PSYCHEDELIC EXPRESSIONS AND

SURREALISTIC ASPECTS OF ARCHITECTURE

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 Declaration.
I Anjid hereby declare that the Dissertation ‘Psychedelic expressions and surrealistic aspects
of architecture’ submitted in the partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the d egree
of Bachelors of Architecture is my original design/ research work and that the information
takeecondary sources is given due citations and references.

Anjid

Date : Roll. No: 007

Place : B.Arch. BATCH 2017
2021-22

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 Acknowledgement.
I would like to express my deep gratitude to my dissertation guide, Ar. Amol Magdum , DC
School of Architecture & Design in Vagamon., for their patient guidance, enthusiastic encourage-
ment and useful critiques of this research work.

I would also like to thank Ar. Ruchi S Jadon, for her advice and assistance in keeping my prog-
ress on schedule. My grateful thanks are also extended to Ar. James for all his help.

Finally, I wish to thank my parents and my friends for their support and encouragement through-
out my study.

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 Index.
I. Introduction. 7
I.I. Aim 7
I.II. Objectives. 7
I.III. Need for study. 7
I.III. Need for study. 7
I.IV. Scope of the project. 7
I.V. Limitation. 7
I.VI. Methodology 8
II. What is psychedelic exprience. 9
II.I. Diffrent aspects of psychedelic experience. 9
III. The influence of psychedelic experiences on art. 10
III.I. Psychedelic Art 10
IV. Psychedelic phrase on architecture. 13
IV.I. Contrasting Hues 14
IV.II. Kaleidoscopic 16
IV.III. Surrealistic 18
V. Surrealism and architecture 18
V.I Examples of surrealistic modern architecture 23
VI. And it is. 31
VII. Refences. 32

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 List of figures.
1. Painting The Brain (Stoned) (1982) by Hanno Karlhuber 11
2. The painting ‘Discovery’ by Peter Max 12
3. Art work ‘Quantum Realism Practitioner’ by Dennis Konstantin 12
4. photograph of Painting representing a mural artwork of famous 13
seventies singers during winter; Alain Bertrand
5. Painting ‘Mae West’s face which May be Used as a Surrealist Apart- 19
ment’, by Salvador Dali,
6 Photograph of installation of Mae West’s Face which May be Used as a 19
. Surrealist Apartment by Salvador Dali
7. Model of the Endless House, 1959. Image 20
8. Model for the Endless House. 1950. Image 20
9. Model for the Endless House. 1950. Image 20
10. Vitra Design Museum by Frank Gehry. Image 21
11. TWA Terminal;image 21
12. Photograph of TWA Terminal Interior 21
13. Urban Nation, Berlin. Image; 14
14. photo by annette kradisch, nuremberg | installation view at 15
kunsthalle nürnberg, nuremberg
15. Photograph of the Metropol Parasol in Seville, Spain, 16
16. Image, Courtesy of Shirane-Miyazak 17
17. An aerial view of Brasilia ©www.wallpaperup.com 23
18 The Metropolitan Cathedral of Brasília, designed by Modernist architect 22
Oscar Niemeyer. | CREDIT: MASSIMO BORCHI/ATLANTIDE PHO-
TOTRAVEL/GETTY IMAGES
19. Rotating House- Villa Girasole; ©www.iconichouses.org 24
20. Rotating House- Villa Girasole; ©www.iconichouses.org 24
21. Casa Malaparte ©www.daily.jstor.org 25
22. Casa Malaparte Interior ©www.pinterest.com 25
23 Palais Ideal; ©www.inhabitat.com 26
24 0Las Pozas ©www.photorator.com/photos/images/las-pozas-xilitla-mxi- 27
co-created-by-edward-james–94252.jpg
25 See-through Church by Gijs Van Vaerenbergh photo © Kristof Vranck- 28
en/Z33
26 Sharp Centre for Design; ©www.archello.com 29
27 Sharp Centre for Design; ©www.archello.com 29
28 The Imprint; ©www.mvrdv.nl/ 30
29 The Imprint; ©www.mvrdv.nl/ 30

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I. Introduction.
Boundaries generally limit one's understanding of space and form. Boundaries, similar to how a
room is made up of four planes that join at a corner changes when we allow our minds to flow,
then, there are no boundaries or limitations. Everything seems to flow together, corners appear to
blur, and the interiors are able to breathe freely.

Psychedelic experience, with one's eyes closed or staring at a blank wall, a projected exhibition of
intense and vivid stories, a deeply personal or strangely archetypal cinema display of tales may be
experienced. One can reach out and manipulate the images, turn them around in space and
explore their conceptual meanings. When creating their creations, many artists and architects were
just influenced by the idea.

I.I. Aim.
The goal of this reserch is to identify and analyse how psychoactive phrases and surealistic
aspects are expressed in architecture.

I.II. Objectives.
1. To discover how psychedelic design elements might be incorporated into architecture.
2. To investigate the impact of psychedelic design elements on architecture.
3. To have a better understanding of how psychedelic architecture is typically perceived.
4. To learn how psychedelic design components and surrealistic elements are associated.

I.III. Need for study.

The term psychedelic means "mind-manifesting." Apart from that, psychedelic design is undoubt-
edly one of the most exploited visual forms in design and popular culture in general. Psychedelic
art is more than just a visual representation of artists' and architects' trippy-hippy experiences; it
has a history and relevance that dates back to the 1960s American social and political context and
the birth of a counterculture movement, and it is even linked to historic genres like Art Nouveau,
Op-art, and even surrealism.
Thus researching these concepts will assist in accepting and opening the door to relevant experi-
mentation such as psychedelic art and architecture.

I.IV. Scope of the project.

The research aids in comprehending the wild perspective that underpins some of the most com-
plex forms, hues, patterns and vibrant ideologies like surrealism

I.IV. Limitation.
Since the main thread of the dissertation is based on restricted sources, the outcome will not
include radical interpretations. The word "psychedelic architecture" is less defined but has a wide
range of extend; nonetheless, this study is restricted and may have overlooked numerous
elements.
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I.VI. Methodology.

Study on the behavior of psychedelic

experience

Study on Psychedelic art and its

features

Defining psychedelic architecture by the

feature of psychedelic art

Study on Psychedelic architectue and

its elements.

Defining surrealism as a part of psychedelic

architecture

Study on surrealism in architecture.

Conclusion.

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II. What is psychedelic exprience.
"The room's coners no longer meet at right angles; the walls appear to drip, breathe, or flow with
wonderful fluidity; colours look brighter; objects may have an iridescent halo, and everything
pulsates as if alive." a psychedelic experience in a brief. Everything changes when we shift our
perspective on things. Using time and space as an example, 'a Time can go ahead, backward, or
remain still.' A lifetime can be spent watching a match light and then six hours can be spent with a
tum of the head. Boundaries fluctuate, and desolves at last. One's hand can appear to be ten
thousand miles away from one's face.' Psychedelics experiances are all about viewing things from
a different perspective. It defines the phrase "mind mantifesting." It consists of illusion, delusion,
and hallucination.
A psychedelic experience (also known as a trip) is a temporary altered state of consciousness,
Changes in normal perception, such as visual distortions and a subjective loss of self-identity, are
common in psychedelic experiences, which are occasionally misinterpreted as mystical experienc-
es. Psychedelic experiences are unpredictable, ranging from immensely joyful to terrifying.

II.I. Diffrent aspects of psychedelic experience.

The psychedelic experience is generally associated with complicated thinking processes and
various perceptions, although there are certain aspects that may be used to explain the psyche-
delic experiences.(1)

Which are,

II.I.I. Unity

This aspect of psychedelic experiences relates to the sensation of merging: the inside can merge
with the outside, the self can merge with others, the Earth can merge with the universe, and so on.
Through these merging experiences, one might attain inner peace and unity.

II.I.II. Objectivity and reality

This involves the gaining of an understanding that one's existence is real and that this feeling is
genuine and valid. In the midst of psychedelic states, there is a sense that for the duration of the
experience one can reliably answer that eternal question 'What am I?' with great lucidity.

II.I.III. Crossing of space and time

This refers to the concept of losing one's sense of physical boundaries, one's ego and one's place
in time. Those confining structures (time and space) become meaningless concepts as one
merges with a wholeness greater than one's self.

II.I.IV. Sense of sacredness

This part of the experience relates to feeling "overwhelmed by feelings of wonder and worship" or
standing in "the white light of ultimate purity and cleanness."

II.I.V. Deeply felt positive mood

This is what ecstasy, joy, pleasure, delight, rapture, and physical love are all about. In Maslow's
terminology, the psychedelic experience is a pinnacle experience. It's a life-changing ultimate
experience in which the user flies across joyful meadows with unbounded bliss.

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II.I.VI. Paradoxicality

This describes the wonderful way in which the psychedelic experience can present one with such
peculiar and illogical states of thinking even though they simultaneously contradict one another.
For example: 'I am everywhere and I am nowhere ! ' or 'I am inside and I am outside ! ' or 'I am the
size of an amoeba, I am as big as the universe ! '.

II.I.VII. Alleged ineffability

The aspect which makes impossible to communicate the psychedelic experience to anyone who
has not had an experience of their own.

II.I.VIII.Transiency

The psychedelic experience is not a forever experience. A necessary part of the experience is that
one must return back to normality, back to one's ordinary state of consciousness.

II.I.IX. Positive changes in attitude and/or behaviour

This is a very important aspect of the experience, because although, as described above, it is
ineffable, transient and somewhat illogical, nevertheless, once experienced that fleeting glimpse of
he psychedelic state can result in important changes to one's self, one's relationships and one's
entire outlook on life. Crucially, these changes can be real, lasting and positive.

III. The influence of psychedelic experiences on art.

It is difficult to identify and quantify human creativity, though there are remarkable connections
between the characteristics of creative persons and the subjective psychological aspects of
psychedelic experiences.Some relevant findings say that creative thinking needs more than just
general intelligence and particular knowledge, but also the ability to develop different answers to a
single subject, necessitating divergent thinking and the ability to produce innovative ideas, and the
psychedelic experiance is all about that.

Many artists, architects, and musicians exploited their psychedelic experiences to create excep-
tional creative works, collecting complex experience and sentiments and expressing them in any
form can be termed as art, as art is defined as manifestations of feelings. There has been a large
amount of modern Western art and music that owes its inspirations to the psychedelic experience,
and some is psychedelic exprience itself .Most well-known music groups, such as the Beatles,
Pink Floyd, and The Doors,etc have included psychedelic elements into their compositions to
varying degrees.They created an adventure, taking familiar genres like pop and garage-rock to
new places via nontraditional instruments, studio manipulation and mind-expanding lyrics based
on everything from children's stories to ancient philosophies.

lll.I. Psychedelic Art

psychedelic Art was a graphic art form that created visual displays inspired by the psychedelic
experience and hallucinations. Also known as psychedelia, artworks created typically featured a
full spectrum of vivid colors along with cartoons and animation in order to provoke a type of
psychedelic experience when looking at the work. The evolution of Psychedelic Art is considered to
be a direct predecessor to the development and subsequent popularity of all imaginative art that is
in existence today.
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Some of the common features of psychedelic art are (2) :

-Psychedelic artworks emphasized incredibly distorted and almost surreal qualities, as they were
thought to depict the inner workings of the mind.

fig 1

Fig. 1

The Brain (Stoned) (1982) by Hanno Karlhuber, from the series “Energy of Space”. The suction
into the room is created by a light source. In this case, the light source is covered. The hovering
person can be interpreted as being at the mercy, the cosmic stones as obstacles. It is a naturalistic
description of mental states; Hanno Karlhuber. via Wikimedia Commons
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- This Psychedelic style highlighted sharply contrasting hues that had the power to make viewers'
eyes vibrate after viewing the piece. The frameless method of psychedelic drawings imitated the
experience and mind-altering state associated with psychedelic experiences.

Fig. 2 The painting ‘Discovery’ by Peter Max

-Other major characteristics that were found within the Psychedelic aesthetic were spirals that
seemed kaleidoscopic in nature, concentric circles, paisley patterns, and repetitions of motifs or
symbols until a pattern was formed.

Fig.03 Art work ‘Quantum Realism Practitioner’ by Dennis Konstantin. Nature's beauty inspired the
artist to make this work. The artist believes that mankind is on the verge of the discovery of a new
form of reality that will turn our world upside down.
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 - Collage also formed an important component in Psychedelic Art, as many artworks could also
have been incorporated into the collage genre due to their style.

Fig.4 Painting representing a mural artwork of famous seventies singers during winter; Alain
Bertrand, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

IV. Psychedelic phrase on architecture.

The second and third chapters focused on psychedelic experience and psychedelic art, respective-
ly. Studying psychedelic art described and depicted how the psychedelic expression will appear
when it comes to objects. Replacing art with architecture, the psychedelic term might mean some-
thing more, as architecture transcends two dimensions. when we framing psychedelic exprience in
architecture, all of the views of space, both inside and outside, may flip its polarity, upturn hierar-
chy, and generate a variety of perspectives. As people question their role in the cosmos, we can
generate new space around them, as well as new awareness.

The architecture and its spatial perspective are immense, as are the psychedelic experiences,
which are complicated and boundless. It can be surreal, kaleidoscopic, or clashing hues; whatever
the case may be, architecture has the potential to surround people and make the experience vivid
so that expressing psychedelic phrases on architecture can have a significant influence on the
users and design.

While expressing psychedelic aspects through art and architecture, it demonstrates certain similar
features and behaviour. As although the written words and their meanings are vastly different, the
language can be same, they are ; Contrasting hues, Kaleidoscopic and Surreal
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IV.I. Contrasting Hues
Color perception is a crucial aspect of human-environment-reaction in the architectural environ-
ment, according to empirical findings and scientific research. Color is a sensory experience that,
like any other sensory perception, has symbolic, associative, synesthetic, and emotional connota-
tions. As the focus of psychedelic expressions is on sophisticated perception, colours play a vital
role in conveying them.

Fig.13 Urban Nation, Berlin. Image © Mr. June

Mr. June, a well-known artist known for his spectacular urban art, employed three-dimensional
murals with clashing colours that play o� building aspects. Mr. June's geometric abstractions have
become a popular psychedelic architecture feature as they attempt to test the viewer's percep-
tions. Mr. June has been creating art since 1985, and in 2018 he �nished a 130-foot diameter
dome in North Carolina as well as a three-dimensional painting for Urban Nation in Berlin. It gave
the spectator a sense of awe and made them feel as if they were in a strange place. (4)

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Uniting painting with architecture, new york based artist markus linnenbrink has transformed two
exhibition spaces at the kunsthalle, nürnberg into a walk-all-over canvas. the floors, walls and
ceiling of the german site have been pigmented with vibrantly-hued parallel streaks, traversing
through the gallery’s rooms. the specific arrangement of the tones and their linear movement sees
the line between two-dimensionality dissolve, simultaneously suggesting the idea of an endlessly
expanding space.(5)
The color adaptation, which linnenbrink has titled ‘wasserscheide(desireallputtogether)’, evokes a
wild and psychedelic sense of mobility, with an intensity that the viewer’s eye can hardly follow.w.

Fig. 14 photo by annette kradisch, nuremberg | installation view at kunsthalle nürnberg, nuremberg
linnenbrink begins by applying transparent layers of paint to the walls, gradually reducing the width
of the stripes with applied pigments. throughout this process, the glazed layers shine through each
other, setting the space in motion. the coloration of the walls has a translucent quality reminiscent
of watercolor works and running paint drippings left behind bear a texture that is confusingly
ephemeral.All surfaces of the floor, wall, and ceiling are painted, creating an environment with
2-dimensional artwork that appears to be 3-dimensional.
the effect of the image-space cannot be grasped at a glance - it is activated by walking through the
site. depending on the viewer’s agility and size, various aesthetic, emotional and psychological
impacts take shape.
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IV.II. Kaleidoscopic
The American architect Greg Lynn, believes in the concept of multiplicity, as opposed to an empha-
sis on geometry and ideals. He believes that architecture must become less static and more
fluid.Architects should "deterritorialize the independence of the whole," according to Lynn, who
advises against "exact measure" and "wholeness." Direct generalisation, identicalness, and univer-
sality are all opponents for architects. The psychedelic phrases are excellent for generating these
ideas, as they all seek to de-generalize the situation. we may regard the kaleidoscope as a mirror
of a great concept. In a kaleidoscope, each of the colourful items represents a distinct aspect of
the setting. A green stone represents climate, while a blue feather represents culture. A kaleido-
scope evaluates each element in its context; nothing can be hidden or forgotten between the
mirrors. A kaleidoscope image is a composite image made up of all the pieces of context that have
been transformed.

The world has taken on an excessive amount of seriousness. We are frequently absorbed in our
daily routines, stuck in monotony and rarely enjoying play. The aim of play in the built environment
is to give people a sense of freedom, spontaneity, inspiration, and wonder. Psychedelics and
kelodoscopic architecture are used to produce the same effect, with intricate patterns and compo-
nents arranged above and below.

Fig. 15 Photograph of the Metropol Parasol in Seville, Spain,

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The Metropol Parasol in Seville, Spain, by Jürgen Mayer-Hermann is an example of architecture
allowing for play. Residents of the city are taken off the streets and transported into the sky
world. Walking up onto the structure is looking into a kaleidoscope. When on top the user/viewer
sees buildings that appear familiar on street level transformed into something completely differ-
ent.
Not all architecture can include playful gestures as big as this, but that’s okay because even
the smallest detail can momentarily transport a viewer to a different place. Like the images
contained within a kaleidoscope the possibilities of play are endless.(6)

Fig.16 Image, Courtesy of Shirane-Miyazaki

In 2013 KOBE Biennale there created an experience, the magic of a kaleidoscope in a whole
new way. Saya Miyazaki and Masakazu Shiranes' award-winning installation.The psychedelic
polyhedral installation was created for the Art Container Contest, which challenged contestants
to build unique settings using only a single shipping container. in the kaleidoscope's continually
changing appearance as they wandered around the installation.(1)

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IV.III. Surrealistic
Surrealism is a major aspect of psychedelic language that manifests the mind as it balances a
logical picture of existence with one that asserts the power of the unconscious and dreams. Artists
and architects are seeking unusual beauty and wonder in the unexpected and uncanny, the disre-
garded and the unusual. The core of their motivation was always the willingness to challenge
imposed values and norms, and a search for freedom.

The word ‘surrealist’ (suggesting ‘beyond reality’) was coined by the French avant-garde poet
Guillaume Apollinaire in the preface to a play performed in 1917. But it was André Breton, leader of
a new grouping of poets and artists in Paris, who, in his Surrealist Manifesto (1924), defined
surrealism as:
“pure psychic automatism, by which one proposes to express, either verbally, in writing, or by any
other manner, the real functioning of thought. Dictation of thought in the absence of all control
exercised by reason, outside of all aesthetic and moral preoccupation.”(8)

Surrealism emerged as a philosophic and cultural movement. Fueled by the teachings of Freud
and the rebellious work of Dada artists and poets, surrealists like Salvador Dalí, René Magritte,
and Max Ernst promoted free association and dream imagery. But the Surrealist movement initially
surfaced in 1924 when French poet André Breton published his “Manifesto of Surrealism,” influ-
enced by the theories and writings on the unconscious mind by psychologist Sigmund Freud, the
groundbreaking studies of Carl Jung, and the early 20th-century Dada movement.(9)
Visual artists, poets, playwrights, composers, and film-makers looked for ways to liberate the
psyche and tap hidden reservoirs of creativity. Architecture always had a secret penchant for
surrealist thoughts. The idea of embracing irrational, unconscious desires always made an artistic
appeal to great architects from both classical and contemporary worlds. From Rossi to Corbusier,
many eminent architects have taken inspiration from surrealist artists and their arts.

V.III.1. Characteristics of Surrealism.

* Dream-like scenes and symbolic images

* Unexpected, illogical juxtapositions
* Bizarre assemblages of ordinary objects
* Automatism and a spirit of spontaneity
* Games and techniques to create random effects
* Personal iconography
* Visual puns
* Distorted figures and biomorphic shapes
* Uninhibited sexuality and taboo subjects
* Primitive or child-like designs

V. Surrealism and architecture.

Salvador Dali: “Surrealism is destructive, but it destroys only what it considers to be shackles
limiting our vision.”

The advent of surrealism can be traced back to the early 1920s, as a reaction to the rationalistic
and rigid philosophies of European politics and culture, that they believed lead to the horrors of
World War 1. A few distinct icons of the movement were Andre Breton, Salvador Dali, Rene Mag-
ritte, Max Ernst, Frieda Kahlo, and Joan Miro. While some engaged in creating abstract paint-
ings,some focused on hyper-realistic, dreamlike images, while others did wonders through poetry.

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Soon enough, Surrealism started creeping its way into literature, photography, sculptures, interiors,
and even architecture. The beginning of this collaboration though was tough, as surrealists thought
very little of architecture. According to prominent surrealists like Dali and Breton, architecture was
inevitably associated with an order, constraint, and bureaucracy, things they essentially meant to
undermine. In the words of Breton, “modern architecture was the most unhappy dream of the
collective unconscious”. (10)

But surrealist thought provided a valuable resource for many architects who were interested in the
basic role of the built environment in constructing reality and so From Salvador Dali and Frederick
Kiesler through Frank Gehry, surrealism had a considerable impact on architecture (3).

Fig. 5 Fig. 6

FIG.4 Painting ‘Mae West’s face which May be Used as a Surrealist Apartment’, by Salvador Dali,
FIG.5 installation of Mae West’s Face which May be Used as a Surrealist Apartment by Salvador
Dali

Salvador Dali, possibly the most well-known surrealist artist, was interested in architecture. Dali
created the Mae West Lips Sofa in collaboration with his longtime British patron Edward James
between 1937 and 1938 as a continuation of the illusory collaged drawing Mae West's Face which
May be Used as a Surrealist Apartment (1934–1935). The sofa was eventually featured in a
full-scale salon structure in 1974, which was developed with the help of architect Oscar Tusquests
and resembled the legendary actress' face in three dimensions.

Hhowever,The most well-known relationship between surrealism and architecture, , appears in the
form of a decade-long project by architect Frederick Kiesler. His most notable project—the Endless
House,This conceptual project was based on Kiesler's prior Endless Theatre designs as well as his
own Correalism theory, in which he argued for the necessity of dynamic linkages between objects,
spaces, and human experience.
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The conceptual project was based on Kiesler's prior Endless Theatre designs as well as his own Correal-
ism theory, in which he argued for the necessity of dynamic correlations between objects, spaces, and
human experience.  

Fig. 7 Fig. 8

Fig.7 Model of the Endless House, 1959. Image © Frederick Kiesler, Fig.8 Model for the Endless
House. 1950. Image © Frederick Kiesler

According to Kiesler, “sculpture, painting, architecture should not be used as wedges to split our
experience of art and life; they are here to link, to correlate, to bind dream and reality.”

Kiesler's home, attempted to dissolve the gap between the real and the more-than-real brick by
brick. Despite the fact that the project was never completed, a succession of studies from 1947
through 1960 demonstrate Kiesler's fascination with architectural surrealism. His ovoid, biomor-
phic shape gradually evolved into the intersecting cavernous volumes that define his concept
model and sketches, which are now on display at MoMA.

Fig. 09 Model for the Endless House. 1950. Image © Frederick Kiesler
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Kiesler, like Dali, De Chirico, and Magritte, wanted to create an interior that turned the home into
a psychological environment that was both exotic and familiar. Each component of the Endless
House was created to poetically express the fundamental qualities of home. Spaces folded into
one another without doors, simply demarcated by their materiality, while furniture folded out of
the womb-like inner walls and a travelling light accompanied inhabitants throughout the seem-
ingly infinite volume.

Fig.10 Vitra Design Museum by Frank Gehry. Image © Flickr user Fred Romero licensed under
CC BY 2.0
“Surrealism is destructive, but it destroys only what it considers to be the shackles limiting our
vision,” Dali once said. The formal logic of surrealist psychedelic art was certain to be appropri-
ated by architects connected with the Deconstructivism movement. The photographic collage of
Dali's Surrealist Apartment is translated into stunning compositions of independent shapes
slamming into one another in Frank Gehry's personal apartment from 1978 and the 1989 Vitra
Design Museum.

Fig. 11 Fig. 12

Fig.11 TWA Terminal; ©www.wikimedia.com

Fig.12 TWA Terminal Interior; ©www.portfolio.panynj.gov,

The TWA terminal, designed by Eero Saarinen, is a remarkable example of how traditional
architecture can take on surrealist psychedelic features while still performing its space tasks.
The fluid and open interiors, which embrace the intricacies of art, and the huge arching cano-
pies, which defy the rules of physics, give the entire structure a dreamlike quality.
21
Fig.18 The Metropolitan Cathedral of Brasília, designed by Modernist architect Oscar Niemeyer. |
CREDIT: MASSIMO BORCHI/ATLANTIDE PHOTOTRAVEL/GETTY IMAGES
22
Brasilia, the capital city of Brazil created from scratch half a century ago, serves as one of the
greatest specimens of surrealist architecture today. The chief architect Oscar Niemeyer envisioned
the city to provide “an indescribable sense of shock that would lift visitors out of their everyday life”.
The design and construction of the city is the largest project of modern architecture, far surpassing
cities like Chandigarh and Singapore in terms of extent.

Fig. 17 An aerial view of Brasilia ©www.wallpaperup.com

It is said that Niemeyer was concerned with form alone and thought that other factors such as the
functionality of a building, weren’t as important. It may not be easy to pinpoint where exactly the
surrealism lies, but one thing is for sure that the buildings of Brasilia may not be comfortable, but
neither are they ordinary.

The cathedral, for example, is a concrete framed building with sixteen ribs that are generally interpret-
ed as a ‘crown of ribs’. One has to walk through a dark passage before emerging into the brightly lit
cathedral. Subsequently, being built mostly of glass and located in an area where the midday
temperature is quite high, the building becomes very hot, and a sudden drop in temperature can be
felt as one leaves the cathedral. This experience of shock by the visitors was what pleased Niemeyer,
as his only aim with architecture was to create something different. “You will see the palaces of
Brasília, which you may or may not like, but you will never be able to say you have seen anything like
them” was what he would tell his visitors, often with a smirk on his face.(11)

V.I. Examples of surrealistic modern architecture

V.I.I The Villa Girasole

This 1935 modernist house on the first look may seem like a normal product of futuristic or functional-
ist architecture, but what gives it it’s surrealist quality is the brilliance of the construction technology.
The top portion of the house rotates to follow the arc of the sun with the aid of two motors. The villa
seeks surrealism in more creative ways than in visual and formal oddities. Driven by the rationale of
engineers to solve a clearly defined problem, the villa is more of a surrational object than a surreal
one. (12)
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Fig. 19 Rotating House- Villa Girasole; ©www.iconichouses.org

Fig. 20 Rotating House- Villa Girasole; ©www.iconichouses.org

24
V.I.II Casa Malaparte

It is one of the best-known examples to advocate for the legitimacy of Surrealist architecture.
This pure red, trapezoidal structure seems to come out directly from Chirico’s metaphysical
paintings like a slab of concrete stranded on a deserted shore. The owner/architect, who was a
patron of Surreal artists, recontextualized common Italian vernacular elements like wall, sail,
stairs, door, the color red to create dramatic effects.

Fig. 21

Fig. 22
Fig. 21

Fig. 21 Casa Malaparte ©www.daily.jstor.org, Fig.22 Casa Malaparte Interior

©www.pinterest.com
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V.I.III. Palais Ideal

This naive piece of architecture, with its slender spires, cupolas, and gargoyles, rises from the
land like a fairytale castle. Designed and constructed by a common man from his dreams of an
ideal palace, it is surrealistic in the true sense. Inspired from diverse sources like Khmer tem-
ples, Swiss chalets, medieval castles, and Hindu shrines, this wholly surrealist structure was
hailed by many artists and intellectuals, from surrealists like Max Ernst and Andre Breton to
Pablo Picasso.

Fig. 23 Palais Ideal; ©www.inhabitat.com

VI.I.IV. Las Pozas

Built within a deserted coffee plantation deep in the jungle, the sculpture garden of Las Pozas is
the brainchild of the Surrealist poet Edward James. The unfinished bridges, the spiral staircases
that lead to nowhere, pavilions with undetermined levels render the place with a feeling of
‘ready-made ruins’, reminiscent of an unheralded civilization. As dictated in the first Surrealism
manifesto, the place is not exercised by any reason or aesthetic or moral concern, but rather
proposes a sense of discovery.

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Fig.24 0Las Pozas ©www.photorator.com/photos/images/las-pozas-xilitla-mxico-cre-
ated-by-edward-james–94252.jpg
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V.I.V. See-Through Church

This see-through church in Belgium appears to come straight out of a Surrealist painting. Erected
as a long term public installation, it seeks to create a balance between indoors and outdoors, art
and architecture, and function and aesthetics. The 100 stacked layers of 2000 steel plates create a
diaphanous effect, giving the impression of walking through the walls.

Fig.25 See-through Church by Gijs Van Vaerenbergh photo © Kristof Vrancken/Z33

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V.I.VI. Sharp Center for Design

The table-top superstructure hovering above the streetscape reinvigorated the Victorian urban
fabric of Toronto. It is designed by Will Alsop, the architect famous for his eccentric and surrealist
buildings. The artistically bold, black and white pixelated facade mounted on twelve steel pipes
blurs the distinction between floor plates and the scale of the building.

Fig. 26

Fig. 27

Fig.25 & Fig.26 Sharp Centre for Design; ©www.archello.com

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V.I.VII. The Imprint

These dual buildings in Seoul look like a subject Chirico would have loved to paint. The buildings
use sculptural draping and 3D imprinting to make the facade expressive and contextualize it with
the surrounding structures. These monolithic structures do not have a single window, but the
curtain-like lifted facades near the entrance provide a sneak-peak into the interiors.

Fig. 28

Fig. 29

Fig.28 & Fig.29 The Imprint; ©www.mvrdv.nl/

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VI. And it is.
Architecture always had a secret penchant for psychedelic thoughts. The idea of embracing irratio-
nal, unconscious desires always made an artistic appeal to great architects from both classical and
contemporary worlds.The architecture and spatial perspective are huge, as are the psychedelic
experiences, which are complex and limitless. The potential of architecture to surround people and
make their experiences more vivid is a wonderful thing.

The study's goal was to explain the psychedelic architecture, which is poorly defined and underap-
preciated. The study very clearly indicated that psychedelics are not simply anything linked to drug
experiences and everything, but that it represented a magnificent style and very distinctive inter-
pretation to all components of art, including architecture.

The second aspect of psychedelic experience in the human mind, "Objectivity and reality," is
covered in this study. This entails coming to terms with the fact that one's existence is real and that
one's feelings are authentic and valid. There is a notion in the midst of psychedelic experiences
that one may confidently answer the everlasting question 'What am I?' with great clarity for the
course of the experience. The anomalous traits are always the ones that give a person character;
in architecture, compacting psychedelic style may refer to the activity of giving space existence.

While expressing psychedelic aspects through art and architecture, it demonstrates certain similar
features and behaviour. As although the written words and their meanings are vastly different, the
language can be same, they are ; Contrasting hues, Kaleidoscopic and Surreal

The notion of losing one's sense of physical boundaries, ego, and location in time is described in
aspects of psychedelic experience. It states that when one integrates with a completeness bigger
than oneself, those constraining structures (time and space) become meaningless ideas. with its
complex buildings, Kaleidoscopic vistas, surreal elements, and every trait of psychedelic architec-
ture explaining this ideology with the enormous strength of it. TWA terminal, built by Eero Saarinen,
is a perfect example to state so.

surrealism can be termed as one of the major aspect of psychedelic architecture, as it sought to
channel the unconscious as a means to unlock the power of the imagination. Disdaining rational-
ism and literary realism, and powerfully influenced by psychoanalysis, the Surrealists believed the
rational mind repressed the power of the imagination, weighing it down with taboos.

“Surrealism is destructive, but it destroys only what it considers to be shackles limiting our vision.”
- Salvador Dalí

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VI. REFERENCES.

VI.I Books
(1). The Psychedelic Renaissance, by Dr. Ben Sessa MBBS BSc MRCPsych

VI.II Web refrences

(2). https://artincontext.org/psychedelic-art/
(3) https://www.archdaily.com/894658/how-surreali
sm-has-shaped-contemporary-architecture
(4) https://www.archdaily.com/search/all?q=psychedelic&ad_source=jv-header
(5) https://www.designboom.com/art/markus-linnenbrink-psycheic-color-canvas-10-17-2014/
(6) https://annamrowe.wordpress.com/2013/12/10/architecture-and-the-kaleidoscope/
(7) https://www.archdaily.com/533654/users-create-the-co
or-n-this-super-sized-kaleidoscope?ad_source=myarchda ly&ad_medium=book
mark-show&adcontent=current-user
(8) https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/s/surrealism
(9) https://www.parkwestgallery.com/what-is-surrealism-art/
(10) https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/rtf-fresh-perspec
tives/a1380-surrealism-in-architecture/
(11) https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/rtf-fresh-perspec
tives/a1380-surrealism-in-architecture/
(12) https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/rtf-design-inspira
tion/a1910-8-examples-of-surrealistic-modern-architecture-around-the-world/

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