Architecture, Time and Space
“Choose what you want to do – or watch someone else doing it. Learn how to handle tools, paint, babies, machinery, or just listen to your favourite tune. Dance, talk or be lifted up to where you can see how other people make things work. Sit out over space with a drink and tune in to what’s happening elsewhere in the city. Try starting a riot or beginning a painting – or just lie back and stare at the sky.” (Fun Palace, 1961)
Fun Palace is like a machine that accomodates constantly changing cultural and social conditions. It was different than the architecture that we are familiar, it mostly based on improvision. We can not define it as a museum, theater, school or gallery but in time, it could transform into all these spaces. According to the human necessities, every space could play the role of another charachter in time. That means every space can be used for different activities.
“Laboratory of Fun”
John Littlewood who was a theater actress, tried to create a new type of theater where the people would be player and be active in the space. So, the idea was, turning the leisure time into a more public, dynamic and interactive form. Besides, they tried to design a place that respond to individuals various desire and need; provide a place that people could have various experiences. Eventually, Cedric Price who was an influential and prescient architect, develop and integrated John Littlewood’s ideas into architecture. Their idea was building a “Laboratory of Fun” to possibilities for various activities.
It was an unenclosed structure and had variable parts such as mobile, gathered or divided stairs, floors and etc. The structure allow for a flow of space and time. Sometimes we have some difficulties to understand which parts were related or not, or follow what’s going on inside of it. In addition, one of the thing that I found interesting, they arrange the distances according to time, not measurements.
Ayça Sarıbay 