Module Architecture and its Representations
Strange Spaces: A Medical Gaze into Architectural Imagery
Bachelor Level 2 SWS / 3 ECTS
Lecturer: Zeynep Ece Sahin Korkan
AR20036
*Please send a short mail to sahin@architekturmuseum.de describing in a few lines why you are interested in the seminar topic.
“Architecture and medicine have always been tightly interlinked...contemporary ideas of health organize design theories today. Architectural discourse weaves itself through theories of body and brain, constructing the architect as a kind of doctor and the client as the patient.” (Colomina, X-Ray Architecture, 2019)
In a broad sense, this seminar is about architectural imagery and its existing or prospective relationship to medical imagery of the human body. While focusing on architectural representation and display, the course will establish interdisciplinary links to medicine, visual culture, and artistic practices. In this regard, the curriculum is designed as a cross-disciplinary research, learning, and production journey.
Throughout history, architecture, and the human body –especially from a medical perspective– have always been in close contact, affecting, shaping, and altering each other by multifarious means. Just as the human body has been employed as a reference and source of inspiration in architectural practice and theory, the human body has also been studied, represented, and communicated in architectural terms. Going beyond the clichéd body-based analogies in the architectural discipline, this course draws attention to the complex relations between architecture and the human body with a specific focus on representation and display.
In our current era, the pervasive presence of "image" exerts a profound influence and control over various aspects of our lives. This dominance is clearly manifested in the development of cutting-edge technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR), as well as the widespread usage of platforms like Instagram. These advancements have opened up new frontiers of visual experiences, blurring the once distinct boundaries between reality and virtuality.
Concurrently, the field of medicine has made significant strides with the introduction of advanced imaging tools like X-rays, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and Computed Tomography (CT), which have become indispensable in the realms of diagnostics and treatment. Alongside these tools, an array of visualization methods and techniques, including multiplanar reconstruction (MPR), intensity projections, 'True' 3D imaging, and image fusion, have revolutionized the analysis and interpretation of medical images.
As a recurring phenomenon, the impact of the advancements in imaging technologies and methods extends far beyond their original contexts. They have the potential to redefine our aesthetic sensibilities and alter our visual cognition. Architecture, as a discipline intricately woven into our daily lives and in constant interaction with various fields, remains receptive to and influenced by developments in visual culture, as well as innovations in visual media and visualization technologies, particularly those within the medical domain. Over the course of history, there have been significant encounters and intersections between the realms of medical visualization and architectural representation methods. Numerous instances showcase that these interactions have transformed the way we perceive, experience, understand, and communicate architecture and will continue to do so.
Within this context, this course offers a glimpse into the rich tapestry of intersections between medicine, architecture, and art through critically exploring diverse themes, concepts, and cases situated within a historical framework that extends to our contemporary situation. The overarching themes and binary oppositions that will be discussed include (dis)section, transparency/opacity, interior/exterior, and dismembering/remembering. These concepts will provide a cohesive thread throughout the course and create the theoretical framework of the cases studied.
We will delve into captivating spaces such as medical museums and surgical theaters to gain a unique perspective on the ways in which the human body has been studied, understood, and visually represented throughout history.
Exhibitions and biennials will also be analyzed, such as the thought-provoking 3rd Istanbul Biennial titled "Are we Human?" curated by Beatriz Colomina and Mark Wigley. We will dissect these exhibitions through an architectural lens, examining their impact on our understanding of the human condition. Alongside the innovative infographics of Fritz Kahn, displays such as Transparent Man (Gläserner Mensch) at the Deutsches Hygiene-Museum in Dresden will be among the objects that will be explored.
In this regard, the main objective of this course is to explore the world of medical visualization techniques, drawing valuable insights to experiment with architectural imagery. Through this exploration, we seek to expand our horizons in architectural thinking and elevate our skills in visual communication. By embracing the lessons learned from medical visualization, we can push the boundaries of architectural representation and unlock new possibilities in displaying the built environment.
Kick-Off Meeting: Monday, 16.10.2023, 13.15
Time: Monday, 13.15 - 14.45
Location: Seminar room 0340 B
Language: English