Radically Public Architecture
The replanning of the Japanese communities after the earthquakes in 2011 giving municipalities the largest decision making power, which left no formal role for architects or architecture. This led to top down large scale reform like seawalls which can offer much in the way of disaster prevention but are fixed landscape elements that don’t respond to local day to day needs. Despite being outside the layers of the response aid, two groups ArchiAid and Home For All organized collaborative volunteer efforts to go beyond the basic needs of emergency shelter. Chief among their goals and successes was creating public space community buildings within the area of the isolated temporary housing that fostered an element of community. Most interesting in this article is the fact that people acted outside of the government aid structure, but acted quickly, and remained invested in the project for over a decade. The phrase from the Medellin example is extremely succinct, “architectural initiatives are made up of a sequence of varied projects that gather political strength as they advance toward implementation.” This brings up an interesting contrast with Bilbao, who builds in hopes of attracting tourists rather than providing for locals first. The architecture aspires to be ‘open ended’ and allow for future evolution. The public sphere is linked by universal access, which embodies Derridean hospitality by welcoming and granting entry to all.
Indigenous Modernities
The initial part of the article explores the grid not being a European design, but a flexible and convenient device that has been used around the globe for millennia. Colonial mapping was often in a grid and led to the destruction of indigenous lands. The grid of the Incas in Cusco was larger than the typical scale of a european plaza and was meant to be in reverence to the sky and not as much a place of congregation, but it would be split into two smaller plazas through colonization to fit in the European size of a plaza. The plaza was important for its cosmic power and placement within the larger empire of the Incas, it was the literal center of their universe. Additionally, there were attempts to quantify the land, culture and understanding of the Andes and its people. The settler colonial grids better known as the Jefferson Grid transformed the landscape of property into something to be bought and sold – to occupy territory before its actual settlement. The overarching aspect of the grid became capital and shaping the earth in a world rendered uniform by technology, culture, and all other forms of imperialism.
I Mean to be Critical, But…
In critical architecture there are two semi-separate dimensions: the ‘formal’ construction of meaning and the ‘spatial’ mediation of everyday life. The critique of ‘criticality’, entitled ‘after theory’ can be read as both a call to abandon critical social theory entirely because it stifles innovation, and as a plea to integrate architectural thinking with architectural practice. The author poses the question: are all buildings architecture or just the ones made by the elite? The formal meaning of a critical architect will be critical of the thoughtless reproductions of identity and will accept the responsibilities of inevitable production of identities. The author explores Eisenmen’s musings of the symbolic capital and ‘aura’ of the rare and authentic original of the 1700’s farmhouse where the anti-essentialism of deconstructivism folds into a new essentialism. They continue to push the point that unbuildable ideas or theories cannot be considered critical and that “the condition necessary is some vision for the future of the built environment”. This will separate architecture from its consequences and the image becomes an end rather than means. “A critical architecture cannot be practiced in opposition to ideas of the ‘community’”.
Critical Response
Radically Public Architecture succinctly puts words to much of what we have discussed this term in our class discussions. The Euro-centric modernist viewpoint of the ‘Industrial Style’ and forcing modern global movements from groups like CIAM fall short in their efforts and lack the touch of community. I believe the pillars of equitable spaces, adaptive futures, and fresh engagement are an inspiring and proper perspective we should adopt in our future practices. Primarily, I find the open ended attitude for dynamic growth of each project as most important. A continued consultation with people that are actually affected by the inequities we are trying to solve and not just reducing human experience to numbers and data. Although the architects from Japan were largely left out from the top down response of municipalities, they were creative in their sourcing and solutions for all people affected by the tsunamis. The community block to break isolation, the play spaces for kids, and designing with the elderly in mind are just a few examples of how the temporary housing was able to adapt and add.
Application and Interpretation:
The second article aligns with our argument that Singapore’s vibrant architecture breaks away from their colonial roots. Primarily their architecture before the 70’s was strictly that of the colonizer. Later, they adopted the ‘International Style’ and followed the building style of Le Corbusier and the CIAM congregation. Fast forward to today, and the main theme in the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore is to build a vibrant city as a means of ‘self-identity.’ This reminds me of the Wiphala and the push of people to reclaim their identity from the colonizer. Singapore has pushed its greenspace and vibrancy so far that it is now considered a world leader. To me this is best exemplified by the Nanyang Primary School, an investment in the future of its children and a Singaporean vibrant building to house the students.
Wiphala
Nanyang Primary School
Takeaways:
-Equitable Spaces, Adaptive Futures, Fresh Engagement are key factors in creating universal and public space
-The grid is not a European design, but a flexible and convenient device that has been used around the globe for millennia.
