MAGRITTE'S SPIRIT
This view shows the climax of imagery that greets a visitor to this place commemorating the imagery and ideas of Magritte's surrealistic vision. Notable features include:
The drapery screens: nearest is the pink pattern of squares and rings which also can be viewed as faces both right-side-up and up-side-down; and the distant blue sky screen with the cloud voids
To the left is the rotated wall cube with the key to the mysteries.
Above is the skylight with the cloud mobile with the clouds having voids in the shapes of the key to the mysteries and a surrounding molding that is in the profile of a human face.
In the right wall are rotated space cubes imputing the irony of space symbolized by mass cubes representing volumes of sky void.
The floor has marble blocks suggesting a burial place with the absurdly remote date of 192,370 which could easily be missinterpreted as 1923-70
The far wall has a window with an asterism spelling "DESIRE" and a flying bird, all behind a seated coffin.
These are all Magritte inventions
THE THREE SPACE PLAN
ENTRY
Here a grid is used to strengtrhen the false perspective effect giving the illusion that the entry space is much longer than it really is.
TRANSITION
The oblique wall has an imbedded mirror that bends the space into the arrival hall in a way that is not obvious, thus setting-up the context for a surprise where the anticipation is contrary to the arrival experience.
ARRIVAL
This is where the surprise of the bent space is realized with the reinforcement of the surprising collage of surrealistic imagery from the works off Maritte.
SCALE PLAY
This section through the arrival space shows the two bowler- hatted-man apertures; the smaller of which is a virtual aperture made by the obliquely oriented mirror while the lartger one is a true opening which is the actual threshold onto the arrival space. At the beginning of the sequence, the false perspective gives us the illusion that the {mirror} aperture is of a larger than life figure. When eventually approached this is relized to be normal in size, but at that point in the sequence, the visitor is then aware of the actual but peviously unseen aperture that is in the shape of a larger than life bowler-hatter man.
The two green apples repeat the scale play theme. Note the cubic symbolic sky relating to the cloud mobile which is activated by subtle breezes from air movement promoted by the open perimeter of the skylight. Also note the resonance openings in the coffin and the egg on its lap.
ITS RAINING MEN
ENTRY SECTION
The grid is extended from the floor onto the entry vault (with an inversion of tonality) to further reinforce the false perspective. Note the single gid element that is actually an opening to develop anticpation glimpses into the arrival space. Tha actual arrival space entry aperture with the giant suspended green apple is clearly emphasized here.
ARRIVAL SPACE SECTION (rollover image)
Here the imagery of the south wall is clearly evident along with the skylight profile over the point of arrival.
HYPERSPACE
This juxtaposition of the elevation and perspective views of the entry hall emphasizes the scale and depth illusion of the false perspective which was inspired by Borromini's colonnade in the Palazzo Spada in Rome. (Note Borromini to the far right of the section above.)
SERIAL VISION (left plan)
This describes many of the stategic cones of vision choreographed for the entry sequence
PROPORTION (right plan)
This shows the diagonals of the many related golden section rectangles developed in the plan.
APERTURES & THRESHOLDS
These illustrations emphasize the threshold and aperture shapes and brings to light the personification of the fenestration pattern. The bending of the view from the mirror is also emphasized.
FIGURAL SPACE PRINT (rollover image)
This wireframe-like view allows the appreciation of the spatial form.
KEY TO THE MYSTERIES (left)
the elements in the left column are the design elements that have been used to metaphorically shade the meanings that may be attributable to the enigmatic icons of Magritte.
WALL FABRIC DETAILS (right)
The competition sponsor required that their product be used in creative and unique ways so here are illustrations where the vinyl material could be used to give mirrors and glass specific complex contours without having to make the diffcult cuts in those materials.
