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00:00:00 – 01:05:45
The video features a comprehensive presentation by Anna Puigjaner, newly appointed Chair of Architecture and Care at ETH Zurich, discussing the impact of digital technologies on society and the built environment while advocating for a redesign of housing to better meet evolving societal needs. Addressing the shortcomings of traditional family-centric housing in Spain and Switzerland, she presents her office’s efforts to explore adaptive housing models, such as the 2016 "110 rooms" project, inspired by flexible 19th-century New York housing.
She examines the evolution of apartment designs, influenced by the 1901 Tenement Housing Law, and highlights modern housing policies in Barcelona that prioritize flexibility and cost-efficiency. Drawing from historical contexts like Lima’s communal kitchens, she emphasizes the politicization of domestic spaces and the role of women in community organization during crises.
Contemporary efforts like the volunteer communal kitchens initiative in response to Japan’s 2008 financial crisis and 2011 earthquake are discussed, alongside innovative spatial concepts for dance performances that challenge norms around gender and sensory experiences. The lecture underscores the radical awareness of the transient nature of architecture, the importance of understanding and creatively navigating legal frameworks, and the pursuit of inclusive, non-normative domestic spaces. The session concludes with a dialogue on the intersection of architectural design and inclusivity, touching on historical and feminist perspectives, and the role of urban planners in shaping political yet inclusive spaces.
00:00:00
In this segment of the video, Jennifer Dan introduces the “Antenna Lecture” and welcomes Anna Puigjaner, a newly appointed Chair of Architecture and Care at ETH Zurich’s Department of Architecture. Jennifer highlights Anna’s distinguished background, including her historical research, editorial work, and global fieldwork on communal living and collective housing models. Anna has held positions at prestigious institutions and received numerous accolades, including the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale.
Anna begins her presentation by discussing the transformative impact of digital technologies on society and the built environment, citing Paul Preciado’s work on the transition from an industrial economy to a digital one. She emphasizes how these changes alter domestic spaces, enabling new modes of living and working from home. Anna argues that while modern design concepts are becoming outdated, current housing designs still largely reflect traditional structures centered around the nuclear family. She calls for rethinking housing to accommodate these evolving functions and societal needs.
00:10:00
In this segment of the video, the speaker discusses the shortcomings of current housing structures in Spain and Switzerland, where 70% of societal needs are not met by traditional family-based housing designs. The prevalent housing typology, which includes a large living room followed by a master bedroom, reinforces outdated societal norms and neglects the diverse living arrangements present today. The speaker’s office aims to challenge these conventions by exploring non-conforming domestic spaces and practices of care, advocating for the dismantling of modern biases to create more inclusive and adaptive living environments. The first project introduced is a housing development completed in 2016 in the Champlain neighborhood, characterized by uniform rooms that can be arranged flexibly to suit different needs. This project, dubbed “110 rooms,” reflects a past tradition of adaptable housing spaces seen in 19th-century New York. The speaker also touches on the historical context of the “kitchenless” apartment typology that emerged in New York post-Civil War, emphasizing its social and economic implications, particularly for women and the urban environment.
00:20:00
In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the evolution and flexibility of apartment designs in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, emphasizing the shift from collective kitchens to more diverse apartment typologies that included kitchens within the units. This transformation accelerated due to the 1901 Tenement Housing Law, which allowed for larger apartments by excluding kitchenless apartments from certain regulations, thus making them more popular and economically viable.
The speaker then touches on the decline of collective living concepts post-1929 economic crash and the rise of efficiency ideas, including the concept of compact kitchens, which originated as part of collective kitchens but later became standalone features.
The focus shifts to modern housing policies in Barcelona, highlighting the influence of collective pressure and gender perspectives on municipal housing plans. The speaker notes that contemporary public housing designs often lack traditional features like living rooms or master bedrooms in favor of more flexible layouts. One example is a social housing project in San Feliz, near Barcelona, designed to be cost-efficient and adaptable to future changes, envisioned to minimize long-term expenses.
Furthermore, the speaker introduces the idea of public infrastructure for domestic care, inspired by a study of “Urban Kitchens” found in Lima, Mexico City, and Tokyo. These kitchens are part of a public, metropolitan network and serve thousands of citizens daily, aiming to redefine care labor by moving it from the private to the public realm, thus changing its value and role in urban life.
00:30:00
In this segment of the video, the speaker discusses the urban migration and housing crisis in Lima, Peru, from the 1960s onward. Fernando Belaunde Terry, an influential architect and two-time Prime Minister, attempted to address influx issues with modern housing, which ultimately failed to keep pace with occupations. By 1981, 40% of Lima’s population were migrants living in self-organized settlements. Women played a crucial role, organizing associations and leading community efforts, such as building infrastructure and managing resources. This leadership extended into political activism, particularly in forming communal kitchens during the economic crisis of the 1970s and 80s. These kitchens became centers for political resistance and women’s empowerment.
The segment also touches on the severe impact of the violence from terrorist groups like Sendero Luminoso on these community leaders, notably the tragic assassination of activist María Elena Moyano. Today, communal kitchens still operate extensively in Lima, with over 2,500 identified, contrasting sharply with public school numbers in similarly sized New York City. The concept has parallels in other regions like Mexico City, where public kitchens emerged from different socio-economic programs but operate with similar communal goals and participation, highlighting regional variations in communal support structures.
00:40:00
In this part of the video, the speaker discusses a volunteer initiative started in response to the 2008 financial crisis and the 2011 earthquake in Japan. This initiative, which promotes communal eating, has grown significantly, with over 500 kitchens involved. The speaker mentions hosting a public kitchen in Barcelona and collaborating with activists to highlight the impact of food on the environment. Additionally, a project is described which blurs the lines between house, building, and city to challenge perceptions of space and occupation.
The second half addresses the design of a space for a dance performance that negates the recognition of gender and emphasizes sensorial experiences. This space uses a mobile ceiling to alter the sense of space, temperature, humidity, and pressure, making performers sweat as a political statement. The design aims to create an environment where bodies and voices that do not conform to traditional norms can be expressed. The segment concludes with a Q&A session, where the speaker is asked about the radical nature of their work as an architect.
00:50:00
In this segment of the video, the speaker reflects on the concept of radicality in architecture, emphasizing that their office, despite initially setting out not to build anything, ended up with a radical awareness that nothing lasts. This awareness influences their design approach. The discussion touches on the importance of understanding laws to navigate and possibly dismantle biased legal frameworks that influence architectural practices. The segment also addresses the complexities and contradictions inherent in aiming for inclusivity and care within architectural design, asserting that embracing such complexities is crucial. Additionally, there is mention of a need for new generations of architects to question root issues deeply and transform those insights into architectural solutions. Lastly, the discussion highlights the significance of utilizing legal frameworks creatively to challenge norms and expand possibilities in domestic spaces.
01:00:00
In this part of the video, the discussion revolves around the intersection of legal conditions and architectural design. The speaker addresses questions about the relationship between generic floor plans and inclusivity, particularly concerning the non-conforming body. They reference historical and feminist perspectives, noting the evolution of ideas from the 1970s to the present, such as the changing meaning of wages and the concept of the feminization of work.
The speaker also highlights the influence of urban planners in designing spaces, despite their reluctance to be politically labeled. Emphasis is placed on the importance of well-crafted project briefs in competitions and the challenge of creating non-normative, inclusive spaces within domestic architecture. They mention the need for spaces that allow flexible hierarchy and use architectural elements like darkness to create welcoming environments. The segment concludes with an invitation to future events and appreciation for the contributions of the organizing team.