Immaterialis

2017

Build with energy, not just materials.

During his research at Hosei University and the University of Tokyo in Tokyo, Japan, Winston Alford-Hamburg investigated how architecture could be shaped by natural forces such as light, airflow, and heat, rather than relying solely on traditional materials. This exploration drew inspiration from diverse disciplines, including the 19th-century Impressionist painters, who revolutionized art by focusing on light and energy instead of material objects.

Architecture today is on the verge of a similar transformation. For millennia, materials like stone, wood, steel, and concrete have been prioritized, while natural forces such as wind, light, heat, and sound have been considered secondary.

Monet, Claude. “Waterloo Bridge, Sunlight Effect.” The Art Institute of Chicago, 1903, www.artic.edu/artworks/20701/waterloo-bridge-sunlight-effect.

Monet, Claude. “Waterloo Bridge, Sunlight Effect.” The Art Institute of Chicago, 1903, www.artic.edu/artworks/20701/waterloo-bridge-sunlight-effect.

But what if we flipped this perspective?

Imagine an architecture where these energetic phenomena are not just supplemental, but the very foundation of design. Wind could become the structure itself. Instead of solid walls, airflow could be directed and manipulated to create invisible thermal barriers, offering cooling, comfort, or even defining movement within a space. Imagine walking through a space where gusts of wind guide your path, or where a gentle breeze delineates one area from another. This architecture would be porous, constantly shifting, blurring the lines between inside and outside. It would rely not on boundaries of concrete and steel, but on currents of air.

Bohn, John. Zeroth + 0th House. J Bohn Associates, 2016, https://www.jbohn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/JBohnAssociates_Zeroth_GIF.gif. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.

To the left, an image from John Bohn’s Zeroth + 0th House explores the possibilities of architecture through the lens of thermodynamic principles, focusing on energy flow and system behavior rather than traditional materiality. His work challenges conventional design, emphasizing movement, change, and entropy as key elements in creating new architectural tools and techniques that interact dynamically with the environment.

Visionary architects like John Bohn, who worked alongside Pritzker Prize-winner Arata Isozaki, are exploring these ideas. In 2017, Bohn asked his students in Tokyo to imagine architecture freed from the constraints of material, a concept that could revolutionize how we design.

To view more of John Bohn’s work, please click on the link below:

The future of architecture is alive.

Sustainability goes beyond reducing energy use.

It’s about designing buildings that engage with their environments. By centering energy in architecture, we can use materials more efficiently and reduce waste. Imagine buildings that require fewer heavy materials because they harness natural energy, needing less heating, cooling, or lighting. As how we produce energy becomes more ecological, this approach offers not just ecological benefits but also new possibilities for beautiful, innovative architecture.

Let’s apply theory to practice.

One application of these principles is through the use of light to create privacy. Just as shining a bright light into someone's eyes can obscure their vision, Alford-Hamburg explored how light can act as a barrier in architecture. By directing light outward from a building, the intense radiance creates a form of privacy by making the interior invisible, much like a glaring, radiant mass of light that functions as an architectural boundary. This concept challenges the reliance on traditional materials and highlights the potential for light to replace solid surfaces in creating spatial divisions.

Architecture has always shaped how people live, but now Alford-Hamburg believes it is time for architecture to be shaped by the energies that flow through the world. Architects, designers, and thinkers have the opportunity to pioneer a new approach to building—one that doesn’t simply construct walls but instead creates spaces that live, breathe, and interact with natural forces. This approach is not only about solving problems but also about creating a more beautiful, sustainable, and connected world.