The conference will focus on Peter Eisenman's long and outstanding oeuvre.Thematization of almost 50 years of his theoretical and educational work and almost 25 years of his full-time architectural practice is seen here as vital to the understanding of both the past and the presence of contemporary architecture. From the questions related to Renaissance heritage to the problems associated with disciplinary autonomy and the digital, the conference aims to provide a space for a critical debate among architects and theorists.
The Bubble Building, a "renovation of a common, old and unattractive building" in the centre of Shanghai, is a simple design containing complex environmental qualities. Unlike a conventional retrofit or renovation, 3GATTI's proposal places inflatables made of white antibacterial technical outdoor nylon, in front of the windows on the existing building. Their concept was to "create an icon-building, a kind of landmark very easy to recognize, a kind of sculpture with a strong character able to detach itself from the boring cityscape" with the ultimate aim to attract customers to rent both the office and commercial spaces.
The cultural, political and social context that produced - 30 years ago - Storefront for Art and Architecture has radically changed, yet the need to produce alternatives to the contemporary forces that shape public life are still as vital as ever.
Since Now From Then is a conference that takes the form of a day-long conversation on the first and next 30 years of Storefront for Art and Architecture and its role addressing contemporary questions in a broader cultural context. The program brings together prominent figures from both inside and outside the organization’s past history to discuss three of the foundations at the core of the institution’s mission: Experiments, Alternatives, and Public.
