RE-VISION and REVALORIZATION of THE LOST MEMORY Case study: Former open air swimming pool of Ypres International Master of Architecture, KU Leuven, Campus Ghent Dorsa Ali Zadeh
@All rights reserved under International Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photo-copying, recording or by any information storage retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher or specific copyright owners. Work and publication made during the course of a personal master dissertation project, within the project of the Ghost Client of the municipality of Ypres proposed by Gisèle Gantois. Acknowledgments Special thanks to Gisèle Gantois (academic promotor), Sandrine Coorevits (coordinator of the Municipal Museum), the people of Ypres, family and friends for their unconditional support to this project. Book reviewed by Gisèle Gantois Author Dorsa Ali Zadeh Contribution by Gisèle Gantois Cover picture @ Dorsa Ali Zadeh Responsible Publisher Faculty of Architecture, KU Leuven International Master of Architecture Resilient and Sustainable Strategies Campus Sint-Lucas, Ghent Class of 2016-2017 www.arch.kuleuven.be www.internationalmasterofarchitecture.be Dag Boutsen, dean
RE-VISION and REVALORIZATION of THE LOST MEMORY Case study: Former open air swimming pool of Ypres
TABLE OF CONTENT INTRODUCTION
7
METHODOLOGY
11
EXPLORATION: THE MUNICIPALITY OF YPRES PROBLEM STATEMENT & RESEARCH QUESTION ARCHITECTURAL APPROACH: LITERATURE STUDY URBAN STRATEGY CASE STUDY: “THE YPRES BEACH” ARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTION
21 45 49 59 79 93
ARCHITECTURAL DICTIONARY
127
BIBLIOGRAPHY
133
INTRODUCTION
ABSTRACT This thesis reflects on the contemporary issues of the municipality of Ypres and how to deal with these from a perspective that would be advantageous, not only for the city, but also for the inhabitants. Today, Ypres is seen as one of the main examples of ‘re-construction’ destinations in Belgium. As the city is exemplary, the government has taken this concept as an opportunity to attract war tourists. The aim of this thesis is to point out the issues that Ypres faces in terms of this ‘war representation and brandification’, and to put emphasis on the ‘ghost client’ or local inhabitants by reflecting on the current needs in a fabric that is already in ‘metamorphosis.’
-8-
[1] Map of Ypres - own drawing
-9-
METHODOLOGY
METHODOLOGY (Gisèle Gantois) The Ghost Client
Step 1 - Interactive Walking
Preface
Although the act of walking may seem to be random, our
The Ghost Client has to be seen as a metaphor for the
final goal is to engage more of the voices of people into
actual significances of a place which are not always visible
our future projects with the objective to come to better
at first but often are at the very centre of the challenge of
and socially better accepted projects. As a storyteller does,
a new project.
we have to listen to both the stories of natives and new-
We can never discover the fragile meaning of place just
comers and add from our own experience. We have to
by doing formal survey or by only collecting information.
take time to step across the roads, to visit the places of
We also need to get insight by collecting meaning.
which they tell us. Storytelling can thus be considered a
Interactive Walking as a Tool to Investigate the Cultur-
spatial practice. Although walking is an individual spatial
al (Urban) Landscape is a three step methodology to fa-
experience, while walking, we come in a state where we
cilitate the process of getting immersed into the site to
make ourselves open to new encounters and new discov-
investigate, generating new knowledge by confronting
eries. Walking becomes then interactive.
individual experience to existing expert knowledge.
The ‘Protocol for Walking’ in letter 1 (Oktober 5th,
This methodology is developed within the framework of
2016) provides a handle to start the research and precises
the PhD research:
WHAT to do but not HOW to do it.
The architect as third-person narrator. Tracing the deep
The exploration of the site takes place on several con-
significance of built heritage through encounters with
secutive days (in-situ research week - 07.11.2016 –
undisclosed protagonists. (Gantois, Gisèle 2014-2018,
11.11.2016). As strangers, we need to orient ourselves by
KU Leuven)
pointing places of reference. We associate new discoveries with memories of events we know from other places and thus create our own personal map. These journeys are indicted in small jot booklets, A7 format folded out of an A4 piece of paper. These little devices serve as an indirect tool to get immersed into the site and develop a lens or field of interest through which we look at the site.
-12-
Cartes Parlantes, the creation of an atlas.
Step 2 – Artistic maps
‘Cartes Parlantes’ refers to the modern historian François
Referring to Psychogeography, the artistic maps are de-
de Dainville who used the term to describe how in the
veloped from memory, imagination and experiences on
Middle Ages hundreds, or even thousands of individual
location within the existing geographic environment. We
plots of land in a set of fields were listed, giving the exact
reflect upon the own individual discoveries that we noted
location of each. According to Sack they were judged
in the jot booklets.
in accordance not with the adherence to coordinates or
1
scale, but rather with the faithfulness with which they described relationships between people – usually landowners – and their physical environment. A map could be conceived not to represent either manor in its entirety, but rather to document the point of their meeting and source of most likely conflict. In the context of the PhD research2 the Carte Parlante turns into a means to map the implicit (the invisible, the intangible, the empirically unverifiable), in contrast with the traditional cartography (topographic, cadastral and planimetric maps) where the attention is nearly exclusively oriented towards the visually explicit (the physical matter in the form of spatial objects) and where spaces are evoked that appear static and layered. The Carte Parlante (Cattoor3 calls it re-cartographic or counter maps) goes beyond the standardised procedures of object classification, and opens up towards the implicit to include the mapping of elements of space (relations, context) and elements of time (process). Cartes Parlantes have the agency to ‘discover new worlds within the past and present ones; they inaugurate new grounds upon the hidden traces of a living context and actualize those potentials’.4 -13-
Step 3 – Counter mapping At this point we transcend our own experience and inte-
We can state that Interactive Walking is a non-linear way
grate more of the voices of other people – exploring and
to discovery, characterised by serendipity, which is defi-
highlighting relationships between elements of space and
nitely different from discovering by chance. We do not
between elements of time. These counter maps will basi-
search for a specific solution; we are just open to it.
cally start from commonly accepted maps such as topo-
Serendipity demands a great intellectual openness, the
graphic or road maps but they will be recast as a series of
capacity of being flexible in changing our methods and
alternative mappings in which the (urban) landscape is
tools adapted to our findings and by being very curious.
re-imagined.
The atlas of Cartes Parlantes has already the beginnings of
If we think about the physical world, towards which tra-
an architectural project in it.
ditional cartography is nearly exclusively oriented, context will have a dimensional (empirically verifiable) and a historical dimension, both of which go to make up the
Gisèle Gantois
layering and slicing of the place with masses and terri-
Academic Promoter
tories with enclosures or boundaries that determine the
KU Leuven, Faculty of Architecture campus Sint-Lucas
(urban) landscape. For inhabitants however the territory
Ghent/Brussels
comprises not necessarily the surroundings of a bounded
www.internationalmasterofarchitecture.be
place. Subdivision fades into the background of human
Academic year 2016-2017
experience because it is omnipresent: building and parcel are receptacles for people and events, endlessly moved, exchanged, replaced, forgotten. If we reframe space in terms of a palimpsestic territory as Corboz does, we address issues of scale as well as issues of periodization. The atlas of Cartes Parlantes narrates novel stories about
1
the place. Mapping is practised here ‘less for its indexical,
York: Cambridge University Press, 100:62
purely analytical or representational qualities, than for its
2
meaning generating qualities and its ability to shift our
deep significance of built heritage through encounters with undisclosed protag-
perception’.
onists. PhD research, KU Leuven 3
Sack Robert David, 1986, Human Territoriality: Its Theory and History. New
Gantois, G., 2014-2018, The architect as third-person narrator. Tracing the
Cattoor, 2014, Atlas as design, designing atlases. Two Cartographic Explora-
tions of Implicit Urbanisms in Southwest Flanders’ PhD, KU Leuven 4
-14-
idem, referring to Corner, 1999, p. 213
-15-
METHODOLOGY (OWN) Preface
Step 1 - Open interview
The own methodology was based on a set of interviews
While staying in Ypres and also during the multiple visits
followed by a qualitative research that consists of a lit-
after the stay, we had some open talks with the locals.
erature study and a case study. The case study is the fi-
Some of them were arranged by our academic promoter
nal outcome of the research and works a try-out of the
and others just took place randomly in the city.
methodology provided by Gisèle and the own proposed
These open talks with the locals provided us information
methodology.
about the issues concerning the city and helped us to develop our interest in the field. Some of the encountered people are listed here: Met trough Gisèle Gantois: •
Urban civil servants of the Municipality of Ypres (Sandra Debuf and others) - met trough Gisèle Gantois :
These talks were mostly about the future planning of Ypres. They were very interesting as we were able to understand that in the future planning of Ypres most of the institutions were being pushed out of the city. • Coordinator of the Municipal Museum, (Sandrine Coorevits) - met trough Gisèle Gantois: General information about the city, and more information on new projects in the city.
•
Representitive at Flandersfield Museum (photo archive):
Plans and aerial photos, information about the war and concerning the future planning of the city’s branding as ‘Peace city’.
-16-
Met trough own initiative:
Step 2 - Qualitative Research: Literature study
• Representitive at the Ypres Archive (Library):
In this part of the research, I decided to do a literature
Information about the city architect Jules Coomans, dif-
study about different topics which were important for my
ferent books and theses about the re-construction and
research. Some of the studies people were: Viollet-le-Duc,
architecture of Ypres.
Ruskin, Alois Riegl, Aldo Rossi, Leon Van Schaik, etc. The people and the topics that were discusses helped me to form my own vision towards the city, its history and heritage.
• Bart Vermeulen (Beer specialist) : Open talk about the history and the underground of Ypres and stories about the past and the structure of the houses in Ypres.
Step 3 - Qualitative Research: Case study Ypres Beach
• Son of Bart Vermeulen met at ‘Les Halles’ bar: Conversation about the current issues of Ypres and the needs of the city.
As a try-out of the methodology, the former open air swimming pool of Ypres (or Ypres Beach) was chosen as
• Teenagers met at a club: Conversation about the current issues of Ypres and the needs of the city trough the eyes of the younger gener-
a site to work on. First a historical study was made to understand the context of the site and its listing as heritage.
ation. • Coffeeshop and shopowners: Conversation about the brandification of the city, the different tourist and the relationship between locals and tourist. • People at the saturday market: Open talks about the city, its history and the tourist. The above listed people were some of the more influential people as these conversations were more valuable for the research.
-17-
KEY ELEMENTS
DESIGN METHOD
Methodology Gisèle Gantois
• Users should ‘live’ the architecture naturally, without being constantly conscious about the actual purpose of the space.
• Down-top approach of the city and its society is re-
• The architectural design should always take the hu-
quired.
man scale into account, together with how it relates
• Submerging in the environment by taking walks and
to the design.
registering these walks in the ‘jotbooks’. • Creation of the ‘Architectural Atlas’ (Artistic maps
• A space should be considered from the perspective
and Counter maps) as a way to capture the city on
of the people, while being aware that this perspec-
different scales.
tive is experienced trough the five human senses. • The hierarchy that should be considered while designing, is the hierarchy of the people first, then
Own methodology
spaces and lastly the architecture of the building itself. The opposite direction of this principle should
• Open interview with the locals in order to submerge
be avoided: buildings, followed by spaces and finally
in the environment.
people.
• Forming an own vision trough the qualitative research towards architecture and heritage by the liter-
• While designing, special attention should be given to the psychological effect of the space, more than just
ary study and historical study of the site. • The research methodology should reflect itself in the
focusing on the physical aspect.
design and heritage methodology.
-18-
HERITAGE METHOD •
Conservation: to keep and protect the important parts of the envisioned site and building for future generations.
•
Transformation: Partly transform the chosen site in order revive the old and to bring additional value to the existing context.
•
Addition: integrate new parts in the existing context for the contemporary needs of the society.
[2] Aerial photo of Ypres - Google Earth
-19-
EXPLORATION: THE MUNICIPALITY OF YPRES
[3] Hypra Flandriarum Civitas Munitissima - Braun & Hogenberg, 1581 - 1588
-22-
HISTORICAL CONTEXT Ypres is a municipality in Belgium located in the Flemish province of West-Flanders. It is known that Ypres was an old town in the past, taken over by Romans. The town itself was named after the most important water element, the ‘Ieperlee’. Back in the old times, this river would go all around the city and it had a prominent presence. During the middle ages, Ypres was a prosperous Flemish city and was well-known for its textile industry. Ypres had been a fortified city. The city walls date back to 1385. Parts of these early ‘vestige’ still exist near the ‘Rijselpoort’. Originally they were built to keep invaders out but they were replaced with sturdier masonry in order to protect the city against the upcoming cannon of the armies.
At the time of the First World War, Ypres suffered a lot. The city was almost completely destructed due to the many bombs that were dropped during the war. After, Ypres was completely rebuilt with money that was paid by the Germans. The were two options: either to built a completely new city or to re-construct it as good as possible. Out of the two options the last one was chosen and the city was re-constructed at a quite fast pace under the supervision of the city architect ‘Jules Coomans’. As of today, Ypres has the title of ‘city of peace’ with monuments, war graves, events etc. that remind the inhabitants and visitors to its past.1
-23-
-24-
[4] Aerial photo after bombardment - Ypres
-25-
JOTBOOKS: “A DIARY OF WALKS”
W
here does it start? Muscles tense. One leg a pillar, holding the body ‘ upright between the earth and the sky. The other a pendulum, swinging from behind. Heel touches down. The whole weight of the body rolls forward onto the ball of the foot. The big toe pushes off, and the delicately balanced weight of the body shifts again. The legs reserve position. It starts with a step and then another one and then another that add up like taps on a drum to a rhythm, the rhythm of walking. The most obvious and the most obscure thing in the world, this walking that wanders so readily into religion, philosophy, landscape, urban policy, anatomy, allegory, and heartbreak.’ Rebecca Solnit - Wanderlust: A History of Walking, Granta (London)
-26-
[5] Jotbooks - own drawings
-27-
JOTBOOKS: “A DIARY OF WALKS” At the start of our thesis, we spent 5 days in Ypres. Our academic promoter introduced us the tool of the ‘jotbooks’. On the front page, sketches were made related to things that we found interesting and on the back a map was drawn of our walk. We were also not allowed to look at any existing maps prior to our visit or take any pictures in order to fully ‘submerge’ in the environment. The whole week was spent by walking everyday trough the center of Ypres or outside of it. These walks were registered in the jotbooks, which functions as a diary of our walks. This bottom-up approach inspired each of us in a different way to find our own interest. With every walk the city showed more of its hidden aspects and as time went by we could integrate easier in the city and point out its values and issues.
-28-
[6] Jotbooks - own drawings
-29-
‘Each one of us should speak of his roads, his crossroads, his roadside benches; each one should make a surveyor’s map of his lost fields and meadows. Thoreau said he carried the maps of his fields engraved on his soul. And Jean Wahl once wrote: the frothing of the hedges I keep deep inside me’ Gaston Bachelard - The poetics of Space, Beacon Press (Boston, Massachusetts), 1969, pp 11-12 quotes the American philosopher Henry David Thoreau and the French Poet Jean Wahl
-30-
ARCHITECTURAL ATLAS At the end of our first visit to ‘Ypres’, we started to
de- It is precisely the focus on relational issues that renders
velop our ‘Architectural Atlas’. This Atlas consists of 10 these ‘re-cartographies’ most explicitly narrative. (Bal, ‘Cartes Parlantes’. Architectural Atlases are the carto- 1985) graphic output of an emerging cartographic mode, char-
The Atlas is divided into 5 artistic maps where
acterized by a double architecturality, simultaneously re- the subliminal self and geographic environment is comflected in the design of the atlases and in the agency of the bined based on the jotbooks. (reference to Debord, 1958). atlases as design. They involve the dialectic combination
The other 5 maps are counter-maps where own
of different types of visual material:
experience is shown and more of the voices of the people
• They complement zenithal and lateral views.
is integrated, while exploring and highlighting the rela-
• They experiment with a mixture of scales.
tionship between ELEMENTS OF SPACE and between
• They incorporate time
ELEMENTS OF TIME.
• They map everyday human practices as a crucial facGisèle Gantois - Letter 2 : The Making of an Architectural Atlas consisting of 10
tor in the production of space
‘Cartes Parlantes’
• They combine process information with spatial data They also put focus upon relationships between different: • Layers • Scales • Temporal elements in the (urban) landscape • People While making the ‘Architectural Atlas’, two kind of relationships are explored: • Those between different map elements or to other features on or off the map.
ELEMENTS OF SPACE = CONTEXTUAL • Those, which highlight the relationship of elements of time. ELEMENTS OF TIME = PROCESSUAL
-31-
LAYERING OF YPRES Ypres is often portrayed as the ‘re-construction’ city. The
This ‘scenery’ is highly concentrated around the main
first experience of the structure and layering of the differ-
roads but it only consists of the building facades. As the
ent zones felt circular, but while analyzing more in detail,
‘re-construction’ had to take place as fast as possible, the
we can understand that the city is based on a Roman grid.
city didn’t focus on the backside of the roads or the back
Another point of interest is the ‘scenery’ that the city has
of the buildings in general.
provided.
[7] Artistic map 1 - own drawings
-32-
[8] Counter-map 1 - own drawings
-33-
RE-CONSTRUCTION AND REVISION There are different ways to ‘re-construct’ the city. In Rotterdam for example, they decided to create a complete modern city, while the opposite happened in Ypres. The ‘re-construction’ of Ypres was basically formed by the vision of Jules Coomans. These kind of visions are not
new, as we can compare them to other famous examples like Viollet-le-Duc and John Ruskin. A search was started to detect the different visions in the city. ‘Re-construction’ does not have an ideal form, therefore it should be referred as a ‘re-visioning’ which is based on the vision of the executor.
[9] Artistic map 2 - own collage
-34-
[10] Counter-map 2 - own drawing
-35-
INSTRUCTIONS ON THE RE-CONSTRUCTION This fast ‘re-visioning’ of the city shows itself on different levels. There are multiple guides on ‘how to re-construct’, but as the city did not have all the plans of the houses and buildings, small cracks can be detected throughout the whole city structure.
We can see copied buildings or mirrored onces. Even on the level of the city, streets were manipulated to achieve an ideal outcome. The main square was the center point and therefore the streets leading to it were enlarged. Also the current ‘Astridpark’ was revised.
[11] Artistic map 3 - own drawing / re-drawing
-36-
[12] Counter-maps - own drawing
-37-
TOURISTS AND INHABITANTS Throughout the year the city has become a place of
kind of tourists can be detected. There is a separation
attraction for tourists. Even just after the war, there were
between the people who come to visit the city, the shop-
people who came to see the disaster. Today, different
pers, the war tourists and the actual inhabitants referred as the ‘Ieperling’.
[13] Artistic map 4 - own drawing
-38-
[14] Counter-map 4 - own drawing
-39-
-40-
[15] First tourist visiting Ypres after The War - Vleeshuis Ypres
-41-
NATURE & STRUCTURE Nature is an inseparable element of the city. Originally
Various animals and trees were visible throughout the city
Ypres had a lot of agriculture which was mostly located
from which only the elm tree and the chestnut tree stayed
inside the current building blocks. The ‘Iperlee’ used to
intact after the War. The current situation allows species
go all-around, which made the nature more continuous.
like the bat, the kingfisher, heron etc. to live in Ypres.
[16] Artistic map 5 - own drawing
-42-
[17] Counter-map 5 - own drawing
-43-
PROBLEM STATEMENT & RESEARCH QUESTION
PROBLEM STATEMENT Ypres is portrayed as a ‘re-construction’ city. As time goes by, the focus is put more and more on this war representation and the tourists that it attracts. The local people of Ypres feel somehow disconnected from their own city as they feel that they are neglected. In the future planning of Ypres, the institutions that serve the locals; like schools, youth movements (scouts), sport centers etc. are pushed out of the city center. Therefore Ypres is becoming a ‘scenery’ for tourists and loosing its local spirit. There is especially a lack of youth, as there is not much social activity going on for them to participate. Another aspect is the missing interaction between the different age groups, there is a need within the city for a space of interaction. The main issue is that the bustling spirit is being replaced by the traces of the past. Although the city is in constant ‘metamorphosis’, the social spaces to allow this metamorphosis are lacking. Here, ‘the ghost client’ comes into action and an effort is made to put attention on ‘a memory’, which is not only of the past, but a memory that still has to be created.
-46-
RESEARCH QUESTION In an environment where ‘memory’ is taken as a key element to represent a city, is it possible to redefine this memory, so it would not only serve the past, but also the present and the future. And therefore, how can we deal with heritage in a way where the main focus is not on the building as an object, but the building as a body in metamorphosis that allows this ‘new memory’.
-47-
ARCHITECTURAL APPROACH: LITERATURE STUDY
‘Cities are in reality great camps of the living and the dead where many elements remain as signals, symbols, cautions. When the holiday is over, what remains of the architecture is scarred, and the sand consumes the street again. There is nothing left but to consume with a certain obstinacy the reconstruction of elements and instruments in expectation of another holiday.’ Aldo Rossi - A Scientific Autobiography , Mass: MIT Press. (Cambridge), 1981
-50-
THOUGHTS ON HERITAGE As the city is much focused on heritage. A study on the
cal being, but because of their psychological and so-
aspect was inevitable. In order to form an own vision, I
cial aspect. A building is more than just its context and
went trough the thoughts of key figures about heritage.
the time in which it is constructed. It has a mental state
After reading the visions of Viollet-le-Duc, John Ruskin,
associated with different memories.
Alois Riegl, Aldo Rossi etc., I could formulate my own
thought and how I would like to approach it.
from a specific place and a specific time and it makes way
for a abstract ‘locus’. Here a connection is made between
Nowadays, heritage is seen as a barrier for architects as they think that it limits them in their design.
As Rossi describes, the ‘skeleton’ is detached
place and memory. In this way, Rossi tries to reconcile, trough erasure of history and transcendence of real places, the contradiction of ‘not having a place’ (modernist thought) and built ‘some space’ (humanist reality). Suppressing the precise boundaries of time and place pro-
As there is no shared approach towards heritage, it makes
duces the same kind of dialectic that exists in memory
it more difficult to deal with it. This shared approach is
between remembering and forgetting.3
also not possible. As Riegl points out, there are different
kinds of heritage. Intentional heritage (like memorials,
space and links it to memory, he erases the boundaries of
graves etc.), unintentional heritage (which is labeled as
these elements. Time and space do exist, but the bound-
heritage, without the primary intention of it, because of
aries are those of the different era to which they be-
the value it has for the next generations), heritage because
long. Following this principle, each era can give its own
of age-value or use-value.2 All these different kinds of her-
meaning to time and space.
itage and the sub-levels that they have, ask for a different
approach. Should a 19th century church be approached
we shouldn’t forget that the concept of heritage is not
in the same way as a 20th century abandoned industrial
fixed. Therefore, it is important to sometimes use dif-
site? Here, we are not speaking only about the technical
ferent approaches and not think that heritage only deals
and practical issues, but about the ‘soul’ of the spatial
with conserving elements of the past. Heritage is some-
element.
thing belonging to the past, but it is also passed to future
generations. Therefore a contemporary approach is op-
When dealing with heritage, we see that there is
a lack in this ‘sub-labeling’. Here, it is important to see buildings as heritage, not only because of their physi-
Altough Rossi brings up the topic of time and
Although heritage may seem to limit the design,
timal and each case should be handled differently as heritage is a topic that cannot be generalized.
-51-
[18] Humanism and representation of a place of transformation: Horizontal section of Mausoleum of Hadrian and drawing of a labyrinth by Dom Nicolas de RĂŠly Aldo Rossi - A Scientific Autobiography , Mass: MIT Press. (Cambridge), 1981
-52-
THE CONTEMPORARY CITY No matter how we see it, the contemporary city, is a city
in ‘motion/metamorphosis’. The city itself reflects the
necessary within the historic area. The city is not only
society and has always been a place of interaction, meet-
a space in which we live, but it should also be a topic of
ing and trading. But in 21st century Ypres, the condi-
discussion, care and attention in order to ‘revitalize’ it
tions of the use of this contemporary city have changed.
but also preserve it for the future.
The insertion of contemporary architecture within the
historic urban area has become a topic of debate. As con-
the preservation of elements of the past, but also try to
temporary Ypres is becoming more and more a ‘scenery’
do interventions and adapt the current heritage to the
for the tourists, it has become difficult to ‘revitalize’ the
present, for the future. Therefore the contemporary city
city and answer to the current needs of the inhabitants.
should be a place where the old and the new can co-ex-
There is a polarization of the architectural sec-
ist. They work mutually together towards a future where
tors. At one hand, we have the conservatives who stand
the old and new each work as a ‘skin’ or a new layer. This
for anti-development and anti-progress, at the other
skin should be handled with care, yet it is flexible in order
hand we have the new generation of architects who are
to allow new layers or skins in the future. The city, on
stiffened in their creativity due to their inability to ex-
every scale, is a ‘living body’ in a ‘physical body’ with
press themselves in architectural design in a historic ur-
different layers or skins. In order to protect this body,
ban area.
the ‘re-vision and revalorization’ of the old should be
Change, however, is unavoidable. According to the needs of the inhabitants; landscapes, streets, public spaces, and buildings start to evolve.
Therefore architectural or urban intervention is
What is crucial, is that we don’t only focus on
allowed trough the protection, adaption and addition of its skins and layers.
It is crucial to determine the role of the contemporary city, in order to answer to these new needs but in a context that also takes into account the conservation of elements that are seen as important and qualitative by the inhabitants for the future generation.
-53-
[19] Market day in the ‘Grote Markt’ - Ypres, before World War I
-54-
PUBLIC AND COLLECTIVE SPACE Linked to the contemporary city, is its public and col-
sphere. This can also be seen in Ypres. At first it was dif-
lective spaces. In his book ‘the architecture of the city’,
ficult to connect with the locals of Ypres, as there was an
Aldo Rossi discusses that the city is an artifact which is
‘invisible wall’ that we needed to break in order to relate
in continuous growth and transformation. The concept
to them. In this example we can distinguish public space
of public space is brought into light as a place of pro-
from collective space. In a public space people still fol-
found changes linked to the ongoing transformations of
low the norms and maintain the wall. While in collec-
the contemporary city.3 Public spaces have the ability to
tive space this invisible wall can disappears for a while,
give an answer to this ongoing change and various so-
but you need to learn the codes in order to succeed.
cial, aesthetic and collective needs, as they are the spac-
But this does not mean that both spaces cannot exist si-
es that organize the urban area of a city. What was not
multaneously.
discussed is collective space, which is related to public
space, while owned and used collectively by the society.
ple to explain this concept. The ‘Grote Markt’ functions
Therefore public and collective spaces are crucial as spaces
as a square throughout the week. In this time slot there
that connect people within the city.
is not much interaction between the users. But on Satur-
Another important aspect is that public and
days this ‘public space’ transforms in a ‘collective space’:
collective spaces create an environment for identity and
‘The Saturday Market’. On Saturdays, the market creates
relationship. They are spaces that allow the meeting be-
a spot of interaction between different age groups, locals,
tween different people, age groups etc. and they give
tourists, etc. It becomes a collective space where the ‘in-
expression to the society.
visible wall’ disappears.
Public and collective spaces can in fact be seen as the heart of the body or the city.
Here we can take the ‘Grote markt’ as an exam-
Although there is a strong existence of indirect
communication and private spaces in the city, it is becoming visible that there is a need for spaces for direct communication and interaction. There is a need for ‘vitality’ within the city which can be provided by col-
Without public and collective spaces, the society cannot
lective spaces. These spaces are also quite personal as they
show itself and interact with its inhabitants. Therefore
are a reflection of the society. As a matter of fact they
within the city, they should be handled with extra care
are owned by the society itself. Therefore collective spaces
and attention.
are also defined by the people who live in its urban area
Nowadays, the contemporary city is becoming
and therefore these inhabitants or locals are the primary
more a place where daily life takes place in the private
aspect that we should take into account while designing
these spaces. -55-
[20] Ypres after the bombardment - Ypres, 1918
-56-
COLLECTIVE MEMORY & IDENTITY Another key element is the ‘collective memory’ and ‘identity’ that is linked to certain parts of the contemporary city and its public and collective spaces. Collective memory has two different dimensions, time and space. Both work mutually together to form a memory within
shared between individuals but it also directs itself towards a physical environment.
As these created memories are not only personal
and they share the experience of a group of people, they can be passed on to the next generation. Every person’s
a specific context.
experience is of course colored differently, but this per-
For collective memory, the social framing is very important as it is in society that people create these memories.
of the collective memory. Therefore special care must be
different memories that have once existed in a certain
sonal experience is not the key point for the continuity
It is also in the same society that they can re-
member, recognize and give a location to these memories. As members of the same community share the same history, experiences, values, memories etc., they also become more united as a group. Here the term community should be understood in a broader sense, which is also discussed by Emma Waterton and Laurajane Smith. Community is not a homogeneous collective, it deals with people who have different mindsets. Its about social relationships in all their messiness, while taking account of action, process, power and change.4 Thus, collective memory is linked to the feeling of unity within the society, sometimes it is shared between individuals from the same context, as they have had similar experiences, and other times these members could also have a different background. This memory is also exchangeable and it’s not just about one layer, but about multiple ones. Due to the fact that the memory is shared, it has the ability to build up a certain ‘identity’. This identity is not only a psychological phenomena
given to spaces that represent these certain kind of memories.
It is of course not possible to deal with all the
space, but exactly in this aspect collective memory is different from history. History and memory are both ‘selective’ and therefore they seem similar, but they are selective with different visions. History portrays all important parts and turning points of the past (mostly politically colored) while collective memory is ‘selective’ in a way that it keeps memories, seen as qualitative while blocking the others. In this way it allows us to keep what is important from the past in order to maintain the identity of a certain place.3
Linked to this memory is the built environment
in which the memory was created. It is crucial to keep this environment alive while allowing transformation to take place. When the built environment disappears due to abandonment or other causes, the memory will also fade out and eventually die out. Therefore the survival of the physical body of the environment is necessary, but keeping in mind that this environment is always linked to a psychological space with memories of the past and
memories that yet have to be created. -57-
URBAN STRATEGY
URBAN STRATEGY As a way to apply the approach on the municipality of Ypres, a urban strategy was formed. The main idea was to find different kinds of spaces of memory in Ypres. These spaces have each their own characteristics. In order to find these spaces a study was made about the built and non-built public, collective and private spaces in Ypres. Linked to that, specific cases where picked out that represented a daily memory and/or a collective one.
-60-
[21] Ypres scenery - Ypres
-61-
[22] Sketch by Aldo Rossi Adjmi, M., Bertolotto, G., Ratcliff, C., & Lew, S. - Aldo Rossi: drawings and paintings, Princeton Architectural Press. (New York), 1993
-62-
SPACES WITH DAILY MEMORY To understand the relationship between architecture and memory, I decided to discuss two topics: daily memory and collective memory. Daily memories are experiences that we have throughout the day, they are momentary and could also be fleeting. We don’t really think about them, they just occur and most of them don’t have a profound effect on us. However, they do have a strong associative capability. This fact was also discussed by Aldo Rossi. In the many sketches he made, we can see that he creates a link between everyday objects and architecture. The places that we pass or where we spend most of our time can have an impact on our memory.
Objects and places can make us recall other places or they may awaken other senses, like smell, taste etc. While looking to the associative power of memory, we encounter novelist Marcel Proust (1971-1922) rediscovering the place of his childhood as an ‘involuntary memory’ or ‘daily memory’ triggered by dipping a madeleine in his tea.5 In that instance he recalls a ‘foundational memory’ necessary to reconstruct that character’s mental space6. Aldo Rossi (1931-1997), for example, recalls elements of Italy when he is working in New York and in his drawings this strong association can be detected. He is a newcomer in this environment and because of his own experiences and background, he can give additional meaning to what is already existing for the locals. Here, Aldo Rossi focuses on his role as a newcomer. Although it is important to give additional meaning, it is equally
important to take the toughs of the locals into account. These locals are mostly associated with collective memory, which will be discusses later. In my own approach, both daily and collective memory can co-exist and daily memory will be added to the collective memory of the locals. The places where this daily memory occurs, can differ in scale, use or even function. Therefore a study was made before to determine the different spaces in Ypres in terms of the built and the non-built environment. What also draws interest, is the fact that daily memory can be created by anyone from any context. The people who have this daily memory don’t share a specific background. They can be in any place but in order to fully grasp the space, they create associations with things that they’re familiar with, like their home country, their own house etc. Aldo Rossi draws a lot of objects from his daily life. These drawings give us an insight in his personal life. In many of the images we can see coffeepots, bottles, packs of cigarettes. These objects are strangely proportioned, as they sometimes have the same scale as buildings. The objects become partly interior elements, but as they work associative, they also become the architecture. This shows us the importance of daily memory. Although at first sight the memories seem banal, in reality they do have impact on us in terms of how we look at certain spaces and how we perceive them. They are also important when it comes to designing spaces. The objects that surround us become part of the interior and also part of the architecture and the city. They become important elements to design spaces and to create life.
-63-
[23] Sketch by Aldo Rossi Adjmi, M., Bertolotto, G., Ratcliff, C., & Lew, S. - Aldo Rossi: drawings and paintings , Princeton Architectural Press. (New York), 1993
-64-
SPACES WITH COLLECTIVE MEMORY The second kind of memory that I will discuss is collective memory. As mentioned before, collective memory is something that is shared between individuals. These individuals don’t have to be from the same context, but what links them together is an event that occurs and connects them. The collective memory includes the individual memory. It is possible that a certain space evokes different memories for different individuals, but all these personal memories together allow a collective memory. In his book ‘Spatial Intelligence: New futures for Architecture, Leon Van Schaik discusses that each individual has a specific ‘mental space’, and when this individual encounters a new environment, he starts to compare this new context with familiarities in its own mental space. ‘Trough our history in space we establish an individual ‘mental space’ of assumptions about space such that as adults we usually accommodate to new experiences of space by saying out loud:
‘That’s just like “X”!’ - or, when with companions: ‘Isn’t that just like“Y”?’ 7 Collective memory, just as daily memory, can take place in various places with different characteristics. These spaces can be public or collective, but mostly they don’t take place in the private environment. This is due to the fact that more individuals have to share different experiences in that place in order to speak about collective memory. In a private environment where only a limited amount of people have access to it, a collective memory cannot exist.
Spaces with collective memory are very important in society as they give individuals, who can be very different, a sense of ‘unity’. Therefore these spaces should be handled with care. They are spaces that carry stories of the past and they have the potential to create new memories for future generations. Collective memory also works associative, because of the fact that it includes memories of individuals. The only difference is that the elements that awaken these memories are mostly shared between the individuals trough an event. Although the content of the memory can be different, the source that awakens these memories can be the same. For example, events and objects that are typical to a certain space, can bring up an individual memory. As these objects, events and spaces are collectively used, these memories will also belong to a collectively used environment. Therefore a study was made to view a couple of these places in Ypres. What is also to be considered, is that daily memory and collective memory can overlap sometimes. There is no specific distinction in terms of space or even timing, as they can also occur simultaneously. A space can make u recall elements from your past or elements of other places, but at the same time it can posses memories that share their source with other people. The following drawings portray spaces with daily and/or collective memory. These memories can have elements of the past but also of the present. In spaces with daily or collective memory, past and present can co-exist and they go hand in hand to allow future memories. Each of these spaces have their own story linked to different individuals, objects and environments.
-65-
Built area ‘Ypres Beach’ Koninklijk Atheneum (School)
VBS Sint Michiels (School)
Lyceum Ieper (School)
Heilige Familie (School)
Cdi (School)
Les Halles (Cafe)
Immaculata (School)
College Ieper (School)
Built area of ‘Vestige’
BUILT SPACES Built public space Built collective space Built private space
-66-
[24] Model built spaces - scale 1:4000
Non-built area ‘Ypres Beach’
Non-built area of the ‘Vestige’
NON-BUILT SPACES Non-built public space Non-built collective space Non-built private space
-67-
[25] Model non-built spaces - scale 1:4000
EXAMPLES: SPACES OF MEMORY
[26] Daily and collective memory - Own drawing
-68-
SWEET ALICE (PRIVATE SPACE) Located at Bukkerstraat near the ‘vestige’, is ‘Sweet Alice’. This place was used during our 5 day stay in Ypres. The space created a lot of memories on daily basis that influenced our thinking. The objects in the house left their mark in our memories and awakened our senses. This space has mainly daily memory and its built environment is private. Although each of us who were staying there didn’t come from the same context, we still had the ability to grasp the space by making our own associations.
-69-
[27] Daily and collective memory - Own drawing
-70-
LES HALLES (COLLECTIVE SPACE) This cafe is located right in the big square of Ypres. Not only tourist, but also the local people visit it often where they can enjoy local beers and chat with each other. The name itself is a reference to the ‘cloth hall’ of Ypres. This place allowed us to experience Ypres during night-time and get in touch with some local people. Although collective memory is dominant in this collective environment, daily memory also makes its way as the space allows associations with other spaces and memories.
-71-
[28] Daily and collective memory - Own drawing
-72-
THE VESTIGES (PUBLIC SPACE) Whoever goes to Ypres, also visits the ‘vestiges’. It is ideal for taking walks along the water and to enjoy the nature. Although the experience of everyone is different, familiar memories were linked to this environment like walking the dog, a date with a first boyfriend or girlfriend, playing around as kids at the graveyard etc. The environment is public and the space itself, allows collective memory but also daily memory.
-73-
[29] Daily and collective memory - Own drawing
-74-
SCHOOLS (COLLECTIVE SPACE) Schools have the ability to leave lasting memories. Also in Ypres we can locate different schools like the VTI, Sint-Vincentiuscollege etc. As multiple people use the same environment, collective memory is created. Schools are spaces were children and teenagers meet each other and create memories together. These memories sometimes last a lifetime and have great impact on the life of the different individuals who went to a shared space. Here the collective memory is dominant, because the character of each school and the events are quite specific. But more in general, also daily memory can be created as most people have had similar experiences in their life elsewhere.
-75-
[30] Daily and collective memory - Own drawing
-76-
YPRES BEACH (COLLECTIVE SPACE) Another collectively used space with mainly collective memory is the former open air swimming pool of Ypres. Although this place is mostly unknown to tourist, it is very popular among the locals. This place was accidentally found while taking walks trough Ypres and the mysteriousness of it attracted my attention. The swimming pool is now abandoned but it used to be one of the most popular hot-spots in Ypres. Most of the locals have buried their childhood memories there and have lots of interest in how their swimming pool will evolve. Here also, daily memory and collective memory can overlap. Although the space seems first mysterious, it has also an associative character and we can make links with other spaces even if we are not coming from the same context.
-77-
CASE STUDY: “YPRES BEACH”
-79-
ENVISIONED SITE The envisioned site is the area of the former open air swimming pool and its environment. For the intervention, 3 zones will be taken into account. The first one is the area of the former open air swimming pool of Ypres or ‘The Ypres Beach’, the second one is the green area located next to it, and lastly there will also be an extension towards the water, the ‘kasteelgracht’. The ‘Ypres Beach’ is located at the end of the ‘kasteelgracht’. The ‘Menen Poort’ is within walking distance and the location is ideal as a starting point for a project.
Originally the ‘Ypres Beach’ functioned as an
open air swimming pool for the people of Ypres. Later, because of the new regulations they had to close it. Currently the building is abandoned but also protected as heritage.
The pool is not only a physical memory of the
past but it’s also mentally engraved in the mind of the citizens of Ypres. Therefore multiple discussions were held about the future of the pool. There is still no specific outcome. At first the city wanted to destroy the building and let the water go trough. This idea was objected by the Heritage Organization who succeeded to protect the building. Today, the site is still abandoned and the people of Ypres are waiting for a solution.
-80-
[31] Axonometric view Ypres - Own drawing
-81-
HISTORICAL STUDY In the municipality of Ypres, ‘the vestiges’ have always had an important role together with the water that surrounded the city. In the first map from Braun & Hogenberg, we can see that the water goes all around the city. There is no construction made yet but the expansion on the ground is visible. The same goes for the plan of Sanderus around 1640. In 1689, the plan of Ypres ‘vestige’ is drastically changed by engineer Vauban. Also on the drawing of Frederik De Wit, the ‘vestige’ design of Vauban is visible. An interesting aspect is a wall that connects the main vestige of the inner city and the horn structure outside the city. From 1856 the ‘vestiges’ were dismantled, and parts of the vestige, the islands, glacis, and the horn structure were sold. The northern vestige canal is replaced by the ‘wieltjesgracht’. From 1853 to 1875, the ‘vestiges’ belonging to the military, were transformed to public park zone. The north and northwest canals were also reduced in size. The first open air swimming pool was made from 1885. The northern part of the ‘kasteelgracht’ was closed with a high bank. The swimming pool belonged to the military and it was surrounded by the walls of the ‘vestige’. In 1899 the swimming pool was renovated and transformed in a public one. Before 1914, the walls of the vestige were still visible and there is already a first version of the changing rooms for the public. After WOI, the swimming pool was reconstructed by architect Leclercq and re-opened in 1929. From 1937 to 1938 the pool was renovated again by architect Gabriël Gits, to become an Olympic swimming pool and by then the place had already become a hot-spot. -82-
[32] Map 1 Ypres - Braun & Hogenberg, 1581 - 1588
[35] Map 4 Ypres - Frederik De Wit, 2nd half 17th Century
[33] Map 2 Ypres - Sanderus, 1640
[36] Map 5 Ypres, 1856
[34] Map 3 Ypres - Vauban, 1689
[37] Map 5 Ypres, 1940
-83-
PHOTOGRAPHIC HISTORY
[38] The open air swimming pool was made to be used by the military - Ypres, 1885
-84-
[39] The walls of the ‘vestiges’ are still clearly visible - Ypres, 1885
-85-
[40] A first version of the changing rooms were made for the public - Ypres, Before 1914
-86-
[41] The open air swimming pool or ‘L’école de natation’ - Ypres, Before 1914
-87-
[42] Swimming pool designed by architect Leclercq - Ypres, After 1914
-88-
[43] Transformation to Olympic open air swimming pool - Ypres, 1937-1938
-89-
[44] In 2001 the swimming pool was closed because it couldn’t meet the rules of the ‘Vlarem’ and in 2009, the decision was made to classify the swimming pool as a protected site. From 2005 to 2016, the pool was privately owned and it functioned as a beach for the public, known as ‘Ypres Beach’. - Ypres, 2001-2016
-90-
[45] Currently, the site is abandoned and awaiting its new future. - Ypres, 2017
-91-
ARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTION
CONCEPTUAL FRAMING As discussed earlier, the municipality of Ypres is pushing important institutions out of the city like schools, the youth organization (scouts) etc. Therefore the city is loosing its young soul and there is a need for a space to allow interaction within the city. The idea is to work on 3 areas linked to the former open air swimming pool of Ypres or Ypres Beach: 1. Ypres Beach building & area 2. Green area next to the Ypres Beach 3. Extension area towards the Kasteelgracht The main goal is to create a new memory (psychological and physical) by putting more emphasis on the event than the architecture itself. The new layer will allow the participation of the main users of the place. Thus, they can fully grasp the context and engage themselves with this environment that has traces of the past but also portrays new elements for the future.
The newly designed elements and changes to
the existing context will be designed in a way that the young generation can help to construct the area together with experts. Another important aspect is that this new skin distinguishes itself from its past layer (masonry and concrete) trough its light materiality, mainly wood.
-94-
[46] Conceptual drawing - Own drawing
-95-
[47] Site plan - Own drawing
0
10
20
50
100
[48] Original plan - Own drawing
Demolished Parts
0
5
10
20
-98-
0
10
20
30
40m
[49] Conceptual section 1 - Own drawing
-99-
-100-
0
10
20
30
40m
[50] Conceptual section 2 - Own drawing
-101-
Youth center
Multi-functional tow View point Cultural (theatre,
T
Walk platform
Kayak storage Climbing wall
CafĂŠ/ Restaurant
Spectator seats
Sport shop
wer area open air cinema, seats, skate park)
Passage structure Playground View point Spectator seats
Toilets
Changing rooms (existing) Multi-functional structure
Showers
Skate park
[51] Axonometry - Own drawing
[52] Plan 1 - Own drawing
[53] Plan 2 - Own drawing
[45] Plan of envisioned area - Own drawing
-106-
0
1
2
3
4
5
10
[54] Section 1 - Own drawing
-107-
-108-
0
1
2
3
4
5
10
[55] Section 2 - Own drawing
-109-
-110-
[56] Section 3 - Own drawing
-111-
[57] Section 4 - Own drawing
0
1
2
3
4
5
10
[58] Image - Own drawing
MATERIAL STUDY: ORIGINAL SITE The original site exists mainly of two kind of material: masonry and concrete. The masonry is used for the facades of the building while inside, concrete is visible in the pool structure and the changing rooms. Therefore while visiting the site, the acoustics of the space were not optimal. This issue was also taken into account while designing the project and a acoustic study was also made for the detailing of the intervention. [59] Picture 1 site - Ypres Beach
The outside facade is built up by bricks and also protected as heritage.
[62] Picture 3 site - Ypres Beach
The iconic changing rooms are mainly constructed with concrete.
[60] Picture 2 site - Ypres Beach
[61] Section 1 re-scaled - own drawing
In this view, we can see the facade (masonry) and also the pool made from concrete.
[63] Picture 4 site - Ypres Beach
0
1
2
3
MATERIAL STUDY: INTERVENTION
[64] Section 3 re-scaled - own drawing
Roof Construction Finishing (Larix wood) (0.04m) Spacers Plywood (0.04m) Wooden rafters (doubling structure) (0.07m) Plywood (0.04m) Sylomer (Elastic element) Wooden Beams (0.3m) Insulation (0.2m) Sand (for acoustics) (0.1m) Finishing (plywood)
[65] Roof detail - own drawing
Wall Construction Vertical wood finishing (0.1x0.15m) Acoustic Panels (Helmholtz resonator) (0.12m) Wooden columns (0.3m) Insulation (sound absorption) (0.3m) Finishing (Plywood) (0.04m)
Acoustic detailing In order to deal with the acoustics of the environment, special attention was given to the choice of the material and the construction of it. The new intervention is made from wood (Larch wood/ LARIX) which can be found in Europe and doesn’t need to be imported. This wood type is quite sustainable and can also be used as outside finishing. At the same time it is a better material for sound compared to the existing material of the site (concrete and masonry). As for the acoustic part, the floors use a doubling structure, with the help of extra rafters and the use of Sylomer (Elastic element) that separates the above structure from the one underneath. In the underneath structure, sand is used to have a change of material in order to absorb the sound. The walls are constructed by the use of acoustic plywood with holes that allow sound to go trough while they are absorbed by the insulation behind it.
[66] Wall detail - own drawing
[67] Picture 1 model - scale 1:100
[68] Picture 2 model - scale 1:100
[69] Picture 3 model - scale 1:100
[70] Picture 4 model - scale 1:100
[71] Picture 5 model - scale 1:100
[72] Picture 6 model - scale 1:100
ARCHITECTURAL DICTIONARY
ARCHITECTURAL DICTIONARY 1. Re-construction
7. Cartes Parlantes
To rebuild something back to its original specifications
The Architectural Atlas consists of 10 Cartes Parlantes.
by repairing it or replacing parts of it.
This term is used to describe the set of 5 artistic maps and the 5 counter-maps. Cartes Parlantes have a strong narra-
2. Ghost client
tive power and they consist of subjective maps based on
The term ghost client refers to the hidden client that isn’t
own experience but also objective maps based on expert
visible at first sight, it is a reference to the local people of
knowledge. (provided by Gisèle Gantois)
Ypres. 8. Artistic maps 3. Metamorphosis/ motion
Artistic maps are maps that were created based on per-
Metamorphosis/motion is the process of change and
sonal experience. They may portray different senses, emo-
gradual transformation within the context of the city.
tions and visions. In these maps the subliminal self and the geographic environment is combined based on the
4. Jotbooks
jotbooks.(provided by Gisèle Gantois, reference to Debord,
Jotbooks are foldable A4’s that transform in a small book-
1958 )
let. On the front page sketches are made and on the back a mental map of the walk is drawn. (provided by Gisèle
9. Counter-maps
Gantois)
In the counter-maps the own experience and more of the voices of the people is integrated, while exploring and
5. Submerge
highlighting the relationship between elements of space
To descend and become one with the environment in or-
and between elements of time. These maps portray no
der to fully grasp the context.
longer emotions or senses, but they are based on expert knowledge. (provided by Gisèle Gantois)
6. Architectural Atlas Architectural Atlases are the cartographic output of an
10. Scenery
emerging cartographic mode, characterized by a double
Scenery is the theatrical representation of the city, the
architecturality, simultaneously reflected in the design of
decoration.
the atlases and in the agency of the atlases as design. (provided by Gisèle Gantois)
-128-
11. Re-visioning / Re-vision
17. Skeleton
Term used to replace the word re-construction. When a
The skeleton is the structure that exists, its condition
building or a city is re-constructed, it follows the vision of
serves as measure of time but is also measured by time it-
a certain person or more people. The re-construction fol-
self. The skeleton bears the traces of the actions that have
lows the rules and the interpretation of a certain vision.
taken place and will take place in the future. [Rossi, A., &
Therefore the term re-vision is more accurate here.
Eisenman, P. (1984). The architecture of the city. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. p 5]
12. Ieperling Name given to the locals of Ypres.
18. Locus The locus is a component of an individual artifact which,
13. Ghost client
like permanence, is determined not just by space but also
The Ghost client is a term to describe the locals of Ypres.
by time, by topography and form, and, most importantly,
In the beginning of the thesis this term was given by
by its having been the site of a succession of both ancient
Gisèle Gantois in order to find this ‘Ghost client’ and to
and more recent events. [Rossi, A., & Eisenman, P. (1984). The
involve more its voice.
architecture of the city. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. p 7]
14. Memory
19. Revitalize / vitality
Memory here is something that is selective and does not
To make the environment more lively and appealing.
only serve the past. It leaves also place for memories that yet have to be created in the future.
20. Skin Used to describe a new layer. Like an onion that has many
15. New memory
layers, the city can also be seen in this way. The city has
Is the memory that focuses on the future and allows new
many layers or skins from the past, present and can take
interpretations in order to give an added value to what is
on new ones for the future.
already existing. 21. Living body 16. Soul
A body or an environment has a mental space. This men-
The soul represents the vital force of the environment.
tal space gives life to its physical setting and is therefore called a living body.
-129-
22. Physical body The physical body is the embodiment of the mental space. It refers to the physical spatiality of a place. 23. Revalorization To detect the shortcomings of a place, search for its past and existing values and try to add new ones in order to revalorize it.
28. Daily memory Daily memories are experiences that we have throughout the day, they are momentary and could also be fleeting. We don’t really think about them, they just occur and most of them don’t have a profound effect on us. However, they do have a strong associative capability. 29. Unity The sense of belonging together because of shared feelings, experiences, visions or ideas.
24. Invisible wall A barrier that is not visible and needs to be broken in order to get in touch with the locals of Ypres. 25. Collective memory Collective memory is something that is shared between individuals, sometimes from the same context and other times from a different one. Mostly, this collective memory exists because of an event or some kind of experience. 26. Identity Identity exists in a society where people share ideas and experiences and therefore share some kind of affinity. This affinity helps them to create a identity, which makes them who they are. 27. Selective To pick what is interesting or more suitable by blocking out the things that are unnecessary.
-130-
-131-
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BIBLIOGRAPHY (APA) BOOKS Adjmi, M., Bertolotto, G., Ratcliff, C., & Lew, S. (1993).
Unrau, J. (1978). Looking at architecture with Ruskin.
Aldo Rossi: drawings and paintings. New York: Princeton
Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Architectural Press. Bachelard, G., Jolas, M., Danielewski, M. Z., & Kearney, R. (1969). The poetics of space. Boston, Massachusetts: Beacon Press. Boyer, M. C. (2006). The city of collective memory its historical imagery and architectural entertainments. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Caruso, A. (2009). The feeling of things. Barcelona: Poligrafa. Rossi, A., & Eisenman, P. (1984). The architecture of the city. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Rossi, A., Huet, B., & Lombardo, P. (1984). Tre città: Perugia, Milano, Mantova. Milano: Electa. Rossi, A. (1981). Aldo Rossi: a scientific autobiography. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press. Schaik, L. V. (2008). Spatial intelligence: new futures for architecture. Chichester, England: John Wiley & Sons. Solnit, R. (2014). Wanderlust: a history of walking. London: Granta.
-134-
ARTICLES/ BLOG A., Hoteit. (2015). War against architecture, identity and
Naumov, N. (2014). Heritage Tourism in Urban Areas:
collective memory. International Journal of Development
Contemporary Complexities and Challenges. Illumin-
Research, 5(2), 3415- 3420. Retrieved from https://www.
are: A Student Journal in Recreation, Parks, and Leisure
researchgate.net/publication/275333454_War_against_
Studies, 12(1), 67-75. Retrieved from https://www.re-
architecture_identity_and_collective_memory.
searchgate.net/publication/267625206_Heritage_Tourism_in_Urban_Areas_-_Contemporary_Complexities_
Alois Riegl and the Modern Cult of the Monument [Web
and_Challenges.
log post]. (2011, January 9). Retrieved from http://www. eraarch.ca/2011/alois-riegl-and-the-modern-cult-of-the-
Setti , G. (2012). Beyond public spaces: shared spaces in
monument/
the contemporary city. EURAU12, 1-12. Retrieved from http://eurau12.arq.up.pt/sites/default/files/366.pdf
Kalčić, H. (2014). Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc and monument protection: A case study. Urbani izziv, 25(2),
Waterton, E., & Smith, L. (2010). The recognition
130-142. doi:10.5379/urbani-izziv-en-2014-25-02-005
and misrecognition of community heritage. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 16(1-2), 4-15.
Macdonald, S. (2011). Contemporary Architecture In
doi:10.1080/13527250903441671
Historic Urban Environments. The Getty Conservation Institute, 1-6. Retrieved from http://www.getty.edu/conservation/publications_resources/newsletters/26_2/contemporary.html Mikhailovskii, E. V. (2011). The Methods of Restoration of Architectural Monuments Contemporary Theoretical Conceptions (1977). Future Anterior, 8(1), 84-95. doi:10.1353/fta.2011.0008
-135-
MAPS
POWERPOINT PRESENTATION
De Wit, F. (n.d.). Map of Ypres [Gravure Ypres 2nd half
Stubbe, L., Debuf, S., & Cardoen, R. (n.d.). Van open-
17th Century]. Retrieved April 22, 2017, from Wit, F.
lucht zwembad naar blauwgroene trefplaats (pp. 1-39,
D. (n.d.). Map of Ypres [Ypres 2nd half 17th Century].
Visie en conceptvorming voor de omvorming van het
Retrieved April 26, 2017, from https://www.vialibri.net/
gewezen olympisch zwembad van de stad Ieper ). Ypres.
item_pg_i/1027098-1729-ieper-ypern-ypres-gesamtansicht-aus-der-vogelschau-nova-tabula-iperae.htm
THESIS
Google Earth – Google Earth. (n.d.). Retrieved January
De Miranda Duarte Silva, M. B. (2015). Contemporary
26, 2017, from https://earth.google.com/
interventions in public spaces and buildings: Patrimonial, social and urban effects (Unpublished master’s the-
Hypra Flandriarum Civitas Munitissima [Map of Ypres
sis). Técnico Lisboa.
1581 - 1588]. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2017, from https://www.sanderusmaps.com/detail.cfm?c=7394
WEBSITES
Map of Ypres [Map of Ypres in 1940]. (n.d.). Retrieved
Ypres. (2017, April 21). Retrieved March 10, 2017, from
April 23, 2017, from http://www.vuurwacht.be/exclusief/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ypres
Sanderus. (n.d.). Map of Ypres [Map of Ypres 1640]. Re-
(n.d.). Retrieved November 16, 2016, from https://www.
trieved April 26, 2017, from https://www.sanderusmaps.
ieper.be/
com/en/our-catalogue/detail/163090/%20antique-mapDe Inventaris van het Onroerend Erfgoed. (n.d.). Re-
of-ieper-by-blaeu-w/
trieved December 15, 2016, from https://inventaris.onVauban. (n.d.). Vauban en de Ieperse vestingen [Map of
roerenderfgoed.be/
Ypres 1689]. Retrieved April 5, 2017, from https://issuu. com/stadieper/docs/catalogus_vauban
-136-
IMAGES
NOTES
Aerial photo [Ypres after bombardment]. (n.d.). Re-
1 Ypres. (2017, April 21). Retrieved March 10, 2017,
trieved April 3, 2017, from http://4.bp.blogspot.
from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ypres
com/-hkJ5xbonA_g/VJnUHMYqQgI/AAAAAAAAAao/ oUuQ_1IxxWY/s1600/11.5%2Bieper1919.jpg 2 Alois Riegl and the Modern Cult of the Monument Anthony. (n.d.). Market day in the Grote Markt [Ypres,
[Web log post]. (2011, January 9). Retrieved from http://
before World War I]. Retrieved April 4, 2017, from
www.eraarch.ca/2011/alois-riegl-and-the-modern-cult-
http://www.ww1westernfront.gov.au/ieper/a-walk-
of-the-monument/
around-ieper/cloth-hall-lakenhalle.php#!lightbox-uid-5 3 Rossi, A., & Eisenman, P. (1984). The architecture of Vleeshuis [First tourists visiting Ypres just after the war]. (n.d.). Retrieved April 26, 2017, from http://www.foru-
the city. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. pp 3-11
meerstewereldoorlog.nl/viewtopic.php?t=2289
4 Waterton, E., & Smith, L. (2010). The recognition
Ypres after the bombardment [Ypres in 1918]. (2017,
national Journal of Heritage Studies, 16(1-2), 4-15.
and misrecognition of community heritage. Inter-
March 2). Retrieved from http://www.ypres.es/
doi:10.1080/13527250903441671
Ypres scenery [Digital image]. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17,
5 Proust, M. (2001). In Search of Lost Time (Swann’s
2017, from http://www.toerismeieper.be/images/photolib/1302.jpg
Way ed., Vol. 1). London: The Folio Society. p 42 6 Schaik, L. V. (2008). Spatial intelligence: new futures for architecture. Chichester, England: John Wiley & Sons. p 39 7 Schaik, L. V. (2008). Spatial intelligence: new futures for architecture. Chichester, England: John Wiley & Sons. p 40
-137-
FIGURE INDEX
IMAGES [1] Map of Ypres - own drawing
[22] Sketch by Aldo Rossi
[2] Aerial photo of Ypres - Google Earth
Adjmi, M., Bertolotto, G., Ratcliff, C., & Lew, S. - Aldo
[3] Hypra Flandriarum Civitas Munitissima - Braun &
Rossi: drawings and paintings , Princeton Architectural
Hogenberg, 1581 - 1588
Press. (New York), 1993
[4] Aerial photo after bombardment - Ypres
[23] Sketch by Aldo Rossi
[5] Jotbooks - own drawings
Adjmi, M., Bertolotto, G., Ratcliff, C., & Lew, S. - Aldo
[6] Jotbooks - own drawings [7] Artistic map 1 - own drawings
Rossi: drawings and paintings , Princeton Architectural Press. (New York), 1993
[8] Counter-map 1 - own drawings
[24] Model built spaces - scale 1:4000
[9] Artistic map 2 - own collage
[25] Model non-built spaces - scale 1:4000
[10] Counter-map 2 - own drawing
[26] Daily and collective memory - Own drawing
[11] Artistic map 3 - own drawing / re-drawing
[27] Daily and collective memory - Own drawing
[12] Counter-maps - own drawing
[28] Daily and collective memory - Own drawing
[13] Artistic map 4 - own drawing
[29] Daily and collective memory - Own drawing
[14] Counter-map 4 - own drawing
[30] Daily and collective memory - Own drawing
[15] First tourist visiting Ypres after The War - Vleeshuis
[31] Axonometric view Ypres - Own drawing
Ypres
[32] Map 1 Ypres - Braun & Hogenberg,
[16] Artistic map 5 - own drawing
1581 - 1588
[17] Counter-map 5 - own drawing
[33] Map 2 Ypres - Sanderus, 1640
[18] Humanism and representation of a place of trans-
[34] Map 3 Ypres - Vauban, 1689
formation: Horizontal section of Mausoleum of Hadrian
[35] Map 4 Ypres - Frederik De Wit,
and drawing of a labyrinth by Dom Nicolas de Rély Aldo Rossi - A Scientific Autobiography , Mass: MIT
2nd half 17th Century
Press. (Cambridge), 1981
[37] Map 5 Ypres, 1940
[19] Market day in the ‘Grote Markt’ - Ypres, before
[38] The open air swimming pool was made to be used
World War I
by the military - Ypres, 1885
[20] Ypres after the bombardment - Ypres, 1918
[39] The walls of the ‘vestiges’ are still clearly visible -
[21] Ypres scenery - Ypres
Ypres, 1885
[36] Map 5 Ypres, 1856
-138-
[40] A first version of the changing rooms were made
[59] Picture 1 site - Ypres Beach
for the public - Ypres, Before 1914
[60] Picture 2 site - Ypres Beach
[41] The open air swimming pool or ‘L’école de nata-
[61] Section 1 re-scaled - own drawing
tion’ - Ypres, Before 1914
[62] Picture 3 site - Ypres Beach
[42] Swimming pool designed by architect Leclercq -
[63] Picture 4 site - Ypres Beach
Ypres, After 1914
[64] Section 3 re-scaled - own drawing
[43] Transformation to Olympic open air swimming
[65] Roof detail - own drawing
pool - Ypres, 1937-1938
[66] Wall detail - own drawing
[44] In 2001 the swimming pool was closed because
[67] Picture 1 model - scale 1:100
it couldn’t meet the rules of the ‘Vlarem’ and in 2009,
[68] Picture 2 model - scale 1:100
the decision was made to classify the swimming pool as
[69] Picture 3 model - scale 1:100
a protected site. From 2005 to 2016, the pool was pri-
[70] Picture 4 model - scale 1:100
vately owned and it functioned as a beach for the public,
[71] Picture 5 model - scale 1:100
known as ‘Ypres Beach’. - Ypres, 2001-2016
[72] Picture 6 model - scale 1:100
[45] Currently, the site is abandoned and awaiting its new future. - Ypres, 2017 [46] Conceptual drawing - Own drawing [47] Site plan - Own drawing [48] Original plan - Own drawing [49] Conceptual section 1 - Own drawing [50] Conceptual section 2 - Own drawing [51] Axonometry - Own drawing [52] Plan 1 - Own drawing [53] Plan 2 - Own drawing [54] Section 1 - Own drawing [55] Section 2 - Own drawing [56] Section 3 - Own drawing [57] Section 4 - Own drawing [58] Image - Own drawing
-139-