OSA Magazine Annual Issue X | April 2018 sample by OSA Magazine

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Editors in Chief

Jing Zhi Tan Kate Ridgway Maria Mavrikou Robert Antony Cresswell

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Editors

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Emily Walsh Kerry Fox Petya Tsokova

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With Thanks To: Matt Gaskin Head of the School of Architecture Ryan Wharton BCQ Group Rekha Giddy Programme Administrator OxArch School of Architecture Student Society

Aikaterini Katsimpra Alexandra Lacatusu Andrew Evans Daniel Lam JF Benedicto Lina Kadditi Reece Davey

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Foreword OSA Magazine has come a long way since its inception in 2012. Students, editors and editorial teams have come and gone. However, what has remained is the flow of ideas and energy that underpin the magazine and so form a critical part of the School of Architecture. Over the past 6 years, as Head of School I have seen the students and staff produce some of their best work, and OSA magazine plays a key part in celebrating this, both in the University and globally. Run by the students for their peers, the staff, alumni and the general public, every series of OSA captures the agenda of the time and reflects back on the issues of the moment. You will find in the OSA Annual a range of articles that will challenge and resonate with you. I would encourage you to read them all as behind the subject under discussion, whether in your field of interest or not, is a fresh voice with a different opinion to your own. The articles in the Annual debate subjects such as urban resilience, utopian vision, transnational architecture, photography and refugees. Resilience particularly is a subject matter students and staff feel important for discussion in the studio and the theme is explored in the OXArch lectures series through this academic year. It is a timely and important topic for the discipline of architecture. Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s students need to be resilient in a changing profession. Responding to BIM, the impending arrival of Brexit and increased tuition fees has placed a set of challenges on both the students and the profession. As with any challenge we can choose to bury our heads in the sand or take action. In the School of Architecture we continue to take action, most notably by launching degree apprenticeships for architecture, expanding our global reach in research, and offering a

Part II scholarship to help with the new fee regime. In addition, we continue to talk to practices to ensure that our graduates meet the intellectual rigour required and have the requisite skills to succeed. The School continues to enable staff and students to experiment, to innovate and to test ideas - a necessity to enabling a culture of debate and future thinking. Furthermore, having the time to reflect is paramount to ingenuity and originality. A highlight of this year is Daniel Libeskind delivering a superb lecture on architecture and memory. A profound topic, it reminded us of the way in which architecture can transcend generations and inspire all. Perfect timing as this is just at the tipping point of the year when major design projects begin to reveal themselves and energy levels need to be at their very highest. Thank you to Daniel and Nina. My personal thanks to the OSA team and to Kate for inviting me to provide a forward for the annual, it is a privilege and a pleasure. Worthy of note is that the OSA magazine is fully funded through sponsorship, part of the original promise for the publication when Rob Dutton walked through my door six years ago. This sponsorship is undertaken by the editorial team and is supported by architects - I thank you for your support in enabling such a unique and high quality publication too. Enjoy the Annual; I hope you find the writings thought provoking and inspirational.

Matt Gaskin Head of the School of Architecture

Proud Sponsor of the OSA Magazine rpplondon.com

Bespoke Desk, 3 Merchant Square, Paddington, London W2

Robin Partington & Partners, 77 - 91 New Oxford Street, London WC1A 1DG

Editorial At its inception, OSA was a result of the initiative, drive and ambition of students within the Oxford School of Architecture. Funded purely through sponsorship, it offered a platform for opinion, critique, and debate between students, staff and professionals, with the aim of fostering a stronger and more dynamic student community. Each issue was centred around a theme, as our Gazette issues still are today, that explored topical issues, stimulating different perspectives.

Architecture 100 have a female director. It has been the subject of conferences, surveys and research pieces all highlighting this issue. One of this years OxArch lectures was given by Sarah Wigglesworth, an architect who has passionately spoken about this issue and I’m sad to say it is one of just a handful of professional lectures I’ve attended during my time in the school given by a women, expressing the current situation in the industry.

Now on our tenth issue, the magazine has come a long way. With increasing sales online and new stockists such as the RIBA Bookshop, it has a higher profile. We have explored provocative themes such as Fetish, Failure and Artifice and the magazine has continued to challenge ideas and stimulate discussion within the school. The OSA Annual, our latest endeavour, builds on our foundations of fostering debate. It is intended to be promotional tool for the innovative, thought provoking and inspiring work within the school. The issue enables students to be enterprising by putting forward their work for publication, recognising the interest their academic work inspires.

As an editorial body that is predominantly female, we are representative of a school whose student intake is increasingly female dominated. OSA has chosen to take this cause and promote it for consideration and discussion by our student body. The Vitruvian Woman, the motif of our issue, does just that. By taking a historic drawing that assumes the ‘norm’ is male and reversing it, we intend to challenge our perspective and inspire discourse as the original editors did.

The Annual is also representative of the academic year within which it has been made, and from exploring its contents, readers can get a sense of the themes and interests of a generation of students. It offers both a taste of the ideas yet to hit the industry and also expresses how the current political, cultural and architectural concerns have been responded to within the academic body. One high profile subject in current architectural affairs is Women in the Architecture. Last year Dezeen identified that just a quarter of working architects are female and only three practices in the World

The Vitruvian Woman emblem divides the Annual into chapters of scale from human, to building and then beyond to societal scales of utopian ideas. Within the chapters you can explore articles discussing place identity, the relationship between sexuality and space, the concept of home and responses to the neoliberal world we live in. The Annual offers a coffee table magazine you can dip into, gaining understanding and different perspectives that will shape how you perceive the built environment and issues relevant in the world today. Producing the Annual has been quite the journey; we have fostered this issue throughout the year sourcing additional sponsorship and stockists, and selling the idea to staff. We see it as the next step for OSA, integrating it further into the school as new medium of expression.

It is representative of all the hard work done by the team and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to thank them for bringing their enthusiasm, energy and ideas into the OSA mix. As our time as editors comes to end we pass on the baton to the next generation of OSA journalists, and wish them luck in continuing to push OSA further as new ideas and opportunities present themselves. We hope you enjoy the issue. - The Editors Written By Kate Ridgway

experience

Inhabitation

Articles reflect on personal experiences at the human scale, within a wider context of landscapes, cities and society.

Combining design projects and research, this chapter examines how individuals and society interact with architecture.

Eidolon, Eidolon Alex Newton

p. 14

Translation Thomas Hyde

p. 18

Through an analysis of a filmic installation, PhD student Alex Newton explores how we think about the boundaries between life and death.

Thomas Hyde, a third year Bachelors student, experiments with the translation of intangible information through technical tools.

Walking Ancient Paths Kerry Fox

p. 19

First year Masters student Kerry Fox questions her emotional response to the architecture of the Stonehenge landscape by reflecting on her own experience of the site.

Walking Places Matt Jordan

p. 25

First year Masters student Matt Jordan explores the stories hidden in decaying structures through the role of an Urban Exploration photographer.

People Places Charlotte Hart

p. 30

Second year Bachelors student Charlotte Hart examines the importance of the human scale in the modern metropolis.

A Captured Moment Emily Walsh

p. 34

Emily Walsh, a first year Masters student, muses on the sense of place in Dungeness. This poem accompanies a series of photographs.

Angel’s Dreams Aygul Abizgildina

p. 36

Using the concept of angels, Applied Architectural Design Masters student Aygul Abizgildina explores the idea of a guide for a better life.

The Home Export Scheme Hannah Middleton

p. 40

The Exquisite Corpse Iveria Maria Mavrikou and Jude Dajani

p. 42

Belonging through Ancient Ruin Gina Andreou

p. 45

Growing Opportunities Beverley Angove

p. 48

The Identity of Transnational Architecture Dana Raslan

p. 51

Photography in a Fragile Design Process Salem al Qudwa

p. 56

Submerged, Submersed Phoebe Kent

p. 62

A ‘Lived’ Space’ Illaria Lombardini

p. 66

The Sino-Led Divergent Verticality

p. 70

Bachelors student Hannah Middleton develops a creative answer to the housing crisis in the City of London.

Masters students Maria Mavrikou and Jude Dajani use the Georgian Hotel Iveria as a substructure to create a hybrid architecture.

Within the Duveen Gallery at the British Museum, first year Masters student Gina Andreou investigates the narratives of the Parthenon Sculptures.

Second year Masters student Beverley Angove explores innovative sustainable methods of construction within the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, Africa.

Third year student Dana Raslan examines the meaning of identity within globalising cities through the Louvre Abu Dhabi.

In his design research project, PhD researcher Salem Al Qudwa explores the abilities of photography as a research and design tool for everyday spaces.

Final year Masters student Phoebe Kent enhances research and physical interaction in relation to the Posidonia Oceanica seagrass.

Ilaria Lombardini, a second year Masters student, ponders the significance of a home to the individual and to the wider community through the case study of Old Battersea House.

Geraldine Wong

Masters student Geraldine Wong seeks to integrate traditional Chinese culture within the contemporary Limehouse area as a response to the negative aspects of neoliberalism with Chinese character.

Civilisation

Thought

Beginning situated in Oxford, these articles take us across the world to investigate the factors underpinning our cities, and speculate for change.

Taking wider societal concepts, articles in this chapter look to architecture as a vehicle or camera for societal evolution.

Figment Alison Maclellan

p. 76

Through a psychogeographical exploration of Oxford, first year Masters student Alison Maclellan looks to investigate why it is that so many authors have used the city as their inspiration.

Sociotecture Daschle Pereira

p. 112

First Year Bachelors student Daschle Pereira proposes his view on how architects should approach design from a more socially sustainable perspective.

The People of the Plinth p. 116 Guiseppe Ferrigno and Jack Rigby

Drawing the Unseen p. 80 Robert Antony Cresswell and Savini Rajapakse

Guiseppe Ferrigno and Jack Rigby, second year Masters students, contemplate utopia in the context of modern day neoliberalism.

Fight or Flight Sally Downey

Third year Bachelors student Thomas Hyde explores the role of transport in reigniting the utopian ambition in the city. Taken from his dissertation, he looks at influential Entrepreneur Elon Musk’s utopian transport proposal and compares it to utopian visions of the past.

Final year Masters students Rob Cresswell and Savini Rajapakse contrast industrial constructivist style with open plan office design through detailed drawing.

p. 82

Second year Masters student Sally Downey explores parallels between the City of London Corporation and the Tower of London’s historic menagerie, searching for ways to stimulate change in the City.

The French (R)evolution Reece Davey

p. 84

Second year Bachelors student Reece Davey explores the link between the architectural style emerging in post-revolutionary Paris and the social changes the Revolution brought about.

Rebuilding Utopia Thomas Hyde

p. 118

The Time Capsules Rui Cheng

p. 124

Sexuality and Society Tyla Scott Owen

p. 126

Fluidly Petrified Aikaterini Katsimpra

p. 130

A Pause in Time Jing Zhi Tan

p. 132

Rui Cheng, a second year Masters student, explores spatial time capsules as a way of archiving subcultures.

Tyla Scott Owen, a second year Bachelors student, examines the origins of queer spaces and their significance in the context of a heteronormative society.

Identity in Post-Disaster Reconstruction Omar Ibrahim

p. 88

Rebuilding Through Resilience Marie Abella

p. 94

Focusing on the idea of resilience, third year student Marie Abella investigates the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan.

Final year Masters student Jing Zhi Tan explores how architecture can contribute psychologically by putting mental wellbeing at the center of its design principle.

Archive for Yugonostalgia Marija Milosevic

p. 98

E-Topia Alexandra Lacatusu

p. 136

p.104

The Age of Resilience in Architecture

p. 140

Belonging in Architectural Memory Matthew Ashley

Third year student Omar Ibrahim discusses the approach to the reconstruction of postconflict Baghdad.

Masters student Marija Milosevic explores themes of nostalgia and the Yugoslavian Dream within the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo.

By exploring the places of his own past, first year Masters student Matthew Ashley looks into the relationship between place, experience, and memory.

Final year Masters student Aikaterini Katsimpra explores the idea of softness and the way this term correlates with the meaning of gender.

Alexandra Lacatusu, final year Masters student, marries concepts of technology and biology to create a “worthy utopia” to celebrate humanity’s place in nature.

Petya Tsokova

Petya Tsokova, who curated OSA’s lecture reviews, looks back on the year’s ‘Resilience’-themed lecture series.

Photography competition p. 24, p. 44, p. 144, p. 145

bermanguedesstretton Proud sponsors of the OSA Magazine bgsarchitects.co.uk

scale of experience Articles reflect on personal experiences at the human scale, within a wider context of landscapes, cities and society.

// OSA X //

Eidolon, Eidolon

// EIDOLON, EIDOLON //

Alex Newton This article explores the boundaries between life and death and the animate and inanimate, aiming to investigate strategies of representing these liminal states. At the heart of it lies the uncanny, a concept widely associated with Freud and which describes a realm where we may encounter uncertainty, dread and disorientation. I am interested in images that exist in this strange hinterland where we are confronted with a transformed reality, and where â&#x20AC;&#x153;the distinction between the imagination and reality is effacedâ&#x20AC;?1.

// The Annual 2017/18 //

// ALEX NEWTON //

The continual and unsettling shift between animation and stasis contributes to the disruption of the filmic representation of time as flow and lends the figure the uncanny and jerky movements of an automaton.

// OSA X //

The technologically uncanny and disorientating nature of the projected moving image no longer carries the shock of the new, unlike the Gothic Phantasmagoria shows of the 18th and 19th century that entertained and terrified people in equal measure. Performed in darkened theatres in order to disorientate and disquiet, a concealed optical device called a magic lantern was used to project nightmarish images of light and shadow onto the wall. These shows provided, as promised, visions of the dead and absent, and though showmen, such as Etienne Gaspard Robert, openly admitted the illusionistic nature of the performance, the audience struggled to reconcile what they understood with what they were seeing. The age of enlightenment and reason were gradually being ushered in, but the residues of superstitious belief remained, ensuring that these miraculous yet horrifying shows manipulated the senses and overcame rational conviction. Though these feelings have diminished as we have come to understand new technologies, there is still however, for me at least, a fascination with the projected light’s fugitive and phantasmal materiality. My research has in part developed through a phenomenological engagement with the elusive and fleeting nature of projection, whilst exploring its illusory quality and the tensions that exist between what we sense and what we know. It is on this threshold that an experience of the uncanny can arise.

// EIDOLON, EIDOLON //

‘Eidolon, Eidolon’ is a photograph of a stilled image from my installed film, ‘Shroud’, which has been digitally projected onto layers of black tulle hung in a darkened space. In this text I would like to reflect specifically on ‘Shroud’ rather than the photographic image, which acts in this case as a visual representation of the installation. In the darkness, our perception of space is transformed and the parameters

of the room in which ‘Shroud’ is installed become obscured. The filmic tradition of the screen as a virtual window onto the world is expanded here, as the frame is dissolved into the shadows of the projection space. Instead of a bounded flat picture plane, the many layers of black netted material hanging from the ceiling create echoes of the moving image, around which the spectator may walk. Within the space, there is nothing that anchors us to the natural world, and instead we see iterations of bodies that float, hover or fall endlessly in a groundless black void. They are untethered by markers that orientate us, such as the horizon, and the visual and temporal certainties. These certainties are established by the dominant paradigm of Western image making, linear perspective, and are contested. In removing the images that help to create the illusion of pictorial depth, our experience of both measurable space and linear time is transformed.

// The Annual 2017/18 //

Projected onto the layered screens of black tulle is the image of a figure which tilts forward, flits from side to side and reaches toward us. It moves slowly and haltingly, at times possessing the fluidity of movement that we recognise as an accurate representation of our own world, and at others, appearing motionless. The continual and unsettling shift between animation and stasis contributes to the disruption of the filmic representation of time as flow and lends the figure the uncanny and jerky movements of an automaton. When still, there is uncertainty as to whether we are looking at a freeze frame or a motionless figure captured in real time. In slowing down the speed at which the figure in ‘Shroud’ moves, the mechanisms creating the illusion of dynamic flow are exposed and we are reminded of the deception that recording devices afford. Upon reaching stillness, we look upon the individual unmoving frame which contains the phantom-like quality of an inanimate body, lacking the fundamental and defining sign of life - movement. We may consider the freeze frame in the same way that Roland Barthes spoke of the photograph and its link to the past, as “containing that rather terrible thing… a return of the dead”. The capacity of both analogue and digital film to capture and then preserve life is startling and uncanny. In resurrecting the spectres of the past into the present, gazing upon them as apparitions, the boundaries between life and death become blurred, creating a space of uncertainty and confusion. Though we may now perceive a projected digital film with the benefit of a more secular and rational understanding, the presence of the past in a recorded moving image may still provoke a myriad of confusing feelings, not least our inability to fully comprehend the concept of death.

1// Freud, S. The Uncanny. London, Penguin Classics. 2003.

We may consider the freeze frame in the same way that Roland Barthes spoke of the photograph and its link to the past, as “containing that rather terrible thing…a return of the dead”

// ALEX NEWTON //

// OSA X //

T r a n s l at i o n Spatial Interaction Drawing Machine Thomas Hyde

// TRANSLATION //

Translation opens the existing boundaries of explanation and understanding. By breaking down of a piece of information into another form of communication, the scope of knowledge extends to a wider audience, allowing for it to be transferred and understood quickly. The beauty of translation however, is that key data can be distorted or lost, creating an abstracted version of the original. The more stages of translation, which occurs, the more that existing information is abstracted, possibly changing the way in which it is perceived. The Spatial Interaction Drawing Machine translates the way we interact with the space around us into a time-based pencil drawing. Our leg movement is translated into a mechanical gear movement, which is in turn translated into the movement of a pencil that draws against a constantly moving scroll of paper. However, the Drawing Machine can react unpredictably to the way in which we move through the space around us, distorting sections of the drawing, and thus abstracting our original movements.

// The Annual 2017/18 //

Wa l k i n g A n c i e n t PATH S Kerry Fox This summer I visited Stonehenge for the first time in a decade. Perhaps my homecoming after nine months abroad influenced my reaction, but I was struck with an intense emotional connection to the site. I took a circuitous route to the stones, exploring barrows and earthworks, immersing myself in a landscape that I felt linked to. The depth of that emotion made me question why it was that I felt so connected to the place around me. It was clearly more than just a reaction to my own cultural history or a sense of awe at the achievement of ancient people. Intrigued, I set out to investigate which aspects of the site were influencing me, and why. At it

first, I hypothesised that was the landscapeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s funereal

quality that was playing through my subconscious. What remains on Salisbury plain is largely a collection of graves - cremations have been found buried within the stone circles at Stonehenge, and the barrows that litter the site enclose burials or cremations within their mounds. With these protrusions from the landscape still so evident, as I walked I was reminded of the sense of death that pervades the plain, of the idea that it is a resting place for so many people. While that is a sobering thought, I did bear in mind that these people have been dead for thousands of years - Stonehenge was built around 2500 BC1. The only emotions that I can have for them are impersonal, less than what I felt for the Stonehenge landscape. Perhaps, then, the answer to my question was not so simple.

// KERRY FOX //

// OSA X //

As I researched further into the idea of the landscape as a mausoleum, I discovered an emerging theory that began to mold the space into something that I could read. My walk had begun at Durrington Walls, where archaeological evidence suggests the builders of Stonehenge lived. I had then followed other paths until I had reached the Avenue, a processional route from the River Avon to the monument of Stonehenge. From the shape of the Avenue, Francis Pryor, a leading archaeologist, draws the conclusion that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;a north-easterly approach was important and... that the river, too, played a significant role in the ancient ceremoniesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;2. He

// WALKING ANCIENT PATHS //

also goes on further to deduce, from the similar processional route at Woodhenge, that the two were linked by the river in a ritual regarding life and death. Woodhenge, metres from the settlement at Durrington Walls, represented the living and Stonehenge, surrounded by graves, represented the dead. It became apparent that these rituals were embedded in the landscape, taking natural features and augmenting them, elevating them to a new level of meaning relevant to the spiritual beliefs of the people living on and around the site. This way of working with the landscape became key to my research. As I

// The Annual 2017/18 //

“The people who built Stonehenge did not see it as a finished monument, but rather as something more organic that would change with time.”

walked, I used monuments and earthworks as wayfinders. There is evidence to suggest that this may have been part of their role from their very creation. Pryor writes; ‘different holdings, maybe of families or villages, were marked out by burial mounds, or sometimes by individual graves’3. In this way, the interventions in the landscape became ways of demarking space, of creating signs on a relatively flat land that could be used for a practical purpose. Once again, the site was used for something deeper than its inherent, life-giving worth as farmland. The most interesting findings regard Stonehenge itself. As Pryor4 and Parker Pearson5 explain, natural ridges across the plain correspond with the alignment of Stonehenge, hinting towards the possibility that, when constructing Stonehenge, the neolithic people were celebrating an already existing geological trait. I imagine decades where, winter after winter, the new farming community on the site watched the sun grow lower in the sky, the days becoming shorter and shorter, and pinpointed the exact time at which the cycle reversed. They must have felt awe at the realisation that the sunrise, on that day, would align with elements of the landscape. And then, I imagine them building a ditch, to honour that alignment, and then raising a monument that symbolically captured the solar movement. It is a very slow architecture that was built on a period of site observation and analysis, followed by a period of design and creation.

The design was certainly a process. Between the initial raising of the stones, around 2500 BC, and a change in use of the monument signposted by Bronze Age carvings around 1750 BC6, the stones were moved at least once, and planned to be moved again. The people who built Stonehenge did not see it as a finished monument, but rather as something more organic that would change with time. As Pryor writes:

// KERRY FOX //

‘the stones and ditches of the ‘building’ at Stonehenge were not, of themselves, the focus of ancient worship. Instead, people came there to experience and to be a part of a very special place in the landscape... the seemingly ceaseless building and rebuilding that we can now work out in some detail was, in fact, the shrine’s actual ‘use’. When people came to Stonehenge they wanted to make their mark, either as individuals or as communities and often they did this by altering it in some way.’7

// OSA X //

The idea that engaging with the site through physical intervention was the purpose of the building at Stonehenge is incredible to me. Is that not what we, as architects, wish to do? We strive to make our mark on a site through building in the same way that neolithic communities five thousand years ago sought to.

My research led me to compare this ancient use of the site to the way I would approach a site as an architecture student. Years of study have trained me to look for qualities and possibilities in existing sites. The thought that someone thousands of years ago was doing the same thing through taking aspects of the natural site and building on them to create something new - and that then, more people came along and added their touch to that through changing arrangements and alignments - is astounding to me. It feels as if someone has reached out a ribbon through time, connecting me with these people. Appreciating the landscape in the same way as the community that once lived on it did connects me to the past far more firmly than the ashes under burial mounds ever could. Even though they have been gone for so long, through their monuments, these ancient architects still speak. And yet, we have lost the ability to listen to them. When people visit Stonehenge they are taken to the stones by bus and herded around on paths demarcated by fences. It is a procession, but not in the same way or direction that was intended by the builders of Stonehenge. Visitors do not see the surroundings, the context of the monument. They are taught to appreciate the stones as a feat of engineering, not architecture. While I am loath to suggest free roaming across the monument - Victorian souvenir carving has shown us that the public cannot be trusted not to touch the stones - something has been lost by controlling the visits. However, understanding could perhaps be gained by a reintegration of the Stonehenge monument itself with the rest of the landscape. Only then can we truly appreciate and honour the work of our early architects.

// WALKING ANCIENT PATHS //

1// English Heritage, Stonehenge [website] 2017, www.english-heritage. org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/ Accessed: 4th March 2018 2// Pryor, F. Stonehenge. [Place of publication not identified]: Head of Zeus., 2016, p37 3// Ibid, p22 4// Ibid 5// Parker Pearson, M. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Researching Stonehenge: Theories Past and Presentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, Archaeology International, 16, 2013, pp. 72-83. 6// English Heritage, Stonehenge [website] 2017 http://www.englishheritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/ Accessed: 4th March 2018 7// Pryor, F. Stonehenge. [Place of publication not identified]: Head of Zeus., 2016, p24

// The Annual 2017/18 //

// KERRY FOX //

// OSA X //

O x ARCH PHOTOGRAPH y COMP E TITION The OxArch photography competition run by the school’s architectural society challenges students to push their photography skills further. Students submit photographs taken from excursions and compete for a cash prize. This year unit trips have included Brussels, Cuba, Berlin, Ibiza and Georgia offering worthy inspiration. The winner, runners-up throughout the issue.

and

editor’s

choice

will

// PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION //

Runner Up: Daniel Lam DS1 MarchD Part 2 Studio Trip: Paris

displayed

W ALKING PLAC E S The Beauty of Evanescence MATT JORDAN

// OSA X //

I have always been fascinated by the stories preserved within the architectural voices of neglected structures, and wanted to take the opportunity that Research-led Design offered to develop a far greater understanding of these â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;silent placesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and how they impact our urban fabric. The act of waking the silent places of our past evolves from the persistent human need to orientate oneself within our environment. However, this is not orientation in the traditional sense of identifying oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s position, it is instead a journey into the spiritual, in the form of a deeply subjective exploration of sense of place.

Sense of place stands as the antithesis of the geography of placelessness.

// The Annual 2017/18 //

27 Placelessness finds itself developing through the invasive kitsch architecture that now overwhelms the fringes of our capital. With the destructive appetite of the metropolis growing at an alarming rate; its unacceptable that we are failing to address the full value of the symbols of our recent past before they too succumb to the effects of bulldozer culture. To undertake this study required the adoption of the role of an Urban Exploration (Urbex) photographer. When operating in this manner you must reject the design impulse of the architect and allow the vague terrain to be looked upon not as an opportunity to continue to colonise and impose, but alternatively as a physical library of social history.

// MATT JORDAN //

The stories immortalised in these structures have long since faded from our collective consciousness, but may never die. Instead, they find themselves acting as vehicles of nostalgia to preserve our memories within them. These relics possess another dimension; a respite from mediocrity. Positioned in the peripheries of the city, these spaces become liminal, from which an uneasy equilibrium may be observed. We may look inward to the known tediousness of the metropolis or outward to the unknown danger of the abyss.

// OSA X //

// WALKING PLACES //

The reason that these places have fallen from the foreground to the background of our perceptions varies greatly by location. However, one theme remains consistent; they have ultimately failed to keep pace with the metamorphosis of the city and its increasing demands. As the metropolis expands, it carves out great wounds on its surroundings. Over time these wounds decimate the places that people have known and formed a connection to. The place falls silent one last time. Though, in this final silence these places exist as scars of the recent past. They have been caused by a wound and exist with in a state of perpetual melancholy.

Even when forgotten, these places shield us from the unrelenting banality of the fringes of the city. The risk that we take when exploring the outer limits of the metropolis is rewarded by the revelation of non-conformity. Within these places, the passing of time slows and we develop a far greater awareness of the present. The buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decay creates an anarchic freedom within its vicinity, immersing the visitor in a subversive calmness. Within this moment evanescence has ceased, both you and the place are one; you may relate to the history embedded within.

// The Annual 2017/18 //

We must reject the notion that the beauty of these silent places is immediately obvious. Rather, it is an imperfect beauty that requires our ability to connect with it on a far more comprehensive level for it to be fully realised. When exploring these gems of dereliction and to fully understand their value we must go beyond the considerations of three dimensional architectural space and introduce the dimension of time.

We must realise the narratives of the stories that played out in these locations, whilst also interrogating these unique environments to reveal any secrets that they may still hold. Through creating and interpreting narratives, a real and profound connection to these fading voices of the past can be elicited, where the viewer becomes part of the story. We must finish the masterpiece.

PEOPLE PLAC E S The City as an Extension of the Self CHARLOTTE HART

// PEOPLE PLACES //

In an age where the image of place is dominated by a frontal perspective perception, our awareness of the spatial relationship between person and space has noticeably declined. Visual prioritising has resulted in a decreased understanding of what it is like ‘to feel’ in our surroundings and there runs a risk of design falling short of our needs by failing to note the haptic realm in which we experience the space around us. There is a general understanding of a client when designing architecture or public space, but more often than not this focuses on the logistics of a programme or the final selling image rather than the way in which spaces will reveal themselves to the individual, and therefore a pleasant sensory experience is often lacking. With an understanding of Merleau Ponty’s Primacy of Perception and the underlying idea that we are embodied beings, physically constrained to the space in which we inhabit, it is evidential that we cannot operate objectively from the external world. We rely on the

// The Annual 2017/18 //

Through our physical being, we create a two way process of interacting in which we are challenging the space surrounding us rather than observing it, and learning to navigate its boundaries through sensory cues. senses as the first point of contact with our surroundings, using them to absorb any information of a given place. In a city situation, we become immersed in the smells, sounds and feelings of the street as the three dimensional environment is unveiled through sensations, enabling us to measure the boundaries of our space and with what and whom we share it. Each sense is activated differently, but they come together as a whole to read and navigate the given environment. Where â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;sound measures space and makes its scale comprehensibleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;1, for example, we can understand the magnitude of a cathedral by how noise

is carried away and echoed throughout the space, or judge the distance of a moving vehicle by the intensity of its sound. Through our physical being, we create a two way process of interacting in which we are challenging the space surrounding us rather than observing it, and learning to navigate its boundaries through sensory cues. This demonstrates the necessity of place-making that is empathetic to the human scale. More recent city development has seen a loss of this characteristic,

where the influence of the car has created sprawl or lack of space, generating vertical architecture that no longer accommodates the ambling pedestrian.

// PEOPLE PLACES //

When internalising the perception of the user as a method for design we must also consider that the body is constantly moving. We may not be literally walking from A to B but our embodied self is never at rest or focusing on a singular flattened perspective. We take in a situation in a series of fragments and individual sensory experiences that come together to create the complete picture. ‘The synthesis of the whole does not become comprehensible through isolated details. Everything refers to everything.’2 Therefore, when walking through a city, impact is created by a sequence of bodily experiences that manifest themselves to create an intellectual and emotional reaction. Not only is our vision peripheral but our other senses are constantly reacting to simultaneous signals. David Hockney’s photomontages suggest this multi-layered complexity, where he acknowledges how a single scene is being received by the revolving eye, rather than a single point of perspective. The second aspect to acknowledge is that this is an ongoing reception. We are constantly in a process of exchange - history can be considered the only stillness to see something objectively since the present is in a constant state of evolution. Thinking like this encourages an open design, a space that provides opportunities but does not prescribe activities. This is an important device when considering the interaction of people. There is little point in forcing members of a

neighbourhood to congregate at point X on a given day to acknowledge each other, but by investing in tactical design such as parks, wider pavements and town squares we make places that prompt paths to cross, creating inevitable meeting points and social integrations. This realisation on the importance of intimacy within the urban environment and our emotional connection to our surroundings is something that the architect must predict; it is their duty to nurture ideas on how space will allow us to engage as a community. Peter Zumthor likens this role to that of a theatrical designer - ‘the ability I’m speaking of is rather akin to designing a stage setting, directing a play’3. Ever since the Renaissance we have been aware of the spatial relationship between people and the surrounding and the idea that through design we can manipulate these relationships and perceptions to create opportunities for certain experience. Urbanist, Jan Gehl, talks about the importance of design and the concern that in recent decades the ‘human dimension’ is being overlooked. He puts forward the need to create ‘a reasonably cohesive city that offers short walking distances, attractive public spaces, and a variation of urban functions’4, somewhere where there is a reassertion over the life of the city block and the importance of the individual. Through in-depth studies of public life, Gehl has extracted simplified qualities that are necessary to generate comfortable spaces for where people live.

“We take in a situation in a series of fragments and individual sensory experiences that come together to create the complete picture”

The integration of design is complex, since we as humans are complex systems integrated within our environment, constantly exchanging information that allows our knowledge to evolve. With the advancement of technology there is too much priority given to the timeless visual seduction to a point where we become detached from the world we live in. This is not solely the responsibility of the architect and planner but a matter which society must acknowledge to prevent further disconnection.

1// Pallasmaa, J. (2010) The thinking hand: Existential and embodied wisdom in architecture. Chichester, UK: Wiley. 2// Zumthor, P. (2010) Basel: Birkhäuser.

Thinking

architecture.

4// Gehl, J. (2010) Cities for people. Washington, DC: Island Press.

// CHARLOTTE HART //

3// Zumthor, P. (2006) Atmospheres: Architectural environments, surrounding objects. Basel: Birkhäuser.

// OSA X //

A captured moment The Sense of Place in Dungeness Emily Walsh In the photographs Dungeness is still In the moments of time it is silent In the lens there is permanence In the frame there is emptiness. Now I stand here within the frame Beyond the utopian moment In place of the stillness there is life A wind which whips and rips and trips Which animates the people and the sea But never the building captured in a moment.

Now I stand here in the lens Beyond the artists ideal In place of silence there is a roar Voices trapped within the air Bodiless exclamations of cold But never is this heard in a photograph. Now I stand here in the moment of time Beyond the frozen seconds of a shutter In place of permeance there is uncertainty The shingles roll and change Pushed and pulled by tides and people But never in the ground frozen in time.

// A CAPTURED MOMENT //

I stand in a photograph Yet barely recognise the subject A moment, a frame, a lens Can never contain the wilderness of Dungeness.

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// EMILY WALSH //

// OSA X //

ANGEL’ S DR E AMS Sleeping Room / Meeting with Angel/ Guiding Angel by Aygul Abizguldina The starting point for my proposal was inspiration from the contemporary artist Ilya Kabakov. Through his artwork he explores the theme of angels, as well as the concept of a person who tries to change himself (making himself better, kinder, more virtuous). The debate surrounding angels, that either they cannot exist or cannot be seen, stimulated my attempt to make them a reality by visualising them through a movie.

// ANGEL’S DREAMS //

Kabakov’s projects exploring ‘meeting with an angel’ create a situation of a ‘call for help’. This criterion of the idea of the angel as a guide for a ‘better life’ was employed within the narrative of my proposal.

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// AUTHOR //

scale of inhabitation Combining design projects and research, this chapter examines how individuals and society interact with architecture.

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The Home Export Scheme Docking Station X, Walbrook Wharf Hannah Middleton Based in Walbrook Wharf, on the edge of the City of London and facing out to the River Thames, sits a proposal for the City of London Corporation’s Self-build Programme.

The colliding buildings made up of three expo spaces (Estate Agents, Auction Room and Court Room), offices for Land Registry and Planning and a self-build workshop, aim to provide a more convenient and better way for residents of the City of London to buy, sell and make a home.

// THE HOME EXPORT SCHEME //

The proposal also involves an element of recycling, carried out via a material bank that is open to all. The donated materials can either be used by those building within the workshop or exchanged with the public to then be taken away. Once you buy a plot of land in the auction room, you are enrolled in the self-build programme, giving you access to all the workshop facilities. When your new home is fully constructed, it is docked onto a boat to be transported off site. Upon transportation, the owner gets the privilege to place a brick inscribed with their name on the façade of the auction room. The hope is that over time the façade will build up with inscribed bricks and showcase to the rest of London the progress the City of London Corporation is making in providing for its residents.

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// HANNAH MIDDLETON //

// THE EXQUISITE CORPSE IVERIA //

// OSA X //

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The Exquisite corpse I v e r IA Projective View Jude Dajani and Maria Mavrikou Using the Iveria Hotel as a skeletal substructure, we aimed to create multiple doppelgängers through the manipulation of the Iveria’s opposing façades. Through a similar construction to that of the ‘Exquisite Corpse’, a paradoxical confrontation between the elements of speech, we sought the juxtaposition of unlikely objects and the alliance of disparate worlds. In doing so, we would create an architecture that is both hybrid and, in manipulation, a doppelgänger.

Keeping the Iveria’s skeleton as our base, we decided to reflect on our separate elements, those of the original Iveria and those of Georgian architecture, through the act of pastiche. As a result, our drawing represents a landscape where these two façades are continuously negotiating. As two forces, one with agenda and one without, their negotiation is the production of a doppelgänger which creates one larger doppelgänger.

In order to achieve this, we separated the drawing into patterns and modules and began composing each separately without elements.

// JUDE DAJANI AND MARIA MAVRIKOU //

As two forces, one with agenda and one without, their negotiation is the production of a doppelgänger which creates one larger doppelgänger.

// OSA X //

// PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION //

Runner Up: Daschle Pereira First Year Undergraduate Studio Trip: London

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Belonging through ancient ruin Gina Andreou

The Parthenon sculptures are acting as an anchor to the past, they freeze the cultural inspirations of that time and contradict it, sometimes strikingly, in comparison to current cultural settings. Their value as ruins do not only lie within their physical beauty, but also in the historic and cultural narrative - from the temple to their arrival here. Visiting the Duveen Gallery within the British Museum in London made me question the relationship between the artwork and the visitor, the two contradicting cultural settings and how the space facilitates this communication.

// GINA ANDREOU //

// BELONGING THROUGH ANCIENT RUIN //

// OSA X //

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JUST PAINTING

Observational Paintings

Fig. 1.3

Fig. 1.4

SOUTH METOPE Centaur’s face is grimacing like the tragic masks of the Greek theatre

NORTH FRIEZE Full of nervous energy, the youth is full of exitement and restlessness His right hand is holding the bridle of the rearing animal.

Painting was chosen as an initial investigation method due to its simplicity and honesty. Inspired by Wendy Artin’s work (2016), observational drawings were used to examine the sculptures’ details, especially the ones most visitors miss, to appreciate the artist’s skills. Photo montage is a fascinating method - a quick and easy technique with a non-linear approach in narrating space qualities that creates striking results. This enables a direct juxtaposition of the exhibition space against the history of the ancient ruins. The interpretation of their dynamic relation results in a raw contrast facilitating my intentions for analysis. RIGHT METOPE Horse and young man fighting against Centaurus

Even if the composition of head and body looks feasible i’m explaining the totally different and delicate history behind them, to excentuate that historical context is of major importance

EAST PEDIMENT Distress of woman, evident from her flexed drapery to her right showing an intention to stand indicating the birth of Athena is taking place to her side.

26.

27.

Observational Paintings

Fig. 1.4

H METOPE r’s face is grimacing like the masks of the Greek theatre

NORTH FRIEZE Full of nervous energy, the youth is full of exitement and restlessness His right hand is holding the bridle of the rearing animal.

RIGHT METOPE Horse and young man fighting against Centaurus Even if the composition of head and body looks feasible i’m explaining the totally different and delicate history behind them, to excentuate that historical context is of major importance

27.

Comics became my main research method because they are a very dynamic medium that actively includes the dimension of time within their representations. It facilitates the depiction of a theoretical analysis as in the image pictured. I used the Elgin Marbles room as a stage that events are taking place within. The narrative acts as an extra layer to convey a clear idea on top of the architectural frame. This research method helped me explore my vivid imagination thoroughly. In addition, it has changed my perception of the space and allowed me to consider these extreme scenarios as more plausible realities. Extending far from reality into the sphere of visual fiction, my explorations and research became the narrative of my stories, allowing them to be conveyed with the most impact.

Their value as ruins do not only lie within their physical beauty, but also in the historic and cultural narrative - from the temple to their arrival here.

// GINA ANDREOU //

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GROWING OPPORTUNITIE S Beverley Angove

Kakuma refugee camp is located in north-western Kenya, a semi-arid location with an average rainfall of 300mm a year. Established in 1992, the camp currently accommodates over 147,000 people, over double the intended capacity. The structures provided are constructed from corrugated metal and plastic sheeting, making them unsuitable for the harsh environment. With those residing in the camp unable to leave freely and Kenyan law restricting livelihood opportunities, there are limited prospects for refugees.

// GROWING OPPORTUNITIES //

Having visited Kakuma and spoken with people residing within the camp, it became clear that refugees are not currently living a healthy or conducive lifestyle, with water, food and facilities provided described as inadequate. To improve living conditions for refugees, an alternative construction approach needs to be developed and implemented. The method should consider not only environmental factors and the limited resources available but also its suitability to be constructed by refugees. To develop a design that takes into consideration the limited resources available, modelling approaches that reduced the amount of material used and created minimal waste were explored. The most successful outcome that produced no waste was found by pouring wax into a reusable mould filled with hydrogel spheres. Hydrogel spheres are small beads that absorb water, allowing them to multiply in size. As water within the spheres evaporates, they begin to shrink until reverting to their original diameter. By experimenting with different mould shapes and sizes of hydrogel spheres,

various patterns could be achieved. Smaller beads with a large diameter mould created an intricate wax structure with layers of wax formed between the spheres. Whilst larger beads used with the same diameter mould created a more hollow, simpler wax form. There were certain difficulties in creating the models, in particular controlling the position of the spheres. As they were hydrated when used within the models, they were wet to the touch and therefore moved once they had been placed in the mould. Although not an ultimate solution, using mould shapes that had gradual curved edges made it easier for the spheres to stack. Ensuring the mould was secure and tightly packed with spheres before, during and after the wax had been poured reduced the risk of the beads moving. The proposed buildings for Kakuma refugee camp will use hydrogel spheres throughout the depth of the structure to create the porosity achieved in the wax models. This method of

49 construction will reduce the weight of the structure and the amount of material required for its completion. The outer layer of the building will be predominantly solid to provide privacy, while several openings created at the top of the structure will allow air to circulate, producing a more comfortable environment. In addition to forming the porous structure, the hydrogel spheres can be left in the walls to create humidity inside the building during and after the rainy season. Small openings will allow rainwater to hydrate the beads. Over time, water within the hydrogel will evaporate to create a more humid, and therefore cooler environment within the building. By significantly reducing the number of openings within the external structural layer, the amount of moisture escaping the building will be minimised, slowing down the rate at which water is evaporated to maintain these conditions for a longer period of time .

There is a need for permanent answers to this issue to be developed that give refugees the opportunity to create a life away from their home while they wait for permanent settlement or to return to their original homes. With a

// BEVERLEY ANGOVE //

If refugees reside in camps for an average of 17 years, why are only temporary solutions implemented?

// OSA X //

// GROWING OPPORTUNITIES //

significant part of individualsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lives spent residing within camps, infrastructure should be available that is better suited to the environmental conditions and offers opportunities for creating livelihoods and communities. Developing an approach that is considerate of the limited resources and can be constructed by refugees themselves will improve the quality of structures and build skills. Furthermore, the proposed structure will also improve the internal conditions of the buildings, creating a more pleasant environment. Teaching people basic skills and allowing them to start constructing their own buildings will offer them the opportunity to improve their lives and environment.

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The Identity of T r a n s n at i o n a l Architecture Tracing the influence of cultural institutions on the contemporary identity of the UAE Dana Raslan The increasing deviation from traditional architectural practices and the move towards new hybrid identities have prompted debates about the loss of the local identity and the ambiguity caused by postmodernism. The skylines of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major cities have embraced the cosmopolitan image of towers and skyscrapers. While some view these similarities as a lack of identity, others argue that this new trend is an expression of contemporary identity in architecture. As a result, the concept of identity has become more fluid and there is no consensus in measuring to what extent a building successfully reflects identity.

Nowadays, design decisions are affected by globalisation, resulting in the homogenisation of societies, and since identity is linked to locality, this has triggered the decline of regional distinctiveness. Traditional houses, churches and state buildings have been replaced with architecture that adheres to the needs of capitalist consumerism and mass production. International companies and transnational banks have become leaders of the modern architectural movement and the ensuing architectural identity of urban settings.

Identity is viewed differently outside the Western world. In the Middle East, most postcolonial countries have been trying to find new ways of expressing their identity while maintaining their traditional, local and religious values. This has led to the creation of a transnational identity, shared among Arab countries with common history, religion and social norms. Pan-Arabism emerged as an ideology of unity of the Arab state but was only successful in more affluent Arab countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

// DANA RASLAN //

A sense of belonging develops when people can identify with the places they live in and relate to the historical and political backgrounds of their surroundings. There is a general consensus that buildings should be representative of the communities they serve and have a positive social impact. Historically, design decisions that reflect identity in architecture had been influenced by four major factors - physical context (including materials, climate and geography), technology, cultural context (e.g. religion, social values, politics) and the individual artistic tendencies of architects.

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Among the recent turmoil in the Middle East, members of the GCC who identify more strongly with the corporate world than their Arab neighbours, have preserved their stability. Despite allegations towards the Gulf area regarding the financial support of terrorism, GCC members have been doing their best to maintain good relations with the Western World. This has put great pressure on Gulf countries to stand out and compete in the global market, using art and culture to promote themselves as nonextremist states, open to change. The role of politics, marketing and identity is more important now than ever before.

The United Arab Emirates, officially established in 1971, provides a raw example of contemporary architecture. After the discovery of oil, the UAE transitioned from being an arid desert with harsh living conditions to a world-renowned country. Vast shopping malls, skyscrapers, highways, business districts and commercial centres have become its urban representation. In the context of the current shift in geopolitical power and the recent instability in the region, Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, has embarked on a campaign

to establish itself as a global city through cultural expression. Structural accomplishments and political aspirations now shape the fabric of Abu Dhabiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s identity. Its contemporary image is presented through regional and political engagements (or lack thereof) and an interest in culture and arts. Urban planning has been driven towards luxury tourism, business centres, leisure facilities and cultural activities. The city aims to establish itself as the cultural hub of the Middle East and compete globally through its artistic contributions. Abu Dhabiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current identity revolves around openness, tolerance and power while promoting modern Islamic culture and maintaining Emirati heritage. The contemporary identity of Abu Dhabi serves three main objectives global recognition, economic power, and political influence. These have prompted a cultural fetishism that aims to establish this new image through museums and cultural institutions. The first cultural mega-development in line with this is Saadiyat Island. The city boasts that this district is the first and only project to feature cultural centres designed by

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The role of politics, marketing and identity is more important now than ever before. 5 Pritzker Prize winners. Among them is The Louvre Abu Dhabi, designed by Jean Nouvel and set to become an example of symbolic architecture in the UAE. Inaugurated in November 2017, it took ten years to complete and cost around £83 million. The project covers 64,000 square metres of gallery space across 55 distinctive white buildings inspired by Arabian medinas. A steel dome for a roof, spanning 180 metres in diameter, produces a ‘rain of light’ generated by its geometric designs and the changes of the daily sun path. The museum has received a lot of attention and has been both praised and criticised in the media. As the first completed international museum in the Middle East, it is meant to represent cultural exchange and symbolise modernity and openness. It is part of the local government’s initiative to reinvent its identity through cultural ventures. Through its connection to various social and political factors, it is expected to have a strong impact in the region. GLOBAL RECOGNITION In the context of Abu Dhabi’s ambitions for a seat beside the global players who influence the region, the Louvre Abu Dhabi is more than a museum. It is a display of prosperity and power. Marketed as the first universal museum in the Middle East, it is a contemporary example of the UAE’s established strategy of using world records and superlatives to make an impression. It is part of the state’s greater campaign for the Cultural District of Saadiyat Island to house the largest collection of iconic cultural institutions in the world in hopes to attract global tourists and gain worldwide recognition.

ECONOMIC POWER Millions of new visitors are intended to replace oil as the Emirate’s main source of income. Among them, Abu Dhabi’s main target are cultural tourists who are older, more educated and spend more on luxury. The UAE’s philosophy of ‘build it and they will come’ is put to the test through this development. The Crown Prince of the Emirates, Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, declared in a government summit, ‘Maybe in 50 years, we might have the last barrel of oil. The question is: when it is shipped abroad, will we be sad? If we are investing today in the right sectors, I can tell you we will celebrate that moment’.

// DANA RASLAN //

POLITICAL INFLUENCE The concept of a museum is a western notion, a tool to understand history, heritage and culture. It promotes intercultural exchange, raises issues for dialogue and presents opportunities for inquisitiveness and selfreflection. However, art’s purpose is to provoke people and question belief systems which can lead to discord and instability.

// OSA X //

Abu Dhabi’s hybrid identity is used as a means of conveying its message; spreading influence regionally and globally while projecting an image of modernity and openness. The Arab Spring has not only delayed the development of Saadiyat Island but also made the initiators of the project nervous. Artistic freedom is a matter of debate and the last thing the government wants is to inspire instability through it. However, whether the exhibitions in the Louvre will challenge its social and political context is yet unclear. In that aspect, the UAE tourism sector maintains its position on encouraging debate, dialogue and inspiring creativity.

// THE IDENTITY OF TRANSNATIONAL ARCHITECTURE //

Religious and Cultural factors Many critics have speculated that the museums in Abu Dhabi will shy away from displaying any form of erotic art. Journalists and art speculators revealed that the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s art selections are controlled and that despite its more liberal approach, censorship is still present. Saadiyat Island’s cultural director stated that the aim of the complex is to create dialogue, not shock or offend visitors, all the while remaining respectful towards local and traditional values. In the UAE, religion and politics are closely intertwined. With culture, a new form of soft power, being added to the equation, Abu Dhabi’s new found leniency towards art appears to be related to the city’s desire for influence on the broader regional politics. The capital city is aware of the political tensions in the Gulf region. Hence, the Louvre museum is an expression of Abu Dhabi’s opposition to Islamic extremism, as well as its goal of becoming a bridge connecting cultures, religions and civilisations. A Qur’an from the 13th century AD, a two volume Gothic bible and a Yemenite Torah are presented in the gallery, opened to pages sharing the same message: acceptance and tolerance.

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Under the influence of globalisation, Abu Dhabiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contemporary architecture can neither be considered regional nor international. It is a combination of local Islamic tradition and cosmopolitan urban design. Abu Dhabiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hybrid identity is used as a means of conveying its message; spreading influence regionally and globally while projecting an image of modernity and openness. Through Saadiyat Islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cultural District, and the Louvre Museum in particular, Abu Dhabi aims to be recognised as a global capital and cultural hub. Yet digging beneath the surface, it seems that Abu Dhabi has motives beyond an interest in cultural exchange. Its government has realised that soft power, exercised through culture, will make the city recognisable among its competitors, diversifying its sources of income and contributing to the wider politics of the region. The Louvre Abu Dhabi is the ultimate test for this theory and it will most likely serve its purpose.

It is projected that the Museum will ignite cultural interest in the UAE and boost the tourism sector, therefore paving the way for the other museums on Saadiyat Island. The media coverage surrounding this building for the last ten years leading up to its inauguration, has made it one of the most anticipated museums to visit and firmly placed Abu Dhabi on the cultural map and whilst not everyone may agree with the way the city is projecting its identity, it is evident that its iconic architecture has pushed it to the foreground among the most influential capitals of the world. // DANA RASLAN //

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Photography in a ‘Fragile’ Design Process Salem Al Qudwa

// PHOTOGRAPHY IN A ‘FRAGILE’ DESIGN PROCESS //

For about a decade now, I have been using photography in my field trips as an architect. As part of my current PhD by design research specifically, I conducted fieldwork in areas inhabited by impoverished communities in the Gaza Strip (Palestine), and used photography for my experimental research design project: recording everyday spaces; the way such spaces are used; and their potential for further design, rehabilitation and reconstruction. The photographs I took both map physical places and record the social characteristics inherent to the community, depicting how the space of everyday life is produced by different categories of beneficiaries. Photographic documentation was used in combination with freehand sketches, prompting reflexivity concerning the specificity of each of these two media and their relevance to the practice of design. The use of photography allowed me as the researcher to bring to the foreground certain characteristics of everyday spaces that pertain to a (now resurrected) minimalist aesthetics, which could be further pursued in the design process, allowing the designer to take into account the specific political and economic conditions of Gaza. Objects do not just stand in an autonomous space that ensures their separateness from their surroundings. They take a place in what sculptor Donald Judd describes as an “actual space”; they share a space in which the viewer’s body is also located. Judd’s objects challenged the idea that the presence of the artist’s hand is tantamount to quality aesthetics, or that, in other words, the effect of a minimalist artwork in an exhibition would vanish, were no one to place it in a frame or on a pedestal. In this sense,

‘The use of photography allowed me as the researcher to bring to the foreground certain characteristics of everyday spaces that pertain to a (now resurrected) minimalist aesthetics, which could be further pursued in the design process’

// The Annual 2017/18 //

Similar to the grid formats of minimalist artist Carl Andre, a local had arranged bricks in a particular manner.

for example, the most impressive photographs of minimalist artworks are those that do not isolate the artworks but rather show them in their surroundings.

Dough circles repeated in rows and columns, as they were prepared inside an empty room, in the Gaza Strip.

The natural light entering through the aluminium frame of windows into each empty room fills up the â&#x20AC;&#x153;actual spaceâ&#x20AC;? of the house, and the metallic safety designs further enhance the general sense of simplicity, order and abstraction that characterises the room.

// SALEM AL QUDWA //

As this article looks at the relevance of minimalist art to everyday architectural practices in Gaza, it should be pointed out that only a small number of people in Gaza are able to look at paintings and sculptures, due to the fact that there are few exhibitions and galleries available. In general, sculptors, art experts, and critics have had to receive their education abroad, whether in other Arab countries or in Europe. Access to art has been limited to school education and a few other activities, such as annual exhibitions organised by certain artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; associations, owing to which the professional status of artists has become more established. As Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip are constantly in the band of political instability, in addition to the dire economic situation, an ordinary citizen would look upon art only in terms of its usefulness as a technique, thus this period has primarily seen the development of the applied arts.

From this point of view, residential buildings in the Gaza Strip may look like disorganised groups of grey concrete boxes crowded together. However, if you look beyond these outer layers and begin to examine the details underneath them, you find that a complex web of human life-support systems is at work in these dwellings. In a manner that is convergent with minimalist art, though not necessarily directly informed by it, place and space making techniques in Gaza display resourcefulness, not hopelessness. Another example is that of ordinary Palestinian culture in the Gaza Strip, wherein women are accustomed to preparing traditional flat bread for their families, using wheat flour supplied by humanitarian aid agencies. Freshly-baked bread is prepared every day at some houses since baking bread at home saves hundreds of shekels on groceries every year. In a similar formation to the basic arrangements of minimal art shapes, women lay clean circular surfaces of dough and arrange the pieces in rows and columns.

// OSA X //

Horizontal and vertical lines, a typical aluminium window in Gaza (a) vs. a painting (b), homage to Mondrian.

// PHOTOGRAPHY IN A â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;FRAGILEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; DESIGN PROCESS //

Minimal art seeks to advance a certain type of beauty, yet surely this aesthetic aspect does not restrict the potential for improving life in other ways. Beauty as a consequence of utility in the industrial arts is not a product of a removal from practical attitudes. For beauty is still in the realm of perception, of contemplation, not in that of utility. No matter how much of an artist a builder or a potter may be, she/he is necessarily controlled by the practical needs that houses and pots are called to provide. This is even more the case within applied art, as it consists of the application of design and aesthetics to objects of function and everyday use. Whereas fine art serves as an intellectual stimulation to the viewer or to those with academic sensibilities, as well as being produced or intended primarily for beauty, the applied arts incorporate design and creative ideals to objects of utility, such as a cup, magazine or decorative park bench. There is considerable overlap between the field of applied arts and that of the decorative arts; to some extent, they are interchangeable terms.

The use of pictures taken at site during participatory design workshops with families in financial need with the addition of imaginary 2D walls (with openings, doors and windows) on the ground in order to develop the 3D architectural plan.

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Stacked construction materials.

The aesthetics of raw materials, the relationship of objects to the actual space, the effect of natural light on street volumes; these are all available features within the visual context of the Gaza Strip, producing highly reduced arrangements. Following these basic principles, local minimal art sculptures were primarily made from industrial materials, such as natural stone, wood, concrete, steel, aluminium, glass and plastic. These objects, frequently reduced to basic geometric shapes, were industrially produced, thus removing the artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal signature from the work. The works were also characterised by serial arrangements of a number of shapes in small and medium dimensions. In a similar display, but lacking an intended artistic concern, freestanding objects, such as metallic tubes and wooden stacks, can currently be seen lying in the streets of the Gaza Strip, with their circular and rectangular ends being repeated in linear patterns horizontally and vertically. Wood pallets, stacks of plywood and rusty tubes appear as highly similar to the sculptural works of minimal art, with their focus on the formal aspects of the composition. While watching the blacksmith at his workshop working metal with a hammer and anvil, or the carpenter working on timber pieces, one can see that they are also making pieces of sculpture, keeping the process simple, cheap and affordable.

// SALEM AL QUDWA //

// OSA X //

// PHOTOGRAPHY IN A ‘FRAGILE’ DESIGN PROCESS //

Photograph for a fragile model in consideration of hybrid construction materials.

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Moving through the streets of the Strip, one can see solid and hollow cement blocks arranged as threedimensional works in modular and grid formats, in a sculptured pattern that is similar to Donald Judd’s minimalist cubes. While the artists Donald Judd, Carl André, and Richard Serra achieved their aesthetic effect by controlling the context, their simple raw forms are typically viewed in a very simple and clean museum or gallery setting. On the other hand; and with no intentional aesthetic concerns, local workers in the Gaza Strip arrange the blocks geometrically in their own ways, according to block thickness. Other static minimalistic objects on display in the streets of the Gaza Strip are wooden stacks of construction materials; stacks of wood and cement bricks in a unit-bar arrangement, as well as concrete masses. While these objects are simply scattered throughout the streets of the Gaza Strip, many of them can also be viewed as accidental sculptures that embody the concepts of minimal art, displaying aesthetic strategies such as repetition and symmetry. Photography proved a reliable medium for communicating and sharing information with others during my work with communities in need. During the participatory design workshops organised with the families involved, a photo-montage technique was used that enabled not only the documentation of the original fragile/ temporary architectural models, but the development and contribution to the design process of a prototype housing project in Gaza.

61 This article is part of the Ph.D. by design research project, “Architecture of the Everyday: a Possible Response for the Gaza Strip, Palestine.” All pictures are © Salem Al Qudwa, 2017. Full paper: www.contempaesthetics.org/newvolume/pages/ article.php?articleID=796

// SALEM AL QUDWA //

Submersed, Submerged The Holistic Aquatic Institute of Posidonia Oceanica Phoebe Kent

// SUBMERSED, SUBMERGED //

‘Whenever I find myself growing grim around the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul... I account it high time to get to the sea as soon as I can.” Herman Melville - Moby Dick. Recalling a memory of being near or submersed in water, whether the ocean, a lake or a bath can release dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, oxytocin and norepinephrine, that can reduce stress and increase creativity1. Being in or beside water can have such benefits on the body

and mind that it is no wonder that, during Victorian times in England, doctors would prescribe bathing in both fresh and salt water to cure a number of conditions2. This led to the popularity of spa towns and resorts. Even now, water is assumed to be beneficial in spite of little scientific support. “From birth, man carries the weight of gravity on his shoulders. He is bolted to earth. But man has only to sink beneath the surface and he is free.” Jacques Cousteau.

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data regarding proximity to an aquatic landscape, physical activity partaken in at these locations and perceived mood after a visit. It is widely accepted that access to “natural” green spaces such as parkland, woods and gardens provide physical and mental benefits but research by BlueHealth and ‘Blue Mind’1 author Wallace J. Nichols identifies that blue spaces, both natural and man-made, are even better. Even the colour of water can provide emotional benefits, which may explain why blue has been revealed as the most popular colour around the world5. Due to a disconnection between lifestyle and natural resources, unfortunately, mankind has abused the oceans and is thus in the process of losing the critical resources of the Earth. Plants in the ocean produce 50% of the atmosphere’s oxygen6, yet overfishing, hazardous oil drilling and an increase of cargo and cruise ships are leading to a delicate situation for the aquatic flora and a rise in water temperature. Toxins and plastics are proving detrimental to fauna and the food chains.

Water is all around us. It covers 71% of the Earth’s surface3 and is fundamental to life. Not only do our bodies require water for survival, but stretches of water provide numerous benefits for physical, mental and emotional health. Water has the power to draw in and fascinate us in a way that little else on earth can; and TV programmes, such as ‘Blue Planet 2’, demonstrate that. Water holds a pre-life connection for mammals as we spend the nine months before birth in a sack of fluid in our mother’s womb. The sensation of floating in near body temperature can provide true relaxation similar to that subconscious experience.

// PHOEBE KENT //

Interaction with water has increasing scientific justification of improving physical health and wellbeing. Researchers at the BlueHealth Project at the University of Exeter4 have started to collect and analyse

In the shallow waters (between 1 and 35m) of the Mediterranean Sea grows an endemic seagrass known as Posidonia Oceanica. Posidonia Oceanica is a seagrass that grows in large areas, known as meadows, and is believed to be one of the oldest living organisms on earth, with some meadows being hundreds or even thousands of years old7. Found in the warm shallows of the Mediterranean Sea, Posidonia Oceanica is a serene habitat for many species of fish and becomes a fertile breeding ground. The seagrasses are large producers of oxygen and, when dead, are transformed into organic detritus and help to nourish the Mediterranean fauna. The Posidonia meadows protect the island’s shores from strong storm currents and clean the seawater to create the clear blue hue associated with the Mediterranean Sea. This Mediterranean seagrass is on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species8.

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One of the largest and best conserved Posidonia Oceanica meadows is located south of Ibiza, between the main island and Formentera. The area is protected within a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an EU Special Protection Zone, intending to preserve and grow the seagrass. Fifteen kilometres west of the UNESCO area lies Atlantis, a sandstone headland within view of Es Vedra, that has been shaped by quarrying the stone used for building the city walls of the old city, Dalt Vila, and look-out towers on the coast of the island. Many tourists visit the area due to its connections to Es Vedra and the claims that it hosts mystical properties.

The Holistic Aquatic Institute of Posidonia Oceanica sits partially submerged in the bay East of Atlantis. The approach is formed from sandstone excavated to form a gradient sliced into the island to provide access to the Institute. The approach links to a stone grid that forms the initial structure of the bay, which in turn connects to a digital grid across the Mediterranean Sea for data and sample collection. Where neither the Institute or walkways require the physical grid, the stone columns sit at various heights, in and out of the water, providing sanctuaries for visitors exploring the water. Housed within a series of partially enclosed spaces is a combination of scientific research laboratories of the Posidonia Oceanica seagrass and areas that focus the senses on being around and immersed in water. This intends to heighten the awareness of the environmental changes impacting the seagrass.

// SUBMERSED, SUBMERGED //

In of

contrast to the Ibiza culture alcohol, drugs and parties, the

Aquatic Institute of Posidonia Oceanica uses specific elements of human interaction with water to help people relax and become attentive to the natural environment in order to increase awareness of Posidonia Oceanica and its role in the aquatic landscape. The aim is to provide spaces

It is widely accepted that access to “natural” green spaces such as parkland, woods and gardens provide physical and mental benefits but research by BlueHealth and ‘Blue Mind’1 author Wallace J. Nichols identifies that blue spaces, both natural and man-made, are even better.

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that accentuate elements of water such as its light qualities, sound, smell, taste and touch. The structure of the whole attraction combines artificial materials with natural, working with sandstone, glass and steel submerged and outside of the water. Both react differently to the environments.

an aquatic swarm of robotic fish, we will be able to reduce the time, money and resources of the scientists and engineers, as the fish can swim freely from the institute to the data site. The relaxation for the visitors may hopefully provide the contrast to modern life and encourage interaction with a body of water more often.

Within the laboratories, research into the seagrass is carried out by an alliance of scientists, engineers and a swarm of robotic fish. The scientists study the best locations and breeding scenarios for the seagrass using data and samples that the robotic fish collect using the digital grid that spans the Mediterranean Sea. The robotic fish make their home in the submersed structures of the Aquatic Institute near the laboratories and workshops of their custodians.

1// Nichols, W. ‘Blue Mind’. 1st ed. London: Little, Brown. 2014

The aquatic swarm is constructed with the latest technology, sidebeam sonar, GPS and sensors. Many ‘species’ make up the swarm, each with a specific role in the data and sample collection. The larger robots are also fitted with filters to collect microplastic from the water to be recycled and used within the function of the building. Using the partnership between research and visitor reflection may allow for scientific findings into the optimal scenarios for prosperous Posidonia Oceanica. By working with

2// Rcpe.ac.uk. ‘Bathing by prescription: a brief history of treatment by water | Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh’. [website] 2018. https:// www.rcpe.ac.uk/. 3// Howard Perlman, U. ‘How much water is there on Earth, from the USGS Water Science School’. [website] 2016. https://water.usgs.gov/edu/ earthhowmuch.html. 4// BlueHealth2020. [website] www.bluehealth2020. eu 5// Jordan, W. ‘YouGov | Why is blue the world’s favourite colour?’. [website] YouGov: What the world thinks. 2015. https://yougov.co.uk/. 6// Hoare, P. ‘Blue Mind review – one man’s hymn to the power of water’. [website] The Guardian. 2014. https://www.theguardian.com/.

7// Arnaud-Haond, S., Duarte, C., Diaz-Almela, E., Marbà, N., Sintes, T. and Serrão, E. (2012). ‘Implications of Extreme Life Span’ in Clonal Organisms: Millenary Clones in Meadows of the Threatened Seagrass Posidonia Oceanica. PLoS ONE, 7(2), 2012, p.e30454. 8// IUCN. [website] http://www.iucnredlist.org/.

// PHOEBE KENT //

A ‘ l i v e d ’ s pa c e Old Battersea House Illaria Lombardini

// A ‘LIVED’ SPACE //

“Home” encompasses a significance beyond that of just a “house”. Indeed, when using the word “home”, we do not refer to the physicality of the space, but to its psychological impact on us: “being at home” does not simply mean “living in a house”, points out Wim Dekkers in his journal article ‘Dwelling, House and Home: Towards A Home-Led Perspective on Dementia Care’1, it means to find our intimacy with every room of the house. However, when referring to today’s “domestic life”, one can say that the home environment is experiencing a massive change in the establishment of its spaces. As noted by Norbert Streitz and Panos Markopoulos2, with the increased use of digital devices, the domestic space seems to become less significant, as we tend to attribute more value to its objects than the actual space.

In the context of domestic spaces’ meaning change, this article brings into account the case study of Old Battersea House. Old Battersea House is a Grade II listed building, and one of Battersea’s oldest properties (approximately built in 1699)3. The house became relevant to this project because of its interesting historical background and the evolution of the domestic spaces within the property through time, both in terms of use and structure. The building, in fact, has seen very diverse tenants who clearly perceived their domestic life in a very different way. From the analysis of the house, two particular tenants had a major impact on the development of the property. On the one hand, we have Wilhelmina Stirling, a writer with an eccentric personality who took the house on a nominal rent for life to save it from

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being demolished by Battersea Council in 1931. She used the building until her death (1965) to display the art collections by her sister, Evelyn De Morgan, and her brother in law, William De Morgan, transforming the property into “an artistic centre for that neighbourhood, an asset and a joy to Battersea for ever”4. And indeed, as Claire Longworth, curator at the De Morgan Centre, stated in the interview conducted by Joe Miller for BBC5, the house was much more than a private property: “it was a living museum […] It was continually full of friends and family who joined her for afternoon tea, or the visitors who regularly knocked on the door hoping for a tour of the house and collection”. On the other hand, the tenant who followed Mrs Stirling was the American millionaire publisher Malcolm Forbes. It is at this time, in 1971, after years of laying derelict, that the house faced a very big change in terms of use and impact on the community. Despite the fact that the house was populated with one of the biggest Victorian arts collections, which included very expensive paintings hung in every corner of the two-floor house - statues, furniture and much more (a collection which was sold in the 2011’s auction by Forbes’s sons when they decided to sell the property) - with the arrival of Forbes, the house became a purely private property .

1// Dekkers, W. ‘Dwelling, House and Home: Towards A Home-Led Perspective on Dementia Care’. Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy. 14 (3): 291-300. 2011, p296 2// Streitz, N. and Markopoulos, P. Distributed, Ambient, And Pervasive Interactions. Crete: Springer. 2014, pp25-26 3// English Heritage. ‘Battersea High Street’. Survey of London. [website] 2013 https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ 4// English Heritage. ‘Battersea High Street’. Survey of London. [website] 2013 https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ 5// Longworth, C. cited in Miller, J. ‘Wilhelmina Stirling’s Battersea art collections on display’. BBC. [website] 2013 http://www.bbc.co.uk/

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The analysis of this case study shows how listed private properties often carry a meaningful and abundant history, contain concealed mysteries, or were simply once occupied by interesting tenants who added a special value to the house. Nonetheless, like in the case of Old Battersea House, these historic gems and their intrinsic values remain hidden from the community and public at large, closed-up with merely private functions. In these terms, it appears that the property has lost its identity and character, slowly becoming a ‘private gadget home’ rather than a ‘home for the community’: Old Battersea House went from being a private residency with the aim of welcoming inside any member of the community to share history, art and way of living to a hidden and secret place behind a brick wall. Now, within Battersea, which is currently seeing its history disappearing to give always more space to private housing, that a potential new scheme makes its entrance.6 This “house is not an object”7.

// A ‘Lived’ Space //

This house is “home to many things” and should not be experienced as only a physical space delineated by four walls and a roof8, but as a “lived space”9.

By undertaking Old Battersea House as a potential National Trust case – which would allow the rescue of a significant building for the benefit of the community - the historic values of the building would be restored by revealing an architectural experience of its original use to be re-lived by the public (Figure 6), posing the question: How can this intervention allow the greater community to relive, enjoy and learn from the property’s rich historical layers?

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English Heritage. ‘Battersea High Street’. Survey of London. [website] 2013 https://www.ucl.ac.uk p1 Holl, S. House: Black Swan Theory. New York: Princeton Architectural Press. 2007, p6 Busch, A. Geography of Home. New York: Princeton Architectural Press. 1999, inside cover Pallasmaa, J. The Eyes of the Skin. Chichester: Wiley. 2005, p64

// Illaria Lombardini //

6// 7// 8// 9//

The Sino-Led Divergent Verticality GERALDINE WONG

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overseas. This process means China’s internal system has undergone a huge transformation - however, not all outcomes are positive. The process has led to problems such as social inequality, minimised labour rights and regretfully, the loss of many traditional values and beliefs. In London, Chinese society is considerably influential, nonetheless, they seem to be quite invisible culturally and socially. This proposal aims to introduce the unfamiliar side of Chinese culture to the public with intentions to revive the cultural aspects lost through integration. The project itself is driven by Chinese core values and beliefs; it acts as a critique of current world’s lifestyle balance by revealing the ‘hidden’ hideous truth of neoliberalism that China has partaken in, such as unpaid labour and long working hours. In addition, the thesis intends to revert the negative definition of sinicisation through discovering the possibilities in a universal parallel to the current society. It begins with investigating how sinicisation contributes towards neoliberalism through studying the layers of history in London, focusing on Limehouse. The scheme also looks at how Chinese investors’ capital can be used more positively, rather than just focusing on the profit. How could we turn this into a culturally enriching experience?

// GERALDINE WONG //

The project investigates neoliberalism with Chinese characteristics and how it has impacted our society. China has constructed its own economic system which is heavily monitored by the government. However, as they entered the free market, they have quickly accumulated a huge capital, which enabled them to invest

The scheme merges the past and present in Limehouse, through acknowledging the different trading intentions and experiences in both. Part of the residential area will participate in a timeshare apartment scheme to increase the diversity of investors. Temporary homes are also currently needed in wait of the one belt one road scheme. The proposal intends to create a space that brings all of these elements together, mainly by providing temporary and permanent homes for different groups of people. Through enhancing this celebration of a cross cultural experience, we can embrace the differences in the vertical world we live in.

scale of civilisation Beginning situated in Oxford, these articles take us across the world to investigate the factors underpinning our cities, and speculate for change.

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F IGM E NT Alison Maclellan Oxford’s influence on the writing of fantasy and fairytale novels is an intriguing element of the city’s history, but what has driven Oxford to become a city that has inspired so many to create mythical worlds?

// FIGMENT //

Story Museum

My research this year focused on an exploration of how Oxford has influenced some of the most iconic fantasy and fairytale novels of our time. The initial research adopted a psychogeographic approach using the Dérive method of walking. The method itself is described as involving ‘playful-constructive behaviour and awareness of psychogeographical effects, and are thus quite different from the classic notions of journey or stroll.’1 Exploring Oxford in such a manner allows an uninfluenced, personal encounter with spaces, creating an authentic opinion of what places mean to individuals. This method of drifting through the urban labyrinth provokes a mischievous spirit to explore and uncover a side to Oxford that strays

from the mundane of the everyday. The city becomes a playground of discovery, never fully being able to anticipate what is to come next. In these hidden parts of the city where inspiration is ignited, the explorer knows that the commotion of the city surrounds the space but cannot gain entry to the tranquility and fanciful charm that these lost corners bestow. There the city’s previously grand façade crumbles away, revealing secrets of its past that it has tried to conceal from the everyday being. As discussed by Elizabeth Wilson, ‘…urban space, something that is hidden, preconscious almost, inarticulate, the secret experience of the underside of cities. These nonplaces do not yet have a language.’2 For those that find these spaces, the impromptu opportunity arises from their accidental discovery for the undefined potential of what that place could ultimately be. The unspecified nature of these spaces allows one to inhabit them as they see fit, and tailor it to their desires with infinite possibility. The meeting of a walker with new spaces can inspire a fresh approach to thought and emotion, and bring about the arrival of an idea or desire that previously one may not have even been aware they were looking for. ‘Exploring the world is one of the best ways of exploring the mind, and walking travels both terrains.’3 Walking around Oxford with no destination certainly embodies a tranquility and peace of mind. An appreciation can be gained from the natural flow of the city and how one fits into its current. As stated by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, ‘I can only meditate when I am walking. When I stop, I cease to think; my mind only works with my legs.’4 Solnit adds, ‘Walking, ideally, is a state in which the mind, the body, and the world are aligned.’5 Carrying out a psychogeographic method of exploring Oxford allows one to connect with the city in a way that inspires creativity and

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curiosity. Having no expectations makes each encounter with a space authentic and bridges the gap between personal emotions and how a space evokes them. The act of walking not only allows one to explore the city, but also the mind of oneself. The experiences of a city evoke understanding and inspire one to act or perceive a place in a certain way. City experiences can be so diverse that no one person can depict what the city fundamentally is. Fictional writings and tales based upon a city explore layers, emotions and places of a city that resist definition in reality. Walking is the only practice in which people are fully absorbed and immersed in their environment, leading to unique and endless possibilities of interpretation. Cities can be viewed and portrayed from many different perspectives, almost like a collection of individual personalities that could never be defined as one cohesive thing.

Oxford is a city with multiple identities, from its outsider tourist perception to the insider experience of living and being a part of the city.

Oxford that people possess is still a point of view to be understood. Perspective within a city is greatly down to one’s individual ideas and outlook, which allow affiliation between one and their surroundings. Perspective can never be disassociated within one’s life; however, it can never be fully encompassed as a whole understanding either. The idea of perspective is ultimately that one can ‘only ever see the object from one side, never from all sides at once, and therefore, if I look at it from one side, other sides remain hidden.’7 And while one is independent in their need to walk, they walk a primarily ‘predetermined path’ dictated by the city, controlling the perspectives along the way. Oxford, for the majority of the time, regulates the perspectives its inhabitants can perceive, via paths that were dictated and designed hundreds of years ago. However, when the curious rambler walks the city, sometimes paths of haphazard composition, never intended to be walked, become the shortcuts and unique perspectives within an otherwise disciplined city.

// ALISON MACLELLAN //

The tourist or the ‘outsider’, is an unfortunate individual who is driven by popular trends, clichés and a narrow-minded outlook of experiencing a city. The outsider explores cities looking for the authentic, necessary experience, which meets the aspirations of their dreams or ideals. To achieve this, the outsider must abstain from taking in the darker unplanned parts of cities that remain hidden due to the ‘insider’, for example tour guides, creating a cleansed experience fitting to the ‘tourist gaze’6. While this approach to understanding a city could be considered as fragmentary, the perception and attitude towards

Lyra

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The parts of a city that refuse to be characterised are the parts that open up possibilities and creativity for people to project a sense of themselves onto a place, or to create something wholly new. Oxford possesses the opportunities for people to perceive the city from not only their own point of view, but also that of others in the form of tour guides, and from the point of view of fictional writings that have been based in the city. The consideration of the outsider’s perception against that of the insider reveals contrasting attitudes. While neither is to be held in a higher regard, the perception of the outsider is far more restricted in terms of

authenticity. That is not to say that the outsider is any less inspired by the city - it just means that their point of view is influenced by outside factors rather than a natural psychological connection with the city. Inspiration can come in many forms and so the diverse environments that Oxford is made up from can appeal to the masses. Writer Philip Pullman takes inspiration from many personal experiences within Oxford. This has resulted in a fictional world in his books that crosses over closely with the reality of what Oxford actually is, therein altering the perception of those reading the book and experiencing the reality of it in Oxford. Without the stories of our past and a visual build-up of history, our world would be a fairly bland place, with little to inspire or fascinate our future. Oxford’s rich history conceals many adventures - however, it is the darker, mischievous side to Oxford that engages much interest in discovering more about how our ancestors used the city in which we live today. We live within a city that was created hundreds of years ago, and treasure its heritage, adapting ourselves to live within its quirky charm.

// FIGMENT //

The city is constructed from an amalgamation of stories and memories from history onto which we continue to build today. Stories of a place form the narrative of the city structure. Each sentence acts as a link designed to carry us through the stories that create the places. Cities and their inhabitants thrive on the cities’ past, kindling the desire to record their memories in the cities’ fabric.

Ashmolean

The writing of stories has become grounded in Oxford’s history and has therefore become a part of what makes Oxford the way it is today. This could be why Oxford is so inspiring to the creation of fictional stories; because it has already been interpreted in a multitude of different mythical worlds. The fictional stories have, in their own right, augmented the reality of how Oxford is perceived, and become a layer of Oxford’s rich and inspiring history.

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The variety of histories and wild tales that took place in Oxford centuries ago seem almost fictional in their own right, being a stark contrast to the society we live in today. This allows writings to be inspired by facts and turned into fictional novels set in fantasy worlds. The writing of fictional novels inspired by Oxford over the years has only heightened the influence that Oxford has in the fictional writing world. These stories have added an additional layer to Oxford’s history and can now be considered just as influential as factual stories of Oxford’s past. One’s perception of Oxford remains an ever evolving mode of creativity, constantly surprised by the discovery of new places and stories of its past. The collision of so many unique spaces within one city never ceases to inspire curious, potentially unknown natures, hidden in Oxford, waiting to be discovered.

Turf Tavern

// ALISON MACLELLAN //

1// Debord, G. Theory of the Derive. 1997. Available from: http://tbook.constantvzw.org/wpcontent/derivedebord.pdf (Accessed: 4th October 2017), p2 2// Bingaman, A. and Sanders, L. and Zorach, R. Embodied Utopias: Gender Social Change and the Modern Metropolis. London: Routledge. 2002, p260 3// Solnit, R. Wanderlust: A History of Walking. New York: Verso. 2001, p10 4// Solnit, R. Wanderlust: A History of Walking. New York: Verso. 2001, p11 5// Solnit, R. Wanderlust: A History of Walking. New York: Verso. 2001, p5 6// Urry, J. Consuming Places. 1995, Available from: http://shora.tabriz.ir/Uploads/83/cms/user/ File/657/E_Book/Economics/CONSUMING%20PLACES.pdf (Accessed: 4th October 2017), p133 7// Bollnow, O.F. Human Space. London: Hyphen. 2011, p75

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D r aw i n g t h e U n s e e n Antagonising Shared Spatial Form Robert Antony Cresswell & Savini Rajapakse

// DRAWING THE UNSEEN //

Initially set up as a triptych series, these drawings antagonise the unseen view centred around communist ideologies through contrasting Dogma and Vladmir Tatlin’s constructivist building, Tatlin Tower.

The composition draws parallels between Tatlin’s Tower, the monument designed by Tatlin to celebrate the 1917 Russian Revolution, and Dogma’s 2014 Pretty Vacant collective housing project, which proposes a new lifestyle of cohabitation in an abandoned office building in Brussels.

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Within details, the drawing highlights the disparity between the industrial constructivist style of the 1920â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Soviet Union and that of the open plan office typology of modern Brussels.

// ROBERT CRESSWELL & SAVINI RAJAPAKSE //

In composition, the drawing finds instances of shared spatial forms - the square, the pyramid and the cylinder - which are used in Tatlinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tower to represent a communist hierarchy.

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Fight or Flight A Manifesto for Change Sally Downey Some seventy three years after Animal Farm was first published, what would our current state of affairs look like as a metaphor? What thoughts would be told on our habits, our social hierarchies or our basic animal instincts? Inspired by the intense year of media focus on fake news, the Brexit campaign and an increase in levels of surveillance, the poem highlights questions that must be asked in order to hold those in power accountable.

// FIGHT OR FLIGHT //

This poem was the first step of a thesis project that researched the hidden and ancient traditions of the City of London Corporation. The piece explores and questions the abuse of power within influential positions. The City and its stakeholders are viewed through a series of animal metaphors in order to draw out observations of power hierarchies and animalistic tendencies within our current society. Looking to gain insight from past events, inspiration was taken from the Tower of London Menagerie which held the royal collection of exotic animals - a private site of spectacle and illusion. The term menagerie refers to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;a strange or diverse collection of people or thingsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. It is possible to draw parallels between the menagerie and the curious traditions and practices of the City of London Corporation. Similarly to how opening up to the public eventually brought about change to the treatment of animals in the menagerie, my thesis project focuses on the opening up of the City of London and how this may bring change to how this corporation functions and who it is accountable to.

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We need to face the elephant in the room, There are too many flies on the wall. They are coined as capitalist pigs But these pigs are people, And the fly on the wall gives them control And the elephant in the room is that we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know What is true, What is transparent, What it is to be held accountable.

// SALLY DOWNEY //

Things are not as they seem, Things are just as they seem. It is all cause and effect. We strive to speculate On our values, On our future, On our potential to create and to destroy, And what will become of this? Because you say curiosity killed the cat, But we can see through you.

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The French (r)evolution 84

The Social and Architectural Transformation of Paris

// THE FRENCH (R)EVOLUTION //

Reece Davey In the late nineteenth century, after the political turmoil of the French Revolution, a new Paris was born. Led by Napoleon III and his “Prefect of the Seine” Georges-Eugène Haussmann, Paris was transformed from “an immense workshop of putrefaction, where misery, pestilence and sickness work in concert, where sunlight and air rarely penetrate.”1 to a cosmopolitan city with 27 new parks, a new opera house, an underground sewage system and a new arterial system of promenades lined with a homogeneous urban landscape of apartment buildings.

Capitalism is “not just an economic ideological and cultural project but also a spatial one.” This led to a considerable economic boom that resulted in a much larger middle class. However capitalism is

“not just an economic ideological and cultural project but also a spatial one” and Haussmann’s building agenda created a very black and white illustration of the social system. Shops were on the ground floor with rich residents (often the shopkeeper) living above and then poorer groups or families residing in the apartments above them. This hierarchy, organised within such a confined space was evident across the city. Beginning as a physical fragmentation it developed into a widespread agenda of unification under the new rule of Napoleon. Space, according to Karl Marx is a ‘concrete abstraction’ a homogenisation that paradoxically allows for fragmentation and hierarchy. Nevertheless, within new Paris’ infancy, the disconnection was caused by a social class system that was enabled by capitalism rather than the hegemonic monarchy and aristocracy of the eighteenth century.

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With the growth of the middle class, the crown jewel of Haussmann’s Paris was the ‘Opera Garnier’, which became a widely popular public space for Parisians to meet and enjoy modern French life. The building, designed by Charles Garnier and completed in 1875, employed the Beaux-Arts, or Academic style, with many Baroque and Renaissance ornamentations, creating an environment of grandeur. Garnier’s vision was not only to create a stage for the performers, but also a social space where middle classes people could interact in attempting to move up the social ladder. The grand stairway was shaped almost like a jewellery box,encasing the ‘jewels’ of the middle class as they promenaded through. Inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci’s Library at Saint Lorenzo, its form pours out of the balustrade cage as if to welcome the patrons to the opulence of modern Parisian life. To a similar effect, the Baroque-inspired doubled up columns that undulate in and out of the facade, create depth and splendour, positioning the newly formed Parisian middle classes alongside the aristocracy. This parade of evolved metropolitan life was embodied through the Opera Garnier, the aim of such a place was to plant the seeds of contentment with the new working class co-existed with the flâneur. “This apparent fragmentation masks an organised system of control made possible by separations that disintegrate social life” 2 Haussmann’s urban gesture of hegemonic space was part of a larger scheme of spatial politics. By using architecture to carry dominant ideologies of metropolitan Parisian life, there is a shift from the propaganda of religious control to controlling the population with the idea of class and by idolising the bourgeoisie. Instead of aiming for divine acceptance, the proletariat would aim for aesthetics and acceptance from their peers.

2// Coleman, N. (2015). Lefebvre for Architects. Routledge.

// REECE DAVEY //

1// Considerant, V., 1875, cited in De Moncan, P., ‘Le Paris d’Haussmann’, 2009, p.10

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The battlefield had shifted from religious to spatial control postenlightenment. The wide boulevards, impossible to barricade, with military access from most angles made revolution almost impossible. Although primarily an urban masterplan, Haussmann’s redesign undeniably had military underpinnings.

// THE FRENCH (R)EVOLUTION //

86 Henri Lefebvre described ‘fields’ of space as physical, mental, and social and Haussmann’s overhaul of Paris fought battles on all three ‘fields’. The most famous act of spatial change was that of the Parisian boulevards, as Haussmann describes it, it was “the gutting of old Paris,”3. It was very clear that not only was this gesture a physical abolition of revolutionary possibilities, but also a mental and social initiative. The new Parisian urban fabric created a new “virtuality of everyday life”4, stunning people into conformity. It maintains separation but continually romanticizes the city centre, moulding the ways that people act within the central city ‘walls’, and forming an invisible hierarchy of ideas that cause people’s attitudes and actions to change. The city centre itself and its representation had become one, a vital piece of propaganda which later, long after Haussmann’s death, was used to fuel the neo-capitalism of post-World War II.

The new Parisian urban fabric created a new “virtuality of every day life”, stunning people into conformity. Haussmann learnt from the Revolution and understood the importance of symbolism, the French people needed unification and to do so, architecture was exploited. The overhaul of Paris’ urban fabric was seen as detrimental to its historical roots. It was replaced by the Haussmann’s strategic planning that imposed certain ideologies through spatial planning. Nevertheless, throughout the “Haussmannisation” of Paris, the views of the bourgeoisie and artisan community can be seen through the Impressionist art movement which focused on modern Parisian life, conveying men and women of the high class. Upon observation, paintings and artistic gestures create an image of what post-Haussmann Parisian life was like for the population.

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Édouard Manet was a leader of the French Impressionist movement whose affluent background allowed him to diverge from the usual desirable attributes of Impressionism that would make money. His last major piece “A Bar at the Folies-Bergère” reflects the underbelly of modern Paris. The image is set in a popular Parisian bar, a barmaid looks directly at the viewer, her gaze incredibly sincere, yet vacant and unreadable. The scene that plays out behind her is actually a mirror, a literal reflection of the times.The Parisian Salon expected to see very clear relationships between the viewer of the painting and between the subjects in the frame. This disregard is Manet’s way of reflecting contemporary Paris and the crossover of classes, the blurring of lines between people. The painting creates tension, denying the viewer the usual approach, by using brazen paint strokes that overlook the need for depth. The background of the painting has mere touches of dark colours in loose quick strokes, mirroring the dynamic and integrated reality of modern Paris.

This integration would soon birth modern capitalism and eventually lead to the break up of french society in the twentieth century.

// REECE DAVEY //

3// The Vintage News. (2018). Paris upside down: the city under Haussmann’s renovations. [online] Available at: https://www.thevintagenews. com/2017/03/17/paris-upside-down-the-city-under-haussmanns-renovations/ [Accessed 28 Mar. 2018]. 4// Lefebvre, H. and Nicholson-Smith, D. (2011). The production of space.

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Identity in P o s t- D i s a s t e r Reconstruction Home-growing solutions for Baghdad Omar Ibrahim

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Over the last century following political handovers, civil and international wars, and invasions; Iraq has been left in a precarious state of uncertainty regarding its reconstruction. Patterns of growth and regression are evident within its capital, Baghdad. The city thrived when it was in foundation as a planned, resourceful city during the “Golden Age” of science and knowledge. It then faltered through intervention both during Ottoman control and Iraq’s diminishment as a cultural powerhouse, as British oil interests funnelled away resources, and then during 2003 invasion, which led to direct heritage loss. When wealth and independence finally yet momentarily returned to the nation, Baghdad proved its capability of returning to strength. Identity is, after all, much like a city: dynamic and unaffixed to one guise – very much alive. The title of this piece can be expanded to ask; “what constitutes the identity of Baghdad and its people, and how can this, and the city, be rebuilt in the aftermath of prolonged uncertainty without an inappropriately excessive amount of external influence?” In answering this question a decision will need to be made regarding who Baghdad belongs to.

A base response to counter these dangers is “critical regionalism”: a “fundamental strategy … mediating the impact of universal civilization with elements derived indirectly from the peculiarities of a particular place … maintaining a critical self-consciousness”4. That is, an objective, critical awareness of the vernacular onto which newer principles may be moderately applied; this avoids Modernism’s placeless characterlessness, whilst avoiding Postmodernism’s whimsical and overtly-individualistic nature: an arbiter between the “local” and “global” styles for which there exists an urgency in Baghdad. Reconstruction is Baghdad’s current and most pressing stage of which a theory of what it means to preserve, repair, and restore must first be acquired. This is vital inasmuch as the debate regarding the extents of restoration bears new found complexities at the macro scale of a city. Reconstruction comprises “rebuilding” (to a specification), “reforming” (through adapting to new context), and “reconsidering” (design for suitability), demonstrated as follows:

Rebuilding – Great Chicago Fire, 1871: a cooperative effort between council and residents to rebuild (visually) as closely to original plans as possible, wherever available; Reforming – WWII Bombing of Dresden, 1945: monuments and key buildings rebuilt to original specifications, historic buildings rebuilt using original stones from rubble, and the remainder built in a modern way, honouring past glory yet distancing itself from (without forgetting) its tumultuous politics;

// OMAR IBRAHIM

Saddam Hussein’s Ba’athist politics literally meant “renaissance, or flowering”1, hearkening back to the pre-Ottoman unified “Golden” era; a “Pan-Arabist”ideal that aimed to reintroduce and formalise a “local international style”, or rather a “shared identity”. This attempt to leave behind troubled history and rediscover Baghdad’s roots ultimately struggled due to a confusion of identity, stemming not only from bold ambition, but increased international pressure to succumb to the “global style”. This crisis is not new, beginning with Britain’s “imperial project”2 in Iraq, which was the “quasicolonisation” spanning half the 20th century for self-embetterment economically, militarily, and architecturally. Hussein’s bizarre response in attempting “autonomy” was to invite British architects

to create proposals, not realising the flagrant disregard of the vernacular and the needs of the people that would ensue. “They carried out projects without any local influence or control,” using Baghdad as a testbed for new designs ideas that gradually replaces traditional Iraqi craftsmanship,3 further dissociating the urban built form from its history.

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// IDENTITY IN POST-DISASTER RECONSTRUCTION //

Reconsidering – Great Fire of London, 1666: an (unrealised) masterplan that included measures to avoid repeat incidents, with wide avenues in place of tightly packed blocks and more suitable building materials. A middle ground between the early 19th century practice of restoration; “reinstatement to a condition of completeness which may never have existed at any given time … in the style of their own time”5, and the contemporary practice; “minimum effective action”6 must be strived for. Avoiding the antiquated method of imprinting personal style onto a place, and employing elements of all three tenets of reconstruction. Heidegger’s renowned theory states that “We attain to dwelling … only by means of building. The latter, building, has the former, dwelling, as its goal. Still, not every building is a dwelling. … [The] domain [of dwelling] extends over these buildings and yet is not limited to the dwelling place”7. This

suggests that dwelling, or rather, the place in which we ‘home-make’, is something that we must build, and that it is only through the building that we can achieve ‘home’. Furthermore, one can dwell wherever, in any building, but without the act of building, a dwelling cannot be achieved. The British architects of the 1980s were “searching for a way out” from pre-existing styles in attempting their own “true Baghdad Style”8. Arguments for the impermissibility of personal design agenda through employing community engagement processes, can be found in the ‘Incremental Housing’ project following the 2010 Chile earthquake9, and the ‘temporary’ “block houses” built in 2002 in post-USSR Western Georgia by the Norwegian Refugee Council10. The former was initiated by local architect Alejandro Aravena, and provided locals with an architectural clean slate by designing a framework into which the residents would create dwelling

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simply by means of living. The nature of the design and simplicity encouraged residents to overhaul, extend, and adapt each dwelling as they pleased. The latter, similarly though unintentionally, saw residents of the relatively low-quality temporary houses completely reoutfit them, turning them into homes and a neighbourhood by simple virtue of being so lightweight. While not perfect examples of reconstruction per se, they highlight the importance of not outsourcing the work and thus alienating the architecture from its people. The dwelling, as has been established, comes from the building. In the case of Dresden’s “reformation”, the clear ability to coalesce into one force with a singular motive provided the necessary willpower and funding that undercut many of the issues facing most reconstruction attempts. Beirut, in a seeming moment of hastiness, destined itself for failure in lacking this. The thenPrime Minister sought private funding, raising much of the city’s salvageable remains (following civil war) to the ground in hopes of building an economic haven; a “Dubai-society”. These motivations were soon uncovered, with the shortcuts in respect to vernacular and heritage accused of “destroying the [city’s] social fabric”11 through creating a new, unempathetic vernacular and a “collective homesickness”12 amongst the locals. The result: a ghost-town. Saddeningly, Egypt looks to be deliberately ignoring these lessons in ‘re’-building a capital megacity to operate alongside Cairo. This “solution” has ambitions to feature many mainstays of commercial and business districts, starkly resembling Beirut and Dubai rather than allocating the resources to addressing Cairo’s pre-existing issues. As with Beirut, it is forgetting the first and most important factor in reconstruction, that which allowed Chile and Georgia to have success: the people.

Identity is, after all, much like a city: dynamic and unaffixed to one guise – very much alive.

// OMAR IBRAHIM //

// OSA X //

international assistance coming in the form of just that: assistance, providing a sustainable future without personal or egotistical motivations.

// IDENTITY IN POST-DISASTER RECONSTRUCTION //

Shortly after Iraq’s invasion, the “need for a serious longterm international commitment to reconciliation and reconstruction” was evident. “Once a government was established, peace and stability more conducive to reconstruction would arrive”. Efforts to do so are consistently met with “equally persistent efforts of those set against continued international presence”13. Furthermore, an “Obstacle to Reconstruction” listed Iraq as “a society whose infrastructure was already inadequate for the needs of its population making reconstruction a term of limited applicability”14. This analysis somewhat belies Saul’s statement; Williams’ argument does not consider that, from the locals’ perspectives, the reason for ‘inadequacy’ is because of ‘international presence’. This isn’t to justify Iraq’s resistance, but rather an explanation that the lack of trust is a consequence of foreign intervention (usually) for political gain, as Britain had previously done. Iraqi architect and planner Taghlib al-Waily, who has dedicated 15 years to masterplanning the revival of Baghdad’s historic centre, supports this theory, concluding that the biggest obstacle to a revival’s execution is “the collective mindset of the people”15. The only way trust can be gained is through the people’s inclusion, without presenting aid as an international intrusion. Trust in each other, the government, and

Cases like Chile and Georgia must be viewed optimistically, understanding the balance between self-involvement, architect-input, and governmentalsupport. Furthermore, international aid should be viewed as inevitable, yet also necessary, productive, able to work with them, and capable of producing results. Similarly, cases like Beirut and Cairo must be viewed binocularly, where their flaws can serve as a lesson; in seeking a quick, thoughtless re-/construction, you alienate the people. The NRC’s “Lessons from Baghdad” stresses that, throughout everything, a “commitment to humanitarian principles” must override all else16; for it is due to the people that the cities exist at all. Hussein’s vision was not inherently flawed, rather suffering from poor decisions and implementation. Baghdad must undergo its renaissance, ignoring archaic notions of autonomy, and not the modern-world; the Golden Age was itself a product of enlightenment based in knowledgesharing and collaboration. Our connected-world isn’t without its intrinsic dangers, but the discussed lessons have all been based in it: continuous adaptation; incorporation of reconstruction components, looking forward and back; and understanding that, especially with a growing population, learning from one another is unavoidable and beneficial. Identity exists through people, and through this societal perseverance, heritage lives on.

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11// Qudsi, J. (2017) Rebuilding Old Aleppo: Postwar Sustainable Recovery and Urban Refugee Resettlement. Available at: http://ic-sd.org/ wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/01/Qudsi.pdf (Accessed: 14 January 2018). 12// Sarkis, H. (2005) ‘A Vital Void: Reconstruction of Downtown Beirut’, in Campanella, T.J. and Vale, L.J. (eds.) The Resilient City: How Modern Cities Recover from Disaster. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 281-298. 13// Saul, M. (2007) ‘Book Review: Post-Conflict Reconstruction: Nation- and/or State-Building’, Leiden Journal of International Law, 20(1), pp. 321-324. doi: 10.1017/S092215650600402X. 14// Williams, H.R. (2005) ‘The Reconstruction of Iraq amid the Realities of Failed Assumptions: Consequences of the Actions of a Trusteeship of the Powerful’, in Fischer, H. and Quénivet, N. (eds.) Post-Conflict Reconstruction: Nation- and/or State-Building. Berlin: Berliner Wissenschafts-Verlag GmbH. 15// al-Waily, T. Baghdad: Towards the Revival of its Historic City Centre [Lecture at Oxford Brookes University], Turath. 25 April 2016 16// NRC - Norwegian Refugee Council (2014) Lessons from Baghdad: A Shift in Approach to Urban Shelter Response. Available at: https:// www.nrc.no/globalassets/pdf/reports/lessonsfrom-baghdad--a-shift-in-approach-to-urbanshelter-response.pdf (Accessed: 21 November 2017).

// OMAR IBRAHIM

1// Salem, P. (1994) Bitter Legacy: Ideology and Politics in the Arab World. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press. al-Waily, T. (2016) Baghdad: Towards the Revival of its Historic City Centre [Lecture at Oxford Brookes University]. Turath. 25 April. 2// Tripp, C. (2000). A History of Iraq. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 3// Elsheshtawy, Y. (2004). Planning Middle Eastern Cities: An Urban Kaleidoscope. London: Routledge. 4// Frampton, K. (1985) ‘Towards a Critical Regionalism: Six points for an architecture of resistance’, in Foster, H. (ed.) Postmodern Culture. London: Pluto Press, pp. 16-30. 5// Jokilehto, J. (1999). A History of Architectural Conservation. Oxford: ButterworthHeinemann. 6// Gunay, S. (2017) Conservation [Lecture to Oxford Brookes University BA Architecture], U30074: Architectural Design 3. Middle East Technical University, Turkey. 16 October. 7// Heidegger, M. (1971) Poetry, Language, Thought. New York: Harper & Row. 8// Yamada, S. (1985) ‘Baghdad: Breaking Tides’, Process: Architecture, 58, p. 3. 9// Aravena, A. (2011) ‘Elemental: A Do Tank’, Architectural Design, 81(3), pp. 32-37. doi: 10.1002/ad.1235. 10// Brun, C. (2015) ‘Home as a critical value: From shelter to home in Georgia’. Refuge: Canada’s Journal on Refugees, 31(1). pp. 43-54.

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Rebuilding Through Resilience Lessons Learned from Post Typhoon Haiyan

Tacloban

City

Marie Abella various regions of the Philippines, damaging nearly £1.5 billion worth of livelihoods and infrastructure2. The monumental loss of goods, natural resources and life was so immense that several headlines named it as “the most devastating storm to date”. I remember being transfixed by the images of destruction and misery the storm had left in its wake – the haunting stories and cries of help sent by fellow countrymen who were vulnerable and in urgent need of assistance. Above// Quick observational sketch of a typical dwelling found in the rural area in the outskirts of Tacloban City. Left// Remnants of a home destroyed by the storm remains untouched.

// MARIE ABELLA

The perils brought about by catastrophes have loomed over our world for centuries, arriving in alarming sequences of wars, terrorist attacks, tsunamis, hurricanes, and pandemics. The horror of climate change publicised endlessly on our social media feeds has grasped our attention and awakened us to the reality of today’s world. On the 8th of November 2013, Typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Yolanda) arrived in the Southeast nation of the Philippines. Haiyan made its landfall in Tacloban City, a dense urban landscape home to some 220,0001 inhabitants. Accompanied by a storm surge with tsunami-like impacts, the typhoon blighted many coastal neighbourhoods and farms across

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People have always been captivated by stories of individuals who surpass adversities to succeed. This realisation inspired my research question -- to what extent does a community’s strategies of self-recovery influence the creation of a more disaster-resilient built environment? Using the community of Tacloban post-typhoon Haiyan as a primer, my research aimed to further analyse the successes, limits, and the future possibilities performed by communities in the aftermath of disaster rehabilitation. My investigation fully began to unfold after my initial visit to Tacloban City last summer. Four years after the disaster, compelling sights still remain as you walk around the city’s buzzing markets, or observe the lush coconut trees growing over farmlands. There are still the remnants of homes which belonged to those who perished during the storm, or abandoned public structures such as schools and stadiums. Perhaps the most compelling reminder

// REBUILDING THROUGH RESILIENCE

of Haiyan’s destruction lingers with its residents, some of whom still reside in self-made shacks, which will unlikely be able to withstand another calamity. The stories of these survivors, all varying in experiences, became one of my primary sources for my historiographical analysis of Haiyan’s impact. Some were spared from danger, having lost the bare minimum. Some were in the heart of it, losing their entire homes; some were able to relocate to safer housing immediately, while some still live in the same dwellings they had before the disaster. Nevertheless, these anecdotes bolstered an intimate grasp of the investigation – and allowed the survivors’ perspectives on resilience and post-disaster recovery to be heard firsthand. These experiences, paired with literary and theoretical studies of resilience reveal fundamental themes in the process of recovery: namely, that

resilience has no set time period, and can develop from simple acts such as cleaning debris to constructing makeshift emergency homes.

Secondly, resilience can become an embodied socio-cultural notion or tradition that is unique to every culture; for Filipinos, this notion is encapsulated in acts of selflessness and collective adaptation through strife. All forms of resilience nevertheless must rely on the motivation and cooperation of the primary stakeholders – the communities – in order to fully flourish. John Habraken’s3 noted theory on creating a ‘home’, as opposed to a mere ‘dwelling’ comes to mind, and these concepts are embodied in prospering resident-run livelihoods and relocation housing lots across Tacloban, exhibiting the solidarity and ingenuity of its residents. In spite of led measures, practitioners,

these communityas designers, architects and

stakeholders, let us not forget our role in creating a resilient built environment. We must view disasters as “windows of opportunity”4; for when there is devastation, designers and practitioners possess the capacity to devise programmes for the affected, as well as the ability to represent community consensus and voice the ideas of vulnerable groups who require a negotiator, an advocate, or designer. We represent the low-income families who are the face of vulnerability; the fishermen sacrificing their safety in favour of livelihood; the displaced survivors who have not received the appropriate aid or proper living standards in their resettlement homes. Likewise, as stakeholders it is integral to respond to objectives that aim for the improvement of social capital, the development and the integration of marginalised

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An array of flat-pack, transitional housing units made out of local materials are found in north of Tacloban City.

groups, and to respect local values or heritage of our host country in the reconstruction process. The successful implementation of projects honouring these principles lie ultimately in the interrelationship between authorities and a community’s inhabitants. Having scrutinised ‘resilience’ and its manifestations in various postdisaster situations, the answer remains blatant – that knowledge must be used as a “fundamental tool in reducing risk and building resilience”, one which can only be deemed effective “if underpinned by appropriate education”5, particularly in developing communities. Thus, the transfer of initiatives and information capital must be a sustained process in order to truly empower the inhabitants and produce pragmatic solutions to disasters.

Looking back, I concluded that there is no “one size fits all” approach to recovery. Each stratagem to resilience has its truly unique form. Often the road to mitigating risks may be a long and challenging path, as proven in Tacloban and in other disaster-affected nations. However, when moving hand-in-hand with a resilient, encouraging community, it is more than possible to turn these obstacles into feasible prospects for present and posterity. 1// Philippines Humanitarian Team, UNOCHA (2013). TYPHOON HAIYAN (YOLANDA) STRATEGIC RESPONSE PLAN. [online] Manila: UNOCHA. Available at: https://docs.unocha.org/sites/dms/ CAP/SRP_2013-2014_Philippines_Typhoon_Haiyan.pdf [Accessed 24 Aug. 2017]. 2// C. Baudot, The right move?: ensuring durable relocation after Typhoon Haiyan, 1st ed, Oxford: Oxfam GB, 2014, pp.1-19. 3// N. Habraken, Supports: An Alternative to Mass Housing, 1st ed, London: Architectural Press London, 1972. 4// M. Aquilino, Beyond Shelter: Architecture for Crisis, 1st ed. London: Thames & Hudson, 2011. 5// N. Hamdi, The Placemakers’ Guide to Building Community, London: Earthscan, 2010.

We must serve as catalysts for transforming and fortifying many of these undermined communities’ path to recovery.

// MARIE ABELLA

Informal settlements made out of volatile building materials are common in the city and can be found in coastal areas, which are often hazardous.

// ARCHIVE FOR

YUGONOSTALGIA //

// OSA X //

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ARCHIV E F OR YUGONO S TALGIA Архива за Југоносталгију

Marija Milosevic

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denis & denis - soba 23 / room 23 1985, synthpop Fig 1.1 - Video set in one room, camera panning mostly from the centre of the room, all walls shown in the video. End scene closes the video with an overview of the room, showing the performer and singer exit the room. Most shots pan from a single point or are a close up of the singer.

bijelo dugme - lipe cvatu / linden blossoms 1984, folk rock

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Fig 2.1 - Introducion scene into the video, war-movie like scene (filmed before the Yugoslavian war) of two men arriving in front of a building in a truck. The camera is stationary, panning around to follow the vehicle and set the mood for the video. The scene is filmed at sundusk to suggest the justification for the bar and music. The camera zooms out to reveal the building after the men leave the truck and approach the main entrance.

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Cinemetric analyses of the music videos produced during the 1980s Yugoslavian new wave

// MARIJA MILOSEVIC //

The pop culture represented an act of rebellion, the beginning of the freedom of speech era - a new wave. This period of Yugoslavian entertainment becomes an integral part of cultural identity as borders, languages, nationalities and gender roles become blurred. Many citizens of the former Yugoslav nations may not identify themselves with that name today. However, nostalgia and yearning for this prosperous age of social, economic and political security is experienced by a part of the population, particularly in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. A collective memory, which citizens of the former state do not wish to erase from their identities is the incredibly rich pop culture: films, music, books and architecture produced throughout the late 20th century. These remain a symbolic bond between all Yugoslavian generations and former nations.

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With the extensive destruction left behind by the Yugoslavian War of the 1990s, the nation disintegrated and erected physical and mental borders that remain today. While combing through the significant Yugoslavian moments and memories in attempt to define the peak of the ‘great’ socialist state, a focus on popular culture began to emerge.

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Manifestation of Nostalgic Memories – collage made from the interview content, alluding to the age of industrial and economic prosperity in Yugoslavia.

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YUGONOSTALGIA //

nostalgia /nɒˈstaldʒə/ The appropriate definition of nostalgia, to the context of Yugonostalgia is delineated by Svetlana Boym as a longing for a place, a home which no longer exists or perhaps never existed. Boym deconstructs the definition of nostalgia further, differentiating between the two types - restorative and reflective nostalgias. Restorative nostalgia puts an emphasis on the nostos and aims to reconstruct the lost history of the home and memories. Reflective nostalgia on the other hand, deals with the algia part of the term – dwells on the longing and belonging to a home or land – romanticising the illusion. Restorative nostalgia therefore, sees the past as the

absolute truth, while the reflective nostalgia brings the truth into question. What is it then about Yugoslavia that evokes the sensation of nostalgia? In order to comprehend the term, one ought to observe the contrast between the past and the present political and economic situations of the ‘nostalgic’ countries. The focus of this article is on Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It endured the longest military siege in the history of modern warfare in 1992 - 1,425 days, during which it suffered a significant loss of inhabitants, livelihoods and lives, infrastructure and housing while causing a standstill in the economy.

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The incredibly welcoming and sociable citizens of Sarajevo did not hesitate to share their experiences through impromptu storytelling. The exploration of nostalgia begins in the Bosnian capital – the striking presence of Yugoslavian elements, artefacts and affection for the former dictator Josip Broz Tito (1892-1980) are evident throughout the city, although subdued. This sets Bosnia apart from other former nations, as the city physically exhibits its nationalistic longing for a better time. Generalisation should be addressed here, as the opinions and emotions for the socialist state are very much divided across the Balkans. Nevertheless, the common thread among the testimonials of the interviewed Yugoslav citizens is the physical and mental health, as well as financial and political security they enjoyed at the peak of the socialist reign. “We had very nice lives, enough wealth to live comfortably” – the country’s economic and political systems appeared as a safe haven for its citizens. The entertainment industry was booming, the opportunities for emerging artists, filmmakers, musicians seemed infinite. The unemployment rate was low while citizens enjoyed numerous subsidies and financial and physical involvements in the building of country’s infrastructure.

One of such places holds a significant spot in the history of Sarajevo – Skenderija Sports and Cultural Complex (Centar Skenderija Sarajevo – CSS). With its strategic location in the heart of the city, Skenderija created a nodal point, transforming the social hub, while embodying the socialist ideals Yugoslavia exemplified throughout the second half of the 20th century. Musicians were given opportunities to create and practice their music in the basement rooms, while holding concerts for the masses in one of the large halls above. Various sports, from table tennis to ice hockey were practiced in all three halls (dvorana), with national and international games held at the largest ones. At the peak of its life, Skenderija housed some of the Winter Olympic sports in 1984 – emphasising its role in the community. However, war brought physical and social destruction with it. The society held together, while the economy and politics crumbled and communities disintegrated. The social scene has found its way around the shelling and the bombing. Feeding from their passion for music and film, pop culture continued booming, more rebellious than ever, reflecting the society’s attitude towards the political system and the changing regime. Skenderija Centre was damaged in the war and therefore ceased to be used. The 1990’s generation grew up without experiencing its importance and the place as a social hub of the city and it took over a decade to return to its original function.

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// MARIJA MILOSEVIC //

“We had very nice lives, enough wealth to live comfortably” – the country’s economic and political systems appeared as a safe haven for its citizens.

The entire socialist system was directed towards creating the ‘Novi Covek’ (New Human). The socialist ideals are embodied in the architecture of the era – aiming to promote education, sports, wellbeing, creativity, personal development, employment and business opportunities. In line with these ideals came cultural and sports buildings and complexes, with the aim of inclusion of the ordinary man and woman. The citizens were given an opportunity to be equal, exercise their passions and fulfil their interests and ambitions. This agenda for creating a New Yugoslav, was set out to eventually bring communism to the state regime.

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The social scene has found its way around the shelling and the bombing. Feeding from their passion for music and film, pop culture continued booming, more rebellious than ever, reflecting the society’s attitude towards the political system and the changing regime.

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The project, set in Skenderija’s derelict Ice Hall, aims to create a dynamic space in which various physical and sensory elements allude to the feeling of nostalgia with the intention of evoking memories. The Archive for Yugonostalgia comprises of music, film and literature pavilions, and sits inside the shell of the once functioning Ice Hockey Hall. Using cinemetrics of the renowned music videos produced during the 1980’s, the form of the building begins to emerge. Through fragmentation of a rock music video and extractions of manipulated senses, the concept of the building program and the physical journey through the pavilion are shaped. The building will be transformed by the projections in the evening hours while during the daylight, it will manifest itself as a blank canvas or, symbolically, a blank space – alluding to the blankness which could have been there without the popular culture the former nations of Yugoslavia share today. Along with the physical infrastructure, the war shattered the Yugoslavian dream. What was left were mere memories of a once interwoven community, security and stability. Or were they illusions? It could be argued that Yugonostalgia does not exist. It may exist as a term to define a longing for an illusion or a warped memory. It serves as an escape from the current political and economic situation in the central Balkan countries. One acknowledges the benefits of the past situations, focusing on the very best parts of it, yearning to bring the good elements to the present.

If one removes the Yugonostalgic goggles, they will see the stern political reign, lack of freedom of speech and severe punishments for whoever stands up to the system or the dictator – the very same concepts that created security and prosperity. Although the new wave era in the entertainment industry represented a rebellious attitude, the government and state were kept out of the scripts. The music and movies were becoming more explicit and graphic and, in that sense, they began the freedom movement towards capitalism rather than communism as set out. The music industry involved artists from around Yugoslavia. People from various geographical areas, speaking different languages and dialects, who came together to create music, before broadcasting it to all parts of the country. The music, movies and literature transcended borders, cultures and religions which the Yugoslavian state aimed to erase during Tito’s dictatorship. It remains as one of the purest elements produced by the socialist era, which ties the former nations. The music, videos, characters, places and materials transport an individual to the time of their youth, riddled with biased and filtered memories they romanticise.

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Belonging in Architectural Memory MATTHEW ASHLEY Our memories form the stage from which one creates, as design is conceived from the joining of experiences. My research project is structured around the staging of three acts, each one defining a connection with memory on a personal scale. This study uses the development of belonging between two locations; Wolvey, a small village in the centre of England, and New York City. The transition between places served as a personal landmark shift from small village to large metropolis. The memories surrounding both places became timeless, defined by varying spatial attributes and personal actions. In a similar way, our present memory is becoming an extendable commodity, providing individuals with the chance to relinquish memories from the mind and store them digitally. While I was living in New York, I used the camera to extend my memory, focusing less on the experiences I was having at the time. The memories are still accessible today, as photographs preserved the same quality as the day they were taken.

Setting the Stage

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The integral notion revolves around how personal memory came to affect my understanding of Wolvey and New York. I used Camillo’s memory theatre as the catalyst in storing my natural memories. The theatre is a mnemonic device formed in one’s mind, attributing important memories to a spatial locus. How my memories came to affect my spatial predispositions, is defined as the ‘Aesthetic Cocoon’, a psychological spatial perceiver. It allows one to either assimilate our environments into our identities, or differentiate ourselves from them, depending on our sense of belonging within them. This project moves against the innateness of this process, and instead uses a development through engagement method, defined by Piaget’s active learning theory. The mind observes physical space as though it were a theatre with a malleable stage. Before it is supplied with a context, the mind is free to roam, unmoved.1 People have a need to connect with the unknown, always attempting to assimilate new information.2 When viewing a theatre production, the connection in space is continuous, stories resonating with one’s own.3 If the mind doesn’t understand the story, it either rejects it, or attempts to learn, interpreting its meaning and assimilating the idea within its predefined understanding.

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The Aesthetic Cocoon

My Village Memories Muir defines how a village reorientates itself as ‘polyfocal’, the continual reforming defined by the communal nature of the place.5 It was almost as if the village was an extension of the community’s needs. In the past I have crossed each street in every direction multiple times, but the images captured in this present visit created new, incidental excitements. My experience of the village was shared with the friends and family, their ideas reflected and reinforced my instincts about the spaces. I felt disconnected towards their kindness, something that I feel my new experiences since growing up here has altered.

‘I remember the mood of places better than the precise features because place evokes for me life situations rather than geographical sites.’6

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‘The life of the place and the people of that place exist in different temporalities, not synchronised but still in harmony’9 Neal Leach defines how we mentally assemble this amount of sensed information, as an ‘Aesthetic Cocoon’.10 The cocoon is a material build-up of information that our memory defines as the present surroundings. He believes that we try to form ‘chameleon-like’ into those surroundings, building our identities through either assimilating our surroundings into our identity or differentiating ourselves from them.11 My identity in my memories is formed against the remembered layout and sensed form of Wolvey. This concept seems to be defined from an innate nature for the human mind to find its place in the world, mirroring Edward Relph’s thoughts on finding one’s place; ‘To be human is to live in a world that is filled with significant places: to be human is to have and know your place”12.

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Wolvey’s environment was encoded onto my memory through my senses and the process of joining spatial information together. How the senses interact with the mind can lift one’s presence in place to heights that visuals cannot achieve alone.

The place that surrounds us may determine motion, comfort, sensual experiences and interactions with other individuals.7 The way place can interact with an individual is formed from a near infinite number of factors8; including the way the community interacts, how space constricts or frees movement, or the smells and sounds. The amount of memory fragments that I had encoded into my memory theatre, did not match the amount of audio visual information the camera could capture.

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Move to the City

New York and Mnemonic Modernism

Before moving to the city, I had been bombarded with images of what I thought New York should be. In the society of the spectacle, reality has been so obscured beneath an accumulation of images, some believe that it is no longer possible to experience it directly.13 Every photograph is a record which says, I once existed and looked like this; and this statement always maintains its authority.14 New York was portrayed through films, magazines, newspapers and social media to the level that the image I had built up in my mind was one of excitement and adventure. I felt that I was moving away from living in the small villages and cities of the UK into the modern metropolitan paradise. Barbie Zelizer refers to the problems with collective photography as they are ‘arbitrary, composite, conventionalized, and simplified glimpses of the past’15. Everyone arrives into New York from varied walks of life, it is what they bring with them that defines how they interact with it, and form their sense of belonging. As I stepped into the city for the first time, I brought the ‘baggage’ from Wolvey and my predispositions relating to space and the senses. The transient space between the village and city allowed me to consolidate one before moving against the other.

As New York scripted my movements, I was building the cognitive map around the landmark fragments in my memory. The buildings stood as objects of ‘ageless Perfection’, ‘the fear of the traces of wear and tear is related to our fear of death’16. The phenomenological presence, and the physical structure of these monuments, provided a strong connection through the sensed landscape fragments. Memories of New York are formed around the expansion of loci. The transient state of moving, coupled with the society of the spectacle, widened my mental cocoon. The city became defined in my mind by landmark and subway lines; the routes embodied by a visual procession from underground to sky. It was the contrast between Wolvey and New York that allowed this spatial understanding to take place. I lost myself in the architecture as a way of aligning myself with the spectacle, capturing memories as the pilgrimage ‘Left behind complications of one’s place in the world’.17

“Our memories of former dwellingplaces are relived as daydreams that these dwelling places of the past remain in us for all time.”4

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The Final Comparison New York related to Wolvey in more ways than I had understood before this reflection. The transience of both locations is designed for individualsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; predispositions. Wolvey can infatuate the visitor with its natural aging landscape, large open spaces and slower pace of life. Conversely, New York was timeless; it provided something to do at every hour of the day, for all walks of life. Knowing that my place is defined through reciting memory, I can understand the endless reenacting mechanism of thought that is continually changing my understanding of the architectural realm. This whole study has allowed me to recapture experiences in both places, and define how they facilitated my sense of belonging. I have discovered that the mind must actively observe ways in which it assimilates place in order to critically deduce spatial memories. The formless modern media tide is creating a spatial amnesia that affects the way one belongs. Architecture which can, destabilise predilections and script new narratives, at the same speed as the mind can assimilate it, may help to create real belonging in modern times.

1// Sontag, S. Film and Theatre. The Tulane Drama Review, 11(1), 1966, p31 2// Piaget, J., Tomlinson, J. and Tomlinson, A. The childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conception of the world. New York: Routledge. 1948 3// Sontag, S. Film and Theatre. The Tulane Drama Review, 11(1), 1966, p29 4// Bachelard, Gaston. The poetics of Space: Boston: Beacon Press, 1994, p6 5// Muir, R. The English village. New York, N.Y.: Thames and Hudson. 1981 6// Dubos, R. A god within. London: Abacus. 1976, p87 7// Lawson, B. Language of space. [Place of publication not identified]: Routledge. 2015, p15 8// Leach, N. Camouflage. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. 2006 9// Ingold, T. The perception of the environment. London: Routledge. 2000, p197 10// Leach, N. Camouflage. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. 2006 11// Leach, N. Camouflage. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. 2006 12// Relph, E. Place and placelessness. London: Pion. 1976, p1 13// Leach, N. The Anaesthetics of Architecture. MIT Press. 1999, p56 14// Berger, J. Ways of seeing. London: British Broadcasting Corporation and Penguin Books. 1972, p26 15// Zelizer, B. The voice of the visual in memory. K. R. Phillips (Ed.), Framing public memory. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama. 2004, p160 16// Pallasmaa, J. The Eyes of the Skin. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. 2005, p32 17// Solnit, R. Wanderlust. London: Verso. 2001, p51

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scale of thought Taking wider societal concepts, articles in this chapter look to architecture as a vehicle or camera for societal evolution.

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Sociotecture: A manifesto Daschle Pereira

societecture [səˈsaɪətektʃər] Architecture designed for society, of society, by society

Architecture is arguably the most social form of art. Society and all its features and aspirations are physically represented by architecture. The role of an architect in today’s society is to respond to the surrounding environment positively whilst satisfying the needs of the client.1

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Today, starchitecture has become the name of the game. Gehry, Hadid, Corbusier and Libeskind are revered world over in studios and architecture schools. Their structures defy convention (and sometimes gravity). However, the Achilles’ Heel of these structures is that they generally serve no social purpose and propagate a mind-set that an architect’s artistic ambition trumps the user’s needs.

Architecture of the past: Strong and durable Architecture of the present: Iconic and excessive

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Seldom do starchitects ask simple questions such as; ‘Are my bizarrely shaped rooms easily used?’ The biggest problem with icon-obsessed architecture is a laughably simple one: the failure to meet user’s needs.2 Most works of starchitects facilitate corrupt practices and a planning model that excludes society from the decisionmaking. Many architects fail to acknowledge that architecture is not just about aesthetics and design but the accumulation of various socio-economic factors.4

1// Creativemindsnitc.files.wordpress.com [website] 2017 https:// creativemindsnitc.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/role-of- architects-in- society. pdf Accessed 11 Dec. 2017 2// Berman, A. Opinion: Why starchitecture fails society. [website] 2017 Architects Journal. https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/culture/opinionwhy- starchitecture-fails-society/8692723.article Accessed 11 Dec. 2017

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‘UNTIL ALL DESIGN ACTIVITIES ARE AIMED TOWARDS MEETING PRIMARY NEEDS. UNTIL THEN, DESIGN MUST DISAPPEAR. WE CAN LIVE WITHOUT ARCHITECTURE’3

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Therefore, I oppose: 1. Starchitecture and its quest for the iconic. 2. Architecture that fails to meet its users’ needs. 3. Viewing the world and its components as mere statistics. The world is seen not as a dynamic, engaging social system that is open for transformation, but as a static abstraction to receive mute form.5

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3// Natalini, A. 1971 4// Jacobinmag.com. Design for the One Percent. [website] 2017 5// Till, J. Architecture Depends. 1st ed. Massachusetts: MIT Press. 2009, p.14.

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Moreover, I proclaim that:

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1. The architect must ensure that the needs of the client and the user are met. Functions are very different from needs, and so architects must learn to cater to the needs of the occupant through the functions of the structure; not vice versa. 2. Architects must have an ethical responsibility towards society and the users of their projects. More specifically, they must ensure that their projects do not displace residents without ensuring replacement accommodation exists that is affordable and safe. 3. Participatory design is an important step towards integrating society into the design process as it helps us understand the issues that society faces and the questions architects need to resolve. There is nothing worse than answering the wrong questions well. Participatory design is not used to ask society for answers but to envision the fundamental questions6. 4. â&#x20AC;&#x153;(Social) space is a (social) product.â&#x20AC;?7 The above quote has a twofold message. First, by introducing the social it banishes any notion that space is an abstract matter without any social context. Second, it contradicts the myth that space can be produced by a single person. 5. Community Design Centers can be utilised to engage the community in the design of social housing and other projects.8 6. Post-Occupancy Evaluations should be conducted as an assessment tool to identify the successful elements of a project as well as elements that could be improved for future practice.9

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‘In this world we are living in, 98 percent of everything that is built and designed today is pure shit.’10

The sad reality is that most of us live in that 98%. The other 2% are, arguably, structures built by starchitects and aren’t within the grasp of the common man. This should prompt us to change the way we think about architecture and society because everyone is entitled to a habitable, safe and visually pleasing home.

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6// Till, J. Architecture Depends. 1st ed. Massachusetts: MIT Press. 2009. p.14 7// Lefebvre, H. and Nicholson-Smith, D. The production of space. Malden, Mass. Blackwell, 2011, p.26. 8// Jenkins, P. and Forsyth, L. Architecture, Participation and Society. 1st ed. New York: Routledge, 2010, p.53. 9// Outram, C. Part Two: What Starbucks Gets that Architects Don’t. [website] 2015 https://medium.com/@cityinnovation/part-two-what-starbucks-gets-thatarchitects-don-t-a3ebb5f0dd58 Accessed 13 Dec. 2017 10// Martinez, L., and S.L.U., U. La peineta del arquitecto. ELMUNDO. [website] 2017 http://www.elmundo.es/cultura/2014/10/23/54492272268e3e55158b4591.html Accessed 11 Dec. 2017

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The P e ople of the Plinth Gu is eppe Fer r ig n o a nd Jack Rigby

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PEOPLE OF TH E PLINTH Guiseppe Ferrigno & Jack Rigby

Raised above the landscape, the plinth shows the garden of Magnitogorsk as envisioned by Leonidov - a Soviet utopia. It exists as a low density plane of living, dominated by a vast open space for leisure and gathering. The expanse of undefined spaces becomes absurd, huge open planes of leisure with little to no delineation, a pristine spectacle of disurban living.

With an implied infinite length the plinth cuts across the landscape, remaining an imposed detached alien object. Preoccupied with the spectacle of the world of the plinth, the inhabitants vaguely register the surrounding scenery, natural and beautiful. Yet the landscape is not what it appears at first glance. On second look, it reveals itself as a vastness of manufactured landscape; the outside world has been tamed and destroyed by the ever reaching hand of industry. The plinth provides a way of containing and controlling the society: fear of the outside, of living off the grid, creating an invisible boundary.

1// Aben, R. & de Wit, S. The Enclosed Garden: History and Development of the Hortus Conclusus and Its Reintroduction into the Present-day Urban Landscape. Rotterdam: 010. 1999, p10

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gardens are by definition havens of peace and quiet, order and pleasure in a chaotic and hostile world. Places where nature is at once excluded and brought into viewâ&#x20AC;? 1

Reflecting this is a depiction of what the utopian vision has become. Thrown into the modern day neoliberal condition, the plinth is mined by industry, vast chunks eaten away to produce the objects of desire, the spectacle of consumption.

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Rebuilding Utopia Inspiring Future By Thomas Hyde As Elon Musk so eloquently puts it, there is a value to inspiration, and such inspiration can be drawn from the ways in which transport has been integrated, depicted, and theorised in its relation to the city and the idea of Utopia. Examining past visions of a fictional future city, provides a fundamental understanding of transport’s importance to city life. In addition, it helps us to realise that these past visions haven’t helped us to achieve a utopian implementation of transport. Smith suggests - ‘unfortunately, the reality of transport in the modern city has been far from utopian.’2

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These past visions, rather than give us the inspiration to implement utopian ideas, have instead produced dystopian characteristics which utopian thinkers were attempting to avoid. This is most evident when exploring Science Fiction’s depiction of the future city, where the underlying problems have been related to the issues present in the cities of today. Webb describes Blade Runner’s depiction of the future Los Angeles as missing ‘the ways in which the actual Los Angeles was already dystopian’3, whilst Star Wars more clearly portrays the growing divide in today’s society.

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Furthermore, the manner in which we have lost the human scale and interconnectivity of spaces in the city are also prevalent themes that are explored in past visions, however, they do not provide us with the inspiration to counteract these losses. Le Corbusier’s ‘hatred of streets and love of roads’4 manifests itself today in the loss of ‘disorderly human interactions’5. Our cities have become fixated with the scale of the automobile, ignoring the human scale. Meanwhile, the dystopian mannerisms of Jellicoe’s ‘Motopia’ can be seen in the creation of isolated spaces that lack interconnectivity. Those that live within the tower blocks surrounding public spaces, can look upon those in that public space, a constant reminder ‘of their own visibility’. This bares a striking resemblance to the way in which ‘prisoners will always be able to see the tower from which they are watched’6. Thus, rather than exude inspiration on how to create Utopia or how to successfully integrate transport within the city, we examine and analyse the ways in which spaces ‘fail’ to provide a new inspiration for the ‘rebuilding of Utopia’. The examination of past utopian and dystopian visions of the future, provide themes in which we can analyse the potential success of the application of future transport methods, and their integration within the existing fabric of the city. Each theme provides a speculative guideline on how to overcome dystopian elements from persisting in the future city, that could each be developed further.

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‘I think the value of beauty and inspiration is very much underrated, no question. But I want to be clear, I’m not trying to be anyone’s saviour. I’m just trying to think about the future and not be sad.” 1

// THOMAS HYDE //

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“Rather than exude inspiration on how to create Utopia, we examine and analyse the ways in which spaces ‘fail’ to provide a new inspiration for the ‘rebuilding of Utopia”.

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Spatial Creating better pedestrian interconnectivity through pedestrianisation schemes. - Implementing transport methods that provide a fast network of public transport. - Transport method separation.

Regimental

- Redetermine the human scale in the city. - Prevent future urban planning schemes from prioritising the automobile. - Implement future transport systems that do not depend upon the already regimented layout of the existing city.

Hierarchical

- Pay consideration to the existing segregation that exists in existing transport modes. - Implement transport methods that are accessible to a greater range of people from different social backgrounds. Prevent architecture from perpetuating segregation through the use of scale and the ideologies it portrays.

1st ed. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK. 2016 11// Titheridge, H., Christie, N., Mackett, R., Hernández, D. and Ye, R. (2014). Transport and Poverty: A review of the evidence. UCL Transport Institute, University College London: UCLTI Publications. [website] https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ transport-institute/pdfs/transport-poverty Accessed:17 Dec. 2017 12// Lucas, K. and Currie, G. Developing socially inclusive transportation policy: transferring the United Kingdom policy approach to the State of Victoria?. Transportation, 39(1), 2012 pp.151-173. 13// Al-Kodmany, K. and Ali, M. The Future of the City: Tall Buildings and Urban Design. Southampton: WIT Press. [website] 2013 14// Ibid 15// Murphy, D. The End of Utopia.Architectural Review. [website] 2016 https:// www.architectural-review.com/rethink/ viewpoints/the-end-of-utopia/10006220.article Accessed: 6 Dec. 2017

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1// Musk, E. The Future we’re Building -- and Boring. TED Talk. 2017 2// Smith, P. City: A Guidebook for the Urban Age. London: Bloomsbury Press. 2012 3// Webb, S. All the Wonder that Would Be: Exploring Past Notions of the Future. Cham: Springer International Publishing. 2016 4// Dalrymple, T. The Architect as Totalitarian. City Journal. [website] 2009 https://www.cityjournal.org/html/architect-totalitarian-13246. html. 5// Ibid 6// Koskela, H. “Cam Era’ – The Contemporary Urban Panopticon. 2003 7// Musk, E. The Future we’re Building -- and Boring. TED Talk. 2017 8// Tolley, R. Sustainable Transport. 2003 9// Pratelli, A. and Brebbia, C. Urban Transport XVII: Urban Transport and the Environment in the 21st Century. Southampton: WIT Press. 2011 10// Kathiravelu, L. Migrant Dubai: Low Wage Workers and the Construction of a Global City.

These speculative guidelines could be used to analyse potential transport integration in the future, through examining the effects that each transport method might have upon the existing cityscape and their ability to generate a Utopia if implemented. Elon Musk, for example, has proposed an underground 3D network of tunnels using electric vehicles that can travel at speeds between 125150 mph, significantly reducing travel times within the city. An underground 3D network of tunnels could allow cities to reclaim street level for pedestrians, as the system would allow users to travel quickly and efficiently between different points in the city, therefore removing the need for cars to fulfil the travel requirements of city dwellers. The system would be able to seamlessly integrate within the existing urban fabric, requiring the equivalent of ‘two parking spaces’ at ground level.7 The underground would therefore become the domain of transport, whilst street level would be returned to the pedestrians. This would allow for more ‘stations’ than any existing underground transport method and a more thoroughly connected city. Therefore, this will create a platform, whereby automobiles could be removed from large parts of a city.

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So how would Elon Musk’s proposal for an underground network of tunnels fare against the utopian guidelines? Spatial - By using Elon Musk’s proposal, improved pedestrianisation schemes could be implemented through the 3D network of tunnels. Jellicoe’s ‘Motopia’ fails to provide an interconnectivity of spatial elements, instead his separation of transport methods creates dystopian boundaries around these spaces. Musk’s proposal, like Jellicoe’s ‘Motopia’ would still create this separation of transport methods, but the removal of transport from street level would improve the connectivity of spatial elements, such as parks and squares. A fast network of public transport would allow cities to provide ‘space for pedestrians,’8 contrasting with the dystopian ‘failings’ of ‘Motopia’.

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Regimental Musk’s proposal would enable the redetermination of the human scale within the city, through the implementation of a wider pedestrianisation scheme. The tunnel network would allow the human to become the main focus of the city, therefore creating a ‘human oriented transportation system.’9 Although Musk’s proposal would rely on the existing network of streets and roads to provide the small surface area needed to connect from tunnel to street level, this level of dictation is not as strict as the dominance of automobile transport we experience today, as large parts of the city cannot be bypassed. Hierarchical - With regards to social scale, Elon Musk’s proposal would most likely increase the ‘perpetuation of segregation’10, due to the likely exclusivity of his transport method. As Titheridge argues, ‘faster modes such as the automobile and train tend to be more expensive’11, meaning that the already present ‘opportunities for mobility of different types [that] depend upon social hierarchies’12 would be further divided between the rich and poor. As wealth controls the portrayal of a city, a faster transport method like the one that Musk proposes could assist in the creation of a city architecture, which represents a minority of people that can afford to travel in that way.

us to identify the dystopian manifestations in our current cities. The counteractions to these manifestations can therefore be proposed in the integration of future transport methods. AlKodmany and Ali propose ‘because of the energy crisis and environmental health disaster, finding alternative means of transportation to the automobile is becoming increasingly important in many cities and is likely to increase in importance in the future.’13 This ultimately suggests that the reimagination of transport has a key role to play in the future. ‘Transport systems [account] for about 25% of the world energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions’14, therefore the future of transport is going to be open to extreme change. As we start to see the future possibilities of new transport methods, architects and planners alike should capitalise on this change to reignite their utopian ambition, ‘Rebuilding Utopia’ within our existing urban fabric. Should we be pessimistic about the future? Not if architects start to think about tomorrow again.

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Overall, Elon Musk’s idea for an underground network of tunnels, could help to establish a Utopiaof-sorts within cities, through re-establishing the pedestrian and reducing the current excessive reliance on the automobile. Removing transport from street level, would allow for more thorough pedestrianisation schemes, further facilitating the human as the primary user of the city. Nevertheless, the exclusivity of the system could potentially create a platform for further social segregation as the costs might not be accessible to everyone, therefore undoing the utopian notions that could be created through its implementation. In response to my initial question, of whether new transport methods can reignite utopian ambition in the city. New transport methods undoubtedly pose the potential to create new utopian possibilities, through allowing us to rethink and redetermine the existing urban fabric. Learning from the past ‘failures’ to integrate transport in various guises of utopian and dystopian thinking, enables

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T h e TIME CAPSUL E S RUI CHENG

// THE TIME CAPSULES //

The Time Capsules are spaces reinterpreted and reconstructed as portals through which we contemplate the past and perceive the continuous present. Through a deepened understanding of present affairs, they could even be a portal through which we envision a piece of the future. The Time Capsules are my response to the DS7 studio theme of reimagining architecture as a continuous archive.

This was proposed as a collection of models, attempting to reveal the spatial arrangement and atmosphere of places in time through the attendees and their found narratives. My research revolves around queer and subcultural spaces that are significant in the continuity of the communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s way of life. The Time Capsule, therefore, attempts to suspend a moment within this space to bring awareness, understanding and to preserve its culture.

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This technique encapsulates these spaces in a cardboard box sealed by a labelled strip of masking tape, which hints its contents before it is revealed. It was inspired by the 610 Time Capsules Andy Warhol produced which contained found objects and everyday ephemera, including cloth napkins, hotel toiletries, old packaging, stationery and newspapers.

Years after his death, these boxes were ceremonially extracted to unveil their contents, posing a question on whether they were carefully curated or collected at random. Through research, I took the idea further by arranging the objects and ephemera as it would have been within a live space, challenging the traditional typology of the archive.

// RUI CHENG //

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Sexuality and Society Homosexuality and Gender Expression within a Heteronormative Society Tyla Scott Owen

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The government sets out laws that dictate the socially acceptable limits of society. These laws reflect societal norms and create a framework for the discourse with which we breach various subjects. In recent history, and still today, this discourse has focused around sexual identity, affecting how individuals choose to express their sexuality and gender. Within the LGBTQ+ community this has led to sexual repression, where “Individuals… exercise control over themselves, as they internalise norms… in an effort to conform.”1 The internalisation of what it means to be normal can still be seen in the gay community today as, although the community is built up of people that do not fit into societal norms, there is still an effort amongst some groups to conform to traditionally masculine behaviour. Within the Western world, it is arguable that Judeo-Christian beliefs are to blame for the repression of sexual expression. This is due to the prescription and censorship of language concerning the topic of sexuality that these religions historically encouraged. “The issue is not that speech about sexuality has been prohibited but rather it has

// SEXUALITY AND SOCIETY //

1// Fontana-Giutsi, V. Thinkers for Architects: Foucault for Architects. 1st ed. Abingdon: Routledge. 2013, p97 2// Namaste, V. Invisible Lives. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. 2000. p.88

been prescribed.”2 Without even the ability to discuss sexuality openly, those that stood outside of societal norms were forced to act against their personalities in an attempt to conform to the standards set out by those in power. This resulted from the emerging concepts of sexuality via a multitude of domains; the area of medicine being perhaps the most influential in terms of understanding sexuality and prescribing ethical and moral views.

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“The issue is not t h at s p e e c h a b o u t sexuality has been prohibited but r at h e r i t h a s b e e n prescribed.”2 During the nineteenth-century the scienta sexualis (science of sex) was developed with an underlying agenda that was more concerned about moral and social cleanliness than the pursuit of truth. This emerging field of science within medicine refused to deal openly with the very subject it was founded upon: sex. Instead it only spoke about its supposed perversions and oddities. “Without even having to pronounce the word, modern prudishness was able to ensure that one did not speak of sex… by dint of saying nothing imposed silence. Censorship.”3 However sexual expression is often determined by the observation of queer people; therefore Foucault’s analysis on sexuality is not completely accurate. Sexual repression comes from a place of observation, not internalisation, as once the sexually repressed are out of public view, they can express their gender and sexuality freely. The seventeenthcentury saw the beginning of spaces that avoid public scrutiny, in the development of Molly-Houses. “The space of a queer community became a place of gaudy pleasures within an anonymous façade.”4 If sexualrepression is an attempt to conform to the moral and social norms of society, homosexual and queer people wouldn’t even consider visiting such a place for fear that they would no longer be normal.

casual sex. “Here class barriers fell and morality disappeared.”5 From this we see the development of gay bars and clubs; spaces where the moral and social conventions of society dissolve into non-existence. Looking onwards to the 1970s and the emerging scene of disco and gay bars in New York City, we can see that “the queer bar has most of the same ingredients as its straight equivalent, except that they are… exaggerated. Long strips of empty territory… where men can display themselves.”6 This exaggerated environment with areas allowing for men to exhibit themselves comes from the desire to attract the attention of another man in a room full of other men to choose from. The use of over the top and gaudy clothing, coupled with mirrors allowing men to engage and view others without direct contact, enabled the displayer to draw the gaze of men from all across the club. The more of a spectacle a man could make visually, the more likely he was were to seduce another man.

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By the end of the nineteenth-century, queer spaces formed characteristics that mirrored the cruising grounds: places where gay men go to look for // TYLA SCOTT OWEN //

3// Foucault, M. The History of Sexuality. 1st ed. Paris, France: Éditions Gallimard. 1978. 4// Betsky, A. Queer Space; Architecture and Same Sex Desire. 1st ed. Southern California: Harper Collins. 1997, p156 5// Ibid. 6// Ibid, p159 7// Ibid, p26

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“ S pa c e s w e r e n o t u s e d a s a denial of one’s sexual expression but instead to a f f i r m o n e s e l f a s pa r t o f a c u lt u r e t h at u s e d m at e r i a l i t y a s a f o r m o f expression and seduction.” This flamboyant expression of sexuality reflected itself in the interiors of queer people’s houses. Oscar Wilde’s home is an example of this, described as “a heavily decorated, theatrical, seductive mirror of the owner’s own sexuality.”7 With few role models in the heteronormative world or public places that related to sexual identity, Wilde turned to the decoration of his home for self expression. Since this space was nearly invisible to the public, there was little fear of judgment for not conforming to the expected gender or sexual expression of a man. Queer space allowed for a different interpretation of living space in which the acts of collecting, posing and mirroring created an environment so sensual that the reality of the outside world disappeared. Spaces were not used as a denial of one’s sexual expression but instead to affirm oneself as part of a culture that used materiality as a form of expression and seduction. “By coming into such spaces, you could, just by looking at the objects around you, learn about the nature of your culture… and what it valued.”8 8// Ibid, p65

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Fonthill Abbey, built in the 1790s by the queer William Thomas Beckford, was in some sense a hallmark for queer spaces. “The outside… was slightly mysterious, threatening and alien, as if to keep outsider away.”9 This was a reflection of Beckford’s sexuality, the exterior façade remaining at a distance from society, but the interior reflecting the true nature of its inhabitant. The interior was filled with numerous collections of French furniture, tapestries and rich pageants of colour and texture; not too dissimilar to that seen in Wilde’s home. At the heart of this, the Judeo-Christian beliefs inherent in Western society have led to the lack of acceptance of queerness in all its forms. This social pressure has resulted in the rebellious expression of gender and sexuality, and in the creation of queer spaces. These spaces were built from the desire to authentically express one’s gender or sexuality and escape the pressure of conformity. They allow one to let go of moral and social norms and in effect liberate the user of the space. 9// Ibid, p68

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F LUIDLY PETRIFIED Women in Generation Y Aikaterini Katsimpra The old preconception that women are soft and men are hard has faded. Women in generation Y see the world as more gender equal in comparison to previous generations. These women are shaped by shared experiences of technology, social media, emerging brands and the cultural narrative that proclaims “girls can do anything boys can do”. Listening to the ‘Guilty Feminist’ podcast, we can’t help but wonder; does the host feel guilty to express her thoughts? Or does she feel guilty because she uses and abuses the hard fought freedoms campaigners from the earlier waves of feminism won for her? Millenial women feel empowered but not entitled. In business and in public life, politics and the media, women remain abysmally underrepresented. The ‘f-word’ creates emotional reactions in both women and men for all that it represents. Many women of generation Y do not want to be identified with the term, however they appear to have absorbed genderbased messages, understanding the impact inequality could have on their private and working lives.

“The E mp owerm ent Ma chin e m anipula tes y ou an d de c e i v es y ou by t apping y ou wi th i t s furr y s tick . T h e pis tons o f clu t ter b o mb ard y ou wi th rep e ti ti v e visu als an d s oun d s while i t s sp arkling bran d n e w app e aran c e dem an d s y our a t tention . The E mp owerm ent Ma chin e is p owere d by p e ople ’s em otions wi th a s o f t f il ter o f ins e curi ties. A n d to da y , i t s s ensi ti v e f il ter is blo cke d m aking e v er y thing lo ok s o f ter. ”

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Marketing industries today make the consumption of products look like the work of activists. “Empowerment feminism is a movement driven primarily by guilt”. The “FEMINIST” T-shirt from H&M seems empowering, but ironically was made by a 14 year old girl in a sweatshop. It is hardly revolutionary. In Fluidly Petrified, the ‘Empowerment Machine’ is an oxymoron highlighting the way marketing industries often use the image of strong women in order to sell their products. The Empowerment Machine, promises that ‘Nobody’s going to call you Softie again’.

// AIKATERINI KATSIMPRA //

On the other hand, young women who do identify as feminists view feminism far different to their mothers and grandmothers, in many cases with a lack of knowledge about feminism’s history. Furthermore, they appear to believe that the word ‘empowering’ describes their view of this movement. With the lack of understanding on the genesis, feminism becomes increasingly popular in the media to the point that the term is losing its meaning and resonance.

The Empowerment Machine

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a pause in t ime Breathing Space Jing Zhi Tan Mental health issues has been on the rise over the past 80 years. It has seeped into our minds gradually, growing into weeds we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to get rid of. Discussions have taken place shedding light on the issue, with frequent news stories covering how it has come to impact workplace productivity, but ultimately, is it enough to just talk about mental illness?

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Generation Y and Technology

Generation Y and Mental Wellbeing

Generation Y has grown up with the progression of the internet, making us more comfortable and accustomed than previous generations to immersing ourselves in the online world. With the growth of the internet, the outreach and exposure of each individual to the rest of the world has increased, making generation Y the first global generation in how we communicate, think and interact.

There is also the matter of the stigma surrounding mental illnesses. This stigma comes in two forms: public stigma, which is the reaction of the general population to people experiencing mental illness; and selfstigma, whereby people experiencing mental illness turn against themselves. As the world moves online and Generation Y is exposed to a bigger audience, these issues create fear of seeking out help, including medical attention. This creates a vicious cycle that will only worsen in time if preventions are not taken. Millennials are known nowadays as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;anxious generationâ&#x20AC;?, accentuating the importance of addressing this issue now more than ever.

In contrast to technological advancements, human evolution is a far slower process. We, as human beings, still require physical interaction and tangible connections. The unequal pace of development between humanity and technology, has led to a reliance on technology within Generation Y. Their pattern of using social media, makes them more prone to feeling lonely, anxious and detached from physical reality, which in turn can lead to anxiety and depression. Research shows that this complication stems from the control of social media over the generation, showing clearly that this is not simply a social and psychological issue, but a matter involving the hierarchy between human and technology.

Research conducted has shown that most existing mental healthcare facilities only serve to help severe situations where the illness has already affect the individual to the point of requiring assistance in each part of their daily lives. When critical, they treat patients in a utilitarian way, with medication or electroconvulsive treatment. However, when it comes to less debilitating experiences ranging from occasional to recurring episodes, it is almost regarded as the responsibility of the individual to cope on their own. In the world of mental healthcare, there is still a lack of aspiration to prevent mental illness at an early stage, thus the aim of the proposal is to fill in this gap.

Millennials are known nowadays as the “anxious generation”, accentuating the importance of addressing this issue now more than ever. Mental Wellbeing and Architecture “Architecture cannot change society, but it can underwrite and enhance the basic activities of those who work in it.” 1 Looking at how architecture can contribute to issues concerning mental health, it should be taken into account that these issues cannot be solved by buildings alone. However, physicians and nurses are well aware that a patient’s interest in their surroundings is an early sign of healing.

Therefore a wellbeing centre, with similar aspiration to Maggie’s Centres, should be established; with strong dedication to help users help themselves, to inspire carers, and to increase societal awareness. Taking a step back and creating a space almost opposing neoliberalism, the design ought to restore the relationship we once had with nature.

1// Jencks, C. & Heathcote, E. The Architecture of Hope: Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres. 2010 2// Guell, X. Antonio Gaudi. 1990

// JING ZHI TAN //

“The column is like the shaft, the trunk of a tree; the roof is like a mountain with its ridge and slopes; the vault is the cave of parabolic section; the more resistant terraces of the mountain cliff form lintels and corbels over places where the weaker strata have eroded away.” 2

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;A r c h i t e c t u r e c a n n o t c h a n g e s o c i e t y, b u t i t c a n underwrite and enhance the basic activities of those w h o w o r k i n i t. â&#x20AC;? 1 In addition, to alleviate the stigma surrounding mental illness, a parallel dimension consisting of a direct overlay of a virtual environment on the centre is considered. The reason the stigma surrounding mental health exists in the first place is because people tend to empathise with patients more when they are able to perceive clearly where discomfort is coming from. People respond more to a physical injury or affliction than a mental one, since they cannot comprehend how exactly mental illness is affecting the individual.

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For that reason, reflecting on a need to bring about a better understanding and a way for people affected to provide better explanation, a virtual environment with professional assistance should be created where users can visualise their pain and are able to share the experience with their friends and family.

By metaphor, the building programme is also meant to signify the alliance and bridge between human and technology, focusing on the humane aspects. Such an approach is lacking in existing medical facilities, where a reliance on and awe of medical technology has increased since the mid-twentieth century. The comfort of patients has been pushed aside and their surroundings ignored. Thus, taking this as one of the first steps of architectureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contribution to mental wellbeing, I sincerely hope that by designing a space that allows provision of social and psychological support to take place, we can begin to slow the increase in cases of mental illness in the population and eventually decrease its wider impact.

Our vision is to create beautiful architecture where the site and building merge so that you can no longer imagine one without the other.

Design Engine Architects The Studios, Coker Close Winchester, SO22 5FF

+44 (0)1962 890111 mail@designengine.co.uk www.designengine.co.uk

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E -t o p i a Bio-logic-fiction Alexandra Lacatusu

Earth’s “technosphere” - all of the structures humans have built to keep themselves alive - now weighs 30 trillion tons; 50 kg for every square metre of the planet’s surface.1 To make all this we have taken resources from the ground oil, metal, stone - and surface wood - creating an imbalance within the whole biosphere. Today our reliance on technology is growing exponentially as we are moving towards process automation and artificially intelligent environments while the resources we have used so far to build our technology are coming to an end.

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At the moment this is impossible. The first global analysis of plastics ever produced was published in 2017, revealing that so far only 9% out of the 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic produced in the last 60 years has been recycled. The rest? It is accumulating into landfills and seas, harming wildlife and us along with it. Predictions are that if current trends continue, the weight of the world’s plastic will be 35,000 times heavier than the Empire State Building by 2050.2 There is hope, however. New materials are being engineered from more readily available and less intensively-harvested organic polymers, offering them life-like properties. An example of this is Neri Oxman’s grown structures that combine 3D printed organic polymers with micro-organisms and innovative bacterial compounds in order to achieve self-reliant, living

// ALEXANDRA LACATUSU //

Despite this issue having been tackled for decades by various organisations, governments, designers and, now, responsible citizens, the design industry still relies mostly on the same resources, building techniques and resource gathering processes. Less impactful building technologies, such as 3D printing and biologically engineered materials, are also being developed at an exponential speed, allowing their adoption within the industry at a fast pace. 3D printed buildings are already emerging with the advantage of causing less material waste. However, despite changing

the construction technique itself, the substances used for printing are not always different from the ones already making up our built environment. This leaves us bound to the same resource extraction processes as before unless we find a way of recycling all our waste.

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materials. So far, this technology has been used to create single-material structures which – in a similar way to natural organisms - develop tensile and/or compressive properties based on material thickness and formal distribution.3

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But it is not enough. If architecture is to advance towards a truly sustainable future, informed by the science and technology available today, it needs to change its relationship with three main concepts: material, scale and time. Can millimetres, straight lines and life cycle assessments for buildings still be considered accurate measurements for defining effective materials, contextually adapted structures or the true impact a building has on the environment when we know that light travels in nano-scale waves and that trees have a Wood Wide Web they use for sharing resources? We’re part of a new age when we get to question everything. So why not question the status-quo of architecture? Why not re-envision utopia in a biological way? The house is not really a machine for living

and we are not machines at all; we are living creatures of Earth who have evolved to recognise beauty in our own existence. Our brains manage forests of data. Assuming that we are truly the smartest species on the planet, are we not ultimately just another way for nature to understand itself?

We need a worthy utopia, an architecture that celebrates our exponentiallygrowing understanding of the world and our place in it. But what does envisioning this architecture mean for humankind’s relationship to matter itself? Looking at nature, Goethe observed that there is nothing more consonant within it than ‘that she puts into operation in the smallest detail that

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which she intends as a whole’. This statement reveals not only that matter in nature is in continuous movement, but also that any organism’s form and function start from the nano-scale up. An architecture built in nature must then primarily address design’s relationship with matter. Where we have previously taken matter as fixed and lifeless, we must now see it as a fluid, interconnected and dynamic substance that stores and circulates information between the molecular structure of the building’s fabric and the environment surrounding it. This poses many challenges to current architectural design processes as built form should be translated into a fourth dimension, in which

the structure, skin and services must be fully integrated with and driven by responsive information systems, built within the building’s fabric, at a scale that is new to the profession. In this context - as Leroy Cronin argues in ‘Protocell Architecture’ - the architect becomes a creator of adaptive, living and morphologically transient spaces that can develop over time in a profoundly more flexible way than ever before.4 E-topia starts with the belief that our generation’s challenge is to make nature, technology and architecture indistinguishable from one another. It intends to open up a conversation about human adaptation by imagining a symbiotic alternative to current building standards and enabling technology to tap into nature’s information and resource systems in a slow, mindful and collaborative manner. At the base of the project stands the intention of marrying two opposing concepts of dynamic architecture. On the one hand, the project is based on Surrealist and Dadaist protocell architectural principles, which stand against biological formalism yet embodies the ideas of emergence, bottom-up construction and self-assembly. On the other, the project draws inspiration from biophilic as well as biomimetic design to respond to the site’s natural surroundings and to create the premises for a successful symbiotic integration. The result is an architecture of growth - a biomimetic e-tree system made of biochemically programmed iChells that develops and mutates through digesting non-organic human waste - plastic - all whilst providing a water-based communication and resource network for humans and nature to share. 1// Zalasiewicz, J. et al.,‘Scale and diversity of the physical technosphere: A geological perspective’. The Anthropocene Review, 4(1), 2016, pp.9-22. 2// Parker, L. A Whopping 91% of Plastic Isn’t Recycled. [website] 2017. https://news.nationalgeographic.com [Accessed 19 May 2018]. 3// TED. ’Design at the intersection of technology and biology’. [video] 2015. [Accessed 19 May 2018]. 4// Spiller, N. and Armstrong, R. ’Protocell architecture’. London: John Wiley & Sons, 2011.

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The Age of Resilience in Architecture Petya Tsokova The question of resilience Resilience, it seems, has become somewhat of a trendy word in architecture in recent years; a buzzword; a new defining trait of what architecture is and should be. During my Masters degree alone I must have heard it at least a thousand times - resilient cities, resilient buildings, resilient communities, resilient this, resilient that…

glowing metropoles; tackled it as an issue of the present and future. The series presented the topic in a manner that rendered it as much of a practical subject as a conceptual one, examining it both as an element of successful design and as a business survival strategy.

Now, I am not a native speaker and the first time I heard the word in the school of architecture, I had to swallow my pride and Google it. The definition given by the Oxford Dictionary is as follows:

resilience /rɪˈzɪlɪəns/ (noun) 140

1. The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.

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Applied to the field of architecture, in its most literal and simple meaning, the term makes sense. However, several new questions arise: how and why has resilience become a new favourite of the architects’ vocabulary? What aspects of it make it so relevant to modern day architecture that we cannot seem to stop mentioning it? What is its true meaning within architecture? OxArch, the architectural society of the Oxford School of Architecture have picked up on this tide shift and have chosen Resilience as the overarching theme of this year’s series of professional lectures. Fully conscious of the multifacetedness of the topic, they explored the different architectural aspects of resilience through a variety of guest lecturers, each contributing with their own point of view and take on the concept. Throughout the eventful series, resilience became an element with different temporal and spatial measurements; the lecturers positioned it within and outside the context of

Assael Architects

Demonstration To introduce us to the topic, OxArch kicked off the series with a presentation from CJ Lim, a household name in the academic world of architecture, he introduced his latest book, Inhabitable Infrastructures: Science Fiction or Urban Future?. Through a series of project studies, likened to fairy tales, he addressed contemporary urban and political issues within a post-apocalyptic, dystopian context. His visions of the future prompted the discussion of what actually makes our cities

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resilient, and how we prepare for such extreme futures. If there is something that we have learned from this lecture, it is that the answer to this is simple - architects should embrace change and the new challenges presented; resilience is, after all, flexibility. In contrast to the architectural environment of CJ Lim’s lecture, the next guest brought us very real and existing examples of resilience. In her lecture Collaboration in Crisis, Professor Cathrine Brun, a distinguished geographer, ethnographer and humanitarian, presented projects from her own practice in regions of crisis. Her experience in working with architects in disaster zones in order to help local communities recover made her a suitable candidate to teach us, architects in training, a lesson on the importance of our role in human and community resilience.

Sarah Wigglesworth

CJ Lim

Similarly, Cullinan Studio demonstrated resilience as the willingness to learn and adapt through their NAIC project. The practice prides themselves on their holistic design approach and their open-mindedness, always ready to embrace innovation and new challenges. In this project in particular, their ethos was put to the test through incorporating client collaboration as a key element of their design process. The result brought Cullinan Studio a new set of skills (BIM as a communication tool) and a new outlook on the future of the architectural profession, making them all the more resilient for it. Another highlight of the series was Sarah Wigglesworth’s lecture. The head of an award-winning practice, she demonstrated the ways in which her seven guiding design principles have formed the firm’s distinctive identity. This has given them an edge over their competitors, ensuring their business’ resilience and ability to survive in the ever-growing market of architecture.

// PETYA TSOKOVA //

While both CJ Lim and Professor Brun tested the concept in extreme circumstances, other guests examined the topic as a design methodology, asking what makes our architecture and our profession resilient. For example, for Architype the answer to this question is choosing sustainability as a principal component of their design strategy. As the leading Passivhaus practice in UK, Architype have identified a niche need in architecture, ensuring their own survival, as well as future-proofing their designs for prolonged use.

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Design Engine Architects took a similar approach to the topic. In their lecture they examined the ways in which they have managed to carve a space for themselves in the architectural scene. Through their work, they demonstrated interesting and creative design - a quality that makes them employable and desirable over other practices. This is what ensures their survival and professional resilience. Assael Architects were the practice that took the most direct approach to resilience as a business tactic. The nitty gritty details of running a firm not only as a creative practice but as a viable business enterprise was central to John Assael’s lecture. His advice on the practical aspects of ensuring the company’s survival was valuable and in line with the trend of architecture evolving beyond the creative industry and into a competitive business.

The meaning of resilience Having been presented with such a variety of takes on the theme of resilience, we are faced with the question, “What did we learn from them?”.

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For one, we were shown the place of resilience in architecture. In recent years, the political, economic and social climate has made it harder and harder for architects and their work to survive; power and environmental shifts have made us question the survival of society as a whole. In that context, architecture needs to learn to be resilient in order to continue existing as a profession. That does not only mean that architects need to be business-savvy but also socially apt. The Resilience Lecture Series demonstrated the need for architects to learn flexibility and adaptability, to be prepared to face any challenges ahead of them and embrace changes. For another, the audience learned not only the value of resilience but how to achieve it by being presented with some of the best design and operational examples available. According to feedback given among peers within the School, many found the lectures exciting and inspirational, regularly engaging with the guests within and outside of the auditorium. In that sense, the lectures proved the need for going beyond understanding the concept of resilience to how it can be applied in practice.

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Critique raised by students suggested some lectures were either not focused enough or too focused on a singular element. While some lectures may be enjoyable as standalones, others shine brighter as part of the whole. Just like a television series, some lectures have more value within the context of the ensemble and the true scope of the theme cannot be analysed or processed without having attended a sufficient amount of events. In spite of those minor drawbacks, looking back at the Resilience Lecture Series as a whole, it has been a year of valuable lessons for young architects in training. Identifying a rising trend in architecture and organising events around it so as to prepare students and professionals for the future seems to have been a successful tactic that has delivered a comprehensive set of applicable knowledge. OxArch has made sure to provide a variety of lecturers and subtopics with different styles and ideas, to maximise the attendees exposure to the theme and to the world of architecture outside of studio. Such an exciting year makes us ask “And where to, from now on?” Petya was responsible for bringing reviews of the OxArch lectures to you via the OSA Magazine blog (which may or may not have involved begging and pestering contributors for them). The full reviews can be found at: https://www.osamag.co.uk/blog/tag/Resilience

“how and why has resilience become a new favourite of the architects’ vocabulary? What aspects of it make it so relevant to modern day architecture that we cannot seem to stop mentioning it? What is its true meaning within architecture?”

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// PETYA TSOKOVA //

First Prize: Jane Georgi Unit L, Undergraduate Unit Trip: Madrid

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Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choice: Mohammad Anas Photograph Captured in India