VIOLENCE TO CONTINUE?

Does more violence mean more projects?

The traditional perception of architecture is inverted through Forensic Architecture’s work. They’re concern isn’t how the users will experience the building - rather how does the building experience the users, how it has been interacted with and what forces have been applied to it?

Therefore, this calls for a need for destruction, violence and crime for Forensic Architecture to continue working on projects.

Ultimately, violence (in all forms), human rights violations, racism and terror are inevitable. From the old fashion wars between armies, to the privacy breach in artificial intelligence of the current era - violence has occured in the past, is currently occuring & may occur in the future. Violence also comes in different scales - from fast terror bomibings, to slow cultural dispositioning.

Therefore, Forensic Architecture draw in an epistemological shift. They bring to awareness these violences that are silenced. Eyal states in one of his interviews to Informativos (2017) “In my understanding, truth is something that is a common resource. The truth is like air and water, something that we all need in order to understand our position on earth”.

This also raises the question around funding of their projects. Forensic Architecture are funded by academic, human rights, technology, and arts grants. Further funding is received from commissioned investigations and the exhibitions they hold. They are also employed to investigate crime events in state levels - by private parties or larger organisations.

Their skils and tools are used to uncover the truths about existing or previously occured events all around the world. With no set methodology, they work around the problem posed to them, and identify ways to unpack the story.

Consequently, implying that Forensic Architecture does not need more violence to have more projects.

In fact, they seek to present the truth for the victims of violence and terror - that have already occured. They respond to past and current violences all around the world and present ways to detect potential violences based on the current evidence. The income generated from their work are used to support the ongoing research and tools that uncover the truth.

Does this solve the core of violence?

Unfortunately, no. The way violence is inevitable and comes in various scales, speeds and times - it can not be prevented nor resolved. However, Forensic Architecture’s mission isn’t to resolve these issues but rather provide layers of information that increase awareness within all communities - dealing with the law, politics, society and urban planning. These informations allow cases in state level to be evidenced, human rights to be recognised and the wider community to get an understanding of the issues occuring.

The tools they have developed as a result of these investigations have been widely adopted by other agencies in their own investigation works. They have formed the basis on Predictive Forensics - identifying patterns of evidence in the current to predict the destructions of the future. Their PATTRN project is an open source software that allows users allows activists to upload information and then map relations between discrete events, identifying patterns and trends in time and space. Their aim was to support the idea of collating data and first hand reporting of events by people who are potential subjects to violence. This support and networking software has been adopted by several organisations are continuing to be used.

What is aesthetical about violence?

Forensic Architecture do not seek an aesthetical appreciation for their investigations. They are more focused around a social constellation that draws networks and representation on issues around the world. Violence and victims are part of the story they tell, but are recognised by Forensic Architecture for their own rights.

They seek consent of authors, humanitarian actors and stakeholders, before sharing information and photography, and censor data that will potentially breach privacy. This is, for example, evident in their missionary statement available online for their investigation into police brutality in the BLM movement.

Forensic Architecture have always been clear with their investigations and their methodologies used. Each investigation showcased on their website outline the tools used, the people involved, and the reason for their investigation. Understanding that each situation or event is unique, and requires its own method of investigation is critical in unpacking the story. There are no set methodologies that they use - it is their skills, time and commitment that allow them to develop the tools required for investigations.

Site Plan, Orthographics, 3D Model, Audio Analysis and Photographs - are simply not just the deliverables for an architecture student, these are some of the tools used by Forensic Architecture to bring justice to high-level cases around the world. Tools which are used by students and architects to produce A1 documents which are forgotten about after the final presentation (albeit they may find their way into a portfolio or exhibition if deemed worthy), are the same tools which are used to produce testimonies, data complexies, simulations and evidence for globally concerning cases.

A student or an architect will design something which does not exist, or something which has not yet happened. Forensic Architecture designs moments which have already occurred, moments which have been shared worldwide. Without the same access to resources as federal forensic agencies and the police, FA uses tools and resources accessible to everyone to produce evidence, hoping to bring justice to cases they work on. Yet another difference between the traditional architecture and them, is that they do not make projects with these tools, they produce evidence for cases. Many of these cases are highly-sensitive and recognised around the world. Yet, they navigate through these cases with the same tools used in architectural studio projects. An architect's client is someone looking for a tangible outcome. Comparatively, FA’s ‘clients’ are people who have been oppressed and oftentimes are deceased - as their families count on FA to bring justice to this oppression and hopefully allow peace within their lives.

Rhinoceros 3D - everyone’s favourite CAD software is often seen in the works of Forensic Architecture. Often shown in videos and photographs of FA’s process, as they create models, plans and various other documents for the cases they work on. They use these tools to re-create real world scenarios of violence, gathering data otherwise unseen or unheard. If possible, they bring survivors of these acts of violence back to the scene (digitally) to gather testimonies and statements, without sacrificing the health, safety or identity of the survivors. These reenactments of violence are their outcome - through the various methodologies they use. Since their outcome is not architectural and their clients are oppressed, marginalised and (many) are dead - who exactly funds their works?

Unlike the traditional architect, these other architects are not paid through private clients or the government. They are funded through academic, human rights, technology, and arts grants. Additionally, they are commissioned for investigations and exhibitions which helps them monetarily. It could be said that grants are the most important tool for them - more so than the software or technologies they use. Without the grants - FA would be severely underfunded, if existent at all. Patently, they use these tools to bring justice to cases of violence, however, what are the precise perimeters of their works?

TOOLS

Site Visits

Surveys

Satellite Images

Fluid Dynamics

Shadow Analysis

Audio Analysis

3D Modelling

Orthographics

Photography

Video Making

STUDENT / ARCHITECT

Site Study

Contours

Studying History

Site Plan

Wind Study

Shadow/Daylight Study

Acoustic Comfort Study

Renders Models

Plans, Sections & Elevations

Photographs of Site or Model Collages

Film

Forensic Architecture

Fieldwork

Cartographic Regression

Remote Sensing

Particle Simulations

Time and Movement Analysis

Synchronisation

Echo Profiling

Situated Testimony

Reenactment

Photogrammetry

Image Data Complex

The tools Forensic Architecture use are much too similar to that of an architect or a student. This similarity extends to the point that audiences find it aesthetically pleasing to ponder upon. A university end of year show, an architect's documents, and the works of Forensic Architecture are all exhibited in some manner. Albeit, what do these entail (for Forensic Architecture) and what exactly is a Cartographic Regression or a Situated Testimony?

Cartographic Regression

The process of using historic surveys, maps and satellite images overlaid on a contemporary map. This is used to track environmental changes in a location and overlay historic information. Example: Death Alley, Louisiana Below

Synchronisation

Establishing the exact relationship between two or more pieces of audio-visual data. Knowing when one piece of footage began, relative to the other. Once multiple pieces are synchronised, they become evidence. Example: The Murder of Pavlos Fyssas Above

Fluid Dynamics

They use Fluid Dynamics, to trace the movement of particles in space. They test particle simulations such as gunpowder exploded in the air, tear gas used by forces or the sea current and seawaves. Example: The Murder of Halit Yozgat

Below

Situated Testimony

Using 3D models of environments and scenes where traumatic events occurred, to aid in the process of gathering testimonies and information from those who witnessed the events. Example: Drone Strike in Mir Ali Above

Reenactment

A means of testing real-word phenomena. Using digital simulations to test movement - known as ground truthing. Reenactment is a traditional forensics tool used uniquely by Forensic Architecture. Example: Racist Terror Attack in Henau Below

Photogrammetry

A large number of still photographs of an object or environment can be used to create a navigable 3D model. These models can be used to configure distance, terrains, and points (through triangulation). Example: The Destruction of Yazidi Cultural Heritage Below