OTHER AREAS OF THE WORLD
THE SLUMS:
When I first stumbled upon this picture I was outraged, overwhelmed by the severe juxtaposition of wealth and poverty. The over indulgence of the residence on the right side, seemed insensitive and cruel. Neglecting the realities of the world around them, they do nothing to help make changes in their own society, while flaunting their wealth in front of those less fortunate. However, after viewing the videoStewart Brand proclaims 4 environmental 'heresies', my outlook on the photo has greatly changed. I still find the massive building to be insulting, yet I see the slums differently. I originally perceived squatters as people trying to survive through intense poverty. It had not occurred to me that they had chosen this life over their lives in small villages. That by living in a slum, in such close proximity to a large city, they were allowing themselves the opportunity to escape their former lives and accumulate money as functioning members of society. As stated in the video, these people find work in such buildings as the on one on the ‘boring’ side of town, as the squatters live in a bustling environment full of all necessities within a strong and close-knit community.
A great video on the issue of squatters:
INSPIRATION TO CHANGE
ANIMALS:
ANTS - As a species, humans must learn to not only fix the mistakes we have created, but to once again mesh within the balance of the earth. Reverting to our instinctual behaviours, and most importantly, drawing inspiration from the creatures around us.
Natural biological systems are self-organized, flexible, robust and adaptive. As a designer, I am hugely inspired by animals. They live maintaining a perfect balance with all other life and I am awed by their complex simplicity. Ants in particular, astonish me as I study their behaviours. I consider them to be the most remarkable architects. Not only do they design intricate and intelligent metropolises for themselves, they survive within a productive, working community. Each ant has a specific purpose, maintaining a balance within the colony, while continuously developing new methods in which to live. The division of labour throughout the colony appoints scouts, always searching for more progressive ways to live, while the others work as foragers, continuing to “exploit the current best solution”. “This subtle balance means that multiple solutions can be maintained while an optimum is still sought, but alternative solutions are kept available”(3). Humans should follow this example. Past developers neglected obvious natural inspirations and opted to design in an undeniably human fashion: through the over consumption of all available resources.
LEADERS:
JANE JACOBS (1916-2006) - I regard Jane Jacobs as a pioneer within the environmental community. A writer and activist, she was far ahead of her time. She saw the obvious flaws of urban planning from the time it was introduced. She realized how unsustainable this way of life was and did not allow her opinions to be over looked. Having written 7 books and been arrested multiple times for her activism, she greatly influenced the world through her poignant critiques on urban renewal and the blocking of urban renewal projects.
“In her book ‘Death and Life of Great American Cities,’ written in 1961, Ms. Jacobs’s enormous achievement was to transcend her own withering critique of 20th-century urban planning and propose radically new principles for rebuilding cities. At a time when both common and inspired wisdom called for bulldozing slums and opening up city space, Ms. Jacobs’s prescription was ever more diversity, density and dynamism — in effect, to crowd people and activities together in a jumping, joyous urban jumble.”
-Douglas Martin, The New York Times, April 25, 2006
MYSELF:
Environmental issues are often exploited to such an extent that throughout my youth, I had become desensitized. Environmental related disasters were occurring far from where I lived and these problems did not seem real. However, over last few years, working towards a greener society has become a prevalent concern for me. I have forced myself to come to terms with the state of the environment while analyzing my actions and the actions of others. It would be naive and selfish to expect these problems to simply disappear, and as a designer, I have the ability to think, create and produce new and exciting products or buildings that would have the potential to help change this world for the better.
“Being ‘less bad’ is no good”. The approach to manufacturing must be re-evaluated and redesigned from a fresh perspective, and problems must be addressed by their roots and fully solved, as opposed to simply changing the bare minimum.
The human’s self-indulgent “waste to waste” approach is not only short sighted; it is so dangerous that it will ultimately lead to the earth’s demise. A planet handed down to future generations, overflowing with chaos and turmoil.
I also have begun to re-evaluate the term, sustainability. A true designer does not wish to create products and structures that simply sustain the waste overrunning the earth; the goal is change, fixing the mistakes from their foundation. Working within “the same system that caused the problem” only provides the “illusion of change”. The earth will continue to be destroyed, more easily than before, because the public believes that they are making a difference, when in reality, they are not. Completely remodelling an original idea is often the only true way to achieve advancement, forming a true partnership with nature.
INGINUATIVE CREATIONS: WHAT HAS BEEN DONE?
BUILDINGS THAT HAVE BEEN AN INSPIRATION TO ME: SCULPT(IT)
(1)http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/architects/the-skinny-on-livework-space-by-sculptit-051782
BUILDINGS THAT HAVE BEEN AN INSPIRATION TO ME: DONALD CHUNG
“It's always fun to see what people do with tiny, overlooked lots like this one. The Galley House is small but stunning. Though it is only one room wide, and looks quite narrow from the outside, on the inside it gives the impression of overflowing with space.”
“As priorities and lifestyles change, many families are making the decision to stay in the city instead of move to the suburbs for a bigger home. Karen White and David MacNaughtan decided to make a slim small lot in Toronto the site of their new home.”
“They hired architect Donald Chong to design this minimalist home. While the home is certainly skinny—at only 12 feet wide—it’s not really that small with 2,100 square feet. Donald Chong made an impressive use of space with the design. The photos were taken by Dean Kaufman. Check out more of Donald Chong’s work at the links below.”
http://www.canadianarchitect.com/issues/story.aspx?aid=1000217411&issue=11012007 (DONALD CHUNG INTERVIEW)
THINKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE:
As a student, it is important to be constantly thinking, inventing creative solutions for today’s problems. The most important aspect of designing is thinking outside of the box. A designer must not be afraid of rejection. I am continuously inventing products and ideas, despite the fact that I am usually told that they are either impractical or simply foolish. However, the ability to laugh at one’s self and continue with an idea despite ridicule is often what transforms an amateur concept into something brilliant. One of my greatest interests is the living situations of the slums in struggling countries, and squatters are an inspiration to me. To better their lives without the help of society is bold and awe-inspiring.
Here, I have a sketch that myself and my “partner in crime”, Illustration student Joesph Enaje, have created. A possible (yet, farfetched) solution to the issue of dangerous slums, we have drawn from the trend of shipping container architecture and created gated communities for these citizens. Piled 5 stories high and similar to a pyramid in shape; these shipping container apartment complexes hold 16 bins that each act as an individual home. Small in size, however, they are not much different in size than the typical home in a slum. The difference however, is that these homes provide security and safety. They are located in gated communities, protecting them from crime, and the containers themselves provide much more security than the makeshift homes in common slums. With environmentally conscious amenities and elements such as water recycling, green roofs and solar panels, these homes are self sustaining, while the residents can utilize their unique design and decorating ideas to create an environment applicable to their lifestyles.
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it! ROSEROCK…
