New Spaces 09 EN

“ Lots of people have problems accepting nonstandardised forms. I think we need to press ahead with the digital revolution in architecture as well, so that we can enter a new era.” Gehry politely declined, which is why Bosse entered the picture, along with LAVA co-founder Thomas Wallisser. LAVA, which has offi ces in Stuttgart, Sydney, Abu Dhabi and Shanghai, is by no means merely interested in theoretical projects. Bosse, who works in Sydney, is the brains behind some of the most interesting architectural projects of recent times in Asia and Australia, despite still being under 40 years of age. By far the best-known of these is Beijing’s National Aquatics Centre, built for the 2008 Summer Olympics and more commonly known as the Water Cube. This futuristic building, which has a spectacular cellular façade designed to look like water bubbles, won the Atmosphere award at the Venice Biennale. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) also honoured Bosse with the AR Emerging Architecture Award for the way that he shifts “the boundaries of structure and architecture” by means of an experimental investigation of form. This refers to projects such as Masdar City, a CO 2 neutral city under construction south of Abu Dhabi (cf. p. 38), the centre of which has been designed by Bosse and his team. In order to create pleasant open-air spaces in the scorching desert heat, LAVA covered the squares and passages with high-tech sunshades that incorporate some of the very latest construction materials and the same membrane technology employed for the Water Cube. At daybreak the shades unfold like fl owers to provide shade during the day; they close again in the evening, thus allowing the ground to cool in the night air. Solar modules integrated into the sunshades generate electricity during the day and LEDs provide soft lighting at night. “Ninety per cent of the sustainable qualities of a building are the result of good design rather than technology,” Bosse explains. That, however, shouldn’t disguise the fact that he is an ardent technology fan: “We’re the fi rst generation of architects to have grown up completely in the digital age. For me, the computer is more than just an aid; it’s my design partner.” For Bosse, digital technology means being able “to build better and less expensively, without being a prisoner of the right angle”. A perfect example of this is the proposed membrane for the Broadway Tower. A new building would cost AUD 150 million, whereas a tower skin can be had for a tenth of the price. But doesn’t that merely disguise a dysfunctional design behind a pretty façade? From the windows of his offi ce, Bosse gazes at the UTS Tower. His fi ngers toy with a model of the Green Void, an installation designed for an exhibition in Sydney. This installation also makes use of membrane and digital technology. Lycra was stretched across a space defi ned by fi ve connection points to form a minimal surface, as calculated by a computer. What looks complicated is in fact relatively simple. Part of the motivation for the project was to ruff le the feathers of conservatives who believe that Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier are the only architects of note. “Lots of people have problems accepting non-standardised forms,” he says. “We need to press ahead with the digital revolution in architecture as well, if we are to enter a new era.” For LAVA, architecture is about more than just designing “pretty” buildings. Instead, it seeks integrated solutions to the challenges of the 21st century, when a growing population will have to live in increasingly close quarters. Instead of the old battle cry of “form follows function”, Bosse is more interested in what he describes as “integrated thinking”, which according to him “covers not only ecological approaches to design — that goes without saying — but also transport planning plus social and cultural aspects”. He aims to apply this to the UTS, which is the best university in Australia for technical and creative vocations and brings together disciplines such as engineering, architecture and product, fashion, and media design. As Bosse says, it makes perfect sense to use all of this knowledge to transform a loathed building. For Bosse, the tower project has an almost philosophical dimension: “Mies van der Rohe said, ‘less is more’; I prefer to say, ‘more with less’.” This implies that “we need to counter the trend of advancing urbanisation and, instead of consuming more and more energy and raw materials, simply consume less.” This is why Bosse often fi nds it more interesting to adapt existing structures to the changing demands of modern life. “The last three years have produced four generations of the iPhone, yet many buildings last for 200 years. I like to think in terms of openended architecture — that is, about how to create structures that can be continually adapted to current requirements.” When it was built, the UTS Tower was state-of-the-art architecture, but we now know that people prefer not to work in fully air-conditioned buildings hermetically sealed against the outside world. But if the only answer is demolition, says Bosse, then “we will have to endure our cities being permanent building sites”. For him, the idea of transformation is much more intelligent. ¤ Further information www.l-a-v-a.net http://l-a-v-a.blogspot.com/ 9

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