Ghosts Of Cité Soleil
If you have the chance, check this movie out. I saw it a while ago in Istanbul at the Independent Filmfestival And now it’s coming to the movie theaters.
An unbelievable reality is portrayed in the film, accompanied by a great hiphop soundtrack by Wyclef Jean. “An epic portrait of a family and a culture torn apart by poverty and violence, Ghosts of Cite Soleil is a powerful and unsettling documentary that takes us inside the lives of the notorious gang leaders who dominate the Haitian slum of Cite Soleil, one of the most desperate communities in the Western hemisphere.”
DSD_NY: Architects and Urbanist in Residence Studio
Delft School of Design, New York.
very nice… Delft’s ambition in the theory department rooting.
I decided not to do any PHd, but now, I might have to reconsider with this tempting forsight on Essex street 131
Delft School of Design dsd.tudelft.nl
The fallacy of physical determinism vs. social engineering a.k.a SimCity Societies
Upcoming, SimCity Societies, I just watched a demo and it’s really the architects petri-dish for Utopia’s, Dystopia’s, Disneylands and Wastelands. Read this quote from 1up:
“As the working title implies, Societies adds a new layer of emphasis on the city’s citizens. The game introduces six “social energies” (such as Wealth or Obedience) that influence your city’s look and feel. Buildings and aesthetics change depending on how these six values develop. Focus on Obedience, for example, and your buildings will start automatically adding security cameras to monitor your citizens’ movements, Orwellian-style. Different energy balances unlock different building types, too.”
It reminded me of a debate in architectural discourse about whether just purely physical changes in the built environment can really change the social characteristic of an area. Herbert Gans replied in his essay ‘Urban Vitality and the Fallacy of Physical Determinism’ (part of the book ‘People, Plans, and Policies‘, with criticism on city planning as a vehicle for social reform, such as proposed by Jane Jacobs
Watch, the demo and the explanation of the driving theories behind the game
re: Terminal Air, book your own CIA flight!
Terminal Air is a project that explores complex interconnections between government agencies and private contractors involved with the United States Central Intelligence Agency’s extraordinary rendition program. Since the mid-90’s, the CIA has operated the extraordinary rendition program, in which suspected terrorists captured in Western nations are transported to secret locations for torture and interrogation. A thoroughly modern enterprise, the extraordinary rendition program is largely carried out using leased equipment and private contractors.
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Istanbul Flashbacks
Recently (early May) I was back in ‘my other’ hometown, or at least that’s what it felt like being back there again after having lived there for 6 months. A strange and very nice experience. Here some pics with my favourite places and people.
Summerschool Beirut 17 Aug / 1 Sept 2007
Any plans for the summer? I’ll be going to Beirut this summer and will be working on this event, check it out…
A case study on the concept of public space in Lebanon
Initiated by Studio Beirut, Archis, Partizan Publik, Pearl and the University of Amsterdam - Center for Conflict Studies. An international multidisciplinary team of international and local students and professionals from the fields of architecture, urban development, design, sociology and political science, shall identify, analyze formally and socially, and propose interventions and new programs for the nearly infinite number of derelict or marginal spaces in Beirut. These terrains vagues, at many scales, from kilometers to centimeters, present a potential for territorial reassessment and cultural redefinition that will constitute a body of both research and action.
On the 1st of September on the Pearls in Lebanon event, results will be presented and debated. During Pearls in Lebanon a mixed audience will be brought together for discussion. The platform also gives the opportunity for project presentations of Studio Beirut and its projects to possible Lebanese cooperating partners and investors.
More info go to: studiobeirut.org
