Associating technological performance with sensitivity to form, the nonLin/Lin pavilion is the materialization in physical space of a design process controlled by computer scripts combining multiple parameters. Like a puzzle, the pavilion is comprised of approximately 6,500 unique aluminum elements, designed as formal variations calculated by computer. Riveted to each other, these pieces form a network of intestine-like organic, sprawling and winding forms that invade space while also opening up interior pathways. The pores punctuating the surfaces of the pavilion facilitate its assembly while providing a source of light and transparency. The special research conducted by André Bloc in his Sculptures habitacles or living compartments, (1962-66) are updated here: midway between sculpture and architecture, the pavilion by Marc Fornes seems to be a space of pure experimentation, a generator of pathways, inviting the visitor to partake of a physical experience of “active contemplation.”
