Hasta La Ideas

Marc Fornes’ “nonLin/Lin Pavilion” is the latest “looks-cool-but-what-does-it-actually-do” project to land in the ol’ inbox. The installation—recently realized at the FRAC Centre (Center to those of us in the States) in Orleans, France—combines elements of biomimetic design, architecture, sculpture and technology in what can only be described as an organic form.

nonLin/Lin Pavilion is a prototype which engages in a series of architectural experiments referred to as text based morphologies. Beyond its visual perception of sculptural and formal qualities, the prototypes are built forms developed through custom computational protocols. The parameters of these protocols are based on form finding (surface relaxation), form description (composition of developable linear elements), information modeling (re-assembly data), generational hierarchy (distributed networks), and digital fabrication (logistic of production).

The Pavilion project refers to its own scale. It is not considered a model of a larger structure or a building, neither is it an art installation. It is not made out of cardboard, or connected through paper clips. Its structural integrity does not rely on any camouflaged cables and it can resist water. It is light yet very strong. One could sit on it, even hang or climb it. It is scalable to a degree. It is not produced through academic facilities. It is a prototypical architecture.

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