venice architecture biennale 08 preview: an te liu

as part of this year’s venice architecture biennale, the taiwanese artist an te liu will create an installation at the city’s arsenale. liu described his ‘cloud’ installation to designboom:

‘good hygiene is important.

‘cloud’ is comprised of domestic air purification appliances, produced and consumed around the world over the last decade. they wash, filter, ionize, ozonize, and sterilize our airspace, separating us from bacteria, allergens, germs, spores, dust and other bad things. armada-like clusters converge to create a floating polis, perhaps of the future, but also recalling visions of futures-past.

in the early twentieth century, ideas about cleanliness and healthy living were influential in the development of modern architecture and urbanism. they were connected to the call for sunlight, greenery, fresh air and spacious expanses free of congestion. rhetorics of hygiene would resonate psychologically and translate visually in the creation of new, pure forms.

some time later, reyner banham made a provocative suggestion. why have buildings at all? the increasing sophistication of our environmental technologies will allow us to survive fine without traditional forms of shelter. we could live in completely controlled environment-bubbles, with all our needs met by an array of systems and devices.

these days, we still live in our houses, finding ways to feel at home.

what will our new brave world be like? clean, at least.‘ – ATL

the cloud installation is comprised of: Amcor Air Processor / Ioisator | BaByliss Air Pur-Clean Air Bionaire LP-1500 Air Purifier Compact Desk Unit | CM-1 Humidifier | F-70S Air Purifier-Ionizer Braun Ventronic Typ 4 451 Luftreiniger-Ionisator | Charlescraft Freshaire FA-0/FA-1 Air Purifier Conair E1 Air Ecologizer | Elektrion II Kompakte Elektroluftfilter | Enaly OZX-A200B Ozone Air Purifier with ozone shock treatment | Fedders Electronic Tabletop Air Purifier-Ionizer | Five Seasons Electronique Purificateur d’air Anti Poussières-bactéries | HeavenFresh Air Purifier w/ anion generator | Holmes Air Purifier / Ionizer HAP-240 | Air Freshener HAP-10 | Melitta Aquamat 50 Luftbefeuchter | Aquamat ELU-6 Aquamat Turbo / Turbo 2000 Luftreiniger | Aquamat Elektro Luftbefeuchter 25 / 30 | Luftreiniger Aclimat RR2000 / RB Classic | Aclimat Raumluft-Reiniger RC 50 | Raumluft-Befeuchter Typ RB 50 | Norelco Air Ioniser Oreck XL Celoc Hypo-Allergenic Electronic Air Machine with Germastat activated charcoal filter | XL / XL Professional Tabletop | XL Professional Signature series | Philips Ecologizer System AC-1002 | 779-F Air Ecologizer | 4000 Air Purifier | Flüster-Luftreiniger Typ HL3419 | Privileg Luftreiniger | Rowenta Air-star Luftreiniger | Surround Air Silent Ionic XJ-2000 | Super Ultrasonic Humidifier SH-800K | Trion TTE 1502A Tabletop 150 Air Cleaner | Elektronischer Luftreiniger | Venta Luftwäscher-Luftbefeuchter LB 1 / LW31 / LW41 Biocomfort Luftbefeuchter-Luftreiniger | Biocomfort – Aquaplus | Luftreiniger LB10 / LW 14 | Zibro A 20 Luftreiniger mit HEPA-Filter und Negativ-Ionen | 3Q 377 Desktop Ionic Tower

an te liu: http://www.anteliu.com venice architecture biennale: http://www.labiennale.org/en/architecture

designboom snapshot report: venice biennale 2006