Mark Specker Thesis by Mark Specker

BEAUTIFICATION

THROUGH

DESTRUCTION

Beautification through Destruction A thesis submitted to the Graduate School of the

University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Master of Architecture In the

School of Architecture and Interior Design of the

College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning by

Mark Specker Bachelor of Science in Architecture University of Cincinnati, 2015

March 2018 Committee Chair

Hank Hildebrandt, MArch Committee Member

Michael McInturf, MArch

Mitchell, Chris. Graffiti Lane. 2010. Rutledge Lane, Melbourne. www.flickr.com

ABSTRACT Public space is not truly public if we cannot affect and mold it freely. This is illustrated in the hypocrisy of public art, its benefactors, commissions, and careful curation before execution. Graffiti, however, is made for the people, by the people as an unsanctioned outlet for expression. Its removal implies that our public walls are neither truly public nor inclusive to all forms of artwork, rendering these graffiti artists marginalized because they do not fit within our social norms of traditional or accepted art. Graffiti challenges a consumer culture obsessed with logos and the proliferation of brand name advertising within the city. Influenced by commercial imagery, graffiti highlights the hypocrisy within our urban culture and the democracy of our public spaces. The wall without a security camera and the unlocked roof escape become attractive features for the graffiti artist, often leaving the abandoned environment as a popular target. Using the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s context without the constraints and pressures of painting in the streets the artist begins to beautify the decay often found within the urban and industrial wastelands. This found environment thus becomes a series of surfaces for the artist to reinvent and create a personalized architecture, not as an object but as a response to space, time, and contemporary society. While abandoned factories continue to decay and remain a part of the urban blight, they are forced open by the artists and explorers of the city. They allow for unique architectural opportunities to supplement urban interventions. Through the adaptive reuse of abandoned architecture this thesis redefines the graffiti artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s canvas. The purpose of this new typology is to elevate the artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s craft and experiment with new techniques, improving the standards within the graffiti community and allowing their work to reinvigorate the urban canvas.

III

Kathryn, without your support and source of inspiration I don’t know if I would be writing this today. Mom and Dad, thanks for continually pushing me to expect more from myself. Sugar and Papa, thank you for providing the value of education. I’ve been given an opportunity many people dream of. Cindy and Ken, your toolshop and pickup truck became more valuable than I’d ever realize, thank you. Sarah, John, and Marie, the sibling rivalry is strong. Thanks for making me want to set an example. To my fellow classmates, new and old, you’ve done more for me than you’ll know. Thanks Mike and Alex. Hank, thank you for being equally open minded and adversarial. Your direction was critical. Hank’s Angels signing out.

VII

VIII

TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT

III

URBAN CANVAS ANARCHISTS Writers Methodology

2 8

ABANDONED WASTELAND Urban Exploration Abandoned Paintings

16 22

URBAN CANVAS INTERACTIONS Metropolitan Misuse Urban Mural Projects

32 36

THESIS DESIGN Program Requirements Crosley Factory Design Execution

42 46 52

CONCLUSION

LISZKA, VIOLETTA. PORTRAITS OF OTHER ARTISTS. 2012. BRIGHTON. WWW.CELESTEPRIZE.COM

URBAN CANVAS ANARCHISTS

WRITERS

Every new departure of an existing art style is some kind of evolution of the past. It is something that refines and redefines what has preceded it. It combines predecessors and rebels against its ancestry. Graffiti art is one of the rare occasions that breaks this trend. Graffiti is more significantly connected to our consumerist culture. The product may be artful in its visual representation, but it is more of a reaction to our contemporary culture. The graffiti artist, often referred as a writer within the graffiti community, deconstructs the culture of consumerism and repackages it into a signature artwork. It is more closely related to commercial imagery than traditional graphic art. Our cityscapes are saturated with names, logos, and numerous forms of signage that drive our consumer culture. Advertisements speak to each other and ourselves with names always competing for notoriety.1 Painting illegally into the regimented framework of the city conveys a variety of ideas. It implies an attempt to assimilate with the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s visual culture, theoretically inclusive but practically exclusive. It disturbs the corporate standard of branding with unsanctioned, anonymous art within the urban fabric. It challenges the ideals of public space by reclaiming unwanted surfaces and often exposing the urban underbelly.2 Due to their unsanctioned actions, graffiti artists question the established artistic institutions and commissioned public arts. They fundamentally challenge the ethos of ownership and provide an alternative perspective on the city. Graffiti illuminates the city with signs of life through an alternative aesthetic and unfamiliar artistic narrative.3 Not only do the colorful walls reinvent the surface, but it signals that an alternative culture is actively present and challenging the normals of artistic expression. Anna WacĹ&#x201A;awek, Graffiti and Street Art, (London, Thames & Hudson, 2011), 48. WacĹ&#x201A;awek, 43. 3 Ibid, 9. 1 2

Sever. Functioning Bomb Shelter. 2011. Tel Aviv. toprotectandsever.com

Sever. Untitled. 2010. toprotectandsever.com

Sever. Untitled. 2011. toprotectandsever.com

Sever exploits popular cartoons, logos, and propagandistic imagery to illustrate their irony within our consumerist culture.

The traditional form of graffiti art centers on the writer’s name, the creator of the work. No matter how ornate, each graffiti piece depicts the artist’s pseudonym. This identity is in place to reinforce anonymity. Other writers may not even know the real names of their peers even within the graffiti community. This introduces a unique dichotomy between authorship and anonymity; the name becomes infamous while the artist remains invisible. Infamy, along with status and respect, is the writer’s objective. Status is achieved through the articulated style of a common visual language within the community and creates an alternative culture of ‘signs.’ This status is not only predicated on the level of participation but the formal quality that is displayed. To be coined as a ‘king’ one must portray their skill in conjunction with a high frequency of graffiti painting. Writers who are new to this subculture, or are significantly less skilled, are designated as ‘toys.’ This term was generated as an acronym for “tag over your shit,” summarizing the common attitude given toward less experienced writers. While this is often seen as derogatory, every renowned writer was perceived as a toy at some point in their career. During the pre-internet era, less experienced artists often apprenticed under more veteran writers and would help them complete their more complex murals. This experience helped toys learn which paint brands were the best, how to produce special effects, and learn better can control. These groups of writers evolved into what is now commonly referred to as a graffiti crew. These crews turn the activity of graffiti writing into a communal practice. They share ideas, foster

innovation, and assist each other on site. Often graffiti crews are mistaken for gangs. While the similarities may be striking, crews are more closely related to friend groups. It is not uncommon for a writer to be affiliated with multiple crews simultaneously. Respect is often earned through the actions taken by the writer. This is predominantly achieved through the quantity of work projected onto the urban canvas, often referred to as ‘getting up’ within the graffiti community. Additionally, the more dangerous, inaccessible, or outrageous locations for a writer to paint determines the amount of respect earned. The path to success is paved with hard work and consistency and is neither spontaneous nor arbitrary. This process is often slow, as the writer needs to continually prove themselves with original content that is worthy of recognition. Shortcuts neither guarantee nor sustain recognition and can often categorize a writer as a toy. Despite graffiti’s lawless appearance, many artists abide by a set of unwritten rules and moral codes. Willfully choosing to disobey these rules can force an artist to lose respect within the community. For example, going over another writer’s work can be seen as disrespectful and aggressive, particularly if the artists have similar skill sets. If a toy does this, it is seen as a cheap approach for attention and solidifies their social rank. Kings, however, have free reign to urban canvas and are eventually contested by toys looking for shortcuts to success. Graffiti and street art are often viewed as identical to the general populace. However, differences between these two artistic factions are so vast that there is little interaction between them.

Swoon. Annabellaema. 2003. Cuba. swoonstudio.org.

Sometimes referred to as post-graffiti, street art is the formal separation from traditional graffiti practices while maintaining a similar process, execution, and modus operandi. The term postgraffiti does not imply that traditional graffiti has been left behind, but rather operates with actions commonly associated with street art. It takes the graffiti tradition and injects public art into the urban canvas. Typically street artists associate themselves as artists with guerilla tactics rather than subjecting themselves to the hierarchical and pictorial codes of graffiti writing. It is characterized by a wide variety of stylistic, technical, and material innovations. There is less emphasis on letter forms with markers and spray paint but more focus on artistic interventions and their cultural response to the context. Traditional graffiti is typically produced by young men; street art, however, is typically created and promoted by more middle aged men and women. While these communities operate very similarly, street artists aim to create a social dialogue or statement. This tends to push street artists to work autonomously often preventing competition with other post-graffiti in the same context. Unlike the communal teamwork of graffiti crews, the solo work of a street artist often pushes their work into smaller, more digestible moments. Their expressions are just as visible as traditional graffiti within the context of the city without being as visually cryptic.4 These factors keep street art from being as prolific as traditional graffiti, however, their work is often more readily understood and accepted within the general populace, and funded by outside sources.

Ibid, 29-30.

METHODOLOGY

Painting on the street is a fundamentally different process from painting in the studio. The urban canvas and uncontrolled landscape directly affects the art created within that domain and the artist’s experience with their piece. Controlled environments allow for a calm and calculated approach and finely tuned to the artist’s desires. Once on the street these comforts and moments of introspection are forcibly removed. The artwork that is created is then directly linked and integral to the site due to the constraints imposed on the artist. Often these constraints define what a graffiti artist is capable of and their arsenal of tools to use. The most basic and fundamental form of graffiti is exemplified in the “tag.” The essence of the tag is a monochromatic signature that is quickly performed with either a marker or spray can. Tags are often stylistically flourished and take inspiration from calligraphic letterforms. The tag is the necessary logo of one’s work, every writer has their unique tag. This critical component to the writer’s identity is carefully deliberated, not only for how the letters appear when drawn next to each other, but how the pseudonym sounds when spoken. This often creates tag names that may seem nonsensical or misspelled. In this instance the writer is focused on a sequence of letters that maintain a rhythm or visual flow. Additionally, the writer takes their letter count into consideration. Any tag name longer than six letters is often too long for a writer to complete in short time. Conversely, tag names shorter than four letters limit the artist’s creativity with letter combinations. Switching between tags and removing letters from a tag is also a common method for legal

Throw-ups (top left), tags (top right), blockbusters (middle), and pieces (bottom) are essential skillsets within a writerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wheelhouse.

protection, personal variety, and stylistic challenge. However, as graffiti gained traction writers would soon need to find new ways to stand out among a sea of tags. In an attempt to cover the tags filling the city writers soon adopted a technique of outlining their tag name and filling the void with a separate color. This method not only covers more surface area, but remains legible after writing over other tags. This process gave rise to the ‘throwie’ or ‘throw-up.’ Derived from being thrown onto the wall, throwies are outlined tags often filled with a contrasting color. Traditionally the throw-up style consists of rounded and bubbled letters from the quick and fluid motion it produces. However, if the artist chooses to differentiate their throwie into more legible and simple letterforms, the resulting style is referred to as ‘straight letters’ or ‘blockbusters.’ The purpose for throwies is high coverage as quickly as possible. They are not often evaluated on quality or style, but rather, quantity and exposure. The general public typically identifies tags and throw-ups as part of the urban blight that wastes taxpayer dollars. Ironically, graffiti will also be referenced as a beautiful urban aesthetic when conforming to the social norms of murals. These types of projects

are often referred to as â&#x20AC;&#x153;piecesâ&#x20AC;? within the graffiti community. Short for masterpieces, this style of graffiti is often colorful, large, and stylistically challenging. It is the pinnacle for what most writers strive for. Unlike tags and throwies, pieces take considerably more time and garner the most respect from the community. These works are judged solely on quality and technical expertise. While the focus remains on manipulating letterforms, the stylistic components and iconography illustrate the robust artistic capabilities of graffiti writing. As writers try to push the aesthetic envelope of graffiti the letterforms in pieces become more illegible. This results in a visual communication that is exclusive to the community despite its public faĂ§ade, and even though it is performed on the urban canvas it is meant to serve and fuel the graffiti subculture. Piecing is often admired by the general community. It takes many years of practice before a writer is capable of creating a piece because the spray paint medium is very difficult to work with. In this regard tags and throw-ups are not only necessary to establish credibility within the subculture but they are essential components to learning proper spray can techniques. Beautiful pieces would not exist without the practice of tagging.

ABANDONED WASTELAND

URBAN EXPLORATION In the most curated city spaces there is still opportunity for subversion. Not every space is monitored, depersonalized, or commercialized. Some spaces are unrestricted, exposed, and forgotten. While these abandoned buildings are undesirable, they are not irrelevant. Artists will often allow their imagination to wander in these buildings and create stories about the true nature of the edifice. Abandoned buildings have been quarantined, but not affected, rejected but not yet transformed or eliminated.

The relation between their form and function has often changed and these buildings do not represent a purpose or function in their abandonment. The urban canvas as three dimensional objects within the public realm serve as structural catalysts for storytelling. The building, the wall, the bridge, the drain pipe are without fitting stories and appear to be an empty shell.5 Abandoned buildings have almost nothing other than history, a history that is related to a community context. 5

MĂŠlanie van der Hoorn, Indispensable Eyesores, (New York City, Berghahn Books, 2009), 8-9.

Urban explorers help tell these stories through their documentation. With the motto, “take only pictures, leave only footprints,” these spelunkers infiltrate and explore the abandoned landscape. In a way, they discover the history of today and the history of ‘folk’ that is often untold in academic books. The artifacts strewn across a decaying factory give glimpses to the life of the place and its meaning to the previous occupants. It is a documentation of history in an unaltered, pure form, and is the reward that the explorer is looking for.6 These buildings are not dead artifacts of a previous way of life instead they are expositions of the past and present. It is a critical history that provides an intimate connection to a time before and forces to consider the immediate future. In some ways urban exploration is a underground archiving project using the internet as a multiuser cataloguing system. Explorers are essentially creating an enormous database of records to document the urban decay; in this sense the adventure becomes historical conservation. 6

Patrick Potter, Beauty in Decay, (Darlington, Carpet Bombing Culture, 2010), 2.

The urban explorer is an architecture enthusiast. The intended narrative of the architect is challenged and contrasted with the narrative of decay, entropy, and the encroachment of nature. The ruin is an objectivity chamber, a place removed from the world upon which the world gazes serenely. However, the ruin is not removed from its own story. These abandoned spaces bring history and the passage of time as a real thing, an imminent threat. Industrial ruins signify the failure of industrial production. They illustrate a story about work, society, and the social process we are engaged in globally. Abandoned factories indicate that the nature of work has changed. Industry is fleeting from developed communities, however, it still signifies a place where we used to make stuff. Maybe we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be involved with the production lines anymore but we are still attached to what they produce.7 Rejection of a specific building is often a result of dissociating from the people who built it and the activities it housed. These rejected buildings encapsulate confrontation and generate issues that matter to certain people. The ideal environment, along with the unwanted elements, are highly subjective to the social context. Different people appreciate different buildings at different times. One manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trash is another manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s treasure. Buildings are shaped by humans, built, programmed, and given purpose by a complex social culture. We should not forget that buildings also mold us and influence our daily interactions. Since buildings are perceived as static objects, we tend to project the social, cultural, and political ideologies onto them. This ignores the capabilities and potential

Potter, 14.

a building can serve beyond its social and economic contextual weight. Therefore, architecture challenges its own existence the moment anyone questions it. Not only do we imagine buildings differently, but not existing at all. This could be a result of its durable materiality and presence injected within public space. It becomes a public affair. In this way, buildings are not always contested but have the inherent ability to become controversial. It is ironic, however, the moment someone enacts upon the destruction of a building they are considered a vandal. It is very easy to point to the vandal, yet questioning the existence of a building is the initial step towards vandalism. For some, this vandalism is enacted by a graffiti artist, for others, a committee of board members. Regardless of the amount of destruction performed on a building, it will be considered vandalism to someone. This calls into question the authority to vandalize public spaces.

ABANDONED PAINTINGS

Decay is not meant to fit within our standards of beauty. It is death, failure, and absent of meaning. Decay presents a much more sinister reality when applied to the aesthetic of a building. Something that has been created to withstand the tests of time is failing and forces us to recognize our mortality. Unlike most other material items, buildings distinguish themselves with their permanent visibility and existence within a communal space. When they lose their initial function the building’s longevity is predicated on finding an alternative use. Graffiti artists allow a new beginning. They add new layers of meaning; spaces like rooftops, tunnels, bridges, and urban walls are all part of a revised urban fabric, a new building typology. These are anti-spaces of an unwanted byproduct of the built environment. The opportunities present in these spaces provide greater freedom for the subversive artist working within the margins of society. Graffiti transforms these sites from leftover and forgotten into a place of beauty, a narrative of communication, and action.

“

These particular kinds of places possess a whole history of their own. The left behind artifacts of a forgotten industrial history alongside the brutal architecture are inspiring to paint. I suppose, I have a bit of a 19th century Romantic’s view of abandonment, I associate it with the circle of life, decay, mortality, silence. It’s also the opportunity to paint as much as you want and to experiment with whatever you want, without being disturbed as you would be in a public place. For me, it’s party time! It’s all about the action of painting. I go to these places and get inspired by a certain specific textured wall or building and that gives me the starting point. But sometimes I have an idea first and then I have to find the right spot for it. When I get the right spot to fit my idea I start to paint; mostly pretty big, so I need to find a ladder, rollers, a stick… and make a rough sketch with latex paint. Further on in the process I start to use cans to paint and finish it.8

”

David Stuart and Patrick Potter, Out of Sight: Urban Art / Abandoned Spaces, (Darlington, Carpet Bombing Culture, 2011), 2-5.

Abandoned buildings then offer the lowest risk of interruption while providing new and challenging surface conditions to work with. Like the urban explorer, the graffiti artist is always aware of real and present threats. If caught not only is the artist trespassing but also guilty of vandalism. The opportunities given to the artist are very unique and exciting, which the abandoned urban fabric provides unparalleled opportunities to work with their craft. Using sight lines and corridors to create visual interest, apertures to illuminate work, and physical thresholds to surprise the viewer, the graffiti artist operates very similar to the architect in responding to site conditions. Compared to painting in the street or train yard the risk of arrest is reduced in these derelict buildings. This gives the artist more time to experiment with scale and detail. Unlike designers and architects providing professional services, there is no commission, no compromise, and no pressure to satisfy a client. The artist is only limited by their imagination and skill, a kind of freedom that most creatives only dream of.

“

I started painting in factories for basic reasons,

and over time my reasons for painting there changed. Firstly Britain has shit weather; old buildings provided shelter from the wind and rain. Also there are no places for me to paint. If you’re an artist who wants to spend time on a piece, legal walls are not an option, as by the time you come back to your piece the next day, it’s been gone over, or if not it might only last a week or so anyway. Abandoned factories can provide amazing surfaces on which to work. Smooth surfaces like rendered concrete are a rarity to find but they’re important for me when I’m painting 3D letters or realism. I grew up in the countryside, and painted mostly old places and walls, so no one saw my work as often as graffiti is seen in the city, so painting out of sight in old buildings just seemed a normal extension of that. People often asked me, why paint where no one sees the work? I guess it’s because I paint for myself and the love of painting. After painting factories for a while I really grew to love them. The quietness, the setting of industrial machinery; I grew to love it. What I really liked though is the fact I could gradually fill the place with both my own and my friends’ artwork, so ultimately the place could act as a big gallery that showed the progression of the work.9

”

Stuart and Potter, 8.

As the name implies the intent of street art is to create art within a public context for the large public audience. Painting in an abandoned building has no commercial impetus and it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really be seen and it certainly wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sell. If no one is expected to see it, there is no intended audience; it is truly artwork created for the artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal expression. For the occasional trespasser this is art that is for trespassers and seekers of the unfamiliar.

“

To me it’s about the feeling of the place. The history and texture of the walls become a part of your work. It grows and decays with it. It’s like a bottle of wine; the older it gets the better it is. But that’s just one part of it; placement is another. It’s about the “nice surprise” element. Street art looks and feels more and more like an advertisement. So instead of painting in a shopping street where one billion people see it every day, I paint on mountain tops where one person sees it in a lifetime. It’s better to have an impact on one person than to have zero impact on a billion.10

”

Ibid, 11.

Spaaaaaghetaboutit. Untitled. 2014. New York City. www.reddit.com/r/bombing.

URBAN INTERACTIONS

METROPOLITAN MISUSE

The graffiti artist views architecture for opportunities: looking for exploits in hard to reach areas the artist will often climb roofs and scale façades to paint in areas that won’t be covered or removed any time soon. By taking advantage of the built environment the artist experiences architecture differently and challenges spectators to think differently about architecture and the built fabric of the city. When a spectator views graffiti in a place that appears inaccessible, it calls into question functions of architecture beyond an aesthetic quality. Ledges become floors, windows become platforms, grates and chain link make ladders. If you are willing to risk health and safety then there is a new world of architecture that has yet to be explored and used. The painted remnants of graffiti prove this. We would have never discovered the true potential of the built landscape if it were not for someone willing to break the rules. In fact we should congratulate the graffiti artist, the devil in the details, an archetype that illustrates what architecture could be and how we can experience it.11 The term graffiti artist is oxymoronic because it describes a vandal and a decorator. The vandal exposes flaws in the urban canvas while the decorator expresses the potential beauty. Similarly, skateboarding expresses the potential beauty of movement within the city while acting as an agitator to the built landscape. In similar ways, the graffiti artist responds to the city like a skateboarder. They address the physical architecture of the urban condition and respond with a dynamic presence. They create space, but also illustrate time and the ‘self.’ It is often repressed and legislated

Geoff Manaugh, A Burglar’s Guide to the City, (New York City, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2016), 262.

against but responds through creativity. It requires a tool that becomes an extension of the body, one that involves high effort without producing a commodity to be exchanged. It is architecture, not as an object but a production of space, time, and social being.12 As an analog to surfing, early skateboarders approached the streets in ways that were similar to riding waves. Over time this search translated into riding in pools, drainage ditches, and other largescale water management surfaces because their curvilinear forms could simulate surfing. As skateboarding began to disconnect itself from surfing the found landscape remained a staple within this community. These constructions were often located in wastelands and forgotten spaces of the city, almost as if they were ancient ruins forgotten by the city. Since these landscape objects initially focused on the movement and containment of water, its very absence illustrated the world removed from normal life. In this unique way it was purely urban and purely a consequence of urban form. As early skateboard adopters were utilizing their environment, they were not so much appropriating their space but co-opting it. They took over without controlling the space which would inevitably fail when authorities would force these performers off their stage, and incentivizing the creation of the skatepark. Skateparks quickly gained traction within the marginalized but ever growing community, and began to push the limits of skateboarding to commercial recognition. This challenge not only sparked interest but allowed for unique spatial interactions. They allowed for a controlled social space, removed from angry pool

Ian Borden, Skateboarding, Space and the City: Architecture and the Body, (Oxford, Berg, 2001), 1.

XGames. Untitled. 2016. Oslo. xgames.espn.com.

owners and police officers. The infrastructure provided a platform for these athletes to showcase their abilities and invent new tricks. By the late 90s, California enacted legislation for limited skatepark liability and defined skateboarding as a “Hazardous Recreational Activity.” Both of these measures protected the skatepark owners from pending lawsuits that arose from injuries. As the skill level of skateboarders increased so did the desire for implementing these techniques into the urban canvas and bringing it to life. To the skateboarder, the city’s lack of visual variety is perceived as monotony and strips the city of any character. Like the graffiti artist, the skaters considered themselves as more intellectually aware of their context, searching for the best skate spots. When skateboarders ride along a wall or down a rail, they are completely apathetic to its function or ideology. By focusing on these elements, skateboarders deny the architecture landscape as a tangible object and treat it as a series of detached physical elements meant to serve the performer. They work within their set of circumstances to extract what they want and discard the rest. They recreate architecture on their own accord, as a collection of surfaces, textures, and objects.13 Based on the similarities in performance and presentation between the graffiti artist and skateboarder, it would stand to reason that a “graffitipark” should have been constructed to prevent artists from damaging the urban context. Providing a space for such hazardous and expressive recreational activities of these fringe artists would not only allow the freedom to develop new techniques but elevate the craft for a better visual landscape.

Borden, 214.

URBAN MURAL PROJECTS

Architects do not often design buildings with the intention of murals. It seems more logical to design a façade system instead of relying on the capabilities of an independent artist to apply makeup on a underwhelming surface. This seems paradoxical because murals are pervasive within our built environment and especially in large cities with an abundance of urban decay. Cincinnati’s first mural movement began with the Urban Walls project, spearheaded by Carl Solway and Jack Boulton. Inspired by similar mural projects happening around the country, they decided to create a series of ten murals. Funding the project would come from selling portfolios of the project and signed silkscreen prints. With Cincinnati’s population declining and the growth of the automobile importance, many historic townhomes and buildings were torn down for parking spaces. This demolition began exposing brick that was never designed to see the light of day, and created the perfect backdrop for an urban mural. As Solway and Boulton began scheming the locations for these murals, they were thinking and analyzing architecture like the skateboarder or graffiti artist. The focus became a collection of floating surfaces and their proximity to each other within the city. If the project was successful, they could prove large scale art supplements urban renewal where architectural intervention is impossible. Each wall was selected for high visibility via vehicular traffic along the Fort Washington Way expressway in Cincinnati. Some of these walls became so bold and prominent that they served as landmarks for the city. The birth of the Urban Walls project later led to many similar murals within the city, most notably the eventual creation of the Artworks organization, employing high school students to paint a series of murals every summer.

Similar to how public art and murals function as placemaking tools that transform the cityscape, street art is also a product of the city. It responds to the context of the city as much as it contributes to its visual culture. Both project types can be playful and critical of the cultural framework of a city. Street art and public murals are not different from each other as they are contextualized within the city and seen as a series of relationships between people, places, and time. But the nature of interaction is different: predominantly through its illegality and ulterior motivation the difficulty in public art is the lack of consensus on what public space is. Art in public places are not categorized as art viewing spaces and function differently from a museum gallery setting. In those formal exhibitions visitors expect to view art in the gallery context. The artwork is be experienced formally. Natural art is seen unwillingly and unexpectedly. Therefore art in public spaces is not typically considered art which is also often the case for graffiti and street art.14

Artworks projects like this proliferate the downtown Cincinnati area..

WacĹ&#x201A;awek, 65-66.

Public art, which obviously inhabits public space, invites the concept of free speech. Defining it as “public” implies accessibility, especially in the realm of artwork. However, we know this is not the case when we look at the exclusions and hindrances within the context of street art. As unauthorized art forms in the public arena, graffiti and street art imply that public art is a political statement as its occupies shared community space. Some entity authorized public artwork maybe without the consultation of the viewing public. Therefore, these street artists are focused on reclaiming the concept of public art and, by extension, public space and creating art truly for the city and its inhabitants.15 The criminalization of graffiti and street art challenges the boundary of public space. Exercising the freedom of expression allows the artist to critique a city’s corporate visual identity, either as a direct response or a new route of visual communication. Despite the artist’s true intentions, art on the street is a form of resistance to the curated imagery and ideology of public space. Graffiti’s illegality and diversity solidify that neither it’s creation or consumption is exclusive to private interest or financial gain. Within the margins of what is sanctioned for us to consume, street art responds to the needs of its creator and the silent observers in a rebellious art world. 15

Ibid, 70-73.

THESIS CASE STUDY

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

The concept of a graffitipark is a delicate balance between the allure of illegality, free speech, and community values. As a result the tactics used in this program highlight the challenges for a graffiti artist as a way to distinguish the graffiti kings from the toys in the context of abandoned buildings and this atmosphere. Minimal lighting and curation are critical for this program, as well as using the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s features to the fullest potential. The first and most direct approach is to remove the windows and expose the building its basic architectural structure. Not only does this help with ventilation, but increases visibility of the interior graffiti and forces the artist to paint within the limitations of the weather. Most graffiti activity slows during the winter months. This may give an opportunity for more novice writers to let their work stay up longer if they are willing to brace the cold. Graffiti artists often look for the most impact with the least amount of effort, which makes visibility so important. Optimizing the use of atriums and exposure to the exterior is paramount in these conditions. Since these moments will be extremely attractive to writers, it is also important to increase the difficulty of the

Masonry affords the ability to manipulate its pattern and orientation. This diagram illustrates varying levels of difficulty with subtle changes to the material.

painting surface for the writer. If utilized properly, separating parts of the building into levels of difficulty creates a dilemma for the graffiti artist and can distinguish the kings from the toys. In this instance, they are forced to choose between painting in a section that is technically easy but limited visually. Conversely, If the artist paints in an area that is visually exposed, the artwork will require more technical skill. This relationship and balance is one of the cornerstones for the design methodology. In instances where new construction is necessary, it is important to exploit the strengths and weaknesses of the material properties. Material changes not only alter the canvas surface but can fluctuate in difficulty. For instance, masonry can vary the spacing between bricks and construct a wall that is riddled with openings. This discontinuity is more difficult for the writer to paint on but is nonetheless achievable. Masonry isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as effective at constructing walls with steep slopes. In this case, plywood or sheet metal may be more effective. The material quality dynamically alters the way a graffiti artist is forced to interact with it.

CROSLEY FACTORY

In considering ideal locations for a designated graffiti zone, the graffiti artist’s intentions are paramount. Fame and status are critical motivators for a writer. Finding a site that is highly visible or highly trafficked increases the probability of a higher volume of bystanders recognizing the artwork. These attributes make trains and highways attractive because the artwork can be noticed by a higher volume of people. Once a graffiti artist finds a location, they must outweigh the risks with the reward. Risky locations provide more respect within the community and hopefully increase the longevity of their work. Conversely, low risk locations are favorable to the graffiti artist’s safety and reduce the possibility of being caught. For sanctioned graffiti spaces, abandoned buildings become the perfect environment and provide an opportunity for adaptive reuse. Pulling from skatepark design, scale and variety play important roles for legal graffiti spaces. If the site is not challenging, too small, or uninteresting, there is little incentive to paint there because it wouldn’t elevate a writer’s status and waste their supplies.Skateparks provide this variety with elements designed for skateboarding, such as half-pipes, and elements that mimic street features, like rails and steps. The graffitipark analog for this variety would include experimental sections designed to challenge the artist with elements that are similar and reminiscent to extreme urban conditions. If a potential site is able to capitalize on these factors, the more enticing it is to a graffiti artist even if the element of illegality is removed. While the urban fabric commonly has abandoned buildings, few of them hit on all of these factors for a graffitipark. However, the Crosley Factory in Cincinnati manages to fit the perfect criteria for this prototype.

Located along the outskirts of downtown Cincinnati rests the Crosley Factory. Inspired by the Art Deco movement, this ten story concrete monolith was erected in 1929 and operated as a factory for cars, refrigerators, and radios until the 1960s. Abandoned for over ten years, this building is extremely attractive to graffiti artists. The images on the left illustrate the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s close proximity to major roadways and railyards. Conveniently sitting along I-75, the building is highly visible to the hundreds of thousands of drivers. The enormous scale of the building not only affords more space for more grandiose paintings but allows for better visibility while driving at faster speeds. Unfortunately, the interior of the building leaves much to be desired. Factories and warehouses do not provide many interior walls and the exterior walls of the Crosley building are lined with shattered windows. Both of these conditions are prohibitive to quality painting surfaces. Important design considerations for the Crosley building include filling the interior with paintable walls to increase its effective capacity. These new walls can rely on their material qualities as a means of wayfinding and illuminate their function within the building. As the building is left in disrepair, the ground floor is often flooded in small pools of water. The waterlogged ground floor creates a desire to continue moving upward. A design strategy to leave the ground floor open and untouched, along with well placed atriums, can enhance the user experience to explore the building vertically. Lastly, the proximity of Crosley building to I-75 is the primary reason for its popularity among graffiti artists. It is critical to maximize this visibility by finding ways to expose interior conditions to exterior visibility, especially along the highway.

DESIGN EXECUTION

The primary design inspiration for the Crosley Factory emerged from the concept of graffiti artists destroying the building from the inside out, like a worm eating its way through an apple. A form reminiscent of curvilinear graffiti strokes was generated. As this form moves within the building, it eats its way through the floors. This creates a monumental atrium that visually connects all ten floors. The form evolves from a complex shape to a more simplified one, illustrating the variation in difficulty that is programmatically separated within the building. Plywood and sheet metal are subsequently used to represent this form as it spires between floors. Since the building is open to the public, these atriums are sectioned off by concrete barrier walls. These walls serve not only as a permanent railing for the atrium but double as a graffiti surface. While they are very accessible, they are half the height of a typical graffiti wall, reinforcing the catch-22 for these writers. However, the subtle clues of the plywood and sheet metal call out to the more experienced artists. Like the bridge overpass, if the graffiti artist is daring enough to go beyond the concrete barrier, they can access the atrium walls and paint on surfaces that are much more visible from every floor.

This axon depicts a preliminary investigation studying the effects of varying materials emulating the new atrium form.

A challenge in maintaining the abandoned aesthetic with a ten story structure includes accessibility to all floors without the use of elevators. The use of ramps prevents this need and presents an additional design challenge. With the use of masonry, the ramp is enclosed and creates a desirable vertical surface that spans multiple floors. However, the enhanced visibility calls for enhanced difficulty. As a result, the spacing between bricks increases with each successive floor. In this case, the graffiti artist must choose between painting on a disconnected wall that is very visible or a cohesive wall that is buried on a lower floor. These design choices are one of many selections from the vast possibilities of this program type. Other considerations include incorporating a graffiti shop as well as spaces for community involvement. Each design must be considered on a case by case basis that responds to the building and its surrounding environment. Nevertheless, if the goals of visibility and difficulty are being met, the competitive nature and desire to create the boldest graffiti piece will shine through the building. Like the emergence of skateparks, providing a canvas for these artists will not only allow them to elevate their craft but create engagement within the community that often stigmatizes the writers from what they are passionate about.

CONCLUSION The graffiti culture can be seen as a hostile landscape with many hurdles that would discourage any potential practitioner. Its existence is vital and calls into question the very fabric of our public urban condition. Our visual field of the public space embraces the elite with capital motivations. As a democratic society we intentionally exclude the freedom of expression from an artistic group of individuals who are trying to communicate with the public. Not only is this hypocritical but disingenuous to democracy in our public domain. As we pull away from our industrial roots we leave a trail of decaying factories that contribute to an urban blight. While these factories and buildings may no longer benefit society it does not mean they are without value. Urban exploration and the emergence of graffiti within these spaces prove that a purpose can still be served within these ruins. They can elevate the current status of structure through the application of paint and encapsulate the living history through photography. Utilizing the adaptive reuse of the post-industrial landscape while drawing inspiration from skateparks, abandoned facilities have the potential to create the ideal environment for graffiti artists to express themselves and elevate their craft. Their work would not only redefine surface conditions of the abandoned factory or derelict building, but provide unique perspectives on architecture through the lens of an artist exploiting the environment. This new typology could be introduced within any major metropolitan area, reflecting the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s street art identity.

BIBLIOGRAPHY All imagery completed by author unless otherwise noted.

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