Carte Blanche 11

Axonometric drawing of frames in the scenography of "waiting rooms of architecture".

Drawing published in carte blanche edition 11.

"It was sald to have been called balloon construction because the buildings were so light they looked like they would float away."1 The balloon frame construction as it seems has little to do with the balloon except that it gives the impression of lightness as if it could be blown away by the wind.

One of the small fascinations of the atelier is the simple and lightweight structures or frames like scaffolds, kite frames and lanterns. Not so much as in pursuing lightness for its own sake but lightness in relationship to the purpose it serves, structurally and visually. In other words, the dimensions of the elements being in proportion to the load that it is carrying and avoid punching above its own weight. These lightweight frames are often simple in construction, effective and rather understated.

The axonometric drawing shows 2 pairs of frames floating in space. A long strip of paper is mounted onto and in front to each frame that serves as a screen as well as a backdrop for prints. The frames were designed and made for the scenography of "Waiting rooms of architecture"2.

In the scenography, there were in total 12 frames that formed a 12-sided polygon and inside the polygon, 8 sets of prints from the artist were being displayed. The polygon created another space within the space of the museum. Each frame of approximately 1.2m x 4,2m touched the ground on 5 points and the total surface of the polygon volume in contact with the floor was only about 72cm2.

It was said that this structure look so fragile and light that "they looked like they would float away".

1 https://www.chipublib.org/blogs/post/technology-that-changed-chicago-balloon-framing/
2 Exposition of works in "Waiting rooms of architecture" by Malgorzata Maria Olchowska.