Plural Territories
Reimagining the role of the architectural pavilion as a political agent, claiming public space “without permission”
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
A colorful array of quickly deployable constructs operate together as a public forum claiming public space without permission.
DESIGNED FOR
2018 ACSA Play with the Rules Call for pavilion proposals “that critically re-examine the role of the pavilion in contemporary architectural discourse and production.”
IMPACT
AIA Honolulu Award 2019, Honorable Mention Unbuilt
Competition Finalist: Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture/University of Wisconsin Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning, “PLAY with the Rules: Pavilion Design Competition” 2018 (1 of 9 finalists out of 66 entries).
Exhibited at: The Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum and the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning (SARUP).
PROJECT STATEMENT
Citizen movements are defining this era. Demands for change are embodied by hashtags such as #MeToo, #HereToStay, #OccupyWallStreet, and #NeverAgain. The power of the collective, expressed through social media, drives our news cycles and is shaping our agendas.
Even though this collective space has transcended the physical world, the city and its public places continue to be the preeminent spaces for gathering, debate and expressing opinions. However, it seems we are currently in danger of losing control of the public spaces where we come together to broadcast our voices as they fall under the authority of global corporations because city, state, and federal agencies can no longer afford their upkeep.
A new tax structure, which favors corporations over citizens, is reducing our tax base and increasing the government’s need for private money. More and more, economic gaps are being bridged by PPP’s (public-private partnerships) and POPS (privately owned public spaces). These arrangements frequently restrict the rights citizens have to access and utilize public space by layering corporation-defined rules on top of existing government regulations. Is the public realm being re-categorized from “public space” to “permission-scapes”?
The humble folding chair has seeped its way into the collective consciousness as a marker of personal space, an inalienable object in the public sphere. Plural Territories proposes redefining this device in the face of new forces, claiming public space “without permission.”
“If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”
TEAM
Design Leads
Karla Sierralta, AIA
Brian Strawn, AIA
Fabrication Assistant
Hunter Wells
Special Thanks
Sandra Abbo, Steve Hill at UHM SoA Fabrication Lab, the ACSA Fall Conference Play “Things” exhibition team, the Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum team and the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning (SARUP)
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