Archigram- The Cities and Visions of Future//
Will Technology bridge the gap between Architecture and Emotions?
Competition Entry for Journalism Trophy (NASA, India)
If we ever get a time-machine, we would definitely hit the button of 1960s for it being a very MODERN decade in the world of architecture. Minimalism, brutalism and functionality were being welcomed with open arms; modernist architects were being awarded AIA golds. Bulky and monotonous buildings were mushrooming all over the planet.
Conversely, as William Lidwell said, “The best designers sometimes disregard the principles of design. When they do so, however, there’s usually some compensating merit attained at the cost of violation.” around the same time in Britain, disobedience and frustration were setting about in the minds of two young architects, Cook and Dave. Architecture for them has turned egocentric and had lost the crucial notion of ‘senses’ which has blocked the minds of people from ‘feeling’ and intervening into more exciting, more engaging and deeper layers of architecture.
“What’s being built now is plain vanilla. Passionless.”
“Aye. These static buildings are making me sick!”
“Do we have a plan?”
“Yeah. We need a team.”
Fascinated by the furniture works of Mike, they thought him to be a good fit in their team. After weeks of chatting and debating over the current architectural scene, they saw themselves working together on a publication spreading their unconventional vision.
“What shall we call it?”
“Like a TELE-GRAM or an AERO-GRAMME!?”
“What about an ARCHI-GRAM!?”
“FANTASTIC. We’re doing it.”
Now the goal was to pull another bunch of same minded sapiens into the mission, particularly Ron, Chalk and Dennis, a few underrated architects who were doing bizarre stuff. Crosby, the editor of Architectural Design magazine, came across the ideas of these archigrammers and decided to bridge them to the former at his London office. It now became a cadre of six rebels, with Crosby having their backs for publishing from now on. The incredibility lies in the fact that they all had diverging sanities, yet their multiple thoughts together resulted in an exceptional and out-of-the-box creation, (un)known as ARCHIGRAM.
Could we ever think of a city as massive as Mt. Kilimanjaro trailing on every imaginable terrain? Instead of billboards, blimps and airships descending advertisement banners and other attractions right in front of us? Living in capsulated residences which can be moved to desired spots? No right? But these six fanatics did. Certainly, it’s beyond the wildest dreams of anyone to be living in such a world that Archigram conceptualized. Their concept of architecture was never constrained within the basic columns and walls, it was beyond the architecture we recognize.
What comes first to our minds when we think of a city? Static buildings, houses, streets, roads? But for these archigrammers, this was a long-established trend of a city that essentially required a complete change of course. They believed that the essence of the city was getting lost amidst distributing spaces among the masses and fulfilling self-made rules and regulations for what a city is. Their definition of city relates to people’s experience in a way which is vibrant, emotive and tempting. Use of colorful forms, pop-based illustrations and collaged motifs were what distinguished ‘THE ARCHIGRAM’ from the rest.
The summer of ‘63 ignited their enthusiasm to spread their works. With the help of Theo, an exhibition was put up at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, titled ‘The Living City’. With this they set the tone of how they wanted the suburbia; fun, frolic and appealing. They strongly believed that complexes are actually made by the people who thrive in it. Using triangulated structures that gave a sense of freedom and mobility, and dividing spaces into ‘gloops’ as they call it, and titled each one as Man, Survival, Community, Communications, Movements, Place and Situation, reflecting on the magnitude of these subjects in one’s life.
By introducing three phenomenal cities they promoted architecture that is technologically-rich, highly futuristic and had a sci-fi touch to it, with emphasis on ‘mobility’ and ‘impermanence of architecture’.
1968, Instant City visits Bournemouth, Peter Cook
Villages and small towns have always been devoid of the metropolitan facilities and services for which people have always been fascinated about. The good news is, they can now have access to all those fascinations without the need of space and infrastructure; thanks to the ‘INSTANT CITY’. A pressure airship comes flying to your spot, drops a curtain with a movie playing on it and woohoo! enjoy your movie from your kitchen window or your terrace; say bye to the airship as the movie ends. Don’t know where to learn French from? Here comes a flying banner ‘LEARN FRENCH NOW at 5 min walk from your town of Lavenham’. Life made easy! This project can be explained as a ‘moving metropolitan city’ for the village and small-town people which has altered the usual manifestation of spaces in the design program.
1964, Walking City on the Ocean, Ron Herron
The six mischiefs were still not satisfied. Now they wanted the whole metropolis to be movable, making way for ‘THE WALKING CITY’. An enormous reptilian, insect-like megastructure which contains buildings, roads, bridges and everything within a mechanical body; moves on six huge legs on almost all kinds of topography and landscapes revolutionizing the conditions of living for the people. Making use of the complex and hi-tech technology systems, this city displays the solution to the need of far-far future generations. The conveyance happens from one city to another through mechanically-operated telescopic tubular corridors that develop from the ends of both the cities, creating a megacity. And also, if we live here, we will be saved from the nuclear attacks, Pheww!
1964, The Plug-In City, Peter Cook
The movable encapsulated residential units can be placed at different positions anytime you want to with the help of crane way. It’s the ‘PLUG-IN CITY’. It has taken care of everything from living to commute. Fast roads and monorails running all around the city, huge escalator and lift tubes for vertical transportation and modular shop supply tubes, all sets the city ready for the future. Not only people, it also takes care of the biosphere with the provision of an environment seal balloon that thoroughly preserves the precious green cover. The plug-in city has also altered the very definition of a ‘building’ by deleting the regular structure and introducing tailorable units that are treated singularly, providing freedom for individual’s interaction with the world.
1969, Bathamatic, Warren Chalk
Apart from their futuristic ideas and hopes from technology, mother nature also became a source of inspiration for them. If the buildings and cities can be automotive then why can’t the daily routine be? And why set a particular standard of a space? Enters BATHAMATIC, an inverted caterpillar-shaped tub-like fully automatic mobile bathing device, redefining the user experience of a very basic activity. It has a variety of sixteen programmes, so you can control the wash time, the soap content, select the perfume of your choice, and the music too when drying up. Voila! Plug it in, recline, and enjoy a shower wash, rinse, dry or a stimulating massage if that’s what you need. Not to mention it is also equipped with controlled temperature and pre-heating. In all, it allows you to indulge into a multi-sensory experience. Now that’s amazeballs.
“Owing to the lack of interest, tomorrow has been cancelled.”
“What’s wrong with all of this?”
“Form follows function, as they say”
“OVERRULED.”
“Form should follow ideas; it should make architecture cheerful.”
Archigram imagined and put forward such revolutionary utopias which would have undoubtedly added a sense of wonder and intrigue to the evolving world. Their unorthodox approaches to architecture are now considered a legacy. Shortly after it faded, Renzo and Rogers came up with Centre Pompidou in Paris, affirming to have taken inspiration from Archigram for its design. Amazon’s Adora-bots, the delivery robots almost appear as a manifestation of what Archigram desired almost half a century ago- mobility and futuristic design. Yet their prominence is perceived hazy, probably because of fewer mediums to broadcast at the ARCHI-time. The social media wasn’t a habit then, for the news of discoveries and developments carried out now tend to spread almost at the speed of light. Perhaps the facade of modernism and brutalism overshadowed the impact that could’ve been made by Archigram.
Architecture stays with us in our sub-conscious mind due to our experiences. What comes to your mind when someone states ‘Taj Mahal’? It could be the long white minarets, the drizzling water from the fountains or the detailed etchings on the walls, that defines its magnificence for you and makes it monumental. Where modernism had transposed every building into concrete and glass facades, Archigram wanted to connect to the masses at a metaphysical level through their abstract viewpoints and uncommon philosophies for cities, buildings and individual conveniences. Having understood what they had to convey, we the admirers of modernism have surely turned our heads to Archigram keeping with us some thought of why futurism and maximalism could be essential in architecture in order to keep the emotion alive.
Inevitably Archigram will be the way of living someday in the near centuries, when technology will have gripped the human tasking strong enough to bring it to life. This is indeed a prophecy, that is bound to be lauded and worshipped by the generations to come.