legaciesescapism&the seduction of the aftermath of

APRIL DAVID

// tAbLe Of CONteNts

1.0 + iNtrODuCtiON

ABSTRACT 08escapism 10legacies 12

2.0 + urbAN PLAygrOuND ( CONstruCtiON & iNhAbitAtiON )

4.0 + the ”iN betWeeN”

3.0 + PhAses Of PArADOx

// PArt ONe LegACies

esCAPism + LegACies + eVeNt-DriVeN ArChiteCture

URBAN PLAYGROUND 19PLATFORMS 21BUILDING THE infrastructure 23THE MAKING OF A CITY TIMELINE 24TEMPLATES 26SITE PLAN 28timeline 302D / 3D 34PRELIMINARY MODEL 36INHABITATION 37PRELIMINARY PLAN 38PRELIMINARY SECTION 39SCALES 40RELATIONSHIPS 42

PHASE ONE// laYering 46PHASE TWO// (re)apprOpriating 48PHASE THREE// instigating transfOrmatiOn 50DESIGN CHARRETTES 54MODEL 56

AERIAL VIEWS OF MODEL 61TOP TIER PLAN 64SECTION (OF TOP PLATFORM) 66SECTIONAL MODEL 68MODEL (WITHIN URBAN PLAYGROUND) 70

7.0 + CAtWALk As iNfrAstruCture ( PrOPOsitiON )

8.0 + esCAPism & LegACies ( DesigN DeVeLOPmeNt )

6.0 + Pier mAuA ( site iNVestigAtiON )

// PArt tWO esCAPism

5.0 + esCAPism & eVeNts ( riO De JANierO )

9.0 + sOurCes

ESCAPISM 76mega-events 78EVENT VENUES 80NEW YEARS IN RIO 83

SURROUNDING CONTEXT 86PIER MAUA 90EXISTING SITE CONDITIONS & CONTEXT 94BRAZILIAN PRECEDENCE STUDIES 97PRECEDENCE STUDIES 98ARTIFACT 101FASHION RIO 102DESIRE FOR ESCAPISM 105ESCAPISM COLLECTION 106

surfaces fOr walking 109PRECEDENCES 111PROPOSED INTERVENTIONS 113SITE MODEL 114PRELIMINARY SKETCH MODEL 115PRELIMINARY ATMOSPHERIC RENDERING 118CONCEPT// laYering 120DESIGN PROCESS AND DEVELOPMENT 122CONCEPT// pOrOsitY 126VOLUMETRIC STUDY MODEL STUDIES 128CONCEPT// eXtensiOn 131VOLUMETRIC STUDY MODEL STUDIES 132CATWALK MODEL STUDIES 134CONCEPT// versatilitY 136THE afterlives (SECTIONS) 140events (SECTIONS) 144LATITUDINAL SECTIONAL relatiOnsHips 148

THESIS PANELS 188OCCUPY PUBLIC SPACE | BRAZIL 191HOTHUT| WINNIPEG 193IMMERSED IN IDLENESS | BRAZIL 195SOURCES 199

FEATURES OF PROPOSED SITE PLAN 154UNFOLDING THE CATWALK 156SITE PLAN PROGRAMS 161FLOOR PLANS 163STUDY MODEL 166FASHION SHOW IN PROGRESS 168ATMOSPHERIC PERSPECTIVES & SECTIONS 171STUDY MODEL 181CONCLUSIONS 184

esCAPism?esCAPism?esCAPism?hOW CAN ArChiteCture fACiLitAte

esCAPism

Our work-obsessed culture, within the context of an urban cityscape, has made the notion of escapism vastly appealing and the allure of being immersed in hyper-realities second nature. This constant insatiable desire of wanting to escape our own realities refl ects the psychological reliance upon immersion as a way to understand the world and our place in it.

This project seeks to examine the ways in which events, for the collective, can reveal spaces of escape from the accelerated temporalities enforced by societal norms.

Escapism, in this project, is understood as a momentarily mental and/or physical diversion from the banality of the everyday. In this project, the mediator in which escapism occurs is through architecture.

Mega-events are the epitome of contemporary escapism. High profi le events temporarily transport both spectators and participants into a world production that thrives on the constant pursuit and desire of bearing witness to accomplishing feats never achieved before. This cultural phenomenon serves as a channel from which audiences can retreat from mundane, conventional lifestyles. This desire to immerse oneself into a shared ideology derives from the innate passion for competition and the romantic notions of inspiration and solidarity.

PART ONE //

1.0 + INTRODUCTION

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hOW CAN ArChiteCture fACiLitAte Escapism is a momentarily mental and/or physical diversion from the banality of

the everyday.

ThE MAkING OF A CITy TIMELINE

Included in this drawing are invoices that were issued echoing the financial debt. There are also rules and regulations that were enforced by SPAM. A competition was introduced revealing which thesis platform each student would be working and where each group was located within the model. A political aspect emerged resulting in the executive decision of the complete destruction of the preliminary infrastructure, the reconstruction of the new infrastructure system and resulted in a forced relocation which all prompted the drafting of a infrastructural contract agreement.

PART ONE //

2.0 + URBAN PLAyGROUND

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SITE PLANSpray paint on bond paper.72” x 48”

The templates where used in a collaborative effort to create a site plan for each of the platforms. This process initiated the act of marking possible territories to be inhabited. This process was accomplished through the layering of spray paint in conjunction with layer cut templates.

PART ONE //

2.0 + URBAN PLAyGROUND

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SCALESMixed media print on bond paper.34” x 11”

Mega-events are large scale cultural events, which have a dramatic character, mass popular appeal and international significance. A feature of mega events is that they have multiple dimensions including local, national and international. This drawing merges together the difference scales tacked within Urban Playground as it pertains to this project.

PART ONE //

2.0 + URBAN PLAyGROUND

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RELATIONShIPS Mixed media print on bond paper.26” x 16”

This perspective shows the intent to create relationships between other adjacent projects within Urban Playground.

Urban Playground serves as a precursor to establishing a strategy and addresses the themes of layering, appropriating and instigating transformation in which the relationships of the proposed programs and events changes according to phases. It is important to note that these phases are not to be considered distinct and independent of each other but were often done in conjunction and overlap throughout the duration of the process.

PART ONE //

2.0 + URBAN PLAyGROUND

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MODEL (wIThIN URBAN PLAyGROUND)1:200.

The architectural proposition that developed for and as the result of Paradox.

PART ONE //

3.0 + PhASES OF PARADOx

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Drawing (on left side)Overall plan view (of top platform)1:100. Mixed media print on semi gloss paper.

URBAN PLAyGROUND TOP TIER PLANmixed use commercial + residential (stadium)

mixed use commercial + residential (stadium two)

mixed use commercial + residential (stadium one)

main entrance and public plaza

vehicl

e + pe

destri

an cir

culati

on

vehicl

e + pe

destri

an cir

culati

on

water towers and aquatic recreation centre

IMAGE LEFT //OVERALL PLAN VIEw Original 1:100. Mixed media print. Top Platform.

IMAGE RIGhT //PLAN VIEw (OF SECTION MODEL)Original 1:100. Mixed media print.

These drawings show the imagined inhabitation post-event with glimpses of inhabitation during Paradox.

PART ONE //

4.0 + ThE “IN BETwEEN”

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drive-in theater (event parkade)

main entrance and public plaza

vehicl

e + pe

destri

an cir

culati

on

vehicle + pedestrian circulation

public plaza with landscape

outdoor auditorium

sky

open t

o

open t

o

open t

o

commercial and retail

commercial and retail

commer

cial a

nd ret

ail

commercial and retail

sky

courtyard (stage)

courtyard

elevators & stairs

elevators & stairs

MODEL (wIThIN URBAN PLAyGROUND)1:200.

Atmospheric photo studies during Paradox.

PART ONE //

4.0 + ThE “IN BETwEEN”

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PART TwO //

5.0 + ESCAPISM & EVENTS

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NEw yEARS IN RIOMixed media collage.

Graphic illustrating the preparation of, during and after 2012’s New Years celebration on Copacobana Beach.

RIO DE JANIERO, BRAZIL The site is in the northern region of Rio of what is now an abandoned pier. This pier was built for the world cup in 1950 to accommodate for an infl ux of people that would come and spectate for the event however during this time World War 2 had just ended and people did not have the means to be able to come.

6.0

PART TwO //

6.0 + PIER MAUA

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PIER MAUA Site Images from and of pier.

PART TwO //

6.0 + PIER MAUA

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PRELIMINARy ATMOSPhERIC RENDERING Spatial qualities derived from studies as seen on previous page. This perspective illustrates the desired fluidity between interior and exterior spaces.

PART TwO //

7.0 + CATwALk AS INFRASTRUCTURE

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ThE AFTERLIVES (SECTIONS) These sections makes reference to the imagined inhabitation through time (long term). Original 1:100.

CATwALk

ExhIBITION SPACE

OBSERVATION CATwALk

TEMPORARy STAGE

PhASE TwO // CULTURAL/EVENT CENTRE wITh RESIDENCE

Much of the design revolves around this phase. In this case, the event center hosts Fashion Rio. Programmatically, the complex includes commercial, production and residential functions.

RESIDENTIAL UNITS

RESIDENTIAL UNITS

RESIDENTIAL UNITS RESIDENTIAL UNITS

OBSERVATION CATwALk wORkShOP/PRODUCTION UNITS

COMMERCIAL/RETAIL TENANTS

CORRIDOR

CATwALk

ExhIBITION SPACE

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PART TwO //

7.0 + CATwALk AS INFRASTRUCTURE

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PhASE ONE // MEGA-EVENT RECEPTION & BANQUET hALL

The proposed architecture is expected to be used throughout different points of its construction. In this instance, it can be used as a banquet hall for up coming events such as the Olympics or the World Cup.

EVENTS (SECTIONS) Inhabitation through time (annually).

The available forms of contemporary mass media have continually influenced our senses of immersion. It is often through sources of entertainment (events, performances and activities) in which we momentarily disconnect ourselves from the real.

CATwALk

CATwALk

CATwALk

CATwALk

EVENT // ThE EVERyDAy

These sections describe how the catwalk/corridor could be used in the everyday setting. Here the catwalk serves as a platform for informal events.

EVENT // FAShION RIO

This section shows how the catwalk/corridor could be inhabited during Fashion Rio.

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PART TwO //

7.0 + CATwALk AS INFRASTRUCTURE

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CATwALk

CATwALk

FEATURES OF PROPOSED SITE PLAN

1 Catwalk connections to the existing urban city fabric. Specifi cally integrating with the adjacent cruiseship terminal and near by parks.

2 Catwalk extending through proposed architecture.

3 Catwalk extending through exterior auditorium and stage.

4 Catwalk extending to look out and observation deck at the end of the pier.

1 2

3 4

PROPOSED SITE PLANDeveloped proposition. Highlighting the catwalk infrastructure that extends from the cityscape, through the proposed architecture and the pier.

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3

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Catwalk as Infrastructure.Predominate path of circulation and its main extensions through the pier.

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PART TwO //

8.0 + ESCAPISM & LEGACIES

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PROPOSED PLAN (AT GRADE)

Developed proposition showing imagined inhabitation in and around the proposed architecture.

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PART TwO //

8.0 + ESCAPISM & LEGACIES

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SECTION

Latitudinal section across the site showing imagined inhabitation in and around the architecture .

FLOOR PLAN AT GRADE

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1 Catwalk2 Restaurant Storage 3 Restaurant Kitchen4 Restaurant5 Open Area6 Bar7 Cafe 8 Exhibition Space9 Open Auditorium & Theatre 10 Event Accessories Storage 11 Stage12 Short Term Storage13 Long Term Storage 14 Loading Dock15 Loading Garage16 Workshop17 Washoom/Change Room18 Laundry Mat Services19 Emergency Staircase20 Mechanical Room21 Open Tenant Spce22 Photographers Pit23 Backstage/Dressing Room24 Audio & Lighting Control Room25 Technical Control Room

26 Fashion Museum/Library27 Theatre Balcony28 Theatre Ticket Booth & Lobby29 Auditorium Seating 30 Observation Catwalk31 Open to Below32 Offi ces33 Conference Spaces34 Workshops35 Service Elevator36 Public Elevator37 Private Elevator38 Living Unit39 Secondary Circulation Corridor40 Interior Swimming Pool41 Exterior Swimming Pool42 Exterior Stage43 Security Station44 Staff Kitchen45 Staff Room46 Photo Studio47 Gallery48 Suspended Exterior Catwalk49 Suspended Exterior Catwalk50 Restaurant Extensions

SECOND FLOOR PLAN

ThIRD/FORTh FLOOR PLAN

FLOOR PLAN AT GRADE

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PART TwO //

8.0 + ESCAPISM & LEGACIES

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STUDy MODEL1:100.

These images articulate the facade in which many of its components can be customized and adjusted to the programmatic needs of the interior and exterior spaces. Hinged, operable and lifting doors create a dynamic envelope that manipulates the experience from inside and outside the building.

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PART TwO //

8.0 + ESCAPISM & LEGACIES

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FAShION ShOw IN PROGRESS1:100. Plan view.

This model describes how a Fashion Show could showcase the potential of the design.

Fashion models arrive to the site by boat.

a temporary catwalk is built that leads the Fashion models into the proposed building.

spectators are seated on the outside oF the building as well as the inside using the cityscape as a backdrop.

path oF Fashion models. Featuring osklen, a local brazillian clothing company. ipanema sis collection.

the temporary catwalk leads to stage and interior catwalk into a traditional Fashion Format.

spectators are seated along both sides oF the interior catwalk. swimming pool is partially revealed as part oF the staging oF the show.

PERSPECTIVE(IMAGE RIGhT)

PERSPECTIVE

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PART TwO //

8.0 + ESCAPISM & LEGACIES

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PART TwO //

8.0 + ESCAPISM & LEGACIES

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In ‘Walking in the City’, Michel de Certeau describes walking as a secondary form of locomotion as a kind of drifting. He acknowledges that the city only exists through the individuals that inhabit it. This is what distinguishes spaces and places. He argues that defi ned spaces only exist as long as the individual defi ning the space remains there. Therefore the leisured observer, the fl âneur, plays an important role in how the space is realized. “The city is subject to the views and stories that the mass population project upon it. The city is there to be manipulated, molded and used, and yet it emerges the same at the end, for no image projected upon it can ever remain since the pedestrians are not static and nor is the space in which they move.” Space, therefore is not even considered real; it is a fi gment of imagination.

ATMOSPhERIC PERSPECTIVECatwalk during a fashion show.Featuring OSKLEN, a local Brazilian clothing company. Ipanema SIS Collection.

Escaping the imaginary totalizations produced by the eye, the everyday has a certain strangeness that does not surface, or whose surface is only its upperlimit, outlining itself against the visible.8

(Michel de Certeau)““

8 Certeau, Michel de. The practice of everyday life . Berkeley: University of California Press, 1984.

LONGITUDINAL SECTIONOriginal 1:100.

This section narrates the possible inhabitation of the catwalk as it unfolds through the entire complex.

CATwALk

LONGITUDINAL SECTIONClose up. Original 1:100.

CATwALk

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PART TwO //

8.0 + ESCAPISM & LEGACIES

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“The pedestrian in the city moves freely between these two realms, whether these spaces are public or semi public. The pedestrian understands their inherent difference as openness and enclosure. In memory and experience the two realms become entwined.”9

The constant back and forth between the two realms, as will be explored through the project, relates back to the concept of escapism in which one moves between the realms of cognitive reality and that of an escapist, alternate state.

9 Bednar, Michael J.. Interior pedestrian places . 1. publ. ed. New York, NY: Whitney Library of Design, 1989.

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PART TwO //

8.0 + ESCAPISM & LEGACIES

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STUDy MODEL1:100.

esCAPism & LegACiesThis project examined the ways in which events, for the collective, can reveal spaces of escape from the accelerated temporalities enforced by societal norms.

Today’s society has evolved in favor of building for the now, and for the moment. The sense of urgency produced by events fabricates an illusion that rationalizes event-driven construction. This illusion is characterized with the word “legacy” which is often exploited to justify the extravagance of events. Legacies are often seen as monuments for things that happened in the past. Legacies, in this context, are redefined to be a facilitator of that which surpasses the boundaries of a single moment and transcends into continual use for the future.

The project resulted in a responsive architecture that articulates the notions of escapism and event driven legacies through a hybrid model. This proposed methodology to re-imaging post-event occupancy and viability developed a flexible and indeterminate program, demonstrating the capacity of the spaces, inhabitation and the architecture to change over time.

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PART TwO //

8.0 + ESCAPISM & LEGACIES

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tO be CONtiNueD....This dissertation set the framework in the personal pursuit and the desire to investigate the relationship between escapism, architecture and the public realm. The strategies, knowledge and techniques learnt throughout this process will continue to develop as these are tested in future speculative research and applied to comprehensive, reality-based projects.

This project, at this point, does not conclude, but rather instigates the discussion and urban question:

How can architecture facilitate escapism?

The Seduction of Escapism & The Aftermath of Legacies April David / Faculty of Graduate Studies / Department of Architecture / Professor Eduardo Aquino / 2011-2012