The Permanence of Memories by Beatrice Ardila

Boston Architectural College Master of Architecture Spring 2014 - Spring 2015

The Permanence of Memories Architectural Interventions to re-establish erased collective memories in Downtown Paris, Texas

By: Beatrice Ardila

The Permanence of Memories Architectural Interventions to re-establish erased collective memories in Downtown Paris, Texas

By: Beatrice Ardila

THE PERMANENCE OF MEMORIES by Beatrice Ardila

MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE Thesis Advisors

Jack Cochran

Marilyn Moedinger

Director of Distance M.Arch Thesis

Michael Wolfson

THE BOSTON ARCHITECTURAL COLLEGE Graduating Class of May 2015

The Permanence of Memories

Table of Contents

ABSTRACT 4 STATEMENT 6 INTRODUCTION 8

PART ONE | RESEARCH LEXICON 16 PRECEDENTS 20 WORDS OF SPATIALITY, PERCEPTION AND INTERACTIONS 30 EARLY STUDIES 44 SITE ANALYSIS 56 PART TWO | COLLECTIVE MEMORY

RE_PARIS, TEXAS | COMMUNITY WORKSHOP 68 THE SELECTED SITES AND ITS QUALITIES 74 THE MEMORIES COLLECTED 80 INTERPRETATION OF COLLECTIVE MEMORY 90

PART THREE | DESIGN

URBAN CONNECTOR 100 THE PERMANENCE OF MEMORIES 106 INFO BOOTH AT THE OLD DRIVE THRU 108 PERFORMANCE SPACE AT THE POCKET PARK OPEN TIME CAPSULE AT THE SCOTT BUILDING URBAN TASTING AT THE BURNED OUT LOT 172 URBAN CATALYST 176

CONCLUSIONS 176 ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY 178

120 133

ABSTRACT In a downtown area where businesses close when the sun goes down, after hours interactions are only kept going by a couple of places that stay open in an effort to provide social activities while making a profit. The Permanence of Memories is an urban intervention to foster the interactions and activities needed by the community of Paris, Texas, so that the downtown area can be vibrant at all times.

The interaction with the community process was facilitated by workshops, social media and analog media, which provided the data needed to identify the most significant memories of the past and the sites qualities within the downtown area.

The interpretation of memories process resulted in a cohesive urban plan, which integrates an Urban Tasting/Community Garden, Performance space,an Open Time An urban catalyst to foster social interactions Capsule and an Informational Booth that and community activities and to bring new collects and expand the content gathered people and business in the downtown area from the sites thru a connector element which while helping the inhabitants to step out of the enables interactive functions between the routine. A place to expect the unexpected, to sites and the public. nurture exciting moments within architectural environments. The permanence of memories is the conceptual and physical response of the The design process developed by the site memory facilitated by the community, to Permanence of Memories interprets enhance human interactions and revitalize collective memory, history and social data beautiful Downtown Paris, Texas. of actual mundane spaces in the downtown area, places that were successful in the past, but then abandoned to define the form and shape of the architectural objects.

STATEMENT Architectural interventions to re-establish erased collective memories in Historical Downtown Paris, Texas. The Permanence of Memories proposes that it is possible to extract the memories of the community and encapsulate them in interpreted, memorable architectural places. More specifically, the permanence of memories demonstrates that memories can be used to create architecture to re-establish erased collective memories in the mundane spaces of Historical Downtown Paris, Texas.

The Permanence of Memories also brings life back into the area, stimulating social interactions and engaging the public while interacting with new architectural artifacts that holds the memories of the Parisians.

INTRODUCTION Paris, Texas is a town attached to its history and memories of better days. The Permanence of memories is a new way to look into the past by interpreting those memories into architectural structures that can connect the past with the present.

"IN SEARCH OF MEMORIES”

The History in present days

can’t be physically shared, that’s why The Permanence of Memories intention is to Downtown Paris is known for a collection of collect those memories and interpret them abandoned spaces that once were filled with into architectural artifacts to keep the past good times and productivity. Those mundane memory alive and create new ones. spaces still show signs of architectural history that can be preserved and brought back to The way the memories were extracted life . included a “guerrilla” plan directed to the community of Paris, Texas, explaining the That’s why The Permanence of Memories is reasons and possible outcomes to re-engage based in the interpretation of the history and the community and re-vitalize part of the city, memories of the Downtown area as a design in other words, making them be part of the concept. It is important to understand that project. the bones of those sites will be the host for the new artifacts, those bones will prevail The plan was built with help of friends, workintact within the architectural intervention, shops, social media, radio interviews and the preserving the past while creating a future. placement of small installations. All these, in order to get closer to the community and In Search of Memories obtain a piece of their mind to alter the urban fabric. The importance of a memory stands on why is it memorable, what were the conditions The interpretation of Memories that allowed that memory to stay in us and how do we share it. A personal interpretation of the history and community memories was performed to For Parisians, the memories of the past are develop the conceptual design of four still alive in those abandoned spaces that architectural interventions, linked by a surrounds the Downtown area. However, connector element that expands the social it is just a personal experience image that activity within the urban plan and to the world. 10

"DO YOU CARE ABOUT PEOPLE?”

1. Zielinski, Sarah “The Secrets of Sherlock’s Mind Palace” - Smithsonian Magazine (Feb 3, 2014) - http://

www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/secrets-sherlocks-mind-palace-180949567/?no-ist (Accessed April 6, 2014).

The design shows literal interpretation of the past, which can be seen in the Urban Tasting structure or abstract interpretation of events like the Performance Space, and in between, social media interactions and open gates into history. The Permanence of Memories is a variety of architectural elements driven by the history, memories and needs of the community.

a cold way to get what I needed and I did not think that was the way to approach one year and half of work. Afterall, architecture, in my opinion, is about people - to give them what they need and want, enhancing the quality of their lives. Including and sharing It is known that the way people communicate A reflection within the pieces is changing, with social media, smartphones, hashtags, and so on. I find myself going I remember being asked if I actually cared to places and taking a selfie with Toyo about people or if what I was doing was for Itoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Museum of Modern Art in Fort Worth, the benefit of others and at that moment I Texas in the background. Naturally, I am an realized that it was not just for my own benefit, architect and I like that kind of thing, but, it but to share with others the same exciting is not just me or other architects. Everyone feeling that this research was offering to me. is an architectural photographer nowadays. It just takes a quick look on Instagram to find From selfish to public-spirited it, along with a lot of beautiful food, of course. And, that food picture is taken in a place As The Permanence of Memories picks on that probably was designed by an architect peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s minds, extracting a piece of their somewhere else. As I see it, architecture mind palace1, thoughts about using it as a revolves around us more than ever with the laboratory experiment crossed my mind. I help of internet/social media. was going to get the information I needed with public polls or by researching history. As an architect is important to understand But, the idea of giving more than receiving the past to build new memorable places that also caught my attention. Using people was can be preserved and shared with the world. 12

PART ONE

RESEARCH Research, site analysis, early design-build studies and data collection in The Permanence of Memories.

lexicon A trip through the basic concepts of The Permanence of Memories

memory Memory is what the human collects, the recall of past experiences. We save moments as innumerable impressions, recollections, and knowledge accumulated over the course of decades in the mind palace1. But what makes a memory? What stays in us depends on how much attention the person is paying, how novel and interesting the experience is, and the kinds of emotions that are evoked.

In Architecture For The Permanence of Memories, the meaning of memories is to create them within architectural environments, in places where the user can spend time interacting and experiencing new adventures that will be collected in the human brain. The memories that can be shared within a wider social network to preserve architectural memories for future generations.

interactions Cities consist of human interactions and community engagement within the urban fabric keeps them alive.

In the Permanence of Memories, physical and virtual interactions are used as a tool to collect and preserve memories.

Urban areas are characterized by different levels of social interaction, enhancing the dynamics within the inhabitant and the built environment, and engaging the community to interact with architectural objects defining usable and livable places.

1. Zielinski, Sarah â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Secrets of Sherlockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mind Palaceâ&#x20AC;? - Smithsonian Magazine (Feb 3, 2014) - http://

www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/secrets-sherlocks-mind-palace-180949567/?no-ist (Accessed April 6, 2014).

permanence In terms of perception, visual intelligence plays a big role in what we see, which is in three dimensions and is reflected in our brain. In other words, it is how we see the world and it is connected to our memories.

But can an object simply impress us without calling our memories of similar experiences? For that to happen, what we see has to be new and unexpected. It is what we as architects search for - the ability to create impressions in the human eye to change human perception within quality spaces.

perception Permanence is the history of a building that resides in the memory of a city, allowing the user and the public to perceive its stability or what remains of it. Including the materials that are still in place and its form and shape within the city fabric.

In a world of constant change, permanence is the permanent mean, what can be seen within the city fabric. In Downtown Paris, it is the essence and memories of the place, which are still in the mind of the inhabitants.

precedents Research in Architecture, social media, Architectural interventions, perception, interactions and memory.

MOOD MAP BY EB Mood Map visualizes the moods of Korean people in color and light through textual analysis of their Tweets on Twitter.

design rules & graphics

CONNECTION / TIME “Visitors can witness the relative expression of all the moods compared to each other, changing dynamically over time every 30 seconds”

VISUALIZATION Use of data visualization to build architectural installations

FLOOR PLAN

USER

TRANSLATION TO INSTALLATION

design rules & graphics

INTERACTIONS Design an installation with the ability to be observed, think, and communicate as a dynamic interface

SECTION VIEW

SOCIAL MEDIA Reads Koreans tweets via data software to transfer information into the structure

SECTION VIEW

MOOD REPRESENTATION

TWEET ABOUT

Create inteRactions between user architecture installation and social media 24

The Refusal of Time by William Kentridge An art installation with a vernacular design themed central element to explore memories, perception and time. Contextually the installation is placed in enclosed rooms - museums. Enclosed - open rooms to allow the user to randomly interact with the installation. Interaction to create memories of movement. Movement represented though projection of images of past periods. Memories reconstructed through perception changes. Memory is alive after leaving the space to be shared with others and interact even if there is no spatial context. Sharing experiences via social media after visiting the installation. New virtual spaces are being created about memory, perception and time.Visible traces of invisible memories.

design rules & graphics

ARTIFACT A strong design element as the focal point of the space. The “elephant” runs the installation. Without the “elephant” there is no installation.

VISIBILITY Make visible the invisible. The images projected on the screens around the room, creates unexpected visual experiences. Visual experiences that get stock in the memory of the user. 27

design rules & graphics

ELEMENT A neutral space, trasnformed to welcome the installation.

MEMORY Bring past memories to present and make new ones derived from the installation

TIME The intention is to represent time in space 28

words of spatiality, perception and interactions Writing about Social Media as a source for Architectural interactions and the difference architecture and art in architectural interventions and/or installations.

Image #1 Guggenheim in Bilbao construction site Taken from http://www. guggenheim.org

The use of media to gather experiences about architecture

Social Media as a source for Architectural interactions The World Wide Web was released to the public in 1993 as a royalty free technology. Since then, information has been selected by the user to spread ideas, products, or do studies under dynamic interfaces around the virtual world. Students started gathering information via web instead of collecting it from a book.

to 1999, the internet has come a long way.” They write, “Online publishing has gone from something abstract to being a central element in how many of us live and work. Today, when people are searching for something, they’ll look it up online”.1

In the present, we (the users) invest part of our time online. We are engaged into this Forums were created as an initial media to informational network, which allow us to interact with others about specific themes. perform dialogues, debates, or criticism Users in search of the last image from the - in other words, interactions. Interactions construction process of The Guggenheim in became more accessible in 2011 when social Bilbao between 1993 and 1997 (see image networks became mobile2, giving us another #1) were finding responses through forums, reason to pay more attention to those virtual as a medium to interact with others. connections while on the move. Articles were published online for the first The most important fact is that Social Media time in 1995. This allows the user of the World is related to emotions, and as we know, Wide Web to collect stories, links, or images emotions are related to memories. in blogs as a public diary form. Memories are created within a physical In 1999, designboom is the first web-based space. Buildings are physical spaces that source of architecture, design, and arts (see can change the perception of how we see image #2). Their website “About Us” section the world, but changes by physical stimulus exemplifies their philosophy: “Media is still the can be shared on the web immediately with connective tissue of society, and compared a picture. 32

Image #2 designboom timeline Taken from http://www. designboom.com/about-us/ 33

A photograph shows a moment in life, a physical memory. Fifty five million photographs (average percentage in December 2013) are shared daily on Instagram (image #3), a photographic social network.3 It is not the same to use a website or any other tool related to the traditional concept of marketing (which immediately takes the info out of our brain, because weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re already saturated with marketing campaigns). If one of our friends shares something on his/her Instagram profile, we pay more attention because there is also an emotional connection with the person who is posting it. In Architecture, new media and social tools allow the creation of more attractive storytelling, and this fact also helps with the creation of memories through the interaction between the users. (Image #3)

When social media is used, multiple renderings of space and memory are created and immediate interactions are developed. We as human beings tend to remember things in which we have actively taken part (spaces), and especially if the interaction produces a good response, as a fluid conversation on Facebook or Twitter (social networks). In The Russian Pavilion in the Venice Biennale 2012 (see image #4), a temporary structure showing Quick Responses (QR) codes capture interactions between the user and the building. The user was given a tablet at the entrance to scan the codes to explore the Skolkovo project, a city dedicated to science. This pavilion goes beyond an informational code showing project plans. It is the representation of the connections that can be created via the Web.

Image #4 Russian Pavilion Taken from http://www.dezeen. com/2012/08/29/russianpavilion-at-venice-architeturebiennale-2012/

Image #3 Instagram wall (@iwanbaan) Taken from http://instagram.com/ iwanbaan

1. “about us” section, designboom http://www.designboom.com/about-us/ 2. The Brief History of Social Media, UNCP http://www2.uncp.edu/home/acurtis/NewMedia/SocialMedia/ SocialMediaHistory.html (Accessed 13 Feb 2014. )

3. Craig Smith “January 2014 by the numbers, 51 interesting instagram statistics” Digital Marketing

Ramblings http://expandedramblings.com/index.php/important-instagram-stats/#.Uv1tvHmJM9c (Accessed 13 Feb 2014.) Rose Etherington, Russian Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale of 2012, dezeen magazine http:// www.dezeen.com/2012/08/29/russian-pavilion-at-venice-architeture-biennale-2012/ (Accessed 13 Feb 2014.) 5. Basulto, David. “Venice Biennale 2012: i-city / Russia Pavilion” 29 Aug 2012. ArchDaily. <http://www. archdaily.com/?p=267138> (Accessed 13 Feb 2014.) 6. Alexandra Lange, Is easy to make fun of Bjarke Ingels on Instagram, dezeen magazine http://www. dezeen.com/2014/01/07/opinion-alexandra-lange-on-how-architects-should-use-social-media/ (Accessed 13 Feb 2014.)

The new city is being designed by architects around the world, who are in daily online contact to share ideas, concepts, and everything related to the project. “Currently, these firms are situated in different parts of the world and interact with one another as a network - online”4. Needless to say, firms know the value of media interaction.

Online Interactions are made more effective when there are live users waiting for responses. To find those mental spaces, people use social networks like Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

These platforms use a categorization system called hashtags (#), For example, #FolkMoma is used to collect “visual and verbal salvos The curators of the Russian pavilion “tried to against the Museum of Modern Art’s plans find an architecture metaphor for connecting to demolish Tod Williams and Billie Tsien’s the real and the virtual.”4 “Technology is used 12-year-old Museum of American Folk Art”6. as a medium, and what prevails is light and space, a particular atmosphere that wraps Once, the hashtag is used, live information you in information, in an intangible way”5. related to the museum comes up. So, what if every time a new project is being developed Architectural interactions were created in the a hasthtag is used to gather images, pavilion via the QR codes, and images were interactions and information, to find what the shown on the tablets as a connection with world is saying about that project? It works as history, the new city site, and the architects. history of social criticism and connections, to The user discovered a way to see through gather responses to understand the user and this portals, to get in “i-land” - name of the their needs. exhibition in the Biennale - and find what the curators of the exhibition intended to be It is not about computer nerds or internet found. “People today live at the intersection savvies, it is a new medium that can be of on- and off-line; ‘our common ground’ reached by anyone interested in creating is becoming a cipher for infinite mental social connections, to get informed and share spaces”.4 findings with the world.

Image #1 Harpa Concert Hall facade by Olafur Eliasson Taken from www.fastcodesign. com 37

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ART AND ARCHITECTURE “People generally experience buildings without really paying attention to them.” 1 They work in them, they eat in them and they sleep in them, but they do not feel buildings in an artistic way. When a new building is built, it is perceived by its functional or formal characteristics, but it won’t be admired as a piece of art would be. The feeling, the touch, or the perception changes when a user can interact with art and is a relationship that is hard to replicate in architecture. Architects’ ideas are translated in spaces, in forms, and in shapes mandated by parameters and design standards. Design freedom can be constrained by codes and laws, and as a result the design can be compromised due to limited budgets to create a monumental stair in a lobby area because it has to be an inside fire rated partition, for example. According to Olafur Eliasson, it is a challenge to “succeed under the conditions of which the architect has to work to create great architecture, with a client, with a city, with city regulations.” 2 He made this comment after he worked with architects to develop the main facade of the Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavík, Iceland, in 2011. The installation artist developed the facade as part of the

building design but under its own parameters and knowledge of light and space. His constraints were just about area (given by the architect), but not about design, which led him to express his interpretation of light in a place like Iceland, where light is conceived in a different way knowing the short periods of natural light per day. Perhaps, it is not all constraints and compromises; as an Architect, architecture represents the ability to create beauty for the living in healthy environments, to define the needs of the client, and replicate them in form, light, and shapes. Designing spaces can change the perception of the public about a hospital or a playground in terms of spatiality, light, color, materiality, and scale to create habitable environments. But, can an artist create a habitable environment? Or can architects deploy interests of spatial concepts? Back to Eliasson’s comments, the artist expresses that architects are not artists, “architects are much too sophisticated to be artists, and they are trained in the great art of making compromises to keep the client happy.” 2 But, artists cannot compromise. “If I compromise, I leave the project.” 2 38

Image #2 Demolition of Site by Dwayne Bohuslav & Joanne Brigham Taken from http://www. movingbodies.org/projects/ demolition_of_site.html 39

For Eliasson, there is not a fine line between artists and architects, but art needs the built environment to be placed, therefore artists and architects can work together. For the artist, creating a connection between architecture and art has been the result of years of installations studies, where art sets the environment for interactions between the object and the public. Objects are to be observed, felt, and perceived by the public, making them part of the work of the artist. Consequently, the artist succeeds and the public leaves with a memory.

Architectural installations are a small-scale temporary devices to explore interests and ideas about the built environment.

According to Walter Benjamin, this is why the interactions created by art can be useful to engage the user to achieve successful projects and that might be the reason why so many architects turn to installations. “By using architectural devices and strategies, an installation brings attention to issues embedded in the built environment that are often overlooked.”1

Modern use of architectural installations changes the nature of a location by their placement. In the ruins of an enormous refrigeration plant in San Antonio, Texas, is a case study for the architectural installation “Demolition of Site” (See Image #2), where a hundred wooden pallets were placed along the facade of the planning mill. “The form recalls the swirling wood and metal fragments that were once blown into the silos…” 1

For many architects, architectural installations are defined by spatial attributes and for others as a tool to express the architects’ beliefs, but the connection of both ideas make installations an useful object for architectural explorations. Typically, installations are placed in locations with similar characteristics like pavilions, fairs, festivals, and exhibitions.

These places require architectural installations Architecture happens by the constraints to cover spatial needs and their temporary mentioned above. Sometimes buildings nature is required to share the beauty with the stay in the nonsense of a blank space, not public, aiming for the big visual impact with engaging the users, which move themselves low cost materials. Essentially, experimental into it as zombies but do not feel or perceive architecture is an “imminent passage into a the space they are in. perfected future”. 1

Image #3 Iceberg by Atomic3 Architects Taken from http://www.archdaily. com/343771/iceberg-atomic3/

1. Belinda Lanks “An Interview With Olafur Eliasson, On Crossing Between Art And Architecture” fastcodesign (May 31, 2011) - http://www.fastcodesign.com/1663951/an-interview-with-olafur-eliassonon-crossing-between-art-and-architecture (Accessed March 14, 2014). 2. Sarah Bonnemaison, Ronit Eisenbach and Robert Gonzalez “Introduction” - Journal of Architectural Education (1984-) , Vol. 59, No. 4, Installations by Architects: Ephemeral Environments, Lasting Contributions (May, 2006) , pp. 3-11 - http://www.jstor.org/stable/40480622 (Accessed March 8, 2014). 41

As a celebration of history of the downtown area of Montreal, Canada, Atomic3 Architects Installed â&#x20AC;&#x153;Icebergâ&#x20AC;? (See Image #3), an interactive structural tunnel with motion sensors to detect user movements, triggering changes in lighting and sound as the access to an Art festival, an inviting space to a mixed media place.

street, the same store entrance, the same corner and its tree in a new way, to satisfy the need to interact with others and with new objects in the same place. Interaction is what makes an installation successful and when we - humans - are included in these studies, it feels like the architectural object is screaming for us, transforming observers into participants.

Accordingly, architectural installations have to cover spatial needs to achieve architectural When architectural installations show results attributes. by the interaction between the user and the spatial structure, we feel the need to In order to ensure engagement between participate and include ourselves in these an architectural installation and the public, spaces, as a reward, as a shared moment or this study will add the use of cultural and a memory from the space. technological tools like social media, technology, and data processing to learn As for the Architect, exploration through more about these contemporary fields and the use of an installation is the advantage replicate them in future architectural projects. gained from the placement of these objects. It is an attractive force that leads the public As an example, if beauty is being explored, into these spaces and makes them want to spatial beauty can change the perception be part of it. of the public in a romantic way, developing new contextual memories based on Architectural installations are a escape from experimentation. everyday reality, a way to encounter the same

Installation #0 The Boston Architectural College Spring 2014 43

EARLY STUDIES About architectural interventions, spatial studies, community and the lessons learned. A closer look into Downtown Paris, Texas, more specifically, by placing a small prototype to study how the community react by the presence of a new object at a store entrance and the ways to gather the public and to analyze and represent the data collected on site.

Installation #1 Sketches (top) & physical model (bottom) January 2014 45

TESTING PARISITES INTERVENTION #1 The design and construction of installation #1 studied the need of transitional spaces in the downtown area by the placement of a small design-build installation at the entrance of a local shop. The structure consisted of a tridimensional web made of wood sticks attached to each other with a glue gun. An easy to build structure that created a gate into the store, attracting the public attention to interact with the installation and the surrounding elements. A social media campaign was created to attract the public, as well an article in the local newspaper, which called the attention of the older generation in the city. Both young and old, attracted by the new structure in town, came to visit, which defined the interest of the community in new places and activities.

Direct observation at different times of the day was the tool to study the human interactions with the object. Focusing on the people and how they moved around or within the installation. The results showed that middleaged males were more attracted and curious about the object than females. It seems that middle-aged women were focused on getting in the store, getting what they needed, and leaving without paying attention to the surroundings. Kids were always happy to walk through this â&#x20AC;&#x153;spiderweb gateâ&#x20AC;?. Social media was used as a tool to facilitate connections and interactions, which helped to understand the needs of the public. QR codes placed around the installation encouraged the user to connect to the Facebook page created for this study and share an image with the object, basically, a selfie. Another interesting fact is that the local college art club found Installation #1 as a place to start Saturday art talks. The connection was made via Facebook and in person as well.

Installation #1 was placed during the winter of 2014 in the entrance of a shop in downtown Paris which allowed me to collect information Memories were created, facilitated by social about movement interactions and social/ media, which provided the clues to decipher analog media. the needs of the public - a place for social interaction.

SOCIAL MEDIA

FACEB

Social Media interactions January 2014

Paris News installation #1 (top) Building of Installation #1 Series of potographs taken in place - January 2014 (bottom)

crafting information Data transferred into architectural objects

Interpretation of installation #1.

data

collected

from

The intention behind crafting information is to use data as a visualization tool. The idea was to identify the public movement and interactions collected from â&#x20AC;&#x153;Testing Parisitesâ&#x20AC;? in a data graphic, which was interpreted to develop the shape and form of a new object. The interpretation of data shows the highest and lowest points of interactions around the first prototype placed in downtown into a

geometrical structure that follows such data. Spikes represent the times that interactions with the object were relevant within different gender and age groups. Along with the interpretation of data into an architectural shape, crafting information proposes the use of urban fabric imagery as exterior finishes for a whole downtown experience within an object.

Crafting Information Sketch Problem

the materials Material types were studied in terms of permanence in architectural interventions.

The program, type of architectural object or kind of interaction will define the materiality of the object.

Brick Clay Blocks

Metal Panels Sheets Engineered

Melting facade installation by Alex Chinnek - thin brick -

Permanent

Bloomberg Pavilion by Akihisa Hirata - folded metal panels -

Crushed Wall by Walter Jack - cast in concrete -

Pavilion by EmTech (AA) + ETH - plywood sheets -

Concrete Reinforced CMU

by Univers

Timb Plank Pane Engin Shee

materials bank In terms of Permanence

Glass Panels Float Glass

2B Glass Pavilion sity of Southern California

ber ks els neered ets

Plastic EFTE Sheets Panels

DER RETTUNGSRING by Plastique Fantastique - inďŹ&#x201A;atable -

Pulse Pavilion by architecture students at the University of Saint Joseph in Macau

Inpermanent What lies benetah by Gaby Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor - toilet paper sheets -

Tensile Membrane

Paper Sheets Cardboard Tubes

Paris

Dallas, Texas

north main_panoramic view

south main_panoramic view

east main_panoramic view

west main_panoramic view

Downtown Paris, Texas

SITE ANALYSIS Downtown Paris Texas A historical portrayal of the city to examine the evolving interactions between spatial elements and the community. One of the first steps is the study of the historical and formal qualities of the abandoned spaces

in Downtown Paris, Texas. What made the selected sites successful places and what were the acts that left those abandoned during time.

U A

1S T

W AY

IG H

SE TH

-S

M A

A FM

U KA

ST AT E SW

LE IL SV RK

E U EN AV

ZA A PL

A M LA

TH U

PL A

ZA E U

W E AV

A PL

D N

PL A

H RT

O N

RA G

A FM U KA

U A

H NO

RT NO

PARCELS GREENERY

FIGURE GROUND

PARKING LOT GREENERY VACANT GOVERNMENTAL FOOD/DRINKS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES RETAIL RESIDENTIAL RELIGIOUS

PROPERTY USE MAP 58

BUILDINGS Sites Bank

Buildings

Lots

Alleys

Plaza

Entrance

Empty

Inhabit

Ghost Facade

The Scott Building, a two stories structure rebuilt after the 1916 fire. Its attracts visitors as well inhabitants of the city. It is being restored to accommodate retail and social events. The corner building on South Main Street, an abandoned four story building whose facade is preserved in the memory of the Parisians. Many of them would like to see it brought back to life. The South Main Street Church building and its stained glass facade will perform as a lightful background for an installation, to study light, colors, and shadows in a historical structure. The Bell Building was the home of a hardware store. The building is being preserved and structural modifications are being made. Its facade stays as a ghost until new restoration projects. Ghost facade. The old bank drive thru is framed by the West of the Courthouse of Lamar County. An empty site with an unforeseen environment to be developed. The American Legion Building entrance has architectural elements like the entry stairs that many know are objects of social interactions.

In the Grand Avenue white space a stair entrance presents objects for social interactions.

Downtown PariS TexaS site plan 60

ALLEYS Sites Bank

Buildings

Lots

Entrance

Empty

Alleys

Inhabit

Plaza

Ghost Facade

The City Hall Building Alleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perimeter becomes part of a ghost mural in process to be restored, along with the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s windows. The canopy allows the employees of City Hall to walk out of weather to their locations.

1st Street South-West Alley, a site surrounded by historical buildings. The 1st Street South-East Alley frames the main facade of the First United Methodist Church of Paris, one of the monumental historical buildings of the area. No Name Bar Alley on the west side of Downtown holds interesting elements that can frame and enhance its adjacent buildings.

No Name Bar gap is a narrow site with astonishing adjacent architectural elements that can hold interesting interactions. Grand Theater Alley and its red doors, accommodate the back entrance of an emblematic building for the inhabitants of Paris, Texas.

Downtown PariS TexaS site plan 62

LOTS AND ENTRIES Sites Bank

Buildings

Lots

Alleys

Plaza

Entrance

Empty

Inhabit

Ghost Facade

The burned out lot opens to South Main and 1st Street, allowing the user to access at different levels. This site is hidden behind the fence, but at a closer look shows a ghost image of the structure. The Pocket Park on 1st Street, is one of the most attractive sites in the area. Its prime location closer to the plaza invites the public to develop social activities during the year. South Entrance of the Scott Building is called 7 Lamar, due to the address ghost sign that opens into the architectural past.

West Entry Canopy of the Historic Gibraltar Hotel attracts Parisians and visitors to look through the windows and find what is behind it. A historic site that engages the user within ephemeral social activities. South entry of the Historic Gibraltar Hotel attracts inhabitants and visitors to just look through the windows and find what is behind it. A historic site that engages in social interactions.

The Vault, a historic entry in the heart of Downtown Paris, Texas. The history behind the building and its iconic presence in the area attracts the visitors interest.

Downtown PariS TexaS site plan 64

PART TWO

COLLECTIVE MEMORY An exploration into the Parisian mind to extract historical portraits of the life in the city, specifically in the selected mundane spaces that surrounds the area. The spaces that once were part of social activities, but that have been detached from the memory and city fabric, leaving the individual in an uncertain place.

vitalizing viving engaging

RE!

Historical Paris, Texas Downtown

A Red Bear “Architecture” event to talk about community needs and memory.

A NEW WAY TO GET INVOLVED #Reparistx Red Bear Architecture is here to meet with you!

Everyone is welcome Meet with your friends

Food & Beverages

Gather ideas as a whole

Share & Participate

DOWNTOWN PARIS TEXAS

RE_PARIS WILL BE HELD AT THE BURNED OUT LOT A.K.A POCKET PARK ON 120 SOUTH MAIN STREET PARIS, TX - TIME: 4:00PM - SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2014 67

RE PARIS TEXAS WORKSHOP As collective memory is an essential element for this project, a local workshop supported by social and analog media was held at the “Pocket Park” to share experiences, memories, and needs. This was a way to pick on the individual’s mind in order to extract the memories of the community, which was needed to develop the conceptual design of The Permanence of Memories.

community needs to feel comfortable to be able to share their thoughts, ideas and to participate.

The intention behind the marketing materials was to attract the citizen, and to create a connection between the Parisian from Texas and its regional colors: red, white, and blue. Part of the “friendly campaign” was to design a logo that invites the community to a new The workshop was held in a familiar place, idea, the idea of re-vitalizing, re-viving and sponsored by the first food truck in town, Red re-engaging Downtown. Bear Mobile Cuisine, in an effort to obtain community interaction, participation, and When first arriving, each person was most importantly, memories. welcomed with a timeline of Paris history and the events that were meaningful for the The memories were brought back through downtown’s development. Then, a selection the use of historical images of the sites, of mundane spaces, carefully chosen for its a downtown historical portrayal, and the formal, historical, and architectural qualities introduction of new architectural elements to was introduced to give the viewer familiarity activate the individual’s mind within a friendly with the site, in addition of a visual imagery environment. of possible architectural interventions on the sites. The familiarity with the site, event, and the theme was extremely important. The

Poster used for the workshop (left) September 2014 68

Re_Paris, Texas organizational graphic August 2014

Red Bear Architecture is here to meet with you!

GOAL! Deliver a small scale workshop to evoke collective memory, interactions and responses through design.

Historical Paris, Texas Downtown

Design a flyer, create a facebook event and promote on twitter and instagram. #ReParisTx

DAY OF WORKSHOP

BEFORE WORKSHOP

Gather ideas as a whole

BEFORE WORKSHOP

Food & Beverages

DAY OF WORKSHOP

vitalizing viving engaging

Present the question in a friendly format. 1. What social activities would you like to see happening? 2. What do you remember about this sites?

Transform Red Bear Mobile Cuisine into “Red Bear Architecture” as a community-led facilitator.

Provide workshop tools.

ARCHITECTURE

Ask for help!

vitalizing viving engaging

Historical Paris, Texas Downtown

What social activities would you like to see happening?

What do you remeber about this site?

vitalizing viving engaging

Historical Paris, Texas Downtown

COVER EXISTING MOBILE CUISINE SIGN AND REPLACE WITH THE WORD “ARCHITECTURE”.

EVERYTHING IS BETTER WITH A LITTLE HELP OF YOUR FRIENDS.

TO SHARE IDEAS AND MOTIVES.

vitalizing viving engaging

Historical Paris, Texas Downtown

CREATE A SOCIAL NETWORK TO PROMOTE THE WORKSHOP & SHARE THINKING & MOTIVES.

MARKERS, SCRATCH PAPER, CHALKBOARD, CHALK TABLES AND ASSORTED MATERIALS TO BUILD OBJ

Bear Architecture is ere to meet with you!

the organization of re_ paristx , Party Flags

Meet with your friends

verages

RE! A small scale installation to talk about needs and memory and propose solutions through architectural installations.

ather ideas as a whole

AFTER WORKSHOP

Present the available sites and explain why should be intevened.

DAY OF WORKSHOP

Share & Participate

Hold the event at the Burned out Lot #1 a.k.a. Pocket Park.

Snapshot of thinking and findings afterwards.

Provide workshop tools.

Video and photograph workshop and explain the memory left behind.

Design/build a small scale installation after studying the findings.

Outcomes in Memory and Interactions

MARKERS, SCRATCH PAPER, CHALKBOARD, CHALK, CHAIRS, TABLES AND ASSORTED MATERIALS TO BUILD OBJECTS.

SELECT 4 OPTIONS FROM THE SITES BANK TO CONSTRAIN THE RANGE AND FOCUS ON THE PROGRAM.

INVITE THE COMMUNITY TO A PLACE THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH.

IMAGES & VIDEO RECORD OUR PHYSICAL MEMORY.

WHAT DID WE FOUND?

KEEP THE COMMUNITY ENGAGE AND AVOID DISSAPOINTMENT.

Community members at Re_Paris, Texas September 2014 71

Attract the public Invite the community via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and local radio. The Facebook page named â&#x20AC;&#x153;Re_Paris, Texasâ&#x20AC;? has been set up and active since before the workshop to involve the community with the project.

Also, the hashtag #Re_ParisTX was used within Twitter and Instagram to spread the word.

https://www.facebook.com/ MovingPermanence?ref=hl

interact with them Images of Downtown, history, and new Spatial activities and physical models were interventions in the mundane spaces opened planned to interact with the public. the dialogue with the community. Community connection was made.

Friendliness A friendly environment was the key success at the workshop. Live music, food, and beautiful images of the history and future of Downtown Paris, Texas, were held within an event that was focused in the community.

1916 PARIS, TEXAS FIRE

Burton Peel Co. circa 1914

Loans Office 1982

Cotton Exchange Co. circa 1986

Capital One circa 2000 73

ThE SELECTED SITES AND ITS QUALITIES The sites were selected after the completion of the workshop. The community gave valuable input on different sites based on their experiences, recognition, and memories. The architectural qualities of each site was also a key factor in determining the sites for the Permanence of Memories.

Scott Building 2014

Pocket Park 2014

Burned Out Lot 2014

Old Drive Thru 2014 75

+ Survived the 1916 fire + Location + To preserve the Neoclassical architectural style

+ Ghost Facades + Decadent look + Historical Elements + Location + Leftover Structure

+ Two access + Different levels + Historical Elements + Location + Leftover Structure

+ Formal qualities + Framed by the Courthouse

SITE QUALITIES 76

Start Point 0 / 8 min

DISTANCES BETWEEN SITES 77

1 min 413 ft

2 min 495 ft

3 min 0.1 mile

THE MEMORIES COLLECTED The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Re_Paris, Texasâ&#x20AC;? workshop was intended to collect the public memories in terms of the image of the city, the history behind the mundane spaces in Downtown, and the experiences they could have lived in such spaces. Another significant factor was to understand the needs of the community in order to attack the isolation problem that Downtown faces after hours and during the weekends.

The workshop led to an online open forum through a Facebook page created for the workshop, which included images and notes related to the research, showing specific information of each site including who owns it or how it got destroyed. Many people interacted, providing useful data for this study. The results are represented in the following data graphics.

Answers given by the community at Re_Paris, Texas September 2014 80

memories within needs Community Needs Performance Area Community Garden Wedding Venue Coffee Shop Farmers Market Boutique Stores Skate Park Food Tasting Gallery After Hour activities

AU ST

Community Memories Dance Hall Wedding Venues Transportation Christmas Parade Model Trains Exhibit Ice Storm Fire 81

Urba n Co nne ctio

Extraction of Memories into Architectural Objects

ENT

SO CI AL AC TIV ITI

TR AN SP OR TAT I

ON B

AR OU ND S

LOC K/

ITE S

TEM POR AR

Y VIS T O R S I N

NT RA AU ST RE

PUMPKIN PATCH CHURCH SERVICES RESTAURANTS CHRISTMAS PARADE MODEL TRAINS EXHIBIT COTTON EXCHANGE COMPANY TRANSPORTATION BALLROOM WEDDING VENUE ICE STORM COMMUNITY MEMORIES BY SEX

FIRE

NS TIO EC NN CO

UNKNOWN

66-75

56-65

46-55

36-45

WORKSHOP SOCIAL MEDIA

26-35

1-15

AGE

16-25

SEX

60% NUMBER OF FEMALE INTERACTIONS 18

60%

UNKNOWN

COMMUNITY MEMORIES BY AGE AND SEX

16 - 25 26 - 35 36 - 45 UNK66NOWN- 75

1-15

46 - 55 56 - 65

UNKNOWN

NUMBER OF MALE & FEMALE VISITORS

COMMUNITY MEMORIES BY AGE AND SEX

66 - 75 56 - 65 26UNK- 35NOWN 16 -6625- 75

46 - 55

Scott Building have been abandoned for so long that in ocassions is open for different activities.

56 - 65 26 - 35 16 - 25

PUMKIN PATCH

The Pumkin Patch is held every year at the Pocket Par - burned out lot #1, Kids come and carve pumkins and get their picture done in this site.

1-15

NUMBER OF MALE INTERACTIONS

46 - 55 36 - 45

1-15

NUMBER OF MALE INTERACTIONS

PUMKIN PATCH

CHURCH SERVICES

RESTAURANTS

Restaurants were all over downtown. Parisians remember eating in the area while going to Paris High School.

The Pumkin Patch is held every year at the Pocket Par - burned out lot #1, Kids come and carve pumkins and get their picture done in this site.

CHURCH SERVICES

The Ghost sign for the Cotton Exchange Company is still on the wall across the Pocket Park.

Scott Building have been abandoned for so long that in ocassions is open for different activities.

RESTAURANTS

Restaurants were all over downtown. Parisians remember eating in the area while going to Paris High School.

COTTON EXCHANGE COMPANY

Model Trains were displayed at the second ﬂoor of the Pocket Park building before the ﬁre. It follows the connection of transportation on South Main Street.

COTTON EXCHANGE COMPANY

The Ghost sign for the Cotton Exchange Company is still on the wall across the Pocket Park.

MODEL TRAINS EXHIBIT

Wedding Reception Venue at The Pocket Park and at The Scott’s Building. Different venues style for the most glamorous and the laid back ones.

MODEL TRAINS EXHIBIT

Model Trains were displayed at the second ﬂoor of the Pocket Park building before the ﬁre. It follows the connection of transportation on South Main Street.

WEDDING VENUE

2000 Ice Storm, destroyed the Loans Building where the Pocket Park is at,

WEDDING VENUE

Wedding Reception Venue at The Pocket Park and at The Scott’s Building. Different venues style for the most glamorous and the laid back ones.

ICE STORM

Car Dealership and Model Trains.

ICE STORM

TRANSPORTATION

CHRISTMAS PARADE

Gathering in the old drive thru parking lot before the Christmas Parade with the High School Marching Band. “The ATM building was always good to change clothes”

2000 Ice Storm, destroyed the Loans Building where the Pocket Park is at,

TRANSPORTATION

Quinciera party there. I think it was called Artistic Endeavors at that time.”

Car Dealership and Model Trains.

CHRISTMAS PARADE

After the 1916 Paris, Texas owned the Neoclassical Architectural style. And this architectural gems have disappeared by effects of different agents, including but not limited to ﬁre.

Gathering in the old drive thru parking lot before the Christmas Parade with the High School Marching Band. “The ATM building was always good to “I went to a change classmate's clothes”

BALLROOM

FIRE

“I went to a classmate's Quinciera party there. I think it was called Artistic Endeavors at that time.”

BALLROOM

36 - 45

FIRE After the 1916 Paris, Texas owned the Neoclassical Architectural style. And this architectural gems have disappeared by effects of different agents, including but not limited to ﬁre.

AGE

INTERACTIONS BETWEEN 30 MEMEBERS OF THE COMMUNITY oF PARIS, TEXAS

56 - 65

INTERACTIONS BETWEEN 30 MEMEBERS OF THE COMMUNITY oF PARIS, TEXAS

AGE

46 - 55

40%

16 - 25 26 - 35 36 - 45 66 - 75

1-15

40%

The Cotton Exchange Company was in the heart of South Main Street, Burned Out Lot #2 location. Paris was a major cotton exchange, but it is no longer the economic force that it once was.

AGE

NUMBER OF MALE & FEMALE VISITORS

Model Trains were displayed at the second ﬂoor of the Pocket Park building before the ﬁre. It follows the connection of transportation on South Main Street.

COTTON EXCHANGE COTTON EXCHANGE COMPANY

The Cotton Exchange Company was in the heart of South Main Street, Burned Out Lot #2 location. Paris was a major cotton exchange, but it is no longer the economic force that it once was.

COTTON EXCHANGE COTTON EXCHANGE COMPANY

Wedding Reception Venue at The Pocket Park and at The Scott’s Building. Different venues style for the most glamorous and the laid back ones.

MODEL TRAINS EXHIBIT

Model Trains were displayed at the second ﬂoor of the Pocket Park building before the ﬁre. It follows the connection of transportation on South Main Street.

MODEL TRAINS EXHIBIT

“Burned down during the ice storm we had back in December early 2000. They were old power lines and when power was restored it caused a surge that sparked a ﬂame... They couldn't turn off gas in time...”

WEDDING VENUE

Wedding Reception Venue at The Pocket Park and at The Scott’s Building. Different venues style for the most glamorous and the laid back ones.

WEDDING VENUE

The area around the Burned Out Lot #2 was known by its transportation business. Taxi company, Car Dealeship, Gas stations and accommodated passengers on the St. Louis-Dallas rail line at The Gibraltar Hotel.

ICE STORM

TRANSPORTATION

CHRISTMAS PARADE

Gathering in the old drive thru parking lot before the Christmas Parade with the High School Marching Band. “The ATM building was always good to change clothes”

ICE STORM

The ballroom at the Scott’s Building second level, gathered a thriving community of locals celebrating dance, music and good vibes.

TRANSPORTATION

After the 1916 Paris, Texas owned the Neoclassical Architectural style. And this architectural gems have disappeared by effects of different agents, including but not limited to ﬁre.

Gathering in the old drive thru parking lot before the Christmas Parade with the High School Marching Band. “The ATM building was always good to change clothes”

CHRISTMAS PARADE

FIRE

The ballroom at the Scott’s Building second level, gathered a thriving community of locals celebrating dance, music and good vibes.

BALLROOM

FIRE After the 1916 Paris, Texas owned the Neoclassical Architectural style. And this architectural gems have disappeared by effects of different agents, including but not limited to ﬁre.

NUMBER OF FEMALE INTERACTIONS

AGE

Data Collected during Re_Paris, Texas Workshop 84

Data Collected during Re_Paris, Texas Workshop 85

WHAT PEOPLE NEED A summary of the community needs and the sites selected.

Marvin photographer & historian what we need... “A performance venue”

Wesley Joe musician what we need... “Community interaction, visual stimulation”

Brenda retired what we need... “Restaurants”

THESE ARE SOME OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT COLLABORATED WITH THE COLLECTION OF MEMORIES

INTERPRETATION OF COLLECTIVE MEMORY Data was collected from the workshop and the needed information was represented in useful graphics to start the interpretation of those memories into architecture. The results show evidence of the need of social gatherings and interactions in a beautiful downtown and the most prominent memories and key experiences related to the sites selected.

which are the base for The Permanence of Memories program within the site that best qualify for each use, enhancing the historical, physical and architectural characteristics of such sites. The following graphic shows how the interpretation of memories prescribed the design process.

In this order, community gardens, food tasting, performance spaces, and social gatherings in general were the most needed,

In Search of Memories Graphic Interpretation Boston, Massachusetts August 2014 90

Downtown Paris, Texas

History

Data Collection

Memories

INTERPRETATION

Conceptual

Design 91

design process The design formula for The Permanence of Memories.

PART THREE

DESIGN The Permanence of Memories approaches the conceptual design process by interpreting the memories of the community and transforming them into architecture. The architectural interventions maintain the sitesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bones or structure as signs of the past while adding a new artifact that respects its surroundings and relates to those memories. Some memories are a literal extraction of past experiences, while others are an abstract interpretation of the events that led the space to its actual conditions. The Permanence of Memories is an extraction of the past into the present, situated in the heart of Paris to revitalize the area, recalling past memories while making new ones in such memorable places.

ARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTION The Permanence of Memories is an urban catalyst to foster social interactions, community activities, and new business in the area.

The program takes the public out of the daily monotony and captivates the them into the past, present and future of Downtown Paris with interventions purposely designed to be different in shape, style and form changing A design based on a personal interpretation the way the public perceived the space, of collective memory, exemplified as a group creating expectation on what can be next. of architectural interventions connected with each other through an urban digital Visitors of all ages can enjoy the urban element that collects information and direct intervention, dedicating time to dive into the it into an Informational Booth, expanding the history and memory of the sites and what information to the world via social media. has emerged from them, keeping downtown alive.

INFO BOOTH AT THE OLD DRIVE THRU

URBAN TASTING AT THE BURNED OUT

PERFORMANCE SPACE AT THE POCKET PARK

OPEN TIME CAPSULE AT THE SCOTT BUILDING

The Permanence of Memories Architectural Interventions 98

URBAN CONNECTOR The way people communicate is changing. Architecture is being uploaded in social networks even before it is built. The public relates to imagery taken in same places by different users through a hashtag, just to keep in touch with immensity that is outside of our own bubble.

by a digital platform at the Info Booth that will collect and expand the contents of the architectural interventions and serve as a meeting and exchange point of a wider network of virtual visitors.

On an urban scale the connector element is a curved piece of furniture that represents For this reason, the architectural interventions each site with a different color, such as, of The Permanence of Memories are blue for Urban Tasting and Community connected via social media, which is Garden, orange for the Performance area, facilitated through an urban element/furniture and yellow for the Open Time Capsule, that represents and expands the interactions defining the sites while they are seen from made between user and the site. the road, transforming the streets into more comfortable urban spaces. Such elements work while being fed with information uploaded by the user, collected in the Info Booth at the Old Drive Thru, and then shared with the world. In other words, the connector element is complemented

1. Kushner, Marc. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Why the buildings of the future will be shaped by ... youâ&#x20AC;?, Filmed Mar 2014. TED Talks.

https://www.ted.com/talks/marc_kushner_why_the_buildings_of_the_future_will_be_shaped_by_you (Accessed 29 March 2015. ) 100

Interactive Connector Element

Permanence of Memories Identification

Curve Shape that recalls organic shapes of fire

Social Media Interaction Options

Utility surface

Charging Station (Solar Power)

101

Flat Base to counterweight the height of the structure

HUMAN INTERACTION 102

HUMAN + INTERACTIVE OBJECTS

COLLECTING MEMORIES + PHOTOGRAPHS + ARCHITECTURE

SELFIES

COLLECTING & EXPANDING CONTENT IN ARCHITECTURAL SCENARIOS

103

human + object interaction

SPACE + + SOCIAL MEDIA INTERACTION

SOCIAL + MEDIA INTERACTION Connector Element Interactions Graphic 104

105

THE PERMANENCE OF MEMORIES Design, drawings and memorable places according to personal interpretations of the past.

106

107

INFO BOOTH AT THE OLD DRIVE THRU The Informational Booth, which works as a data collector, is placed at the old bank drive thru, across the street from the Lamar County Historical Courthouse, and frames the drive thru building as if it was a spatial envelope of the past.

The Info Booth collects social media data from each intervention, projecting it on top of the building. The digital facade allows the representation of social interaction, which is expanded to the world.

The conceptual design of the Info Booth is to expose the existing structure at moments with a layer of glass inside and out of the building, allowing the visitor to acknowledge the past while it is joined by an abstract element on the opposite side of the structure. These surfaces will expose static and analogical information related to the history of the sites and its architectural interventions.

108

The Time of Memories Downtown Paris, Texas

Old Bank Drive Thru

Wa itin g

Since 1970

III

Automated Bank Drive Thru

1970’s

ea Ar

WAITING TEMPORARY SPACE

Vacant Stru cture Christmas Para de -

Selected Sites Downtown Paris, Texas

1980’s 1990’s

2000’s

Historical

Location nd View Backgrou e s u o h rt u Co

The Time oF Memories

109

Geometry of Memories (Personal Interpretation)

Abst

ract

Expo

sed

Proposed Installations Downtown Paris, Texas

FO IN

tion

orm Extrac

O BO

Digital Platf

Artifact + Element

Histo

The time of memories graphic provides a timeline of uses and events, which were used to develop the design concept of the Info Booth. The most predominant memory was the use of the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surroundings as a transitory space for gathering people to spread into local events such as the Christmas Parade. College bands used to wait before it was their turn to go out on this location, which matches with the temporal space that a drive thru provides - a check in and check out with multiple users at different times of the day.

Consequently the old drive thru was the best option for a transitional place as it can be an Informational Booth, where the user checks the information provided and continues their path into the Permanence of Memories.

110

URBAN TASTING AND COMMUNITY GARDEN

PERFORMANCE SPACE

OPEN TIME CAPSULE

111

DIGITAL INTERACTIONS The lighting element inside the Info The chromatic effect acts as a response for Booth changes color when other users the social interactions happening at each interact with the connector element on intervention of The Permanence of Memories. different sites, showing the right color of each intervention. It acts as a chain of social interactions within the urban plan.

112

113

DIGITAL INTERACTIONS

114

INFO BOOTH FRONT ELEVATION

EXPOSED STRUCTURE

115

DIGITAL PLATFORM

NEW ELEMENT

116

35’- 0 3/8”

TRANSITION

NEW ELEMENT SKIN

SEATING

117

INFO BOOTH FLOOR PLAN

EXPOSED STRUCTURE

118

119

PERFORMANCE SPACE AT THE POCKET PARK The Performance Space comes out of a community need to own a concert, performance, and events space, as well as the memory of the site. The memory of the site defines the form and shape of the performance space.

The abstract interpretation of the event shapes the acoustic shell, a raised element with metal structure and fabric membrane attached to the bones of the site. This also provides a seating area that evokes the experience of ice within the metaphor of natural conditions induced by the proposed An intervention that is reminiscent of the ice urban furniture, creating a comfortable space storm that burned the building out in the year within space. of 2000 has been interpreted as a beautiful artifact. It is an artifact made out of the abstract analogy of fire and smoke during a moment of fear and chaos, represented in a majestic form that claims importance and respect as fire does.

120

The Time of Memories Downtown Paris, Texas

Selected Sites Downtown Paris, Texas

Pocket Park

It was the year 2000

FIRE DURING AN ICE STORM

ICE

FIRE

SMOK

The Time oF Memories

121

Geometry of Memories (Personal Interpretation)

ICE PARTICL

Proposed Installations Downtown Paris, Texas

SMO

FIRE

CE SPA E C AN M OR RF E P

Ice, fire and smoke were in place the day the It is a moment which interpretation brings building fell apart. Since them it is called The new memories and change the perspective Pocket Park, home of many events throughout of a past tragedy. the year, but the user or inhabitants seem to not remember what was there or how this unique space invites the Parisian family to its provocative essence of the past. A smoke shell covered the area in the year of 2000, and now it is reinterpreted as an acoustic performance space in presence of urban furniture that recalls the ice particle shapes that were falling and created the chaotic scene.

122

SOUTH MAIN STREET

123

ACOUSTICAL SECTION DIAGRAM Acoustical Performance diagram at the Pocket Park. The shell is located at the west side of the site, which natural acoustic properties makes it the perfect location for the new artifact.

124

ICE FURNITURE

ACOUSTIC SHELL CONNECTOR ELEMENT

125

AERIAL VIEW The Performance Space invites the public into the presence of a monumental artifact, providing acoustical qualities and attracting the performer and the public into a harmonious shell.

It is accompanied by comfortable furniture that evokes and transform tragedy into a place to start new memories and experiences, changing the past image into a new space for the enjoyment of the Parisian and its visitors.

126

127

perspective view At The Performance Space and connector element South Main Street Paris, Texas

128

ACOUSTIC SHELL

ICE FURNITURE

129

CONNECTOR ELEMENT

performance space FLOOR PLAN

130

131

OPEN TIME CAPSULE AT THE SCOTT BUILDING The Open Time Capsule at the Historic Scott building is the biggest piece of Neoclassical architecture in the area since 1916. For that reason a gate into the history of the building is proposed at the South entrance, also known as Lamar 7, which has been vacant for more than a decade.

This metal framing and glass structure invites the user into the past. It is a gate that remains transparent when no one is around and changes color when it is being approached by the user - a chromatic experience provoked by human stimulus.

The form and materiality evokes what most of the time is associated or imagined as a time capsule, a spherical, globed-shaped, â&#x20AC;&#x153;encapsulatedâ&#x20AC;? object that opens a gate to other dimensions, usually represented by a transparent and colorful object.

132

133

perspective view At The Open Time Capsule and connector element “7” Lamar Avenue Paris, Texas

134

135

FRONT ELEVATION

A time capsule is a historic cache of goods or information, usually intended as a method of communication with future people. - Wikipedia 136

Transparent Artifact

Yellow Artifact

137

CONCEPTUAL STUDIES Translucent open time capsule conceptual space studies. Chromatic surface changes provoked by human stimulus

138

CAPSULE A gate into the history of the Scott Building

CONNECTOR ELEMENT

“7” LAMAR ENTRANCE N

139

OPEN TIME CAPSULe, FLOOR PLAN

140

141

the scott building Images of the Scott Building actual conditions. Pictures taken on April 2, 2015 A gate into the Architectural past of Paris, Texas.

142

143

URBAN TASTING AT THE BURNED OUT LOT The South of Downtown is home of the Urban Tasting and Community Garden intervention, which is inspired by the transportation program that once resided on this block, along with the social scene created by the Gibraltar hotel located across the street.

The materiality recalls used shipping containers for the cooking area and local wood to soften the hardness of the metal container. The open areas are situated within wood decks and louvered surfaces despite the contained spaces for the user comfort.

The urban tasting installation recalls those memories by creating the pleasure of eating in a place that reminds the user of being in a bus. It is a narrow space that provides pockets for people to get around each other as they pass. It is a tight, tall, compressed, and consistently repetitive space.

The Urban Tasting resides in a Community Garden environment, which allows the restaurant to use the freshest ingredients and a variety of products through the different stations of the year, providing a changeable menu to avoid the monotony of a regular diner.

Certainly, there is no shortage on the literal and analogical interpretation of the bus experience and how those memories are being expressed on the design of the Urban Tasting structure.

144

145

perspective view At the South Main Street Level Across the street from The Gibraltar Hotel Paris, Texas

146

SECTION a view At both levels of access: South Main Street Level 100’-0” (right) and 1st Street Level -93’-0” (left)

FOOD TRUCK PARK KITCHEN

1471st

Street -93’-0”

DECK

URBAN TASTING

STORAGE @ STEEL STRUCTURE

South Main Street 100’-0”

148

First Street Level Floor Plan Community Garden and Food Truck Park Level @ 1st Street

South Main Street Level Floor Plan Urban Tasting Level @ South Main Street 149

150

GARDEN AND KITCHEN CHEF CONNECTION

Kitchen Floor Plan Kitchen/Garden Motion Diagram - Chef Path

Section B 151

Deck Level Floor Plan Upper Level above Urban Tasting seating area

TOMATOES : ARUGULA : BASIL : PARSLEY : POTATOES : ROMAINE : LETTUCE PEPPERS : JALAPENOS : BLACKBERRIES : LEMON

152

153

COMMUNITY GARDEN PERSPECTIVE VIEW

FIRST STREET LEVEL PERSPECTIVE VIEW

154

155

COMMUNITY GARDEN PERSPECTIVE VIEW

URBAN TASTING AERIALVIEW

156

157

Extraction of Memories at the Urban Tasting As the conceptual design is based on the transportation memories that surrounded the block and most importantly the Gibraltar Hotel, the following are literal exposures of how those memories were extracted and its function into the new program.

158

Architecture

Location

159

MEMORY OF A BUS Inverted perception of a bus Motion of activity happening window functionality. outside of the static window of the bus.

ACtion

Memory

WINDOW

Perception

â&#x20AC;&#x153;everything else is moving outside of the bus and revolving around the individualâ&#x20AC;?.

160

Architecture

Location

161

MEMORY OF A BUS + Is tight and compressed + Has consistent repetitions

Close human interactions due to the proximity of the seats

“A bus terminal that brought many visitors into town”

ACtion

Memory

+ Provide pockets for people to get around as they pass

proximity

A BUS

“the proximity to the hotel made the terminal a very busy place or vice versa”

162

Architecture

Location

163

MEMORY OF A RESTAURANT Changes on different levels + Visualization to cross views within the spaces. + Circulation

ACtion

Memory

GIBRALTAR HOTEL

A BUS

Hotel/restaurant Ambience.

164

Architecture

Location

165

MEMORY OF A RESTAURANT + Double height is replicated to evoke the restaurant “good days” memory.

Perception

+ Social interactions within “floating around the hotel social environments in Paris, restaurant, watching the Texas. tourists coming in and out while having a drink and + Watching people. waiting for the next course”

ACtion

Memory

GIBRALTAR HOTEL

+ Change of place, from hotel restaurant into a urban tasting experience across the street

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Architecture

Location

167

+ MEMORY OF A RESTAURANT + BUS

Kitchen: In case of a flooding, Experience the space from “forget about the flooded an elevated kitchen propose above kitchen” safer place to be Bus Height: To mimic the height of a bus, allow the structure to have an elevated kitchen.

Memory

GIBRALTAR HOTEL

ACtion

Bus Terminal

Perception

168

Architecture

Location

169

COTTON EXCHANGE SHIPPING MEMORY + Revisiting the old Cotton + Access the site through â&#x20AC;&#x153;the old gates are still on site. Exchange building shipping and old path. Great piece of history that & delivery path as an entry to have been abandonedâ&#x20AC;? the community garden. + Bring the tree back to life. + Same path new use.

ACtion

Memory

West end shipping and delivery

Perception

170

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CATALYST INTERVENTION The Permanence of Memories acts as an Urban Catalyst for Downtown Paris, Texas, promoting new businesses; that enhance the local economy.

Accordingly, the Downtown area will be open for groups of all ages into different kinds of social activities that will invite new business and investors to the area, occupying the residual mundane spaces for a full Downtown experience.

As part of the Permanence of Memories, local musicians are invited to play at the Performance space; local Food Trucks are The following graphics show the urban invited in the Community Garden; and tourists, development through the next 10 years. schools, and historians are welcomed into the Scott Building Historic tour. All of this is within the contemporary use of social media that invites younger public into the area, as well.

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A ZA

N O ZA A

EN AV

N RA

H RT

PARKING LOT GREENERY VACANT GOVERNMENTAL FOOD/DRINKS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES RETAIL RESIDENTIAL

EN AV

ZA A

R A M LA

N A FM

EA ST

A ZA

U KA

SE ST T 1S

O -S IN ST

ST AT E

H IG

H W AY

N A FM

M A IN

VIL

S RK LA C

U KA

U A

U A IN ST SO

C H

RC H

ST RE E

PRESENT Property Use Map 2015

BEER GARDEN

INFO BOOTH / PARKING LOT

OPEN TIME CAPSULE EVENTS

LOFT / PARK

URBAN TASTING AND COMMUNITY GARDEN

RESTAURANT

LIVE EVENTS RESTAURANT / LOFTS

PERFORMANCE SPACE

five YEARS Property Use Map 2020

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MUSICIANS PUB PUBLIC ART GALLERY BEER GARDEN

INFO BOOTH / PARKING LOT

OPEN TIME CAPSULE EVENTS

LOFT / PARK

URBAN TASTING AND COMMUNITY GARDEN BEER GARDEN

RESTAURANT

LIVE EVENTS RESTAURANT / LOFTS

PERFORMANCE SPACE APARTMENTS

DESIGN CLUB PARK DESIGN CLUB

HOTEL / RESTAURANT COMEDY CLUB

ten YEARS Property Use Map 2025

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Last Part

COnclusion A Historical Downtown Paris, Texas revitalization is the final outcome of The Permanence of Memories. To bring the life back into the area and step out of monotony is a challenge that The Permanence of Memories attack by including the community into the research of memorable data to develop the architectural intervention by personal interpretation of such memories. The Permanence of Memories provides a colorful and lively contrast to its current surroundings of brick and mortar, tucked into a downtown mundane spaces and bounded by history. The use of the data is a way to include the community as a part of a structure that will led to new memories and change the way the mundane spaces are perceived. The urban intervention acts as an urban catalyst that pulls together an area that have been abandoned by the local business and community. Attracting new visitors and engaging the inhabitant into the area, allowing future interventions to happen within the premises of a Community Garden and Urban Tasting, Food Truck Park, Performance Space, Open Time Capsule and a social media connector that expands the local interactions into the outer world.

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ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY • Maria Lorena Lehman, “Will Collective Memory Help Your Architecture be Remembered?” Sensing Architecture, Edited on September 29, 2009. http://sensingarchitecture.com/2012/ will-collective-memory-help-your-architecture-be-remembered-video/ (Accessed April 10, 2014). How social media is used to gather images of the built environment and create collective visualization sources. Therefore collective memory is used as a tool for present and future generations. How to remember spaces when the space is gone. • Maria Lorena Lehman, “What is the Role of Human Memory in Architecture?” - Sensing Architecture, Edited on June 15, 2009. http://sensingarchitecture.com/2012/will-collectivememory-help-your-architecture-be-remembered-video/ (Accessed April 10, 2014). Architecture uses human memory to help occupants both “do” and “learn”. Yet, what occupants probably remember most are the meaning, sense and emotion that an environment helped provide. Architecture trigger memories the instance someone walks into a building. • Sarah C. Rich, “The Architecture of Memory” - Smithsonian Magazine - Edited on August , 2012, http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-architecture-of-memory14396375/?no-ist (Accessed April 10, 2014). Memory has much to do with our body and buildings, is not just a thing of our brain. Memories are collected in places, but not quite in sites. Places make memorable experiences that trigger memories but a site is just an empty lot with no points of attachment. Memories are created in places. • Zielinski, Sarah “The Secrets of Sherlock’s Mind Palace” - Smithsonian Magazine (Feb 3, 2014) http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/ secrets-sherlocks-mind-palace-180949567/?no-ist (Accessed April 6, 2014).

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The mind palace, a place in our brain box where memories are collected from sensory experiences, from visual experiences and emotions - all this stick together into memorization. A journey through space fuse new experiences with familiar places stored in our palace. • Sarah Bonnemaison, Ronit Eisenbach and Robert Gonzalez “Introduction” - Journal of Architectural Education (1984-) , Vol. 59, No. 4 Installations by Architects: Ephemeral Environments, Lasting Contributions (May, 2006) , pp. 3-11 - http://www.jstor.org/ stable/40480622 (Accessed March 8, 2014). Introduction for a series of projects (installations) called “Installations by Architects”. This introduction talks about how installations are architectural while passing through history about architectural installations and their locations and uses. • Anne Cormier, Randy Cohen and Howard Davies “Head in the Clouds” Journal of Architectural Education (1984-) , Vol. 59, No. 4, Installations by Architects: Ephemeral Environments, Lasting Contributions (May, 2006) , pp. 31-35 - http://www.jstor.org/ stable/40480626 (Accessed March 8, 2014). As part of installations by architects this article study the differences between architectural installations and those created by the artist through 3 elevated platform installation projects. And, how installations work as prototype test for bigger scale projects, to learn from those as practical operations for architects. • Jennifer Steinkamp “My Only Sunshine: Installation Art Experiments with Light, Space, Sound and Motion - Leonardo , Vol. 34, No. 2 (2001) , pp. 109-112 - http://www.jstor.org/ stable/1577011 (Accessed March 8, 2014). An installation about projecting media to be remapped into architectural situations.

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• Timothy Gray and Michael Williams “redBARN Installation” Journal of Architectural Education (1984-) , Vol. 59, No. 4, Installations by Architects: Ephemeral Environments, Lasting Contributions (May, 2006) , pp. 41-47 - http://www.jstor.org/stable/40480628 (Accessed March 8, 2014). Another installation from the series Installation by Architects, which explains how conventional architectural criteria was removed for the purpose of this installation, repurposing the space to accentuate the qualities of place specific to the historic barn. • e/b office “About us” section - http://www.eboarch.com/about (Accessed March 8, 2014). The firm explains their philosophy about virtual architecture. Visualization through installations. • AJ Artemel “Is Installation Art actually Architecture?” - ArchitizerTM, http://architizer.com/ blog/is-installation-art-actually-architecture/ (Accessed March 8, 2014). Connection between architecture and other forms. Artemel, emphasize on his article that installations are attached to space and because of it, are more than just art. “What is Architecture? An essay” - Archidose, http://www.archidose.org/Mar00/032700.html (Accessed March 13, 2014). An essay about the definition of architecture. • Maria Popova “What Is Art? Favorite Famous Definitions, from Antiquity to Today” - brain pickings, http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/06/22/what-is-art/ (Accessed March 13, 2014). About Art • Rodney Douglas Parker Leonardo “The Architectonics of Memory: On Built Form and Built Thought “ Vol. 30, No. 2 (1997) , pp. 147-152 The MIT Press, http://www.jstor.org/ stable/1576426 (Accessed March 21, 2014). 180

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