Now that we can say more of our selves, will others have the chance to know about it?
“The human experience of identity has two elements:
a sense of belonging and a sense of being separate.2”
Our shadows played together as we walked, yet I am not able to tell you about it.
In 1976, two paleoanthropologists in a group led by anthropologist Mary Leakey, found, not far from the village of Laetoli in Tanzania, two pairs of fossils which today question the nature of those that existed before us. The discovery, as any of this nature, fuelled much debate. Some argue that the fossils, in fact footprints, were made by early hominids who resemble contemporary humans in stride and standing posture, while others, rooting their argument on the historical and artifactual record, challenge the idea that Laetoli marks were made by early iterations of us since there is no evidence of human culture or intelligence during that time period.
Dan Gilbert believes that, in our ardent, lifelong pursuit of happiness, most of us have the wrong map. In the same way that optical illusions fool our eyes — and fool everyone’s eyes in the same way — Gilbert argues that our brains systematically misjudge what will make us happy. And these quirks in our cognition make humans very poor predictors of our own bliss.
In class we are exploring way into what the future may look like. Of course, we are supposed to be exploring this with some relation to graphic design, but as I see it, many of the explorations reflect the hopes, frustrations or anxieties of their own creators. (and this generation) Read the rest of this entry »
Since I spend more than 80% of my time in this room, my wall has grown into Gretchen’s space. I am about to explore the west into Robert’s space. Soon I will have to begin layering in order to keep all things up.
The Iquique social interest housing project* by ELEMENTAL** and Alejandro Aravena.***
* ] ELEMENTAL Iquique social interest housing [ Looks to deal with extremely low-cost housing that can be a real means to overcoming poverty. The project intends to design neighborhoods of good quality, expandable housing units, which in turn can be well located in cities, and able to develop harmoniously over time. These structurally safe units would be built for $7,500 per family.
There were three goals: the best possible architectural design (having intelligence and precision in form), the best possible engineering and construction (using development and lab tests for new prefabricated components and seismic systems), and the best possible social and community work (offering pre- and post-construction guidance to residents).
** ] ELEMENTAL [ Based at the Universidad Católica de Chile's school of architecture, supported by a Chilean government grant and by the Harvard Design School, is an initiative to build seven exemplary projects of around 200 units each throughout Chile, bringing together the best practices in construction, engineering, social work and architecture, while at the same time aiming to offer a concrete contribution to housing for the poor.
*** ] Alejandro Aravena [ Architect Universidad Católica de Chile 1992, independent professional practice since 1994. Studied history and theory in Istituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia (1992-93). Visiting Professor at Harvard University between 2000 and 2005. Professor at the Universidad Católica since 1994. Since 2006 he is the Elemental Copec Professor at UC and Executive Director of ELEMENTAL.
Armando Rigau currently pursues a Master in Architecture I at Cornell University. He received his bachelor's degree in Philosophy with History and Spanish minors from Georgetown University.
