Work submitted for the competition
"Best Diploma Architecture"
The extraordinary visions of the world depicted in each of the fields of art undertaken by Zdzislaw Beksinski inspired the search for an appropriate architectural form of the designed building. Thanks to the art of this artist, you can see not only his rich interior, but also refresh your own perception of the world. Analyzing his creative technique, we learn about his extraordinary care and striving for perfection.
Beksinski's art is filled with symbolism, but he left it up to the viewer to perceive the work individually. Therefore, it is impossible to translate the work of the analyzed artist into the language of reality, there is hidden in it a kind of mysticism affecting the imagination.
While preparing the architectural project, I learned a lot from Zdzislaw Beksinski. I drew countless inspirations from his subsequent works and statements. The most important of these is the pursuit of beauty through the search for the best form and the selection of the highest quality materials, as well as leaving it up to the people - the viewers - to interpret the work according to what they feel at the time.
visualization of the building
© Karolina Rabczak
Just as mood was important in Beksinski's work, it should also be a key element in architecture. In the case of an art gallery project, mood can be built through many factors. A person being in a space whose task is to present art should slowly discover it, and architecture can further intensify the experience of this.
The goal established at the beginning of the work, i.e. the desire to promote Beksinski's art around the world, was one of the motives for looking for a plot of land outside Poland. The choice fell on Singapore, a country that is one of the most developed in Asia, where Beksinski's art has attracted interest since its inception. I then checked to see if there was an area in Singapore where culture-related buildings, especially galleries and museums, were concentrated. The final choice was a plot of land in just such a neighborhood, additionally with access to the river, which had hitherto remained undeveloped.
solid shaping schemes
© Karolina Rabczak
In addition to inspiration from Beksinski's general philosophy, the shape of the building was influenced by one of the artist's paintings from 1975 depicting groups of creatures sitting by a fire flowing from the numerous elevations in the area. This gave rise to the idea of creating a design for five towers that would correspond to Zdzislaw Beksinski's fields of art - photography, sculpture, painting, drawing and computer graphics.
art gallery visualization
© Karolina Rabczak
The inspiration and later the idea were harmonized with the situation occurring on the plot. In order to fit into the context, first a solid was created that preserved the existing frontage. The sides on the river side, on the other hand, slope down, creating a larger recreational space; the towers allude to the numerous tall buildings around. Finally, the whole was divided into three parts, mainly so that the breakthroughs "invite" people to descend and visit the exhibition. Through this procedure, the square created inside is separated from the roads, making the atmosphere before entering the exhibition section more intimate.
cross section
© Karolina Rabczak
A person walking downstairs is slowly guided to an area where he can calm down and prepare to meet the art. Once inside, he or she can experience the contact with Beksinski's works, intensified by architectural treatments. These works alone make a person move to another dimension, and presenting them in specially arranged towers will intensify the accompanying feelings. Visitors will feel as if they are in a temple of art, sealed off from the outside world.
gallery interior
© Karolina Rabczak
The developed project touches on many important aspects related to the preparation of exhibition objects today. In the creative process, I noticed a very important element linking the approach of artists and architects to art and architecture. This element was the pursuit of beauty - mainly through the creation of a unique form, the selection of the best quality materials and, above all, the attitude that a painting, a work of art or a building should have a unique effect on a person. These observations influenced the analysis of how the designed gallery of Beksinski's art would work on people, how the art would be perceived in it, and whether the whole thing would not disturb the context of the place, while bringing a new quality to the space.
Karolina RABCZAK
Illustrations: © Author
