WEB 3.0 AND THE FUTURE OF ARCHITECTURE: CO-CREATING DYNAMIC SPACES
Back in 2016, I was given the chance to deliver a speech at an architectural fair in Shanghai organized by DoBe Group, a professional development operator with high attention to the creative industries. At first, I was unsure of what topic to present. However, having worked as a theatrical scenographer and event designer, I decided to focus on contemporary architecture from a scenographer's perspective. During my research in the creative field, I analyzed and visited some works of contemporary architects, which discussed the evolution of scenography in everyday architecture. When I suggested this topic to the organizer, he was enthusiastic about the idea: scenography, as a space where the actor identifies and interacts, had inspired many contemporary architects and would continue to do so in the future. It had left the deputy space of the theatre and had become an experience, with the architect becoming the “new director”. I titled my speech "Elliptical and Scenographic Architecture," inspired by Carmelo Strano 's book, "Dall’Opera Aperta all’Opera Ellittica." My focus was on how architects like Massimiliano Fuksas, Zaha Hadid, Toyo Ito, and Daniel Libeskind were revolutionizing space by transforming it from pure functionality and a living machine into an experience. I was fascinated by their work and decided to illustrate my topic with some key examples. Toyo Ito incorporates city elements to highlight the lack of centrality in the design, emphasizing the dialogue between the designer's rules and the user's organic definition of space. Zaha Hadid takes inspiration from avant-garde movements like Futurism and Constructivism in the conception of her dynamic shapes. Meanwhile, Fuksas designs spaces that go beyond human possibilities, like The Cloud in Rome. Similarly. The Jewish Museum in Berlin by architect Daniel Libeskind uses walls, light, and sound to create emotional and sensory experiences for visitors. These architects have shattered architecture's functionality by creating sensitive spaces in which users become actors in a story brought alive by the architects. I chose the word "Elliptical" to highlight a new approach in the project that subverts the centrality in the design in favor of a dialogue of two focal points: on the one hand, the architect with his vision and design, on the other, the user as the protagonist of the space experience. The word "Scenography" emphasizes the transformability of the space, the use of lights and sound, and storytelling to shape an unordinary path for guests. For the first time in history, the relationship of subordination of scenography to architecture was reversed. Architects incorporated the language of the theatre, including moving floors, projections, immersive lighting, and the mechanics of transformability. In the past, architecture had been the highest expression of fine arts, with its influence extending to other art forms like painting and sculpture. The rules of perspective and style had taken over the principles of painting and scenography. However, in the early 20th century, during the industrial revolution and with the invention of reinforced concrete, architecture broke free from style and perspective to embrace functionality. During this epochal change, and amidst the historical avant-gardes pursuing a renovation of the forms of art and their contents, scenography abandoned its subordination to architecture and embraced new ways. Adolphe Appia led the revolution of scenography in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, inspiring the use of light and color to create spatial illusions and experiences to create emotions. In addition, he introduced modularity to emphasize the movement of the actors and give transformability to the space. It was the end of the naturalism in the scene and the centrality of the perspective. Overall, the integration of scenography and architecture is an exciting development that has transformed the way we experience space. The architects I discussed in my speech have broken the rules and embraced new ways of creating emotional and sensory experiences. The decorative style, perspective methods, and traditional lighting were replaced by moving floors, electric lighting, projection mapping, and led walls. The industrial revolution demanded dynamism, and so scenography transformed from realist representation to dynamic and transformable spaces. Throughout history, architecture and scenography have been intertwined, as architects have taken inspiration from the world of theater to create dynamic, transformative spaces. From the radical expressionism of groups like Superstudio and Archigram, architecture has evolved to become an experience that engages the senses and emotions of its users. In the postmodern era, architecture became scenography as architects mixed and matched styles to create eclectic spaces. However, in the late 1980s, a new approach emerged, one that prioritized experience over utopia and eclecticism. Architects began to design spaces that were sensitive and emotional, using a storytelling approach to guide users from one chapter to another. Taking inspiration from the world of theater, architects began to define space not only through solid walls but also with lights, sound, materials, and layers. The space became a living machine, a progressive and transformable environment that could host any kind of happening in life. In the age of Web 3.0, where personalization has become exasperating, the architectural space moves between the physical and virtual worlds. New worlds like the Metaverse, NFTs, and XR have the potential to enhance the physical experience, but the challenge for architects is to figure out how to incorporate them into their designs. The role of the architect has changed once again. Now, the designer must position himself to co-create with the user, intervening in the space and completing the experience. The user should feel like a creator, not just a user. Architecture becomes a game, a space where users can co-create and interact with the environment. Web 3.0 becomes the new source of inspiration for designers, turning hotels into colorful game experiences and art exhibitions into co-creation spaces. Web 3.0 refers to the next generation of the internet, which is focused on enabling decentralized applications and technologies, as well as improving data privacy and security. This new era of the internet is expected to use blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to create a more open and transparent network. In the context of architecture and scenography, Web 3.0 could be seen as a tool for co-creation and collaboration between architects, designers, and stakeholders. This could involve using digital technologies and platforms to facilitate the design process, as well as incorporating user feedback and preferences into the design of dynamic spaces. By leveraging the newest technologies, architects, and scenographers could potentially create more innovative and responsive spaces that better meet the needs and desires of the people who use them. In this new era of architecture, anything is possible. The fa?ade of a building can come alive showcasing unexpected contents, a beautiful garden can be transformed into a digital wonderland, and the possibilities for co-creation are endless with Ai. Physical space becomes the extension of the metaverse, NFT artworks the key to access to new experiences, and the exhibition spaces an open canvas for unlimited creations. As we continue to explore the potential of Web 3.0 and beyond, it will be exciting to see how architects continue to innovate and transform the built environment in the name of the experience of blending scenography to create emotions.
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