ANAMORPHIC ARCHITECTURE - RECONCILING TENSIONS BETWEEN LIVED AND FICTIONAL SPACE

ANAMORPHIC ARCHITECTURE -
RECONCILING TENSIONS BETWEEN
LIVED AND FICTIONAL SPACE
Theater design and architectural representation have been
associated with perspective and anamorphism since the
Renaissance. Whereas the coherent image of central perspective
requires the viewer’s engagement by taking advantage of an easily
obtainable viewing point, the distorted image of anamorphism
requires extreme effort with its viewing point situated obliquely
to the picture plane. This engagement rationalizes a relationship
between objects within a picture and establishes a relationship
between the viewer and the represented image.1 Likewise, an
interactive relationship exists between theater spectators and
performers as well as between the architecture of theater and
theatrical experience.2 The primary concern and aim of this thesis
is to investigate and reconcile tensions that exist between “lived
space” and the “fictional/perspectival space” of theater. What
will be of most interest is how the stage itself can be extended
as a metaphysical and metatheatrical interaction between the
performers and the audience. How does the performance of
the stage reach out into the audience beyond? And how does
the edge of the stage and the performance become blurred?
Additionally, atmosphere both influences and is influenced by
these relationships. Peter Zumthor asserts that atmospheres
exercise their effects “in a flash”, are ever-present and recede
into the background as soon as use begins.3 But what if
atmospheres took on a more prominent role? Can atmosphere
be both active and recessive? And how might a device like
anamorphic atmosphere be used in bringing audiences and
performers closer together? This thesis will be located
around the Burton Cummings Theatre in Winnipeg,
Manitoba, and will explore new relationships between
architecture and performance, performance and
spectators, and spectators and perspective.
DARYL RANDA
ADVISOR: LISA LANDRUM
Fred Leeman. Hidden Images: Games of Perception, Anamorphic Art, Illusion: From the Renaissance to the Present.
(New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1976), 9.
2 Iain Mackintosh. Architecture, Actor, and Audience. (New York; Routledge, 1993), 1-3.
3 Peter Zumthor. Atmospheres: Architectural Environments, Surrounding Objects. (Basel: Birkhäuser, 2006), 17.