Fabricating Swissness
Type
Installation
Location
2021 Seoul Biennale for Architecture and Urbanism
On View
September 16 - October 31, 2021
Project Team
Jonathan Louie and Nicole McIntosh with Andrew G. Atwood, Oscar Garza Reza, Ryan Garza, Nari Kim, and Julia Valisyev
Structural Engineer
Roel van de Straat, ARUP
Audio Design
Paul Chavez, ARUP
Construction
Automated Fabrication Lab at Texas A&M, Michael Gayk, David Goltz, Shane Bugni, Logan Froebel and Will DiNisco
Support by
Seoul Metropolitan Government, Seoul Biennale, ARUP, Texas A&M University
The installation for the 2021 Seoul Biennale for Architecture and Urbanism questions if ‘Swiss’ architecture can be understood as just the formal character of specific alpine building elements. Fabricating Swissness is a four-sided aluminium scaffold structure measuring 2m x 2m x 3.6m that illustrates the notion of “Swissness” and the Swiss chalet style in New Glarus, Wisconsin through vernacular imagery, audio, and memorabilia. In the early 1960s, New Glarus actively embraced the Swiss aesthetic as a way to enhance the social and economic base of its community. Today, New Glarus’ building code specifically contains Article II: Swiss Architectural Theme, which describes typical building elements that evoke certain associations with traditional Swiss architecture, such as the chalet. Seeing these ‘Swiss’ elements isolated from the actual architecture (i.e. shutters not on a facade) are they still understood as Swiss?
Fabricating Swissness • Related Project