Architecture : consuming that which consumes

• Main Author: Katrencik, Emily, 1975-
• Other Authors: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Architecture.
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2011
• Subjects: Architecture.
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/67538

Through the methodology of a critical artistic practice, It is the intent of this thesis, to specify a set of buildings and social systems on the edge- in between. To present a set of real, imagined or modeled exemplary structures in order to discuss, describe and critique the codes for their construction. This thesis addresses the self and its ability to test this edge by riding and experimenting the in-between, the interstitial, to further look at issues of compliance, resistance, and failure of both the codes and of the individuals ability or disability to act because of the codes. The edge, the solid/ragged/engineered/--------and porous edge is where I have placed myself for study.--To investigate projects that address the ability to infiltrate these areas, the abundant and empty spaces of buildings--the subset to all lived spaces, by the navigation and unpacking of the social interstices. The following writings and photographs of my own, form a document of this critical artistic action. There are subsets to the main space of this document---just as there are in physical space. This document may shift sometimes. Time and space do not always line up and glitches can occur--time can be cut and re-connected,just as architecture can be cut and re-connected to itself. While investigating space and architecture for this thesis, the building I was located in, N51-52 at MIT, underwent a major renovation. When one is intently involved in a discourse-- thoughts can cause tension in their own structure. The questions that I set out to investigate, caused this kind of tension. "Can we engage architecture to counter its consumption ?" "How can the self merge with architecture?" "Can I ingest an entire building?" When additional stressors were added to my environment and jackhammers "chewed" the facade of the building I was based in , these questions were difficult to keep in focus. Boundaries were broken, between me and the building----the building began to mimic my own work -- from previous projects. The building de-constructed all around me, shifted its own form daily. The architecture became physically and psychologically complicated to navigate through. A blurring occurred between myself and the building! of the figure and the ground----the building was no longer containing me ----so I attempted to contain it. === by Emily Katrencik. === Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 2001. === Includes bibliographical references.