Patrick Cordelle B.ARCH Thesis 2015

lines

walls

the dynamic human spirit

Patrick Cordelle B.Arch Thesis 2014-2015 Studio 400, Karen Lange California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo

Patrick Cordelle B.Arch Thesis 2014-2015 Studio 400, Karen Lange California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo

lines

walls

the dynamic human spirit

Patrick Cordelle B.Arch Thesis 2014-2015 Studio 400, Karen Lange California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo

Contents 8

Prologue

11

Statement

14

Transforming a Line

17

Masterplan: Urban Generators

18

Where the Line Meets the Ocean

22

La LĂ­nea Borrosa

41

Lines Thesis Research

60

History

71

Inspiration

75

Process Site, Development, Experiments

94

STUCK Thesis Book Installation

98

Blackboard

105

References

Paul Klee, The Angel of History. 1920

7

PROLOGUE

Once, a land was divided by an imaginary line. The north and

The wall was a symbol. It was a line between wealth and poverty.

the south were created.

It stood 14 feet tall crowned with menacing swirls of razor The northerners had wealth. They lived in large merchant

wire. It stopped and started infrequently. The construction was

built houses in sprawling suburbs. Together, they commuted to

shoddy and the materials were cheap. The wall indiscriminately

work, millions of individual bubbles on a vast choked freeway.

split and destroyed communities along its path.

There were pool parties in the summer and green lawns tended by invisible gardeners. Food, electronics, automobiles, and

The psychological power of the wall was both its greatest

clothing were overabundant. Life was seemingly easy for the

strength and its greatest weakness. Ironically, the wall

northerners. They were fat, but they were not happy. Many were

ultimately encouraged migration north.

fearful.

With dreams of a better life, the southerners climbed over the The southerners were poor. They lived in small, handmade

fence and they tunneled under it. They went deeper into the

homes that, in many cases, barely provided them with the basic

wilderness and crossed the border where the fence did not exist.

elements of shelter. They worked hard to survive and their diet

On their journey to cross, the migrants encountered thieves,

was basic. These people lived a simple yet complex existence.

harassment, extortion, murder, the Border Patrol, and exposure

What they lacked in monetary wealth they made up for in

to the elements. Many failed and many died, but more succeeded.

culture and the arts. In some ways, they were happier than

The rate of illegal crossings directly correlated to the

their counterparts to the north, but decent jobs were difficult

northern demands for inexpensive labor.

to find. In search of work, there was always the temptation of the north.

After decades, the northerners became a minority in their own land. To protect their interest, they manipulated the laws

In the beginning, crossing was easy and safe because

and compromised democracy, assuring their electorate. They

northerners needed cheap labor. As the population of

withdrew into conservative, deaf tribes. Religious views were

southerners in the north grew, the northerners feared that

manipulated to validate their contempt. The northerners lost

their lives of excess and privilege may somehow be threatened.

the ability to perceive their southern neighbors as fellow

The north resorted to a brutal use of architecture. They built a

human beings.

wall to deter northern migration.

Perspective Shift digital

9

My thesis is a study of people and the lines and walls that separate them.

Specifically, I am interested in the border condition between the United States and Mexico.

I grew up in San Diego with a distant appreciation of its sister city, Tijuana. I loved my home but I also loved the fact that a new world was always close. It

is a special kind of freedom to be able to enter a new realm when you wish.

I study this issue because I believe the border can be an armature for change and an example for the rest of the world. My project seeks to transform lines of duality to lines of connection and inclusion.

I want to encourage a new paradigm of democracy through architecture.

This democracy is not patriotic or limited to political boundaries. This is true human democracy.

11

The field describes a space of propagation, of effects. It contains no matter or material points, rather functions, vectors, and speeds. It describes

local relations of difference within fields of clarity,

transmission or of careering points, in a word, what Minkowksi called the world.

The Plea of Our Ancestors. digital collage

Sanford Kwinter

13

Transforming A Line This project seeks to transform the line of duality that is the US/

Mexican border to a region of inclusion and urban prosperity.

As the border becomes more and more militarized, it remains a

region of hyper movement and porosity. This cultural, intellectual and social energy pools at the busiest border crossing in the

world, the San Ysidro border crossing in Tijuana, Mexico. The border is not only a border between two countries, but a gateway between North and South America.

As security along the closed border is heightened, the northern

migration becomes increasingly treacherous. Transgressors face harassment, extreme environments, extortion, rape, and murder.

They take this risk in search of a better life. In many cases, they make the journey to be united with family and loved ones.

The negative aspects of a closed border are not only felt south of

the border. Every year, the US pours billions of dollars in public resources to secure a border that is impossible to secure. On

top of this, the US policy of isolation and separation threatens the country’s economic survival in a globally interdependent world.

15

Revolucion, Tijuana, Mexico

Renewable energy 10%

Intra-America University 20%

Natural Preserve 10%

Pacific Ocean

Transitional Services 10%

Border View Deck

Border Commerce/Market 10%

Proposed Trolley Line

Center for Arts and Culture 20%

US/Mexican Border

Sports and Recreation 10%

San Ysidro Border Crossing

Library 10%

Masterplan: Urban Generators The first part of this project is a master plan that aims

to harness the humanistic energy of the region to generate urban prosperity. These “Urban Generators�

N

would consist of cultural infrastructure that fosters and encourages creative and intellectual pursuits, allowing for the society to prosper from the ground

up. Examples of this infrastructure would include educational institutions, art centers and venues, sports facilities, and markets of exchange.

Because the border line itself is the core and unifying entity of the region, it makes sense that this infra-

structure is connected by the line. To promote the movement of ideas and make these public institutions

accessible, a trolley line running along the border is proposed. The infrastructure would oscillate above

and below the wall like a wave, rejecting the dualis-

tic and separatist implications of the line to create a region of prosperity on both sides of the border.

top: Program Diagram. bottom: Foklorico, Juan Fernandez

17

Where the Line Meets the Ocean While studying the border region, I became intrigued by the moment where the line meets

the ocean. Less than 100 yards off shore, the wall disappears into the ocean. Conceptually,

this site illustrates the fundamental problem with a closed border; No matter how much we invest

in securing the border, there will always be a way around.

I decided that this would be the ideal location

to propose a pedestrian border crossing. The

current pedestrian crossing, located at the San Ysidro checkpoint, lacks human scale and is not a positive experience. People are lined up next to a sea of cars and their pollution and

noise. The gateway to the Americas is deserving of a better experience.

top:looking down the border wall westward. bottom left: San Ysidro Border crossing .bottom right:Bullring by the Sea

19

The Fence at Friendship Park Moore, John. Getty Images

Louie Palu/ZUMA. Mexico, 2012.

21

In 1971, Friendship Park was created along the US/Mexico Border as a binational meeting place. The park was located at a joint San Diego/ Tijuana beach and was a place where friends and family separated by border politics could meet and spend time together. In 2009, a secondary border fence was built severely limiting access to the park.

La LĂ­nea Borrosa or the line blurred, is a project that gives the community a new binational meeting place without the separation of a fence. The project consists of a pedestrian border crossing, the Spiral Pier, and the Americas Gateway Bridge. It is located at the original site of Friendship Park. There is also a proposed trolley line, which runs along the border and connects with the trolley stop at the San Ysidro border crossing 5 miles to the east.

CA

Mexico

The Spiral Pier is a wooden and concrete structure located offshore just beyond where the border fence disappears into the ocean. The new pier would be considered a legal gray zone, neither US nor Mexico, allowing visitors to meet on common ground without fear of deportation. The Spiral Pier would have access by trolley or from two pedestrian bridges, one above the trolley line, and the Americas Gateway Bridge.

The Americas Gateway Bridge is a suspension bridge that spans from the Spiral pier across the border to Plaza Monumental de Tijuana, an existing bullring that has a capacity of 21,000 spectators. By wrapping the bridge around the bullring, pedestrians are given the opportunity to view the activities within the bullring.

The pylon for the bridge located in the Spiral Pier features an elevated view deck, giving visitors a new aerial perspective on the border region.

E

23

25

Metal Screen

Wood Screen

Spiral Ramp

Truss System

Concrete Platform

Pier Ring

The Americas Gateway Bridge

The Americas Gateway Bridge

y

Pedestrian Walkwa

Trolley Line

ay

Pedestrian Walkw

Trolley Line

Circulation Diagram

Circulation Diagram

27

The Americas Gateway Bridge and the path of the Spiral Pier could be considered an unconventional walking promenade. Along the outside of the spiraling ramp are a series of gathering and meeting places that could be reserved in advanced by visiting family and friends. People could send in pictures before their scheduled visit, which would be displayed on a large welcoming screen located at the border crossing on land.

La LĂ­nea Borrosa would create a new place removed from political bias. The Spiral Pier provides the opportunity to reflect on current immigration policies and the people that it impacts.

29

1

2

7 6 3 8 9

United States 1 The Spiral Pier 2 Elevator 3 New Perspective View Deck 4 Stairs 5 The Spiral Pier Trolley Stop 6 Amphitheatre 7 Elevator 8 Pedestrian Border Crossing 9 Crossing Trolley Stop 10 Plaza Monumental De Tijuana (Bullring by the Sea) 11 The Americas Gateway Bridge One Way Turnstile

Blur Zone

5

Mexico

4

Pedestrian Border Crossing/ Trolley Stop

11

Floor 1

10

Border

Ground Floor

Trolley Line

Border

Av Del Pacifico

Floor -1 EXIT EXIT

EXIT EXIT

Border

50’

100’

400’

31

1 The Spiral Pier

2 Gathering & Dining Units

3 New Perspective View Deck

4 The Americas Gateway Bridge 1 View Deck 116 0”

Pedestrian Access 48’ 0”

Trolley Stop 30’ 0”

3 2

4

33

35

37

39

lines

Thesis Research Fall 2014 Studio 400 Karen Lange

California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo

41

The Treachery of Images. RenĂŠ Magritte

wikipedia on lines: Definitions versus descriptions All definitions are ultimately circular in nature since they depend on concepts which

must themselves have definitions, a dependence which can not be continued indefi-

nitely without returning to the starting point. To avoid this vicious circle certain concepts must be taken as primitive concepts; terms which are given no definition.

In geometry, it is frequently the case that the concept of line is taken as a primitive.

In those situations where a line is a defined concept, as in coordinate geometry,

some other fundamental ideas are taken as primitives. When the line concept is a primitive, the behavior and properties of lines are dictated by the axioms which they must satisfy.

43

A line is a flat wave The concept of a line is a human invention that serves as a foundation for our visual communication. Observation tells us that a line is the shortest distance between two points. Using this simple concept, we can measure our environment and have a

better understanding of our world through mathematics. But it is not a complete and

rational understanding. As an example, π (pi) is an irrational number. This means that

it is impossible to perfectly resolve the relationship between a circle and a line. This is also true for planes, defined by three points. It is impossible to resolve a sphere by using one equilateral triangle.

In the natural environment, our concept of lines does not exist. This linearity we per-

ceive is an illusion. The horizon is a line that we perceive in nature. The illusion of that line is defined by the edge of an imperfect sphere and infinity. Even a single ray of light is not straight. It follows the path of an electromagnetic wave.

Waves are dynamic. Waves have amplitude, frequency, and period. They represent

cycles of change. Waves do not generate a duality as lines do. Lines can be perceived as a wave with an amplitude of zero, or a flat wave.

45

Richard Long. A line made by walking. 1967

Dictionary of the English Language of 1755 Line:

1 Longitudal extension 2 A slender string

3 A thread extended to direct any operations 4 The string that sustains the angler’s hook

5 Lineaments, or marks in the hands or face 6 Delineation, sketch 7 Contour, outline

8 As much as is written from one margin to the other, a verse 9 Rank

10 work thrown up; trench 11 Method, disposition 12 Extension, limit

13 Equator, equinoctial circle

14 Progeny, family, ascending or descending 15 A line is one tenth of an inch

16 A letter; as in, I read your lines 17 Lint or flax

47

Lines are fundamental to our understanding of the physical world. We communicate

breaking or bending of a surface. There is no addi-

to know the concept of lines at various definitions.

ers field would fit into this category, the plow splitting

A Taxonomy of Lines

origami figures, where the surface of the paper is

our observations with lines. To know the world is

It is easy to get lost in the sheer depth of the matter.

In order to make the topic of lines more manageable, it is necessary to create a system of categorizing the

tion or subtraction, and without the surface these lines would not exist. The furrowed lines of the farmthe surface of the soil. There are also the lines of bent to produce creases defining the subject.

Outside of the physical world exists lines that are intangible. Ingold refers to these lines as ghostly

different types of lines. In Tim Ingold’s book Lines:

lines. Humans utilize this type of line in all fields of

lines into three groups: threads, traces, and cracks.

cal. Dominant in Western culture is the Euclidian

Ingold defines a thread as “a filament of some kind,

two points on an equally thin and immaterial plane.

A Brief History, he places the majority of physical

which may be entangled with other threads or suspended between two points in three-dimensional space.” Examples of threads: a spool of string, a spiders web, veins in a leaf, and an animals fur.

These threads have a surface but they are not drawn

study. They are conceptual, abstract and metaphoriconcept of a line, infinitely thin and stretched between The lines we imagine to connect the stars, constellations, are ghostly in nature.

All lines on a map are within this category. This is obvious with the geodesic lines of latitude, longitude

on surfaces.

and the equator, lines that exist with no physical

Traces are defined as “any enduring mark left in or

ages, as seen to the right, are also nonexistent. Even

on a solid surface by a continuous movement.” A trace is either additive or subtractive. Lines drawn on a chalk board are additive; the trail of chalk leaves a new layer of white dust on the board, producing a mark. A subtractive trace would be a surface that is etched or scratched. The formation of the line is created by a subtraction of material.

Animal tracks, hiking trails, and the wood etchings of Albrecht Dürer would constitute as traces, where material has been removed to produce a line.

Outside of these categories are the lines of cracks, cuts, and creases. These lines are realized by the

counterpart. The lines that describe seafaring voythe lines that define landmass are intangible. They can only approximately represent the shape of land, which constantly changes with the ebb and flow of tide and the rising of oceans.

Many of the lines on a map are the results of politics and bureaucracy, the lines that define airspace, fishing waters, and territorial boundaries. Though they are not physical, they still have real consequences.

Patrick Ryan Bourgeois, Akshay Mehra. Around the World - Voyages Into the Unknown

49

Ruedi Homberger Canadian Border Swath

Borders Borders exist continually in flux. They depend on a never-ending political story and evolve with the outcome. The lines themselves are decided by bureaucrats. Planners, surveyors, and policymakers, “experts” who act not from a perspective of experience, but typically in the interest of capital. Their work depends on a measurable and static understanding of space.

There are essentially two types of borders, mutable and closed. Mutable borders are associated with prosperity, energy, and life. Closed borders are associated with crime, poverty, and ethnic division. Open borders are demarcated typically with signage or by manipulation of nature. The Canadian border, for example, manifests itself with a 40 ft. swaft that cuts through the natural landscape.

For the last century, closed borders have commonly been solidified with the construction of a wall.

The Wall An original element of architecture The wall is defined as a structural plane. Its most poetic function, defining the space of dwelling, the home. As man acted upon his instinct of possession,

the destructive possibilities of walls were revealed.

Dividing, controlling, imprisoning, the wall forgot its noble origins.

As walls are built on closed borders, they promise security and protection. In reality, regions surrounding the walls are plagued with violence and death.

The border barriers harden social edges and serve as obstacles to the movement of humans and their ideas. Because of their scale, the walls are expensive to construct and maintenance is consuming.

Why are they built? The reason is that the true power of walls goes far beyond their ability to secure. Political walls are symbols that have global power. They are used as tools to create national identities. Ironically, by creating the other, walls allow us to identify ourselves.

Though border barriers are associated with destruction, it is possible to imagine a positive transformation.

This change could be powered by the social, intellectual and cultural energy in these regions. Lebbeus Woods envisioned change for the Israeli border wall in his essay and drawings titled “Wall Games.” He describes the potential for a closed border to become the instigator of cooperation.

51

Case Study: Wall Games In an essay entitled Wall Games, Leb-

The game progresses as each team builds

construction of the wall as an act of self

for this construction is the wall and balance

only serve to isolate themselves which “ulti-

balance, the wall falls and the game is over.

globally interdependent world.” Lebbeus

there is no point, no winner. Like all games,

beus Woods calls upon Israel to abandon

on their side of the wall. The sole support

preservation. By building the wall, they

plays a critical role. If the cantilever is not in

mately threatens any nation’s survival in a

Because of this, both sides must play or

continues, “The power of even the strongest

the point is to win.

placed exertions of power, even to the point

There are three levels of winning in this

can, by concerted effort, overcome them.”

keeping the game going. In essence, both

separating Israel from the world that sup-

process a new energy is activated.

historical twist, history’s largest ghetto.”

The second level of winning pertains to the

Through the act of play, Woods envisions

side represents different cultures, histo-

where competition is used for good.

will be different. The architecture of each

Woods imagines that Israel comes to a real-

construction methods. If construction is

of the wall is halted. The free-standing sec-

beyond the first level. Second level winning

porosity of the border. These pieces of the

vert the other. Conversion of construction

the site of the wall games.

basic system of spatial reference, is trans-

The field is two sided. The Israelis and

side. As construction progresses, there

builders, architects, artists, and performers.

tion is left open, susceptible to construction

nations can be wasted by their own miswhere weaker, jealous or vengeful nations

game. The first level of winning is simply

The wall only serves to hurt its builders,

teams win against the wall itself and in the

ports it. “Israel is creating, in a grotesque

a new relationship for Israel and Palestine

constructions themselves. Because each ries, and aspirations, the constructions side uses different materials, systems and

ization: a wall is not the answer. Construction

similar on each side, the teams cannot win

tions already built would remain, allowing

requires that one side of construction con-

wall would serve as relics of the past and

is achieved when its system of order, the

Palestinians create teams consisting of

formed to the system of order on the other

will be points in time when one construc-

This drawing by Woods illustrates the different spatial orders developing on each side of the playing field.

Play is a uniquely adaptive act, not subordinate to some other adaptive act, but with a special function of its own in human experience.

Johan Huizinga, Homo Ludens

infiltration from the other side. A successful

attempt at infiltration is clear, strong, and succinct enough to reorder the opposing sides system of order.

The highest level of winning is naturally the most difficult. The third level is achieved

when each side of construction is con-

verted not by the opposing side, but by an entirely new system of order. Both sides win

because they have transcended together

to a more multivalent state. Competitors

become co-inhabiters. States of opposi-

tion are superseded. A new, greater hybrid system is created.

This game is meant for the new genera-

tion of Israelis and Palestinians, those who are tired of the destructive self-defeating nature of the previous game. By using the approach of games, hostility and hatred are

diminished. Woods points to the Ping-Pong

matches between China and the United

States and the Olympics, where, “Even the most bitterly opposed adversaries who

learn to play together find it difficult to kill each other.�

The following pages are a series of draw-

ings continuing where Lebbeus Woods left Various illustrations of the Wall games in progress.

off. These games take place on the U.S.Mexico border wall.

53

Above: Each side begins with balance in mind. They utilize whatever materials they can find. Right: As the games progresses, the structures grow and engage the opposing construction.

55

Above: Attempts at spatial conversion would appear as a poetic structural dance in slow motion. To the left, third level winning is achieved. The result is a new order of space, a hybrid of the two original spatial constructions.

57

Walls of Change In another essay entitled Walls of Change, Woods contin-

ues to explore the idea of walls as armature for change.

He looks at Havana, Cuba, which has the interesting condition of a city within a city. There is the area frequented by tourists, where money continually flows in and the

architecture is sustained to preserve business. The city

within this city is La Habana Vieja, the old town, which exists in a state of decay. Because no tourists visit, there is money flow to maintain upkeep of the district. Wooden trusses span across streets, bracing buildings to prevent them from collapsing.

Because foreign investors have no incentive to help La

Habana Vieja, the only possibility for saving this historical area is from the ground up. Woods proposes a series of walls be built that act as infrastructure to re-generate the

city. These walls would be technological, providing services like water purification and energy production, what Woods calls “urban batteries.� Living units could plug into this system of walls, and slowly the endangered old

city would self-generate by cultivating various sources of energy, social and otherwise.

Initially, there would be a need for outside professionals

to build these mechanical walls of change. Their services would be a donation to preserve a unique history of the greater city. Over time, this infrastructure would generate

its own growth. The community would foster its own group

of designers and builders, whose skills and techniques

with improve over time. They would build spontaneously

as needs arise and these buildings would exist in the voids of previously destroyed buildings. Ultimately, La

Habana Vieja would become self-sustaining and an important piece of history would be preserved.

Left: wooden trusses spanning across streets to prevent collapse of buildings. Right: a section drawing of Walls of Change by Lebbeus Woods.

This mixed media drawing explores what a Wall of Change might look like at the US/Mexican Border. The wall would appear spontaneous, built as needs of the community arise. The main source of power would be the collective effort of local people.

59

History

61

Historical Confrontations

63

A Brief History To understand the current situation at the Mexican

American border, one must understand major his-

torical events of the region. The earliest remains of human civilization in Mexico date back 23,000 years ago. The first major Mexican settlement was

by the Aztecs, who established a city on an island

in the lake of Tenochtitlan in AD 1300, modern

day Mexico City. This settlement would become the capitol of the Aztec empire and would prosper

for over 200 years until the arrival of the Spanish

explorer Hernan Cortez in 1521. Hernan Cortez

razed the city in name of Spain’s Reconquista. In

its place, Spain built a new city that served as the capital of their south american colonies.

For 300 years the Spanish ruled Mexican territory until Mexican revolutionaries under Agustin

de Iturbide reclaimed power over Mexico City.

Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821.

At this point, Mexico struggled to maintain unity within the newly unified country. One issue they

were united on was refusing to recognize the United States ownership of Texas. At this time Mexico included a region from California to Texas.

The military and diplomatic capabilities of Mexico declined after it attained independence. The northern half of the country was vulnerable to the

native Americans. The Indians took advantage

of Mexico’s weakness and undertook large-scale raids hundreds of miles deep into the country.

They stole livestock for their own use and to supply the market in Texas and the United States.

The Indian raids left thousands of people dead

and devastated northern Mexico. When Ameri-

can troops entered northern Mexico in 1846, they found a demoralized people. There was

little resistance to the Americans from the civilian population. The result of this war was the treaty of

Hidalgo in 1848, where America acquired more

than 500,000 square miles of valuable territory and emerged as a world power in the late nine-

teenth century. This land included all or part of

ten states: California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona, Texas, part o f Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Okla-

homa, and New Mexico. The remaining parts of New Mexico and Arizona were peacefully purchased under the Gadsden Purchase.

From this point on there has been a consistent

flow of latin migration to north america. The first examples of this were encouraged by the United States. In 1883 Chinese labor was reduced

because of the Chinese Exclusion Act and railroad companies were in desperate need of cheap

labor. They recruited Mexican workers by the thousands. The first border patrol on the Mexi-

can border was established in 1904, but not to stop the migration of Mexicans. It was used to

stop Asian workers from entering through Mexico.

In 1910 the Mexican Revolution began. It was

a bloody civil war that lasted 10 years and cost the lives of over a million people. During this war tens of thousands of Mexicans fleed to the United

States for safety. After the revolution ended, the

M. Bonne. North America. 1780 65

immigration act was signed in the US, which was

contaminated rivers and sickened the population.

of asian descent. During this year more than 89,000

NAFTA was responsible for unprecedented Mexican

permanent visas.

massive increase in migration lead to a new series of

designed to halt the flow of immigrants, particularly

Mexican immigrants came into the United States on

From 1942 to 1954 the United States ran a program that allowed Mexican workers to temporarily work in

the United States. In 1954 Operation Wetback began.

3.8 million people of Mexican Heritage were deported

back to Mexico. This event marked a turn in the American sentiment towards Mexican immigration.

Probably the single biggest influence on the flow of

latin migrants north was the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement. The agreement became an unmitigated disaster, costing the United States millions of jobs and billions of dollars in exports. The

acts that aimed to stop immigration from the south.

The first in this series of events was started with Clin-

ton’s re-election campaign in 1996, which focused on securing the borders. The next big step was in 2006, after 9/11 and fears of terrorism gave George Bush the

perfect platform to enable the secure fence act, a law that would build 700 miles of fence on the 2,000 mile

southern border. There was an annual budget allotted to the border patrol amounting to over 3 billion dollars that still exists today. It is estimated that to maintain the border for another 15 years will cost american tax payers 49 billion dollars.

worst effects of NAFTA were felt south of the border.

Since all of this effort, it is estimated that migration north

average of just 1.2 percent, one of the lowest in the

of NAFTA. In 2009, over 650,000 Mexicans crossed

The country’s annual per capita growth flat-lined to an hemisphere. Its real wage declined and unemployment went up.

As heavily subsidized U.S. corn and other staples

has more or less stayed constant since the signing the border. There have also been no decrease in the

amount of drugs smuggled across the border, another major agenda of the secure fence act.

poured into Mexico, producer prices dropped and

Today people of Mexican descent make up 32% of all

living. Over two million Mexicans have been forced to

centrated in southwestern United States. It is forecast

small farmers found themselves unable to make a leave their farms since NAFTA. As a result, 20 million Mexicans live in “food poverty”. Twenty-five percent of the population does not have access to basic food and Louie Palu. 2012

migration north, over half a million people a year. This

one-fifth of Mexican children suffer from malnutrition.

Transnational industrial corridors in rural areas have

foreign born citizens in the US. This population is conthat the United States will become the largest Spanishspeaking country in the world by 2050 and Spanish will

be the second-most-spoken language on the planet, surpassed only by Chinese.

67

La Linea The Mexican American border is unique situation in that

Labor is a major aspect of the border regions interdepen-

country of excess and a country of wants, a world super

was a way for US companies to take advantage of cheap

in the world. Over recent decades, American militariza-

nies from America to bring manufacturing and assembly

this, the border remains permeable with over one million

iffs or export taxes. The program grew exponentially after

ance of immigration will remain strong in the future.

barriers between Mexico and the US and also caused a

it serves as both a connection and a barrier between a

dence. The maquiladora program, established in 1960,

power and a developing country. It is the busiest border

operation costs in Mexico. The program allowed compa-

tion of the border has consistently increased. Despite

work to Mexico, and ship back final products without tar-

border crossers daily. It is anticipated that the endur-

the signing of NAFTA, which dropped virtually all trade

The Interdependent Border Region

steep drop in the cost of Mexican labor.

A Country of Its own

Another major aspect of immigration is America’s

There is a reciprocal relationship between sister cities in

Mexican community. The economic success of places

its own problems that aren’t seen elsewhere in either

force. The migrant community is also fundamental to

far away from the border and this distance is represen-

immigrants have provided a cheap affluent lifestyle for

in the region. This has left local governments largely

cooks, cleaners…

with the border dynamic. Because of a lack of federal

The American agricultural system, worth over 28 billion

a third country.

laborers. It provides Americans with a low cost of food

Examples of this interdependence are numerous. In

American government has unofficially tolerated the

cross the border to respond to emergencies in the towns

nomic benefits of cheap labor.

region there are hospitals that have developed shuttles

In 1950, there were 16 workers per retiree in America. In

treatments. The cities of Juarez and El Paso share a

a consistent flow of migrant workers in America, it is

water for both cities.

of labor.

dependence on the cheap labor of the undocumented

the border region. The area has its own character and

like California and Illinois is largely credited to this labor

country. The capital cities of both countries are located

America’s access to cheap goods and services. Illegal

tative of the federal governments general involvement

Americans. Cheap gardeners, babysitters, busboys,

responsible for the management of issues that arise

involvement, the border region has essentially become

the US city of Brownsville, Texas, firefighters routinely

sister city of Matamoros, Mexico. All across the border

dollars, is completely dependent on undocumented

that they have grown used to. Because of this, the undocumented population in order to maintain the eco-

to move patients across borders for different medical

2050, it is estimated that this ratio will be 1.3:1. Without

common ground aquifer which is the primary source of

undoubtable that America would face huge shortages

Our [federal governments] treat us like a third country, so we might as well act like one. former mayor of Juarez, Gustavo Elizondo

This issue of labor is reciprocal. Mexico has consistently

is the fact that the majority of Mexican and American

out history. Without work, the flow of Mexicans north is

out of 10 million Mexican visitors, only 3 million traveled

had difficulty providing its population with work through-

inevitable. This exodus of people is not discouraged by the government. An example of this is the Guia del

Migrante Mexicano (The Mexican Migrant Guide), a 22

page illustrated document explaining the safest way to

tourists never travel beyond the border region. In 2003,

to the interior of the US. In this same year, out of 18 mil-

lion foreign tourists in Mexico, 8 million went south of the border region.

cross the border illegally, filled with tips and strategies

to evade immigration authorities. The guide was posted on the official website for the Mexican Ministry of Foreign affairs.

In 2005, immigrants sent over 50 billion dollars back to Latin America. Of this money, Mexico received 20 bil-

lion dollars, which is more than all the money received through tourism and 71% of Mexican crude oil exports, Mexico’s two biggest money revenues. In 2006, the amount of remittance in Mexico rose to $24 billion. As

one can imagine, many communities throughout Mexico are hugely reliant on this external money for survival, as well as the Mexican economy itself.

As much as America relies on cheap Mexican labor, Mexico relies on its population migrating north to provide its people with jobs.

Like the economic relationship between Mexico and the

US, the tourism economies are also reciprocal. Mexico is the number one tourist destination for Americans and vice versa. Along with crude oil and remittances from

America, the tourism industry is extremely important to the economy of Mexico. Americans almost single-handedly drive this industry, accounting for over 88% of all

foreign tourists that visit Mexico. One interesting aspect of this tourism relationship between Mexico and America

69

Inspiration

71

White Arkitekter, CPH. Denmark, Kastrup Sea Bath

Photo:

Amager Stranvej

73

Robert Smithson, Spiral Jetty Photo: George Steinmetz

St. Petersburg Pier, Michael Maltzan Architecture

75

Process

77

Site: Joint US/Mexico Beach CA

Mexico

order Fence

Secondary B

order

US/Mexico B San Diego,

California ico

x Tijuana, Me

Plaza Monumental De Tijuana (BullRing by the Sea)

Plaza Monumental De Tijuana (BullRing by the Sea)

site diagram sketches

79

Ideas I chose the joint US/Mexico beach for three reasons. First, the site is a naturally beautiful landscape with the Pacific and the mountaneous

terrain in the background. I also thought it was amazing to see how the

density of mexico pushes up right against the border fence, visually

illustrating the immense energy that pools along the US/Mexico border.

The moment where the border fence disappears into the ocean was also an important aspect of the site. It illustrates one of the fundamental

problems with trying to create a closed border, people will always have

a way around. By placing a binational space offshore, it is beyond the reach of the border fence and all of its connotations

The Bullring was the third aspect of the site that I knew I wanted to incorporate into my project. I saw the Bullring by the Sea as an object representing the vibrant and rich culture of Latin America.

Elevation Diagram

81

The Spiral Pier

Monument to Latin immigration

section

The pier structure spirals up into the air and down into the water. By

going up, people would be given a new perspective on the border

region. By going down into the water, the structure would interact with

the water and its changing tide. I then connected the spiral pier to the section

bullring via a suspension bridge, which also spans over the border.

I thought about creating a binational garden space in the buffer zone between the border fence and the secondary border fence. I ended up moving this space out to the Spiral Pier, which is a more desirable place for people to spend time together.

shadows

A

B

83

Spiral Pier Section

85

A

Checkpoint Wrecking Ball

1

2

Detail Concept

This detail consists of a pedestrian

turnstile, a system of gears, and a wrecking ball. As people pass

through the checkpoint, a wrecking ball is slowly lifted and then suddenly

3

released, smashing into the border wall. Powered by the action of people

crossing, the checkpoint would ultimately destroy itself.

4

A

87

Site Relic When exploring connections within an envi-

ronment a prescribed process produces prescribed

results.

The

complexity

of

ecologies is deep and vast. By use of intuitive manipulation, sculpture, the subject is

rendered unfamiliar. It is possible for new interpretations and understandings. New

axis, extensions, localizations and potentials are realized.

The subject in this case is the US/Mexico

border. A place of exceeding complexity due to a relatively simplistic condition: the

wall. Intended to separate and divide, it has become an environment of hyper movement and intense porosity. Here the effects of local and global forces converge and magnify.

The wall, an obstacle to human movement

and survival, drives the innovation of new systems of movement. These systems go under,

over, and through the wall. Tunnels, ladders,

and holes are utilized. Authorities constantly attempt to secure these weaknesses, driving the innovation farther. It is a game.

In order to study the systems of movement,

the architectural section is employed. The physical presence of the wall is quiet relative to its metaphorical implications. This becomes

apparent when the sections are cut and relationships can be observed simultaneously.

89

Process Starting with subterranean systems, the structures of tunnels are constructed. These

structures are as alive as their creators; moving, growing, and adapting for survival.

Growth is limited by resources, in this case, a box of model scraps. The paths weave and turn to avoid rock, infrastructure, and above all, detection.

The structures are wrapped with plastic film

in order to preserve the spaces of tunnel structures. The earth, represented by plaster, is poured and built up into a terrain.

The wall indescriminately runs through this terrain.

91

93

STUCK

Installation // Thesis Research Book Show

Created by Studio 400, STUCK is a

web like structure created to house the

thesis research books of the studio. The installation, consisting of 600 rolls of tape and two steel box frames, was located in

the Simpson Strong Tie Building on the California Polytechnic Campus in San Luis

Obispo. The tension tape structure had over a dozen tendrils shooting out from the

core and latching onto the structure that

the installation occupied. These tendrils became more intimate spaces where visitors could sit and read the research books. In the evenings, STUCK changed

character by turning off the lights and projecting various videos onto the tape.

95

97

Blackboard

Vellum Furniture Competiton entry 2014

Blackboard adds a new dimension to the typical chalkboard. The double

sided chalkboard surface has two positions, vertical and horizontal. In

the vertical position, two people can work separately and simultaneously.

By means of a pin connection, the surface rotates in its frame, turning

into a chalkboard table where multiple

people can stand around and share their ideas together.

When upright, the chalkboard stands

close to the ground so users of all heights can use the surface without adjustment. In the horizontal position,

the chalkboard is at typical table height so users can sit at the table if desired.

In order to make the transition from

vertical to horizontal fluid, blackboard

features a pulley and counterweight system integrated into the frame.

99

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101

in g

Architecture and war are not incompatible.

Architecture is war. War is architecture.

I am at war with my time, with history, with all authority that resides in fixed and frightened forms.

I am one of millions who do not fit in, who have no home, no family, no doctrine, no firm place to call my own, no known beginning or end, no “sacred and primordial site.”

I declare war on all icons and finalities, on all histories that would chain me with with my own falseness, my own pitful fears.

I know only moments, and lifetimes that are as moments, and forms that appear with infinite strength, then “melt into air.”

I am an architect, a constructor of worlds, a sensualist who worships the flesh, the melody, a silhouette against the darkening sky.

I cannot know your name. Nor can you know mine.

Tomorrow, we begin together the construction of a city.

Lebbeus Woods

References

Images

Ingold, Tim. Lines: A Brief History. May 3, 2007. Routledge

p 8. Klee, Paul. The Angel of History. 1920

Silberman, Till & Ward. Walls, Borders, Boundaries. 2012 Romero Fernando, Lar. Hyper-Border: The Contemporary U.S.Mexico Border and Its Future. 2008. Princenton Architectural Press Dunn, Timothy. The Militarization of the U.S.-Mexico Border 1978-1992. 1996. Center for Mexican American Studies Spener, David & Staudt, Kathleen. The U.S.-Mexico Border: Transcending Divisions, Contesting Identities. 1998. Lynne Rienner Publisher Inc. Woods, Lebbeus. Wall Games. November 9, 2009. lebbeuswoods.wordpress.com Woods, Lebbeus. Walls of Change. May 28, 2010. lebbeuswoods.wordpress.com Gargiani, Roberto. Rem Koolhaas OMA: The Construction of Merveilles. 2008. Routledge Linklater, Richard. Waking Life. 2001 Jacobsen, Claire. XYZ: The Architecture of Dagmar Richter.

2001. Princeton Architectural Press Allen, Stan. Field Conditions 1985 Kwinter, Samuel. La Cita Nuova: Modernity and Continuity.

Zone no. ½

p 10. Cordelle, Patrick. Perspective Shift. 2015 p 13. Cordelle, Patrick. The Plea of Our Ancestors. digital collage. 2015 p 20. Moore, John. Getty Images p 21. Palu, Louie. Mexico, 2012. p 40. Magritte, RenĂŠ. The Treachery of Images. 1929 p 43. Cordelle, Patrick. Waves. 2015 p 44. Long, Richard. A Line Made By Walking. 1967 p 47. Bourgeois, Patrick. Mehra, Akshay. Around the World - Voyages Into the Unknown. p 48. Homberger, Ruedi. Canadian Border Swath p 28-29. Woods, Lebbeus. Wall Games p 52-55. Cordelle, Patrick. Wall Games: US/Mexico Border 2015 p 56. Woods, Lebbeus. Walls of Change p 57. Cordelle, Patrick. Section: Wall of Change 2015 p 60-61. Cordelle, Patrick. Historical Confrontations 2015 p 41. M. Bonne. North America. 1780 p 42. Palu, Louie. Border Fence. 2012 p 44. Romero Fernando, Lar. Border Region Diagram p 68-69. Cordelle, Patrick. Inspiration 2015 p 70-71. Stranvej, Amager. Kastrup Seabath, CPH, DK. p 72. Steinmetz , George. The Spiral Jetty p 103. Cordelle, Patrick. Research 2015

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