January 2016 portfolio interim submission

The mythology of artists’ and academics’ autonomous labour. Her research is concerned with discipline, labour process and social praxis – “…What are the implications for labour that arise from such a mythology of creativity and autonomy in relation to the labour process, labour practice, but also for critical self-reflexion and for organising.

“…the body in architecture is not only the essential subject… indissolubly linked to the question of gender and sex, a question that has generated the most extraordinary metaphors in the elaboration of an architectural ideology.”

— Diana I. Agrest, Architecture From Without It is normally regarded that architecture and edifices are simply “empty” or “neutral” containers that facilitate the free interaction of bodies in space. The validity of this notion is doomed to revision since the ostensibly innocent conventions of architecture operate covertly within a system of power relations to perpetuate or transmit social values, which may stand to subvert or support hegemonic power.

Buildings are mechanisms of representation, and as such, they are political and ideological.

How exactly is gender constructed in architecture?

How, in particular, does the space designated as feminine differ from masculine norm? How is gender relation, which runs along the grid of patriarchal constructions, sustained in architecture?

What we should aim for is a gender-sensitive architecture, freed from the stereotyped constructs of gender. In so doing, architecture becomes a structure of emancipation and agent of social change.

He supports them both, She gives them balance Jo Giles “Masculine and feminine principles are at play. They are evoking and affecting and engendering and balancing our thoughts and our feelings.

It is provocative, inspiring and seductive”

Architecture and Sexuality: the politics of gendered space Gerard Rey A. Lico

1. Although it is impossible to define clear and exclusive categories for a ‘male and female architecture’ it may prove helpful to distinguish between ‘male and female principles in architecture’. These may be used by both men and women alike. Under equal opportunities for their application, however, (which certainly cannot be said to exist at the moment) women would tend to put more emphasis on the use of’female’ principles, and men would tend to put more emphasis on the use of ‘male’ principles.

2. In order to be applicable generally a definition of these principles must, therefore, encompass gradual differences instead of exclusive categories. (The stress in these cases will be on more and than) whereby the ‘female’ principle opposite the ‘male’ principle may be defined as: female user oriented ergonomic functional flexible organically ordered

male designer oriented large scale/monumental formal fixed abstractly systemized

holistic/complex social slowly growing

specialized/one-dimensional profit-oriented quickly constructed

The intention here is not to state that one approach is ‘good’ and the other is ‘bad’, but that it is solely the one-sided dominance of the ‘male’ principle which is at the root of the problem. Furthermore it would be naive to strive for a complete about face toward a onesided dominance of ‘female’ principles. While possibly necessary for a while in order to restore a balance this would be just as much of a mistake in the long run. Architecture at its best merges function and form, it is always partly flexible as well as partly inflexible, physically it will fit the individual human scale as well as the larger social context, and serve the user as well as be the creation of the individual designer.

Toward a rediscovery of feminine principles in architecture and planning Women in most societies were the original builders. Nowhere appears the loss suffered as a result of the suppression of women and the degradation of feminine principles, by society as a whole, as blatantly obvious as in our built environment.

Based on my own experiences and observations as an architect, as well as historic and so-called 'anonymous' examples of an architecture shaped by women, and studies related to genetic, social, and psychological sex differences, it seems safe to suggest that there would be a significant difference between an environment shaped by women, female values and priorities, and our present environment shaped mainly by men, male values and priorities.

This article deals with seven hypotheses.

1. It defines male and female principles in architecture, 2. Suggests traits of an alternative architecture shaped by women 3. Discusses some of the main barriers and more recent opportunities which would allow women to rediscover, accept and design according to their specific goals, needs and priorities.

The Craftsman - Richard Sennet “Craftsmanship names an enduring, basic human impulse, the desire to do a job well for its own sake.�

Many people feel isolated from the rest of the community and society, but finding a common interest with a group of people can help greatly in including people back into their communities. Craft is something that has an inherent feeling of accomplishment and it’s great to see more and more people picking up handiwork. Organisations like the Centre for Creativity and Enterprise give people the kickstart they need to start making, creating and hopefully earning an income from their creative skills.

The feminist situationist: making connections and breaking the binary

Architecture of spectacle

Friedrich Kiesler Correalism Breaking Ground on a Theory of Transgender Architecture Lucas Cassidy Crawford Perhaps we can begin by asking how transgender is already inherent and repressed by conventional architecture rather than talking about transgender as a novel and heretofore silenced topic of concern for architects and architectural theorists.

Sylvia Rivera Rivera was born and raised in New York City and lived most of her life in or near the city. She was of Puerto Rican and Venezuelan descent. She was abandoned by her birth father José Rivera early in life and became an orphan after her mother died by suicide when Rivera was three years old.[9] Rivera was then raised by her Venezuelan grandmother, who disapproved of Rivera’s effeminate behavior, particularly after Rivera began to wear makeup in fourth grade.[9] As a result, Rivera began living on the streets at the age of eleven and worked as a prostitute. She was taken in by the local community of drag queens, who gave her the name, “Sylvia.”

Street Trans Action Revolutionaries Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) -- later renamed Street Transgender Action Revolutionaries. was a gay and transgender activist organization founded in 1970 by Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson, subculturally-famous New York City drag queens of color. Both founders were longterm civil rights activists, and were present during the 1969 Stonewall riots and the intense period of gay organizing that began in the wake of Stonewall.

The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations by members of the gay (LGBT) community against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. They are widely considered to constitute the single most important event leading to the gay liberation movement and the modern fight for LGBT rights in the United States. After the Stonewall riots, gays and lesbians in New York City faced gender, race, class, and generational obstacles to becoming a cohesive community

Sylvia Rivera The initial model tests explore a variety of ideas. The first implies an experiment to explore ideas of form using light grids.

The second looks at how projecting activist text onto the body can create a personal and unique derrivation of the original image. The third projects the image of the woman directly onto the scale figure, looking at how perfect image becomes distorted on a 3d plane. The fourth looks at projecting colourful patterns onto the figure, to recreate a more spectacular ethereal mapping of the body.

Sylvia Rivera Here, dress making patterns have been imposed on the figure, firstly influenced by the dress-making skills of Sylvia and second to break up the form of the body and then further juxtapose the images onto the resulting form.

The initial model tests explore a variety of ideas. The first implies an experiment to explore ideas of form using light grids.

The second looks at how projecting activist text onto the body can create a personal and unique derrivation of the original image. The third projects the image of the woman directly onto the scale figure, looking at how perfect image becomes distorted on a 3d plane. The fourth looks at projecting colourful patterns onto the figure, to recreate a more spectacular ethereal mapping of the body.

Sylvia Rivera Here, plaster bandage has been wrapped around the body of the figure in an attempt to abstract the forms and to enhance the fluidity and curvature of the model.. The first implies an experiment to explore ideas of form using light grids.

The second looks at how projecting activist text onto the body can create a personal and unique derrivation of the original image. The third projects the image of the woman directly onto the scale figure, looking at how perfect image becomes distorted on a 3d plane. The fourth looks at projecting colourful patterns onto the figure, to recreate a more spectacular ethereal mapping of the body.

Ghost figure The image of Sylvia Rivera was projected ont a smoke screen. This explores stateless-ness, temporality, ethereality and ephemerality.

Paris is Burning Paris Is Burning is a 1990 American documentary film directed by Jennie Livingston. Filmed in the mid-to-late 1980s, it chronicles the ball culture of New York City and the African-American, Latino, gay, and transgender communities involved in it. Some critics consider the film to be an invaluable documentary of the end of the “Golden Age� of New York City drag balls, and a thoughtful exploration of race, class, gender, and sexuality in America.

Proletariat French Vogue Scene Inspired by Vogue magazine, voguing is characterized by model-like poses integrated with angular, linear, and rigid arm, leg, and body movements. This style of dance arose from Harlem ballrooms by African Americans in the early 1960s. It was originally called “presentation” and later “performance”.Over the years, the dance evolved into the more intricate and illusory[clarification needed] form that is now called “vogue”. Voguing is continually developed further as an established dance form that is practiced in the gay ballroom scene and clubs in major cities throughout the United States—mainly New York City.

POV Persistence of vision refers to the optical illusion whereby multiple discrete images blend into a single image in the human mind and believed to be the explanation for motion perception in cinema and animated films. Like other illusions of visual perception, it is produced by certain characteristics of the visual system.

Programmable Armillary Sphere Input information is processed to position the sphere

Programmable Armillary Sphere Input information is processed to position the sphere

Programmable Armillary Sphere The Artificial Moon Input information is processed to position the sphere. An LED was used to convey different light directions to achieve an effect of moon phases.

Programmable Armillary Sphere Spectacle

Detail close up of carved shoulder holster

Detail close up of skeletal body form dress

Shoulder Pad Model

Victorian meaning of flowers

Ancient Egyptian meaning of flowers

Privacy Screen Floral Ornament

Mucha Art Nouveau

Foster Reichstag

PPAG mirrored facade

Ambient Lighting Using Mirror array to direct daylight

Marilin Monroe distortion mirror

Marlene Dietrich Make-up Mirror

Main Mirror Body Image

Main Dressing Room Drawing

Main Dressing Room Model

Site Location

Media Broadcasting

Independent Public Libraries

Online communities serve a wide range of users. These are empowered through access to information and debates. Digital information is usually controlled by the government however it is more difficult to police than other media types. This type of media has been hugely beneficial to minority communities to work together and support each other.

These small scale independently run libraries will serve local communities and act as small congregation spots. They will cater to extraordinary or badly catered for subjects such as the LGBT community and feminist issues.

Counciling Spaces

Food exchange

These spaces can be incorporated into many existing functional institutions. These serve local communities to provide access to qualified practitioners.

Small stalls will allow for fresh home grown food to be sold or exchanged. This will allow a better understanding of healthy culinary lifestyles. It will also reduce reliance on consumer processed food.

Hair and Beauty Salons

Aquaponic Food Production

These volunteer based organisations serve communities without regular access to such facilities. Many people in the transgender and female community deal with issues surrounding body image,, and these spaces serve a relief to temporarily engage in a debate.

These small interventions will be permanently attached to the facades of homes and facilitate a space for homegrowing food.

Nurseries

Craftivist Workshops

These empower women and parents with children who otherwise would not be able to work due to child-care responsibilities. these spaces could be attached to places of work or homes temporarily to allow a versatile and dynamic child care operation, thus allowing women more time to achieve their potential.

Workshops will allow practice of traditional crafts that can serve as activist or therapeutic sessions to bring people together.

Public Lavatory

City Farm

These are often present in the debate surrounding women in the urban environment. These can be dispersed through the city, and linked to urban waste and recycling scheme.

City Farms are run by grass-roots groups and provide genuine benefits to local communities. The facilitate a better understanding of nature and food production.

Urban Park

Urban Spatial Mediators

New understandings have lead to an increased knowledge of the value of urban green spaces. Some parts of the city will reintroduce these green spaces for the benefit of the residents.

This will interrogate how the urban environment usually exclusively revolves around cars and road networks. This will look at how pedestrians can be given the right of way over cars and how the people of the city can regain control over the urban environment with cars become secondary citizens.

Tradition and Heritage

Urban Surface Pattern Treatments

There is a new and growing incentive to preserve and appreciate the historical heritage and traditions of Saigon. This includes architecture and culture. The scheme will acknowledge, expose, preserve, and reincarnate a new relationship to heritage in the city.

This will look at how the above programme can be woven into the urban fabric using subtle and nuanced treatments of textures,patterns and ornaments. This will look at semiotics of the space.

Programme

Media Broadcasting

Independent Public Libraries

Online communities serve a wide range of users. These are empowered through access to information and debates. Digital information is usually controlled by the government however it is more difficult to police than other media types. This type of media has been hugely beneficial to minority communities to work together and support each other.

These small scale independently run libraries will serve local communities and act as small congregation spots. They will cater to extraordinary or badly catered for subjects such as the LGBT community and feminist issues.

Counciling Spaces

Food exchange

These spaces can be incorporated into many existing functional institutions. These serve local communities to provide access to qualified practitioners.

Small stalls will allow for fresh home grown food to be sold or exchanged. This will allow a better understanding of healthy culinary lifestyles. It will also reduce reliance on consumer processed food.

Hair and Beauty Salons

Aquaponic Food Production

These volunteer based organisations serve communities without regular access to such facilities. Many people in the transgender and female community deal with issues surrounding body image,, and these spaces serve a relief to temporarily engage in a debate.

These small interventions will be permanently attached to the facades of homes and facilitate a space for homegrowing food.

Nurseries

Craftivist Workshops

These empower women and parents with children who otherwise would not be able to work due to child-care responsibilities. these spaces could be attached to places of work or homes temporarily to allow a versatile and dynamic child care operation, thus allowing women more time to achieve their potential.

Workshops will allow practice of traditional crafts that can serve as activist or therapeutic sessions to bring people together.

Public Lavatory

City Farm

These are often present in the debate surrounding women in the urban environment. These can be dispersed through the city, and linked to urban waste and recycling scheme.

City Farms are run by grass-roots groups and provide genuine benefits to local communities. The facilitate a better understanding of nature and food production.

Urban Park

Urban Spatial Mediators

New understandings have lead to an increased knowledge of the value of urban green spaces. Some parts of the city will reintroduce these green spaces for the benefit of the residents.

This will interrogate how the urban environment usually exclusively revolves around cars and road networks. This will look at how pedestrians can be given the right of way over cars and how the people of the city can regain control over the urban environment with cars become secondary citizens.

Tradition and Heritage

Urban Surface Pattern Treatments

There is a new and growing incentive to preserve and appreciate the historical heritage and traditions of Saigon. This includes architecture and culture. The scheme will acknowledge, expose, preserve, and reincarnate a new relationship to heritage in the city.

This will look at how the above programme can be woven into the urban fabric using subtle and nuanced treatments of textures,patterns and ornaments. This will look at semiotics of the space.

Architectural Programme

Group 3 Student Facilities

Group 2 Foody Explorations

Group 4 Student Facilities

Group 5 Residential Hub

Group 5 Heritage Gateway