By acknowledging that conventional programmatic structure in architecture often conflicts with its use, the thesis sets users as the primary consideration for understanding space. As Bernard Tschumi included event (vs. program) by transcribing movements of users utilizing notation method in Manhattan Transcript, a drawing with a set of notations of identified user groups in Parc de la Villette aims to explore spatial occupations and patterns of the users.

While visualizing the existing users in the park through notation, the drawing also includes gestural marks that express the characteristics of each user group and further interpret the visual information. It begins to build up a set of fields that display contrasting architectural qualities: density vs. dispersion, solidity vs. porosity, fast vs. slow, etc. To formalize these characteristics into the potential event structure, the investigation of users expands into historical context: the slaughterhouse once existed but was eliminated to build Parc de la Villette. Spatial characteristics of the slaughterhouse and sequence of slaughtering are visualized through notation and incorporated into the drawing. And it finally suggests emergent form and space for new events in the park.

In contrast to the conventional programmatic structure, the new event structure emerges through notation drawings from the current and the historical context. This attempts to create spatial interventions that provoke dialogues with existing space and expand the potential for new events in the park. Starting with challenging conventional programmatic structure, the development of representation from the double site (present and past) proposes a possible form generation process in architectural design.

 

Year: 2007

Type: Graduate Thesis