Form Follows Utility
Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Rockwell Group's, The Shed in New York City is a 120-foot telescopic shell that extends out from the base of a building, when space is required for larger performances. It spans eight levels and is responsible for producing, commissioning and presenting various kinds of performing arts, visual arts and popular cultural arts to the city.
The Shed is a kinetic component made of a diagrid steel framework and uses a gantry crane technology. It is a movable outer shell that can extend the building's footprint to accommodate large-scale art showcases and performances. A rack and pinion drive enables it to move back and forth on four single-axle and two double-axle bogie wheels measuring six feet in diameter.
During times when the space requirement isn’t as much it can be enveloped back onto the base building leaving the plaza to be used freely for outdoor programmes. This ‘cultural anchor’ uses architecture with technology in order to fulfil space requirements which are not predefined and its built form does complete justice to the program it is intended to house.
Thus, The Shed is an excellent example supporting the argument that the architectural form should follow utility.