Alchemy in Architecture.
Case Studies
In the practices of architecture, a few architectural objects have resulted from the Alchemical process of transmutation. The architectural objects or structures varied in place, time, and context. In the exoteric examples of architecture, the following structures demonstrate transmutation processes that led to the creation of spaces. These structures result from alchemical processes where matter transforms into material, utilizing its potential to form spaces. The act of making takes center stage, ultimately determining the outcome.
Bruder Klaus Field Chapel
A minimalist masterpiece located in the tranquil farms of Mechernich, Germany, is a serene space designed for the people in memory of Bruder Klaus.
The 12m tall Chapel got its unique identity and recognition because of the way it was built (the act of making). The unique example of Alchemy is where the process of transmutation determines the outcome. There are three primary matter used in the chapel: Concrete, timber, and lead. The potentiality of prime and shaping matter in the chapel brings a purity of imperfection and divinity to the space.
- Wigwam is made of 112 wooden logs. (boundary of the space)
- Shuttering was created outside the wigwam and the concrete was poured and rammed in 24 layers.
- The shuttering was removed and the wooden logs were set on
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Here, concrete is the prime matter that goes through transmutation and wooden logs are shaping matter that brings the dark texture on the walls inside. The shaping matter is burnt and only exists as the imprints in the outcome.
The floor of the chapel is constructed by pouring and melting the lead on the site. The imperfect finish of the lead floor compliments the dark imprinted walls and the light/rain falling from the oculus on the roof.
The three stages combine alchemical and assembly processes. The construction of the wigwam involves assembling wooden logs, while the subsequent processes of pouring and ramming concrete, as well as burning the logs, are alchemical in nature.
- prime matter : concrete.
- shaping matter : wooden logs.
- processes : pouring, ramming and burning.
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Peter Zumthor Studio
Structures of the Landscape
Structures of the Landscape is constructed in Tippet Rise Art Centre in the USA which comprises three major projects: The Domo, Beartooth Portal and the Inverted Portal. All three structures are built on the concept of integrating the natural landscape into the architecture.
This approach ensures that each structure harmoniously blends with its surroundings, utilizing the existing topography to enhance its design. By imprinting the natural landscape onto the architecture, these structures not only reflect their environments but also become integral parts of them.
- The site was filled with soil till the desired top most height of the structure is reached.
- The reinforcement was provided after digging three big holes in the poured soil for the columns. (The soil becomes the mould.)
- The concrete was casted on the site to form the main structure.
- The soil is removed after the concrete is dried to get the finaloutcome.
The primary matter used in the above project is concrete which is shaped by the shaping matter; the negative of the design.
The primary matter used in the above project is concrete which is shaped by the shaping matter; the negative of the design.
Apart from the main DOMO structure, the portals are created in the same manner where the material was casted in the landscape. All these structures act as the materials of alchemy after going through the process of transmutation.
They resonate with the vastness, ruggedness, silence, and enchanting solitude of the place, amplifying its inherent values. These structures place our actions in a unique, ambiguous position that straddles nature, architecture, and art. They can embody any or all of these elements, or they may represent an entirely new category that only makes sense in the context of their origin.
The forms created are closely intertwined with those derived from the land that once supported them in their natural state. These forms retain the memory and imprint of the original landscape, while introducing new meaning and tension. These are landscape structures,emerging from the land itself and imposing order upon it, transforming raw matter into inhabitable spaces. They reveal a new constellation of functions and programs among the plateaus, ridges, canyons, and hills thatmake up the site’s rugged beauty
- prime matter : concrete.
- shaping matter : soil mould.
- processes : pouring.
Ensamble Studio
35 Greencorner
The building with walls acting as the materials, and a unique facade is a structure designed by Anne Holtrop studio, situated in Bahrain. The structure has a very dominant axis of horizontal elements and vertical elements. The facade and walls of the structure are created on-site through the casting process. Each cast produces a distinct imprint on the elements. These alchemical materials are then assembled to form the final structure.
The walls are constructed from concrete, and the door is made from aluminum. The overall structure is built in three major stages.
- a negative mould was created by digging the holes on the site for the walls.
- concrete was casted on the site to construct the walls (materials of alchemy).
- the casted materials of alchemy were assembled to construct the outer walls.
- a separate mould was created for the aluminum door panel.
- prime matter : concrete.
- shaping matter : soil mould.
- processes : pouring.
Anne Holtrop Studio
House of the Day
Belgian architect and artist Jacques Gillet designed and constructed the sculpture house as a fusion of structure and form. Collaborating with sculptor Felix Roulin, this living sculpture was created as a response to the widespread pressure for standardized forms and the rigidity of structures in modernism.
The structure is made out of concrete with the reinforcement of metal bars inside.
- The steel bars were assembled and folded to create the skeleton of the final form.
- Metal mesh was affixed to the skeleton.
- Concrete was sprayed/ applied on the mesh to get a single flowing monolithic structure.
The prime matter, concrete, is shaped by the steel framework, which acts as the shaping matter. Once completed, the house appears as a unified structure without distinct parts. The transmutation of concrete transforms the structure into a sculpture rather than a conventional building. The roof, walls, and even the interiors seamlessly blend together, with no clear transitions to define the spaces. The roof merges into the walls, the walls become the slab, and the house functions as a cohesive whole.
In this case, the reinforcement bars act as the shaping matter and serve as the framework that facilitates the alchemical process. In the final outcome, the prime matter and the shaping matter merge to form a unified whole.
- prime matter : concrete.
- shaping matter : reinforcement bars.
- processes : spraying, pouring.
Jaues Gillet
In all these examples, the process of transmutation does more than merely create an element or material of alchemy; it also shapes the space itself as a final outcome. This transformation is integral to the design, where the manipulation of materials leads to the creation of distinct and meaningful architectural spaces.
The examples of Field Chapel, Structures of the Landscape, 35 Greencorner, and the House of the Day illustrate outcomes shaped by alchemical processes, where the transmutation of matter serves as the defining element. Analyzing these examples reveals the relationship between prime matter and shaping matter, highlighting the connections and comparisons between the matter and its inherent potential.
The chart above outlines the prime matter, the processes applied to it, the shaping matter, and the processes applied to the shaping matter. In all these examples, the common prime matter is concrete and earth.
The processes applied to the prime matter include pouring, casting, ramming, and spraying. The shaping matter consists of timber, fire, earth, soil, and negative molds. The processes applied to the shaping matter involve burning, bending, separating, and digging.
The prime matter listed in the first column, concrete and earth, can be manipulated and transmuted based on their properties and potential. These materials are readily controllable during the process of changing their state.
The shaping matter in the chart above is the most variable element, influencing how the prime matter transmutates into another state. In some cases, the shaping matter forms the final outcome, while in others, it becomes an integral part of the final result.
The matrix is organized into four main columns and one sub column. The first column lists the prime matter, the second details the processes applied to the prime matter, the third outlines the processes applied to the shaping matter, and the fourth presents the alchemical materials as the outcomes.
These materials of alchemy cannot be signified by the typical signs. For example; a wall is not just a wall, wall as a material of alchemy is a space in itself.
By connecting the dots, the permutations and combinations can be explored through the inherent potential of both the prime andshaping matter.
