Tracing the Unknown

Constructing scenarios in the city Studio Constructing an Archive - Aarhus School of Architecture Team 2 - Fran Alvarez, Johan Ahl Eliasson

Tracing the Unknown Site - Courtyard inside a courtyard

Behind the houses of the busy street Graven lies a large open space surrounded by large windowless walls. It has an arena-like quality and exhibits an air of spectacle and myth. It is, however, today used as a parking lot. The walls contain layers and layers of information, traces of the history of the site.

Adress: Graven 18G

Constructing scenarios in the city Studio Constructing an Archive - Aarhus School of Architecture Team 2 - Fran Alvarez, Johan Ahl Eliasson

Isometric diagram: elements of the site The space is reached through two passageways, the south one ultimately leading to Graven, the north one leading to another courtyard. The area of interest is constrained by the intersection of two walls that are the most aesthetically relevant to the courtyard. One tall, long brick wall stamped by graffiti and previous buildings’ outlines, and the other is a thick garage building, around 6 meter deep, that is punctured by a single car access.

Constructing scenarios in the city Studio Constructing an Archive - Aarhus School of Architecture Team 2 - Fran Alvarez, Johan Ahl Eliasson

Constructing scenarios in the city Studio Constructing an Archive - Aarhus School of Architecture Team 2 - Fran Alvarez, Johan Ahl Eliasson

History : past and present As seen in these satellite photos, the traces on the wall are hinting what once were two buildings coexisting, approximately fifty years ago. These images were taken around 1946-1969, and provide information on the slope of the roofs, rooftop windows and specially on the total footprint area.

Constructing scenarios in the city Studio Constructing an Archive - Aarhus School of Architecture Team 2 - Fran Alvarez, Johan Ahl Eliasson

Constructing scenarios in the city Studio Constructing an Archive - Aarhus School of Architecture Team 2 - Fran Alvarez, Johan Ahl Eliasson

Reconstructing from traces The traces on the brick wall and the satellite images allow a certain speculation towards the past of this site. We are now able to estimate the outlines of these two buildings, define their heights and footprints. What is left unknown is the imaginary: what was happening on the inside, who was using these spaces, why were they torn down, and so on. It would be interesting to use the history of this site in relation to the act itself, create some kind of relationship between the two buildings and integrate them into the play’s theme.

Constructing scenarios in the city Studio Constructing an Archive - Aarhus School of Architecture Team 2 - Fran Alvarez, Johan Ahl Eliasson

Constructing scenarios in the city Studio Constructing an Archive - Aarhus School of Architecture Team 2 - Fran Alvarez, Johan Ahl Eliasson

The proposal A line drawing of the estimated plans, in tape or chalk, attempting to recreate the uses that these buildings might have had. The first, smaller footprint would represent a school, where the audience would play the role of the pupils sitting in rows in this classroom. The second, larger footprint would simulate a family house, pointing its four large windows towards this school. It would also have a second access, towards the car entry that will now play the role of a backstage for the actors.

The idea is to hint, through subtle ground marks, the site’s history and take the spectator to an imaginary journey to its past.

Constructing scenarios in the city Studio Constructing an Archive - Aarhus School of Architecture Team 2 - Fran Alvarez, Johan Ahl Eliasson

Constructing scenarios in the city Studio Constructing an Archive - Aarhus School of Architecture Team 2 - Fran Alvarez, Johan Ahl Eliasson

Inviting the city This scenography is accessed through one of the courtyards in Graven. It is located in a courtyard further-in from that one.

As it is far out from the usual pedestrian flow, a strategy was planned in order to invite people to the play. Accordingly with the main theme, door frames were traced on the floor, as a minimal intervention that would suggest to the general public that there is something going on inside. This could be done with tape or chalk.

Constructing scenarios in the city Studio Constructing an Archive - Aarhus School of Architecture Team 2 - Fran Alvarez, Johan Ahl Eliasson

Constructing scenarios in the city Studio Constructing an Archive - Aarhus School of Architecture Team 2 - Fran Alvarez, Johan Ahl Eliasson

Section

Access from Graven

Audience

Constructing scenarios in the city Studio Constructing an Archive - Aarhus School of Architecture Team 2 - Fran Alvarez, Johan Ahl Eliasson

Stage

Backstage

Constructing scenarios in the city Studio Constructing an Archive - Aarhus School of Architecture Team 2 - Fran Alvarez, Johan Ahl Eliasson

Model

Constructing scenarios in the city Studio Constructing an Archive - Aarhus School of Architecture Team 2 - Fran Alvarez, Johan Ahl Eliasson