Can there be quality "junkspace"?
As junkspace has increasingly taken over suburbs and the nooks and crannies of in between spaces, I believe there are two big questions. One, can we actually stop it, and two, is all junkspace terrible? To the first, I do not think junkspace can be stopped. Yes our generation seems to be more aware of such problems and wants to return to a mixed function city atmosphere, but we have also gotten used to the convenience of shopping malls and "one stop shops." This ties into the second question.
I do not think everything Rem Koolhaas defines as junkspace is necessarily bad. It is easy to critique poor construction that lasts ten years and huge seas of asphalt that are resultant of a nearby strip mall. The execution of junkspace is what makes it junkspace, not the entire concept behind it. There are beautifully designed malls, atriums, and airports that take into account user experience in the design process. It is a romantic idea to walk down the street and stop into six different small shops to find what you need, but its a notion that has been lost to the convenience of the mall. Instead of going in the complete opposite direction of junkspace, could we start by simply improving it?
Parc Central Mall - Benoy
Irvine Spectrum Center - latest phase completed by BAR Architects
I also discussed the current problem of convenience shopping and "one-stop shops", but I like your notion to redefine junkspace as execution rather than concept. I think every designer can (or should) be able to defend their concept, yet it comes down to rethinking the execution process so that money, time and outside opinions are not affecting the original concept.
ReplyDeleteA lot in architecture is valued because of nostalgia. Every culture of a different time has different needs and catering for that is more important in my opinion than simply romanticising the past.
ReplyDeleteHence the markets of the past will not be like what they are today and using junk space as design opportunity seems like a great idea
A large problem is getting the people to actually care about the space they inhabit or even pass by everyday. It is a cultural thing, not just American culture. I have been to countries outside of the U.S. where there is just heaps of trash everywhere, due to lack of infrastructure and maybe even a general lack of caring or knowledge that they should care. Yes, I want to believe that people are starting to care more, but this is not just a previous generational phenomenon, this exists in our generation too, we just choose to not see it.
ReplyDeleteI agree, not all junkspace is bad.. necessary even. I think with an ever-progressing technologically savvy world, trying to hold on to things such as "walking down the street and popping into 6 stores to find what you need" is turning into a state of nostalgia. You don't need to do this, but when you have free time maybe you do it for "fun". When we are in a world where you can order anything and have it delivered in 2 days for free, why would you waste the 2 hours to go somewhere and physically pick it up?
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