Archetypes

Archetypes, by David K. Ross, documents full-scale architectural mock-ups as they appear on construction sites and testing facilities worldwide.

A form of proxy architecture, the mock-up is frequently comprised of disparate elements from a single building project. Windows, curtain wall systems, or material samples often find themselves brought together in an assemblage that bears more resemblance to public art installations than to architecture. Built to a scale of 1:1 and assembled to assist with particularly difficult construction details, the mock-up aids in the overall understanding of how a building's components will appear or function.

As an architectural abbreviation, the mock-up is designed to be demolished and as such carries a definitive expiration date, one that usually coincides with the completion of the building it emulates; it is a monument to iteration and contingency. And yet, despite its fugitive nature, the mock-up also exists as a declaration of functionality. Propositional but not speculative, a mock-up is, as Reto Geiser puts it (borrowing from Robert Smithson), 'a ruin in reverse', a fragment made from components for a building that will exist in the future.

Mock-ups also carry something of the photographic within them. Both the mock-up — and its image — physically and indexically reference concepts and ideas that are in formation but are not viewable in their totality. Like photographs, mock-ups are framing devices that focus attention on specific elements taken out of context.

The mock-up's temporary status, combined with its lack of spatial articulation puts it in league with another better known architectural typology: the film set.

Archetypes was co-published in May 2021 with Standpuntke (Basel) and Park Books (Zurich).

Canadian artist David K. Ross, who works at the interface of photography, film, and installation, explores the physical and residual effects generated by infrastructures—whether personal, civic, or cultural. His film and photography projects have been exhibited internationally, from Marfa to Sharjah. Born in Canada, he is currently based in Tallinn, Estonia.