A ON COLLECTIVE MULTISCALAR SPOLIATION AND ARCHITECTURE WITHOUT EXTRACTION
THESIS
SPOLIA
INCLUDED
SPOLIA
is a thesis project that explores cooperative MULTISCALAR SPOLIATION as an alternative system of architecture and social / economic organization. Constructed from the steel from decommissioned industrial plants, SPOLIA presents a building as a catalyst for spoliation and a system for the REDISTRIBUTION of commonwealth.
SPOLIA
manifests architecturally through the ASSEMBLY HALL -- a hybrid typology combining material storehouses, fabrication facilities, general assembly spaces, and mixed-use housing. This is complemented by an integrated digital platform that automates and facilitates many aspects of assembly while enabling collective participation and individual agency in the process of value production.
SPOLIA
calls for a moratorium on emission and extraction and an optimistic expropriation of the material wealth already embedded in the built environment.
ASSEMBLY HALL + PLATFORM TYPOLOGY
STATEMENT / INTRODUCTION
FORM GENERATION PROCESS
SITE / SNAKEPIT
MULTISCALAR SPOLIATION
TARGETS OF SPOLIATION
WHAT IS SPOLIATION ?
EXTRACTION MANUFACTURING CONSTRUCTION
DISPOSAL
USE / INHABITANCE SPOLIATION
DEMOLITION
END OF LIFE
Medusa head as a plinth for a column in Yerebatan Sarnıcı (Βασιλική
Subterranean Cistern) in Istanbul. The Gorgon’s origin is unknown, but speculations suggest it may have been from a Greek temple dedicated to Athena. It stands as a symbol of spoliation, practical reuse, political domination and regime change, a rejection of ideology, and of historical preservation.
Moravánszky, Reuse in Construction
ARE RECLAIMED AS THE FOUNDATIONAL STRUCTURAL SCAFFOLD FOR FUTURE CONSTRUCTION AND SPOLIATION
THE SPOILS OF INDUSTRY EXTRACTED FRAGMENTS
OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT ARE REORIENTED, RECOMBINED, AND INTEGRATED INTO NEW CONSTRUCTION
NON-VIABLE MATERIALS
THAT HAVE LOST THEIR ECONOMIC / CULTURAL VALUE ARE REWORKED INTO VIABLE BUILDING COMPONENTS
STEPS TOWARDS SPOLIA
COLLECTIVISE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF SHARED RESOURCES
CALL UPON EXPERTS TO ENACT THE EMANCIPATORY POWER OF SELF-PROVISION
PROLIFERATE THE ARCHITECTURAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL LITERACY LADDER
DEFINE
REDEFINE THE RULES THROUGH POPULAR CONSENSUS
MAKE
DIVORCE
DON’T ISOLATE - EMBED AND INTEGRATE WITHIN THE CITY BUILD ,
“While forms of self-provision could be linked to the “DIY” (Do-It-Yourself) movement, it is important to identify that a process of self-provision does not attempt to emphasize architecture by non-experts. On the contrary, it is architecture experts who are first called to enact the emancipatory power of self-provision contributing to the population of the literacy ladder.”-
Jose Sanchez,
Mobilize communities and activists to pressure governments and corporations to shut down sites of industrial production and extraction
Demand policies that mandate the decommissioning of harmful sites and the transition to sustainable collectivised alternatives
Collaborate with experts to teach communities how to safely dismantle industrial structures and salvage materials
Foster an environment of mutual learning where experiences and techniques are shared openly
Organize community-led initiatives to transport salvaged materials to designated locations
Establish cooperative logistics networks that prioritize low-impact and efficient transportation methods
Reframe salvaged materials as shared resources, accessible to all members of the community
Set up repositories where materials can be checked out and used as needed, fostering a sense of collective ownership
Create an open-source database to document and grade salvaged materials, ensuring accountability and accessibility
Develop communal storage facilities managed by the community, ensuring secure and organized access to materials
Ensure that all data, techniques, and processes related to the project are freely available to the public
Use digital platforms to share information and facilitate collaboration across communities and regions
Establish administrative structures that allow for collective decision-making and shared responsibility
Implement rotating roles and responsibilities to ensure diverse participation and avoid power imbalances
Involve experts from various fields to contribute their knowledge and skills to the project
Develop educational programs that enhance architectural and technological literacy within the community
Ensure that educational resources are accessible to all, regardless of background or skill level
Engage the community in defining the rules and constraints that will govern the use and management of the site
Use consensus-based decision-making processes to continually refine and adapt the rules governing the site
Encourage all community members to contribute to the value production process, celebrating the diversity of labor and trade
Form alliances with like-minded groups and organizations to strengthen the project's impact and reach
Develop and promote alternative housing models that prioritize communal living and affordability over market-driven principles
Ensure that resources, knowledge, and opportunities are distributed equitably within the community
“From each according to their ability, to each according to their need”
( ASSEMBLY HALL TYPOLOGY )
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THE MATERIAL STOREHOUSE
IS COMPOSED OF SPACES FOR THE COMMUNITY TO GATHER TO DELIBERATE AND DECIDE ON CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND OTHER MATTERS
THE INTEGRATION OF THESE SPACES THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING ENSURES THE DIRECT DEMOCRATIC PROCESS IS SATURATED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS OF PRODUCTION
2 ) ( 3 )
IS A PHYSICAL REPOSITORY FOR THE STORAGE OF SPOLIATED MATERIALS AFTER MATERIALS ARE BROUGHT TO THE SITE, THEY ARE SCANNED, GRADED, AND STORED, AWAITING CONSTRUCTION, MODIFICATION, AND FABRICATION THESE MATERIALS ARE COMMON-POOL RESOURCES FOR ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY TO USE AS NEEDED, OR FOR COLLECTIVE CONSTRUCTION.
THE FABRICATION FACILITY
IS EQUIPPED TO MODIFY, UPCYCLE, AND COMBINE SPOLIATED COMPONENTS INTO VIABLE CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS.
INTEGRATED WITH THE PLATFORM, THE REQUIREMENTS FOR CONSTRUCTION ARE AUTOMATICALLY PRODUCED FROM THE AVAILABLE RESOURCE POOL, SCANNED, DOCUMENTED, AND USED IN CONSTRUCTION
THE INTERACTIVE PLATFORM
LEVERAGES ALGORITHMIC AND AI APPLICATIONS TO AUTOMATE MATERIAL ASSEMBLY, ZONING, DESIGN SCHEMES, AND CONSTRUCTION WORKFLOWS,AND HOSTS REAL-TIME OPEN-SOURCE MATERIAL LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS.
THIS PLATFORM IS DEEPLY INTEGRATED INTO THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE ASSEMBLY HALL AND MADE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL ITS RESIDENTS. THIS FACILITATES COLLABORATION, LOWERING THE BARRIER OF ENTRY INTO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION BY WELCOMING DIRECT PARTICIPATION IN VALUE PRODUCTION.
THE ROLE OF AUTOMATION
ACCOMPANY THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ASSEMBLY HALL.
IS TO FACILITATE AND ACCELERATE THE IDEAS, SOCIAL RELATIONS, AND POLITICS WHICH AUTOMATION IN SPOLIA IS INTENDED TO MULTIPLY BOTH INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE AGENCY: AUGMENTING AND AUTOMATING REPETITIVE TASKS WHILE UNDERPINNING THE IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN CREATIVITY, EMOTIONAL CONNECTION, AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT IN THE PROCESS OF PRODUCTION
( PLATFORM COOPERATIVISM )
- Jose Sanchez, Architecture for the Commons
“ Platform cooperativism places value on the ownership of the network and the content being produced, ensuring that the value produced by users to grow a network remain in the hands of the users, generating a virtuous cycle. Platform cooperativism attempts to subvert practices of extractivism and exploitation that are commonplace in contemporary heirarchical networks by redefining the operating system of platforms as being aligned with cooperative labor practices.” DIGITAL MATERIAL LIBRARY INTERACTIVE PLATFORM
STRUCTURAL RESLIENCE /SAFETY
FORM GENERATION
( 1 ) MASK
( 2 ) SITE IMAGE
( 3 ) SITE MESH
( 4 ) GENERATED PLAN
( 5 )
( 6 ) VOXELIZATION / MASSING
POINT CLOUD GROWTH
1 + 2 → 4
3 + 4 → 5
MASK : an outline (.png) of the buildable area of the site
SITE IMAGE : a satellie image (.png) of the site
SITE MESH : a 3D mesh (.stl) of the buildable area of the site
adjustable variables control agent behavior through each iteration until the step count is reached 3
5 → 6
GENERATED PLAN : an AI-generated floor plan / schematic diagram (comfyUI)
POINT CLOUD GROWTH : an agent-based growth algorithm (java)
VOXELIZATION / MASSING : a 3D mesh based on the point cloud growth
The mask activates a certain region of the image for AI generation / stable diffusion in comfyUI
A custom dataset (LoRA) trained on modular / orthogonal building plans and architectural drawings produces abstracted schemes for possible floor plans
A java-based Processing script uses point-cloud voxel agents to grow from the black pixels of the generated plan image, avoiding the mesh geometry
The point cloud is converted into a 3D mesh in houdini, ultimately producing a massing that functions as a bounding region for the building scheme
Graffiti on the pavement directing visitors towards the “snake pit” : a 30 - meter derelict locomotive turntable now used for renegade raves
Empty concrete slab at the entrance to Taylor Yard. Also called the snake pit, this spot is more accessible to the community -- a kilometer closer, and without the six-foot pit.
The Southern Pacific Railroad establishes Taylor Yard as a major switching yard and maintenance facility.
Taylor Yard becomes one of the busiest rail yards in the country, facilitating freight and passenger rail services.
With the decline of rail transport and the rise of trucking, Taylor Yard's operations begin to decrease.
The Southern Pacific Railroad sells portions of Taylor Yard, leading to its gradual decommissioning.
Environmental contamination from industrial activities is identified, and cleanup efforts begin.
The City of Los Angeles and the State of California acquire parts of Taylor Yard for redevelopment and conservation purposes.
Rio de Los Angeles State Park opens on a portion of the former Taylor Yard, marking the beginning of the site's transformation into a public space.
Various plans and proposals for further development and revitalization are made, focusing on restoring natural habitats and creating recreational areas.
Ongoing efforts continue to integrate Taylor Yard into the larger Los Angeles River revitalization project, emphasizing environmental restoration, community engagement, and sustainable development.
As Taylor Yard remained largely unused, it began to attract alternative uses. Creatives and musicians began to throw underground raves, art installations, and fashion shows.
The built environment is responsible for about 42% of annual CO2 emissions.
To accommodate the largest wave of building and infrastructure growth in human history, global building floor area is expected to double by 2060. 75% of infrastructure that will exist in 2050 has not been built yet.
Building material accounts for half of the solid waste generated every year worldwide, and the volume is expected to increase to 2.2 billion tons every year by 2025. More new buildings means more old buildings to throw away.
Recycling requires the energy to process materials. Reuse implies minimal physical transformation. Recovering building material through demolition or disassembly additionally minimizes the waste that is sent to landfill sites and eases the need for site remediation.
For urban mining you have to see waste material as a source of potential wealth, a place of value and recovery. Traditional mining is deeply destructive; urban mining is a way to acquire material that minimizes the harm normally involved in every step of the resource-acquisition process.
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TARGETS OF SPOLIATION
( ICONS OF EXTRACTION AND EMMISSION )
BLAST FURNACES
OIL REFINERIES
OFFSHORE DRILLING RIGS
OIL PLATFORMS
COAL POWER PLANTS
PETROCHEMICAL MANUFACTURING PLANTS
STORAGE TANKS TANK FARMS
PUMP STATIONS
OIL PIPELINES
( FRAGMENTS OF THE BUILT ENVIRONEMNT )
ABANDONED BUILDINGS DECOMMISSIONED PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE RESIDENTIAL DEMOLITIONS OBSCENITIES OF PRIVATE PROPERTY SENTIMENTAL ELEMENTS OF DWELLINGS REFRACTIVE MATERIALS BARRIERS / BARRICADES THINGS OF BEAUTY
( GRANULAR AND NON-VIABLE MATERIALS )
BROKEN BRICKS SHATTERED TILES BENT METAL STONE AND GRAVEL CRACKED CONCRETE DISUSED PIPING DISMEMBERED SCULPTURES TIMBER OFFCUTS NON - FUNCTIONAL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS COMPOSITE MATERIALS
ARIAL 12PT
ARIAL 11PT
ARIAL 10PT
10PT ARIAL 9PT
SPOLIA IS A THESIS BY M. LANE BOLDT
SPOLIA is a thesis project that explores cooperative multiscalar spoliation as an alternative system of architecture and social/economic organization. In conversation with the writings of Lindsey Wikstrom, Jose Sanchez, Lorenzo Kom’boa Ervin, Andreas Malm, Akos
Moravansky, Georges Bataille, Pyotr Kropotkin, Aaron Bastanti, Ursula K. LeGuin, and many others, SPOLIA calls for a moratorium on emission and extraction and an optimistic expropriation of the profound material wealth already embedded in the built environment. [090824]
