47 - Steven Holl

Steven Holl (b. Bremerton, Washington, 1947), “Sydney M.O.C.A. II,” design study for the second phase of the expansion of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney, 1997, watercolor pencil drawing on handmade paper, with various handwritten notes and explanations, signed lower right, dated “5/7/97” and titled, 30 x 22.5 cm, mounted on backing board and set under glass and a mat in a white anodized aluminum frame, overall size: 44 x 44 cm. Limited edition of 450 At the heart of the design is an exploration of spatial lighting, referred to in the drawing as the “Light to Dark Section.” The vertical cross-section in the center illustrates the gradation of lighting conditions. The building is designed so that natural light enters from above through galleries and a quiet rooftop café, spreading throughout the structure. Below this is a mechanical mezzanine level, followed by a lower, darkened cinema level. The upper half of the design shows the spatial organization of the cinema level on a scale of 1:500. At the bottom left is the facade study featuring a strict grid of square windows, alongside a spatial perspective of the building. The drawing combines precise ink lines and handwritten notes with an atmospheric watercolor rendering in ochre and earth tones—characteristic of Steven Holl’s style—to convey the incidence of light and the building’s massing. For Steven Holl, light is not merely a decorative element, but a fundamental architectural building material that is just as tangible as stone, concrete, or glass. His philosophy is strongly rooted in phenomenology—the study of sensory perception and the immediate experience of space. He views light as a tool for creating volume and imparting a poetic dimension to spaces. For him, a space without light does not exist architecturally. Through carefully placed cuts, perforations in facades, or complex geometric openings, light is directed deep into the building structure and continuously reshapes the interior spaces. In his work, Holl also explores the interplay of color, light, and time. Since natural daylight constantly changes throughout the day and across the seasons, architecture is never static either. The building becomes a dynamic instrument that captures the rhythm of nature, reflects it, and makes it tangible.