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E M B O D I M E N T O F D Y S T O P I A
[1]
P ar a s it ic Ar c h it ec ture - Embodiment of Dystopia
By Marina Pomigalova
V ic t o r ia U niversity of Wellington
2018
“ T h e o n l y a u t h e n t i c i m a g e o f t h e
f u t u r e i s , i n t h e e n d ,
t h e f a i l u r e o f t h e p r e s e n t ”
- T e r r y E a g l e t o n
( E a g l e t o n 3 6 )
[ vii ]
Beyo n d t h e p hysical built environment,
ar c h it ec t u r e i s a f ield of limitless pos-
s ib ilit ies , a vessel for an endless inter-
p r et a t io n an d the embodiment of nar-
r at ive s c en ar ios. This thesis advocates
fo r u n c o n ventional solutions in archi-
t ec t u r e, a r g uing that traditional ap-
p r o ac h es ma y no longer be successful
w it h in c o n t emporary realities. Thus, in
o r d er t o c r ea te functional architecture,
t h at is a lwa ys relevant to conditions in
w h ic h it exis t s, the thesis suggests that
ar c h it ec t s s h ould not design f or a bet-
t er fu t u r e a s they usually tend to do,
b u t s h o u ld r ather plan f or more realis-
t ic a n d even pessimistic scenarios. This
t h es is , t h er ef ore, speculates about ar-
c h it ec t u r a l b ehaviour in a dystopian
s c en ar io , wh ere civilisation has gone to
c h ao s , c r ea t i ng conflicting conditions
o f an o ver p o pulated place, in which ar-
c h it ec t s h a ve no control over residen-
t ia l ar eas a n d architecture takes new
fo r m u n d er t he lack of buildable space.
[ viii ]
T h er efo r e, t h e thesis advocates f or the
imp o r t an c e of the speculative method
in a r c h it ec t u re, as such an approach al-
lo ws o n e t o imagine f ictional possibili-
t ies in o r d er to create more responsive
s t r u c t u r es , w hich are always modern.
[ ix ]
[preface]
AR CH ITECTURE IS MORE
[ xi ]
[ vi ] a b s t r a c t
[x] p r e f a c e
[2] i n t r o d u c t i o n
[ 6] m e t h o d o l o g y
[8] p a r t 1
1 _ d y s t o p i a [ 10 ]
2 _ p a r a s i t e [ 26 ]
[ 48 ] p a r t 2
3 _ p r e c e d e n t s [ 50 ]
4 _ s i t e [ 68 ]
[table of contents]
[ 84 ] p a r t 3
5 _ e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n [ 86 ]
6 _ v i s u a l e x p l o r a t i o n [ 104 ]
[ 116 ] p a r t 4
7 _ f i n a l d e s i g n [ 118 ]
[ 140 ] p a r t 5
r e f l e c t i v e s u m m a r y [ 142 ]
c o n c l u s i o n [ 146 ]
[ 148 ] w o r k s c i t e d
[ 154 ] l i s t o f f i g u r e s
02. “Concept Development”
- Author’s Own.
[1]
[introduction]
[2]
BRAVE NEW WAY
[3]
T r avellin g t h r ough a speculative space,
t h e s t o r y w il l unfold in an extraordi-
n a r y wa y, n egotiating the correlation
b et ween s p eculative prospects of ur-
b a n s p a c e a nd natural survival strate-
g ies , t h eir m orphology and relevance
t o a c o n t emp orary world.
[4]
03. “Concept Development”
- Author’s Own.
[5]
[methodology]
[6]
S t a r t in g fr o m theoretical investigation,
t h e r es ear c h began with an exploration
o f d ys t o p ia n narrative scenarios, com-
p a r is o n o f t erms related to utopia and
d ys t o p ia a n d understanding of their
r o le in s h a p i ng modern architecture.
Fo llo w ed b y study of symbiotic rela-
t io n s h ip s in nature as survival strate-
g ies a n d t h eir possible implementation
in d es ig n , t h e second part of the the-
s is an alys es existing emerged struc-
t u r es a n d non- fictional precedents,
t h eir r elevan ce to dystopia and parasit-
ic a r c h it ec t u re. Such a theoretical and
s p ec u la t ive d esign approach is used to
c r eat e t h e d e sign, which is explored in
t h e t h ir d p a r t of the thesis, describing
t h e id ea d evelopment through visual
an d d ig it a l ex perimentation. The pro-
c es s lead s t o a visualisation of dysto-
p ia n id eas and their incorporation into
a p ar a s it ic s tructure. The final part
d es c r ib es t h e development of the de-
s ig n an d t h e way researched ideas have
b een im p lem ented, concluding with a
r eflec t ive s u mmary and comments.
[7]
[part 1]
[8]
T h is p a r t o p ens a discussion towards
t h e imp o r t an ce of speculative thinking
in a r c h it ec t u re. Seeking inspiration in
n a r r a t ive s c enarios and organic rela-
t io n s h ip s , it investigates the terms par-
as it e a n d d ystopia, negotiating their
r elevan c e t o each other and to archi-
t ec t u r e. T h e f ollowing part of the re-
s ear c h in ves tigates possibilities under
w h ic h p ar a s it ic architecture and dysto-
p ia c an b e p erceived in a f unctional or
mo r e p r o d u c tive way, turning what are
s eem in g ly n egative, reactive phenome-
n a in t o p o s it i ve proactive ones.
[9]
[chapter 1]
[ 10 ]
D YS T O PIA - A DARK REALITY
[ 11 ]
S P ECU LATION IN ARCHITECTURE
[ 12 ]
Liam Yo u n g also believes that specula-
t ive a r c h it ec t ure is a way for designers
t o en g ag e with emerging tendencies
an d t o s t a y relevant to the constant-
ly c h a n g in g city in a “much more crit-
ic a l a n d u r g ent way” (“Liam Young on
S p ec u lat ive Architecture”).
DYSTOPIA
[ 13 ]
D es p it e t h e name, dystopia is not sim-
p ly t h e o p p o site of utopia. As suggest-
ed b y Mic h a el Gordin, to be truly op-
p o s it e o f u t o pia, dystopia would be “a
s o c iet y t h at is either completely un-
p la n n ed o r is planned to be deliberate-
ly t er r ifyin g ” . Instead, dystopias usual-
ly h ave p ar a llels with modern societies
t h at ar e “ p lanned, but not planned all”
( G o r d in et al., 1 ).
[ 14 ]
Ac c o r d in g t o him, by speculation, we
t a ke a n a c t ive role in shaping environ-
men t s a r o u nd us. He uses a phrase
“ exag g er at in g the present” when de-
s c r ib in g h is methods, implying an “ex-
t r a p o la t io n o f present”, which usually
r eveals mo d e rn issues and cultural “id-
io s yn c r as ies ” allowing one to critical-
ly en g a g e with the present in a really
mean in g fu l way, allowing us to take a
lit t le m o r e c ontrol of the futures we
w an t ( “ Liam Young on Speculative Ar-
c h it ec t u r e” ) .
[ 15 ]
T h r o u g h a s eries of articles and shared
thoughts, founder of Tomorrow‘s
T h o u g h t s T o day, Darryl Chen argues
t h at r ep r es entation of utopia in modern
ar c h it ec t u r al tendencies is ignoring the
c o n t em p o r a r y tendencies. Dystopia, on
t h e o t h er h and, exposes the problems
o f m o d er n /fu ture society, gives a place
fo r h o p e, n ew beginnings and protag-
o n is m ( T o m orrow’s Thoughts Today).
Ch en in t r o d uces the term “productive
d ys t o p ia ” , in which a futuristic scenar-
io is meas u r ed not by its possibility
t o h ap p en , b ut rather by its “ability to
aler t t h e viewer to a more sophisticat-
ed s en s e o f the present, provoking an
ac t io n wit h in a problematic present”
( “ P r o d u c t ive Dystopia”).
[ 16 ]
G o r d in s u g g ests that “utopia and dysto-
p ia in p r a c t ice tend to test the bound-
ar ies o f r eality”; thus, utopia tends to
evo lve t o w ar ds ideal but rarely reaches
it , wh ile d ys t opia is always vulnerable
an d s h o u ld be seen as disease, which
c a n b e t r eat ed (6 ). As stated by Tom
Mo yla n , d ys topian narrative enables
r ea d er s t o fin d their way within the con-
d it io n s t h at “mask the very causes of
t h e h ar s h r ealities in which they live”.
D ys t o p ia n vis ion always negotiates the
“ c o n t in u u m between being partly uto-
p ia n an d p ar tly anti- utopia” (1 2 ).
[ 17 ]
C ASE STUDIES
IMAG E OF T H E CITY IN DYSTOPIAN FICTION
Bla d e R u n n er
D ys t o p ia n c ivilization represented in
B lade Runne r criticizes modern society
t h r o u g h exp o sing contemporary issues
an d t en d en c ies. The image of a futur-
is t ic c it y is portrayed in dark colors,
s h o win g t h e city of despair, where ho-
lo g r a m s , d ig ital billboards and a myr-
iad o f ad ver t i sement hides the reality
o f a n u g ly, d ark and depressing archi-
t ec t u r e, wh ic h seemed to be buried in
r u in s o f t h e p ast. This setting itself is a
r eflec t io n o f everything that has gone
w r o n g w it h t he society. The dystopian
fu t u r e o f B lad e R u n n er portrays a city
filled wit h wa ste, pollution, dirt - with
s t r eet s t h a t are f ilthy and f ull of crime,
wh er e p eo p le run like cockroaches on
t h e o ver c r o wded streets, where there
is n o lig h t , n o sun or artificial lighting.
It is a c o n s t a nt night. It is so dark in
t h e c it y, t h at i t almost seems to be pur-
p o s ely h id in g the seemliness of a dys-
t o p ian s o c iet y to make it be less visible
t o a n a ked eye. “Endless rain falls from
t h e p o llu t ed ” clouds f orcing people to
lu r k u n d er a myriad of canopies on the
g r o u n d level of the city. Seung Hyun
P ar k s u g g es t s that the image of the city
in Blad e Ru n n er reveals “an aesthetic of
d ec ay, exp o s i ng the dark side of tech-
n o lo g y, a n d t he process of disintegra-
t io n . It is like a hell on earth, just wait-
in g fo r t h e h o pe of redemption” (9 5 ).
[ 18 ]
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[ 19 ]
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[ 20 ]
Tot a l R ec a ll
[ 21 ]
G h ost in t h e Sh ell
[ 22 ]
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[ 23 ]
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[ 24 ]
Rea d y P la y er On e
[ 25 ]
[chapter 2]
[ 26 ]
PARASITE
[ 27 ]
A “ p a r a s it e” is an organism that can only
s u s t ain it s o wn existence by benefiting
fr o m o t h er o rganisms, which are usual-
ly c alled h o s ts. “Parasitism” is defined
as a lo n g -t erm relationship between
s p ec ies , in which one organism usually
feed s an d b enefits from another (Ox-
fo r d En g lis h Dictionary). Parasitism is a
c r u el, b u t ad v antageous and necessary
w ay fo r o r g anisms to survive.
A p ar a s it e d emonstrates an oppressive
b eh a vio u r , establishing itself within or
o n t h e h o s t , while a host demonstrates
a d efen s ive behavior as it always tries
t o r es is t p a r a sitic invasion. As stated by
S er g e Mo r a n d, such resilient interac-
t io n s c r eat e contradictory conditions,
fo r c in g b o t h parties to constantly re-
s p o n d t o each other and adapt. Such
a p r o c es s is called a “co- evolutionary
in t er a c t io n ” , which suggests that par-
as it es an d h osts evolve in response to
c o n s t a n t c o mpetition between each
o t h er ( 81) . Such interaction sets the
s c en e fo r a “co- evolutionary scenario”
w h er e t h e h o sts and parasites are end-
les s ly r es p o n ding to the threat provid-
ed b y t h e o p ponent (Sorci 2 6 4 5 ).
[ 28 ]
P a u l S c h m id -Hempel states that all or-
g an is m s a r e involved in “host- parasite
in t er a c t io n s ” , arguing the importance
o f s u c h in t er action for the evolution of
b o t h “ c o mp eting organisms”. He states
t h at as a r es ult of co- evolution, para-
s it es d evelo p an ability to adapt to “any
r es is t an c e o r complications” caused by
t h e h o s t s , w hile hosts improve a re-
s ilien c e t o w ards the invaders. Thus,
b o t h p a r t ic ip ants develop evolutionary
c h an g es ( 305- 3 0 6 ).
[ 29 ]
P H OTESIS [ PHORESY]
[ 30 ]
08. “Sketch Inspired by Barnacles”
- Author’s Own.
[ 31 ]
09. “Sketch Inspired by Parasitic
Mushrooms”
- Author’s Own.
[ 32 ]
SAPROPHYTE
[ 33 ]
PARASITOID
[ 34 ]
10. “Sketch Inspired by Galls”
- Author’s Own.
[ 35 ]
11. “Sketch Inspired by Stranger Fig”
- Author’s Own.
[ 36 ]
EPIPHYTE
[ 37 ]
P ARASITIC STRATEGIES
[ 38 ]
T h r o u g h o t h er research, Paul Schmid-
H emp el in d ic ates the f ollowing parasit-
ic s t a g es :
2: “ In fes t a t ion/establishment” in or
o n t h e h o s t . At this stage the parasite
mu s t at t a c h to the surf ace of the host
o r “ o ver c o me the outer barriers” and
es t a b lis h it s el f safely inside f or f urther
d evelo p m en t . After inf ection, some
ec t o p a r a s it es ensure proper connec-
t io n o n t h e o uter layout of the host by
g en er a t in g s pecial structures that hold
t h em t ig h t .
[ 39 ]
12. “Simplified Exploration of
Parasitic Strategies”
- Author’s Own.
[ 40 ]
R E LE V AN CE TO ARCHITECTURE
[ 41 ]
INVASION
E S T ABLISHMENT/OCCUPATION
[ 42 ]
EX PANSION
T h is s t ag e includes expansion of a
p ar a s it ic s t r ucture. Its involvement is
p r o vo ked b y responsiveness and ad-
a p t a t io n t o w ards the resilience of the
h o s t . T h is s t age might include intru-
s io n in s id e of the building, where a
p ar a s it e is n o longer established only
o n t h e s u r face of the host. Thus, the
s t r u c t u r e ma y expand into the interi-
o r s p a c es o f the building, starting with
t h e in va s io n of public/main areas, and
m o vin g in t o t he occupation of residen-
t ial ap ar t ments. This could happen if a
p ar a s it e c o u l d introduce more livable
s p a c es a n d extension of existing units
t h o u g h u t ilis ation of common spaces
s u c h as s t a ir cases or additional semi-
levels w it h in the skeleton of a building,
c r ea t in g lo ft apartments.
SOVEREIGNTY
[ 43 ]
13. “Invasion”
- Author’s Own.
[ 44 ]
14. “Occupation”
- Author’s Own.
[ 45 ]
15. “Expansion”
- Author’s Own.
[ 46 ]
16. “Sovereignty”
- Author’s Own.
[ 47 ]
[part 2]
[ 48 ]
S IT E AND PRECEDENTS
[ 49 ]
[chapter 3]
[ 50 ]
S T R ANGER THAN FICTION
[ 51 ]
CASE STUDIES
H O NG K O NG ROOFTOP DWELLINGS
[ 52 ]
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[ 53 ]
Alt h o u g h , H o ng Kong’s government has
a t o ler an t attitude towards rooftop
s t r u c t u r es , it has been decided that the
s t r u c t u r es w i ll be demolished if there
is a p ar t ic u lar threat to a third party
( W u 254) . Consequently, the rooftop
c o mm u n it ies have a unique place in the
r es id en t ial architecture of Hong Kong,
b ein g illeg al, yet tolerated by the gov-
er n men t .
[ 54 ]
18. “Rooftop Slums Study”
- Author’s Own.
[ 55 ]
19. “Rooftop Slums Study 2”
- Author’s Own.
[ 56 ]
Nu m er o u s c orridors connect all the
s p ac es t o g ether; some multi- level
d wellin g s r equire small ladders to pro-
vid e a c c es s between f loors. Roof top
h o u s es a r e usually connected to their
h o s t b u ild in g’s electrical, water and
s ew ag e n et works, and their inhabitants
p a y t h e s a m e utility f ees as other build-
in g r es id en t s (1 4 5 ).
[ 57 ]
H o u s es h a ve brick or concrete walls and
s h eet met a l roofs that are pitched at
a s lig h t an g le. Windows and doors are
u s u a lly p u r c hased at markets or f ound
o n t h e s t r eets of Hong Kong (“Hong
K o n g Ro o ft o p Communities”).
[ 58 ]
20. “Rooftop Slums Study 3”
- Author’s Own.
[ 59 ]
K OOWLOON CITY
[ 60 ]
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[ 61 ]
As s t a t ed b y Vittorio Magnago, at the
b eg in n in g , K owloon was a city built f or
o ffic ials a n d soldiers, and it became
an en c la ve after the New Territories
w er e leas ed t o Britain by China in 1 8 9 8 .
W it h t h e wa ve of new immigrants af ter
W o r ld W ar II and Japanese occupation,
t h e c it y s t a r ted to expand dramatical-
ly, s t r u g g lin g to provide livable spaces.
In t h e ea r ly days, buildings were only
3 s t o r eys h ig h; there was burglary pre-
ven t io n an d health control. Apartments
p o s it io n ed o n the perimeter of the city
h a d fr es h air and views and Kowloon
w as c o n s id er ed an attractive residence.
T h e r a p id p o pulation and urban growth
c o mb in ed w it h the majority of the pop-
u la t io n b ein g working class people,
c o n t in u ed t o aggravate the housing
p r o b lems ( 112).
[ 62 ]
P o o r p la n n in g and usually unorganised
c o n s t r u c t io n resulted in many incon-
s is t en c ies b etween neighbouring build-
in g s . T h u s , buildings were noticeably
d iffer en t in s ize, color and even style,
p o s it io n ed on diff erent levels, with
mis alig n men t of f loors. Some buildings
w er e “ s a n d wiched” between existing
ap ar t men t b locks, with the only way to
exp an d b ein g vertically (Girard 7 4 ).
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[ 64 ]
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[ 65 ]
A s in g le s t a ir case could link up to “3 to
4 b u ild in g s ” . The internal web of cor-
r id o r s h ad multiple functions; it was
o ft en u s ed a s a marketplace or even
a p lac e fo r a business. Kowloon was a
h o me t o 700 small businesses, includ-
in g a “ t emp le, grocery stores, butcher-
ies an d even musical club.” Some flats
w er e r efu r b ished to accommodate pri-
ma r y s c h o o ls and kindergartens. There
w er e “ even a candy and a metal facto-
r y” ( G ir ar d 11 7 ).
[ 66 ]
By it s p eak in 1 9 8 0 , the Walled City was
h o me t o 35,00 0 people and was demol-
is h ed in 1987. As the demolition was
p r o p o s ed , most of the residents took
it ver y em o t ionally (“Kowloon Walled
Cit y” ) . G r eg Girard argues that, al-
t h o u g h K o wloon was always considered
t o b e a s lu m , there was a real sense of
c o mm u n it y among the local residents,
an d a “ m o r e considerable view reveals
a fu lly fu n c t i onal community” with its
o wn s h o p s , p roductive enterprises, wa-
t er s u p p lies and businesses, conclud-
in g t h a t “ t h e city was a victim of over-
s im p lific at io n” (Girard 1 7 2 ).
K o w lo o n c it y is a great example of a
d ys t o p ia n s o ciety and vernacular archi-
t ec t u r e. Amo ng all the things that were
w r o n g , t h er e are design qualities that
c o u ld b e ver y successf ul if implement-
ed in t h e r ig ht way.
[ 67 ]
[chapter 4]
[ 68 ]
T h e s elec t ed site is located in Hong Kong
- a c o llec t ive place f or structures with
d ys t o p ia n c h aracteristics. The chapter
d is c u s s es t h e captivating architecture
o f H o n g K o n g, which resembles a f utur-
is t ic ver s io n of a modern city, raising
t h eo r ies a n d speculations towards the
id ea t h at H o ng Kong is already moving
t o w ar d s a p r oto- dystopia.
[ 69 ]
T H E FUTURE IS NOW
[ 70 ]
Mo s t o f t h e b uildings were designed un-
d er t h e p r es s ure of economical and po-
lit ic al fa c t o r s , resulting in devotion to
c u lt u r al o r c ommunity contexts (Chung
18) .
Ea c h d ec ad e architecture emerged in
r es p o n s e t o historical implications,
r ep r es en t in g a political and economi-
c a l s t a t e r elevant to a particular time.
As a r es u lt of such adaptations, the
ar c h it ec t u r e of Hong Kong has a tem-
p o r al n a t u r e, implying that it emerges
d ep en d in g o n the changing conditions
o f ea c h t ime period. As an author of
Conte mporary Arc h it ec t u re Tod a y Chung
W ah Nan c oncludes, Hong Kong is
“ la c kin g a r c h itectural identity, due to
it s c u lt u r al c omplex history of eastern
c u lt u r e b ein g in constant conflict with
w es t er n in flu ence.” He calls Hong Kong
a “ b o r r o wed place” with a “temporary
p h ilo s o p h y“ t o architecture (1 0 ).
[ 71 ]
SITE
[ 72 ]
T h e s it e it s elf has many tenement
b u ild in g s , which potentially are able
t o r es p o n d t o increasing density and
s u p p o r t lig h t (small- scale) urban struc-
t u r es . T h u s , the site off ers buildable
r o o ft o p s , alleys or other spaces to ac-
c o mm o d a t e t he future design. It has a
vis u al a n d p hysical potential for adap-
t a t io n , in s p iring interaction between
o ld an d n ew, now and then.
[ 73 ]
24. “Yau Ma Tei District”
- Authors Own.
[ 74 ]
25. “Kowloon Peninsula”
- Authors Own.
[ 75 ]
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[ 76 ]
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[ 77 ]
Mo s t b u ild in gs of the site are 7 to 9
s t o r eys h ig h ; some of them “were ini-
t ia lly b u ilt w ith allowance to add a few
ext r a levels ” . Cantilevered floors of the
b u ild in g a r e due to a “maximizing us-
ag e o f s p ac e” as land area dedicated
fo r a b u ild in g was quite small; as per
r eg u lat io n s , buildings could project on
t h e s t r eet ( Chung 9 9 - 1 0 0 ). They provide
w ea t h er p r o tection over the sidewalk
an d a d d it io n al floor area.
[ 78 ]
An a lys is o f the selected site helped
t o c r eat e n o t necessarily better, but a
mo r e fu n c t io nal, f lexible and respon-
s ive a r c h it ec t ure f or urban areas of the
c it y.
[ 79 ]
28. “ Site Analisys”
- Author’s Own.
[ 80 ]
T h e s t r eet t ransf orms into a market
s p ac e a t n ig ht time and becomes the
o n ly s h ar ed common space, blurring
b o u n d a r ies between inside and out-
s id e, p r ivat e and public.
[ 81 ]
G a r a g e d o o r s will be open during busi-
n es s h o u r s vi sually transforming quiet
s t r eet in t o a busy market space. The
g r o u n d flo o r is usually designed specif-
ic a lly fo r s mall businesses, shops and
r es t a u r an t s .
[ 82 ]
29. “ Site Analisys 2”
- Author’s Own.
[ 83 ]
[part 3]
[ 84 ]
V IS U AL EX PLORATION AND
E XPERIMENTATION
[ 85 ]
[chapter 5]
[ 86 ]
EXPERIMENTATION
[ 87 ]
O u t c o mes r eceived from studying para-
s it es a n d p a r asitic strategies suggested
t h at t h e b eh avior of a strangler f ig was
mo r e “ s u it ab l e” f or the development of
ad ap t ive s t r u ctures and potentially had
a h ig h er p r o bability of transition to ar-
c h it ec t u r e.
[ 88 ]
T o imit at e t he behavior of a strangler
fig , fir s t ly, t h e “invisible” path has been
mo d eled o n the simplified site, which
d efin ed t h e r oute along which the struc-
t u r e w o u ld g row. Thus, the generated
s h ap e w as m ostly random, but the di-
r ec t io n o f a growth was determined by
t h e p at h , wh ich led along elevations of
t h e exis t in g building; it was also deter-
min ed b y n atural forces such as grav-
it y. Co n s eq u ently, the growth of the
s t r u c t u r e wa s partly generated, partly
c o n t r o lled b y the modeling technique,
w h ic h w as m ade to test the behavior of
a s t r u c t u r e which is being built by ten-
an t s , b u t s t ill behaves as a living organ-
is m , in p a r t ic ular, unpredictably.
[ 89 ]
[ 90 ]
30. “ Experimentation with Organic structure”
- Author’s Own.
[ 91 ]
31. “ Experimentation with Organic structure on the site”
-Author’s Own.
[ 92 ]
32. “ Experimentation with Organic structure on the site 2”
-Author’s Own.
[ 93 ]
T h e p u r p o s e of the following exercise
w as t o exa m ine how parasite growth
c o u ld b e t r a n slated into an architectur-
al fo r m . It h as been achieved through
c o n ver t in g o r ganic shapes into geomet-
r ic fo r ms with Photoshop by drawing
g eo met r ic s h apes over the ‘parasite’ to
g ive it d ep t h and test the interaction
alo n g t h e fa cade of the building. This
t es t h elp ed to understand the f uture
p o s s ib ilit ies of such a structure, as it
vis u ally s u g g ested that the structure
c o u ld n o t s uspend or cantilever f ar
w it h o u t ad d it i onal supports. Therefore,
w h en t r an s lated to residential dwell-
in g s , t h e s t r u cture would not be able to
s u p p o r t mo r e than just one apartment
o r r o o m as it would fall out of balance.
[ 94 ]
O n t h e o t h er hand, the test also implied
t h at if a p ar a sitic structure starts grow-
in g o n o n e s ide, eventually spreading
o n t h e o p p o site side of the site, two
p a r t s even t u ally would merge togeth-
er fo r min g a bridge, that would allow
c ir c u la t io n b etween diff erent buildings
an d a ls o wo u ld provide additional sup-
p o r t s fo r fu t ure expansion.
[ 95 ]
[ 96 ]
On the Left:
33. “Digital Exploration of the Parasitic
Behaviour”
- Author’s Own.
On the Right:
34. “ Translation of the Parasite to
Architecture”
- Author’s Own.
[ 97 ]
T h e n ext exercise was created to test
t h e a d ap t a t ion and relevance of par-
as it ic s t r u c t ures to the selected site.
T h e in it ial d esign consisted of a grid
t yp e s u p p o r t structure, which would be
p o s it io n ed in the distance f rom exist-
in g b u ild in g s . The purpose was to pro-
vid e en o u g h lighting f or existing apart-
men t s . T o t est the idea, the simplif ied
ver s io n o f a grid has been modeled and
t es t ed d ig it ally. The aim was to cre-
at e a s t r u c t ure that would serve as a
c a r c as s , a llo wing f or apartments to be
b u ilt wit h in t he grid.
[ 98 ]
T es t in g s u g gested potential unsuc-
c es s fu ln es s and non- applicability of
s u c h an ap p roach, as it did not tru-
ly r ep r es en t a parasitic behavior and
r eq u ir ed t o o much control. Moreover,
t h e d es ig n o f a structural grid, which
w as p u r p o s ely placed in the distance
fr o m t h e exis ting buildings, contradict-
ed t h e n at u r e of parasitic behaviours.
Mo r e s p ec ifically, a parasite cannot be
d es ig n ed wit h consideration of bene-
fit s fo r exis t ing buildings, as it negates
w it h it s o wn definition. The test also
illu s t r a t ed t h at instead of establishing
a p ar a s it e - host relationship, such a
s t r u c t u r e s u ggested presence of an ad-
d it io n al “ o r g anism” between host and
p a r a s it e, c o n sequently suggesting that
p a r a s it ic d w ellings would no longer sit
o n t h e h o s t , but rather on top of that
ad d it io n al s t ructure. Thus, the exercise
s u g g es t ed t h at not the buildings, but
t h e s t r u c t u r e itself should behave as a
p a r a s it e in o r der to establish a success-
fu l h o s t p a r a site relationship to ensure
c o -evo lu t io n (refer fig. 3 5 - 3 7 ).
[ 99 ]
35. “ Adaptation to the Site”
- Author’s Own.
[ 100 ]
[ 101 ]
36. “ Adaptation to the Site 2”
- Author’s Own.
[ 102 ]
[ 103 ]
[chapter 6]
[ 104 ]
V IS U AL EX PLORATION
[ 105 ]
V IS U AL CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
[ 106 ]
38. “ Visual Development - Initial Sketches”
- Author’s Own.
[ 107 ]
[ 108 ]
39. “ Visual Development - Initial Sketches 2”
- Author’s Own.
[ 109 ]
40. “Initial Sketch Of Section Through Site”
- Author’s Own.
[ 110 ]
41. “ Concept Design- Section”
- Author’s Own.
[ 111 ]
42. “ Concept- Individual Unit 1”
- Author’s Own.
[ 112 ]
43. “ Concept- Individual Unit 2”
- Author’s Own.
[ 113 ]
44. “ Concept Development, Units”
- Author’s Own.
[ 114 ]
45. “ Concept Development, Units 2”
- Author’s Own.
[ 115 ]
[part 4]
[ 116 ]
FINAL D E S IGN AND CONCLUSIONS
[ 117 ]
[chapter 7]
[ 118 ]
F INAL DESIGN
[ 119 ]
A p r o d u c t ive speculation process be-
g an wit h t h e translation of parasitic
s t ag es in ar chitecture, determined in
t h e p r evio u s chapters; thus, the final
c o n c ep t wa s born as a result of testing
an d vis u al exploration. The idea was to
c r eat e a s t r u cture that will be fixed to
t h e exis t in g buildings and be able to
s u p p o r t r es idential dwellings.
T o en s u r e a f urther development, a
p a r a s it e n eeds to start feeding on
t h e h o s t . In such a case, the structure
s t ar t s s p r eading its branches towards
p la c es r ic h in resources and beneficial
fo r fu t u r e expansion. Theref ore, the
s t r u c t u r al p arasite spreads towards
t h e m a in s t a ircase from there, where it
h a s a c c es s t o many levels and can start
s p r ea d in g it s roots over the diff erent
flo o r s .
[ 120 ]
S t a ir c as es are also usually a place for
d r a in ag e p ipes and electrical cables,
w h ic h a r e essential f or f ormation of
n ew d wellin gs and apartment expan-
s io n s . T h u s , when the parasite reaches
t h e ma in s t a ircase, the structures start
fo r min g o n dif f erent levels, depending
o n wh ic h r e sidents decide to expand
t h eir a p ar t ments. New spaces could
p o t en t ially have a mixed use f unction,
as t h ey will be built by existing res-
id en t s in o r der to build additions to
t h eir ap ar t ments for decks, shops or to
es t a b lis h b u sinesses.
[ 121 ]
46. “ Parasitic Steel Structure”
- Author’s Own.
[ 122 ]
47. “ Evolution of the parasite”
- Author’s Own.
[ 123 ]
T h e d es ig n r epresents parasitic struc-
t u r es h o s t ed mainly on the f acades of
t h e b u ild in g s facing the street. Spaces
ar e c o n n ec t ed together by bridges and
p a t h wa ys .
[ 124 ]
48. “ Architectural Section”
- Author’s Own.
[ 125 ]
49. “ Architectural Plan”
- Author’s Own.
[ 126 ]
50. “Enlarged Architectural Plan.”
- Author’s Own.
[ 127 ]
T h e fin a l d es ign balances on a fine line
b et ween t h e beautiful and the horrif-
ic . T h e m a in parasitic structure sugges-
t ively is b ein g built of steel beams and
c o lu m n s o f d i f f erent shapes and sizes,
w h ic h a r e b o l ted and welded together
b y t en a n t s . Individual units and apart-
men t ext en s ions are being built with-
in t h e p a r a s i tic structure; thus para-
s it ic s u p p o r t ive structures will spread
w h er e o c c u p ants will build new spaces.
S u c h a d es ig n suggests that new dwell-
in g s a r e b u ilt f rom any material that
p eo p le c o u ld gather f rom the streets;
t h u s t h er e always will be something
fr o m wh ic h t o build. Such construction
en s u r es a c o - evolution of buildings as
it a llo w s a p arasite to grow and expand
w h ile exis t in g buildings also are being
exp an d ed o u tward to the street until
t h ey even t u ally meet each other.
[ 128 ]
T h e fin a l d e sign solution introduces
n ew w ays o f space perception by off er-
in g a n o n -c o nventional strategy for ex-
p lo it in g b u ild able space, where a specu-
lat ive a p p r o ach of architecture of ‘what
if’ h as b een c onducted through artistic
met h o d s t o a nticipate the buildable and
fu n c t io n a l features of human- centered
c o n s t a n t ly evolving development.
[ 129 ]
[ 130 ]
[ 131 ]
51. “ Main Perspective”
- Author’s Own.
[ 132 ]
On the Left: 52. “ Main Perspective”
- Author’s Own.
[ 133 ]
[ 134 ]
54. “Parasitic Bridge”
- Author’s Own.
[ 135 ]
[ 136 ]
55. “Bridge - Enclosed View”
- Author’s Own.
[ 137 ]
[ 138 ]
56. “Bridg e - Enclosed View - Rear”
- Author’s Own.
[ 139 ]
[part 5]
[ 140 ]
57. “Concept Development - Parasitic Slums”
- Author’s own.
[ 141 ]
[reflective summary]
[ 142 ]
T h e p r ima r y questions this thesis aimed
t o ad d r es s ar e:
W h a t is t h e importance of understand-
in g d ys t o p ia in order to reimagine ar-
c h it ec t u r e? What can be learned f rom
c o n t em p o r a r y dystopian precedents?
H o w c an t h es e ideas be materialised in
t h e a r c h it ec t ure of a hypothetical fu-
t u r e s c en a r io?
[ 143 ]
T h e t h es is h as studied aims and objec-
t ives , s u c h a s analysis of parasitic re-
lat io n s h ip s and has speculated upon
an d t es t ed h ow such strategies can be
ap p lied t o a r chitecture. In order to cre-
at e a d ap t ive architectural solutions,
mo d er n ar c h itectural conceptions have
b een r ec o n s idered through the analy-
s is o f d ys t o p ian science fiction and par-
as it ic b eh a viour. The thesis reimagined
ar c h it ec t u r al objectives, such as struc-
t u r e, en velo pe, f unctionality and con-
s t r u c t io n m e thods, which have been
r eflec t ed in t he f inal design, mimicking
p a r a s it ic b eh aviour under harsh dysto-
p ia n c o n d it io ns.
[ 144 ]
T h r o u g h a n alysis of precedents, such
as K o w lo o n City and rooftops in Hong
K o n g s t r u c t u res, the thesis negotiated
‘ s u it a b le’ c o nditions that can enf orce
ar c h it ec t u r e to develop and adapt to
c h an g in g en vironments using its own
s u r vival s t r at egies. Thus, the thesis ex-
p lo r ed t h e image of architecture that
c o n s t a n t ly n eeds to evolve, changing
o ver t ime, r esponding to constantly
c h an g in g s u r roundings and adapting to
n ew t en d en c i es and needs of the occu-
p a n t s a n d h ow they tend to transform
s p ac e a r o u n d them in search of a bet-
t er o r a lt er n ative way of living.
[ 145 ]
[conclusion]
[ 146 ]
An a r c h it ec t ural space is a product of
a c o n s t an t interaction of tensions and
c o n t r ad ic t io ns, where the physical is in
a c o n t in u o u s relation with social, polit-
ic a l an d c u lt ural dimensions. This the-
s is ad vo c at ed for innovative solutions
in a r c h it ec t u re, arguing that tradition-
al a p p r o ac h es may no longer be rele-
van t , a im in g to address and exaggerate
is s u es o f t h e present through analysis
o f p r ec ed en t s and fictions in order to
r eflec t b a c k and create a design that is
a m o r e s u c c essf ul and adaptive type of
s t r u c t u r es .
T h r o u g h t h e research, methodology
an d exp er imentation the thesis allowed
t h e r ead er t o mentally travel to an al-
t er n a t ive r ea lity, where dwellings exist
w it h o u t a r c h itects, where architecture
c o u ld m u t a t e and alter itself driven
b y c o m m u n it y needs and the creativi-
t y o f it s t en ants. The thesis was driv-
en b y t h e in tention to create a space
w h er e a r c h it ecture could evolve to lev-
els wh er e it is behaving as a living or-
g an is m a n d it is hard to tell whether
it is b ein g b uilt or if it has developed
it s o wn c o n s ciousness. Through exper-
imen t at io n and visual exploration, this
t h es is h as t e sted if parasitic types of
d wellin g s c o uld be a solution f or urban
ar eas o f t h e f uturistic dystopian reali-
t y alt er n at ively providing mode livable
s p ac es . T h r ough speculation and re-
s ear c h ed id eas this thesis tested archi-
t ec t u r e t o it s limits, creating types of
s t r u c t u r es t h at are always relevant.
[ 147 ]
WORKS CITED:
[ 148 ]
Eagleton, Terry. “Utopia and Its Opposites”,
Socialist Register , 2016, pp. 31-40, <http://
www.socialistregister.com/index.php/srv/ar-
ticle/view/5733/2628#.Wpujw-huaUk>.
[ 149 ]
Johnson, Colin., et al., “Evolutionary and Bio-
logically Inspired Music, Sound, Art and De-
sign”
Springer International Publishing Switzerland
2016, DOI:10.1007/978-3-319-31008-4.
[ 150 ]
Moylan, Tom. Scraps of the untainted sky :
science fiction, utopia, dystopia, 1943- Boul-
der, Colo: Westview-Perseus, 2000, <http://
hdl.handle.net.helicon.vuw.ac.nz/2027/
heb.07710.0001 .001>.
[ 151 ]
Smith, David, et al. “Hemiparasitism.” Encyclo-
pedia of Biodiversity, 2013, pp. 70–78.,
DOI: 10.1016/B9 78-0-12-384719-5.00207-0.
[ 152 ]
Wu, Rufina, and Stefan Canham. Lou Shang
Feng Guang : Xianggang Tian Tai Wo / Wu
Nanxun, Sitefan Kanhan = Portraits from
above : Hong Kong’s Informal Rooftop Com-
munities / Rufina Wu, Stefan Canham. Peper-
oni Books, 2009.
[ 153 ]
LIST OF FIGURES
[ 154 ]
Fig. 09.* “Sketch Inspired by Parasitic Mush-
rooms.” Author’s Own.
[ 155 ]
Fig. 20.* “Rooftop Slums Study 3.” Author’s
Own.
[ 156 ]
Fig. 29.* “ Site Analysis 2.” Author’s Own.
[ 157 ]
Fig. 40.* “Initial Sketch of Section Through
Site.” Author’s Own.
[ 158 ]
Fig. 51.* “ Main Perspective. ” Author’s Own.
[ 159 ]
Marina Pomigalova
V ic t o r ia U niversity of Wellington
2018
PARASITIC ARCHITECTURE
E M B O D I M E N T O F D Y S T O P I A
[ 161 ]