Silvia Garcia Camps has presented a series of collages of renowned works of architecture to show that, nothing is ever really invented, it's simply borrowed and mixed. In this article, we highlight her presentation.
The project, titled “what if?," begins with the following question: what would have happened, what projects would have been created, if different architects had teamed up to work together? She illustrates the answer to her question through a series of collages that ultimately argue that, we never really invent anything, we simply pull what we like from different influences and mold it to fit our personal tastes and needs.
Nobody invents anything, we just take and mix
In today's frenetic, ever-changing world, scanning social media pages has replaced reading as the principal source of information for a large portion of the world population. Because of this, often times many people will see a work of architecture and think it's revolutionary and innovative when really it's just a cumulation and reinterpretation of the works that came before it.
Just look at the Parthenon in Athens and you'll see the root of every popular architectural trend from the centuries that followed. In reality, all that we really do as 'creators' is borrow elements from various sources that suit our tastes and mix them to make something new.
Camps' collages illustrate this point, that all of these borrowed sources, once combined, look like the work of the same architect; tracing their origins back to the same source: books and history.
Every project that we see today is a scion of past projects, and these in turn will be the inspiration for future projects--architecture, along with everything else, is an endless wheel of references.
Bagsværd Church, Jorn Utzon, Bagsværd 1976 · Cultural and Sport Center, Bruther, Paris 2011-2014
Sala Beckett, Flores&Prats, Barcelona, 2014-2016 · Villa Mairea, Alvar Aalto, Noormarkku, Finland 1939 · Villa Tugendhat, Mies van der Rohe + Lilly Reich, Brno 1928
House in Coutras, Lacaton & Vassal , Coutras, 2000 · Eames House, Charles & Ray Eames , California 1949 · Lara Ríos House & Atelier , F451 Arquitectura, Gijón
Bagsværd Church, Jorn Utzon, Bagsværd 1976 ·Photography Studio for Juergen Teller, 6aArchitects, London 2016 ·Sculpture Pavilion, Aldo van Eyck, Arnhem 1966
OE House, Fake Industries Architectural Agonism + Aixopluc, Alforja 2015 ·Casa y Estudio Lara Ríos, F451 Architecture, Gijón · Tour Bois le Prêtre, Lacaton&Vassal, Paris 2011
0113 Brunnenstrasse, Brandlhuber+, Berlin 2007-2010 ·Student Housing in ETSAV, @dataAE+ @Harquitectes, Sant Cugat del Vallès 2009-2011 ·Tour Boise le Prêtre, Lacaton&Vassal, Paris 2011
Refurbishment and rehabilitation of the former Can Miguell Factory, @toni_girones, Mataró 2007-2010 · Offices for Famous, @devyldervincktaillieu, Belgium 2013 · Home in Mitre, @bajetgirame, Barcelona 2015-2016
Maison à Bordeaux, @OMA, Bordeaux 1994-1998 · Transformation of 530 dwellings, Lacaton & Vassal, Bordeaux 2016 · Antivilla, Brandlhuber+Emde, Burlon 2014 · House BM, Architecten De Vylder Vinck Taillieu & Joris Van Huychem, Ghent 2011
Gallery House, @carlesenrich_studio , Barcelona 2012-2013 ·Casa 1101, @harquitectes , Sant Cugat del Vallès, 2012-2013 ·Muuratsalo Experimental House, Alvar Aalto, Säynatsälo 1952-1954
Casa- Estudi Xavier Corberó, Xavier Corberó , Esplugues de Llobregat 1968 II
Lamaza, @sguillermos, Barcelona 2019 · Speelpleinstraat, @51N4E, Antwerp 2012 · Inagawa Cemetery Chapel & Visitor Centre, @david.chipperfield, Hyogo, 2013–17 · Kamer Renee, @devyldervincktaillieu & Studio Mumba
Residential Building, Buchner Bründler Architekten, Bläsiring 2017 · Atelier Zumthor, Peter Zumthor, Haldenstein 1986
Display System for Species of Spaces at Macba, MAIO, Barcelona 15-16,Belgian Pavilion Venice Biennale, OFFICE 2008, ·Casa-Estudio, Luis Barragán, Mexico 1947 · Kamer Renee Series @devyldervincktaillieu for @maniera_brussels , Brussels 2016
Villa Tugendhat, Mies van der Rohe, Brno 1930 ·Atelier Woning, @raamwerk_collectief, Mariakerke 2012-2014 ·Casa 1101, @harquitectes , Sant Cugat del Vallès 2012-2013
Courtyard House, Unknown · Casa do Vidro, Lina Bo Bardi , São Paulo 1951 · Social Housing, Lacaton & Vassal, Mulhouse 2005
