“What I can offer is an architecture of hope.”
We met Philip Beesley, one of the forerunners of modern architecture, who challenges classical approaches to design and form-giving.
”When I think of some of the fundamental inspirations for architecture, I think of textiles as offering an extraordinarily valuable kind of model. Space is filamentary and continuously coupled with numerous lines, flights, influences, and interconnections, so that it seems that rather than individual, bounded spheres populating empty space, a textile might be a fundamental way of understanding what our world can be. And if we project and listen very carefully, then that empty space becomes immeasurably full.”
Beesley’s intricately crafted conceptual approaches offer precarious instruments that might help indicate our emerging reality. Tough and resilient optimism can be expressed within new forms of language that are delicate, curious, and open. He asks: What is coming in our future? How can we speak of the future when the world is unspeakably insecure?
It may be tempting to respond by building closed walls around our homes and closed shells around each of our individual worlds. Yet new science demonstrates that life is always open, not closed. It tells us that life is continually arising and continually being created. His work is based on this new science. The hovering, oscillating membranes that are gathering within this work speak of worlds arising. They invite us to be open, instead of closed.
”With these architectures, the boundaries of our own homes and cities and even our own bodies might resemble crystalline snowflakes and petaled flowers. We can be unapologetically fragile.”
Philip Beesley (b. 1956 in Westcliff-on-Sea, UK) is an artist who is widely known for his forest-like objects and environments. His work often focuses on the boundary between mineral and organic realms, revealing deeply interwoven fertile qualities. His collaborative studio combines the crafts of fabrication, electronics, computational design, and expressive movement. His installations were presented twice at the Venice Biennale for Architecture. His collaborations with haute couture designer Iris van Herpen are featured in numerous collections.
Beesley’s integrative probes offer paradigms, tools, and frameworks for the emerging discipline of living architecture. Beesley has created an interdisciplinary organization in the Living Architecture Systems Group, connecting numerous organizations and researchers. He has contributed innovative curriculum frameworks across education and practice. A multi-year collaboration with TU Delft reaches across multiple departments and research groups. Many of his publications can be found within the catalogues of Riverside Architectural Press. Awards that distinguished his collaborative work include two Governor General’s awards for Architecture, ACADIA Design Excellence and Innovative Research, the Canadian Prix de Rome, VIDA, and FEIDAD. The University of Waterloo awarded Beesley the singular title of University Professor in 2023.
Philip Beesley was interviewed by Marc-Christoph Wagner. The conversation took place during a visit to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in May 2024.
Camera: Rasmus Quistgaard
Edited by: Astrid Agnes Hald
Produced by: Marc-Christoph Wagner
Copyright: Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2025
Philip Beesley Portrait Film, 2025: Directed Olivier Surprenant, Camera Olivier Surprenant & Issa Shah
Aria Sculpture Video 2024-5, Hans De Jong, Oculus Film
Sculpture Photography 2000-2025: Philip Beesley
Louisiana Channel is supported by Den A.P. Møllerske Støttefond and Ny Carlsbergfondet. This video is supported by Dreyers Fond.
Subscribe to our channel for more videos on architecture: https://www.youtube.com/thelouisianachannel
FOLLOW US HERE:
Website: http://channel.louisiana.dk
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/louisianachannel
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LouisianaChannel
source
UCY2mhw-XNZSxrUynsI5K8Zw
