This picture of Nicole Maurer and Geert Mul was taken by Ari Versluis.

An international line-up of speakers, a big-screen projection, two vinyl record players, drinks and snacks – what more is needed for a perfect evening at home? With the current developments in media technology we are almost able to feel at home wherever we go. On November 8th, home is Baltan Laboratories. Oliver Schürer, Tatjana Djordjevic and Marc Maurer will pay a visit and share their thoughts on the relation between media and architecture.

In examining the transformation of our everyday environments we are searching for the potential of digital media in architecture and urban space. Tactics are driven by energy distribution and consumption, macro and micro scale mediatisation as well as commercialisation of awareness, and the upcoming fusion of digital and green technologies. Oliver Schürer, Senior Scientist at the Department of Architecture Theory, Vienna University, discusses those forces as manifold potentials for media architecture and media urbanism to contribute to the emergence of a new urban practice.

On top of China’s busiest underground metro station ‘Shanghai People Square’, architect Tatjana Djordjevic has developed a design for the world’s first ‘Instant Pleasure Hyper Building’. With daily traffic of 400.000 people, this enormous building offers space to ‘surf’ through other people’s fantasies (mostly equal to their own). Very similar to the World Wide Web, one travels from public spaces (Virtue City) to more private ones (Sin City). The way we use media is translated into architecture, resulting in an exciting building, surprisingly based on mainly square angles.

Almost two decades ago, architect Marc Maurer designed a residential house based on sampling techniques, inspired by the Beastie Boys album ‘Paul’s Boutique’. Today, he presents his design for the ‘Baltan House’, which he developed together with his teammates at Maurer United Architects and Baltan Laboratories. A minimal house that can function as a residence (private) or a media pavilion (public). As he puts it in his own words: “The home is nothing but a highly condensed pavilion nowadays…”

* This Baltan Session is inspired by the Beastie Boys, An Exciting Evening at Home With Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, Capitol Records, 1989.

Where: Baltan Laboratories, Glaslaan 2, SWA-8, Strijp-S, Eindhoven
When: 8 November 2010, 19:30-21:30

The first New Talent Portfolio Night, a hard-boiled concept from Pakhuis de Zwijger in Amsterdam is traveling to Eindhoven. On Tuesday evening the 16th of November (NOT during the second weekend of the Dutch Design Week), talent-hunters from BLEND & Streetlab will perch at MU in the Witte Dame at the Emmasingel. The new Talent Portfolio Night is a recurrent evening program where young creatives have the possibility to show their portfolio to professionals and regain their advice. Seated on the long tables about twenty young masters in fashion, art, styling, photography, advertisement, graphic design, media and illustration will take place. Talents can shove on for 10 minutes maximal at the master of their choice to change out ideas. So make sure you don’t miss it.

This time will be present: Angelique Spaninks (MU), Claes Iversen (Claesiversen.com), Elza Jo van Reenen (elzajo.com), Eric de Haas (The Broken Headlines), Erosie (Erosie.net), Eric de Haas (The Broken Headlines), Erik Sjouerman (heyheyhey), Harm Sas (Sid Lee), Hein van Dam (Vlieger&Vandam), Joachim Baan (AnotherCompany), Jos Kranen & Johannes Gille (KranenGille), LaBolleur (Labolleur.com), Marc Maurer (Maurer United Architects), Perre van den Brink (BLEND), Peterbas Mensink (GUP magazine), Remco van der Velden (Ontour), Rianne Makkink (Studio Makkink & Bey), Rik van Iersel (rikvaniersel.nl), Rogier Smalhout (…,Staat&Appelsap), Sander Mulder (sandermulder.com), Sara Domogala (Tuigmedia.com), Seroj de Graaf (Chocolate and Foam), Shari Swan (Streatlife Branding), Sonny Groo (BLEND, Mykro Mag), Stephen Smith (Neasdencontrolcentre.com), Wytske Poelsma (Magda) and Wouter van den Brink (BLEND)

Friday 16 November from 8pm till 10pm
Free Entrance after subscribing via rsvp@blend.nl/ mu@mu.nl

Inspired by the Poeme Electronique, the renowned Philips Pavillion at the 1958 World Fair in Brussels, the Poeme Numerique research programme at Baltan Laboratories is a metaphor and methodological framework for how one can meaningfully support and develop innovative, interdisciplinary artistic research. The research programme by Maurer United, Telcosystems and Geert Mul is dedicated to the exploration of new strategies for integrated, interdisciplinary artistic practices in relation to the spatial experience and presentation of generative and interactive, digital media-based art.

A one-week masterclass examines the importance of and integral approach to audio-visual content, interaction design and generative principles in relation to innovation in architecture and media technology.

This masterclass will provide participants the context and opportunity to investigate new strategies for the future and expand their practice in this area through the extensive and diverse experience of 3 international masters: Golan Levin (US), Philippe Rahm (CH/FR) and David Rokeby (CA).

Last week architect Phillipe Rahm kicked off the masterclass with an inspiring lecture about his works. The last three pictures are examples of those.

The virtual Vedute design by Maurer United is a folded 3D pixel, 100% reflecting.

Last week Marc Maurer of Maurer United presented the Indemann project at the Media Architecture Biennale 2010 in Vienna. Other speakers were Kas Oosterhuis, Daan Roosegaarde and Tim Edler (amongst many others). During the conference the rise of a new urban practise could be distinguished.

In examining the transformation of our everyday environments the Media Architecture Biennale conference focussed on potentials of digital media in architecture and urban space. Here Public Space was the main field, where the tactics of many were negotiated to form a new urban practice.

Tactics were driven by energy distribution and consumption, macro- and micro scale mediatization as well as commercialization of awareness, and the upcoming fusion of digital and green technologies; to name but the most intensive contemporary forces.

The Media Architecture Biennale 2010 conference provided a forum to discuss those forces as manifold potentials for media architecture and media urbanism to contribute to the emergence of a new urban practice.

Next to the conference, a beautiful exhibition was presented at the Künstlerhaus Wien. See some pictures below. A summary and review of the conference by Oliver Schürer is planned to be held at Baltan Laboratories on november 8th. More information on this event will follow.

Photo’s by Media Architecture Biennale 2010.

Today already, we received a rendering image of a daring building in China in our email inbox. It reminds us of our ‘The Big O‘ project, that we designed for the Chicago skyline.. .

Marc Maurer of Maurer United gave a lecture at the Media Architecture Biennale 2010 in Vienna. Together with AG4 and GKD he will present the Indemann Project, including a mock-up of the media façade.

Media Architecture Biennale 2010 comprises an exhibition, a conference and workshops, which are closely coordinated. Some of the projects on exhibit are discussed in the context of the conference. Topics of the conference are illustrated by objects on exhibition. Events are planned so that they offer the best possible framework for the discussion of current topics, for getting to know each other and for the development of project ideas. It is planed to hold the event bi-annually in Vienna in the future.

Conference Oct 07 – Oct 09 2010
Workshops Oct 08 – Oct 09 2010
Exhibition Oct 07 – Oct 31 2010

Venue: Künstlerhaus, Vienna. Media Architecture Biennale 2010 is a project by the Media Architecture Institute.

It is about 12,5 years ago that Marc Maurer and Nicole Maurer founded Maurer United. Their first assignment was an interactive installation at the Rotterdam Kunsthal (celebrating ’100 years of MC. Escher’ in 1998). Today Maurer United is based at the central railway station building of Maastricht. The office counts architectural, graphic and industrial designers, as well as experienced building project managers and technical drawers.