Thesis statement Theory

My thesis aims to explore the role that the Non-Fungible Token has to play within the realm of architectural practice, but most notably the ability for the architect to provide their client with the ability of authenticating something that could either be tangible or intangible.

To form the foundation of this thesis, Coventry’s connection with 5 twin cities and their typographies has been explored, drawing inspiration from the Nolli Map process, with the aim of forming an interpretation of the Roma Interrotta and Kintsikuroi that can be used to form a set of connecting artefacts between the cities, building on the Kintsugi narrative. These artefacts are intended to strike up a sentimental connection via the tangible and intangible artefacts through the ideology of personal ownership and tenure, which is why the authentication of a unique artefact through the NFT process is so vital to this projects success.

The thesis proposal will create what is commonly referred to as a Freeport within which this process of forming the NFT is carried out, with the aim of distributing the produced artefacts out to residents of the twinned cities. In order to create these NFTs, occupants from each twinned city will be expected to carry out a process of data collection and archival processes which have been refined in my earlier process work, which will form the foundation of the artefacts created within this facility.

To take this process a stage further, the role of the architectural vessel will be explored as an aid to this thesis statements narrative, exploring how the demolition process can be carried out during a structure habitation, with the demolition process becoming somewhat of a live installation, morphing and changing the architectural devices with each element it demolishes.

To conclude, the final aim for this thesis is to deliver a set of physical artefacts cast to represent the six cities which come together to create a structure which then doubles as a form of vault within which the original of each artefact is stored. Occupants of each twin city will be granted ownership of a generated NFT based on elements from each artefact, this only they will have the authentic version of, aiming to rekindle the connections that the twin cities initiative was intended to create.