WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE QUEENS OF POMO? KTH School of Architecture, Advanced Level, Spring 2014
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE QUEENS OF POMO? – INVESTIGATIONS INTO POSTMODERN SÖDRA
(RE)ORIENTATIONS WEEK ONE
Our focus in the Spring Orientations course will be on the Södra Sta-
of Södra’s PoMo Queens to find out as we explore the ‘PoMo’ (Post-
tion area, Södermalm, Stockholm. This neighborhood constitutes a
modern) neighbourhood around Södra Station, Södermalm! We will
fascinating testimony to the brief episode of ‘PoMo gone wild’ in an
partake in participatory mappings and masquerade workshops, we
otherwise architecturally moderate Sweden. We propose to dig deep
will gossip about both hidden and extrovert site performances, we
into the shallow depths of Postmodern Sweden!
will collaboratively invent feminist design power tools. In support
What can we learn from PoMo Södra? Follow in the campy footsteps
Critical Studies Design Studio introduces and advances critical posi-
of our explorations, we will touch base with current research on the
tioning by drawing on feminist theories and practices in art, architec-
contemporary history of postmodern architecture in the Swedish con-
ture, and design. Feminist and critical theories also draw upon many
text, and undertake a series of group activities that will culminate in
other socially, politically and ethically motivated areas of theory, such
some pre-emptive design tests proposing alterations that drag and
as Queer theory and practices, post-colonialism, post-structuralist,
brag! All the tasks undertaken here will be documented in a ‘fanzine’
gender & race, biopolitical theory, affect theory, and their important
as a PoMo (Re)Orientations Instruction Manual.
implications for how we alter architectural practices. We aim to in-
Led by Hélène Frichot, Sara Vall, with Helen Runting, Katja Grillner, et al
spire students of architecture to become socially engaged, politically aware individuals with a passionate interest in architectural design
(RE)ORIENTATIONS WEEK TWO
and a desire to work critically and creatively within their own edu-
Postmodernism also owns a dark side, which belongs to the seem-
cational environments. We will encourage you to take risks, be en-
ingly unstoppable progress of neoliberal Capitalism, which leaves in
thusiastic about making concrete proposals, and remain open to
its wake the ghosts of gentrification. In this second week we will at-
discovering things in inventive, critical and creative ways. Within the
tend two valuable research events that will enable us to rethink the
Orientations course we ask you to be BOTH a team player and capable
social in architecture today, and how to make the best of feminist,
of taking initiative on your own. We offer an experienced and com-
alternative ecologies of creative-critical practice. The ‘dragging’ and
petent group of teachers composed of architects and researchers to
‘bragging’ design tests and gossipy maps from week one will allow us
guide and inspire you to find your own critical position in relation to
to dive straight into a consideration of PoMo thresholds in the Södra
previous personal interests and studio experiments. We welcome you
neighbourhood, reconsidered at the up-close-and-personal scale of
to a (re)orientation of approaches to architectural thinking-doing via
1:10! Inspired by the postmodern exuberance of the 1980 Venice Bi-
an informed critical experimentation!
ennale, we will together construct a PoMo street frontage in collaboration with SVENSK STANDARD. Welcome to a (re)orientation toward architectural transgressions and transformations! Led by Sara Vall, Helen Runting, SVENSK STANDARD, with Hélène Frichot, Katja Grillner, et al
THE COVER
PARTICIPANTS The (re) orientations course Whatever
HÉLÈNE FRICHOT
The pattern on the cover of this publication is
happened to the queens of PoMo?
is an Associate Professor and Docent in Critical
abstracted from the way the exhibition screens at
was carried out during two weeks in
Studies in Architecture at the KTH School of Archi-
January 2014. It was a joint effort by 100-plus Advanced Level students
KTH-A can be stacked together. In the workshop
tecture. Her research examines the transdiscipli-
ending the ‘Queens of PoMo’ course, they were
nary field between architecture and philosophy.
used to re-enact the interior street of the 1980
at the KTH School of Architecture in
KATJA GRILLNER
Venice Biennale. The screens, along with the
Stockholm, from all of the school’s ten
is Professor of Critical Studies in Architecture at
building and the rest of its interiors, was designed
design studios.
the KTH-A. Grillner’s research on architecture and
by a team of architects led by Gunnar Henriksson
landscape combines theoretical, historical and
PUBLICATION
and John Olsson and inaugurated in 1970.
literary strategies for spatial exploration. HELEN RUNTING
THE SCHOOL
is an urban planner and designer, and a PhD
The KTH School of Architecture was founded
this publication has been put together
Candidate within Critical Studies at the KTH-A.
in Stockholm in 1877 and offers architectural
and printed as a ‘zine of zines’. Com-
Her research addresses practices of criticism and
education at all levels, from a prepatory course
piled during a flash edit by Hélène
the relation between art, architecture,
In celebration of the fast-paced fanzine output of the students of the course,
Frichot, Sara Vall and Björn Ehrlemark,
in Architecture and Urban Planning in Tensta in
marketing, and urban planning.
northwestern Stockholm, to doctoral studies with-
the printed originals by the students
SARA VALL
in the Swedish Research School in Architecture.
were selected, commented, scanned
is a University Lecturer at the KTH School of
There are currently around 550 students enrolled
and re-assembled, all within a matter
Architecture and a practising architect.
in the professional programmes at Basic and
of hours.
Advanced level. The school has a staff of around SVENSK STANDARD
120 teachers, professors and researchers, and 15
is a group of friends who, outside of office hours,
administrative and technical employees. It has
meet in order to build, research, draw, write and make architecture – it is a doing of architecture by
a well-equipped workshop, a digital fabrication
people who like to do.
lab and an architecture library with an extensive collection of books and journals.
BJÖRN EHRLEMARK
After the summer of 2015 the school is moving
directs the KTH School of Architecture’s
to a new building, designed by KTH alumni Tham
programme of public events, exhibitions and publications. He is an architect and journalist, and
www.arch.kth.se
co-founder of Neighbours of Architecture.
Printed at KTH School of Architecture, Stockholm
& Videgård Arkitekter, currently under construction on the main KTH Campus.