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More than just a tool of the trade, the Mac has played an integral role in shaping Nigel Coates’ vision of art, film, architecture and design. However, in this multi-disciplined — and prodigiously-talented — designer’s technicolour world, technology co-exists with traditional media, resulting in a unique style that is inspiring a new generation of British architects. For Nigel Coates, Apple technology not only allows ideas to be realised and presented, but it enables the renowned designer and architect to create forms previously impossible to produce. “3D modelling means I can conceive of space differently”, he says, “I can draw something I couldn’t draw before because I couldn’t visualise it”.  Thanks to its legendary ease-of-use and graphics capabilities, allied to an ever-expanding range of compatible 3D software applications, the Mac has long been the standard in more creative architectural practices — “they’re part of the culture” says Coates — yet in his current project ‘Ecstacity’ Coates exploits the Mac’s function and flexibility further, using it to realise a multimedia approach to design and architecture.
Ecstacity first appeared in a 1992 presentation at the Architecture Association in London. At the heart of the project is a specific attitude to the evolution of the urban space, an attitude which foregrounds the sensual human experience of a building or place rather than considerations of function, materials and style. In September 2003, Coates’ book ‘Guide to Ecstacity’ will be published, while at the same time, a short introductory film, “Learning from Ecstacity”, will run for six weeks at the capital’s Sketch gallery.  Both the film and the book were created on Macs, and combine images and ideas to suggest how urban environments can develop as a result of diverse influences. The structure and appearance of both book and film reflect the evolutionary process Coates perceives as central to the development of a city. “For the book we worked closely with the graphic designer, and treated each page spread as a room or a plaza — a space of some sort”, explains Coates. “Moving through the book is similar to moving through a city — you experience different areas, streets or spaces on each page”. Next page: Creating Future Space with the Mac |
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