Considering the Quake: Seismic Design on the Edge.
07/01/2014.
Exhibition. AIA. Center for Architecture [NYC] USA. 13/02 – 26/05/2014.
metalocus, INÉS LALUETA.
metalocus, INÉS LALUETA.
Curated by Professor Ghyslaine McClure, P.Eng and founded/curated by Dr. Effie Bouras, of the McGill University Department of Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics, the exhibit emerged from their research on the resiliency of emergency shelters and civil protection buildings, such as schools and hospitals, in earthquake zones throughout the world. Envisioned, as a "science center" for design, the exhibit is tailored not only for the architecture and engineering communities, but an invested public as well, and will feature full-sized seismic technology utilized in buildings, architectural and structural models, seismic testing videos, including clips from Tomas Koolhaas’ new documentary titled REM, and a 500N shake table from North American Wave Spectrum Science and Trade Inc.
International in scope, projects include, the Office for Metropolitan Architecture’s (OMA) ground- breaking Taipei Performing Arts Center, CCTV and Shenzhen Stock Exchange; a house rebuilt on the site of a catastrophic earthquake, by Chilean architects Pezo von Ellrichshausen; The Regional Emergency Management Center in Italy; Daniel Libeskind’s Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco with OLMM Consulting Engineers; Singapore/Tokyo based, Studio SKLIM’s, Earthquake resistant Hansha Reflection house; work by California-based Tipping Mar Engineers and Degenkolb Engineering- the oldest seismic engineering firm in the USA; Star Seismic, an innovative seismic technology, firm based in Utah that has pioneered the engineering and design of buckling restrained braces (BRBs). Other original projects are also featured.
Featuring an exhibit installation: by SOFTlab in consultation with engineers from ARUP
Venue.- American Institute of Architects, Center for Architecture. New York. USA.
Dates.- February 13, 2014 – May 26, 2014.
Exhibition.
Many speak of architecture as both a science and art, but few ever truly witness the “science” part of architecture. Behind the building’s skin lies much of its initial premise, developed between the union of architect and engineer; an intersecting communication, creating unparalleled synchronicity when each profession just plainly gets it right. What if we could bring these two seemingly disparate elements under the roof of one comprehensive exhibit; and do this through the premise of earthquake engineering- a domain thought of most singularly under an engineer’s autonomous control? Buildings, as we have been reminded by too many recent catastrophic earthquakes, are complex, dynamic systems.