Techné: Exploration of Unmanifested Shifts in Cultural Landscapes

Abstract

“Cultural Landscapes” could be described as the manifestation of values as seen in the interactions between human beings and nature. Not all of these “interactions” can be accounted for physically, but those that are become the spatial manifestation of cultural values. These manifestations of culture may serve an identifiable purpose (program) and they might range in scale from simple artifacts to massive interventions. It could be said that “architecture” is created when these conditions occur; it serves to mediate culture and place. This understanding of place cannot be contained to a defined site by property lines, nor does it end where a building stops. By selecting a location in which to work, and allowing each aspect of its cultural landscape to determine the specific goals of program and level of architectural intervention, this project seeks to understand the factors that led to the disconnection of culture and place and respond to it, transforming vacant conditions into places that are an integral part of the local culture. Multiple local sites can be identified and used to address specific aspects of the culture in relation to the human needs and desires. Although the sites are fragmented, the hope is that by understanding their unique purpose, and the use of available materials, local building methods, and response to climate, these interventions might strengthen the fabric of the existing cultural landscape.