activities occupies about quarter space of the give page. This is highly unusual in any architectural drawings. Generally, figures exist to show the proportions and scale, however in Archigram projects the buildings featured in the drawings seemed only to act as backdrop for the activities of the figures(fig:8,9). It seems that the visualization was helpful for the Archigram to present narratives of their work, which was composed of

Fig9: Manaco Underground 1970

Fig10: Instant city 1968

critic, fun, and delightful in hypothetical worlds, as if a technologic gadget can suddenly create a great fantasy.

Fig10: tomato Fig11: Turned Suburb

Electronic

Archigram is often blamed to be inhuman. But it would be wrong to say that as in some of their work the main concern is given to the people of all comfort and flexibility which is possible nowadays, using high tech means. The drawings was ever intended to be a window through which the world of tomorrow could be viewed, but rather as a representation of a hypothetical environment made manifest simultaneously with its two dimensional paper. This is how tings would look like, f planners, governments and architects were magically able to discard the mental impedimenta of the previous age and embrace the newly developed technologies and their attendant attitudes by mike Webb in the essay boys at heart.

Pop-art Dreamer
Archigram later on was also known as group of young British pop art architects. Their imagination of a great, reptilian hi-tech city strode across the international urban landscape on vast telescopic legs, settling down wherever its inhabitants thought best The group's style which was seen in many of the James Bond films of the 1960s and 1970s as well as on countless sci-fi movies from Barbarella to Bladerunner. The Archigram style has influenced pink Floyd, thought being in same era, both the groups had a similar kind of futuristic and glorified and too loud approaches to the situations or extreme reaction to the times which is clearly seen in their albums like Pink Floyd- the wall, the dark side of the moon etc. Also the kind of sets designed by mark fishers in 1980 for pink Floyd were Archigram-style designs writ luridly large and very loud.

Fig 12 : Sets by Mark Fisher in Pink Floyd the wall in 1980

Archigram was not alone with their criticism on contemporary architecture and with their ideas by which they tried to redefine architecture. There were groups

like metabolism (1960), Archizoom and super studio (1966), who had the similar kind of future anaesthetic architectural visions.

Metabolist:

Metabolism moment was lead in the similar manner as Archigram. The metabolist group was formed in Japan a year before i.e. 1960, by Kisho Kurokawa, Kiyonori Kikutake, Kenzo Tange, Kiyoshi Awazu; they all met in the similar manner as Archigram. Metabolism is the biological process by which life is maintained through the continuous cycle of creation and destruction. To the Japanese architects who adopted the name, it meant creating a dynamic environment that could live and grow by discarding its outdated parts and regenerating newer, more viable elements. They formed a some basic principles like Divide the spaces into basic units, Divide the units into equipment units and living units, Clarify the differences in metabolic rhythms along the unit spaces, Clarify the connectors and joints among spaces with different metabolic rhythms.
Fig 13 & 14: Yamagata Hawaii Dreamland by Kisho Kurokawa

Plug in-cities are on the similar basis like nakagin Capsule tower by Kisho Kurokawa, the one of the built project of metabolist group. As it executed the basic idea of plug in city in a small scale, as it consisted of two major elements: steel frame and reinforced concrete towers. Its developed on the technology to install the capsule units into a concrete core with only 4 high-tension bolts, as well as making the units detachable and replaceable. The capsule is designed to accommodate the individual as either an apartment or studio space. However till now, over 40 years, the units have never been changed. The flexible and changeable idea didnt work out as the reason might be that time does not seems ready for it. Archigram might be probably influenced by the Kenzo Tanges Plan for Tokyo bay (Fig 15) project in 1960. As it had a large impact on the architectural world, its amplitude is quite comparable to the impact of Archigram projects in the later years. Tokyo bay project gave a new dimensions to the urban planning projects to the another level, it showed the entirely new uses for traffic systems. It also through light on the concept of flexibility and the unlimited ability to grow.

Fig 15: Tokyo Bay project by Keno Tange.

Metabolism is on the idea of intent on developing a philosophical system based on the concept of cyclical change and Archigram on a purely pragmatic basis and simply regards the use of separate components. That makes metabolism to flourish more. Thought the schemes of Archigram and metabolism were on the similar parallel basis the scale of the projects were huge and vast. This must have made them unbuildable and inhuman.

Projects influenced by Archigram:

Tough the projects of the Archigram was not built, but still it had created a large and vast impact and has give a new and fresh vision in future architecture. The concept of Archigram has remained in progress for their contemporaries and successors. The Centre Pompidou (Fig. 17), designed by Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano were greatly influenced by the Archigram, was largely involved by the effects of the Archigram, particularly in terms of the technologic aesthetic zed elevations, where facility-ducts, steel-structure elements, and an escalator tube are boldly exposed. Archigrams comic-collagestyle influence was seen in the designed sections visualization.

Faculty of medicine, Aachen university (1968-1986) fig 16; by Weber, Brandt and partners, was designed on the ideology of Archigram which is high-tech in appearance, almost same visual language like Pompidou center. The Archigram articulated social and cultural dimensions of contemporary architecture, which were highly oriented with technologies in terms of organization, rather than formalistic aestheticization. Perhaps, technology was philosophically destined to associate with any Production, including architecture.

Fig 16 Faculty of Medicine, Aachen University Fig 17 Centre Pompidou View and sections showing the influence of Archigram

Conclusion
From Archigram works: Archigram drawings were deep, full of life, open enough to create an independent self or image and renders ones mind with all the possibility that one can imagine, for some it renders terrible news- a scared, unbuildable and run away architecture and for some a nice beautiful future, a better world that architecture could provide which is the future needs of the people. Thus their paintings and drawings are more like an art where one has the option to interpret in their own way and fantasy. And from all their drawings and painting says one thing that thought they are Anaesthetic to present, Archigram enjoyed the future. Archigram vs. local Architecture Over all projects and approaches of the Archigram are more like anaesthetic architecture as its totally num or cant feel its surroundings context and the existing local architecture. The main aim behind

their approaches seems to be the reflection of power and technology and at later stage happy smiling people. The living spaces they created was also too robotic and mechanical, the sense of neighbourhood or belonging to it was completely missing, may be due to constantly moving or changeable spaces. In the Megaprojects like A walking city, Plug-in city, Instant city etc dont eve describe or mentioned about the open/ common/ public spaces. They dont have any relation with the ground or earth space, this makes it more Anaesthetic. Most of their work seems to be a showcase or show-off of advent of modern technology and engineering.

Fig 18 residence antilia, India

Fig 19 Penang global city centre, Malaysia

In todays time local architecture is under the threat of the emerging anaesthetic architecture. As the current lifestyle is in between, as the craze of modern buildings are is affecting the todays design. Anaesthetic glass structures which are irresponsive to the context are coming up in all most every cities of India. Most of these buildings have the basic framework structure of beams and columns, and flexible movable spaces, tucked or clothed with glass all around so as to show or portray the contemporariness and modernity. To me the glimpse of anaesthetic architecture has started or taken birth. As seen in the above images fig 18 residence antilia, India and fig 19 Penang global city centre, Malaysia
are totally anesthetic to surrounding context. Some of them are already constructed and some are on their ways which are constructed by assuming the future needs. As show in fig 20; we are slowly heading toward the anesthetic architecture.

Anaesthetic Architecture

L ocal Architecture
Is moving

Current Architectur e

Fig

20;

Showing

current

scenario

Source:Author Fig 21: Showing the evolution projects along with timeline

Source: Author

From the above image Fig 21, its observed that the few projects at the starting i.e from 1961 till 1968, the most of the projects were large scale, all on the concept of expandability, flexibility, high-tech, all revolving behind one concerns or issue. E.g A Walking city based on the concept of moving or running of the entire city on the situation of war, which were highly anaesthetic in nature. Later on from 1968, there are lot of human activities shown, which was missing in the previous years project. They have made attempts to merge the present times happy humans cut from American magazine to their projects so has to prove that their architecture is fit to construct in todays time. At the later stage the projects, was full of human

activities where architecture forms the backdrop. Hence from their overall projects, creates a image of anaesthetic fantasy of happy dreamy architectural future.

Bibliography Theory and Design in the First Machine Age. London, Banham, The Architectural Press Archigram- the true story by peter cook Archigram- Architecture without Architecture - Simon Sadler Archigram effect- Peter cook. Metabolism in Architecture- Kisho Kurokawa Archigram-happy architectural dreams Post-war Architecture: Archigram by Gevork Hartoonian The Everyday and the Utopian- Peggy Deamer Archigrams Analogical Approach to Digitality Fabola M. Ribeiro and Rejane Spitz Domestic futures: The Archigram Effect Anab Jain. Chronology of the European Avant Garde, 19001937 by Chris Michaelides, Marine and Underwater Cities 1960-1975 by Peter Raisbeck www.haecceityinc.com A Guide to Archigram: 1961-1974, Herbert Lachmayer Archigram: Architecture Now, Ron Herron and Dennis Crompton, St Martins Press, 1980 The Situationist city- Simon Sadler Cities of tomorrow- Peter Hall Impossible worlds- the Architecture of perfection

Shruti Pandit 1st year M-Arch Sem II