Junkspace or the art of Overstimulation

“Junkspace is the body double of space, a territory of impaired vision, limited expectation, reduced earnestness. Junkspace is a Bermuda Triangle of concepts, an abandoned petri dish: it cancels distinctions, undermines resolve, confuses intention with realization. It replaces hierarchy with accumulation, composition with addition. More and more, more is more. Junkspace is overripe and undernourishing at the same time, a colossal security blanket that covers the earth in a stranglehold of seduction.”

“A fuzzy empire of blur, it fuses high and low, public and private, straight and bent, bloated and starved to offer a seamless patchwork of the permanently disjointed. Seemingly an apotheosis, spatially grandiose, the effect of its richness is a terminal hollowness, a vicious parody of ambition that systematically erodes the credibility of building, possibly forever.”

I was particularly drawn to these two thoughts from Rem Koolhaas’ writings on Junk Space. As I read this small segment, I envision a large, unprogrammed space that seems to have no purpose but as a lobby for multiple programs to occur simultaneously. This vision gives me headaches as the thought of overstimulation sets in. There are too many things added to the space that all seem to combine together with no part of the conglomeration presenting itself more important than another.

Source: The Columbia Review

As I think more of this I begin to see how mobile phones, smart phones in particular, can provide the technological equivalent of Junkspace. Technology has gone so far to allow us to listen to music, watch a movie, read an article from our favorite architect, and catch up on the latest soap opera gossip all at the same time in the palm of our hand. All of this information floods the senses in the tiniest of moments, I feel those who reject anything in the realm of smartphones have become victims of this overstimulation, the technological junkspace.

Source: John Day/Getty Images

If I were to relate this to my background in music, Junkspace is the “warmup” time at the beginning of band class or a concert. One musician is playing long notes to warm up their embouchure while another musician across the room practices a particular riff in a faster song that might be challenging on their fingers. A drummer in the back of the room begins to tap out rudimentary beats to practice their hand positions. An untrained musician walks in the room and experiences the musical equivalent of junkspace…an overstimulation of the senses that provides little to no resolve until the director approaches the podium and silence takes its place…even then the listener isn’t content due to the un-resolved nature of a musical excerpt, a small portion of something larger.