12.04.2006

i miss image


At last. Keehyun's domain But need more...infinitely...

Queer Constellation in architecture

In recent years, the increasing cultural representation of homosexual concerns and the recent queering of sex-gender identities undoubtedly have effect on urban lifestyle and context. If we look for examples of Queer space, that will be AIDS memorial Quilt, gay village, and certain kinds of public space -- parks, bars and baths. Within the range of subtle social and aesthetic amenities important to service economies, Queer space is one of several competing designing paradigms based on recognition of “difference.” But, so far, queer space is something that is not built, only implied, and usually invisible. Queer space does not confidently establish a clear, ordered space for itself.

Meanwhile, according to Queer Theory, “Queer” embraces a proliferation of sexualities (bisexual, transgender, pre and post-op transsexual) and the compounding of outcast positions along racial, ethnic, and class, as well as sexual lines. In other words, Queer not only troubles the gender asymmetry implied by the phrase “lesbian and gay,” but potentially includes “deviant” and “perverts” why may traverse or confuse hetero-homo division and exceed or complicate conventional delineations of sexual identity and normative sexual practice.

Considering all this respect, I will reconsider architecture’s fundamental regions for deprogramming space. In our society, we have conventionalized and stabilized ritual in acting, whether formally (onstage) or in the street. Likewise, architecture has been concerned with norms as well: with the design of forms and images that aspire to universal and conventional appeal. Architecture has often been employed to “stabilize” or “standardize” social context, rather than to spark creative forms of social change. But I think gay experience and queer-scape architecture, especially when based on modified forms of queer theory, can have the diverse effect.

Queer space will be proposed as different scene in urban area, that functions as a “counterarchitecture”, ‘appropriating, deprogramming, mirroring, and choreographing’ mundane everyday life. I do not mean to imply that only homosexuality can impose new, abstract nature, or that it is the only way to escape from the stricture of our building. But I believe that queer space, because of the certain role we have assigned homosexuality within our society, can afford a certain archetype for deprogrammized architecture. No matter what the sexual preferences of the persons make queer space or use it, I will believe queer space can set up the new way of architectural construction that can subvert existent one.

In terms of the purpose of building, I tried to make space for queers or queers sexuality. It will become community center because there is no specific building to serve visible and powerful queer culture. But, I will be cautious about generating contradiction: that is making architecture for queers is very easy to make segregation from the people, and that is very controversial from Queer theory. The issue is how to dissolve the interference between the sexual preference and complex and controversial philosophy or social network. Furthermore, It will contain diverse activity having mutable, fluid terrain (rather than plate). It could be architectural experiment with miscellaneous spatial species.

Repeatedly, what I am trying to construct by exploring the topic of queer space is not, primarily, an interest in gay culture but a fascination with the idea of the “counterarchitecture” mirroring, deprogramming, and choreographing’ mundane everyday life.

Queries and Plans

The individual talks with each of you were productive--and enjoyable. I think we left it that there WOULD be a class meeting tonight, same time, same place (170 at 7:00). Let's get together there, at least for an hour, to see where everyone's at, and how to proceed...

12.03.2006

Angels Camp





Mining country--along old Highway 49. The goldrush towns--Murphy, Volcano, Mokelumne Hill, brick buildings of imported stature, a Boston cornice, Concord arch--sluices and shutes, all still visible along the higher roads, hillsides giving way to slag, now overgrown, buried, waiting to be reclaimed. The color purple--royalty in ancient times, and beyond--maybe the most artificial of tones, never quite red, never quite blue, but fitting, somehow, as a repository of planted hope. Let it grow over, refurbish, return to earth...