Typology originated from Bernd and Hilla Becher, who started documenting German Industrial architecture as a way of capturing what might be gone soon.

The main aim of typology was to capture a single thing. to show the thing as the thing itself, nothing else behind it. For example these images where created to show the buildings themselves, without any other outstanding things featured. Even in these images they waited for the clouds in the background to match the image as if there where using a huge white background.

Its a surprise that a docile, simple, and minimalistic image can be praised so much. Although it isn’t a surprise once you understand what’s behind the pictures. Bernd and Hilla Becher would take images of areas like coal mines, deserted places, and overall bland, and what looks to be depressing places. This also showed people the horrible conditions people live and work in, and how they have been left to rot, and even un-recognised by people. It sheds a light on something that doesn’t shed light itself.

topography aims to be consistent with what it images. Its not topography if the same concept isn’t shown throughout a project.

For example in the first image there is a consistency in the number 4, and in the other there is a consistency in face masks, but they all have different aspects given to them, weather that be colour shape size or pattern.