Synthetic Natures

The distinction between what is natural and what is human-made, which has informed the distinction between the ‘wild’ and the cultured for centuries, has become blurred. So what is natural and what is artificial in the era of the Anthropocene? A kind of untouched, idyllic beauty is becoming increasingly rare. At this time, nearly 50% of the US population, an estimated 150 million, live in areas that don’t meet federal air quality standards. However, we also find strange beauty in the Anthropocene: unexpected side effects and alternate symbiotic relationships occur. We will be looking at newly developing mutants in nature and in buildings as they react to environmental stresses.

Our recently completed design for the 116 acre Eco park in Hangzhou Asia with 7 buildings among which 2 stadiums, produces such synthetic natures and ‘mutants’. By understanding the stadium fundamentally as a hybrid structure that also functions as a concert hall / event space for Hangzhou after the games, the building has transformed the park into a constantly evolving, active urban participant, rather than creating a static, representative object that would become a white elephant after the 2-week Asian Games. Strange intersections occur along the structures double curved shapes, where brass shingled surfaces intersect with steel & glass diagrid rings. These bulges not only express the mutant character of the building, but also add identity and character to the strange object, making recognizable that this is a neighbourhood participatory social condenser.

Winka Dubbeldam is the founder [1994] and partner of the WBE certified firm Archi-Tectonics NYC LLC.  widely known for their award-winning work, recognized as much for its design excellence as for its use of smart building systems, and innovative structures. Archi-Tectonics recently won the 2023 CTBUH Award of Excellence in the Urban Habitat Category for the Asian Games 2023 Masterplan, the Architizer 2023 A+ Award in the Architecture +Innovation Category for the Asian Games 2023 Hybrid Stadium and the Asian Games Park was awarded the China Construction Engineering Luban Prize (National Prime-quality Project) List (2022-2023), which is the most honourable in the domestic construction industry. Archi-Tectonics’ fourth book “Strange Objects, New Solids, and Massive Things” was launched Fall 2021 [Actar, Spain] and was part of the Venice Architecture Biennale 2023 with the exhibit “Strange Objects” in Palazzo Bembo. 

Professor Dubbeldam is also Professor at Weitzman Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, where she has gathered an international network of innovative research and design professionals. Dubbeldam also serves as the External Examiner for the Bartlett, UCL in London [2018-22], and is one of the creative directors for CityX exhibit in the Virtual Italian Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale [2021-23], she spoke at the UIA Copenhagen in Summer 2023 and will speak at CTBUH Singapore this Fall 2023.

CPD Points: 2

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