Coronavirus and Junk Spaces
Coronavirus and Junk Spaces
The future of junkspace in the wake of this pandemic is something that really intrigues me. My hometown is already seeing countless buildings lose vacancy from bankruptcy. I imagine this is the nature of the situation in a lot of places. With the nature of everything, I don’t see anyone filling these spots in the imminent future. The shells of junk space programs are present everywhere. Office spaces and other forms of these spaces are losing value due to the remote nature of society at this moment. Junk is losing value. I think this whole situation is forcing us to rethink the manner in which we deal with these spaces. Is the future a partial shift to remoteness? Will corporate entities fill the voids left in society and multiply the junk spaces tenfold? Will things return to the way they were before the pandemic and we’ll forget this whole thing happened? I think the ladder is absurd, society is always progressing, responding, and adapting to trauma. The question I pose is what is the future? How does architecture relate and respond?
Architects need to think about upgrading junk space and create their new values adapted to the post-covid life pattern. I am thinking about the possibility of wasted commercial spaces becoming low income housing. I confess I'm not sure about the power dynamism required to realize this change. Hope for technical answers.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Vincent, there needs to be a response. I think if anything it is now more evident the role economic models play in creating junkspaces. Before the pandemic, it was obvious to say strip centers house small failing businesses or are very temporary functions - often vacant, and malls are already decaying. Post-pandemic there will be office buildings, long-serving restaurants, big-box stores that are vacant.
ReplyDeleteThe formation of Junkspace is entirely commercial and economical. I hope there is potential opportunity to reclaim these spaces and be critical of architecture's relationship with consumerism, commercialism, and economy.