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JML Exhibtion

Spring 2008

Team project with Chris Norris, William Villalobos, Bruce Davison, Wendy Wade, and Seth King.

APERTURE

1. an opening or open space: a hole.
2. synonyms: breach, break, chasm, chink, cleft, crack, cut, eye, fissure, gap, gash, interstice, opening, orifice, outlet, passage, perforation, pinhole, puncture, rift, rupture, slash, slit, slot, space, vent.

The Hong Kong Design Institute

JohnstonMarkLee’s Hong Kong Design Institute is a pivotal project that explores the versatility of apertures. The use of apertures in architecture is an undeniable component, but this Los Angeles firm is exploring the extensive range of possibilities for movement between spaces, diversity in program, light manipulation and establishing views.

The Hong Kong Design Institute is composed of modular units that are stacked, shifted and rotated creating a new topology, resulting in an uninterrupted pattern of apertures. The variety in architectural spaces allows for the diversity of program to coexist, as well as creating physical and visual connections between the spaces. The horizontality of the apertures sits in sharp contrast to the verticality of Hong Kong skyline, thus creating an aberrant landmark.

This exhibition, curated by a team of students, is unique in that it connects the design process of JohnstonMarkLee’s work through the students’ interpretation to the exhibition’s final design. JohnstonMarklee’s previous projects such as Sale House (2006), Hill House (2006), Mameg (2007), Helios House (2007), and View House (2008) work together as a network of ideas with a focus on the functionality of apertures. This exhibition design also uses a network of relationships to make connections between images based on a hierarchy of influences.

JohnstonMarkLee’s iterative work is dealing with the potentials of apertures, which has resulted in a new complexity associated with a standardized module. The Hong Kong Design Institute is just one example of the complexities that are possible with this interesting design strategy. Currently, JohnstonMarkLee is continuing this investigation with a new housing strategy in China.