The City & The City & The City & The Ci....

I am captivated by the idea of the city, and the idealized ways that people can live as a part of it. I’m certain this is one of the reasons that I chose the profession of Architecture, which is itself, an ongoing utopian study of the way people use the space they inhabit. Various other arts are inherently capable of acting as substitute for architecture when the later isn’t a fitting medium. Sculpture obviously, all manners of two-dimensional art, photography, graphic design, etc. have a spatial component that has a direct link to the architectural quality of inhabiting space. It’s rare, at least in my experience, that literature can fill that spatial void in a way that creates an equally exciting experience.

 

The City & The City accomplishes the interesting feat of using language to create a spatial city that simply couldn’t exist outside of it’s pages. Unlike most fantasy or science-fiction novels, where the setting is simply somewhere that we haven’t yet discovered or explored, here China Mieville has written a standard detective murder mystery that occurs in an uncommon setting; two separate cities inhabiting the same space. If two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time, then the cities Beszel and Ul Qoma can only exist in the pages of this novel. The descriptions of the two cities, their limitations and boundaries are continually refined throughout the novel, and truthfully, there are several ways to interpret how this place can exist. The novel itself however is a wonderful spatial exploration using only its words to define boundaries and is itself a study of how those boundaries are explored & broken 

First I’d like to address the literary symbolism that exists in the novel simply as an acknowledgment to further explore the spatial experience unimpeded. As you progress through the story, you’re constantly confronted with the question of whether these two cities are actually independent civic entities or whether social and legal restrictions simply limit the ability for the citizens to actually “inhabit” the entirety of the city surrounding them. No definitive answer is ever given, but there are numerous clues that hint at both possibilities. The citizens of each city are prohibited from looking at, interacting with or acknowledging the existence of the other city that they are at least partially inhabiting. Perhaps this setting is a metaphorical attempt to describe the physical realization of current urban problems ranging from class/castes, to religious segregation, or gentrification & reurbanization, or even ghettoization. Are we trained from youth to “unsee” someone sleeping in an alley entrance? Have we not yet fully realized why the majority of our cities are still ethnically divided? You can even go so far as to ask how can Israel & Palestine both occupy the same sliver of land? These are current social issues that might be influences behind the “parable” of The City & The City. While interesting from a literary standpoint, I’m more interested in the cities as independent habitable entities.

Copyright Mayang

 Mieville spends a lot of effort in exploring the two cities, and describing how the citizens of each perceive their own city and the other that is intertwined with it. He uses words like “crosshatch”, and “topolganger” to help the reader visualize how this place can actually exist. While some areas of the environment are strictly within Beszel or completely within Ul Qoma, a crosshatched area is a portion of the environment where both cities exist in the same place. A “topolganger” is a topographic doppelganger, inventively describing the two building that occupy the same space, independent of each-other, one in each city. What I continued to be amazed by was how visual Mieville was able to make these cities. I love the idea of the crosshatch, and began marking its use in my copy of the novel.  The layers that can be explored in the environment with the crosshatch as a visual representation begin to feed one another. There are two sets of perpendicular lines in a crosshatch, each representing one city. However, this graphic method leaves small patches of “nothing” landlocked between them; which then opens the plotline to a potential third in-situ city, Orciny, which might be all the intertwined spaces that are neither Beszel or Ul Qoma. I love that exploration, and also how Mieville studies the potential historical events that led to the creation of this unique environment.

Borrowed from sfcityguides.org

“It is a heavily crosshatched street-clutch by clutch of architecture broken by alterity, even in a few spots house by house. The local buildings are taller by a floor or three than the others, so Besz juts up semiregularly and the roofscape is almost a machicolation. (p. 24)

“I walked by the brick arches: at the top, where the lines were, they were elsewhere, but not all of them were foreign at their bases. The ones I could see contained little shops and squats decorated in art graffiti. In Beszel it was a quiet area, but the streets were crowded with those elsewhere. I unsaw them, but it took time to pick past them all.” (p.25)

“In Beszel it is an unremarkable shopping street in the Old Town, but it is crosshatched, somewhat in Ul Qoma’s weight, the majority of the buildings in our neighbour, and in Ul Qoma its topolganger is the historic, famous Ul Maidin Avenue, into which Cupola Hall vents.”

(p. 132)

“I looked at what Dhatt showed me. Unseeing of course, but I could not fail to be aware of all the familiar places I passed grosstopically, the streets at home I regularly walked, now a whole city away, particular cafes I frequented that we passed, but in another country.” (p. 135)

Jonathon Lethem is another favorite author of mine, who uses the city as a character in his writing, generally New York. Mieville takes that characterization a step further in this work, and makes the city THE character. There is a plot that is advanced by individuals who are brought together by the murder of a young woman. This mystery however is only a vehicle for feeding the reader more and more of the spatially impossible descriptions that are the most successful part of this novel. I couldn’t help but imagine that Mieville got his hands on an “Invisible City” that was edited out of Calvino’s book and chose to write a novel using it as his setting. I definitely want to read through The City & The City again, but I wish I could go back and read it for the first time as well. Being slowly made aware of what this place actually is, was a wonderful experience.

The Richmond Oval

For me, the most interesting building to arise for the Vancouver Olympics is the Richmond Oval. While I certainly don’t agree with every design decision, the assets it possesses allow me to forgive the slight aesthetic issues I see. The facility has achieved LEED silver status, but more importantly, its plan for future use is a large bonus for me.  

 

The facility sits on a 32 acre site abutting the Fraser River in Richmond, just south of Vancouver. During the games it will accommodate 8,000 spectators who’ll witness the long track speed skating events and it will also house the Olympic anti-doping testing center. It was designed as the centerpiece of a new urban neighborhood including residential, commercial and various other public spaces. I’ve had a difficult time finding more information on the status of the rest of this neighborhood, so hopefully it’s seen through. For the moment though, the Oval provides enough meat to chew on.

I’ve written recently on my main problem with the current construction climate and how we deal with temporary albeit global scale celebrations, so my first interest in this building is what function will it be serving after February 28th. Happily, there’s a well defined plan for the multi-purpose sports center that will be the Richmond Oval after the games are complete. Plans call for 2 Olympic sized ice rinks, 8 basketball courts, and a full 200 meter track with a full infield and 60 meter sprint track…all operating at the same time. In addition to the actual sporting events, a civic wellness center and community gathering spaces (indoors and out) are available. The building also allows for elite training, housing offices for sports medicine, athlete testing and coaches throughout the facility. I’m personally aware of the impact this type of facility can have on a community. A multi-purpose sports facility housing basketball courts and a gym opened in town a few years ago, and it’s been a tremendous draw in the surrounding area for year-round tournament. In fact, this month a facility housing three ice rinks opened nearby hoping to see the same type of success. The ability of the Oval to accommodate both summer and winter sports training and tournaments will greatly aid in its potential long-term success. Seeing as the building could possibly be in daily use draws the question, what type of space is it? In my opinion, that depends on where you stand. Literally.

While the interior of the Oval is truly a beautiful space, the unique wooden roof structure is clearly the jewel. Pieced together from trees damaged by a pine beetle infestation that is creating havoc on the west coast, the roof is both visually interesting, and environmentally friendly. Using modeling software in designing this roof to account for structural, acoustic, aesthetic, mechanical and even financial requirements, the designers have created a functional beautiful form. The large open span is a programmatic requirement and a visual treat throughout the interior of the building. The exterior is another issue however.

I’m confused by the exterior of this building. In looking at the floor plans in relation to the elevations, there seems to be a disconnect. The large roof span that is a highlight on the interior doesn’t make itself known on the exterior. In fact, on both the north and south elevations, the long façade is broken up by a series of identical roof overhangs which form clerestories for interior daylighting. It’s not the form that I’m unsure about, it’s the repetition across the façade. These individual but identical forms lessen the impact of the building as a whole, and treat the building more like a strip mall with a long row of individually rentable spaces. I’m also confused by the treatment of the elevations; they are at the same time, overly “busy” and plainly simple. This is, I believe, a result of the repetition of the façade forms and materials. From afar, the massing seems to work much better, as the overall form is less blurred by the exterior material treatment, and the building is more recognizable as the large open volume that it truly is. I really feel like I’m nitpicking here, but I’m really not sold on the building form from the exterior. Part of that might be the design intent.

 

Cannon Design , the architects of record took inspiration from the symbol of Richmond, the heron, in their overall design idea. Initially I wasn’t sold as I didn’t get “heron” HERON PIC from the form, but after seeing the city logo, I understood a little better. I don’t really get ‘heron” from it either, but I do see the connection between the two. I am excited to see a design firm take a relevant inspiration and follow it through the final design, typically the “inspiration” defined in a design wouldn’t pass an elementary design studio critique. I do give Cannon credit for that. 

In respect to the limited information I’ve seen, I like the way the detailing was handled in the building, specifically in the roof and structure. There is an honest and clean, yet interesting method of handling connections and highlighting function with form.

Overall I’m very happy with this building, both in the design and the plans for future use. I understand the need for this type of facility as youth and amateur sports continue to grow across the continent, and I appreciate the intention of using the building as a hub for a mixed-use neighborhood. I would have liked to have seen this hub been sited in an existing neighborhood, but my lack of knowledge on Richmond city planning allows me to ignore that point for the time being. All the reports I’ve heard from the users and visitors are full of praise, and that’s ultimately the goal of any building design – create a functional beautiful space that enhances the users experience. 

The Part About Dreams

Following the guidance a book forum I occasionally browse, I elected to join a slow-read of 2666, the final novel of Roberto Bolano. The group was to read 50 pages a week over the course of the next few months and continually discuss through the end of the book. With the novel pushing 900 pages, this was an ideal chance for me to add in a book I’d been planning on reading without sacrificing the stack already sitting on my nightstand. Not only that, but I’d get to enjoy the “book club” aspect of reading. which I typically ignore. I had a plan of attack!

My plans were thwarted by Mr. Bolano and this novel however. I could not stop reading. So, after 2 weeks, the book sits alone on my designated reading chair – surely feeling utterly molested – and I sit here, on the opposite side of the room, trying to recover from what I was just put through.

The novel is broken down into 5 distinct sections entitled; The Part About the Critics, The Part About Amalfitano, The Part About Fate, The Part About the Crimes, and The Part About Archimbaldi. Evidently, aware of his oncoming death, Bolano asked that each section be released as an individual novel in order to (hopefully) provide better for his heirs. Fortunately, for fans of literature, his family chose to release the novel in its entirety. You can also get a really cool 3 volume edition.  Each of the sections is dominated by a different set of central characters, and each has it’s own independent feel of prose, and pacing. Throughout the novel however, the characters interact on the periphery of their own stories, as all travel through the Mexican border town of Ciudad de Juarez  fictionally realized as Santa Teresa. 

 It is these interactions that I found most intriguing about the story. For one reason, they begin to bring together the disparate threads of the plot into a central recognizable picture. Another reason is that the interactions aren’t necessarily actual conversations or even based on the physical limitations of time or space. This is where we get to The Part About Dreams.

In this novel engorged with central over-arching themes, the repetition of the “dream” as a literary feature is in my opinion, the most important and telling of Bolanos central idea of this novel.  Throughout the novel, the reader is invited to share in the sleeping dreams of just about every important character. The beauty and clarity with which Bolano puts the reader into these ethereal, often innately frightening situations is a joy to experience. The opportunity to see how the dreams of these characters applies to the larger story that the reader has been granted access to, works to give the novel the feel of a David Lynch film. Personally, I enjoy Lynch, but I understand his work can be divisive. The difference between Lynch and Bolano is that Lynch uses the dream as a plot device, while Bolano uses it as an insight into a deeper level of the story.  You’ll likely walk away from Mulholland Drive thinking… “what in the hell was that”, while trying to resist the urge to immediately watch it again. With 2666 however, each dream brings a greater appreciation for the story unfolding around you.

 

The dreams that the individual characters have, make connections to other elements of the story, some of which the reader will recognize and some of which won’t become clear until later (if ever). This includes several of the novels other themes, including; madness, death, isolation, artistic voyage etc. These dreams create a sense of over-arching unease throughout the book.  Within the actual prose of the novel as well as in the characters’ dreams, separate individuals share similar plotlines. Random allusions and metaphors to other characters and their current/past circumstances are made. Foreshadowing is heavily used. There are many small snapshots, taken in vivid detail, but pieced together in a confusing, unclear setting. It feels as if the reader is dreaming the text. These dream components fuse into the characters psyche in such a way that reality is looked upon warily as coincidences begin to emerge.

The characters experience their world in the same way you, as the reader experience the novel. You feel like you recognize this person passing you on the street, your expectations are affected by an undercurrent of dread, there is a hint that the answer is always just out of focus in your periphery. You are a character in this novel, and like the multitude of others around you, not all your questions will be answered. You decide how hard to scratch that itch of coincidence that continues to nag you, as you piece together the puzzle that you have created which mirrors own individual sense of acceptance

Sonoran Desert – Courtesty of Steven Bedrick  

I love this open approach to writing. In no way can it be called lazy or scatterbrained. I believe your perception of its complexity is directly proportional to the work you put into inhabiting Bolanos’ world. You won’t tire of digging for meaning, or reaching for connections.  The depth is incredible, and the character of artist Edwin Johns conveys in a few words, what I have taken far to many too try and convey:

“Coincidence, if you’ll permit me the simile, is like the manifestation of God at every moment on our planet. A senseless God making senseless gestures at his senseless creatures. In that hurricane, in that osseous explosion, we find communion.” - p.90

Ad Nauseam

After the Supreme Court ruling a few weeks ago which allowed private corporations to spend unrestricted amounts of their cash on political advertisements endorsing (or denouncing) candidates, I was curious how much advertising actually affects us, the unwashed masses. Obviously advertising is everywhere these days so my assumption was that with the continual increase of ads, pitches, slogans icons, logos and corporate mascots that it all eventually became white noise. That’s certainly how I felt personally.

So I head off to the library and pick up a few books that looked like interesting takes on the topic. I finally ended up with Ad Nauseam: A Survivor's Guide to American Consumer Culture  partially written and edited by Carrie McLaren and Jason Torchinsky. These two worked on Stay Free! magazine , a sarcastic and self-aware jab at American culture.  Overall, the book is a compilation of various articles from past issues of Stay Free!, as well as a smattering of new material to provide context and to hold bigger themes together.

I liked the book, it was a quick read, and provided some insight into the way advertisers view the public. There wasn’t a lot of depth, and I would recommend it only as a quick overview of several general aspects of advertising. If nothing else, it has provided me another level with which to appreciate Mad Men when it returns later this year. Only on AMC!


There was one passage in particular that motivated me to write this quick description however. It was in the section of the book describing how, prior to stricter regulation, advertisers would simply change the function of their product if it wasn’t selling. They give the example of Listerine – originally advertised as a dandruff cure – found a more appropriate home as a mouthwash. My favorite passage of the book, (it had me doubled over laughing) was this:

"Nowadays we tend to hide Lysol to stop kids from accidently drinking it. But back in 1928, women were such badasses that they would actually pour this stuff right into their vaginas. Really."

I went looking for a digital version of the ad, and while this isn’t the exact one shown in the book, it’s ridiculously similar. I also found that there are dozens more just like it.

Olympic Expenditure

As we begin the first full week of Winter Olympics 2010, I am again forced to confront the nagging voice whispering sweet excesses into my ear. Let me begin by saying I love the abstract idea of Olympic competition. The unity of global identity through exhibiting the limits of the human body is a beautiful concept. Unfortunately, here in reality, we have to deal with money.

NBC, the network which purchased the exclusive rights to broadcast these Olympic competitions (as well as those in London 2012), are expected to lose over $200 million as a result of their record bid, and the proceeding lack of advertising revenues.

Now I don’t mind foolish companies making foolish decisions and overspending on any product or service they choose – they just have to answer to their board. My eyebrows are raised when a city elects to jump into this potentially volatile arena, while appointing itself as lead developer. Vancouver must answer to its 600,000 citizens, as well as the additional 1.4 million nestled between Richmond and Whistler. The Olympics are protested every two years for a reason, and while the fringe causes might change from city to city, money is an ever-present protest poster topic.

I have always had a problem with the cost and waste that comes with putting on temporary events – the Olympics especially. Initial planning, design and construction costs are immense, and then after the rest of the world has gone home, the parent city is left with an empty birds nest.

I've been to two former Olympic sites in cities that I otherwise love (Barcelona and Munich). Unfortunately my experience for both sites was eerily similar

Scene – European City Train Station – Early Afternoon

I board a lonely train, which travels to the end of a lonely rail, viewing the city beyond through a dirty window. Eventually I arrive at a lonely station, and emerge into a lonely park. While well kept and quite beautiful, I wonder why, exactly? There’s nobody there enjoying the architecture nor the grounds. A few tattered concert posters lead me to believe that a moderately popular blues band was supposedly here 4 months ago, but while wandering around, there’s still no indication of a potential audience.

I wonder if there is a better way to design buildings for these large scale temporary use occasions. Imagine an arena designed not just for a future re-purposing, but perhaps even a complete de-construction and re-formation on several other sites throughout the city. I’m reminded of this project which admittedly, is far from the scope and complexity of a 9,000 seat arena, but which contains design ideas that I believe can be scaled to any degree.

Image courtesy of Dezeen & Cristobal Palma

Of course there is cost associated with this type of program and design, but the payback - consisting of several smaller facilities that are actually used - is far greater than a once iconic symbol sitting empty on the edge of town. I applaud Vancouver for its use of existing facilities, and even its intentions for repurposing several new constructions, including the Richmond Oval, and the Athlete’s Village (I anticipate exploring these venues specifically in the near future.)

There have been numerous articles written, championing how “green” these new Vancouver facilities are; but my primary concern is not how much water or electricity can be saved through the building design, rather its whether there will be anybody that actually uses the facilities at all. The idea of “take what you’ll eat, and eat what you take” isn't just for kids in a buffet line. The construction of a permanent element within a city should never be taken casually, and the construction of numerous elements, with inherent physical and functional connections, will forever affect a city in both physical and financial manners. The modern Olympics call for a city within a city, and I believe that there’s a better way of exceeding the required program without the construction of iconic buildings that function as nothing more than sculpture after the flame has been extinguished

Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press

Already, before the games area even began, the long-term planning for the Athlete’s Village might already be falling apart. The intention was to incorporate social housing into the future use, but the cost overruns during construction might prevent that from ever becoming an option. The primary concern of course, is the ability of the city to get a return on their investment. The citizens of Vancouver are, for the moment, preoccupied with either celebration or protest, but come March 1, after the last of world’s flags have left the closing ceremony, Vancouverites (and I) will be curious…what now?

The Assets of Criticism

Criticism, whether it be focused on Architecture, Design, Art, Music, Literature, or any one of the other infinite life-fulfilling elements of modern society (even the ones that haven't earned capitalization), is an opportunity for self reflection. Art, at its core, is a mirror that reflects the beliefs, thoughts, and prejudices of the viewer back at themselves. This self-analysis is a vital part of criticism that should always occur as a part of the process. Perhaps it's my own experiences that inform this belief, but I don't think this aspect of criticism occurs nearly enough.

It's easy to vomit a paper-thin opinion when asked if you like the book you're reading, but it's even easier to answer with a sheepish "Meh!?", and a shrug of the shoulder. Everything is worth forming an opinion of. That opinion, when it's individually meaningful, will tell you something about yourself and inversely will inform others about you. That is my purpose for starting Urban Fractal.

I, as a professional architect with my personal interests, have surrounded myself with inexhaustible opportunities to explore and criticize! However, what I’m really after is the self-analysis that will come as a result of this endeavor. Cliché, repetitive, trite...I don’t care, this is the method I’ve chosen to force myself to analyze the elements that come into my life that I have an interest in. I realized I needed a structured method to do this, and you’re reading the result.

I intend to focus on Architecture and Design, but rest assured Music, Literature, Movies and Art will make regular appearances. Despite the content flexibility, the one rule I’ll adhere to is – every post will contain an honest and thoughtful opinion, and a self-realized explanation of where it comes from.