Part of:

People:

Johan Bettum (archive creator)
OCEAN North (architectural firm)
Kivi Sotamaa (collaborator)
Bonsak Schieldrop (collaborator)
Kim Baumann Larsen (collaborator)
Michael Hensel (collaborator)
Birger R. Sevaldson (collaborator)
Dan Sevaldson (collaborator)
Komtek AS Oslo (consultant)
Devold AMT AS Oslo (consultant)

Title:

Synthetic Landscape research project, Oslo, Norway (1995-2000)

Date:

1995-2000

Level of archival description:
Project

Extent and medium:

941 digital files (2 GB); one drawing

Scope and content:
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.

Reference number:

AP194.S1.1995.PR01

Arrangement:
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.

Location:

Oslo Norway

Language of material:

English, Norwegian