UN DO N E
Christoph er D avi d Jor dan o
Ba c h elor of Arc hi t e c t ure U nde rg rad u ate Th esis A d v i s or : K a re n Lange Stu d i o 4 0 0 C ol l a g e of Arc hi t e c t ure and Envi ron m en tal Desig n C a l i f or n i a Pol yt e c hni c St at e U ni versity Sa n Lu i s Obi spo, C a
Š 2 0 1 7 C hri st ophe r Jordano
A ll r i g h ts re se rve d. N o p a r t o f t hi s book may be re produ ced in an y fo rm or b y a n y c opyi ng me ans, wi t hout p erm issio n in w r i ti n g f rom t he aut hor.
Our anticipation of the future and intimidation of the past leave us in the present, vulnerable to our fears of what was, and of what is to come.
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A b s tr a c t
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Issue
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I n v es ti g at i ons
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Ma ter i a ls
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Meth od
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Si te
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P ro p os a l
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Va n ta g e
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Pi p e D ream
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Ap p en d i x
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01 Abstract This thesis seeks to explore the absence and presence of fear in the manifestation of psychological and corporeal space. Bound by our perceptions, the disorientation and blurring of the object against datums breaks apar t, the great release, the process of becoming UNDONE.
“But an empty shell, like an empty nest, invites daydreams of refuge” Bachelard
“Architecture is not simply about space and form, but also event, action, and what happens in space.” Bernard Tschumi
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02 Issue We move throughout our day anxious. Fearful, we become objects of reaction, stagnant until provoked, concealing ourselves from the overwhelming threat of an imposing world.
independence and advocacy is more harmful than beneficial. Therefore, is it possible to blur the past with the present, erasing access to the embedded response, allowing for new discovery and action?
The mind has two triggered responses; to problem solve, and to react with defense mechanisms (repression, denial, projection, rationalization, to intellectualize, regression, and displacement). Wh en we engage in changing the perception of our reality, there is the potential for the reducing of anxiety and diminishing the psychological tension felt on an individual.
Control, manipulation, and forms of surveillance work hand in hand to take advantage of an d appeal to our inherent nature of fear. How can architecture begin to work against these forces?
Fear provokes an immediate response from our subconscious. It is only after, that we can look back to realize that our reaction was due to an embedded response from our memory (). Leading to an impossible series of reactions and individual memories, prediction of one’s immediate reaction is far from realization. This unconscious bias can be helpful or harmful. However, in the context of surveillance and control, the reduction of and individuals
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“The imagination sympathizes with the being that inhabits the protected space� Bachelard
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03 Investigations To demonstrate the connection between that which is perceived, and that which is reality in relation to fear. Rorschach Test: The Rorschach test is mainly psychological, test ing a person’s perceptions through inkblots. These inkblots test and draws upon the context, location, and determinants of the individual. It is used to examine personality characteristics and emotional functioning. Inkblots, are merely traces of ink in which one projects and finds images based on their conscious and unconscious realities. If an inkblot is but an image glanced upon, how much more potential will an object in space – a structure – involve and influence?
Double Think: The acceptance of or mental capacity to accept contrary opinions or beliefs at the same time, especially as a result of political indoctrination. The idea doublet hink was first introduced in George Orwell’s novel “1984” to suggest the dualities of opposing thought. This concept uses logic against logic; as seen in the examples war is peace, freedom is slavery, and ignorance is strength.
Not to be confused with hypocrisy, the individual holds genuine belief in both ideas, even though they contradict. This allows avoidance of internal conflict, a coping mechanism to avoid discomfor t and cognitive dissonance. Architectural examples of this is displayed in the implementation of transparency in building (think glazing and sight), the requirement for security – but condition of remaining private.
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D amien Hirst “So toxic was the air that the proper ty could be reached only through security-coded iron gates, and no one, not even the ar tist, was allowed near the shark without protective gear.” Purposely provocative and sometimes disturbing, Hirst displays objects and animals alike in formaldehyde. Taking the familiar, Hirst exposes what lies beneath the surface, forcing the observer to confront himself with the graphic content. The juxtaposition of life and death exist together in the fearful gaze of the observer and the ar twork. “The physical impossibility of death in the mind of someone living.” Hirst accomplishes the idea of ‘doubl e think’ in his presentation of the subject. The known reality is changed and altered as the observer visually engages with the ar twork. An understanding begins to develop as to the intricacies beneath the surface.
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fear: “a feeling of anxiety or apprehension, a threat” pow-er: “the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events” hysterical: “deriving from or affected uncontrolled extreme emotion”
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con-trol: “To manipulate or cause an event which imposes behavioral changes on someone or something”
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This abstract seeks to demonstrate power over an ind ividual’s psyche through the creation of perceived fear. Fear controls the user within the confines of the generated space. Two white boxes are filled with crickets unbeknown to the observer. The manifesto positioned between the boxes can only be read if rotated from within the boxes. Thus, the user must inser t his/her hand into the darkened voids.
Crickets
Bones
Four jars sit above holding resin-cast insects and objects; meal-worms, crickets, chicken bones, and oysters. As the user inser ts their hands, their mind connects what they visually saw in the jars, unconsciously assuming that it is also inside the box. Curios ity draws the observer while they simultaneously retreat in hesitation.
Oysters
Worms
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Life is the fear of death Balance is the fear of instability Curiosity is the fear of not knowing Movement is the fear of restriction Power is the fear of submission Memory is the fear of forgetting Searching is the fear of being lost Strength is the fear of weakness Community is the fear of isolation Privacy is the fear of surveillance Design is the fear of anarchy
Fear is limitation Fear is liberation
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04 Materials A com bination of form, material, and color can blur or define a boundary. What is known becomes transformed through the manipulation of one or more variables, creating something familiar but unreachable. Like a shadow, it holds shape, transformed by light, recognizable yet distor ted, free to the limitless imagination of the mind.
“Shade too, can be inhabited� Bachelard
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Study One Ink, Water, Bristol Paper A study of the movement of ink within the medium of water. Ink reveals the underlying current of the water as it transitions from transparent to opaque. A central drop slowly spreads to take over the entirety of the water drop, serving as a metaphor for how memories grow and disperse anxieties influence. It transforms our memories, thoughts, and intentions, highlighting different perspectives and interpretations.
Blue: Used to detect intimacy and quality. Represents feelings of calm and safe, associated with depth and openness, such as the sky or sea.
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Green: Emitting a sense o f tranquility and revival. A symbol of health and the natural, it is known to alleviate anxiety and depression.
Orange : Mental state of joy and wellbeing. Associated with socialization, change, and creativity.
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Study Two An experiment of lighting and form. Fold-able along a 180° curve, this desk light changes in direction and intensity. As the lamp folds or opens, a belt mechanism with various aper tures slide across LED lights to reveal or conceal their radiance. Par ts of the belt are more opaque to allow diffusions of light which change with as the lamp is adju sted. A concrete counterweight houses the electrical circuitry and switch , complementing the composition of the fixture.
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Study Three Fear of Touch – Object Oriented Ontology. Haphephobia - the fear of being touched. Gloves with wire extensions remove personal contact. Intimacy is rewritten with foreignness as the user must objectif y and re-interpret the way their hands operate with the surrounding environment. Acting as a continuation of the fingers, the gloves allow the user to interact with objects with distance and new interface.
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ORIENT
DIS
The obstruction, manipulation and population of surface to connect, disillusio n and inhabit. DisOrient is a light installation exploring repetitive hexagonal patterns to create a source of light and sense of place. Pods connect at their edges to create a singular object. LED lights illuminate the center of the pods, diffused by the mylar screens within . The multiplicity hexagonal pods blurs the perception of the observer, allowing the light to read as a singular object from afar, yet intricate and individual up close. Install ed in a roof to wall condition, DisOrient begins to remove the delineation of ‘roof ’ and ‘wall’ in its overlapping repetition.
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Materials: White process board, Mylar, LED strip lighting, LED 12V adapter.
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05 Method “Architecture is an expression of values .� Norman Foster
The following progression of essays explore the topics of site, fear, memory, and boundary. Their purpose lies in providing weight to the physical and psychological conditions that influence architecture and the design practice.
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The Abandoned Site An investigation of the Maunsell Navy For ts
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Wars have helped, damaged, secured, and stained history. We experience it on a spectrum of scales around the world at the micro and macro environments. Tensio ns rise, political agendas shift, and the impending threats / rumors of strife become a reality. Wars are waged, and infrastructure built, and treatis e signed. Heavy infrastructures of mil itary specifici ties are required for our struggle to seize authority and maintain it. However, over time, the distribution of (ma rines navy, etc) varies tremendously. Large sites, warehouses, factories, shelters, and weaponry are left abandoned. Abused with the haunting memories of destruction.
an era of terror. Afraid of a WWIII, militia and governments around the globe feel the impending necessity to asser t themselves as an authority of force. In the United States, the Depar tment of Homeland Security has established ratings of safety from Code Green, a slight threat of terrorist activity, to Code Red, a severe terrorist threat. This induced paranoia has redefined safety and comfor tability to be considered no longer possible. T h e F ear fu l Pas t “ I t h a p pen ed. T h ere i s n o avoi di n g i t . N o f o rg e t t in g. N o r u n n i n g away, or fl yi n g, or b u r y i n g, or h i di n g.”
The major events of WWII, the Cold War, and P resident Bush’s declaration of “War on Terror” in the aftermath of 9/11 has moved us into
Lau r i e Hal s e An der s on
The main way for countries to display power is through force and
appearance. Constantly countries are building up th eir military and surveillance systems as a way to prove to one another their strength and knowledge. An era of enlightenment, knowledge becomes power. An example of this can be seen from Germany’s Schlieffen Plan in WWI. To create the illusion that the army had increased to an overwhelming size, General Schlieffen split his army in half, to invade France in the West and Russia in the East . This was a demonstration to the world leaders at the time that Germany had strength and numbers, despite its size. Looking back at past development of the military for authority and power displays the great transformations we have undergone. It is also interesting to note how the transformation has become more personalized. The focus has transitioned from a national body, to one of an issue of race, then intellect, followed by religion or culture. From WWI (trench warfare), to WWII (internment camps/Nazism), the de velopment of weaponry and the sciences in Cold War (nuclear and atomic bombs), to a developing issue
of cultural identity with the War on Terror (especially, but not limited to the Middle East). In the 1950’s, scarred by the reality of Hitler rising to power, scientists underwent experiments to try to identif y and remove aspects of people’s personality. One study of personality control attempted to control the super ego. Using inkblot studies, the blots were replaced with people to find and test personality configurations. In parallel to this study was one in which scientists tried to eradicate of the authoritarian matrix within a person. While this study proved inconclusive, is suggests the notion of distrust displaced through the academy. An architectural example of this is displayed through the construction of bunkers after Pearl Harbor, during the Cold War. California coast began to reinforce and build new bunkers, in some cases with walls up to 40’ thick. A C u l t u re of D i s r u pt i on
Western culture has the history of
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disruption. from disrupting other systems of culture, to the continual moving and expansion of the individual. Diaspora after diaspora, from war to suburbia, we are increasingly sprea ding ourselves thin and interrupting our process of settlement.
locks are growing in popularity and demand. With the help of modern technology, we ourselves have even becom e the surveyors of one another. Constantly updating, checking, and re-checking up on one another to calm the conscience that we are safe, and fit in with the normal standard.
One example that is a ffected more than the average household, are families par ticipating in t he military. A lifestyle of instability, these families may change location. The military is always shifting, moving, claiming, or returning. This continual changing of border and boundary instills a lack of familiarity and trust with one’s surroundings.
Ut opi a Sh at t ered
Paranoia alters our reasoning skills. People rely on their emotions more than rational thought. Leaving for error on the side of internal bias and an ‘everyone for themselves’ mindset. However, we have translated this embedded nature of ours to become in itself a form of productivity. Increased security, additional cameras , and for tified
We are entering into this new era of terrorism as globalization and immigration rise. The idea that more people have greater access to the world - more are traveling, either digitally or physically. This sprawl results in the graying of individuals cultural and personal freedoms/boundaries. Foreigners become easy scapegoats as anarchism becomes an acceptable way of protest and self defense. With this quick access to opinion, the ego replaces research, undoing education and br inging resolution to a halt. The never ending threat of safety closes our m ind to conversation, ratif ying codes and moral engagements as a necessary precaution to protect ones freedom.
Standin g A lo n e , Th e M a u n s e l l N a v y F o r t
In the disputed waters between Britain and Germany stand a series / network of for ts occupied during WWII by the British to defend against German invasion. Erected in 1942, the for ts were floated into their positions two-to-nine miles off the coastline. Seven towers joined by a series of overhead walkways for accessibility and maneuverability connected the
different posts. A central control tower stood in the middle of six, three story towers capable of housing 120 men at a time. Armed with QF 3.75 inch guns housing 120 men at a time. Armed with QF 3.75 inch guns and two Bofors 40 mm guns, the for ts shot down 22 aircraft and about 30 flying bombs. without government agenda to the London and surrounding residents. These radio pirates were later removed by the coast guard.
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Fea r: th e fee l i n g o r c o n di t i o n o f be i n g a f ra i d, w h eth er th e th reat is rea l o r im a g i n e d. Ter ro r: in ten s e , s h a rp, o v e rm a s t e ri n g f e a r; an in stan ce or cau se of in ten se fea r o r a n x i e t y. E ter n ity : la st i n g o r e x i s t i n g f o re v e r; w i t h o u t en d or b eg in n in g ; valid fo r a ll tim e; e s s e n t i a l l y u n c h a n gi n g; pe rpe t u al; ceaseless; en d less.
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The Externalization of Fear Memorializing Fear
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Throughout the ages societies have been attacked for cultural and moral disagreements. To cope with these attacks memorials are erected, to stand against the test of ti me, honoring the victims and preserving the sacrifice. National monuments , war memorials, museums, and gravestones are some examples of how humans mark what once was. Materials, symbolism, and placement all embedded with meaning - the architecture of memory. Though deemed necessary and impactful, the creation of these memorials also account a dual purpo se of manifesting the pain and terror of the incident that occurred. This allocation of space can commemorate, idolize, and eternalize terror as well, elevating its significance to that of eternal impor tance and longevity.
This perpetuates an anticipation of fear known as fear conditioning , propagated through memorials. Reliance on the visual dominates how fear is administered. Emphasis on color, light, and object is capitalized and us ed heavily to impact our already imaged lifestyle. The memorial acts as a transpor ter and translator linking the memory to a specific moment in time. While other emotional expressions occur in conjunction with fear (sadness, excitement, adrenaline, etc), the spotlight is placed on the doublethink ideas of tragedy and victory. Fear is one of the strongest influencers on memory and the brain, used for survival, overcoming, and evolution.
Th e Ob se s s i o n
Memorials are growing in recognition and attendance each year. People travel thousands of miles, sometimes across borders, to see, experience, and imagine what it would be like to have been an eye witness. Why do so many travel to these sites of devastation? Scared with tragedy, why do so many people feel the inherent need to visit them? Memorials nowadays are co ntroversial and popular tourist attract ions. (A common debate that occurs during the design phase is between the local jurisdiction and the committee representing the group the memorial is for. Finding balance of representation aesthetically that will attract tourism while infusing the site to be meaningful and personal) . This so-called ‘dark tourism,’ coined in 2000 by Malcolm Foley, attracts people for all over to visit these sights of death and destruction. Sites such as the concentr ation camps from WWII, Holocaust memorials, other war memorials, the 9/11 memorial, and holy Varanasi are of some of the most visited sites in their respective regions.
M emor i al M emor y
The bu ilt world is continual renewal of physical memory, mapped by everyday social interaction and context. Changing program, refurbished facades, demolitions, and new construction influence the changing realm of the real. Some structures are more impor tant than others, evoking pride or shame. The brain works to build up and reinforce what we do through neurotic behavior and repetition. Our experiences of fear link with our memory which is then automatically connected to other fears we have experienced in the past. This process of interpreting and reprocessing accumulate over time to bypass our reasoning skills for immediate reaction. The process of reflection affects our next fear encounter through anticipation. The amygdala, located medially within the temporal lobes the brain, controls the processing of memory, decisionmaking, and emotional reactions. Research and experiments have been
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conducted in snakes, monkey, and rats (LeDoux) in the removal of the amygdala. According to LeDoux, the findings resulted in the test subject’s loss for behavioral responses to threats. While the subjects still have a capacity to “feel,” they no longer reacted (hear t rates did not increase, sweating ceased, and reaction times). While architecture tends to be a reflection of a cult ure, it can also shape it. The Estonian National Museum, by DGT Architects reawakens national pride and identity through re-appropriation of the soviet military airbase. Having fairly recently gained independence in 1991, the museum extends into an ‘infinite space’ inviting the public into its core. This is one successful example of how architecture begins to influence the cultural understanding of its environment (ArchDaily). Libeskind’s Holocaust museum in Berlin similarly changed the cultural environment. It strives to re-est ablish a Jewish identity after it was lost during the war (WWII). According to Libeskind, he “wanted to express feelings of absence, emptiness, and invisibility
– expressions of disappearance of the Jewish Culture.” Juggling the balance of reflection, respect, and education, Libesk ind uses voids of awareness, light, and composition to challenge and pull the museum guests through the building. Many studies have been conducted over the years in determining the limits of human socialization. In 1971, experiments at Stanford University were conducted to investigate how we internalize social constructs through the occupation of space. Termed the ‘monster’ in accordance with Shumon Basar’s writings, a creation of a monster as a coping mechanism in which an individual projects its faults and fears on another. This fuels modern terrorism where lack of knowledge fuels disparity and fear. 9 /1 1 M emor i al
September 11, 2001 marks the date as one of the largest terrorist attacks on the United States soil. The World Trade Towers, representative of world trade and western economics were brought down by hijacked airplanes
under the control or Al-Qaeda mercenaries. The Pentagon (our nation’s symbol of power and security) was also attacked a s well as a plan to attack the White House (a symbol of democracy, and leadership). This terror united a nation, segregated religions, making an example for both hope and doubt (Whitney). The site is being transformed as new construction continues for the master-plan, giving the monuments popularity as a tourist attractions. Some visit to pay their respects, some
to reflect and remember, and others, to learn. On the day of remembrance, beams of light pierce through the city skyline. A solemn and sobering experience, the memorial serves as a reminder of death, recovery, and unity. However, it also serves as a reminder of success of rebellion for Al-Qaeda forces. Permanently demarcating US territory for their own honor. While one cannot neglect the story, it is impor tant to acknowledge this underlying influence memorials have.
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E te rn it y Un c e r t a i n
Fear is one of, if not only emotional responses, which provokes an immediate reaction and bodily action. It is only after the event, or during (depending on the duration) in which we rationalize and process what it is that our body is reacting to. The idea of threat exists in the present and conditions fear to be an ongoing occurrence. The intangibility and unknowing of a threat escalades our attention and focus to paranoia and the looming anxiety of what is eventually to come. Especially today, the idea of threat has been institutionalized. Ratings from low threat to high determine security clearances, economic exchanges, and freedoms. This has been Isis’ focus since their split from al Qaeda. They have embedded propaganda and visualization tactics of intimidation to increase public anxiety. Before invading a town, they feed rumors, threats, and propagandize their cause to breakdown and condition the social environment. This also creates new revitalization and recruitment to their forces. The question then becomes
how counteract these measures. Memorials reconcile a split consciousness of remembering someone/an event and eternalizing the terrorist acts themselves. As a site becomes as a memorial, it makes the transformation from transient to dateless - from mundane to sacred.
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Bo u n d a ry : a di v i di n g l i n e ; a l i m i t o f a sp h ere of activity In ter n a l : i n n e r pa rt s ; s i t u a t e d o r o c c u r rin g w ith in E xter n a l : re l a t i n g t o t h e o u t s i de ; be y o n d th e limit; ap art
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The Undetermined Boundary An investigation of the Unseen and In-between
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Le Corbusier 5 points of Architecture and the poison gas skyscraper in 1941. Paranoia existing between the boundaries separating the sphere of reason from the realms of delusion. How we see things in images, or projected images… and the reoccurrence of fear The disruption of transpor tation systems and how we move about a city or country to dissolve terror. Security and threat as a means to claim temporary possession of space. Security manufactures is own chaos as it justifies terror through its program, condit ioning the brain to expect and look for fear.
T h e In - Bet ween
Security space as neither internal (pre-modernism) nor external (postmodernism)… so what is it? What can it be / will it be? Does it transform in times of crisis? Threat and fear hold the presence of the in -between, the vir tual and the real. Described as “transtemporal.” A process. Looped intervals, compels the bo dy to action before it registers what it is. Threat strikes the nervous system, bypassing the brain, leading to no separation in the response system between our body and the environment. The home as a “stationary escape vehicle” and how it has become closed off to the public.
Violation of human rights (Guantanamo Bay) Su rv e illa n c e
Panopticon, how the few can control the masses. The illusion of transparency. The pornography of violence, and how the US uses territories outside its borders to enforce and enact punishment. How security systems influence our idea of continual warfare and continual surveillance. The War Room as an example of institutionalized ord er. Its very acts are blurred between the past and retrospective-ness.
Is r ael i D es i gn ed Ter r i t or i es
The brain works to reinforce what we do‌ neurotic, fears and links so that the memory of fear is automatically linked to other fears and processes of interpreting and processing fear. The Amygdala‌controls the processing of memory, decision-making, and emotional reactions, Internalization of social constructs through the occupation of space, i.e., Stanford University 1971 experiment. Stress intensive actions influence people more than loss stress actions. The process of reflection and how that effects our next fear encounter, i.e. our anticipation of it. Hot Si t es
How topo security treats are only revealed after time continues. (ordered transparency in retrospect). Aler t systems which regulate our fear and anxiety.
How businesses and factories have sites located away from their main core in fear of terrorism. After the London bombings.
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The “non place” an d transferring of power through tech nology and how that evades a site but exists in the vir tual. Th e Re alit y o f V i r t u a l Te r ro r
Anonymous (the group) international “hacktivists”. Sony and Nor th Korea
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The abandoned site weathers away. Standing against time, its stories are hidden within its boundaries. It holds its breath frozen in time, waiting to be relevant, waiting to be heard, waiting to be remembered.
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06 Site Maunsell Sea For ts Thames Estuary, London United Kingdom (15 km from the coastline) 51°27’44.34”N 0°59’58.85E Estuary Climate Ave. high: 25 0 C Ave. low: -20 o C WWII military bases (1942-1958) Decommissioned (Late 1950’s) Pirate radio stations (1960’s)
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Alone. I was alone. I rested on the waters of heroism, shrouded in a haze of what once was. I remember saying farewell as the coastline drifted out of reach. Men rested upon my shoulders. I gave them strength. I encouraged them when they felt they couldn’t go on. I gave them solace. Some lasted longer than others. Others left without a proper goodbye. Spirits lifted on that glorious day. We shot into the sk y. We shot into the water. We defeated Communism. Alone. The men left for land. I sat in contemplation. I wondered if I had been useful enough. Will they remember? How much will they forget? We grieved, laughed, cried, and smiled together.
Alone. I stood watch, rigid and stern. The currents pulled at my ankles. The wind pushed me for a response. But still I stood. Alone. I thought this is how it was going to always be. But then the pirates visited. The dressed me in flags and lights. We sung together, enticing the radio stations with our mysterious melodies, mixes and repor ts. But they got jealous. Loaded with empty threats the stations chased them into prisons.
Alone. I was alone again.
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07 Proposal This proposal is to create a memorial with a sense of place that both brings identity and conscious distor tion. While the entrance may be distinguished from a far, the sequence and circulation should be implicit and disguised to accentuate the sense of losing oneself, and the discovery of the for ts. Perhaps this is done through submersion or altercation of how the for ts are perceived. It should be impor tant to place focus on the idea of how the for ts are to be perceived from their approach, to the meandering paths between. experience with a confrontation of oneself and the site. A confrontation of height and depth
is revealed along with the effects of the changing tide and weather patterns. Finding a way to accentuate/ utilize the location of the site on water to create a fuller experience. The allowance for reflection and release, as well as the redistribution of awareness and anxiety. A way to showcase the history of the for ts and weaponry used through preservation and erosion. Playing with the surrounding environment and senses appeal to the perception and experience, as well as relativity. A way to catalogue the experience with a confrontation of oneself and the site.
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24 Hour Site Layers of surveillance.
Satellite
A detailed cross section of space around the for ts, referencing layers of activity and access above and below the water line.
Space Station Atmosphere
Long Range Missile
Helicopter
Shor t Range Missile
Sea For ts
Battleship Submarine
Ocean Floor
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Program List Entrance : An at sea level approach. Central Circulation Tower : Axizs to move ver tically throught the site. Wall of A wakening : A meditative walk along falling water. A way of compressing onself upon entry, and release upon exit. Reflection Pool : An area for contemplation as one is submerged within the cofines of the site. Lookout : Pushes past the visible boundary of the site and extends into the surrounding environment. Chamber of A wareness: Ver tical void to draw attention to the height of the structure, and scale of the human. Area of Contemplation: Seating area looking into the site and beyond. Double Think: Views of both the vast horizon line with and with out the site and imposed structure.
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The process to describe the erasing and re-writing of the subconscious. Ambiguity, blurriness, fog, and sifting dimensions of perception act as a method for clearing the mind and introducing a a new way of recollection and reflectance. The for ts are preserved in space for reflection and to memorialize the time in whiched they were used to defend the UK. Positioned above and below the water, the individual is submerged below the waterline. Similar to white noise, water falls alongside the individual, opening the mind.
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rehabilitated
chambers
su bm erge
ph ych o l o gica l
dec o nta m i na ti o n
Investigative Layerin g Concept of the absence and manifestation of fear embedded within the towers, which eventually become voids as the rusted for ts deteriorate over time. The Mesh/ Nesting began as a concept to house the occupants, later developing into an encompassing grid which rises and falls with the changing tide. The pods themselves, developed into the puncturing and expanding of the voids throughout the grid. Creating moments of pause, reflection, and awe as the individual if confronted with various datums and the horizon line.
EXISTING SITE
PRESENCE OF FEAR weapons lab missiles research security surveillance
INTERSTITIAL STRUCTURE circulation transition
ABSENCE OF FEAR nodes confront fear accept fear conquer fear
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Perception of the grid: Read as a singular object from afar, the grid begins to expand as one approaches and begins to pass through. One becomes lost within the grid, as the grid floats, changing the perception of the horizon. The grid blurs, with voids opening and compressing in various moments. The grid is reflected all around, and then not at all, as punctures into the grid allow for views and experiences just beyond its confines. Once surrounded by structure, one finds himself exposed to the vastn ess of the ocean, its infinite plane of water.
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J . F Bau rista : E mpty Arc hite c ture Case Study Fascinated with decay and the imagination of the unfinnished, Bauris ta explores the idea of the unbuilt. The imagined becomes better than the intended. Decaying structures, derelict places, abandoned spaces and other urban imperfections prose ambiguous solutions and projec tions in the mind of the viewer. This concept focus’ on the blurriness and anticipation of that which is decaying. What once was an object, physically and visually breaks down. This de-fragmentat ion allows for the intervention and projection of a new k ind of space and experience: of oppor tunity, imagination, and awareness. The grid serves as a metaphor for the vir tual projection of the un-built. Imbued with the imagination of the visitor.
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Gu i lla u me Mazars Case Study The objective of this proposal is to echo t he works of El Lissetzky and to make the notion of depth and space with a three-dimensional structure. The structure itself may be used as a tool to reveal emptiness, depth, projection, and other values imposed within space. The structure at first suggests the absence, that which is un-built. Modeled as a visual interpretation of El Lissitzky’s wolkenbrugel, the project begins as an or thogonal grid. Through subtraction, the spacial presence of Lissitzky’s work constructs itself. While the actual work still remains invisible, the project is now perceptible through the im agination of the viewer and the suggestion of the structure.
the contours of the structure. Brighter areas allow for other ar tists to impose interventions. A second layer of intervention occurs with the staging of graphic lines by painting elements of the structure red. As the viewer encounters and views the space, compositions are build and deconstructed as the lines define or disrupt the space.
A vir tual imprint, th e project is only finished when a viewer completes the projection. This creates an additional level of interpretation and experience, as each viewer’s interpretation of space is at fault of one’s personality and cultural bias. At night, a network of lights illuminate
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C ro atia n Pav il io n Case Study The Croatian Pavilion for the Venice Biennale played with the idea of creating a mirage that could float and be reflected in the w ater. Built on an existing barge, the pavilion structure weighs about 32 tons. 40 layers of welded wire mesh create a solid looki ng volume (19m x 9m x 5,5m). Carved out of the volume are contours, protrusions, and openings that reveal the surrounding environment through the density of the wire mesh. The pavilion seems “almost invisible form a distance, the structure reveal[ing] itself with[in] different densities of steel mesh, transparencies, and vision lines, forming stunning visual effects.� Composed on the grid of the barge, the perception of the pavilion shifts as the viewer engages, approaches, and occupies the void. The layering of fields is what makes this project unique in both i ts display and construction.
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Internal: Inner parts; situated or occurring within. External: relating to the outside; beyond the limit; apart
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T he Affairs of Bounded Space Since the beginning of mankind, the delineation and definition of space has affected our perception of social, political, and economic world systems. Since the early caveman’s fire space has been used to gather or separate. Our perceptions of space have changed with the time, influencing and being influenced by the political and power dynamics of the developing world system . This essay seeks to exp lore and explain the sociological implications of the ar ticulation of space through the distribution of boundaries in both corporeal and illusory realms. Political boundaries today are seen as permanent, however there are still many undistinguished borders, unrecognized territories, and disputed border s. Since the Greeks first began to scientifically define regional maps, territorial borders have shifted as empires rose and fell, states joined together, and negotiations after the first and second World Wars. While all were affected in these transitions, it was typically the periphery countries of whom underwent large transitions under colonization and establishing
trade. Many borders during this time were drawn with little to no regard for the communities established, often dividing a town in two. Today the most common mapping of the world is the Mercator projection, which was derived during the beginning of the Golden Age in 16th and 17th century for trade. While the scale of the continents might not be equal to what they are in reality, the shape itself if fairly accurate, with only the distor tion of longitudinal distances. The other perspective is the GallPeters projection which shows the area ratios of all the continents closer to as they are in reality. This modifies and stretches both the latitude and longitude distances of continents’ location, thus rendering it impractical for actual use. The Mercator system allowed Europeans to navigate pretty precisely, setting the stage for imperialism and colonization. Who determines the creation of the border ? What is the Impact colonialization had on borders Western vs Eastern?
Which ideologies focused on what? Who was in the center of the globe? Examples: Border city Mexico (Fr-ee) Militarization of Israeli borders Great Wall of China Powers of Ten (Eames 1977); How we begin to view systems and technology during the cold war
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08 Vantage A discovery through trial and error of the ambiguous. Making ambiguous Space with an architectural language. Explor ing the play of datums, the extention & blur of grid, the movement and reflection of memory. The ar ticulation of becoming
UNDONE.
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van-tage: “a position giving a strategic advantage, commanding perspective, or comprehensive view�
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VANTAGE aims to memorialize a distinct time of fear in our collective history. Abandoned sea for ts stand as grim reminders of the perils of war in the waters of the Nor th Sea outside London. Approached by boat the imposing grid blurs boundary and scale, horizon and land, water and sky. Visual dis-connection with land rearranges natural idiosyncrasies and biorhythms. Expressed within varying levels of constraints, programs drift creating a sense of disjunction. Voids impose the doubling and redoubling of reflection through and around the monumental gun turrets. VANTAGE is confrontation of the authentic, delineated through time, tide, and weather; exposing conditions while concealing others.
5 1 02 7 ’ 4 4 . 3 4 ”N 0 05 9 ’ 5 8 . 8 5 ” E
Maunsell Sea Forts: Thames Estuary, UK
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Horizontal Movement
Vertical Movement
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H ydraulic Wa lkways (Typ): Suspended on a series of paths. People circulate through the grid on a series of interlocked paths. These paths, function ind ependently from the grid, anchored with tension cables and hydraulic pistons. The grid moves independently from the walkways, rising or falling with the tides. During the different conditions, one is either released into a more open experience, while the other compresses oneself into a suppressed space. This alters ones’ point of reference, while blurring the datums of the paths, horizon-lines, and relationship with the floating grid.
Interlocking Extruded Plastic Grid
Tension Cable Attachment to Walkways for Stabilization
Hydraulic Pistons Act as Base Isolators
Guiding Cables to Counteract Torque of Walkways
Hydraulic Walkways (Typ.):
Floating Structural Grid Walkway
Hyrdaulic Pistons
Water Line
Tension Canble
Detail Drawings: Submerged Walkways (Typ.):
Interlocking Extruded Plastic Grid
Tension Cable Attachment to Walkways for Stabilization
Hydraulic Pistons Act as Base Isolators
Water Line Guiding Cables to Counteract Torque of Walkways
Water Falls Down Concrete Surface
Hydraulic Walkways (Typ.):
109 Reinforced Fiberglass
Submerged Walkways (Typ): Similar to the suspended walkways, the submerged paths are confined within concrete walls, extending up to the ocean’s surface. Water spills over the edge, landing in a trough below which is pumped back into the ocean. While the walls are attached to the grid, the walkway itself moves independently, suspended on a hydr aulic system that negated the movement of the grid with the changing tides.
Water Line
Tension Canble
Submerged Walkways (Typ.):
Water Line
Water Falls Down Concrete Surface
Reinforced Fiberglass Concrete
Walkway
Floating Structural Grid
Grates for Water Colection
Water Collection to Pump Below Walkway
Changing Tides (+/-5’):
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09 Pipe Dream An installation of PVC pipe to showcase Studio 400’s thesis books. Serving as a place of contemplation, Pipe Dream provides oppor tunities for intimate book reading and reflection. As par ticipants move through the pavilion, their perspective moves between obscurity and clarity. The dense matrix of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes creates a forest-like screen to enclose the readers while inviting public interaction with the students books. LED lighting guides the occupants through the pavilion to the lighted chandeliers holding the st udents work. Areas of refuge allow for readers to comfor tably sit and read before continuing through the forest of PVC. The construction of the installation allows for ease of transpor tation and assembly, as the material is lightweight and flatpacked. The modular, prefabricated kit of par ts allows the project to be replicated and easily assembled.
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X189
X318
X1,756
Number of PVC Members
3D Printed Jig
Assembly System
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P la n
Ent r y Ex it
Pho to by Jac k G am bo a
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Pho to by Jac k G am bo a
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Prof e sso r K a re n La nge Pi p e D re a m in C o lla bo ra t io n w it h S t udio 4 0 0 : Kat i e Gr a y, A a ro n Ly, J a c k G a m bo a , G a bi Oa s is , Ke l si Do y le , K a ro lina Luc kie w ic z , A ndre w Mi n n i c h , N a bila S a r ka r, D a vid D o , Ia n Le ve ns o n, Be n Joh ns o n, C e c il G re e n J r, C hris J o rda no , Mi c h e l l e A m a r is , C a ro line A nge ll, C o lle e n Be c k man, Re ga n D y e r, H a r ry G ut c hino v, Luc a s Ki v i mak i , S o phie de C hris t o phe r.
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Image 01.
Re ve l e y, Wi l l e y. Pan op t i c on .
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R orscha ch Te st Psy c h oan al y si s.
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Pe rry, Byro n . D ou b l e Th i n k .
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Damie n H ir s t. “De ath E xpl ai n e d .” D ami e n Hi r s t , 2 0 0 7 .
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Damie n H ir s t. “G o d A l o n e K n o w s .” D ami e n Hi r s t , 2 0 0 7 .
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Cow Liver . 2 0 1 6 .
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Dried Mea l w or m. 2 0 1 6 .
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Cockroa che s . 2 0 1 6 .
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Shai Kre mer, W or l d Tr ad e C e n t e r: C on c re t e Ab s t r a c t # 2 , 2 0 0 1 - 2 0 1 2
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“Maunse l l Se a F o r ts .” Mau n se l l Se a For t s: Th e T ha m e s Es t ua ry A rm y Fo r t s , 2 0 1 5 .
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“Maunse l l Se a F o r ts Dr aw i n g.” D p r- Bar c e l on a , 2 0 1 0 .
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Goul d, De n i s e . Tr i b u t e i n L i g h t . 2 0 1 7 .
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Shimmura, Taku ji . “E s to n i an N ati o n al M u s e u m . ” A r c hD a ily , 6 J une 2 0 1 6 .
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Loznitsa. “ A u s te r l i tz .” Ti me s of I sr ae l , 2 0 1 7 .
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Vo ng, Je an. “M u l ti p l e Sh ad o w Ho u s e .” O l af u r Elia s s o n , 2 0 1 0 .
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Border Lan d _ R 1 7 .
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Lost in Mov e me n t, 2 0 1 2 .
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Bautista, J F . “E m pty A rc h i te c tu re .” Ar t b y b au t is t a , 2 0 1 4 .
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Bautista, J F . “E m pty Uto p i an A rc h i te c tu re i n N YC . ” A rt by ba ut is t a , 2 0 1 4 .
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Lissitzky, E l . D e c on st ru c t i on . De s i g n bo o m , 2 0 1 3 .
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Lissitzky, E l . I n t e r i or V i e w . De s i g n bo o m , 2 0 1 3 .
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“Cro atian Pav i l i o n A xo 0 1 .” A r c h D ai l y , 2 0 1 0 .
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“Cro atian Pav i l i o n F l o o r P l an .” Ar c h D ai l y , 2 0 1 0 .
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Ful l e r, Buc km i n s te r. Fu l l e r Proj e c t i on D y maxi o n. B uc k mi ns t e r Ful l e r I ns t i t ut e .
A sp e c i a l t ha nks t o : K a re n La nge , S t udio 4 0 0 , Tom d i S a nt o , D r. S t e phe n Llo y d M o f f e t , a nd Te re sa D o w ning-M a t iba g. Yo u ha ve im pa rt e d t re me n d o us w is do m , c ha lle nge d m e t o que s t io n t h ou g h t a nd de s ign, a nd e x po s e d m e t o t he c omp l e x it ie s o f t his w o r ld.
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