[ISEA94] Paper: Vito Orazem – Holography as an Element of a Media Architecture

Abstract

In its past history holography was an illusory medium. Although our eyes were never deceived by its representation of three-dimensional spaces. It was because of our experience with central perspective that we saw in it the great illusion of perfect space. Only after holography broke away from a representational subject it was possible to emphasise its immanent qualities as a medium, its close relationship to light and its optical properties. Freed from the encumbrance of trivial contents, it has become a material for creative light design. Currently, there have been attempts in experimental architecture to include holographical material in intelligent buildings to direct the light and warmth and store the information. On the other hand, holographers since the late eighties have designed inner architecture with the help of holographic elements.

Walter Benjamin lamented in his “Passagen-Werk” that iron and glass in the middle of the 19th century “were to a certain extent discredited”, because of this time it was not yet known how to work with these materials. The employment of holography today has similarities with this development. It is an unnecessary designing element in a Bauhaus architecture. Only after micro electronics were integrated into building, the role of light and information in architecture
changed. Light in media architecture is not only an essential design element, but becomes a vehicle for information. In the media architecture holographic optical elements are to be named along with electrochrome glass, large projection installations, LC-Displays and video monitors.
As a last consequence, not only do they direct and organize light and warmth, but at the same time, they produce information, alienation, embezzelment and conversion.

  • Vito Orazem, Germany