Topological Phenomenology of Space Architecture as Roots of Infinity

Abstract

Ideas mature, but interestingly enough, they never get old! It is also notable, how are they born. In my case, two elements brought them forward: one question, and an admirably unique surrounding. Let me begin with the latter one. In the beginning of my so-called mid-career, I had the great opportunity, to live, practice and teach in Africa! For almost four years, we lived in Zaria, an ancient Nigerian town, with a modern university outside its medieval walls. It is impossible to list all the enlightening influences one encounters in a strange, yet deep rooted culture! Worthy of at least another article, the muslim socio-religious ideas, the abundance of the reddish laterite-mud, and the inherent human ability to build, produced an incredibly homogeneous physical and ideological environment. Addressing here only the physical one, it was almost dream-like uniformity between the ground, the walls and roofs of the self-built villages! So no wonder, when in the process of designing a modern, but traditional house to the city of Ife, another old town, to the question, what is the condition of spatial continuity, the subconsciously preprogrammed answer was: surface continuity! This obvious recognition of an element, visually dominantly present everywhere, fermented further meditations on that subject and the idea of the "Spaceprint" was born.