Cyber space: artists Langlands & Bell explore the architecture of tech titans
For 40 years, British artists Langlands & Bell have decoded the structures of buildings to illuminate human relationships – their subjects have included Le Corbusier’s Cité Radieuse, the British Museum, Millbank Penitentiary and, most famously, the house of Osama bin Laden (a work which earned them a nomination for 2004’s Turner Prize). For their new exhibition, opening this month at London’s Alan Cristea Gallery, they are turning their attention to the futuristic architecture of internet giants.
The show consists of 24 editioned prints, depicting in-progress or recently completed ‘campuses’ belonging to Apple, Facebook, IBM, the Gates Foundation and Nvidia. Stripped of texture and context, they are shown in distilled form against sharply coloured backgrounds that accentuate their shape. Most of them are laid at an oblique angle, so viewers ‘feel like God looking down at a Lilliputian landscape’, and experience a rare sense of power over companies that have influenced almost every aspect of our lives.
The belle of the ball is the new Apple HQ in Cupertino, California – a ring-shaped, spaceship-like building commissioned by the late Steve Jobs and designed by Foster + Partners. With a circumference of one mile, it is unprecedented in scale and ambition. But by presenting it in top view, the artists emphasise its circular shape, which has parallels throughout historical architecture. ‘You can see the connection between the Apple building and the Coliseum, and between architecture, power and spectacle,’ the duo contends. Like the Coliseum, and by extension the Roman Empire, the Apple building stands for universal vision, but also the centralisation of might.
The simplicity of Langlands & Bell’s prints belies meticulous research and production. The artists began by constructing physical models based on building plans downloaded from municipal websites. These were photographed from various perspectives, then redrawn on a computer. It’s a reflection of the artists’ belief that old and new ways of working can complement each other. ‘The camera didn’t make painting irrelevant, but it changed painting significantly. Similarly, virtual making hasn’t made physical model making redundant.’
There are also two wall sculptures, one depicting Apple’s campus at Sunnyvale, the other Facebook’s HQ at Menlo Park. The latter was designed by Frank Gehry, but eschews the flamboyance that characterises the architect’s other work. Instead, it comprises a single floor on stilts with a garden-like roof. Langlands & Bell contend that Facebook is reluctant to reveal the extent of its power – it avoids monumental architecture lest it appear as a monolithic conglomerate. Accordingly, the wall sculpture does not show the building’s façade, but presents a model of the interior, colour-coded for both functional purpose and aesthetic impact. The grey area represents open-plan office space for 2,800 employees, making it the single largest room in the world. The artists call it a ‘spectacle of endless access’, a deliberate display of transparency that contrasts with the way some say that Facebook has enslaved its users.
The artists look forward to continuing the series beyond this exhibition, yet they question if the architecture of internet giants might have the same symbolic force as ‘the cathedrals of the Middle Ages, the baroque palaces and gardens of the Enlightenment, and the factories and railway stations of the Industrial Revolution’. As impressive as the buildings may be, it remains to be seen whether architecture will remain a potent social force in the information age.
As originally featured in the May 2017 issue of Wallpaper* (W*218)
INFORMATION
‘Infinite Loop’ is on view 27 April–3 June. For more information, visit the Alan Cristea Gallery website
ADDRESS
Alan Cristea Gallery
43 Pall Mall
London SW1Y 5JG
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
TF Chan is a former editor of Wallpaper* (2020-23), where he was responsible for the monthly print magazine, planning, commissioning, editing and writing long-lead content across all pillars. He also played a leading role in multi-channel editorial franchises, such as Wallpaper’s annual Design Awards, Guest Editor takeovers and Next Generation series. He aims to create world-class, visually-driven content while championing diversity, international representation and social impact. TF joined Wallpaper* as an intern in January 2013, and served as its commissioning editor from 2017-20, winning a 30 under 30 New Talent Award from the Professional Publishers’ Association. Born and raised in Hong Kong, he holds an undergraduate degree in history from Princeton University.
-
Molly Goddard on creating a community of contemporary brides
As new Molly Goddard bridal wear is released, the designer talks about creating romantic but real wedding dresses, while three recent brides tell the stories behind their own Goddard gowns
By Jack Moss Published
-
Palazzo Roma embodies the heritage of Roman noblesse
Palazzo Roma, part of the Shedir Collection, boasts eclectic and eccentric interiors by Giampiero Panepinto
By Luke Abrahams Published
-
Boise Passive House’s bold gestures support an environmentally friendly design
Boise Passive House by Haas Architecture combines sleek, contemporary design and environmental efficiency
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Don’t miss: Thea Djordjadze’s site-specific sculptures in London
Thea Djordjadze’s ‘framing yours making mine’ at Sprüth Magers, London, is an exercise in restraint
By Hannah Silver Published
-
‘Accordian Fields’ at Lisson Gallery unites painters inspired by London
‘Accordian Fields’ at Lisson Gallery is a group show looking at painting linked to London
By Amah-Rose Abrams Published
-
Fetishism, violence and desire: Alexis Hunter in London
‘Alexis Hunter: 10 Seconds’ at London's Richard Saltoun Gallery focuses on the artist’s work from the 1970s, disrupting sexual stereotypes
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Wayne McGregor’s new work merges genetic code, AI and choreography
Company Wayne McGregor has collaborated with Google Arts & Culture Lab on a series of works, ‘Autobiography (v95 and v96)’, at Sadler’s Wells (12 – 13 March 2024)
By Rachael Moloney Published
-
Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley confronts gaming, VR and rebirth at Studio Voltaire
Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley has opened her first institutional solo exhibition, ‘THE REBIRTHING ROOM’, at Studio Voltaire, London
By Hannah Silver Published
-
At Sadie Coles HQ, artists bring a playful sensuality to lamps
Sadie Coles HQ’s ‘Shine On’ exhibition in London features sculptural lighting by Sarah Lucas, Urs Fischer, and more (until 27 April 2024)
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Peter Blake’s sculptures spark joy at Waddington Custot in London
‘Peter Blake: Sculpture and Other Matters’, at London's Waddington Custot, spans six decades of the artist's career
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Step into Yoko Ono’s immersive world at Tate Modern
‘Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind’ spans the artist and activist's work from the 1950s to the present day
By Hannah Silver Published