An Artist’s Studio Inspired By Camera Design
- Name
- Christian Tonko
- Project
- Camera Lucida
- Images
- Eduard Hueber
- Words
- Anna Dorothea Ker
Austrian architect Christian Tonko designed Camera Lucida, a “small studio for drawing, painting and sculpture” that bidirectionally frames its own surroundings.
“On an underlying conceptual level the design is inspired by an ancient optical device – the camera lucida.”Inspired by the design of an optical light chamber, the studio was built to provide its artist inhabitants with optimal light for various activities. Constructed from weathering steel, raw concrete and untreated oak, its upper level offers the ideal setting for sketching and painting, while the lower level is optimized for sculpture and canvas work.
A statement by the architect reads, “On an underlying conceptual level the design is inspired by an ancient optical device – the camera lucida. On the one hand it is very literally a bright chamber – constructed to achieve good light conditions which can be modulated to desired levels. At the same time the studio itself acts as an optical framing device similar to the original function of the camera lucida as a drawing aid.”
All images © Eduard Hueber