DISORIENTATION IN ARCHITECTURE – INTRODUCTION AND ABSTRACT [1 OF 4]
- Authoradmin
- Date 3 December 2016
- CategoryThesis
The problem at hand is that architects, in a narrow focus on orientation, often do not consider disorientation as an element of composition in design. The result is the creation of unbalanced, monotonous spaces that discourage the discovery of self and others through social interaction in the realms of the built environment. The research method for this paper is to define orientation and disorientation in the physical, temporal and psychological realms and study significant spaces that exemplify phenomena within each classification. The result of diagramming attributes of these spaces is an understanding that disorientation can be achieved through an architecture of sameness and can be present not only in spaces typically considered highly disorienting but also in spaces considered highly orienting.
The paper moves from theory to history and examines the impact of the industrial revolution and technology on our built environment. What become obvious are the exacerbating qualities on normative typologies in architecture leading us to occupy spaces that discourage human interaction on personal and cultural levels. The conclusion is that architects have the means and methods to utilize technology and these vast spans of iterative normative rhythms to reorient society to one another through what at first glance may be considered a disorienting architecture. The resulting intervention will take place along the Metro, either engaging an existing stop or creating a new stop. The goal is to engage a high-density portion of the city that encompasses a broad cross-section of society, such that journey through transition will actually be the destination utlizing the new concept of temporary urbanism.
An aberration from normative typology, and with no obvious circulation – the spaces will become an engaging, incorporating elements of disorientation. The program combines playful crosses and juxtapositions of spaces such as galleries, restaurants, offices, pastures, civic works, worship spaces, retail etc. based on the needs of the cross-section. The resulting space is intended to flux between a playground, a puzzle, a museum, a village, and a wonderland but is ultimately a community center. It will offer the community one long series of experiences by combining orienting- and disorienting themes in constantly evolving circulation. The result will be balanced spaces that challenge visitors to reconnect with each other, reward them with dynamic experiences, and reground them into a mutually supporting society.
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