UPDATE: The deadline has been extended to May 20, 2016.
This is a call for works of art or design that (i) might fairly be called ‘objects’ by the nascent philosophies of Speculative Realism and Object Oriented Ontology, and that (ii) will throw light on architecture as a peculiar set of objects, phenomena, ideas, relations, connections, skills, materials, obligations, and operations. A selection of twenty of these Objects—all physical and all, whether singular or configurations of smaller objects, falling within the four Parameters set out below—will be exhibited for two weeks around a three-day symposium to be staged by the Center for American Architecture and Design (CAAD) at The University of Texas at Austin in October 2016 called “The Secret Life of Buildings."
Objects
Parameter 1 ...that need nothing else and no one else; that are oblivious to where they are or what is made of them or how they were made, or what is done with (or to) them…OR that depend for their sense, and perhaps very existence, on exactly where they are, the company they keep, what is said about them, how they were made, and what is done with (or to) them;
Parameter 2 ...that have secrets, capacities, tendencies, or desires; that are “tips of icebergs;” that “listen to different drummers;” that receive or send feeds to other places, people, objects, dimensions…AND/OR that have evident, unique, and remarkable qualities all their own…OR that have no qualities at all and ask who you are;
Parameter 3 ...that point to or exemplify peculiarly architectural components, elements, phenomena, and processes without themselves being fragments or models (i.e. abstract miniatures) of them;
Parameter 4 ...that weigh less than thirty pounds and occupy less than fifteen cubic feet shipped, AND can be drilled into and/or be mounted (specify indoors or outdoors) by clamps that are themselves clamped to a steel pole (specify orientation). The support for each Object will be custom provided by the organizers.*
Title
The Secret Life of Buildings: A Call for ObjectsType
Competition Announcement (Built Projects & Masterplans)Website
Organizers
Registration Deadline
May 20, 2016 01:32 PMSubmission Deadline
May 20, 2016 01:32 PMVenue
School of Architecture, The University of Texas at AustinPrice
$50