By Stefan Schumacher
Metal has become such a valuable aesthetic design element that, in
some cases, it's almost art. One such example is metal fabric,
which opens the architect's palette up to all kinds of different
stylings. An exhibit taking place in Tokyo is currently showcasing
the work of Dominique Perrault, who has been using GKD mesh as a
primary design element in a number of internationally recognized
projects.
The following tells the story of the exhibit, which is showing
how metal can make your building into a work of art:
Just two years after his first major exhibition at the Pompidou
Centre in his home country of France, internationally renowned
artist and architectural designer Dominique Perrault is being
featured in a show at the Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery. The exhibit
will display a cross-section of Perrault's work from the design of
the French National Library to the present day, nearly all of which
feature metal fabric as a primary design element.
The architectural style of using metal fabric as external wrapping
was one of Perrault's first contributions to the art of building
design in the 1980s. His first major design, the Bibliotheque
Nationale de France in Paris which featured metal fabric by GKD,
won him a prestigious international design competition sponsored by
the then President of France, Francois Mitterrand. Using the
textile element of the mesh in a minimalist fashion, Perrault made
an international name for himself and began the trend of merging
the industrial aspects of architecture with the building's
environment. In various projects, including the Berlin Sports
Centre for Cycling and Swimming, the European Court of Justice in
Luxembourg and the Madrid stadium, Perrault was constantly inspired
to new interpretations in his work by the functionality and
subtlety of woven metal membranes.
Timed to coincide with the completion of the first Perrault
project in Japan-the glass dominated Fokoku Seimei office building
in Osaka-the exhibition at the Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery
showcases videos and models of Perrault's projects from the past 15
years in three themed areas. The exhibition focuses on his
philosophy, which emphasizes the links between architecture and the
natural environment, as well as the process-based nature of
design.
The exhibit itself mirrors Perrault's own style, using stark
minimalism and industrial elegance. Twelve lengths of
semi-transparent GKD Escale 7x1 metal mesh up to 20 feet in length
hang as space dividers from the ceiling and visually separate two
of the gallery areas. Fifty lampshades made from finely woven,
pleated filtration mesh underline Perrault's creative involvement
with stainless-steel mesh. A glass, true-to-scale mock-up of the
Fokoku Tower creates the link with the present and with the country
of Japan. In addition, various other projects are displayed in
which he has used metal mesh from the leading international weaving
mill in Duren as a fundamental design element.
The exhibit opened at the end of October and runs through December
26, 2010.