CHRISTINA MALATHOUNI, Bartlett, UCL

"Flatland and Other Modern Myths: An Inquiry into Space, Form and the Self"

Euclidean space presuppositions have long ago proved short on providing an adequate model both for physical and for metaphysical spatial considerations. Alternative geometrical models of space became available more than a century ago. Higher-dimensional, or curved, space appeared more suitable to accommodate the needs of a broad range of disciplines, from modern physics to psychology and psychoanalysis. Since a definite answer with regard to the form of our space remains unattainable, a closer look to some of the early theories is still highly fascinating.
Based on the above and the fundamental relation between ‘[representations in] form’, ‘reality’ and any human interaction with the external world, the proposed workshop will look into the relationship between subjectivity and alternative geometrical models of space. Akin to one of the four Research Spaces conference strands [“Conceptual Spaces”], the workshop will aim to investigate the relationship between space and the knowing subject and “interrelationships between subjects and objects in art [and] architecture”.
The 2.5 hour allotted workshop session will start with a presentation of selected parts of three texts of late 19th and early 20th century popular fourth-dimensional literature [E.A.Abbott’s Flatland (1884); C.H.Hinton’s An Episode of Flatland (1907); and C.Bragdon’s “Man the Square” (1912)]. Aiming at the ‘initiation’ of the participants to an alternative model of our physical space, this ‘storytelling’ session will use these three texts as ‘modern myths’, that is, as an alternative - or rather complementary to science - means of providing an explanation of the world. The reading of these texts will aim primarily to alert participants of common assumptions about the physical and geometrical nature of space within our everyday perception. Then, participants will be given the opportunity to experiment with these new models of space either by short role-playing sessions or by sketching and model-making. The last two options may be continued in an additional 2.5 hour session and all material produced then will be added to the Research Spaces exhibition.

NEIL ROBERT WENMAN, Bartlett, UCL
“The Space of Zero”

This paper will concentrate on a specific element of my written research notably the conceptual space of zero in relation to philosophy, science and mathematics. It is in direct relation to my exhibition submission and seen as integral.
‘Zero’, to most of us, is the symbol for nothing. Names belong to things, but ‘zero’ belongs to nothing. It represents the totality of what isn’t there. The term zero is inescapable, in the aftermath of September 11th we learnt the phrase, Ground Zero, after which President Bush proclaimed that America had “Zero Tolerance”. On the high street credit companies bombard us with adverts declaring “Zero interest, nothing to pay until next year.”
The aim of this paper is to define a spatial understanding of how we might differentiate between the four terms below through a theoretical model illustrated by the artwork.
NOTHINGNESS is the undefined place where all potential to be filled has been removed, it is an endless, depthless, point within infinity.
ZERO is acknowledged as the point, mark, position or place notation to describe an acknowledged point of non-quantity.
EMPTY is also an adjective used to describe the characteristics of a space where all contents have been removed. The characteristic of a space that has the potential to be filled but is not.
VOID is the name given to a space that is empty, yet has set parameters and known boundaries. A space that does not have the potential to be filled.
A theoretical model will be drawn using the literal form of the digit ‘zero’. It is the space housed, or caught within the ring of zero, that has an acknowledged limit that should be understood as the ‘void’. We can describe that ‘void’ using the adjective empty. Nothingness is the infinite space outside that ring. It is beyond that of ‘void’: it has no boundaries. Hence the ring of ‘zero’ is the edge or boundary where ‘void’ ends and nothingness begins.

MATTEO MELIOLI, Bartlett, UCL
“Inhabit Soundscape”

In 'Space', the object - or architecture - is generated by a cumulative process of information (geometrical transformations, visual sequences, sound structure…) directly related to the psychological and physiological user’s frames. Each interaction transforms the visible environment in a dynamic, elastic and multidirectional imaginary space. The relationship between the object-space system (geometrical and phenomenological determinate ) and the body-mental projection system (subjective view/aural decoded data ) induces new modes of perception strictly connected to the inner spatial geometry and its physical reflecting (aural and lighting) phenomena.
Sound as well light reveal cryptic information about the space via echo and reverberations. Those non linear physical process articulate the space along a dynamic and continuous medium and the geometrical space suggested by echo and reverberation not longer deals with Euclidean but with Multidimensional spaces. In this work, the conception of 'Space' explores structurally and visually the dynamic process engaged in a huge architectural volume (the Byzantine Saint Mark’s basilica in Venice) by reflections of the acoustic rays produced by a polyphonic song and the following transcription of reflections phenomena into geometric parameters and shapes.
This process enhances how the same acoustic phenomena distorts the architectural space creating “ghost-spaces”. These “unreal” spaces will exist even beyond the physical limits of real architecture. As a consequence this doubling process will destroy the spatial identity (perceptive level) as well as the centrality role of the subject (existential level). The space and the Ego will dissolve into a new geometrical and psychological pattern, mutable, dynamic and elastic.

Evening Event

17.00 - 19.30

17:00 - 18:00 - In this evening presentation, JUDY TAL and AYELET ZOHAR, will present some of the most exciting recent experiments with fractal design and fractal sounds. Enjoy more colours and ambient sounds directly from Flatland to the Slade Studios on the Research Spaces evening.

18:00 - Film screening:
Das Cabinet des Dr Caligari [The Cabinet of Dr.Caligari] (1919); dir. Robert Wiene; 72 mins; b&w (tinted).

Selected on the basis of the spatial qualities of its expressionistic stage design – and in relation to its narrative in particular - Robert Wiene's classic German horror film will be screened in order to generate the concluding discussion on the relation of ‘form’ to various kinds of external or inner space as approached throughout the Conceptual Spaces day.