Bartlett_MArch Part 2_Y5_Unit18_Shaokang_Li_Portfolio

'UNDER THE MASK' NEO DARK HERITAGE in the Post-Pandemic world

PG18 Neo Ecological Myths Shaokang Li

'UNDER THE MASK' NEO DARK HERITAGE in the Post-Pandemic world

DESIGN PORTFOLIO Shaokang Li SN: 17100239 PG18 Neo Ecological Myths 2020/2021 Design Tutors: Ricardo de Ostos / Isaie Bloch Bartlett School of Architecture Architecture MArch (ARB/RIBA Part II) BARC0010: Advanced Architectural Design II

NEO DARK HERITAGE

Uncanny of the 'Dark' Forest

In the era of the Covid-19 pandemic, London has been through the devastating economic and social disruption. The city experienced long periods of varying levels of lock-down, with people working from home and unable to socialize properly. The pandemic affects people’s mental health tremendously: Bereavement, isolation, loss of income and fear are triggering mental health conditions or exacerbating existing ones. Many people may be facing increased levels of alcohol and drug use, insomnia, and anxiety. Nevertheless, pandemic also brought positive effects on citizens’ lives. It alters our new understanding towards urban elements, like window, balcony, street and park; brings new opportunities of living and working. All those ideas are one type of ‘Dark Heritage’ for the future generations. Although this 'dark' event does not has a specific memorial site, the thoughts and ways of living(Covid-19) can be represented through a design of 'Neo Dark Heritage'.

This Neo Dark Heritage provides a new type of Urban Forest Architecture for healing and creativity based on the Covid era in London. Starting from a forest metaphor: ‘Forest is a 'Dark' Palace for Healing and Possibilities’, it embraces the idea of ‘Dark’ Heritage that solving mental issues and bring indeterminacy to the post-pandemic future.

It is a 'dark forest’, audiences are passing through a long weird street, a depressed tower, a landscape theatre occupied by the nature, and the ‘Other’ forest leading to brightness. Meandering in this 'dark forest', audiences would have their differentiated emotions from uncanny to release.

PRELUDE - Dark Heritage and Covid-19 Context 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9

Post-Pandemic World of the Covid-19 Concept: Neo Dark Heritage Site Location: NHS Nightingale Hospital/London Site Strategy A 'Dark Forest' within a Box Forest Metaphor: Healing & Creating Urban Lives during the Covid: A Representation Activities, Users and Characters A 'dark' Journey in a Box

CHAPTER I - Resistance and Isolation of the Empty Street 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4

A Immersive Meandering Street The Story of the Carnaby ST in London Sectional View of the Deconstructed Street The Journey of the 'Red'

1 2 3 4 5-6 7 8 9-10 11-12

13 14-16 17 18-21

CHAPTER II - Helpless and Depressed of the Balcony 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4

A Tower of Covid Archive The Story of the Balconies on Columbia Road, London Sectional View of the Balcony Tower Following the 'White'

22 23-26 27 28-31

CHAPTER III - Release of the Park 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4

A Landscape Theatre The Story of the Regent's Park in London Sectional View of the Landscape Theatre A Submerged stage, the raising of nature

32 33-36 37 38-41

CHAPTER IV - A 'Dark' Park under the Roof 4.1 A forest from 'dark' to 'Bright' 4.2 Meet the nature and light

42 43

CHAPTER V - A 'Dark' Park near the River 5.1 A forest of the 'Moon' 5.2 Meet the river and the 'Moon'

44 45-46

APPENDIX 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5

The Archive of the Journey Dishonest Objects (Uncanny) Lighting System The Storyboard The supported Theory and Research

47 48 49 50-53 54

Entrance

A turn?

Growing plants

Interior?

A Turn?

Exterior?

Tire

Tire (Window?)

Tire (Bed?)

Growing plants?

They just follow the surface

Monumental object

Exterior garden

Bathtub(Treepot)

1. ALICE'S LOOKING GLASS HOUSE VERSION 1.0

2. TOMMY'S CHILDHOOD FOREST VERSION 1.0

Stone (Staircase)

Concrete barricade

1. ALICE'S LOOKING GLASS HOUSE VERSION 2.0

Aesthetic is not restricted to the theory of beauty, but described as relating to the qualities of our feeling. ― Freud, The Uncanny, pp. 123

“I am a forest, and a night of dark trees: but he who is not afraid of my darkness, will find banks full of roses under my cypresses.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra

PRELUDE BACKGROUND The story is happening in the Post-pandemic World In the post-pandemic world, lives in London are getting back to normal. But we still cannot forget such a long period of pandemic. It brought huge impacts on society, economy and health. Even change our ways of working and living. The whole period is like the dark enveloping the human kind, but we can still find some gaps for light.

2. TOMMY'S CHILDH

Existing structure Unknown place

Memory reflection

HOOD FOREST VERSION 2.0

Maze space Peeping

3. BILLY'S STALKER STAIRCASE

Fire place

4. HOFFMANN'S UNCANNY GUEST HOUSE ENTRANCE

Gathering place

4. HOFFMANN'S UNCANNY GUEST HOUSE

Uncanny Objects /Dark Forest tests in Term1

Image Credits: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-52448982

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NEO DARK HERITAGE EXPLORING NOTION OF DARKNESS Spatial Qualities due to Lack of resolution -Unknown -Ambigurity -Memory (Nostalgia) -Alien (Contradict) -Sublime -Unexpectation

Jewish Museum Daniel Libeskind

Freud's therapy room

Dark Heritage: A historical sites of death, suffering, and disaster.Those sites are preserved as a space in memory of miserable events.

Over recent years there has been tremendous interest in ‘dark heritage’ and associated ‘dark tourism’ but still we struggle with the powerful attraction of the darkness, the thrill it can provide and where (and if) we draw boundaries around its commodification its representation and the experiences we seek from it. Many forms of heritage function as a materialization of darkness and what it represents and offer ways of exploring how societies / communities deal with complex moral and emotional issues. Heritage sites and associated events / activities reflect both historical and fictional trauma and can act in illuminating and reconciliatory ways. Others hold onto their dark narratives to deliberately obscure and hide. Others still, play with, parody and test public sensibilities and capitalize on the idea of the thrill.

NEO DARK HERITAGE CONCEPT A new form of Architecture of Healing, Creativity and Entertainment Covid-Pandemic to Dark Heritage:

Dark-The neo form of dark heritage will focus on exploring the notion of darkness.

Heritage-New life style, vaule of changing, new opportunities The Covid pandemic locks people in their home, restricts people’s daily activities and working, brings people fear, stress and loss. This dark heritage of pandemic provides a new way of healing and recovering from pandemic. Meanwhile it also opens new opportunities of living and working; brings possibilities for the future.

Ghana's Slave Castles

DARKWORLD

2

Royal Dock

ExCel Centre/NHS Nightingale Ho

Residential Area

SITE LOCATION BACKGROUND ExCel Centre (NHS Nightingale Hospital) In the Docklands district, the original ExCel Centre was changed into the NHS Nightingale hospital for Covid patient during the pandemic. For now, the wards are removed, and it turns back to the Centre space, but still some parts are kept and rebuild into a place in memory of this Covid event.— We call it: the Neo dark heritage.

ospital London City Airport

Disused historical building

Prince Rege nt DLR St at io n

North Gallery Meeting Rooms Level 2

ICC Capital Suite

Lor ry way Le vel 1

Le vel 3

Prince Regent Rooms

North Event Halls

Le vel 1

Level 1

NOV. 2000 - MAR. 2020 ExCel Centre

ICC Capital Hall Le vel 0

ICC London Suite Lee vel 0

ICC Capital Lounge

WEST ENTRANCE

Le vel 2

Platinum Suite

EAST ENTRANCE

Level 1-3

Level 1

Level 1 / Level 0

South Event Halls

ICC Auditorium Le vel 0

Level 1

South Gallery Meeting Rooms Level 2

Lor ry way Le vel 1

Key Organiser offices Toilets Lifts Stairs Prince Rege nt DLR St at io n

CT/Diagnostios Room

Lor ry way

MAR. 2020 - 2022

Le vel 3

Le vel 1

NHS Nightingale Hospital

Mortuary Le vel 1

WEST ENTRANCE

Platinum Suite

PATIENTS IN

Level 1-3

Level 1

Ambulance Control Area

Lor ry way Le vel 1

Discharge

Recovery Areas

DON/DOFF Areas

4,000 Intensive Care Beds

Admissions

Prince Re gent Sta tion

El Sub Sta

ETL

Staff Canteen

(DLR)

SANDSTONE LANE

2022 - FUTURE

ExCeL Hotel

Exhibition Centre + Vaccination Centre + Neo Dark Heritage of Pandemic

El Sub Sta

6.0m

Excel Waterfront

R oyal Victoria Dock

R oyal Victoria Dock

0

Royal Victoria Place

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200 m

Neo Dark Heritage of Pandemic 5.2m

5.2m

20

Vaccination Centre

Exhibition Centre

5.2m

5.1m

Captial Hall

3 5.5m

5.4m

The building Grid -Follow the circulation and direction of the NHS Nightingale Hospital

The landscape Grid -Follow the circulation and direction of the river bank

1

2

3 5 4

Original functions 1.Admission/Auditorium 2.Ward/Exhibition 3.Gallery/Meeting Rooms 4.5. New Extensions

Define four original spatial qualities -Each of them have their own potential to develop space

The chamber space and circulation space -Each of those chambers are following the concept of original functions and conditions -Some of them has potential to connect to the existing Exhibition Centre

Street-Linear Space -The project tries to create linear space within the original site -The aim is to separate people in different routes (social distance)

Keep the Roof Canopy The original large canopy provides a good condition for a dark box

SITE STRATEGY MASSING RESPOND TO THE SITE Following the original building, Creating Dissonance The site strategy is trying to follow the original system of the Centre building and the surrounding riverbank landscape. It works as a bridge binding the Centre building and the landscape together. The project tries to reconstruct the original building and rewrite the narrative of the pandemic.

The Overlapped Grid -Re-arrange and intersect building directions

Cutout of the original building -Follow the structure system of the building

2

Inbetween

3

1

4

5

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200m

A Core Space connecting all chambers -The main space in the proposal

Narrative Plan -The co-relation among each spaces

Break the Roof The designed volume break the roof top, create skylight (controlled light for the interior space)

Exposed Structure The exposed structure provide roofless area for half-exterior space

4

It is a huge dark box near the bank of the river, and it se In-between of the dark box and river bank,

eems have limited natural light penetrate to the interior. , there is a dark forest below the canopy.

5

1.Chapter I: StreetImmersive Meandering Theatre Resistance and Isolation-Poetic of the empty London Street (visual)

2.Chapter II: BalconyTower Theatre

Loss, helpless and depressed Entertaining urban spectacle : The balcony and neighbors (Touch and material)

3.Chapter III: ParkLandscape Theatre

Release-Park, contested public commodities

A DARK FOREST WITHIN A BOX OVERALL SCHEME A Dark Forest represents our Covid Lives

Inside of this box, it’s like a dark forest. Most of things were covered under the shadow.

We cannot see the whole, some surprise points are waiting to be discovered. It is strangely appealing of the darkness and unknown: terrifying but mysterious and full of creativity, like our lives during the Covid.

There is a street, a park, a playground, a balcony space, our urban lives during the covid are represented d here in a ‘dark’ and uncanny way. The use of those architectural space has been changed due to the lock-down and certain rules, which provides another perspectives to see our daily private and public space. It is the heritage from the Covid pandemic.

1.The Roof Panels Metal + Glass Some space need skylights

2.Steel Structure system With Roof Lighting system

3.Dark Wall Block the nature light

4.Dark Park A theme park within a black box

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Characters

Stalker (1979) Andrei Tarkovsky

Alice in Wonderland (1865) Lewis Carroll

Feral Cat

Urban forest

Hidden space

Urban space

Get lost

Discover

Run after

Find the way

Find a reservoir

Places

Nocturnal space

Events

Construct A Forest Metaphor...

Tail after

Hunt

Stories

Lead to a field

Into a rabbit hole

Forest Metaphor

How to healing?

How to creating possibilities?

How to entertainment?

The forest is the answer, and the darkness of the forest is the key answer

HEALING & CREATING A FOREST METAPHOR Forest is a 'Dark' Palace for Healing and Creativeness

Forest is a place for mental healing, not only by its green, but also by those stories and unknown hidden in the darkness. Inside of the forest, there are some dark place covered by shadow and full of mystery, where people would therefore create their own stories based on their experiences and memories.

Imitate astronaut

DARKNESS MATERIAL

LUMINANCE DISTANCE SCALE

SOUND

GEOMETRY POSITION LAYOUT

LACK OF RESOLUTION

TEMPERTURE

Primary Parameters

LACK OF RESOLUTION

DISTORTED MEMORY FRAGMENTS

OR BRIGHT

Covid-19

WINDOW

BALCONY

STREET

De/Re-construct the original building

PROGRAMME PERFORMING

REWRITING PERSONAL NARRATIVES

PARK HEALING ENTERTAINMENT CREATIVENESS

Different position, scale, proportion

In a problem-saturated narrative, therapy is a process of rewriting personal narratives.

The process of rewriting the narrative:(Freedman and Combs, 1996) (a) expressing the problems they are experiencing (b) breaking down narratives that trigger problems through questioning (c) recognizing special outcomes or occasions where a person has not been constrained by their situation (d) connecting specific results to the future and providing an alternate and desired narrative (e) inviting supports among the community to spectate the new narrative (f) logging new document

Narrative therapy-rewriting personal narratives

Narrative Therapy: Narrative therapy has shown an increase in popularity in the field of family therapy.

Narrative Therapy -Darkness as visual guidance -Material shift -Sound impact

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Window:

1. Open the window

In the battle against Covid-19, the German government have encouraged the all-seasons practice of Lüften—regularly opening windows to let fresh air circulate through a building—arguing for it as a cheap and effective way of limiting the spread of coronavirus.

2. Window Box

As Spring arrived during lockdown, demand for window boxes surged, along with seeds and gardening tools, as the pandemic reinvigorated the joy and independence of doing things by hand.

Street:

Poetic of the empty London Street

The journey of aimlessly meandering became by far the most pleasurable element. The streets of London were deserted, with no cars, no bicycles and in most cases, no pedestrians in sight. The city was ours. Strolling together in the middle of the street, we could symmetrically take in the buildings at both sides. London’s architecture, even to untrained eyes, is fascinating. Townhouses and buildings of different eras, standing next to each other, in harmony

Balcony:

Public Expression

The balcony was embraced as an active extension of indoor space, modest access to nature, and a zone where the private space of the home meets the public space of the street. It became an active site for the public expression of solidarity and community.

Playground:

Play is a way of creating

Play is a mode of creative experimentation and exploration, a mode in which we explore cause and effect of our actions and begin to create ‘causal maps’ as ways of understanding that we can act upon the world.

Through play we can freely explore the ‘what ifs’ and ‘how might we’ of our imaginative worlds. Playground is important to the kids during the pandemic.

Park:

contested public commodities

Public parks continue to be busy spaces of the pandemic. They have also emerged as arguably one of the most contested public realms of the lockdown experience.For those living in crowded cities, public parks have been given a vital role for restoring our mental and physical well-being, a space of collective healing during COVID-19.

Such beliefs in the restorative capacities of the natural environment are not new, and indeed ‘nature cures’ have long been associated with boosting immunity and tackling respiratory health in particular – from the healing powers of sunshine (‘heliotherapy’) to the vital necessity of fresh air.

HEALING & CREATING WINDOWS,PLAYGROUND,STREET,BALCONY,PARK Distorted Memory Fragments in Pandemic

During the pandemic period, some architectural elements show their significance to the public. They become a communicational bridge between neighbors, people and nature.

According to the report, those elements could decrease the mental impact to the public in the pandemic.

Information from: https://www.vam.ac.uk/blog/pandemic-objects

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Theater(Entertainment)

-Immersive experience -Spectacle of Darkness -Historical memory (Covid-19) -Dual condition of light and darkness -Examine darkness as both a nostalgic contemplation and a socio-cultural transformation in the context of British modernity and society (idea from A Clockwork Orange)

Fun Palace (Creativeness)

Healing Centre

-Historical memory (Covid-19) -New life style and new invention of the pandemic -The space is not defined by programme but by the activities -creating possibilites

-Darkness as visual guidance -Material shift -Sound impact

(A future theme park of Terror)

(Narrative Therapy)

WHAT? PROGRAMME A 'Dark' Palace: Entertainment + Creativeness + Healing

The project tries to create a post-pandemic immersive theater based on the concept of 'Dark Heritage' in the near future. In the post-pandemic period, many citzens are suffering bereavement, isolation, and fear are triggering mental health conditions.

They will find release and reconciliation in this theater. Those three programmes are overlapped one or another, they are co-existing.

Mental issues/Patient

People with mental health problem, like certain levels of anxiety and stress

Artists

People who seek for inspiration or who enjoy new possibilites

Theatre Amateurs

People who are interested in theatre, film or art of darkness

Visitors/Tourists/Medical staff

People who are in memory of this pandemic

WHO? USERS People who seek for healing and touring

The pandemic affects people’s mental health tremendously: Bereavement, isolation, loss of income and fear are triggering mental health conditions or exacerbating existing ones. They may need a place for releasing and healing. Also, the project will attract a group of people who are interested in theatre and notion of darkness for both creativeness and entertainment.

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Ruth

A medical staff who worked at the NHS Nightingale hospital during the Covidpandemic period.

Duncan & Ana

The students at London Film School, Study in the department of Directing.

Lynch, the professor at London Film School, brings his students and his daught They are coming for a new theatre play

Lynch,

The professor at London Film School, expert in study of uncanny and the immersive theatre.

Rachel,

The doctor worked at the Nightingale Hospital for curing Covid patients.

ter, a medical staff, who used to work at Nightingale hospital, to this place. y, with the topic of dark Covid lives.

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Journey 2

Journey 1

Journey 1

Floor Plan

Journey 2

CHAPTER2: Balcony-Tower T

CHAPTER1: Street-Immersive Theatre

Theatre

CHAPTER3: Park-Landscape Theatre

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CHAPTER I: IMMERSIVE MEANDERING THEATRE LONDON STREET-RESISTANCE AND ISOLATION Resistance and Isolation-Poetic of the empty London Street The scenario tries to keep the poetic of the empty street, slow down the pace of city life.

It is beneficial to both mental health and physical health of the public. And meanwhile, being creative to active imagination of storytelling. In this point of view, isolation could have its positive impact on the rushed Londoners. Through rethinking the empty street, the original resistance towards city lockdown will be released.

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Carnaby St Photo by Gina Koutsika

Place (Village) by Rachel Whiteread, 2017, (B.21-2017) Victoria and Albert Museum

CARNABY ST

Urban Ears “Connected Speakers”Simon Rudholm

Chapter I: Resistance and Isolation-Poetic of the empty London Street The scenario tries to keep the poetic of the empty street, slow down the pace of city life. It is beneficial to both mental health and physical health of the public. And meanwhile, being creative to active imagination of storytelling. In this point of view, isolation could have its positive impact on the rushed Londoners.

Through rethinking the empty street, the original resistance towards city lockdown will be released.

The London Street during the pandemic: During the pandemic, the streets of London were deserted, with no cars, no bicycles and in most cases, no pedestrians in sight. The city was ours. Strolling together in the middle of the street, we could symmetrically take in the buildings at both sides. London’s architecture, even to untrained eyes, is fascinating. Townhouses and buildings of different eras, standing next to each other, in harmony (at least in most cases). The journey of aimlessly meandering became by far the most pleasurable element.

Especially for the normal busy London life, walking aimlessly in the city is a luxury for time-deprived, rushed Londoners. Saturday evenings were especially poignant. Fitzrovia, Notting Hill, Mayfair, Belgravia, Pimlico, Clerkenwell, Holborn, Covent Garden, Marylebone, Soho… Neighbourhoods that would normally bustle with life, lay silent and still. There was life though behind the facades and the Coade stone decorated doorways. As sunlight faded, rooms were lit and shadows appeared behind the curtains.

Rewrite the story: A game playing in the empty London street: Inspired by everyone’s childhood game during the night, each time a window was lit, we made a story about the people living in the flat or the house. Inspired by the façade, our glimpses of the décor and the location, we created elaborate stories, questioning and assisting each other to build up the story of the people, their sartorial choices, their occupations, their values and politics.

This scenario tries to create spontaneous story-making in the empty or busy cityscape. It tries to imitate the street cityscape and additional Neo vertical street: The performance block and the audience block are separate and facing each other. The audience block provides a journey(vertical street) for people meandering vertically through out the building, and see the performance across the street, creating their own stories.

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1.LONDON STREET(NORMAL) CONNECTION & ISOLATION

2.LONDON STREET(COVID-19) ISOLATION & INTERACTION

The bikeway The road The pedestrain-The store front

The pedestrain The Closed store Empty Street

CHAPTER I DESIGN PROCESS Transform the street-landscape During the lock-down period, the relationship between people and street were changed, people has chance to meandering in the empty London street. It is like watching a new type of performance.

3.THE STREET OBJECTS 1.Street Light 2.Traffic Light 3.Bench 4.Storefront 5.Green Belt 6.Window

4.STREET VIEW THE WAY OF SEEING POETICALLY Audience and Perfomer Window and Street

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Dark Forest

1.SCALE STRANGE

2.POSITION RE-PLACEMENT

60% Original Building Scale Mega Struct-Bench/Street Light Alien

Depressed Sunken Weird The position of road/storefront/window/light

CHAPTER I DESIGN PROCESS Deconstruct the Street Elements Through the process of scale, displace, distort and re-combine. The original street elements are re-constructed to form a weird type of darkness to the visitors. Those elements are symbolic to represent the new idea in the Covid.

3.BROKEN DISTORTION Isolation(Accessibility) More Dense(Darker) Performing Stage

CARNABY ST-THE PROCESS OF CHANGING PERCEPTION From Light to Dark From Open to Depressed From Communication to Isolated

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'Red' Curtain The 'red' objects are all around the street scenario, becomes a symbol

Floor Light On the ground floor, the floor lights guide the audiences.

3.Covid life with closed shops and stay at home

2.Normal life with open shops

1.Entering the street-the show must begin

Traffic Light It is a traffic light,which is placed in a weird condition.

Oblique Stone They are structrual and also symbolic.

The patterns dismatches their forms.

5.The life collapse, but we still find hope in our mini-nature

4.We play with the facade of the street, be trapped under the deep well

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Lynch & his students: The lights bring us in front What is behind the curtain? A woman in red i

t of a red curtain, seems like a show will start. is riding a red horse, we should follow her.

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The women disappeared, the place is not for a show, but f We see the collapse of some pieces

for a illusion, a metaphor of our lives during the Covid. s, as they are blocking our ways.

19

People seem never enjoy lives of being al standing just under the soptlight, life becomes slow a

lone. But meandering in the empty street, and poetic. Then we have time to figure out the truth.

20

Follow the steps, we arrive at the ground fl three dishonest objects support the whole: st With the guidance of nature and li

floor. It is a bit depressed, full of chaos, teel, stone,and concrete; they are symbolic. ight, we find the way going forward.

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CHAPTER II: TOWER THEATRE BALCONY-HELPLESS AND LOSS Loss, helpless and depressed - Entertaining urban spectacle : The balcony and neighbors (Touch and Material) This scenario provides a public gathering space for opportunities to communicate with neighbors, and at the same time interacting with material, space and darkness (environment).

Communication with both neighbors and nature is the key to deal with helpless and depressed mental issues.

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‘Signs, Southern California’ photograph by Walker Evans, 1936.

Mus. no. 171-1977

Balconies on Columbia Road, East London.

Image: Wikicommons User Justinc

BALCONIES ON COLUMBIA ROAD

Chapter II:

Loss, helpless and depressed - Entertaining urban spectacle : The balcony and neighbors (Touch and Material)

This scenario provides a public gathering space for opportunities to communicate with neighbors, and at the same time interacting with material, space and darkness (environment). Communication with both neighbors and nature is the key to deal with helpless and depressed mental issues.

The Balcony and Neighbours during the pandemic: The balcony, then, has taken on a new, potent meaning. This cantilevered patch of private/public outdoor space has become a desirable and reactivated middle ground in the time of crisis. And it provides a new perch for many forms of everyday activities usually conducted elsewhere: from exercising and dancing to early evening civic gathering space. It becomes a necessary-yet-entertaining urban spectacle when life on the street has all but disappeared during this time. Here, we park our bikes, hang out the washing or store boxes that won’t fit inside; sometimes we create mini-oases, boutique gardens of delight, that provide a pleasant green prospect from one’s window – but not one to sit within.

The balcony could also be used as platform for oration, like a performance stage collecting all the attention from the neighbors and public. The balcony, when you look closely, is rich in design history and full of life.

Neighbors: Despite everything going on, these neighbourly good vibes, even if superficial, were a mental support. One lives in a block of flats shared by one communal entrance, with a large yard in front. Those two elements were key to ones interaction. To a certain degree, community engagement can be framed as a design question. Implemented radical systems of mixing spaces of conviviality along with spaces that encouraged individual appropriation.

There’s much discussion today about what we would like to keep from the experience of the last year. While much of it has been inarguably bad, certain experiences at the community level have been revelatory – a reminder of the power that local amenities, good neighbours, and a slower pace of life can bring.

Rewrite the story: continuing play on the balcony and talking to the neighbors When the pandemic subsides, many fear that it will be far too easy to slip back into our old ways and habits. To avoid that, the scenario that explore how interaction and engagement can be designed and facilitated to bring us together are more urgent than ever. It encourages visitors touching the surrounding material and talking to others, and also imagining the urban living continues to play out on the balcony as much as the street.

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1.UP AND DOWN

2.HORIZONTAL

Different levels with Neiborghs

Long balcony Individual Half-open Space

CHAPTER II BALCONY TYPOLOGIES Spatial Relationship of different typologies of Balcony Vertical Spatial Connection with Exterior Balcony as a half-open urban space is vital during the Covid Lock-down period. It becomes the mostly used space than ever. There are different typologies of balcony and its different spatial qualities.

3.EMBEDDED/COVERD Corridor Public Space

4.CROSS COMMUNICATION

Communication among different Neiborghs

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TAKE EXERCISE STORAGE

BATHING

DANCING

RESTING

CIVIC GATHERING + ORATION POT PLANTS/MINI GARDEN

CHAPTER II BALCONY ACTIVITIES A Place for Gathering, Communication, Plants During the lock-down period, people used balcony more than ever. It becomes a place for neighbor gathering, communication. And for the private opportunities, people can do exercise and grow their own small garden.

Neighbor Connection & Communication Combination of all typologies and activites

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1.Shading System Block most of the nature light

6. Open balcony space With nature light and large gathering place

5.A Cor

4.A Wei People the pla

A Weird Corridor/Staircase rridor and staircase is leading to nowhere

2.A Weird Gathering/Communication place People outside are seeing people inside like visiting prisoners.

3.Green and moss grows on top of the surface Part of the surface become smooth and soft

ird Curved Place suddenly meet the smooth and softness, ace is like a dungeon

Herman hertzberger, 1970 Office Building 'Centraal Beheer'

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4.Fa

The street-scape There is only one pathway that the street and the tower, whic on the ground level

acade cover-up

2.Internal archive space

1.From Avenue to the Tower Theatre 3.External balcony Space

t connects ch is only

Plants on the wall They are growing uncontrollable

Digital Screen Those play the archive of the Covid

'White' Floor The irregular floor guides people around the whole tower space, becomes a symbol

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(The medical staff) Rachel and Ruth select another path: Suddenly, th The dark forest covers something behind, we cannot see the who

he floor becomes lumpy, some soft material start to occupy the space. ole: only a weird facade with a staircase leading to nowhere.

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We approach the building to see what is happen We cannot tell where is inside and outside. Actually,

nning inside, see through a cage like window. where are we? There is only one way to go up stairs.

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We are like stalkers stealing on this strange b Are we in a dungeon? Where is the prisoners? or

building. The scale of the elements look wrong. the Covid patients? Are they all locked inside?

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There is the 'Other' world inside. The alarming the arrival of the Covid time. It bri

g, digital screens, and glowing lights suggest ings stress and anxiety immediately.

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CHAPTER III THE PARK AND GARDEN-RELEASE Release-Park (contested public commodities) and Garden Park is essential for the public during the pandemic. More intangible, emotional joys of reconnecting with the natural environment are also powerful here. It is the best place for healing and releasing. How to solve the public disputes on parks would be the key of this scenario.

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Derek Jarman’s Garden, courtesy Tim Brighton

REGENT'S PARK

Credit: Zofia Trafas White

Chapter III: Release-Park, (contested public commodities) and Garden Park is essential for the public during the pandemic. More intangible, emotional joys of reconnecting with the natural environment are also powerful here. It is the best place for healing and releasing. How to solve the public disputes on parks would be the key of this scenario.

Park and Garden during the pandemic: Public parks continue to be busy spaces of the pandemic. They have also emerged as arguably one of the most contested public realms of the lockdown experience. For those living in crowded cities, public parks have been given a vital role for restoring our mental and physical well-being, a space of collective healing during COVID-19. Such beliefs in the restorative capacities of the natural environment are not new, and indeed ‘nature cures’ have long been associated with boosting immunity and tackling respiratory health in particular – from the healing powers of sunshine (‘heliotherapy’) to the vital necessity of fresh air.

On this level, our reconnection with public parks during COVID-19 may have a lasting and vital benefit, as both a timely re-kindling of our close need for trees and green spaces and a re-appreciation of the crucial role these play in rebalancing our polluted urban habitats. Understanding our entanglement with the natural world has never been more important.

Contested public commodity:

1.

Park use in the first phase of UK lockdown had the memorable slogan of ‘keep moving’, where quite literally, we were no longer permitted to sit. As parks were recalibrated for ‘COVID-safe’ use, the traditional objects that furnish our green public realm were also taken out of use. From police lines cordoning off brightly-coloured playgrounds to taped-up picnic tables and benches, the warning signs that we are in a pandemic are still constantly visible.

2. we try and figure out how best to keep ‘social distances’ with ease in crowded parks. Venturing off-path and traversing a rolling green expanse may be the best option so far, but it is also clear that old forms of casual strolling can no longer apply. our walking reimagines these spaces again.

3.

Public parks have a long history as a stage for diverse forms of behaviour on display: requiring self-regulation and distancing; they are the stage for new choreographic practices of collective trust.

The recent debate’s conclusive defence of the fundamental right to public park space must not be forgotten as we seek to plan for a post-COVID-19 world.

Rewrite the story: Contested public commodities to Jarman’s garden Jarman’s garden : The only contemporary garden to be made without a boundary. The shingles, wind and salt from the sea provide an extreme version of gardening with the ‘right plant for the right place’ philosophy.

It evokes resilience and an uplifting sense that if a garden can be made here – that is, on a stony beach, overlooked menacingly by a power station – it can be made on any site, however small and vulnerable. This scenario will focus on solving public disputes on park applying the idea from Jarman’s garden.

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0.REGENT'S PARK Open Air Theatre and Fountain

(Normal) Lawn Space

(Covid-19) Lawn Space: Stay 2m Apart Protect the NHS

1.NORMAL LIFE IN FOUNTAIN Gathering Picnic Group of people

2.LIFE DURING THE COVID Social distance People in Two or three Separate

(Normal vs Covid-19) Open Air Theatre Crowded vs Closed

(Covid-19 vs Normal) Fountain Empty vs Gathering

3.NORMAL LIFE IN OPEN THEATRE Gathering Open Air Group of people

4.LIFE DURING THE COVID No Gathering Shut down

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1.SUNKEN FALLEN

2.OVE RESTR

Open-air theatre sunken into the ground level, falling into the deep hole

Two central space ove become the common several paths

CHAPTER III DESIGN PROCESS Deconstruct the Landscape of Covid Park Through the process of scale, displace, overlap and re-combine. The original park elements are re-constructed to form a weird type of darkness to the visitors. They raise the questions of public and private usage of gardens and parks in London.

ERLAP RICT

erlap one and another n core space with leading to it

2.BROKEN ISOLATION PUBLIC & PRIVATE FALLING APART The land collapse, was broken into pieces they are in different levels

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3.Limited pathway Without free walking

4.Pathway Leading to Unknown Visitors have no idea where they will head to

2.Fallen and Height Difference Huge height differences, feeling not safe

1.Sunken Stage Deep and sunken place for the performing

5.Public and Private auditorium Isolations, people are sending into different places to watch

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3. The main performing

2. Different pathways leading to different auditorium

1.From street to the theatre

Enclosed Auditorium Rooms Some of the paths guide audience to a enclosed room, where people are kept inside.

Stage In the p in order

g stage

performing process, the stage is raised r to avoid submerged by water.

4. The entrance from the other sides, the 'dark' Forest area

Water and Plants During the performing, the water level raises, they are coming from the underground.

Red Facilities The playground facilities are abandoned, they are placed everywhere.

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Lynch: Following the lights on the ground lev The kraurotic roots are leading us towards so

vel, we arrive at a dark and narrow corridor. omething, something blends into the darkness.

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(The medical staff) We finally escape from the dungeon, no, the tower.

) Rachel and Ruth: The lumpy floor guides us towards an alien piece.

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Finally, here is the destination. Everything looks muc Except some plants growing on the wall and som

ch more usual and fine than what we have been through. mething hiden around. Still, a weird theatre.

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As the show starts, we are al The water level starts to raise, looks lik

ll locked in a cage-like box. ke the stage will be submerged in a while.

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CHAPTER IV RELEASE AT THE 'DARK' PARK Walking around the 'Dark Forest' and meeting the 'Moon' After finishing watching the play, some audiences are arriving at another internal park under the glass roof, nature light starts to appear, a dark forest start to glowing.

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(The medical staff) Rachel and Ruth: The show ends, a ...It's a park, and some red structures. we are inside of

and water stoped raise, we should escape from here...

We can see some lights here, but still, the black box...

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CHAPTER V RELEASE AT THE 'DARK' PARK Walking around the 'Dark Forest' After finishing watching the play, audiences are exiting. They arrive into a park near the water, but there still a conopy above. Here they are meditating, extracting themselves from the 'other' world.

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Lynch and his students: It seems we ar But the somber lights and uncanny

re all escape from the 'Other' world. atmosphere are still surround us.

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We take boats to escape f In a few minutes, we meet another

from the 'dark' forest... r one... Are we back here agian?

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APPENDIX JOURNEY IN THE 'DARK' FOREST Meet the 'dark' forest The appendix includes all the key drawings and related explained diagrams. It represents the whole project in a collective way.

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1. RED CURTAIN

One curtain behind the other, it leads people to a immersive show, not a conventional one.

6. A STAIRCASE FACADE

A staircase leads to no where, it is a fake one, but still appealling.

11. THE CANTILEVER STAGE

A stage is flying outside of the building. It is for auditorium, not for performance.

2. TRAFFIC LIGHT

It has a strange scale and position, but still guiding people in a way.

7. THE CAGE WINDOW

It provides the visual in another space, but people cannot reach it easily.

12. THE ALIEN CIRCULAR LIGHT

The light is in circular, looks like an alien piece falling to the earth.

DISHONEST OBJECT LIST UNCANNY The uncanny objects within the whole design scheme that make dishonesty. In another word, the objects creates unusual movement which dismatch the convential belief or strategy.

3. ROAD LAMP

Road lamp becomes a falling.

8. 'WHITE' FLOOR

The floor texture is irre and downs hills

13.CAGE

It is an auditorium, audienc a cage!

symbol here, it is

egular, with ups

ces are watching at

4. BROKEN FLOOR

5. THREE COLUMNS(WITH PATTERNS)

9. THE CHAOTIC LADDER

10. DIGITAL SCREEN

The floor slabs are broken into pieces, people can see what happening downstairs.

Looks dangerous, but they are connected in a quite convincing way. Should we trust them?

14.OBLIQUE STAGE AND RAISING WATER

A the show proceeding, the stage become oblique, and water raises up.

Columns are falling too, but their patterns still remain the same.

It plays all the archives from the Covid-19 event.

15.MOON LIGHT

A circular shape window or lighting on the wall, looks like a moon behind the trees

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NATURAL LIGHT A

1.GLASS ROOF

Above part of the forest, are glass roofs on the to provides enough natural l during day time.

2.LARGE WINDOW ON THE WALL

At the end of the buildin is a huge circular window light.

3.GROUND LEVEL

At the ground level, ther nature light penetrate to lower level, but the wate still reach that space. T not much green, only the roots and moss, even mangrass.

LIGHTING & DRAINAGE SYSTEM 'DARK' FOREST Ecological lighting and recycle drainage system The Glass roof above some area provides a greenhouse for the interior forest.

During the daytime, trees receive nature light. The roof structure also contains a drainage system for collecting rain water for the forest below.

AND DRAINAGE

, there op, which light

N

ng, there w for

re is no o the er can This is moist -made

ARTIFICIAL LIGHT

1.DIGITAL SCREEN LIGHT 2.WALL LIGHT 3.ROAD LAMP

4.CEILING LIGHT 5.SPOTLIGHT 6.GLOWING LIGHT

7.FLOOR LIGHT 8.INTERIOR LIGHT

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CHAPTER I

3.Covid life with closed shops and stay at home 2.Normal life with open shops

1.Entering the street-the show must begin

5.The life collapse, but we still find hope in our mini-nature

4.We play with the facade of the street, be trapped under the deep well

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CHAPTER II

4.Fa

acade cover-up

2.Internal archive space

1.From Avenue to the Tower Theatre 3.External balcony Space

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CHAPTER III

3. The main performing

2. Different pathways leading to different auditorium

1.From street to the theatre

g stage

4. The entrance from the other sides The 'dark' forest area

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JOURNEY 1

STORYBOARD

JOURNEY 2

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LEARNING FROM DARK HERITAGE:

A Psychoanalytic View on the Post-pandemic World SHAOKANG LI Y5 THESIS: A STUDY ON DARK HERITAGE AND UNCANNY

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