Lars Spuybroek / NOX abstract

Lars Spuybroek undoubtedly stands on the frontier of the future of architecture. With his innovative designs, and unique technological methods, surely his digital design theory and contemporary developments are bringing the realm of design forward. In the city of Rotterdam, of the Netherlands, Spuybroek leads the NOX architecture studio, where he practices as both an artist and an architect. One of his most known works, “The Water Pavilion,” which is thought of as the first building in the world fully incorporating new media, earned him global recognition. In multiple interviews, Lars Spuybroek expressed his views along with the concepts that NOX revolves around on the different methodologies and theories used in the design and digital process of the firm. He believes that designs are created based upon the physical experience of the building, and although currently only small scale art structures have been completed, the studio anticipates and looks forward to larger full scale projects.

An underlying concept that Spuybroek's design process revolves around is the idea that his work focuses on activating the body; transferring movement into architecture. Designs are primarily about the experience and interaction between a person and the building. In his own words, “Instead of being a body in a space, the body is so charged with abstract movements that the way in which this is expressed in actions is the spatial experience. We are the extension of space, not the other way around.” Through this, the idea that form and aesthetics have no importance emerges. Ultimately, these only appear after the project has been completed. It is Spuybroek's belief, that due to the advancement of technology, all design will become “meta-design”, where people can actually ‘print’ an object through the use of digital information – objects can now be a range of objects, as he puts it, in a family or a species. None are the same, but are all similar enough to be read and recognized. NOX aims to design buildings that are economical, but at the same time, entirely unique from anything currently available.

As previously stated, “The Water Pavilion” was an entirely innovative design that set Lars Spuybroek apart from all others, and made his name common in the architectural world. This building was so monumental because of its style – “liquid” architecture, a theme that is a clear result of NOX's design process. In Spuybroek's words, “liquid architecture is a paradox, because the architecture can be liquid but the building is solid”. He believes that the building itself should be static, but the actual architecture aspect should never be at rest. This idea of “liquid architecture” is in direct relation to Spurbroek's idea of “motor geometry”. It’s ultimately the liquidizing of everything that has traditionally remained solid in architecture. Rather, it is the merging of wall and floor – object and environment, or action and form. It’s an attempt to connect one act to another. Nothing, no object or function of the design, is to remain isolated, and instead, all is brought to a continuous process of transformation. As he puts it, “Liquid architecture is not about nice and pleasing sculptural forms – because there is always a risk of toppling things over...and without that risk, in a more cultural sense, the act of architecture seems absolutely worthless”.

Spuybroek paid particular attention to buildings such as exhibitions and museums, noticing two fundamental elements: the floor, which allows for the movement, and the walls, which enables sight of spaces and works of art. The two, as he sees it, are very closely related, explaining his morphology of one into the other, and the very close relationships between the two. He believed that there doesn't really need to be a clear distinction between the two in his work, a very interesting concept that truly sets him apart from other designers.

When attempting to comprehend the philosophy behind the NOX architecture firm, the most important concept to understand is the digital work process. Spuybroek's use of the computer creates a wildly different route than most traditional architects. Originally, the procedure of design begins with a diagram, from which a design materializes, whereas Spuybroek attempts to avoid the use of lines, and instead digitally analyzes curves and irregular forms. He felt that there was a particular level of complexity of form that drawing by hand could never reach in architecture. As Spuybroek had said, “you can only draw with one hand, while with a computer you can work with tens of coordinated hands simultaneously”. He saw the computer as a vital tool, one that simple architectural tasks such as rotating, copying, and aligning are all a part of. You cannot 'do' computer and not 'think' computer – there is no fighting that belief. Along with this concept, the idea that diagramming being so much superior to simple sketching is a part of Spuybroek's digital practice. Through the use of a computer, he turns the design into a 'machine' which follows along a geometric system, all intertwined, with all aspects functioning together. None of this could be achieved without the use of computers, which help to create a 'matrix', along with a system of relations, which is unobtainable through the use of a pencil.

It is clear that Lars Spuybroek's work is truly innovative. Through his unique perception of what a building should be designed for, and his technological means of achieving this, he is able to push the limits in the world of architecture, standing at the frontier of what is to come in the future. The dominant role of the computer as a vital tool, experimentation with 'liquid architecture', and the attempt to connect visitors directly to the building that they inhabit sets him apart from all others, placing NOX in a important place among designers today.