Blog by Elkane Constructions

Deconstructive architecture does neither ignore the context nor is anti-Contextual. It makes specific interventions to the context that makes familiar elements of the context unfamiliar. Towers are turned or their sides and bridges are tilted up to make towers. Underground elements erupt from ground as if to make some previously unnoticed disruptive character of the Context a part of its theme. The disrupted context starts to resonate with the disrupted interior that calls into question the status of the Wall that define the form. The form no longer encloses the inside from the outside but violently breaks open. No simple windows or doors puncture the Walls but the wall is instead tormented. It is split and folded. The wall no longer divides the inside from the outside, the familiar with the unfamiliar. The whole condition of the enclosure is disturbed so is the understanding of form from tradition. Although it puts into question the traditional understanding of form, deconstructiv...

Hence, once architecture got realised as a building, constructivism maintained the traditional role of architecture. It maintained the tradition of pure form and structure. There was only a stylistic shift which soon succumbed to the modern movement that was developing elsewhere. On the other hand, modern movement attempted to purify architecture by stripping off the ornament of the classical tradition in order to reveal the naked form and Structure that lay beneath. But like classical tradition they only managed to articulate the surface of form in a way that continued to mark their purity. Both form and structure continued to remain pure and stable. Deconstructive architecture explores the relationship between the instability of constructivists and the stability of the modern. With the help of modern aesthetic abstractions, it tries to engage the radical geometry of the early Russian avant-garde. It applies a skin of the modern to the conflicting forms of constructivism in order...

Deconstructive architecture is not demolition or dissimulation. On the contrary, it locates certain Structural problems within stable structures that do not necessarily lead to the collapse of the structure. Deconstructive architecture challenges the very values of harmony, unity, and stability, to propose instead a different view of structure. It attempts to show that flaws are intrinsic to both structure and form. It identifies the inherent dilemmas, impurities and contamination within buildings. It questions the form and structure by drawing these impurities to the surface by coaxing and torture only in order to destroy it. It destroys the form and structure to remove the impurities hidden within them. It is indeed structural.  In order to interrogate the form, deconstructive architecture employs formal strategies developed by Russian constructivsm in the early part of the 20th century. The Russian avant-garde had changed the traditional understanding about the nature of ...

As in everyday thought and language, architecture is also structured m terms of differences: form vs. space, form vs. function, structure vs. ornamentation, figuration vs. abstraction, symmetry vs, asymmetry, and so on. Although the two terms in each pair exist in being different from the other, but like in everyday language, 'one' term is always preferred over the 'other' term. While the Renaissance insisted on pure forms, space was more important to the Baroque. During the time of modern, form followed function. while each period, in general, showed a particular preference; architects had their own share of choices and preferences.  To give a few examples, corbusier preferred pure geometry rather than use organic forms. Gropius insisted on purity of Structure and condemned all ornaments. While Mies opted for less rather than more, Venturi Said, "less is bore." However, one thing that remained an absolute necessity, throughout history and with all arch...

The differing terms or meanings, like: love and crime, dying and laughing, past and future, active and passive, subject and object, remain, but, are incapable of asserting themselves and are, hence, ineffective. It is not the differing terms, the 'one', and its 'other," that is removed in "Mimique", but the decidabilities between them. The 'undecidable' produces an effect of a medium that not only encloses the two terms but is also located between them. What counts here is the 'between that takes place between love and crime, dying and laughing, perception and recollection, and so on. It is neither love nor crime but in between the two. It is neither dying nor laughing but in between the two. It is neither murder nor suicide but in between the two. Hence, deconstruction is partly concerned with questioning the priority or preference given to 'one' term over the 'other term that characterises everyday language as well as literary text...

This 'between can be marked within a text or language through what he prefers to call 'undecidables'. "Undecidables result from the independence of syntactic, the formal arrangement of words, from semantic, the meaning of words and sentences. Traditionally Words are arranged in sentences in an order to mean what we wish to mean. Hence, the arrangements of Words always play a secondary role to the meaning implied. Part of Derrida's criticism has also been to systematically undo this preference of "semantic' over 'syntactic.' If the meanings in a text are made impertinent, the arrangement of Words may no longer be dependent on meaning. Both the arrangement of Words as well as the meaning of the text may, hence, become independent of each other. The words could then be rearranged, with some words moved or removed and punctuation changed, as may be necessary based on its own rules. While the meanings or 'semantic' would remain but it may...

Many believe that deconstruction is only about deconstructive Criticism of other existing texts. However, deconstruction is not necessarily negative-negative in the sense of criticisms only as some of Derrida's writings suggest. Most texts of Derrida actually continue to be criticisms of the preferences noticeable in the Writings of different philosophers, from the time of Plato to the recent Writings of Rousseau or Heidegger. These texts show how the 'other term has been usually suppressed through the arguments presented in the Writings of philosophers and how this 'other term Could be similarly argued to be as important for the idea presented in the writing. Like in his "That Dangerous supplement" he criticises and argues against Rousseau's preference for 'speech' over "writing to simultaneously show how "writing' is equally significant to 'speech' by the same argument presented by Rousseau. However, some of his writings de...

We always prefer to see good films, read good books, have great cars, and so on. Given the choice of 'good' and 'bad," We wish to do and have nothing bad. According to Jacques Derrida, the French philosopher and literary critic instrumental in introducing deconstruction, everyday thought and language is always structured in terms of Similar differences.  Differences like, theory vs. practice, good vs.bad, presence vs. absence, truth vs. lie, speech vs. Writing, man vs. Woman, and so on. These differences, further according to him, do not stand as independent and equal entities. one term in each pair is considered the negative, corrupt, undesirable, Version of the other term. To give a few examples, bad is the fall from good, absence is the lack of presence, and lie is the distortion of truth, etc. In other words, the two terms are not simply opposed in their meanings, but are arranged in a hierarchical order that gives 'one' term a priority over the ...

 On one of my infrequent visits to my sister, I was shocked to once enter my teenage nephew's room. The jarring sound playing was anything but music. The irregular high and low intensities of notes did not agree to my limited understanding of the Subject. The heavy metal was not familiar to me. However, it was the sight of the posters of these Heavy Metal icons, 'adorning the walls of the small room he occupied, that drew my attention. While a skeleton of a Heavy Metal star remained crucified with blood oozing from the eye sockets, another scary star attempted to creep out of the water-closet drenched in shit and blood. Those who grew up with Tintin, Phantom, and Archie, would certainly not find the sight of goose bumps pleasing, which keeps kids excited on cartoon Network today. Some may find the flashing images on MTV disturbing. Deconstruction has had its impact on every discipline, from music to all forms of visual and graphic arts, as well as architecture. The intentio...