Sofia Syjuco – Looking Outwards 3

Incidental Space
Christian Kerez
Swiss Bienale 2016
http://www.kerez.ch/
(No link to the artwork itself exists on the artist’s website, but there are pictures of it and his process)

The outside of Incidental Space

Incidental Space was a work of architecture created by Christian Kerez as the Swiss entry to the Venice Architecture Binenale. It originated from a small model made of sugar and dust, and the larger model is sprayed fibre cement. I admire this work because it is a work of architecture that is not just a model, drawing, or smaller scaled-down representation of something that “could” possibly be built. It is a space in which the viewer can exist in, can experience first-hand, and is not forced to dedicate some of their imagination to simply try and provide a topic for their mind – the structure is right there for them to think about.

Not much information is given on the specifics of the algorithms that generated the work, but Kerez states that his work is, “a combination of a physical model and also a very refined technology, and if you look at the result it is both very sophisticated but it’s also very primitive.” He combines hand craftsmanship with digital processes, and creates something new, unexpected, and beautiful. His sensibilities are manifest in the way the piece makes the viewer question what it means for something to be architecture, and gently leads you to a new perspective by offering you space to explore new possibilities.