Zaha Hadid Architects’ Chambers Music Hall - Manchester

By Vinuri Ethapane 

Creativity ensures multi-directional progress; without that initial spark of creativity, stemmed through imagination, observation and knowledge, progress would be streamlined and one directional. It is creativity that adds the third, fourth and even fifth dimensions to progress. Creativity in one’s mind can result from an absolute random idea to one that is derived based on a specific need influenced by exposure. However, random or otherwise creativity always dwells in the minds of those who wish to progress with a revolutionary sensibility.

Within the territory of the architect, the imagination knows no bounds. Most often than not creativity is controlled through the components which generate design, such as the physical context on which the project is to be executed and the function of the project at hand and so on. Material and technology is available today to execute almost any creation the architect envisions and long past are the days where architecture was confined to two dimensional and three dimensional drawings on a one dimensional canvas. Architectural tools today extend beyond the manual to computer generated designs which gives creativity a new aspect to feed off and grow more than ever before. The lucidity and “liquid” quality of designs seen today in comparison to the more rigid conventional structures is possible due to three dimensional architectural drawing tools, which have opened new horizons not only in creative designs but in creative engineering where unimaginable structural solutions are derived via emerging electronic technologies.

The term “Liquid architecture” was introduced by Marcos Novak to describe “fluid, imaginary landscapes” which exist only in cyber space. Even though this form of liquid architecture was confined to cyber space and existed as a reality in the digital domain, this thought process, honed through computer generated means have aided in many a realisation of digitally designed remarkable works throughout the world using a varied number of digital drafting tools in order to execute these creations. These digital creations seem to extenuate and ridicule the conditions applied to load transfer through the principles of gravity, however upon closer examination it is easy to see that digitally created designs push the boundaries of what is labelled as structurally possible through manipulating principles of gravity.

These applications make it possible for complicated ideas to be executed…reveals the structure to not be as complicated as two dimensional drawings might convey.

Computer Aided Three-dimensional Interactive Application better known as CATIA application has created a new realm for creativity to thrive in demonstrated by works such as Frank Ghery’s Walt Disney concert hall, and his Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, Spain which would cease to exist otherwise. The designs structural complexity seems to resolve itself with the aid of such applications ensuring its secure construction. Not only do these applications make it possible for the structure of such complicated ideas to be executed, but also reveals the structure to not be as complicated as two dimensional drawings might convey.

Not only do these tools help realise unheard of potential within the architectural domain but they aid as a progressive learning tool. These tools aid in expanding the minds of students of architecture and the public at large to the capabilities residing within this interminable profession. This intangible advantage is dwarfed by the numerous advantages this technology provides to the profession. Not only does it bridge the gap between the creative power of the mind and realising that creativity, but provides for faster execution as there is a lesser number of architectural drawings required, and with fewer drawings one can achieve more attention to detail and precision than ever before. It also enables a clear programme and sequence of execution which allows minimal time wasted during the process of construction.

With such technologies at hand architects no longer need compromise their creations to suit reality.

With such technologies at hand architects such as Frank Gehry and Zaha Hadid no longer need compromise their creations to suit reality, rather they can bend reality to suit their creations, while everything needs to set limits in order to exercise control. These tools have become an extension from which creativity can be executed in its most original form.