Yesterday it started snowing here and already in the afternoon the landscape had flipped from earthy autumn colours to white. Everything, the grass, the roads, the buildings look different, especially those white prefab concrete block apartments now so ubiquitous in our fair nordic capitol. And last night I couldn’t help think about how it would be great if buildings could change colour to suit the weather, a white building in summer, maybe turning yellow in autumn and finishing red in winter, before blossoming again for spring . Whole neighbourhoods could slowly transform in waves of complex changing geometries of colour. Maybe not as crazy as it sounds, as paramagnetic paint is being developed that with a flick of the switch can change colour. This article talks about the paint in regard to automobiles but why not buildings? It would really open up a whole new way in which building facades could interact with the landscape and with people. (via)
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It sounds like a great idea. Some projects here in Leeds (UK) have recently started being a bit more adventurous with colour, one of the local hospitals has recently built a new cancer centre which is clad in turquoise, a colour reminiscent of medicine and surgical scrubs.
But how much nicer it would be if the colour changed to reflect the passage of the day, or the seasons. Wouldn’t the mood of patients (and staff) be enhanced by something like that?
Bifta,
Hospital design is difficult because maybe its one building type that needs more than any other to take into consideration the users. It is a space where lifechanging and life ending events happen yet the quality of hospital spaces can often be terrible.
Hospitals develop over time and their programs are more complicated than almost any other building type but I really wish hospitals concentrated on built quality a little more than they seem to. Something like the colour changing paint would be a start….
It’s interesting we’re talking about this now, as I’ve just been reading about Aalto’s Paimio Sanatorium. He focused strongly on using the design to enhance/contribute to the healing process, lots of natural light, quiet etc. I was in hospital in the UK about a year ago, in a ward that only had windows down one side, which ‘looked’ onto a dingy service space. It made me feel worse than I already did.
There’s a balance between interesting design for the sake of it, and practical, useful design that could perhaps help the work of hospitals, even if it’s in intangible and immeasurable ways such as mood. I agree with you, paint would be a good place to start.
Really good and really interesting post. I expect (and other readers maybe :)) new useful posts from you!
Good luck and successes in blogging!
@Wildkid
thanks! I try and keep up this blog as much as I can
@Bifta
The Paimio Sanatorium is not a 20thC design classic for nothing. Maybe natural light, space and air is the start and finish of good design….I would love to visit that building must vheck where it is exactly…..