Architectural Objects

To follow up my last post of architects designing actual products I want to look at architectural objects. What's the difference? The architectural object looks at how just the scale of a object can complete change its usage, or perceived usage. Let's go back to one of my first projects in school.

Phase one of the studio was to make a lamp. So here is what I made:

The center I made out of concrete with two halogen lamps (probably a little too much for the size of this thing). But to put this at a scale it was about 24"W x 16"H x 8" D. What I was looking at was how light effected its surroundings. I created large transparent striated pane out of acrylic and then moving plans coated with color paper. As I slid the colored panes over the areas where light was emitting different colors radiated outwards to the walls. Now how did this transform into an actual building?

The image I created simply by photoshopping images of my project into a space at the size of a building. See where I'm going here? The change in scale changed how this lamp is perceived. Now this is just a lamp still so the final step was to create a building from this lamp.

Please forgive these images, they were certainly not my finest renderings but from one of my first studio courses. And a section for further enjoyment.

Now this is just one example from my projects.

The reason I bring this up is because a recently completed project by MAD.

This is the China Wood Sculpture Museum in Harbin, China. Now this is a full scale, built project around 600 ft. in length, but can you imagine it at the size of a normal piece of wood? I'd say that MAD is probably one of the most prominent architectural object firms I've seen recently. Other works like their Ordos Museum or their Superstar specifically look into this idea of the architectural object. Can you not see the Superstar hanging off of your Christmas Tree?

What other pieces of architecture can you see being placed on your table or used as a bench in the park?