Research Process Work DANIEL LIBESKIND

Daniel Libeskind is under the category of ‘Deconstructive’ architects. Before taking architecture, he was a music performer and studied mathematics which influence most of his work because the process he uses into designing is his interpretation of the relationship between music, history and architecture. Besides that, Libeskind strongly believes that architecture is a reflection of time. He feels the need to incorporate memory into space, which most of his projects are museums. ‘Chamberworks’ was Libeskind’s translation of music into drawings. It was his idea of architecture. He does not think that music exist conceptually even if it’s too complex to imagine. It was the investigation of the ideas of architecture and music as they intersect in the chamber of mind. He suggests that music leaves a strong trace after experiencing it. Libeskind feels that there is a strong connection between architecture and music and that the connection is multiwired, multidimensional and figurative of a spatial figure. Libeskind believes that human body is the medium which connects architecture and the music. He sees that the production of music through instruments is the same situation as buildings are built.

The drawings of ‘Chamberworks’ does not move towards unity, it does not obey any law. This concept is shown is many of his projects which he tends to go out of the line. For instance, the street line of Berlin was broken for the design of Berlin Museum with the Jewish Museum.

When reading the drawing of ‘Chamberworks’ one will realise that there is nothing to be broken, no virtual space, no subject matter, no substructure and no geometry just as what Libeskind has in mind about architecture. The concept of ‘Chamberworks’ became a guideline to many of his other projects like, City Edge, The Jewish Museum Berlin, the philharmonic hall in Bermen and the extension of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Music was used conceptually to the design of these projects. For instance, the concept of resonance was use to the process of designing the Victoria and Albert Museum. Besides that, music interception and music of the city was the themes for the philharmonic hall in Bermen. For the City Edge project, he uses the tonality of horizontal and vertical relationship through a kind of obliqueness.

The process which Libeskind follow is always different because he feels that there are no constant forms, no permanent structure and no universal type in architecture. In every process he tries to start with the history of the site or if not the historical events that occur which brings to the design of a certain building. He uses architectural drawing to elaborate his theory of architecture and in which history is represented in a symbolical form – geometric form or lines. Through mapping and symbolizing the historical events and memory he then translates the drawing into architecture. Libeskind also likes to amplify the existing fractures or cracks, using them as line of development. This is part of his process of putting in historical events into architecture. Through this process he has his own language in architecture.

Done by, TZE EK NG 3070834