Contra-Construction: Exploration on Elementarism in Architecture

Theo van Doesburg’s manifesto on Elementarism informs the language of architecture to be a reduction of art to its most fundamental elements of construction: light, function, materials, volumes, time, space, and color. These elements are a synthesis of the plastic and static aspect of forms where the effects of space-time works in relation with the dimensionality and contradiction to natural forces. THe ideas of the elements, brought up in van Doesburg’s manifesto, are the fundamental characteristics of the language of architecture. As the matter of fact, these characteristics of the elements are seen through the plan and section drawings. The synthesis of the plan and section drawing reveals the different characteristic of architecture that contributes to the overall form.

The lamp composition is based on the exploration of direct, reflective, and ambient light, drawn through utilizing the sandwich. The connection between ambient and direct lighting of the lamp as reflective lighting fills the volume between the two suspended metal sheets. Through extracting secondary elements from the drawing, a rectangular volume is channeled through the ground plan casting light on opposite directions of lighting. An asymmetry is achieved through alternating placements and folded places creating a volume through planarity. Accents of Van Doesburg’s axon is represented through the spatial translucency of proportion and integration.

The ground plan gives way to creating objects that visualize a light source through large and small scales of planes, anti-gravity conditions, and functional elements that aids the relationship and unity of the lamp.