"Architecture is about the lack of stability and how to address it. Architecture is about the void and how to cross it. Architecture is about the inhospitable and how to live within it." --Lebbeus Woods

DOMUS was experimental anti-seismic architecture incorporating spatialised seismic sound and light. A research and development investigation of resilient, decentralized shelter systems exploring DIY responsibility and resilence. Engineering of DOMUS was a study of low cost architecture design for present day and future disaster zones and based on the open hardware Hexayurt Shelter System Installed at Materials & Applications, Los Angeles, October 15, 2014 to May 31, 2015.

18ft high by 16ft wide, DOMUS presentented transitional autonoumous architecture design lasting 6-12 months plus. This two story high extended Hexayurt design built with THERMAX (CI), 8' x 4' insulation panels and bi-directional filament tape. Earlier designs for DOMUS at M&A incorporated cement Ferrocement techniques presenting a low cost seismic resistant construction technique lasting twenty years plus. Mortar sprayed Hempcrete is the Future.

DOMUS expanded on 'DISASTR Hotel' performance intervention presented at Sydney University during 2011. DISASTR Hotel symbolically demonstrated themes of individual responsibility and resilience inviting guests to stay and experience the Hexayurt Shelter System. From a participatory experience, guests who stayed at the hotel considered the imminence of disaster, and what is disaster in the early 21st century.



SEISMIC MUZAK

Utilising spatial audio design the interior of DOMUS made audible real-time collected seismic waveform data from GSN broadcasting the Sounds of Seismic (SOS) internally within the house. The SOS spatial muzak system design creates continuous and autonomous streaming audio compositions transposing the frequency, depth, location and energy release of natural and man-made seismic events within the interior of the house. To experience the interior of DOMUS you not only heard seismic muzak, you felt the low frequency bass of continuous seismic audio resonance as 'beautiful' spatial seismic sound compositions.

"I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones." --John Cage




SEISMIC LIGHT

DOMUS seismic light chandelier measuring 8' high x 5' wide was suspended from the apex of the Hexayurt. This 3D pixel-point array of RGB LED TRIKLIT spheres totalling 576 light emitting sources was triggered by real-time seismic data generating interactive light pulses, creating a beautiful experience rather than something abstract to fear.

The theme of light has preoccupied artists for centuries and DOMUS seismic light was a spacial and experiential exploration of LED light control designed to impact on the eye, body and mind creating a conscious and sublime experience of perceptual reality derived from data collected from the seismic field. DOMUS light asked the viewer to contemplate the nature of the light itself and its seismic source; transparency or opacity, its volume, and its color presenting a visualisation of the seismic sublime.






"Light is not so much something that reveals as it is itself the revelation." --James Turrell

MATERIALS & APPLICATIONS

M&A is a research and exhibition centre advancing new and underused ideas in art, architecture, and landscape. Founded in 2002 by Jenna Didier, M&A explores ideas in architectural design and theory on an experiential level, pushing the application of materials beyond the limits of typical commercial, residential, and traditional gallery-based projects, supporting works that increase public participation within the built environments in which we inhabit.
DOMUS TEAM

Rene Christen (AUS) - Seismic LED Chandelier Software
Ryan McGee (USA) - SOS Engine / Spatial Audio Software
Stock Plum (NL) - Seismic Data Processing Development
D.V. Rogers (NZ/AUS) DOMUS Director / Producer
Dallas Winspear (AUS) - Solidworks Modelling

WITH THANKS

Muotaz Abbas, Toni-Maria Anschuetz, Beni Brett, Talulah Brett, Lynn Bryant, Jess Castillo, Stephen Chodoriwsky, Ronnie Clifton, Courtney Coffman, Kevin Crooks, Robert Del Campo, Annie Dennis, Jenna Didier, Peter Firestone, Jia Gu, Vinay Gupta, Narin Hagopian, Tim Hemrich, Jean-Michel Hirsch, Brian Janeczko, Zina Kaye, Erin Lani, Stephen Linsley, Mark Lottor, Mike Ogrin, Esmi Rennick, Vincent Rodriguez, Stella Rubenstein, F.Myles Sciotto, Jen Silbert, Mr Snow, Tina Havelock Stevens, Jennifer Suh, Rene Villa, Nick Wishart, Noah Zaccaglini, Oliver Hess and Paz Lenchantin.

OUTCOMES

Temporary architecture and interventionist art projects that employ "new media" are increasingly entering the urban realm. The built environment is a living organism shaped by both change and permanence in which the critical engineering of DOMUS demonstrated the confluence of experimental anti-architecture and computational sound art and light derived from real-time ecological data sets demonstrating an "architecture of life" - a design model that responds and reflects the natural world.

Construction of DOMUS incorporated community collaboration and a series of public workshops presenting design and fabrication techniques of the Hexayurt Shelter System - a low cost, open hardware resilient shelter design that can be built from materials purchased from local hardware stores.

EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS

Earthquakes are the result of natural, tectonic changes in the solid crust of the earth and, as such, are not inherently catastrophic. It is the collapse of buildings which cause catastrophe! What is needed now are new ideas and approaches that go beyond the defensive reinforcement of existing conceptual and physical structures, opening up new possibilities for experimental art and architectural design to create low cost seismic responsive housing structures which dynamically respond to the earths continuing process of transformation.

"Earthquakes Don't Kill People, Buildings Do" --Lucy Jones, US Geological Survey

A key theme with DOMUS was to attempt to promote community and individual earthquake preparedness strategies demonstrating a cultural model of resilience outreach. Public surveys show that most Americans recognise the importance of preparedness but disconnect between thoughts and actions towards taking effective planning in preparation for potential disasters. Personal responsibility is necessary for individuals and communities to form greater behavioural intentions in preparation for the next large Los Angeles earthquake.



DOMUS-OVERVIEW-May-2014.pdf - DOMUS-Research-Sketches-Design-Aug-2013.pdf
The Hexayurt Project - Open Source Ferrocement Hexayurt - This is Not a House
DOMUS - Terrain - Horizon Houses - Ferrocement - Stucco
DISASTR Hotel Video - Rebuilding Haiti Video
Dancing Building Technology
Seismic Sounds - IEI
PIEQF - LAMoves
ALLSHOOKUP
S.O.S.

©© D.V. Rogers *02013 - *02015
e: dvr@allshookup.org