Eivormige constructie

During a long stay in London in 1953, Constant became aware of the role the urban environment plays in the way a human being operates in it. He realised that mankind was not capable of developing a creative way of living within the existing architecture. Lack of fantasy was one reason, but also the unfree structure of society was an important factor. From that moment on he decided to focus on the development of an urban environment in which creativity of its inhabitants can flourish freely. The spatial constructions made out of steel wire, aluminium and plexiglass he designed from 1954 onwards, originated directly from his thinking about new urban environments. In 1960 these experiments resulted in his famous New Babylon project. Most important principle of this undertaking was a striving for a full synthesis of the visual arts and architecture. According to Constant this goal could only be realised if architect and artist are both prepared to give up their specialisms and to exchange them for a new sort of artistry. He once said that "the architect will have to be artist and the artist will have to be constructor."