Synthetic Landscape research project, Oslo, Norway (1995-2000)
1995-2000
Project
Project records consist of records documenting the three phases of the Synthetic Landscape project (1995-2000) as worked on by Johan Bettum and OCEAN North.
The project was initially developed and submitted in 1995 for the Membrane Design International Competition held in Japan by the Taiyo Kogyo Corporation. The entry showcases a children’s playscape in the setting of Oslo’s Tøyen Park, joining both its urban surroundings and its natural landscape into a synthetic space. Afterwards, the project was exhibited at the Architecture Association (AA) in London, where Johan Bettum and Kivi Sotamaa met. This eventually led to Bettum and Sotamaa collaborating on projects, along with their respective OCEAN teams in Oslo and Helsinki.
The Synthetic Landscape project continued as a research project, with a second phase in 1996 and a third phase which ran from 1997 through 2000 and integrated design methods (particle streaming, Channelling Systems) from the work made on the Töölö and Jyväskylä projects. In the third phase, a pavilion was also added to the setting.
Aside from one drawing, all records for this project are in a digital format. Drawings and models from phase 1 show parts or the whole of a shell-like structure. A color scheme seems to be associated to the different components of the structure.
A report on phases 1 and 2 discusses the use of synthetic and composite materials for the structure, explaining the concept for the site. Phase 2 textual records include a working plan, site charts and program. Additional drawings and models show an evolution in the shape of the landscape.
Most records are related to the third phase of Synthetic Landscape. They are largely drawings and models showing textures and coloured grafts used in the design process, section and surfaces studies, as well as site plans. Other files of the third phase consist of animated renderings of Channelling Systems studies within the Synthetic Landscape topology, saved as Quicktime MOV files.
Additionally, the third phase of Synthetic Landscape has files related to the FEM (finite element method) analysis process utilized in the project’s engineering. This particular section includes raster images showing vectorial drawings and data appearing to be surface studies. These were likely created with the software Mathematica.
The bulk of textual documentation on the project’s scope and outcomes may be found in AP194.S1.1995.PR01.001 for phases 1 and 2, and in AP194.S1.1995.PR01.005 for phase 3. The latter file also contains documentation related to a grant application to The Research Council of Norway; a proposal for a conference and exhibition at the AA; and administrative records such as budgets, correspondence, invoices, progress reports, meeting agendas and minutes.
For all project phases, records related to the design process consist of CAD models saved in a variety of modelling formats (iges, fmz, dgn, 3dm, dxf) as well as raster or vector images (tiff, jpeg, png, eps, pict, etc.). In some cases, only these raster or vector images of the original CAD drawings are present in the archive.
Material from this project was arranged by the creator and has been kept in its original order. Each file containing digital content corresponds to a piece of digital storage media. The physical drawing was placed into its own file.
Oslo Norway
English, Norwegian
Sort by:
File consists of the content from a Zip disk labelled "Synthetic Landscape I & II". Documentation includes a report on these first two phases of the project. Most drawings are raster images saved from CAD software. Most common file formats: Macintosh PICT Image, Microsoft Word Document, Adobe Illustrator, Plain Text File, Alias Pix Image File
1 File
Johan Bettum OCEAN North project records
Collection Centre Canadien d'Architecture/
Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal
Don de Johan Bettum/
Gift of Johan Bettum
File consists of the content from an unlabelled Syquest 44MB cartridge. Records are chiefly images saved from CAD software. They include drawings and models that appear to be from the first phase of Synthetic Landscape, showing different views of the membrane in parts and as a whole. Most common file formats: Macintosh PICT Image, Microstation CAD Drawing, Tagged Image File Format, form*Z CAD Drawing
1 File
Johan Bettum OCEAN North project records
Collection Centre Canadien d'Architecture/
Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal
Don de Johan Bettum/
Gift of Johan Bettum
File consists of a drawing by Johan Bettum for the first phase of the Synthetic Landscape project in 1995. Bettum describes it as being done by drawing the stitches of a photographed piece of textile. He considers it to be an important drawing for the project.
1 File
Johan Bettum OCEAN North project records
Collection Centre Canadien d'Architecture/
Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal
Don de Johan Bettum/
Gift of Johan Bettum
194-2017-001 S
File consists of the content from a CD labelled "Synthetic Landscape Phase 3, vol.1". Records are various design components for the third phase of the Synthetic Landscape research project, including the Pavilion. Most common file formats: Tagged Image File Format, Adobe Photoshop, JPEG File Interchange Format, Encapsulated PostScript File Format, Portable Network Graphics
1 File
Johan Bettum OCEAN North project records
Collection Centre Canadien d'Architecture/
Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal
Don de Johan Bettum/
Gift of Johan Bettum
File consists of the content from a CD labelled "Synthetic Landscape Phase 3, vol.2". Drawings represent either design components or more intricate views of the landscape. Most common file formats: Tagged Image File Format, JPEG File Interchange Format, Encapsulated PostScript File Format, Quicktime, Truevision TGA Bitmap
1 File
Johan Bettum OCEAN North project records
Collection Centre Canadien d'Architecture/
Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal
Don de Johan Bettum/
Gift of Johan Bettum
File consists of the content from a CD labelled "Synthetic Landscape, Phase 3, vol.3". Digital files chiefly consists of administrative records related to a grant application and visual material and textual records of a proposed presentation at the 1998 AA exhibition. For this purpose, there are also files from previous phases of Synthetic Landscape and from the Jyväskylä project. Most common file formats: Encapsulated PostScript File Format Microsoft Word Document, Tagged Image File Format, Microsoft Excel 97 Workbook (xls), Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 Workbook (xls), QuarkXPress
1 File
Johan Bettum OCEAN North project records
Collection Centre Canadien d'Architecture/
Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal
Don de Johan Bettum/
Gift of Johan Bettum
Partial contents of a Jaz drive labelled "Project Ill.". Photographs show different views of a physical model of the pavilion. Most common file formats: Tagged Image File Format
1 File
Johan Bettum OCEAN North project records
Collection Centre Canadien d'Architecture/
Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal
Don de Johan Bettum/
Gift of Johan Bettum
Sign up to get news from us
Thank you for signing up. You'll begin to receive emails from us shortly.
We’re not able to update your preferences at the moment. Please try again later.
You’ve already subscribed with this email address. If you’d like to subscribe with another, please try again.
This email was permanently deleted from our database. If you’d like to resubscribe with this email, please contact us
Please complete the form below to buy:
[Title of the book, authors]
ISBN: [ISBN of the book]
Price [Price of book]
Thank you for placing an order. We will contact you shortly.
We’re not able to process your request at the moment. Please try again later.
Your folder is empty.
