Why Tectonics is Square & Topology is Groovy

To become familiar with Greg Lynn’s usage of the word “blobbiness” or “blob”, Lynn looks at defining blobs in three ways. First, in the context of science-fiction horror films, where the blob takes on a form that is all surface and not flat or pictorial. Second, in the realm of philosophy, where the blob is defined as a viscous composite that is fluid like, and easily formed and/or deformed. Finally, how the blobbiness is justified in contemporary construction techniques.

Ok, well my understanding in relating the architectural concept of “blob” to the usage of blobs in films is to try and grasp the underlying concepts that relate to the formalistic notions of what a “blob” is. Easily put, from the 1988 film “The Blob”, we understand the blob to be all surface, not flat or pictorial in anyway. Further defining the blobbiness as a gelatinous surface, having no regular shape. By this description one starts to understand what a “blob” is, and therefore it becomes easily understood how to start thinking about the blob in an architectural sense.












Screen shot from "The Blob" 1988


The “blob” in theory: is stated as being “quasi solid” a composite or amalgamated form that is understood to be neither multiple or singular. A form that acts like in many ways that of singularity, while composing itself to any one simple organization or organism. This simple word “BLOB” holds many underlying concepts that result in a freely complex, non-formal geometry. Since these concepts were hard to understand, Lynn introduces the word “isomorphic polysurfaces” which relates to forms that are conceptualized off the Cartesian grid (or irregular blobby shapes). An example of both types of architectural forms is seen below (you figure out which one is which).

















As for the “blob” in construction: Lynn in this part of the essay finds some beef with the tectonic practitioner, and their way of looking at man as always structuring himself as standing upright, and therefore buildings should as well. Lynn feels that within structure there are many more layers of complexity then the mere vertical loads of gravity that causes building loads down perpendicular to the ground. He states that we must be looking at interacting with not only vertical and horizontal loads, but with the multiple loads in between, which could become one parameter or many dictating the massing of the buildings form and/or envelop. Moving pass the “upright” Cartesian approach Lynn starts to investigate topological surface organizations, along with isomorphic architecture, as a exploration of the human body and the single cell. Some built architectural examples of these concepts are the works of Shoei Yoh, with his undulating roof surfaces that are created with minor variation in everyone of the structural members. With this slight difference in all members, construction and fabrication would be causes for concern. But with the use of new and innovated techniques in digital fabrication, a combination of prefabricated and on-site assembly moved the construction phase of the projects through to completion.











Shoei Yoh, Glass station, Kumamoto, 1993

By creating this type of roof surface, the building program along with the structure would not be compromised by a rather plain and idealized Cartesian like module.