Malene Sofie Saetre Riise - A Duty to Exist, Tales of Spaces Forgotten

A Duty to

Exist

Tales of Spaces Forgotten

Malene Sofie SĂŚtre Riise

TWO

ONE 02

01

08

The Untold Tales

09

The Twin Cabins

11

The Cabin Lost in Time

13

The Unspoken

04

An Oblivious Existence

05

Preserved and Reimagined

FOUR

06

A Return to nature

15

07

Iconography of Disrepair

Discussion & Conclusion

Introducing the Human Mind

17

List of Illustrations

2019

Bibliography HTS: Atomised

Architectural Association

Tutor: Teresa Stoppani

THREE

Figure 01 – One of the Twin Cabins.

Figure 02 – The Cabin Lost in Time

Figure 03 – Once a family home, later a holiday destination.

Figure 04 – A Cabin Returning to Nature.

List of Illustrations 01

Figure 05 – Once a summer house.

Figure 06 – The foundation: first to be built and the last to stand.

To understand the value of oblivion is as essential as the remembrance itself1.

Although the act of forgetting is preconditioned in the human mind, the process expropriates the person’s stories of the places they have been, and the memory gets lost in the whirlwind of the fast-pace contemporary society. The desire for a separate space to relax in, a space to disconnect, has long been used as a concept.

day, encircled by rural environments. However, the continuous growth in

Introducing the

population and the present-day consumerism has caused an immense demand for

Human Mind

luxurious second homes, including an increase in their size of 54%2. The cabins have therefore been a fundamental part of the modernisation of Norway, but some are

Cabins in Modern Norwegian Literature, argues that approximately half of the Norwegian population owns a cabin or uses one on a periodic basis4.

02

2

country’s quantity of second homes3. Furthermore, Ellen Rees, the author of

AugĂŠ, M. Oblivion. 2004, 3.

Statistics Norway. 2019 3 Holm, E. D. Fra hytte til hjem. 2007.

4 Rees, E. Cabins in Modern Norwegian Litterature. 2014, 1.

doomed to be left behind. Erling Dokk Holm stated that there are no akin to the

1

ONE

For instance, the Norwegian cabin is often defined as the antithesis of the every-

The Norwegian word Hytte (eng. Cabin) possess the same origins as the English verb Hide , suggesting its function and probable course of neglection. Forgotten structures represent an ending to a former purpose, as well as a transition to a potential prospective definition . They are an example of the oblivious human mind, representing the lost anecdotes they once possessed. However, the tales of these cabins are retold through the ones who have encountered them, and the stories that echo from mouth to mouth, preserving their history until it is no longer of value to be told.

This paper will be discussing remembrance of the forgotten cabins, concentrating on how the past is reimagined through its remaining traces of history. Primary research was undertaken and is illustrated through the photographs included throughout and the stories told in Chapter Three. Building on the last chapter of the book Oblivion by Marc Augé: ‘a duty to forget , the title of this paper aims to explore the forgotten cabins ‘duty to exist’. The tales will stand as a representation of an uncertain past and an imagined future, and the paper aim to establish roots of awareness amongst the readers that may flourish towards self-reflection.

Augé, M. Oblivion. 2004, 3.

Statistics Norway. 2019 3 Holm, E. D. Fra hytte til hjem. 2007.

4 Rees, E. Cabins in Modern Norwegian Litterature. 2014, 1.

1

2

03

04

The

statement

to

the

right

“I remember. I forget”1

implies an idiosyncratic preconditioned flaw in the mind of the writer, while concurrently describing a universal characteristic most people can relate to. Marc Augé stated in his book that

with a corresponding outcome of

An

However, the author of the book Lost

Holm argues that the traditional cabin

Time, David Gross, argues that the

is obsolete, due to the evolvement

content of the word ’Remembrance’

of its original purpose. Moreover, the

cannot be understood through the act

advanced

of remembering, but singularly through

contemporary

the details of the actual memory. Yet,

expectations of luxury rather than

due to the necessity of oblivion, the

practicality or a reconnection to nature.

memory often become lost or distorted

This evokes the quandary of either

over time1, creating a fundamental

selecting a conscious rejection of

obligation to reconstruct the past.

modernity,

second

a

homes

society

the

incorporates

reconstruction

substitution3.

of

or

a

1

Existence

is an essential part of the human mind.

Gross, D. Lost Time. 2000, 11.

Auge, M. Oblivion. 2004, 3 Holm, E. D. Fra hytte til Heim. 2007.

Oblivious

2

recollection , signifying that forgetfulness

1

TWO

memory is vitalized through oblivion

Preserved and Reimagined

The words: Erasure, demolish and removal, often

According to Gross, humans stand alone with

incorporate associations to an unfavourable

the ability to deliberately collect and preserve

reaction.

occurrences from the past1. However, our However, the process of erasing does not promise that ‘erased’ is the end result.

subjective perception of what surrounds us, creates an uncertainty of the past as well as the present2. Dan Barasch, the author of Ruin

and fascination. As the human mind naturally

The continuous cycle of deploy and destroy of

and Redemption in Architecture, argues that

reconstructs missing pieces, which in this case

buildings creates an inevitable future of a world

the past of a deserted structure can never-

can be understood in a literal sense, visitors

overflowing with atomised fossils, puzzle pieces

more accurately be recovered. Furthermore, he

of the abandoned sites naturally reimagine its

of the past events, making the viewer reflect

states that abandoned buildings represent a rip in

potential and will often suggest restoration.

on its bare existence and the many questions

the contemporary society, insinuating that their

However, a juxtaposition is created when the

regarding why it was left behind. The architectural

present story remains as negative consequence

abandoned structures becomes an escape for

remains stand as traces with a conflicting sense

of the past. However, he later argues that their

many from the intense contemporary society.

of time. Although they were once left with the

abandoned state becomes a point of inspiration

He continues stating that: “Sometimes it is

intention of being returned to, they all served an

beautiful to forget something, even if only for

eventual fate of being forgotten , resulting in the

a little while”. Although the cabins’ original

entity’s existence being kept on pause while the

purpose is lost, their stories should continue be

surrounding environment continue to evolve4.

told if the future of these abandoned structures are reimagined3.

2 3 4

05

5

Gross, D. Lost Time. 2000, 11.

Barrett, L. F. The Future of Psychology.

Barasch, Dan. Ruin and Redemption in Architecture. 2019, 41.

Hell, J. and Schönle, A. Ruins of Modernity. 2010, 1-2.

the twentieth century was designed using a pragmatic approach with an integration to the natural surroundings in mind. The extensive number of cabins today have sustained the former intimate attachment to nature and it will continue to echo through the forthcoming civilisations, resulting in nature becoming the

4

3

Hell, J. and Schönle, A. Ruins of Modernity. 2010, 1-2.

Holm, E. D. Fra Hytte til Heim. 2007.

Plummer. 2014, 120.

Almaas, I. Natur og Kultur.

2

1

The cabins in Norway constructed prior to

national essence of the country . The contrast between the contemporary and the premodern society is particularly visible through the ruination of buildings. Ingrid Almaas stated that

“Nature is not a place to visit. […]

A Return to Nature

Nature is something that happens” .

The statement is particularly evident when nature takes over, invading the walls and openings once meant to protect against its forces,

contrasting

the

surroundings

that

become modernised through human influence.

06

The evident prevalent attraction of abandoned

rediscovered, we often assign a subjective

buildings are often expressed through a

ontological definition to the remains to create

movement referred to as ruin porn1, which

an understanding of the mystical findings4.

arguably began with the work of Robert

Christian Norberg-Schulz suggests that the

Smithson2; A Tour of the Monuments of

phenomenon of emotions toward a space set

Passaic3. Often illustrated through photographic

the foundation for our subjective perception of

documentation. These catalogues highlight the

reality, creating an individual understanding of

elegance and mystery of the spaces, yet they

the photographs presented5. Barasch argues

incorporate a broader significance than being

that the trend’s rapid increase in popularity

defined as merely photographs. Even though

echoes an imperative obligation to capture these

they represent a platform that evokes emotions

moments before the structures are consumed by

of curiosity and melancholy, the imageries are

either nature or the human avarice4.

often misconceived, causing in a disorientation of the viewer. When structures like these are

2

1

Lyons, S. What ‘ruin porn’ tells us about ruins – and porn. 2017 Connor, S. The Cambridge Companion to Postmodernism. 2004.

3 Smithson, R. A Tour of the Monuments of Passaic. 1967.

4 Barasch, D. Ruin and Redemption in Architecture. 2019.

5 Nordberg-Schulz, C. Genius Loci. 6-14

Iconography of Disrepair

07

The human encephalon stores and retrieves the information it perceives, apt for recollecting the past events1. However, due to its ephemerality, the loss of segments are inevitable, and our mind will start the process of reconstructing the parts that may be missing2.

The stories that follow are

told by relatives or acquaintances of the people

The

author of this paper, they aim to preserve the

Untold

original sentimental value and create a platform of remembrance. The locations of the cabins

Tales

missing from their stories have been reimagined and the photographs have been altered by the author. This has been done to not only illustrate the effect of time on the cabins, but memory of the tellers of the tales. How you remember the buildings, may be very distorted from reality. The following pages are preserving the stories that are no longer being told.

08

2

privacy of the beholders of the events. The details

Marini, S. and Corbellini, G. Recycled Theory. 2016, 26.

Radavansky, 2017, 269

remain untold in this account to preserve the

1

THREE

involved in them. Recorded and narrated by the

1

K., M. The Twin Cabins, interview, 2019

09

main empty to this day1.

One of the cabins was torn down, but the second cabin re-

mes.

their size did not align with the standards of the current ti-

The carpenter relisted the cabins, but their condition and

able to make the trip there.

visited the cabins less and less, until they were no longer

ping their leaves in preparation for winter, the two couples

Many years had passed, and just like the trees slowly drop-

came the occupants’ definition of leisure and relaxation.

The holiday homes were rented out for many years and be-

cabins.

Two couples soon reached out, showing their interest in the

listed as summer holiday homes.

The twin cabins were completed a few years later and was

lands.

vings to good use, and build two cabins on one of his many

The man, being a trained carpenter, decided to put his sa-

income in objects and other businesses.

bled upon stories of neighbouring farmers investing their

During a walk through the local market, the man had stum-

for goods, and the money was put into savings.

local shops, the wool had been spun into yarns exchanged

The cow milk collected that morning had been sold to the

1960s: a young man, herding the sheep of his family farm.

The Twin Cabins

Figure 01: One of the twin cabins.

1

S., A. The Cabin Lost in Time, interview, 2019

11

and the cabin has been left untouched to this day1.

However, discussions of ownership arose within the family,

daughter to inherit her beloved second home.

A few years later the woman pass away and wants her

ry summer.

take the bus and walk out to the cabin, just to be there eve-

Long after she was unable to drive due to age, she would

her garden, picking flowers.

and the woman was ecstatic, and would let them play In

A new family moves in close by with three young children,

with a boat house, where she would go swimming.

toilet and using a well for water. The property also came

The cabin was simple and comfortable, having a disposable

mer.

bin, the disconnection, and so she came back, every sum-

The woman was in love with the area, the flowers, the ca-

and the husband pass away.

built. The kids grew up visiting the property less and less

Many years pass by, and surrounding houses were being

become their second home.

summer, running around in the flowery garden, and it soon

twenties, buy the cabin. They take their two kids up every

The plot is listed and a woman and her husband, in their late

In 1952, another land is bought, linking the site to the road.

other structures and transport links.

1935: The cabin is built in a rural area by a couple, away from

The Cabin Lost in Time

Figure 02: The cabin lost in time.

The Unspoken

In an attempt to reconnect to nature,

The following photographic imageries was

the

a

created to illustrate the effect of time, the

vehicle of discource towards the natural

importance of retelling the stories, and the

surroundings. Blurring the lines between

mind’s creative ability to construct possible

borders of the built environment and the

scenarios based on the visual image. The

indefinite contours of nature, thus unifying

illustrations also describe the transition

the form and the formless. The process of

between the four different stages of decay.

abandoned

cabins

becomes

disrepair starts instantly after the building’s by

completion. Although it is frequently

the Norwegian poet Ole H.

perceived as a decrease in value, the

A

well-known

quote

Bremnes states:

deterioration impacts the concept of ‘age

“Det sku bo folk i husan. Husan

value’2 and activates a sense of curiosity to

e som folk. Folk treng hus og hus

any who might rediscover the structures.

treng folk i aill si ti”1

The cabins represent a time that will never return, a clear example of former memories

“There should be people in the

being replaced and erased by the present

houses. The houses are like people.

events. The impatient development of

People need houses and houses

Bremnes, O. H. Folk i Husan. 2018

Holtorf, C. Percieving the Past. 2017.

Marini, S. and Corbellini, G. Recycled Theory. 2016, 26.

2

3

the contemporary society has left us with

need people forever”

1

which translates to:

extensive archives of the former decades.

However,

the

information

sources

preserved are often unfinished or of little significance when trying to reconstruct the past3.

13

be built and last to stand.

Figure 06: The foundation: first to Figure 05: Once a summer house.

Figure 04: A Cabin returning to nature.

later a holiday destination

Figure 03: Once a family hoome,

FOUR

The preconditioned flaw of oblivion In the human

The human mind is programmed by default to

mind, allows us to create meaning from what we

remember and forget, and the memories stored

can remember, and creates an opportunity for

are usually distorted due to a subjective

our surroundings to be reimagined. The rapidly

perception of reality. Our minds therefore

increasing amount of cabins in Norway has

reconstruct the missing pieces to be able to

lead to a higher demand of luxury, causing an

understand the situations surrounding us.

inevitable consequence of structures not being

Accurate reconstructions of the cabins’ past are

sold. The concept of the cabin involves an

therefore improbable, but their presence stand

Discussion

escape from the everyday, and they are

as an object of fascination to observers. Their

&

therefore often constructed In rural and secluded

stories therefore continue to be told through

Conclusion

environments. Their hidden feature created

their mere existence.

for leisure, repeatedly results in an oblivious existence, hidden from modernisation and

Demolition is regularly the fate of abandoned

human interaction. Continuing the cabins’

structures. However, this does not necessarily

survival through recollection of memories gives

mean that no traces will be left to continue

meaning to the structure, reviving its presence.

representing the former. The remains present an

Although we were oblivious to the cabins’

indication of a conflicting sense of time; one that

existence, the structures continue to stand

stands still and one that continuously evolve.

as a representation of the past events.

Demonstrating that although the cabins were not forgotten consciously, they activate curiosity through oblivion.

15

The large number of cabins in Norway today has sustained the previous pragmatic concept of reconnecting with the natural surroundings.

When the process of decay is eventually visible to the naked eye, nature slowly resumes most of the man-made elements to its original organic state.

Photographs play an important role when it comes to remembrance, despite their probable distortion

from

the

observers’

individual

understanding of the elements. The fast-pace, continuously evolving society deploy and destroy the structures quicker than they are recorded, resulting in an obligation to increase the information and number of photographs that are stored.

This paper activated a recollection of memories from the interviewees and used the information to portray the effect of time and oblivion.

The stories told and illustrated will now be remembered, not only by the people who encountered and observed them, but through each person reading them.

16

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