Mat-building can be said to epitomise the anonymous collective; where the functions ome to entich the fabric, and the individual gains new freedoms of action through a ‘new and shuffled order, based on interconnection, close-knit patterns of association, and possibilities for growth, diminution, and change, The way towards mat-building started blindly enough: the first Team 10 review of the field of its thought became collectively covered in the Primer (AD 12/61). The thought gradually got further bodied-out in projects, and these in the early ‘seventies began to appear in built-form. At this point mat-building as an idea becomes recognisable. To be able to recognise the ‘phenomenon at the end of this, its first, primitive phase, calls for a specially prepared frame of mind... to deliberately not look too closely at the detailed language, for this is ‘still developing. And some practitioners, to achieve something through the ‘bureaucratic machine of their country, have chosen to normalise their language ... (you ‘ight say so that the client did not become frightened by the appearance of the mat Broper). So at present the built-field is rather mixed, and realised examples on the whole fend to have something of the not-quite-recognisable-order of the Olympian Zeus temple, all different wood/stone columns; or the crazy-paving terrace that is the top ‘surface of the platform of the Argive Heraeum. Mainstream mat-building beceme visible, however, with the completion of the F,U. (Berlin Free University)! A ‘building that co-dates the finishing of the FU* — the Insurance Building at ‘Appeldoom — form, an offshoot of the mat-building phenomenon (to deal ‘with the off-shoot first, and perhaps therefore with ‘casbahism’ as a formative influence from the immediate past). Appeldoorn's architect, by using his own particular Amheritancs — the Children’s House. the Sehrotder roof — ullised » Realy Toaded language to produce what can best be described as Giant's Causoway architecture ‘out you have to enter with spec ind to want to ALISON SMITHSON van Sino (in the min) and compared wit Sar teen to bo is something ee i walked into (i Te ad) : renal, th ord Foundation ule NY or he etn 0 Hal wes een aut aera Cntr Ameren historeatfocd Stag den on ad ihe nt ped esp cc moses i anand ie ee acing sh ons re gun ten, te ne rh a ee a Inuleation of the mat uilding urge towards collective growing, and fiom Put cease eeinptluey Soom sain tn the Haltimore toe arbour Prof / +‘The Berlin FU as realised, enables us to recognise what has gone before and, allowing for personal receptivity, recognise those things that led up to it. The calmer, mainstream mat-building, not in the consumer's terms normalised, is what attracts out personal attention and we tend to like the FU for the very reasons Aldo van Eyck does not like it fo paraohiase badly ... the impenetrability of Corten steel the changeable facade that the carpet that changes its colour but not the the inner face the same impenetrabllty of the white skin dots not change the overall effect .. 4s cetfect of the corridor street, We don't resist the fire doors (which ruin, Schiedhelm Slain, the coridorstrets); the problemati dtall an be brain-waaed out of what one is trying to set from the FU... again wearing protective-visualslothing in order fo see better ‘what might be there; what might be in it for us. The FU bullé, makes atarchitecture recognisable, and now, by tracking back down selected antecedents fs we see them, not necessarily as Woods, Candis, or Josic, oF Sehiedhelm would Ly see ity antecedents it should be possible to make clear how signs of matarchitocture can be read, Remember... we ae tracking DuckAE ‘The urban study for the Old Gity of Kuwait bogn with 9 search for the underiving wil to. urbsrform in the istncte that tindorin the trum Arab cities builtin contrast 10 the desert Silane of cits ws for apart os Kerouan, Caio, schon, Aleppo, oadeast of houses, mosdues,bazors, with 9 currant bun needed urban. The Arab senso of space con be flt ‘The Charged Void ronge the form of the meted mech: anism served sce tnonymous face of th uilsing: the uniqueness ofits typalpuce wes alt by Charis V hen he vied Condor in 1526 ad sw hat had outed when art of the Great Mosque was rebuilt a6 a chapel. That Arab ‘ante of space canbe put ito worden on eclnure cared lgty above the ue. olcbuldings ti urmonumentl, fl of stops and starts and shacowwparticaaly at the point of entry — ‘th high sere oF connececnen to alo for charge of ind nc the ineonde of tame Arb cies are fl of ling ‘ora ond never finshed, an insted and hen sbandoned, fort “rould sour the Arabs are mor spontaneous, les Wor in Tong trm tho culture ator t tr ort or weet Sl exiting in the senple Arab town, n intrchangeaoilty inch the neal tbe contains «calm eal that can change Tram home 12 rorkshop: eon rocary fo paraffin star: Be alley of Rous ‘howe midst ts baker, age info Souk by snp expen of “hese changer till happen in simple ls structure, erpnsation of sees ama {nd donkey ae suitable for all that has to be done there, The octione of ioershangablity — looetit — gle the tw tart of interchangable exteture thee of al it 1 cogent dvd ony ail fr tal Tancio_of th Cid Gy: for eample Comet eisses or Una FactoDeir el Bahar (Senmat Hatshepsut) FOOTNOTES 3 Viele tant Caio a Shanghai ‘etn Free Un Nye Hae