A study on the form and spatial characteristics of walls through decomposition and reconstruction in neo-plasticism (focused on De Stijl architecture of Gerrit Rietveed and Van Doesburg)

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A study on the form and spatial characteristics of walls through decomposition and reconstruction in neo-plasticism (focused on De Stijl architecture of Gerrit Rietveed and Van Doesburg)

Yoo Hyun-Suk, Koo Young-Min

INHA University, Incheon, South Korea

Abstract

The freedom of the openings obtained as the walls were separated from the structure made the relationship between elevation and section an important construction principle. In addition, neo-plasticist such as Van Doesburg and Rietveld tried to create new forms through the composition of the pure surface(wall) and manipulate the walls to escape the internal and closed traditional space composition. This study focuses on the morphological and spatial characteristics of the walls created by the decomposition and reconstruction of cubes, centered on the work of De Stijl architects of Neo-Plasticism.

Key-words: neo-plasticism, De Stijl, -wall, space, decomposition, reconstruction.

Абстракт

Исследование формы и пространственных характеристик стен через декомпозицию и реконструкцию в неопластике (на примере архитектуры группы Де Стейл: Геррита Ритвельда и Вана Дусбурга)

Ю Хёнсок, Ку Ян Мин

Университет ИНХА, Инчхон, Южная Корея

Свобода открытых помещений, возникшая при отделении стен от конструкций, сделала саязи между просторностью и зонированием пространства важным проектировочным принципом. Нео-пластицисты, такие, как напимер, Ван Дусбург и Геррит Ретвильд пытались создать новые формы посредством формирования композиции при помощи чистых поверхностей (стен), и манипулировать ими таким образом, чтобы избежать ограниченного и закрытого традиционного пространственного деления. Данное исследование посвящено изучению морфологических и пространственных характеристик стен, посредством декомпозиции и реконструкции пространственной формы кубов, на основе работ архитекторов группы Де Стейл в стиле Нео-пластицизма.

Ключевые слова: неопластизм, Де Стейл, стена, пространство, декомпозиция, реконструкция.

Introduction

neo plasticism architecture

Background and Purpose. The study is a theoretical investigation stage as part of a multi-year study for developing an educational model for space composition that incorporates theory and practice. The study attempted to educate students how modem architects learned the spatial changes through the medium of wall in practical and systematic ways in the 20th century, and to develop an educational program that re-cultivate the perception of the space inherent in students' instincts.

Separated from structural function with the spread of new technology, walls freed from the structural liability had gradually acquired the attributes of thin, flat, and non-gravity planar free surface. Having been active mostly in Netherlands, Neo- plasticists attempted to create a new model through a composition of pure planes(wall). It is the relationship between elevation and section and the freedom of the openings obtained when the walls were liberated from the structural load, what they made an important construction principle. Gerrit Rietveld, a major member of the De Stijl movement, in particular, sought for the openness and continuity of space by "variating” the interrelationship of walls in Schroder House. It has resulted in a creation of “flowing” space that, on the contrary to the traditional space composition of being internally oriented and closed, allows the interior infinitely expanded and interpenetrate to the outside. It is not exaggerated to say that flowing space is one of the most critical achievement in modem architecture. It has opened a new role of the wall playing as a leader of movement and storytelling as well as a mould of the shape beyond a role of structure as well as a partition.

Focused on the morphological and spatial characteristics of the walls created by decomposing and reconstructing the cubes through the works of De Stijl architects of neo-plasticism, the study aims to explore the methods of formative principles in composition of walls, and to found a process in making an educational model for space composition.

Method and Scope. The most important component in the form of De Stijl architecture is the wall, because the plane shape that forms the space is most directly related to the nature of the space. What De Stijl's architects used to do is dismantling the volume of space units into the floors and walls, then reconstructing them by use of axonometrics. In summary, De Stijl's architecture is achieved by transforming two-dimensional elements to three dimensions and then, by changing the properties of the planes of wall, floor, and ceiling, by use of materials and colors.

Departing from examining a background of the wall's role in neo-plasticism, the study reviews the neo-plasticism, 'De Stijl' movement, examines Rietveld and Van Doesburg, the major De Stijl architects, and then explore the morphological and spatial characteristics of the walls in their works. In addition, the study aims to explore the concepts of formative principles and walls in neo-plasticism.

Neo-Plasticism

De Stijl. In Dutch, it means 'The Style'. It is the name of the plastic art movement gathering formed in Paris in 1917, which is also the name of their journal, by Dutch painters, sculptors and architects such as Piet Mondrian and Theo van Doesburg. This was the first movement to develop the plastic art that was originated from cubism to embrace the whole fields. For the integration of the plastic arts, they counted all spaces for flat surface, regardless of painting, architecture, and design, and made them basic formative elements consisting of geometric shapes and three primary colors.

Figure 1. Van Doesburg, Counter composition XIII, 1929

Ideology's shifted from Mondrian's neo-plasticism that emphasized purity and intuition, to Van Doesburg's elementalism that stressed the effect or concreteness of the form, 'De Stijl' movement had been developed to an international movement of constructivism. It was, in fact, the theoretical and practical core of graphic design, painting and architecture in the postwar period.

Piet Mondrian. Piet Mondrian is a modem Dutch painter who published the magazine “De Stijl” with Van Doesburg. Defining the purpose of art in its first issue, Mondrian used the term “Neo-Plasticism” for the first time. He introduces geometric forms in his abstract painting to balance spiritual essence through a process of simplifying the elements and forms of painting while expressing pure relations.

Figure 2 Mondrian, Composition II in Red, Blue, and Yellow, 1930

The geometric abstraction, which implies the beginning of neo-plasticism, was used to reveal the inner pure relationship instead of external forms, through lining the vertical at right angles to the horizontal. Mondrian had gradually deleted all the elements delivering visual effects such as ornaments and diagonal lines to make paintings extremely simple.

Mondrian then resigned from De Stijl as Van Doesburg added a 45-degree diagonal between the horizontal and vertical lines. Unlike Mondrian, who adhered to the horizontal, vertical and three primary colors, Van Doesburg presented Elementalism and attempted to elicit movement through the dynamic tensions of each form, abstracted and simplified through diagonal lines. In other words, it tried to elicit a four-dimensional concept including temporality.

Space Concept of De Stijl Architecture

Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture works had a great impact on De Stijl architects including Van Doesburg and Rietveld. It is the inter-penetration of internal and external spaces, spatial fluidity, and openness in the architecture shown in Wright's works, that had influenced the syntax of four-dimensional decomposition that disassembles and reassembles the volume of space. In the end, such concept of space extended the fluidity and openness of space in Wright's architectural space in four dimensions.

Figure 3. Frank Lloyd Wright

The concept of walls in De Stijl can be explained in three ways; that is, 'walls of non- omament', 'walls of non-material' in which opaque concrete is perceived to transparency with transparent openings, and “wall of non-gravity' in which weight seems to be removed in appearance.

Falling Water emphasis on "interrelationship" by which planes form the skins and those skins are recombined to constitute spaces. In short, it is assembling of segmented planes that defines spaces while constituting the architectural form by articulating the planes.

Theo Van Doesburg

1) Maison Particuliere. In 1923, "Maison Particuliere" and "Maison d'Artiste" were planned as one of the programs in the Rosenberg house. In here, each space is freely arranged, while rotating a full 360 degree around the staircase. Starting out with a rough idea of the whole space, the volume of the building is not pre-planned but rather indeterminately constructed outward. This shows that the architectural appearance is not defined from one particular point of view, but rather determined by diverse multiple perspective.

In addition, Van Doesburg's architectural feature is characterized in the rejection of symmetry and facades by dismantling the cube and the formation of ambiguous spatial relationships through the scalability of the walls. The diagram above shows how the separated wall and floor-namely the componentized wall- is transformed into space as it extends, and how the space can change as the wall expands vertically and horizontally.

2) Maison d'Artiste. This project is known to be Van Doesburg's most possessive to, in which he supposing himself as a client, and planned for programs such as studios, seminar rooms and music rooms. The house, with an emphasis on centrifugal composition, has a clearer central component than the 'Maison Particuliere' above. The contra-constructed drawing through axonometric seems to reject the facade and symmetry. The core, which is emphasized vertically, becomes a formative central element, and the faces protrude into the cantilever to give a sense of expansion.

Figure 5. Maison d'Artiste (Contra-Construction)

Gerrit Rietveld : Schroder House. Van Doesburg's eleventh point about 'dynamic architecture', freed from the constraints of opening through an open and deformable plane, seems to describe Schroder House.

The new architecture is anti-cubic, that is to say, it does not try to freeze the different functional space cells in one closed cube. Rather, it throws the functional space cells (as well as the overhanging planes, balcony volumes, etc.) centrifugally from the core of the cube. And through this means, height, width, depth, and time (i.e. an imaginary four-dimensional entity) approaches a totally `new plastic expression in open spaces. In this way architecture acquires a more or less floating aspect that, so to speak, works against the gravitational forces of nature. [Modem Architecture, a critical history, 2 ,c,145]

Figure 6. Overlap of Internal Space Diagram

Schroder House is a space structure in which the spaces overlapped by dismantled walls are continuous and the space inside is extended to the outside. The outer walls are mostly rectangular simple surfaces that seem to float against gravity. The inner wall is a movable partition wall. Through this, the “floating” aspect implied on the outside surfaces is being achieved internally. Opening the partition wall allows the space to flow without blockage, and closing it creates a space like a traditionally defined room. Rectangular surfaces appear at various scales throughout the house and are finished in bright primary colors. From large architectural surfaces, such as balcony walls, to small details, such as the end of a chair armrest, the process is consistent. Schroder House is a well-organized environment in which a variety of disparate components, such as roofs, balconies, walls, windows, walls and furniture, are conceived and implemented under a strictly consistent system. The geometry, surface and color of all these components are carefully considered and controlled by Rietveld.

3.3 Sub Conclusion. The works of the two architects were divided into spatial and morphological features. Doesburg's works consisted of drawings and models, and seem to integrate architecture and painting. In particular, the use of colors and diagonal lines, which did not appear in Mondrian's paintings, make the walls feel floating and moving, and the colors help each surfaces relate. In addition, Rietveld's Schroder House is one of the most important works actually built in De Stijl's architecture, creating variable and overlapping flowing spaces beyond Doesberg's "dynamic" painting. The above contents is summarized in the following table.

Table 1. morphological and spatial characteristics