disintegrated integration
T H E M A G I C O F ( D I S ) I N T E G R AT I O N It is defined as the mechanism driven by empathy, that breaks down the barriers formed due to segregation.
Be it physical or social.
These
barriers are overcome through humanitarian acts.
Therefore we can say that they are
achieved by possessing the ability to understand, relate and accept others for who they are. The magic of (dis)ntegration comes in through moments
of
empathy
that
occur
between
stramgers. Underneath the skin of the urban sprawl there are these “gaps�, these encounters which connect people.
It is an invisible
network that forms. They are brief yet impactful.
...The gaps I mean, No one has seen them made or heard them made, But at spring mending-time we find them there... ...‘Good fences make good neighbors.’ ...Before I built a wall I'd ask to know What I was walling in or walling out, And to whom I was like to give offense... ‘Good fences make good neighbors.’..,. - Mending Wall, Robert Frost
within the overlaps there are gaps
M A N I F E S TAT I O N c a s e s t u d i e s 1. THE FOLD The magic of disintegrated integration manifests itself in the case study “The
Fold”, pakistan’s
pavillion for the 2018 bienalle. It is a bottom up approach to this magic, as in order for the pavillion to function it required interaction among the parties involved. the need for synchronization engages visitors both physically and intellectually.
2. NOMANSLANDING The magic of disintegrated integration manifests itself in the case study “nomanslanding�,Australian pavillion. It is a top down approach to this magic, as the pavillion separates and shares space as the two parts join to form a dome.
In this case, the
interaction among the parties involved is forced.
an attempt to bridge the divide separating us from strangers & to facilitate a meeting on common ground.
M A N I F E S TAT I O N w i t h i n M a r s a Upon visiting Marsa, the magic of (dis)integration was captured in these photos 1.
The first series of photos shows a local foreigner helping the maltese local to sit, as he was struggling with his crutches. After that they proceeded to chat for a while and the Maltese man offered the foreigner a seat next to him to continue the conversation.
The second series of photos depicts another scene from my visit. On that particualr day, there was a football match for Maltese children. As expected, outside the pitch there were their families cheering on the child.
However, it was not just the families
cheering them on. In the far corner on bench were two refugees getting excited for the children and cheering them on from a distance as to not disturb anyone or make them uncomfortable. Unfortunately as soon as the children started leaving the pitch they were quick to leave.
2.
A o
N v
A L Y S I e r v i e
S w
These moments are able to happen as Marsa as whole is complacent. They have this mind set of “if I don’t look then it is not there”.
These
moment arise as this complacency no longer exists and its as if a wall that what once separating them disappears and gap is formed which when experienced feels like a breath of fresh air, and theses gaps are what I’m calling (dis)integration.
You see me and i see you instead of seeing differences.
initial thought process
pasteup: depicting complacency within marsa
pasteup: depicting the magic of (dis)integration
S E G R E G A T I O N m a p p i n g Upon visiting Marsa, a study was done to determine what communities are present there. It was concluded that there are a multitude of communities as the majority are split into micro communities too. For this assignent I chose to tackle the three communities present in my case studies, i.e. the local Maltese, the local foreigners and the refugees. A study of how each communities segregates themselves was carried out , marking areas of low and high density.
A m
C T I V I a p p i
T n
Y g
The activities of each of the three communities was studied and a mapped out according to location. From there, the overlap in communities was noted accordance to the activity. A radius was drawn in which all the communities co exist within different areas of Marsa.
Low quality
spaces with high potential were then located and mapped. These are to be the suitable locations for the modular interventions to be placed, with the intention of creating high quality spaces. Key:
I D E N T I F Y I N G t h e i r n e e d s For this project, identifying the needs of the individual communities was of utmost importance, as it determined the reason and purpose for the intervention. Upon speaking to many individuals from each community, it was noted that they have many indivual needs but they also have many overlapping needs. This is key as this is where the gaps of (dis)integration can be created.
M E T H O D O L O G Y for conceptual design The aim is to create spaces that satisfy the needs of the three different communities.
Three key
elements were determined to be of importance for to include in each design -elevation - triangulation - illumin
location for conceptual study
ELEVATE
TRIANGULATE
ILLUMINATE
The idea is to cater for the present needs of the stakeholders within Marsa.
The intervention is
to have 3 physically seperate space which are visually connected. This is achieved through the play on levels and louvre systems. Each spaces wil have its own entrance which is ramped, in order to be accessible to all.
physical connectivity visual connectivity
In the overlap, there are stairs which serves for two uses. At the begining they will act as a seating area but as the community changes and grows, the louvres will be removed and they will serve as a link between each community space.
roofing system, doesn’t close off the entire roof span of the spaces, materiality may vary between canvas, wood and louvres.
hollow pipes, these allow for electrical wires to pass through the project, as lighting is of high importance within this design.
wooden louvres allows for physical seperation and visual connection
platforms
structural pillars, these may go into soil or in the ground
base for platfrorms
Returning to the magic of (dis)integration, this model allows for an increase in diversity, hence an increase in ability to understand, relate and feel for one another. The circular spaces allow for this to occur physicaly or visually,both with the external and internal environments
Each space will cater for the needs of a singular community. The magic of (dis)intergation can happen visually as the second case study or physically like the first as their needs may overlap encouraging different communities to use the different spaces.
The seperate spaces seperate them together, i.e. disintegrated integration.
It does not force the communities to join and become one, however it allows them to be one within their community whilst being able to experience other ethnic qualities simultaneously. It allows for people to achknowledge that diversity is good and that they can be themselves in their culture without infringing on eachother.
The aim is to create spaces that the gaps of (dis)integration, this breathes of fresh air, are given the opportunity to occur organically in order to create these moments of empathy and shared connections.
O P E R A T I O N S a n d m a t e r i a l i t y As part of the strategy is to have many of these modules scattered around Marsa (in the respectibe loactions previously studies and mapped), each may differ slightly to suit its location. However the context to materiality and structure will follow the same scheme to include the 3 elements mentioned previously; elevation, triangulation and illumination. Presently, the Maltese local community needs a high quality place to gather, the foreign local community needs a place for recreation and the refugee community needs a place they can stay to sleep, relax and forget about their worries.
MALTESE locals
FOREIGN locals
MATERIALS REFUGEES
The materiality choice is intended to contrast the rest of Marsa. As Marsa is heavily industiral, this project aims to deflect that. Instead this intervention makes use of natural materials such as wood, rope, canvas, nature, cloth textiles etc.. Structurally, steel may have to be used. All materials will be upcycled from Marsa.
PASTEUP 1 A conceptual illustration of what I envision this project to look like during the day. The activities may vary but the space remains the same.
PASTEUP 2 A conceptual illustration of what I envision this project to look like at night. Good lighting is neccessary.
O B J E C T I V E & possible outcomes In the least, this project aims to showcase the lives of other, to give everyone the ability to be seen, whilst simultaneously giving the people, that make up Marsa, what they need. The aim is to introduce multiple of these interventions in different locations around Marsa. The project intends to attract many people from different communities, based on their current needs.
It aims to allow for an increase in the
demographic, instead of having high levels of one demographic in one area, they will be more evenly spread out around the city. Throughout the investigation and design process, it became increasingly evident that perception and experience is key.
The monument of the
present amplifies the current situation of the different communities, that can be addressed through interacting social activities.
possible locations for the interventions to be built
The project inspires the philosophical thinking of architecture that beyond the physical settings and redirects our gazes back to ourselves and the society.
Theses social encouters help form the identity of the city.
‘Yet architecture is inhabited: sequences of events, use, activities, incidents are always superimposed on those fixed spatial sequences. These are the programmatic sequences that suggest secret maps and impossible fictions, rambling collections of events all strung along a collection of spaces, frame after frame room after room, episode after episode.’ -Tschumi (2012), P.61
Judith Hunter