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Aestheticization of Violence
“There are other examples, but the point here is different: architects are reluctant to take on the difficult problems—the ones not yet solved—such as the restoration of slums; the reconstruction of buildings and cities damaged by war; those devastated by earthquake, hurricane and other natural disasters; and especially, the invention of architecture that mitigates the tragic effects of such catastrophes by, in effect, anticipating them.”
‘Aestheticizing Violence’, Lebbeus Woods
Aestheticization of violence as culture
Studies have been done on the power of representation in high culture art and mass media. Cruelty and violence have been wrapped in style with cunning way to ease the unplesant feeling that usually comes with them. Such phenomenon is especially notable in film industry and graphic design.
Planned reading: Black, Joel (1991) The Aesthetics of Murder. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Architecture and Violence
The relationship between architecture and violence might not be the most obvious one but it has been a topic for discussion for the intellectuals. Architecure is considered as the driving ground for violence, as a stage to display a certain statement, manifesto or desire. Its obvious existence makes it the target of bombs and aircrafts. On the other hand, violence generates architecture, more than the demand for new buildings and home after disasters of any kind, architects are also tools for government propaganda.
Architecture as a glamorized murderer
History was studied for human to learn from their past mistake and avoid repeating them. Rebuilding after war/ natural disasters normally generates fancy new buildings and monuments. e.g. building history of London. Such act is isolating the people form its past trauma. All these new construction shows either very little trace of evidence of the past or neutralize the pain throught ways of representation. It stripped the ability to record from archtiecture, which have such exquisite existence on the urban landscape.
The fabric of representation on architecture has been an object of fascination and lead to numerous visually stunning projects throughout time. Yet the debate on whether its a significant and sustained way have never ceased.
Thesis Proposal
Currently there are two major directions that can be pursued:
Perverting Architecture
By tearing off the fabric of representation, to force architecture to get back to reality. As a form of art, architecture should be able to purge negative emotion and a way to help the society to balance its energy within. What might be considered as insane might be necessary for the society to come out from its current ignorance and silence.
Studies could be done on breaking architecture with language and representation, which are major components in masking the truth. Such investigation aims to arrive in certain type of spatial disruption strategy that can attract attention from general public and introduce communication again.
Example projects:
B-018, Lebanon, Bernard Khoury
Readings:
Aestheticizing Violence, Lebbeus Woods
Planned readings:
Theate of Cruelty, Antonin Artaud
The Anaesthetics of Architecture, Neil Leach
Radical Reconstruction, Lebbeus Woods
Architecture as a murdering mechanism
If one accept the current stage of how brutal truth is masked in a styllistically excessive way, then an investigation can be conducted on how to celebrate, visualize such existing condition to a point that it is now the objest of fascination. To study architecture as instrument of power and violence as its consequence, there will be an nver-ending replay of cruelty in the world. General public is defendless as they fail to escape from the “theme park” governments or higher power figures have built.
Isolation does not merely happened on social level, between human communities, but also among all beings on planet Earth. Most architecture isolates human from other life forms on the planet, agreeing human as the dominating force. Such thoughts will in the end brings tremendous destruction to all beings on the earth and the consequences will eventually get back to the human race.
Theatre, temple and even animal slaughterhouse can be studied as systems/ scenarios to further understand such mechanism. A re-mapping/ visualiation of the system can also be done to trigger the next point of design.
Example projects:
works of Mario Soroni and Giuseppe Terragni
works of Giovanni Battista Piranesi
New Babylon, Constant
Readings:
Planned readings:
A Landscape of Events, Paul Virilio
Violence of Architecute, Bernard Tschumi
     
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