Human Topographies- Emerging Identities

Human Topographies- Emerging Identities

2 The exhibition eloquently illustrates how two prevailing struggles, Division and Crisis, can lead to a new and positive Emerging Identity for the Island of Cyprus. Elevation_Produced by the Multylayered Effects and Sensory Experience Elevation_Descriptive text with the case studies that create the sensory experience Architectural works/projects from both the public and private realm have been carefully researched and chosen for the ways in which they activate architectural and social change. These are collaged, projected and blurred, creating an interactive corporeal and sensory experience. This experience evokes a new urban landscape, created from human topographies that echo the voice of an emerging identity. There exists an on-going geographical scar creating a division through the Island of Cyprus and its capital, Nicosia. The currently amputated city center is left almost forgotten, yet nature has reclaimed the divi sion line and it is now teaming with thriving greenery and wildlife. The qualities of the dividing but green zone have contributed significantly in the search for new identities, expressed in the emergence of new living conditions. The current economic and social crisis relentlessly invaded all spheres of human life. The experience of the city has dramatically altered, characterized by a change in the flow and needs of the people and the uses of spaces. We use Mark Wrigley s notion, crises are ultimately productive...they force invention - radical

3 the dynamics of the social production of space require a dissolution of architecture into a momentary enjoyment, a flash of desire, an ephemeral situation created by activities of groups that are themselves ephemeral Henri Lefebvre Complete effect with Projections, Puppets, Architectural boxes, hanging Vegetation, Karakiozi and Lightings destruction gives way to new forms of production, as the impetus for the creation of an ultimately new experience that the visitor will encounter and become a part of when they enter the Cyprus exhibit. The Experience The requirement of the Triennale that the design component be a theatrical representation of an unknown reality influenced the spatial proposal of the exhibit. Thus it aims to capture the presence of the visitors and transfer their interactions in an enticing corporeal and sensory experience. The exhibit is centered around Architectural shadow puppets which fill the room with multitudes of reflected images. The puppets represent the products and ingredients, be they buildings, infrastructure, or objects, interwoven together with weather and social ritual scenographies. The experience will be enhanced by the use of recordings, projections, various modes of lighting, kinetics, fans, moving mechanisms, mirrors, transparencies, markings, text and tracings. The shadow art effect and the projections will be interwoven with sound-scape calibrations constantly changing in sequence and amplification. Puppets inspired by the traditional karagiozis will also be used to present the human in this Division and Crisis thematic. It is through these innovative and alluring techniques that the narrative of the emergent built environment will be communicated.

4 space not as a site but as an event. Doreen Massey These Architectural shadow puppets will be in the form of key existing contemporary and historical buildings and monuments from the Island of Cyprus. The selected local architectural case studies (from both the Public & Private sector) will be blended with evolving living typologies. These will be used to create a series of emerging metropolitan environments of momentary relationships and create a new spontaneous urban landscape. This is what we call Human Topographies of Emerging Identities. Floor Plan, showing Shadows and Visitor s interaction Typology of the spatial experience

5 Ingredients of the Exhibition Human Monuments, historical buildings Existing buildings, conversions (ARC), cityscapes Experimental living typologies Events as social catalysts- LGBT festivals and activities, Occupy movement, Refugee support activities Urban interventions: The Green Urban Lab project (GUL), Green Urban Kitchen In_Out Crisis, Emergent and adaptive Social and environmental visions and future proposals Return to Nature

Human Topographies- Emerging Identities Curators: Yiorgos Hadjichristou, Alessandra Swiny, Veronica Antoniou Collaborators: Georgios Papiotis, Christiana Karamalli, Ourania Asperou Professional experts: Nikos Christofides - JNC, Light engineer Yiannis Christofides - Sound designer Michalis Georgiou Technical support Websites: www.unit05.wordpress.com www.unic.ac.cy www.yiorgoshadjichristou.com www.urbangorillas.org www.mazacollective.com Yiorgos Hadjichristou is a Professor of the Department of Architecture, University of Nicosia, and a practicing architect. He is the recipient of a number of national and international awards. He participated in various International exhibitions including a number of Venice Biennale and was nominated 6 times for the Mies Van Der Rohe awards. Alessandra Swiny is an architect of American and British origin. She received her degrees from Barnard/ Columbia University and Harvard University. She is an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Architecture, University of Nicosia, Cyprus. She has exhibited work in international exhibitions including the Venice Biennale. In recent years her work concentrates on issues of emergency architecture. Veronika Antoniou is the co-founder and creative director of Urban Gorillas NGO and MAZA Collective. She is a licensed architect; landscape designer and urban planner. Her work spreads between the practice of architecture, research and hands-on practices to re-energize public spaces. Professional experience includes projects in Japan, Belgium, Switzerland and Cyprus.