The Appliance House

The research project “The Appliance House” describes a concept of architecture that dominated architectural discourse throughout the “long” twentieth century. The objective of the research is to elucidate the concept’s various attendant notions of performance in architecture, from their constructive aspects (e.g. pre-fabrication), static challenges (e.g. plastic theory), structural properties (e.g. isolation), infrastructural innovations (e.g. circuits and devices), through to spatial challenges (e.g. habitat, environment) and their aesthetic consequences for human beings, architecture and the environment. Ultimately, it is a matter of considering the implications of replacing the classical definition of architecture as a fixed, enduring construction with that of architecture as an environment in constant flux. The “Appliance House” project is the author’s major research focus. It is to be understood as the continuation of work undertaken on modernist architecture (Stalder, Hermann Muthesius, 2008) and will be published in book form.

The work is based on the following hypotheses. 1. In architecture, performance means first and foremost the efficiency either of a whole building or of some of its components. This viewpoint enables the house to be perceived no longer only as a shelter but also as an appliance – one that simplifies its user’s activities (Teyssot, 1989). 2. Whatever the exact nature of its performance – mechanical, climatic, electronic, etc. – an understanding of the house as an appliance rests essentially on the fact that the functions of living are laid out in such a manner as to render explicit the social, legal, technical and aesthetic dimensions of existence (Sloterdijk, 2004). 3. The “Appliance House” is performative not merely because it follows a precise procedure to fulfil a specific programme but also because it determines certain forms of activity. In this sense, it can be described as anthropomorphic – not only because it is designed by human hands and facilitates or completely replaces human activities, but also because it gives form to the latter in that it imposes prescriptive behaviours on its user and on the user’s body. Between the poles of demands for comfort and disciplinary measures, the user is henceforth inscribed in the actual blueprint of the appliance (e.g. Kurokawa, 1969; Latour, 1992).

Accordingly, and as an extension of contemporary research into the discursive dimensions of architecture of the Modern period, the present research project begins at the intersection of the histories of architecture, technology and society. The architecture of the avant-garde – the basic premise here – is read as a concrete response to changes in the state of technology and ideas of society.

Preliminary results of the research project have been (or will shortly be) published in international journals (ARCH+, Grey Room, Journal of Design History and Journal of Architecture) or in essay form in anthologies.