NORD Architecture

LANDFORMS was commissioned by The Lighthouse to promote contemporary Scottish architecture out with Scotland. It opened at the Metroom in Barcelona in September 2003 and will travel to Paris, Utrecht and Venice in 2004.

NORD were commissioned to both curate the exhibition and produce a design which would allow it to travel and be accommodated within a wide range of spaces.
Drawing inspiration from the Scottish parliament’s architect, Enric Miralles’ observations about Scotland, LANDFORMS explores the relationship between Scotland’s landscapes and its contemporary architecture. 17 projects completed after the formation of the Scottish Parliament in 1999 were included ranging from the new Parliament building in Edinburgh itself to individual houses on the Isle of Skye.
The design team felt it important to not only display a range of projects but also to link them back to the distinct and various landscapes in which they are located. In order to achieve this an element was introduced to the design which acted as a datum. An 8m long Douglas Fir bench is used as a central element around which the projects are organised.

This timber plinth fabricated from 50mm slices represents a topographical section of Scotland from the Moray Firth to Dumfries. Its layered appearance is similar to the geological rock strata which have generated Scotland’s distinct geography. Inserted into the bench are transparent blocks inscribed with key geographical, geological and demographic data.

Each project is allocated a steel vessel which is related to the datum bench using the international latitudinal and longitudinal referencing system. The steel vessels incorporate backlit graphic panels which communicate different aspects of the projects. Each has a contextual aerial photograph, a contextual sectional drawing and a selection of architectural photography.

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