Narrative as a Base in Architecture
Yash Kora
27/01/2020
ABSTRACT
One of the fundamental concepts of modern architectural theory is the idea that architecture is a form of
language. If narratives exist, as Ronald Barthes and others concludes, as a writen, oral, visual discourse in an
‘infinite diversity of forms’, then architeclure and cities become agents that can be studied for their narrative
significance in a presented or mediated form as unmediated exstence ie. actual space. Thus fo examine how
the ordering mechanisms in literature and art can informs the Development of Experience in Architecture.
Bernard Tschumi’s The Manhattan Transcript.
For Tschumi, narratives are a means of exploring architecture's ability to communicate through spatial
poradigms and as such, seek on aclive engagement between the user ond architectural space. Tschumi notes
that he is ‘..examining architecture “frame by frame", as through o film-ediing machine’ and isis well known
that much of his creative output has evolved from theories of montage and ediing and a discourse of film and
cinema, Projects like the screenplays or The Manhation Transcript.
The Manhattan Transcript, Tschumi uses the ‘riparite mode of notoion’: movement, event, and space. Using
Ihis mode of notation, Tschumi slates thot itis “proceeded from a need lo question the modes of representation
generally used by architecs: plans, sections, axonometrc, perspectives “His work revolves around the aspecls
of sequence/program of the images, the movements that occur from the sequence and the form that comes oft
Alter completing this piece, Tschumi concluded with his statement, which describes his syle, “There is no
architecture without action, no architecture without events, no orchitecture without program.” (Bernard Tschumi
Architects, 1976)
Tschumi's fascination of he element of movement within architectural space and scriptograms (diagrams) 1o
perceive is whotinrigues me to work with The Manhattan Transcripts and ullimately Tschu
movement and space in architectural representation
definitions of
LN
BuildingsWassily Kandinsky’s Point and line to Plane.
Kandinsky ‘invented’ abstract painting when he sow one of his landscape pieces tuned upside down and
realized that even though the objects were unrecognizable, the painting sill invoked emotion
He went on to form « belief that elements of a painting (lines, planes, colors) are lke notes in music - abstract -
and that they can be used Independently of representation to convey an atmosphere, a message, an emotion,
ele. The theory Point and line fo plane, he explored the interrelation between color, form, line direction and
infensily of he pointto create an aesthetic experience. In his way the arlst engaged the sigh, sound and
emotions of the public.
In his writings, Kandinsky analyzed the geometrical elements which make up a painting — the point and the
line, He called the surface the artist worked on the plane. A point is a bit of color on the plane, it doesn’t take
the form of just a dot, itcan be a square, a star or something morecomplicoted. But according tothe position
of the point on the plane it can resonate or create tension with other points of lines. The line is an extension of
force applied to the plane - applied with pencil or paintbrush. Ths form can take many shapes. The straight
tine, angular line or curved line. Again, these forms can create tension or show space in their relation to other
points andlines. When it comes to elements in design, we have two basic elements to work with. Positive form
and negative space. The mos! basic concrete form isa dot. Many dots in a row become aline. A shape in its
mos basic form isa dot
Similar to Kandinsky's theory about points, dots create a reference point in relation to the space around i
Changing the size ond position of a dot this can actively influence the composition. Now a line is all about
movement. Itleads somewhere, this causes the eye to move along it.The line can direct you towards and
move you away from a poin However, he figures motion as an element tse without invariably representing
‘hat which moves or has moved
Kandinsky's development of mastery over the Expression of Motion inirigues me lo work alongside Tschumi’s
definitions of Movement and Space in architectural representation. Ullimately it generates the exercise fo see
simple forms, the skill which becomes essential when observing expressions and forming a narrative, specially
in age of information and communication.Methodology
Study & Analyse
Bernard Tschumi form fiechniqua Wassily Kandinsky]
the manhattan transcript of Point & Line to Plane
Nan Narrative _
event, movement, space through
the aspects of sequences of
images, the movement that occur
from the sequence and the form
that comes of it.
lexpression of motion
lhrough the aspects of interrela-
Hion between color, form, line di-
rection and intensity of the point
to create an aesthetic experi-
lence to convey an atmosphere,
Ja message, an emotion,
* Subjective experience of
space becomes its very concept + Parameters of Expressiveness
language Interconnected nature of various disiplines Art
‘Architecture Future’
Draw
lens
3
ee ee = Process eeeeece
10
obeserve a Narrative of
Construction of Experience in ar-
chitecture
Buildings
asa ners OR sens ase
case study case study
Represent
«@ scriptograms
as a conclusionNarrative as a Base in Architecture
Yash Korat
29/01/2020
‘ABSTRACT
«@ form of
One of the fundamental concepts of modern architectural theory is the idea that architecture
language. If narratives exist, as Ronald Barthes and others concludes, as a writen, oral, visual discourse in an
‘infinite diversity of forms’, then architeclure and cities become agents that can be studied for their narrative
significance in a presented or mediated form as unmediated exstence ie. actual space. Thus fo examine how
the ordering mechanisms in iterature and art can informs the Development of Experience in Architecture. .
Aims
To investigate the art & literature expressiveness such that it leads to generate a process for
architectural design and thinking,
Objectives
To identify the threshold between art and architecture
To identify the traces between the theory and design practice in Parc La Villete by tschumi
To analyze the narrative theme from the book ‘The Manhattan transcript’ & ‘Point & line to Plane’
To derive a pattern from abstraction in form of illustrations and models
To observe and analyze the spaces through the lens of derived process
Research Questions
How narrative develops an expressiveness and longuage analogy?
Can very understanding ond use of spatial narrative helps generate « habit of Observation?
Does Narrativefulfll he gap between Fiction and fictional?
How narrative os part supports the detailing of space
How linear and non-linear understanding would help figure out what is missing intoday’s narration
for architectural future?
What is manifestation of intellectual and experiential understanding?Scope & Limitations
The study covers the aspects of art and literature only
The study islimitate to the study narrative theme in Bernard tschumi’s The Manhattan transcript and
Kandinsky’s Point & line to Plane.
Further analyzing limitate to the case study of par of a city or buildings with similar programs