2005 began with the unfortunate inheritance of one of the worst disasters ever to rile the planet: the Asian Tsunami of 2004 , which struck right around this time last year. While the world responded with what might have been the greatest show of global solidarity since the anti-war movement leading up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq, its foreshadowing of future disasters to come could not have been understood enough. But, even in the wake and aftermath of both the U.S. Gulf Coast hurricanes and the earthquake in Pakistan , which left millions homeless, the design community quickly mobilized offering its expertise, resources and leadership to provide a truly inspired show of different options that could be applied to relief-assistance. Academic institutions raced to put together design studios and competitions to examine immediate solutions and systems for future mitigation. Firms all over came forward with prototypes for innovative emergency shelters , materials , rebuilding schemes, community design proposals. As the response from the field of architecture seemed almost unparalleled, clever wiki 's sprang up web with unique programs connecting donors with the needy all over the world. But, perhaps the ultimate sign of the design world's effort was merited in the numerous awards Architecture for Humanity picked up this year, namely the INDEX and the TED . Now, kicking off a new competition that will provide refugees with a field manual for self-erecting shelters, the implication of this effort will go much further than the devastated landscapes around Kashmir , but could have enormous empowerment in places like Zimbabwe , India , Venezuela, where mass evictions take place daily and a new generation of squatters are suddenly thrown into the wasteland .
Somewhere in the cracks where architecture is liminally defined, this year also witnessed a spate of political moves where building and construction exposed more than just fancy projects, high profile awards and innocent design. Be it through the withdrawal of settlements in Gaza (only to be transferred to the West Bank ), or the border fence debate raging over southern Spain, the new plan to fortify the great wall between US and Mexico, or even the riots that rocked Paris , architecture continues to be an accomplice to political agendas which don't always paint the prettiest pictures of the design/build profession. Though, not everything cropping up at the border is guilty of these same undertones. Many great projects emerged in these territories during 2005 where the culture of contested space provoked designers , artists , activists and thinkers to answer with something considerably more nurturing of the sensitive political connotations of each border context. Here are some highlights:
[Design, Art, Response] in Action:
Bansky tags the West Bank
Defensive Walls in Baghdad are Canvas for Art
Guerrillas watch over LA’s gated communities
Brinco Boots
SD/TJ Border Wall: Urbanism Of Transgression
Border Film Project
Paisanos al Rescate
Bordergames
Vagamundo
Torolab
Worldview: Tijuana: Mother of Invention
Exhibitions/Conferences:
InSite05
SAFE: Design takes on risk
trans:it
Structures for Inclusion 5
UIA2005 - Istanbul World Architecture Congress
Art to keep a landscape frozen
3 Cities Against the Wall
The Wall: Reshaping Contemporary Chinese Art
Habitat Jam
4 Comments
Really enjoyed the activist architect interview with Philip Koski ("designer" link above).
Also love the Brinco Boots.
Great albeit somewhat depressing roundup, Bryan - thanks!
thanks, Liberty Bell.
I know, I was afraid this was going turn out a bit, jaded. But, hopefully, it will add a few more fuels to the fires to get us all the more inspired for '06.
and so...the march goes on!
'hey Bryan ! That image of the transitional refugee shelter is from our firm Lifeform, thanks for including it !'
Monica Lifeform
lifeform
you're welcome, Monica.
Nice work! sorry, i missed the link in there earlier. keep it up!
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