Shifting Places
Reasons and Foundations of an A-historical Architecture: Gianugo Polesello and the “Venice Laboratory” View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Alioscia Mozzato
The hypothesis of a ‘timeless’ architecture, constructed simultaneously in myth and history, is the theme of study and research. It is a design theme (and a difficult one). This passage, written by Gianugo Polesello for the research project “Centuriazioni, Città e porti dell’Alto Adriatico” (2002), introduces some theoretical and operational issues related to the complex system of relationships between architecture and history in the theoretical and design research developed by Gianugo Polesello in thirty years of the “Laboratorio Venezia” educational and research activities on the metropolitan lagoon city of Venice. Attempting to relate the opening passage to the idea of historicity described by Walter Benjamin in his “Theses”, which question the historicist temporal ‘continuum’, the design operation seems to aim at “suspending” the diachronic dimension of historical time in order to assume history as ‘building material’ and, through inventions that repeat the “already-done”, continuously historicize its meaning “in a sort of co-presence, in a history without a succession of time”. This contribution critically retraces some of Gianugo Polesello’s most significant “Venetian projects” for the metropolitan lagoon city of Venice. Its purpose is to elucidate the logical pathways and theoretical and operational underpinnings of a design methodology that abstracts elements “already-given” from their historical context and recontextualizes them with renewed significance. This approach broadens the relationship between architecture and history beyond the limitations and measure of time, embracing, as Polesello asserts, a broader perspective that transcends temporal confines and conventional categorizations of temporality.
Featured The Value of Interdisciplinary Theories in Understanding Heritage-based Development Initiatives: A Case from Lagos State, Nigeria View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Ifeloju Olusanya
Heritage has become a recognized partner in the development agenda of developed countries. Nevertheless, this is not the case in many developing countries in Africa. The concept of heritage and its usage is often multidisciplinary. Because of the subjectivity of heritage, there is no one-size-fits-all theory to adequately explore how to utilize heritage from the social and economic development standpoint. In particular, heritage conservation theories fall short of doing justice to heritage-based developmental initiatives because their scope is limited to stylistic exploration or action-oriented approaches. By developing a conceptual framework based on the integration of Parson's structural functionalism theory and Porter's competitive advantage, this study explores the historic environment as an ecosystem wherein different components function to ensure the whole system is functional and efficient. In this sense, a heritage town (system) consists of several factors, stakeholders, and resources necessary to achieve sustainable development while protecting and enhancing the dominant and repressed value chain. This study explored the concept of heritage development in the Badagry area of Lagos State by interviewing residents, business owners, and heritage experts, conducting field observations, and focus group sessions. This study's relevance pertains to its contributions regarding how heritage and related initiatives are imagined and undertaken. Findings suggest three core areas of consideration in theory building and practical application: redefining and identifying what heritage means beyond established conventions, understanding the need for factoring ignored heritage sectors, and factoring the interconnectedness between heritage value, community participation, capacity building, and heritage planning in achieving sustainable development.
The Aesthetics of Safety: Perception and Community in Schools, Lessons from Sandy Hook View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Meghan Mick
This paper discusses the cultural aesthetics of secure school environments and how they are perceived by both the users and the general public. Although school safety is a critical issue, many design solutions are misdirected and only add to the fear and insecurity of the students and faculty who reside there every day. This research employs a case study of the design and reconstruction of Sandy Hook Elementary School following the tragic events of 2012. Interviews with the architect and current administration suggest alternative methods of secure school design that can both welcome and create community. Many of the difficult lessons learned in Newtown, Connecticut can guide a more gentle and engaging design approach to keep children safe without impeding learning and connection.
