Zibaldone 9

The effect that a building creates by turning a corner is determined by a number of factors, which differ from structure to structure. They can act as viewports, much like the Salk Institute creating that iconic view of the Pacific Ocean. The meeting of the building to the edge and how it continues around the corner is so subtle that the viewer isn’t necessarily concerned with how but rather what is created by the corner. The shape of a structure can also determine how it turns a corner. For instance, a structure could possibly introduce the viewer to an area with a simple curve the eases them around the corner rather than a sharp 90-degree turn. It can most certainly do the opposite as well, gradually forcing the viewer away from the area.

Material is another characteristic that can easily manipulate how the building turns a corner. I always viewed turning a corner as either an entrance or an exit. I think within the last few steps before a viewer turns a corner and sees what is beyond the end of the building, creates an opportunity to introduce the viewer to what awaits. By using a material that is dominant beyond the corner itself, the viewer is able to anticipate what they will be exposed in terms of material use.