Suchness

Lullaby to bergen

2010-09-05T20:02:00.003+02:00

Festplassen, Bergen. Thursdag night. Lullaby to Bergen.

Farewells

2010-09-05T18:30:00.002+02:00

I delivered my master and passed. I am leaving Bergen by the end of this month. Slowly I've started the archiving of things that have accumulated during the last 6,5 years. Most things I hope to sell or give away. Some I keep. Nights on my veranda are the most beautiful.

Project description on 6 days left

2010-08-13T19:21:00.005+02:00

Project discription - BAS DIPLOMA 2010 - Birgitte J. Haug

SUCHNESS

AN INVESTIGATION OF INTEGRATION AND FLOW

A Perception, freedom and space

I saw this last project as an opportunity, and a necessity, to investigate how I can work with architecture, to create a platform and background for myself to grow on, with what is most important to me. Hence I wanted to investigate the role of space in relation to perception of reality and the way we see the world. How much can space do?

I entered my project philosophically and theoretically through the social anthropology text. Here I discussed the individual in relation to culture, investigating concepts such as freedom, fear, perception and projection (and reflection). I was trying to understand what people are, and why there is so much insecurity and fear. There reigns a general understanding that perception is subjective, but people fail to realize that this is a fact 100% of the time. The social anthropologist Roger M. Keesing discribed the way we see the world as perceived through filters, or cultural glasses. Our background, cultural references etc filter the input of our senses and interpret it according to subjective experience. We can never take our glasses off, he says, but we can see them in the reflection of the glasses of someone else. Keesing is mainly talking about cross culture experience, however if you apply this to any individual in any situation it is coherent with both Western and Eastern philosophy. Becoming more aware of ones filters would bring about freedom.

B Integration in every situation

Today people from many cultures are represented in most nations, and there are problems with integration. This is a social problem of society, but the way I wanted to attack it was not in a general sense, but micro scale. I believe change grows from within an individual.

C Bergen

I started my investigation in Bergen registering the general situation. I walked for days making maps of culture / institutions / shops / eat&drink / housing. I made a separate map for the shops, eat&drink & culture run by immigrants. From the maps I could read a lot about zoning in the city, and according to my intention of improving integration, I decided on two places in the city where to perform acupuncture. Presenting such difference in the urban space and the program I propose I believe the two projects support each other in existence.

D Site one – Skostredet – Culture – many meets many

This area is the alternative backyard of Bergen. There are many small cultural movements in the area, BIKS (Bergen International Culture Center) being one of them. BIKS has around 60 member organizations (mostly immigrant or international cultural movements) and administrates rooms for these to organize events. The rooms are the cheapest the organizations can get, and the standard is not bad, however there lacks communication to street level and there is no place for people of the different organizations to promote their existence nor for them to meet each other. Interviewing a representative for one of the organizations also led me to the lack of office space. Today only the administration has an office, but the organizations don't. Instead of building an entire new cultural house, I decided that this place needed a platform for meeting; BIKS people with people from other activities in the area. It lacked the larger scale found elsewhere in the more established cultural scene. I propose a building that has on the ground level a café for international food&drinks + an area for hanging out. There is a sound installation in this area where you can listen to different languages. On the above floors you can bring you coffee and sit in different areas inside or outside on verandas. There are installed small scenes in the stairs. On these floors also lie offices shared by the organizations. The offices have windows out into the sitting area, allowing the the organizations to be visible and to demonstrate activity. I left this site with the programming and the concept, to be able to work thoroughly site two.

E Sisterhoods & brotherhoods

I met a woman that is a teaching immigrant girls and she told me that school is one of the few places many girls get to go that is outside of their family or cultural sphere. I asked myself what could be a program that would attract me that would also attract a girl of a different cultural, social or economic background. I realized that many activities are so segregating today. At sports there you have to be within a certain age, be fit, probably you have a local identity to that team too. Most encounters between people from different areas of society might be happening girl-boy-night-out. This is maybe not a very lucky situation, and not when one is most open to seeing through ones own filters. Exposure to opposition on an unsafe background might not lead to integration, rather segregation. I realized the potential and value of friendships between people of the same sex, and saw that in my life I have no contact with women much younger nor much older than me. I think this is unnatural. Three days later the project came to me.

F Site two – Nøstet – nature – one meet oneself and the other too

I chose this site because it is on a established cultural axis in the city, however representing a very traditional culture. I wanted to increase the flow of different kinds of people in the area. Exploding the perception of the city center as confined and one-dimensional.

G The bath

Suchness is a translation from Japanese meaning the theory that physical intimacy leads to emotional intimacy. This goes for the project on site one too, however had most impact on this main project. A bath. A place to experience the water, so important in Norway. However many people cannot in the most common way, because personal, cultural or religious views have them not bathing with people of the opposite sex. Also bathing is a very intimate and personal experience that should not be conflicted with sexuality. In the program I solve this by having e.g. Mondays for women, Tuesdays for men, Wednesdays for families etc.

This bath is a place to come to be grounded in oneself. Its proximity to the city center makes it a place to visit at the end of the day, it's not a full spa experience, however simple low tech water-to-body experiences. To meet someone else one must meet one self. You are at the bath, so are other people. You don't have to talk to them, but they are also there, also sharing an intimate situation. You can see each other.

H Approaching

The bath is composed of a series of situations/rooms that come one after the other. These filters are meant to one after the other take away stress and thoughts. You can say it is a section project. Coming from the city you meet a new surface that tilts and make waves, creating social situations. The further out to the port the smaller and less frequent are these situations. It is about valuing the calm loneliness one has in nature, and also present at the site today.

I Some concepts for the building

Thick walls. Clean space. Walls can have rooms inside them, stairs or shelves. Massive wood for the dry and damp part. Concrete for the wet part. Verticals and horizontals within the building.

J The inside – intimate section

From the port you cross a bridge to come onto the building. The first room is the reception and a tea room. This room is constructed in massive wood, and the relatively small floor space rest under a 6,5 meter high ceiling. There are small windows over the East and South facade letting light in, however it's not about the view. Through a hall you get to either one of the wardrobes. The wardrobes have three different situations: 1) change rooms, small, but tall spaces with skylight; 2) the open room; 3) a mezzanine reached by ladder/steep stairs, exploiting the space above the toilets which has a lower ceiling height. From the wardrobes, through the hall where the toilet is reached, are the washrooms. This is not a shower area. Wardrobes might be social, washing is not, it's very intimate and private. This space is contrasting light and darkness. Every wash box has a soft stone to sit on. Water is poured to a vase or cup and then onto the body. One wash box is bigger, for handicapped or parent with children. This wash box has a skylight shaft, thus higher ceiling height than the rest of the room. On top of the light shaft rests a small pool to catch rainwater, so that the light that comes down the shaft is reflected through the water and dances. From the wash rooms you enter a larger space, at first with identical ceiling height as the wash room, then it opens up, being the tallest room of the dry. This is a zone between the washrooms and the bath itself. Windows high on the wall lets in shadows and light coming through the leaves of trees from the secret garden (see next point). In the walls there is a small space to sit down (a resting place for during or after the bath). Stairs go down a dark hallway to the bath. There is also an elevator. On the below level you reach a platform that is covered with sea water only when the tide is at it's highest. At one end rain water is allowed to come in. At the other end you can walk from under this low space into the large bath space. Sea water fills the space and moves with the tide, leaving the interior as still sculptures. There is a sauna resting under the lower space, and a heated salt water bath out in the open space. Stairs and levels go down into the sea water. Light come in from cuts on the South facade and also a larger window on the West wall. The light is reflected on the waves and dances on the inside walls. The massive concrete walls create together with the water surface a special acoustic that encourages making sound, with your voice or with water.

K The outside – the body of the bath and meeting water

There are two ways of using the body of the bath if you are on the outside. One is down, one is up. From the bridge, choosing not to go into the tea room, there are stairs leading down under the wooden part of the building. On the pillars that go down in the sea rests platforms that can be walked on. High tide and low tide varies by 1,5 meters, and so the lower the tide the lower platforms are revealed further out on this level. This gives you access to the water no matter the level of the tide. The sound of tide in this space.

To go up you go from an existing floating stage onto new smaller floating platforms that allows you into a small space cut into the building around where the mid zone is located on the inside. From here are stairs that takes you up first one level, to a secret garden, not possible to see from the outside, or further up to the roof of the building. You can access the West side of the roof, however not the East side, which is where all the light shafts come up. This roof space is also allowing for vegetation to grow on it and is a place for birds.

Project description, as sent to the assessors on Monday, only different in some spacing. When I was working on it, I saved it for finishing it in the morning, but as some of you might know, my computer never woke up again, and the project description was luckily the only thing I lost. Anyway, I had to write it all over, and did so in about 3 hours. Yesterday I discovered that I actually made a mistake in the project description, changing the name of the project from Skinship to Suchness. I'm wondering if it is my subconscious trying to tell me something here. I still have time to think about that, however if I do change the name it will not be as in the catalog...

Last week update

2010-08-12T06:21:00.002+02:00

No updates for a while, now focusing on the amount of things that have to be ready within these last six days. Here working on the finishing touches of the 1:50 scale model of the bath project.

Remember the exhibition open to public from September 1st to 8th :)

Catalogue

2010-07-25T17:46:00.004+02:00

These are my two pages for the common catalogue (click image to enlarge). I wanted these pages to reflect my process and hence discuss process/result. The pages are a teaser, not a representation of a finished thing nor do they contain dry facts, they are inviting to this open dialogue.

Four templates were created by the catalogue group, and this is the one that I liked better for how I wanted to work with my pages and illustrations. The information about tutors and floor localization (all info near the red dotted line) is not correct, will be corrected by one nice girl we got to assemble all the catalogue entries.

1:1

2010-07-23T20:00:00.003+02:00

Today I went to the site and tested some sizes 1:1. I used a fence I found with height of 1.5 meters. The diagram above shows the heights and lengths that I tested for width and height for the bath.

Surface models

2010-07-22T18:27:00.007+02:00

Even (1:100 people on it) Tilt (1:100 people on it) Wave (1:100 people on it) Alternative wave (1:50 person on it)
Block (1:100 people on it)
Pebbles (1:100 people on it)
Alernative even (1:50 person on it)
Recycled wasteland (1:50 person on it)
See comments/evaluation for each proposal in the diagram in the post below.

Surface as landscape

2010-07-22T18:16:00.005+02:00

For the surface coming up to the bath, the connection between the bath and the city, I made this diagram to visualize different options. I will shortly post pictures of the small models I made to test out each possibility. Some of the surface options have elevations to sit on and ponds to gather rainwater. Grass, moss and other vegetation is allowed to grow some places and will also help define the different spaces.

The idea is that closer to the city the surface can offer larger spaces, and the further out towards the sea it offers smaller situation - the private space grows. This is reflecting on how the place is used today - people find themselves small situations to hang out, the find these secret places, and this is good quality.

Project through section

2010-07-22T00:06:00.004+02:00

This is the concept section of the bath. A series of tall spaces with different qualities - materials, light, temperature, experiences in water and so on. Actually reception/tea room - wardrobes - wash room - middle zone (not on drawing) - hot relax space upstairs - cold/hot bath place down into the sea.

When inspired!

2010-07-22T00:03:00.004+02:00

This is a quick sketch I made for the bath when I was on site some weeks ago.

Sirens and muses

2010-07-21T23:55:00.003+02:00

This is a sketch a made of the large space that encourages you to make sound - sing, play waterdrums... this is the largest space in the bath, allowing more people to come together. The tide moves up and down in this space, and the sound of waves can be heard. As the tide moves on and off the levels in this space it produces a sound as shown in the below video "The sound of tide".

In Greek mythology, the Sirens (Greek singular: Σειρήν Seirēn; Greek plural: Σειρῆνες Seirēnes) were three dangerous bird-women, portrayed as seductresses who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. Roman poets placed them on an island called Sirenum scopuli. In some later, rationalized traditions the literal geography of the "flowery" island of Anthemoessa, or Anthemusa,^[1] is fixed: sometimes on Cape Pelorum and at others in the islands known as the Sirenuse, near Paestum, or in Capreae.^[2] All such locations were surrounded by cliffs and rocks.

The Muses (Ancient Greek αἱ μοῦσαι, hai moũsai ^[1]: perhaps from the o-grade of the Proto-Indo-European root *men- "think"^[2]) in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature are the goddesses or spirits who inspire the creation of literature and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge, related orally for centuries in the ancient culture, that was contained in poetic lyrics and myths.

(wikipedia)

Atmospheres, tactility and DAV investigation

2010-07-21T15:39:00.009+02:00

One of the four pillars of the BAS (Bergen School of Architecture) discipline is DAV (Den Andre Verda/The Other World). This is the approach to architecture through art. Through intuitive investigation with materials, we use DAV to find something that we could not see from where we were standing. Einstein said: "A problem cannot be solved by the same mind that created it", and I think DAV is like that. Trying to see something new by letting go of some control in your mindset.

DAV is not directly fine art, it is a way of investigating something, a method from art. I don't care so much about the label, what is important is what I find in the process of doing DAV. To different extent the traces of my understanding can be read by someone else when they see the DAV. After, I transfer my understanding of the DAV into spacial compositions. My understanding is in the investigation, in the proposal for a space, and not least - between the lines.

A German artist, whose name I cannot remember right now said that "Art is about revealing secrets", and in this sense DAV is art to the investigator. Further you could say that DAV is not about the object, it's an action.

The three DAVs demonstrated here is an investigation of different spaces and their atmospheres at the bath that I am working on for my master. The top one is for a large space filled with cool sea water. It has also a warm pool and a sauna. This space will have a special acoustic that encourages you to make sound, sing. You can move on levels down into the sea water according to your level of courage, or challenge that level.

The middle one is for the place where you wash yourself. It has no showers, but individual lockers for washing. You wash yourself by filling vases with water to pour over yourself. There is a soft stone to sit on. Damp air. Wet. This space is inspired by the most beautiful and intimate washing experience I have had. It was in Leh in the Himalayas. At the guest house where I was staying there was no hot shower, but the lady that ran the place, an old Ladakhi woman, boiled water for me to mix with cold water, and I'd use a cup to pour it over me. You see how much water you use. You are being very intimate and get very much in touch with your own body and yourself. You take care of yourself. You are with yourself. When were you last with yourself? Yesterday I was staring in the mirror and discovered it's been a long time since I've been with myself and really enjoyed my own company, not running off to any distraction, being a book, TV or anything else.

The last DAV is a meditative space. Very cool and relaxing. Nothing to look at. No special experience, except being there with oneself. This was a space I didn't know that I would have until I made this DAV and found it.

The sound of tide

2010-07-08T20:05:00.006+02:00

This is from the other stairs on the site. When the water is rising or going down, it creates calming sound as it washes down the worm stairs. Unfortunately the film suffered from YouTube compression, but the sound is more or less intact :)

Calm water

2010-07-08T20:02:00.002+02:00

Calm water. From one of the old stairs by the water at Nøstet. View on YouTube for correct proportions.

Rain on water

2010-07-08T18:54:00.003+02:00

Shot at the site at Nøstet. See at YouTube for right proportions :) I like the way raindrops draw circles on the calm surface of water, and I image this could be like inside the bath at spots where rainwater is allowed directly in.

Pictures from site tour

2010-07-08T18:06:00.001+02:00

Images from Nøstet, Bergen

View more presentations from Birgitte JH.

My workspace

2010-07-08T16:44:00.003+02:00

This is the 1:100 model of the site that I am working on. I am keeping the old floating stage that is now on the site, just moving it a little to the side, allowing the bath to come up next to it. I'm also adding smaller floating platforms - floating stepping stones - that allows someone on the floating stage to hop on to the body of the bath. The stepping stones move according to tide, whilst the bath itself is drowned and revealed as tide moves up and down. I imagine levels on the body of the bath that can be entered from the stepping stones only when the tide is at a specific level.

Concept model 7 - entering situation

2010-07-08T16:32:00.003+02:00

This model is further investigating the entering situation with the bridge, as found in the previous model. The bridge has a generous size, two meters wide in this 1:100 scale model. As it touches land it splits somewhat and allows for a less dominant role on the port side. In the cracks wild grass from the site is allowed to grow. Pictures from site will come. Also this model shows how the same vegetation is found on the body of the structure, and on the land leading up to the bath. The surrounding area leading from the road to the bath I propose not to be planned for buildings, but to have a sea side park with the kind of flora natural to the place. This park area will have different situations, some benches, larger or smaller areas for hanging out and enjoying the atmosphere. This also creates a whole new entry/exit to the city for those using the coastal steamer. The natural landscape of Norway is not the renaissance parks found in the central area of Bergen. I am inspired by the renovation of the elevated rail road, now park, in NY.

Concept model 6 - tactility and atmosphere

2010-07-08T16:16:00.004+02:00

This concept model shows a structure set out from land. There is land vegetation on the upper body and sea vegetation and fauna on the lower level of the body. You can see through the structure to the other side. What I really like about this model is the composition of materials and colours, scale and the sense of calm lonesomeness in the different situations. Also I like the sense of mystery about the space.

Mystery in wiktinary:
Etymology

From Middle English mysterie < Latin mysterium < Ancient Greek μυστήριον (musterion), “‘a mystery, a secret, a secret rite’”) < μύστης (mustēs), “‘initiated one’”) < μυέω (mueō), “‘I initiate’”) < μύω (muō), “‘I shut’”).

[edit] Noun

Singular
mystery

Plural
mysteries

mystery (plural mysteries)

Something secret or unexplainable; unknown.
The truth behind the events remains a mystery.

Someone or thing with an obscure or puzzling nature.
That man is a mystery.

(Catholicism) A particular event or series of events in the life of Christ.
The second decade of the Rosary concerns the Sorrowful mysteries, such as the crucifixion and the crowning with thorns.

Materialarium - sea stuff

2010-07-08T16:03:00.003+02:00

Some examples from my collection of materials from the sea. Sea flora and shells that grow on shells. Rounded enclosed shapes is the most energy efficient way of construction. Layering. Wood shaped over time in climate.

Membrane, shell structure investigation

2010-07-08T16:00:00.003+02:00

Continuing the shell structure investigation I made these small experiments with clay and reinforcement. I like the repetitive cracks that the reinforcement makes in the structure. These cracks could be used for letting light in or vegetation to grow, for climbing on...

Shell structure investigation

2010-07-08T15:07:00.002+02:00

Inspired by the creatures of the sea I investigated different shell structures. These could be constructed by ready made concrete cylindrical building elements used in construction.

Concept model 5 - vertical and horizontal layers

2010-07-08T15:00:00.002+02:00

This model shows some smaller situations. An outside situation where the body of the build offers vegetation to grow on it, a long hall with round windows, a smaller intimate crypt with a small bath, that lets in light from above. Below is anther source of water, maybe seawater coming in through a hole in the floor.

Also in this model I experimented composition of materials; the main build is in a harder material with slick surfaces. In the hall there is soft wood to walk on. The roof of the hall that extends over the main build is a rougher, darker material.

Concept model 4 - the generous facade

2010-07-08T14:26:00.003+02:00

I imagine that the body of the skinship can be available to people that are not using the inside. At the site, an industrial area slowly in transformation, many people already finding small intimate spaces to hang out. I believe they experience it as finding special secret places, and this is a notion I would like to work with and preserve.

Concept model 3 - private and public

2010-07-08T14:11:00.002+02:00

One of my early findings, a wasps nest, finally found its place. With its delicate walls it represents the apparent transparency or availability that I look for at the bath, or the skinship. The web that embraces the nest represents the contact with the city, how it is a closed entity, but it is also linked to the city.

In Japan and South Korea, the term "skinship" (Japanese: sukinshippu (スキンシップ^?); Korean: 스킨십) is used to describe the intimacy, or closeness, between a mother and a child. Today, the word is generally used for bonding through physical contact, such as holding hands, hugging, or parents washing their child at a bath. (wikipedia)

Skinship n. Feelings of relatedness and affection between two people, particularly a mother and a child, caused by hugging, touching, and other forms of physical contact. (wordspy)

Further, the theory that physical intimacy leads to emotional intimacy.

Concept model 2 of bath - difference in temperature

2010-07-08T13:57:00.003+02:00

This is a concept model made just after my last talk with my tutors. The fluffy mass that enters the bulb represents warm space, the rugged bulb is an embracing skin. Between the insides of the bulb and the walls of the warm space is a cool space. Here enters water from the sea. There is an opening in the top letting in sunlight from above. Also rainwater enters here and runs down the outside walls of the warm internal space.

On the bottom picture can be seen the cuts made in the façade to let in additional light into the cold space. Reference to the video posted earlier. After more investigation turns out that this kind of light happens when reflected light from the sea breaks on a reflective surface (could be glass or some kind of metal). In the break the light is thrown at a specific angle on inside walls, always changing with the angle the sunlight hits the water surface.

Existence self-explains

2010-05-26T21:19:00.007+02:00

I am different from you. It's not a critique, it's just like that. I sit on a slightly different background, observing from a slightly different angle. Still we share this place and this existence.

Pictures from tiny beach in Sandviken, Bergen, last week.

The bath

2010-05-26T20:41:00.004+02:00

Yesterday I made this first concept model of the bath at Nøstet. Main elements are a more closed entrance space, represented by white cube, where changing of clothes happens. Could also have more elements such as after bath relaxation space. A main platform stretches from this space through to the bath, which is a translucent space, and out on the other side of the bath. The dressing space is halfway hanging off the pier. The bath has drowned in the ocean, its walls going down into the water. The walls of the bath allows daylight to enter during the day and like a light tower it lights up during the night. It is not transparent enough to allow silhouettes to shine through to the outside.

I suggest a modern kind of bath which is a lot to do with the sense of water in Bergen. A place where you can experience waves and the salt water, because it is that which is entering the enclosed bath space. The openings are big enough to let the motion of the ocean come through, however I must look at this if I need filters to take away oil from the sea. In the same big bath space are smaller tubs with hot water.

At one place there is a sauna aswell.

To be with people, and to see people, in this situation, is a very humble meeting. It is very tactile and bodily. The space is large. Sound of water hitting surfaces. Play of light.

This is also why bath

2010-05-26T20:21:00.002+02:00

Upper right side of sketch: The way I perceive it informal meetings between different cultures/social class/etc. happen in Bergen mostly between boy/girl, typically in a bar/something similar, in the weekends, and many times involves alcohol. It is something about the meeting that happen under influence of alcohol that doesn't justify either. Meetings otherwise within ones sex happens often with people from similar background. This only strengthens ones locked idea of reality, since these people tend to have similar opinions, perceptions etc. as yourself. It's hard to r e a l l y understand that no one a c t u a l l y perceives what you do, although mistakenly it can seam like it on the surface.

Lower right side: A bath is an activity that can attract young, old, sick etc. and they can all use it at the same time! I suggest that the bath is sex segregated. For example Mondays for women, Tuesdays for men, Wednesdays for families.... or something like that.

Lower left side: diagram of division of space in Turkish hamam and Roman thermae. I am also going to check out Japanese bath and the traditional baths in Bergen to create a modern bath.

Center vs place

2010-05-26T20:12:00.002+02:00

This sketch shows a important development in my process. A center is introvert, it concentrates some action and people interested in this action, but at the same time excludes other activities/flexibility/people. Place is a more open place, and I see it as extrovert. Instead of making one thing I will suggest several. I will work on different locations in town where every place will work on integration of spaces/places/people/actions. This post should probably have come before that of the bath at Nøstet, because it is because of this decision that I got the idea of the bath. I will start working on the bath idea now that I have many ideas about it. Then adding with other programs on the other locations that I have looked at. I will work on the different locations at different depth, some will be more finished projects for my diploma.

Body/mind oneness with atmospheric temporality

2010-05-26T18:32:00.005+02:00

I grabbed the chance on Saturday to wander on the site in Vågsbunnen (Skostredet) since it was a rainy day, normally what you would expect in Bergen, but what we have had little of the last year. It wasn't raining so much, so I walked without an umbrella. I realized that when the sun is up almost every place is good for staying. However when it's raining it's not so much the water that is falling from the sky that is the problem - it is the low pressure in the atmosphere. Other places with a different typography (not forcing the clouds to crowd down the valley) a rainy day is not so heavy on the body.

Top sketch: Lydgalleriet (The Sound Gallery), exhibition space:

Left side: From the outside it is not possible to see that there is an extensive exhibition on the inside. It has beautiful wooden floors and many large and smaller rooms, including fascinatingly mazed plan with sudden verandas and other unexpected spaces.

Right side: People open up, expand, and fill their bodies with the healing rays of the sun when the sun is up. When it's raining people contract due to air pressure and the dense humid air.

Bottom sketch: Pressure chamber:

Left and lower side: I got an idea about a pressure chamber that would invert the outside pressure. This means that on a rainy day you get a sunny-day air lightness and on a sunny day you get a rainy-day air denseness. It's about realizing the body/mind reaction to atmospheric pressure, and not just in a atmospheric change, but in all other situations too. Getting a clear sense of how your body/mind contract/expand space in different situations. Maybe the space itself could also react physically by actually expanding and contacting according to it's situation .... remembering eternity in temporality.

Right side: In places like Tokyo and LA you can go to special places to drink fresh oxygen, a response to the air pollution.

This is not a common place - a common place!

2010-05-25T21:13:00.005+02:00

Concept model of BIKS today. Located in narrow streets that are not much visited, especially in the evenings. The big scene, Fensalen, is reached through several halls and staircases. You cannot know what is going on there from the outside, a problem since the program always varies.

Lately I have been thinking about how to create a program that can make a background for meeting, a place where people of different cultures can meet, understand... but not forced socializing. I have been aware of the many young women/girls that have an immigrant background and that have many restrictions as to which activities they can participate on. Many have school as one of the few places to meet new people. Others, anyone, are blinded by their own cultural or familiar traditions, and do not know of alternatives.

Sports are often divided by age, not everyone can join (certain bodily functions must be all intact) and to join a sport you often feel like you have to belong to the already established group because you can identify - belonging to place, being in the same situation (for example being a student).

At the Ghanan party last Saturday at BIKS I saw so many young women of African descendant there dancing - if you go to normal places you get the impression that immigrants are mostly men. At the party there were entire families, even a woman with a baby. For many there parties are places where they are allowed to meet new people, with their parents careful presence.

So I've let a question run in my mind since this weekend - "What program/establishment would attract me and also attract someone with that background, and a program that her parents would let her go to?".

Yesterday an idea fell in my head - a bath house! Not a swimming pool, but a bath. It could be located on my location at Nøstet near Bergen center.

Reestablishing coastal identity in Bergen. Also been on my mind is the effect of nature on the perception of place. Bergen is a coastal city, but rarely are we confronted with that idea. Most places there is a built port that meets the water, but you cannot reach the water - it is several meters below you. One of the great things in Bergen is that we have established some central bathing places - what a beautiful thing! Like at Nordnes, by USF Verftet, and the newly opened ocean bath (sjøbad) at nøstet by Nøsteboden. However people that are not comfortable being so undressed with people of the other sex, or that have restrictions about this (individual, religious etc) do not get the opportunity to get this bodily connection with the water, a presence in Bergen.

The other location I am working on by Skostredet is in an area called Vågsbunnen (The bottom of the fjord), but who would know? It's historically an important place in town which is now sort of "downtown", filthy... Reestablishing historical ideas is for me not because of the historicity of it, but rather because it is still somehow the genius loci of the place, however camouflaged.

Development plans Vågsbunnen

2010-05-24T17:14:00.002+02:00

At the pages of the municipality I found these questions answered about Vågsbunnen, where the void between Domkirkegaten and Skostredet is located. Sorry, only Norwegian. I will try to get a meeting with the owners of the land - Pallas Eiendom.

45. Fra Ruth Grung (A):

”Status vedrørende Vågsbunnen som byutviklingsområde

Vågen er en sentral del av både det gamle og nye Bergen. Området er sammensatt. Vågen representerer mye av vår historie men samtidig etableres det nye aktiviteter som har stor betydning for et levende sentrum. Skostredet er et eksempel på slik ny aktivitet som er med å gi ny identitet. Bymisjonen sin aktivitet har også skapt nytt liv og fellesrom er blitt pusset opp. Samtidig registrer vi at tomter ligger brakk og at private har kjøpt opp flere eiendommer. Fana Sparebank sin karakteristiske bygning fikk hard medfart i en av de mange brannene som har rammet byen. Gårdeier har gjennom media sagt at fasaden skal bestå. Tanks videregående skole blir lagt ned når den nye skolen på Nygårdstangen er bygget. Trafikk og parkering er også en utfordring.

Spørsmål:

Hvilke byutviklings planer har byrådet for Vågen? Er det samarbeid med private eller andre aktører for utvikling av større deler av Vågen? Hvilke mulighet har kommunen for at slike unike gatemiljø som Skostredet er blitt kan få videreutvikle seg?”

Byråd Lisbeth Iversen besvarte spørsmålet:

Svar:

"Reguleringsplan for Vågsbunnen vedtatt 27. september 1993 (stadfestet 11. november 1994) legger sammen med Kommunedelplan sentrum, vedtatt 26. juni 2001, de viktigste premissene for den utvikling som kan skje i Vågsbunnen.

I bestemmelsene til reguleringsplan for Vågsbunnen er det definert hva som er formålet med planen. Det framgår at planen skal sørge for vern og pietetsfull skjøtsel av antikvarisk verdifull bebyggelse, gaterom og bylandskap. Planen skal legge til rette for en veltilpasset fornying av bebyggelsen, og legge rammer for ny bebyggelse. Det er videre understreket at næringsvirksomhet skal tilpasses områdets historiske og miljømessige egenart. Trafikk og forgjengermiljø skal tilrettelegges på områdets premisser, offentlige gater, streder, smau og plasser skal rustes opp i tråd historiske tradisjoner.

Vågsbunnen består av byrom anlagt i førindustriell tid, dvs før 1850. Vågsbunnen har en bygningsmasse som omfattes av spesialområde vern i gjeldende reguleringsplaner. I kommuneplanens arealdel ligger Vågsbunnen innenfor det historiske fornminneområdet med meldeplikt til riksantikvaren for alle planer og arealinngrep.

Det er med andre ord innenfor gjeldende planer lagt klare føringer for hva som kan tillates eller ikke når det gjelder graving, utbedring eller oppføring av nye bygninger. De fysiske, historiske strukturene i Vågsbunnen skal bestå, og dette prinsippet legges til grunn når følgende igangværende prosesser gjennomføres:

Det pågår planlegging i Kong Oscarsgate(bergensprogrammet)

Det pågår planlegging av inngang/utgang fra Fløyengarasjen

Samferdsel har gjennomført skilting (gågate) i skostredene

Det planlegges etterbruk av Tanks skole

Det har vært noe arbeid på gang med private planer i kvartalene innenfor Vågsbunnen

Byrådet har vedtatt sak om Nedre Korskirkeallmenningen og som setter rammene for Grønn etat sitt prosjektområde og hva som blir koordinert av Grønn etat i Vågsbunnen. Prosjektet er koordinert med Samferdselsetaten, Planetaten og Byantikvaren. I tillegg har det vært jevnlige møter med ressursgruppen som er grunneiere og næringsdrivende i området. I prosjektet er samferdselsetatens skilting av Skostredet gjennomført som et strakstiltak i forståelse med ressursgruppen.

Fjernvarme og bossug er ikke planlagt gjennom Vågsbunnen. Men det har vært sonderinger om interessen for å få begge deler inn i prosjektet. Denne avklaringen er naturlig å ta i forprosjektet. Byantikvaren og NIKU er en naturlig samarbeidspartner for å komme fram til en løsning her. Men også huseierne som vi har hatt en dialog om dette i møtene i ressursgruppen. Det er interesse for både fjernvarme og bossug i gruppen.

Pallas eiendom eier det ene kvartalet og har store planer for området. De er representert i ressursgruppen og de har signalisert sine planer i møtene i gruppen. Her er det private planer på gang. Det gjelder særlig kvartalet med Tanks skole.

Det samarbeidet som pågår i dag, skjer i hovedsak innenfor de prosessene som er listet opp ovenfor. For øvrig vil det fra byrådets side bli understeket at også når det gjelder gatemiljøet i Skostredet, så må videre utvikling skje innenfor de rammene som særlig reguleringsplanen fra 1993 og kommunedelplanen fra 2001 trekker opp. Investeringsmidler for Nedre Korskirkealmenningen er satt av i 2009."

Magically unintended

2010-05-20T22:17:00.007+02:00

On a wall at the school a slender hole in wall lets in the reflecting light from the evening waves. It dances up on the indoor walls. When shooting the film I was constantly changing the focus making the wall fuse wobblingly into the light and the shadows.

Small problem getting the dimensions of the movie right, better watch it directly on youtube. Double-click on the movie to open at youtube.

Identity ~~~~~~

2010-05-20T22:12:00.002+02:00

~ I like sitting at a coffee place. Being intimate with my friends, I can be around strangers. I get a chance of rebirth in every new encounter.

~~ This model is about process, mood and relations. The self can observe relational patterns - there are spaces that are more inclusive, or more closed. The nature of the place is communicated to the exterior as well as interior. The self stands in a big place.

Identity ~~~~~

2010-05-20T22:06:00.003+02:00

~I can see you, quietly I write my journal in the sun. You are sitting on these same steps.

~~ This model is for example 1:1000. A high ceiling and wall structure. Opening inside-outside visually. Indoor spaces in humble contrast. Different people and activities in different spaces. The roof/wall grows, shrinks according to season - response to impermanence.

Identity ~~~~

2010-05-20T21:51:00.005+02:00

~ All peoples... fears, joys and suffering. Many I know have spent time locked-up. Understanding comes to whom listens with pure intentions. See the smile in her eyes.

~~ Complexity is simplicity. This model in 1:1000 are some simple elements resting on a complex background. The complex background is two-dimensional, because of its incomprehensible nature. Simple ritual spaces rest in composition on the background.

Identity ~~~

2010-05-20T21:48:00.005+02:00

~ Paradoxes are, dissolve and mirror. My perception I can choose and shift only in the past.

~~ This is a model in 1:200. A narrow space for quiet contemplation. Warp zone. Time travelling.

Identity ~~

2010-05-20T21:43:00.003+02:00

~ My closest bring weight to my shoulders. My closest put me on a pedestal. I find my place next to people. Forever diving into his eyes.

~~ This vertical element is in 1:200. At the base is a firm self. At the top is a self on exploration. The whole humanity sent the self on this mission. It's a liquid space.

Identity ~

2010-05-20T21:39:00.003+02:00

Based on the diagrams I posted on the last posts I made six small models last week. Today I looked at them again and made immediate comments. After that I looked at them as spaces/architecture and decided what I saw as spacial elements.

~ Humanity is an extension of myself. There are no borders, just space between. Sometimes a stranger is my mother and my mother my fellow citizen.

~~ This concept model is about flexibility in space between people. Space between people, space between zones/rooms.

Understanding ideologies

2010-05-20T21:21:00.002+02:00

I made this sketch of some predominant ideologies, how they take shape and manifest. It is related to the last post. They describe hierarchies, political systems and power. Architecture has been used to strengthen political ideas. When we die, our opinions remain in the architecture. Architecture can be mountains, but they can also be more organic and flexible to change. You need dynamite to blow up a mountain, but flowers and other plants grow on the mountain, slowly transforming its shape. When on the mountain side the mountain is not so powerfully present; you experience the plants, the trees, the flowers, the small mushrooms, hear birds, see the sun or the rain, listen to water running...

Cosmopolitanism vs. Hierocles

2010-05-14T21:15:00.003+02:00

Another graphic I have been working on. Upper two rows Hierocles circle of identiy, lower row cosmopolitanism ideology. As an overview Hierocles defines degrees of identity, might add trust and care, to the ones close to you in life - the cosmopolitan ideal is to draw all degrees closer to your self. What I find interesting in this comparison is that Hierocles view clearly defines spaces between people, but the cosmopolitan view tries to eliminate these spaces.

Seeing Øvre Skostredet

2010-05-14T20:41:00.005+02:00

The plot is behind those trees. In between this white building and the peach one in the back of the image.
Looking into Øvre Skostredet towards Skostredet.
The plot behind the fence. And below in between houses, seen from Skostredet.
These are images that GoogleEarth took last summer looking into Øvre Skostredet and they are interesting because the GoogleEarth car can only move along streets, much like pedestrians are led by visual signs in the city, a car is led by signs and guided by surfaces. Many people probably don't know that this place exists, because there is "nothing there", however it is located in a quiet but popular area that has flourished the last years with art, culture and café-life. It is a place in town which is in-between areas, the powerful line of municipal buildings has cut the harbor area away from the Marken area. Also busy roads following the Bergen mountainside grid the city up in areas, and areas between these roads become one identity.

Segregation - integration - assimilation

2010-04-22T17:31:00.004+02:00

Based on Hamburgers continuum segregation - integration - assimilation, I made this graphic to explain these concepts. The word integration is often misused, acting as an agent for segregation or assimilation. If integration is about integrating, to make a whole - it's a two-way process between two or more non-constant objects seeking harmony without use of any kind of violence. Everything is process, and this graphics is simply simplifying the concepts - of course the graphics could go on and on.

Emballage poetics (dancing spirits)

2010-04-20T21:39:00.003+02:00

Interview with Vincent representing "Wazalendo Kenya" April 20th

2010-04-20T21:21:00.003+02:00

Vincent comes from Kenya, now a Norwegian citizen. He studies comparative politics at the University of Bergen and is an active member of Wazalendo Kenya.

Wazalendo Kenya is one of the member organizations at BIKS. It was funded in 2008, and even though there are not so many Kenyans in Bergen, it is an very active organization that often attracts people that come from other African countries and some Norwegians that often have an association to Africa (been there or married an African). This resume is based on my notes from our talk at Café Kaos.

"Wazalendo (which means patriotic in swahili) is a voluntary organisation based in Bergen and covers the whole of Hordaland province in Norway. It serves not only the interest of Kenyans and other foreigners in Norway but it is also allied to other like-minded organisations in the world. Kindly enjoy and visit us frequently!" (from blog).

Blog: www.wazalendobergen.blogspot.com (since Kenya has 42 languages the blog is in English. English and Swahili are main languages).

Website: www.wazalendobergen.com (not so developed yet)

About Wazalendo

- June 5th big fundraising for project in Kenya making a carecenter for girls/women that are being exposed to, or afraid of being exposed to, forced marriage and forced circumsiscion. There will be concert with African music, small Kenyan shop with Kenyan jewlery, artwork...

- Typical seminar that they organize: about forced marriage, integration of Kenyans in Norway.

- Kenyan childrens BIKS. Normally if they rent the Fensal, then they use it for kids (that cannot attend the evening events) during the day.

- Mostly Africans show up, and information about events in mostly circulated in the African environment in Bergen. However the events are always open to all.

- Organize national day. On national day Africans from other countries join eachothers celebrations.

- This is a chance for youths that are not allowed to "go out on the town" to go to a party and mingle.

- Helping Kenyan newcomers. Go to parties, visit one another, baptisms, birthdays.

- Organized football matches mix African and Norwegian.

- Cooperates sometimes with Kurd girls organization that works with girls in forced marriages.

- Will organize Kenyan national days on October 20th and December 12th with Kenyan musicians that live elsewhere in Europe.

- Only immigrant organization in Bergen that has a website/blog.

- The blog offers help to Kenyans about Norwegian society, advice about house loan, getting a job etc.

About BIKS

- Offers today the best sollution for the immigrant organizations because it is the cheapest place they can rent.

- Fensal (with kitchen) 4000 kr for one night, or 7500-8000 including music, extra guards etc.

- Rent is a lot when one organization maybe has as little as 6000 kr for support a year form municipality.

- Fensal max 250 people (1st floor)

- Smaller space at 3rd floor max 100 people (2000 kr), but cannot be used if Fensal is used because fire requierments don't allow more than 250 people in the entire building.

- The bord consists of 8-10 people from the member organizations.

- Every year at the general assembly half of the bord members are renewed by election

- All BIKS members are members of Hordaland Common Immigration Counsil (Felles innvandrerråd, Hordaland) www.dfirh.no

- The DFIRH chooses 3 permanent members of the BIKS bord.

- Vincent was last year chosen to be on the bord of DFIRH.

- Is also used for wedding parties, because cheapest place in town - othervice must rent school gym or something outside of city.

- Other places are very expensive, typically bars that charge many times BIKS + wants payment for drinks.

- BIKS lacks good way of getting out information on events and a good renovation.

- Norwegian don't know where BIKS is located, only immigrants know that.

- Nothing shows images from previous events (also on webpage there is nothing like this).

- No archive of events.

- Today there is a calender with all dates and the first one gets to get an event on the date he wants.

- There is no arena for the organizations to show themselves, give information about their existence and events.

- He has met Kenyans that have lived in Bergen for two years without knowing there was a Kenyan organization.

Dream location with unlimited budget

- Big concert room for atleast 200 people.

- Room for seminares that offer projector.

- Café with food from different places.

- Maybe could be run by voluntares.

- Wants office space for active organizations. Could share, each organization could have a locker for their stash.

- To have a person hired for just web, getting out information about what is on etc.

- A good archive.

- A place to display images from previous events.

About immigrant organizations

- Registered organizations get support from the municipality/government based on member number.

- However minimum is 6000 kr/year for under 100 members.

- This is the case of 90% of the Hordaland immigrant organizations

- It costs a lot just to run a website. A lot of work is voluntary.

- Some organizations are more closed, such as Etiopian and Somalian, they often don't invite others to their events.

- Vincent is surprised because Etiopians are so open in their home country, but here not.

About being immigrant

- Most difficult is the language. Language school used to be free, but is now only for refugees and kids under 16 years old.

- Many immigrants don't have a network to practice Norwegian.

- Difficulties getting a job.

- Most immigrants Vincent knows has somewhat lower education that the average Norwegian, but most have atleast high school.

- Their high school however is many times not valid in Norway.

- Many immigrants are afraid not to get a job in Norway doing what they are educated with.

- Stigmatization in the media

- www.imds.no - immigrant statistics; negative information in the media, Norwegians thoughts on immigrants...

- Stigmatization with authorities.

- Kenyans with Kenyan passport, but Norwegian recidency, always get stopped and brought "to the small room" to be interogated when they travel.

- Example when Vincent recently came back from trip in Kenya with his Norwegian passport and was asked suspiciously in Amsterdam where he was going (even though his ticket to Norway was also presented) "I'm going home" he said. In a security check further on he was asked the same question, asked in Norwegian by the police officer that apparently spoke a little Norwegian. He replied to her the same thing "Jeg skal hjem".

- Vincent was always stopped at Flesland when he had long dreadlocks (which also also happend to me when I had dreadlocks)

- He is still worried to be taken into "the little room", though it has not happened after he cut his dreads and got Norwegian passport.

- When do you stop being an immigrant? Vincent answers: when you are doing good things for the Norwegian society. If you are really good at sports, winning a gold medal in running for Norway, that sort of things. As soon as you do something that is not good - like stealing - you are not Norwegian, you are immigrant, however long you have lived in Norway.

Immigrant is what Norwegians label you - I personally don't feel like an immigrant - feel Norwegian!

About integration

- The refugee that didn't choose Norway

- If they come from former English colony they would have preferred England because of knowleadge of the language would ease integration.

- Many that have been here for more than 20 years still say they would like to return if they could.

- For instance Somalians, that have a strickt Muslim culture are many times sceptic to the Norwegian way, rules and freedom.

- Children of immigrants are more easily integrated and don't want to return to their parents homeland.

- For instance they get used to a certain material standard.

- Vincent thinks that many Norwegians are open and curious to meet immigrants, but the immigrants themselves must be more active - participate.

Also I got to sound record Vincent when he was telling a traditional Kenyan story in Swahili, that I plan to use in a sound installation.

DAV (Den Andre Verda // The Other World)

2010-04-16T17:48:00.007+02:00

I had a little drawing session with Naeem today, exploring the potential of linseed oil and pencil. Also used in piece: water crayons, oil crayons, coffee, transparent tape, double adhesive tape and port-wine.

The photos are somewhat more pink than the original.

Picture 1: Against the wall.

Picture 2: Light from window coming through where linseed oil is applied.

Picture 3: The backside of the drawing against light source (window)

Resumé guidance with André March 15th (in studio)

2010-04-16T13:30:00.001+02:00

Three levels of investigation:

- Conceptual

- Analysis

- DAV

- always change between these modes of investigation. You don't spend a lot of time on analysis, finish it and then do project - you jump between these during the process

- It's much easier if you choose a problem - you can change later if no good.

- define a platform (concept) that you always come back to after investigating in DAV, analysis or concept

- 'you are in a boat, dive in the ocean to find something, but you must always come back up to the surface to breathe, othervice you die'

-Choose keywords

- see importance of different elements - choose the most important

- some elements could be good, but for now are not so important

- change in next step if necessary

- define place - define problem

- Humour

- when communicating with others with different perception humour can be a helpful element to open up a situation

- how can I use this in architecture?

- humour can be about precision and definition of spaces

- it was not mentioned so much during the guidance, but something I continued to things about later in the evening

Mini workshop - defining concept. Work with this on Friday morning a little. In afternoon meet with André and his other student, present 2 minutes.

1 - 5 keywords

- what do you want to achieve, goals

2 - 5 actions

- which actions can be an answer to achieve the goals

3 - Object

- now you can know what kind of object you will make

- ask questions to guide you to a spesific location (use actions and keywords)

4 - Logo

- make a simple logo, some lines - that say a lot

Resumé guidance with Vibeke April 14th (skype)

2010-04-15T15:05:00.003+02:00

Creating scenarios

- sum up thoughts in relationship with scenarios

- make readable to others

- thoughts about BIKS rehabilitation

- abstract map of ideas

- be done with some discussions

- sort main choices. establish conclusion. visualize choices already made

- whick scenarios for building?

- establish key words

- define set of expressions that you use in relation to work. define meaning of expressions

- 'confrontation'

- 'time' - what is it that is important about time

- availiability (-> library...) places have expressed degree of public/private

- what do we share? food... what else?

- decide what to use in project

- diagrams (bobble diagrams)

- deconstruct expressions:

- multicultural

- intercultural

- transcultural etc

-make decision to what you will investigate

-how will that be expressed, set premisses, in organization of building

Working with diagrams

- comment on diagrams, give name

- organize input

- how long are you an immigrant

- to what extent is this a common space?

- staticity/elasticity of objects

-relationship city-common space

- migrationmap from blog

- arrows, circles

- plandrawing for such a place (hint of program)

- areas that overlap

- if this is a building it has many entrances

- north pole in middle - Bergen is almost like north pole. in middle of map

What is the architecture of transcultural space?

- where in Bergen are there arenas for this kind of activities? Look at Fantoft

- map where the environments meet in Bergen

- is there a place that tells what is on?

- meeting place

- what is missing? what do you want? what is already there?

- new ideas compare to these answers. make big questions always present

- what are the time frames for building?

- built all in one or over time?

About program

- how to make program. where, how, process/time

- list of key words. what are main key words? input, meanings, consequences

- research this type of center (intercultural)

- information board? type of structure that is not there already

- infrastructure, how to get information

- SPRINGCLEAN (for the May queen)

- remember why you clean

- cleaning for place, name, why...

- make clear

- what can I concretely offer that has to do with integration?

- what can be done over time - persons, meetings you cannot see today

- make visual without exposing

- uppercase, lowercase

- how to relate to secrecy

- if something is secret must everything be secret?

- open up for transparancy without eliminating right to secrecy

- who are organizing?

- identify what you are talking about

- e.g. food... kitchen... who makes food? fireplace or hi-tech? degree of participation, visual exposure

- life in itself is a process (only), we don't sit in little boxes

- BIKS, no fluidity between boxes

- hard to meet BIKS.

- Bergen municipality lost interest in immigrants and that work

- FRP, many want to close borders

- I must define where I stand -> apply to architecture

- difference between temporary and permanent stay

- poles that come to work

- organize, decide functions, how much of the problematics will I bring with me? how meet architecture and program

- then next step

- many have needs to meet others from same country. to get in contact

- a meeting place for the whole world. is about getting contact with the whole world

Resources

- BAS people from all over the world

- interview of experience coming from outside to inside

- prepare before interview

- combine intentions (to fluer i en smekk)

- sound recording & get more contacts from BIKS

Concrete ideas how to integrate in building

- installation idea

- make soundwall in project

- attraction

- sound showers

- lydgalleriet Bergen (previous project make your own cd)

- architecture is many things

- space for communication - also skype

- people want to communicate.

- telephone, touch...

- use techinical methods that are not site specific to a specific place

- architecture is frame - at the place architecture is not what is happening, but actions

- combine high tech and low tech. tactile qualities of the low tech with the posibilities in high tech

Finally don't be to broad, loose. Squeeze problematic now. Can loosen up again later if needed.

Immigrant density in Bergen

2010-04-13T17:46:00.007+02:00

Statistics from Bergen immigrant population (article in BT March 19th 2007). The statistic show that the highest density, at the time of this publication, was at Årstad (8-11% of population), followed by Bergenhus and Laksevåg, then Fyllingsdalen and Åsane. Less immigrants are found in Fana, Ytrebygda and Arna. This confirms global investigation that immigrants are more likely to move to more urban areas and more likely to move to areas where there is already a larger density of immigrants.

Today 10,5% of Bergens population has immigrant background (1st or 2nd generation). Bergen has a total population of 256,580 as of 1 January 2010. In relation the percentage is 10,6 on country basis, with Oslo, Drammen and Stavanger really pulling that statistic up.

Diagram of Bergens immigrant population, 20 largest groups, 1st of January 2009.

Country	Population^[50]
Total	26,489
Poland	2,741
Iraq	1,589
Vietnam	1,247
Chile	1,218
Sri Lanka	1,114
Germany	1,049
Sweden	898
Somalia	893
United Kingdom	877
Bosnia and Herzegovina	799
Denmark	675
Iran	659
Thailand	630
India	575
Turkey	569
Russia	527
United States	524
Philippines	520
Pakistan	417
People's Republic of China	416

Whereas higher diversity in population can bring about fruitful qualities, studies have also shown that the more culturally or ethnically diverse an area is the less is the degree of trust amongst the inhabitants, and not just towards members of other cultures, also within ones own. This makes sense in a psychological perspective - trust, discrimination... it cannot be isolated towards just one object in a persons life, it will be a general issue affecting all relations of that person.

Some of the problems many nations and communities are facing now, and that they realize that they have not solved, is the patchwork of cultures their whole consists of, and people are people, which is to say - unpredictable, agents of constant change - and therefore have not reacted to integration politics they was governments in different countries have expected them to.

What can be the architectural response to bring about more trust in a situation where cultural diversity is present? I have performed an interview of the cultural coordinator at Bergen International Culture Centre, and I will post my impressions shortly.

About prejudice or ignorance

2010-04-12T18:58:00.003+02:00

I found this strange looking guy in a book about the worlds famous beasts, often mythological characters, called "Beasts".

How do you know who I am?

2010-04-12T18:45:00.003+02:00

The Polish are the largest immigrant group in Norway, 44 500 registered by 2009, but they are not visible. Article from Morgenbladet March 19th-25th.

Migration

2010-04-12T16:17:00.004+02:00

World map of human migrations, with the North Pole at center. Africa, harboring the start of the migration, is at the top left and South America at the far right. Migration patterns are based on studies of mitochondrial (matrilinear) DNA.

Numbers represent thousand years before present.

The blue line represents area covered in ice or tundra during the last great ice age.

The letters are the mitochondrial DNA haplogroups (pure motherly lineages); Haplogroups can be used to define genetic populations and are often geographically oriented.
(wikipedia)

Assimilation vs integration

2010-04-12T15:07:00.009+02:00

Assimilation cartoon from HarmonyStorm.com.

Assimilation: similar - the same. To become similar to something. Sameness. (by extension) The absorption of new ideas into an existing cognitive structure. The adoption, by a minority group, of the customs and attitudes of the dominant culture. (wiktionary

Cultural assimilation is a political response to the demographic fact of multi-ethnicity which encourages absorption of the minority into the dominant culture. It is opposed to affirmative philosophy (for example, multiculturalism) which recognizes and seeks to maintain differences.

Researchers have assessed that assimilation exists among immigrants because we can measure assimilation on four primary benchmarks. These core measurable aspects of immigrant assimilation that were formulated to study European immigrants to the United States are still the starting points for understanding current immigrant assimilation. These measurable aspects of assimilation are socioeconomic status, spatial concentration, language attainment, and intermarriage.^[3]

Socioeconomic Status is defined by educational attainment, occupation, and income. By measuring socioeconomic status researchers want to find out if immigrants eventually catch up to native-born people in terms of human capital characteristics.
Spatial Concentration is defined by geography or residential patterns. The spatial residential model (based on theories of Park) proposed by Massey states that increasing socioeconomic attainment, longer residence in the U.S, and higher generational status lead to decreasing residential concentration for a particular ethnic group.^[8].
Language Attainment is defined as the ability to speak English and the loss of the individual's mother tongue. The three-generation model of language assimilation states that the first generation makes some progress in language assimilation but remains dominant in their native tongue, the second generation is bilingual, and the third-generation only speaks English.^[3]
Intermarriage is defined by race or ethnicity and occasionally by generation.^[3] High rates of intermarriage are considered to be an indication of social integration because it reveals intimate and profound relations between people of different groups, intermarriage reduces the ability of families to pass on to their children a consistent ethnic culture and thus is an agent of assimilation.^[9] Intermarriage came under particular scrutiny by the Jewish community in the early-mid 20th century as Jewish leaders more and more often turned to social scientists to explain why Judaism was a typically endogamic religion. Although intermarriage was viewed as a firm base from which to begin an argument for assimilation, it was also seen as a way to gradually ease the transition into their new culture. Julius Draschler, a graduate student at Columbia University, believed that as long as people are allowed to maintain some differences, such as the Jewish practice of only marrying another Jew, they will delay the inevitable while simultaneously enriching the nation in the process of their slow assimilation. While Draschler acknowledged that assimilation was the ultimate endpoint for all American groups, he hoped to prove through his intermarriage studies that, the more gradual the process, the better. Such need to justify (or vilify) the intermarriage practice became increasingly important after the 1950's as Jews (as well as other typically endogamic cultures, such as African-Americans) began to engage in more exogamic relationships.^[10] (wikipedia).

Integration: From to integrate (from Latin integratus, the past participle of integrare 'to make a whole', from integer 'whole') + -ation. The act or process of making whole or entire. (society) The process of fitting into a community, notably applied to 'visible' (ethnic, immigrant...) minorities. (Wiktionary)

Social integration, in sociology and other social sciences, is the movement of minority groups such as ethnic minorities, refugees and underprivileged sections of a society into the mainstream of societies. Members of the minority groups thus gain full access to the opportunities, rights and services available to the members of the mainstream. (wikipedia)

Some other interesting concepts from my wiki stream:

Cultural appropriation is the adoption of some specific elements of one culture by a different cultural group. It describes acculturation or assimilation, but can imply a negative view towards acculturation from a minority culture by a dominant culture.^[1]^[2] It can include the introduction of forms of dress or personal adornment, music and art, religion, language, or social behavior. These elements, once removed from their indigenous cultural contexts, may take on meanings that are significantly divergent from, or merely less nuanced than, those they originally held.

Multiculturalism is the acceptance or promotion of multiple ethnic cultures, for practical reasons and/or for the sake of diversity and applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g. schools, businesses, neighborhoods, cities or nations. In this context, multiculturalists advocate extending equitable status to distinct ethnic and religious groups without promoting any specific ethnic, religious, and/or cultural community values as central.^[1]

The policy of multiculturalism is often contrasted with the concepts assimilationism and social integration.

Consciousness, art and processes

2010-04-08T01:05:00.008+02:00

Photo: from Kurt Johannessens photo series "Flying stones" (2007)

I just came back from a study circle (lesesirkel) hosted by Bergen performance artist Kurt Johannessen. A little less than 20 people with connection to the art environment (mostly artists) in Bergen attended what became a very in depth and interesting discussion on the text "Maxwells meg" ("Maxwells me") - about consciousness, sub consciousness, the thinking me, the sublime me, artistic processes & art, roles and so on (for about three hours).

It brought me closer to understanding my own intentions of bringing art into the process of making architecture. A process that is means in itself, not that comes to life only once "finished". In a way it is about attitude to work, how you see it, how you listen to everything you do in every moment. In art - often the art comes first, then the understanding of its concept. Art is, among other explanations, immediate presence manifested in every step of the process of making. Kurt explained that he started doing performance art in the early 80s because he found the process more interesting than the finished art product/object; the involvement of the body, raw, immediate, sudden, ephemeral. Art is the process, art is also where the process stops, whether when the performance has to end (time), or which brush stroke finishes the painting. I am interested in using the "tool" of performance, art processes in general, to approach the process of making architecture.

In this context I would like to share an excerpt from Kurt Johannessens article "Verda, kunsten og teorien" (Bergens Tidende, 2007).

"In an article in BT in 2005, Per Boye Hansen talked about art as something that confronted and challenged culture. Art is not a part of the culture, but comes at it and challenges it. Culture hangs stuck in the past. Art is breaking boundaries precisely when it is able to tear itself away from the past and move into new unknown space. Take chances, be uncertain, not knowing.The French philosopher Henri Bergson saw the intellect as an observer to what it recognizes, while intuition penetrates as it acknowledges, in an undivided creative process. Intuition has an immediate and not conceptual character. The intellect measures the time and create symbols in order to understand the world. Instructions, or a map if you wish. The intellect analyzes, sorts out and divides. The intellect can therefore never perceive the whole, but only the different symbols and parts, according to Bergson. The intellect has boundaries. Intuition has no boundaries."

"I ein kronikk i BT i 2005 fortalde Per Boye Hansen om kunsten som noko som konfronterte og utfordra kulturen. Kunsten var ikkje ein del av kulturen, men kjem mot den og utfordrar den. Kulturen heng fast i fortida. Kunsten bryt grenser nettopp når den klarer å rive seg laus frå fortida og gå inn i nye ukjente rom. Ta sjansar, vere usikker, ikkje vite. Den franske filosofen Henri Bergson såg på intellektet som ein observatør til det den erkjenner, medan intuisjonen trenger inn i det den erkjenner, i ein uoppdeleleg kreativ prosess. Intuisjonen har ein umiddelbar og ikkje begrepmessig karakter. Intellektet måler tida og lager symbol for å forstå verda. Ein bruksanvising, eller eit kart om ein vil. Intellektet analyserer, sorterer og deler opp. Intellektet kan derfor heller aldri sanse det heile, men berre dei ulike symbola og delane, i følgje Bergson. Intellektet har avgrensing. Intuisjonen har inga avgrensing."

Words have the power to expand space, also to contact it. Michael Reynolds calls himself a biotect, doing biotecture, though many might call him an architect - it looks like he is doing architecture, however unusual is is constructing houses. Reynolds underlines his different position by saying "no, fuch architects!" (Dagbladet, March 28th). What he is denying is the idea the word architect characterizes today, and he expands space by making up this new word. We don't need to call architecture "sculpture", "song"... or by any other words for it to be art, but maybe the word architecture has to be redefined or new words used or invented for the perception of it to change. Words are only important when you use them - your thought is free, potentially manifested through precise articulation of words.

Sven-Eric Liedman in his book "Stenarna i själen. Form och materia från antiken till idag". Freely translated to English:

"Hegel always gave thought and thinking priority over language. Language is apparently the undeniable medium of thought, but it means that the language expresses thoughts, but are not thoughts in themselves. It is not language but thoughts that separates man from animals"

("Hegel ga alltid tanken og tenkning prioritet framfor språket. Språket er visstnok tankens ubenektelige medium, men det innebærer at språket uttrykker tanker men selv ikke er tanker. Det er ikke språket men tanken som skiller mennesket fra dyrene.")

Haiti earthquake: Who gives what?

2010-04-06T00:00:00.005+02:00

From Information is beautiful. Click for larger image or go to this site.

Waste = Food

2010-04-05T22:27:00.004+02:00

Large scale approach to sustainability from Imaginary Foundation blog.

The song of our solar system

2010-04-05T21:26:00.005+02:00

Click here to see/listen to link. What if the spaces we made reacted to their environment, the wind making it sing... a movement somewhere releasing a chain reaction telling this story in every joint of the structure... Real sensual space.

Heart sings

2010-03-20T00:30:00.006+01:00

This is the marvelous Violeta Luz. She is an unstoppable teacher of life. I lived with her and her family in São Paulo, and now they are all on the river banks of the great river Ganges awaiting the arrival of her new brother. Tonight my heart sings purely of love for her. Eternal blessings reside in the eyes of the child.

lights out…
the firefly
inside

Haiku by Peggy Lyles.

Population statistics: Persons with refugee background

2010-03-19T23:03:00.003+01:00

"Approximately 143 000 persons with a refugee background were living in Norway on 1 January 2009. More than half had Asian backgrounds. The two largest groups were persons from Iraq and Somalia.

Out of the total population with refugee backgrounds almost 73 per cent have come to Norway as principal applicants and 23 per cent as dependents. With a total of 18 700 persons, Iraqis make up the largest group. The second largest group consists of persons with a Somali background (16 700).

At 1 January 2009, 58 per cent of the persons with a refugee background had Norwegian citizenship. The percentage varies from 11 per cent for people with a Russian background to 90 per cent for people from Vietnam. Length of residence is largely responsible for the difference since a person should, as a rule, be resident in Norway for at least 7 years before a Norwegian citizenship can be granted.

Male refugees were overrepresented, with around 9 300 more men than women as at 1 January 2009.

A total of 50 per cent of the persons with a refugee background were aged 20-39. Only 5 per cent belonged to the age group 60 years or older.

A total of 53 per cent of the persons with a refugee background have been residents in Norway for less than 10 years.

Oslo was still the county with the most residents with a refugee background; 40 300 persons. That is 28 per cent of the whole population with a refugee background, and 7 per cent of the city’s total population.

The definition "person with refugee background" refers to persons resident in Norway who have come to Norway because of flight (family included). Children born in Norway by persons with a refugee background are not included."

Source: Statistics Norway

My minds eye sees when my vision is inpaired

2010-03-15T21:53:00.004+01:00

In the same line as the previous entry this picture was taken at Store Lungegårdsvann. Suddenly we were surprised by a snow storm so dense that we could not see clearly ahead, forget about the other side of the lake. Still images of the place reside deep inside our subconscious always reminding us of the situation. I observed these images of a "normal" day presented on a screen before my minds eye.

These are the same images/thoughts that make up our conceptual map of reality, and that which allows us to run on "autopilot", as discussed in my social anthropology text. It makes no justice to refer to them as mere images, because they not only carry visual memory, but all sensory input related to a situation or place. Many would however claim, myself included, that we see also with our sense of smell, touch etc. In the same way we touch, smell etc. with our vision. I just read an article about a research done proving communication between the sense of touch and the sense of vision. Stimulation of the sense of touch got a feed back response in the test subject vision, and vice versa.

This article "How we feel affect what we see" points to a study referring to a new layer of perception. Not only do we have pre made concepts/images/thoughts about relations, these concepts are modified by the way that we feel in the moment. Many people might relate to this, but this study that was published in 2009 was the first to prove it. The study states that a person with negative emotions get more concentrated, whilst one with positive emotions get more distracted. Also the perspective of those with negative emotions gets more local, whilst those with positive emotions get a more global perception. In other words being positive broadens the view, being negative has the opposite result. Researchers hypothesise that this is directly linked to actual vision and how we process images in the brain.

Evolutionary this is explained by fight modus and relax modus. In our society we should never have to be in fight modus, according to me.

"In psychology, the broaden-and build theory holds that positive emotions enhance one's awareness, and that this global perspective encourages novel thoughts and actions. This broadened behavioural repertoire in turn leads to increased creativity and inventiveness." Which is what we want more of.

What is "real"?

2010-03-15T16:33:00.006+01:00

On a very cloudy night some days ago I shot this image from my living room window up in the Sandviken mountains. The view to the sea was completely obscured by the misty air and the surrounding buildings reflected themselves in my windows. However magical the mind still knows what is really "real". It knows, from experience, what the landscape really is like, and does not get afraid by this temporary coat. Still it looked like this for a moment, and the atmosphere got us lighting candles in tune with the outside expression, and feelings matching what we saw emerged in us. Where do I end and what is outside me begin? The borders are blurry. We are one. I am constantly moulded by my surroundings. I imagine forever living in such a landscape - the constant "me" would be quite different. My perception of reality would be something else.

Change reveals beauty

2010-03-15T02:02:00.012+01:00

The snow has just melted enough on the shores of Store Lungegårdsvann to reveal beautiful moss. I found this haiku at happyhaiku.blogspot.com.

Waiting for you -
the moss on the walls
grows steadily

Gypsys also belong here

2010-03-14T23:18:00.006+01:00

In the local Bergen newspaper Bergens Tidene there was an article about the US critique of how gypsys are treated in Europe. The Romani prople in Europe have problems with habitat, jobs and schools, and they are risking their lives. This worries the US.

The article tell about a Romano man that was shot and killed outside his house in Hungary, the sole reason being his descendant. In another village fire bombs were thrown into the house of a young family, and the son and the young son were shot down when they ran out of the house. Something similar happened in the Czech Republic where the family of a two year old girl burned inside.

Six people were shot in Hungary before the police managed to arrest four men. A member of the government characterized them as "racist mass murderers". This systematic oppression and abuse happens in calm European villages, and in some areas it is so grave that the UN, Amnesty International and the US are warning European governments.

The US just released a report where they criticise that European Romani often live in deep poverty and illiteracy, and the discrimination prevents them from getting habitat, jobs and education. The report has also noted that in Hungary and other Eastern European countries Roman kids are often placed in special schools that are designed for mentally retarded. Italian government wants to clear their streets by creating special camps for them outside of the city of Rome, but this deprives the Romans from a home. A UN minister visited one of the Italian camps and forgot for a moment that she was in one of the richest countries in the world, because it looked like a scene from the poorest countries in the world.

I see similar problems in Norway. There have not been as serious attacks in Norway, that I know of, but there is a clear cap between the Norwegian inhabitants and the growing Romani population. The cultural differences are clearly big. The most contact I have with them in Bergen is passing old ladies begging for money or men playing the lambada on harmonicas on Torvallmenningen. What is being done for their integration? Their culture must be respected and they must be given a totally different space in our society than that which they have today. Their cultural expression cannot be excluded. We have now an opportunity to take a historic step in how to accept this group of people. This can be of so much learning for other cities and countries.

Perception and understanding the brain

2010-03-08T04:38:00.006+01:00

How the brain is developed

2010-03-08T04:05:00.006+01:00

I found this one also on the Neurophilosophy blog. Our brains are still influenced and still evolve even when we are adults, just not as rapidly as when we were small babies.

Portfolio: Master Project Autumn 2009

2010-03-08T00:48:00.003+01:00

Architect in a foreign culture - Mozambique

View more documents from Birgitte JH.

Portfolio: Master Project 2 Spring 2009

2010-03-08T00:47:00.002+01:00

Public School in Perus project

View more documents from Birgitte JH.

Portfolio: Master Project 1 Spring 2009

2010-03-08T00:44:00.002+01:00

Urbanism São Paulo

View more documents from Birgitte JH.

Portfolio: Master Project Autumn 2008

2010-03-08T00:02:00.006+01:00

Large & complex energy efficient buildings

View more documents from Birgitte JH.

Non linear complex processes

2010-03-07T16:06:00.006+01:00

This image is Dostoevsky's notes for chapter 5 of The Brothers Karamazov. The non linear composition of ideas depicted here amazes me. Dostoevsky uses drawings complementing the scraps of written ideas for materializing mental images or concepts. It's beautiful to see, because I, not being a writer, often think of written media as a linear activity of story telling.

Of course many authors work with non linear ways of telling their complex stories, after all reality is not linear. If I understood Russian maybe I could have followed Dostoevsky's stream of consciousness! I was told yesterday of an artist friend who often prefers the sketches of paintings rather than the finished work, because it is possible to read the artists intentions in the sketch - later to be camouflaged by timely layering of paint.

It's a question of temperature

2010-03-07T01:50:00.013+01:00

A friend passed on this very interesting article from the blog Neurophilosophy. The article points to research showing how temperature affects how we perceive relationships. In the subjects there would awaken warm feelings in warm spaces whilst drinking warm beverages, likewise the test subjects would act more coldly or describe people in the situation as less generous in cold spaces whilst drinking cold beverages.

A test about the relationship between objects in a perceptual focus was also performed. In the image above the triangle of triangles was first shown to the test subjects, also now divided in hot and cold groups. After the subjects were shown the two lower diagrams - a triangle of squares and a square of triangles, and asked to make an opinion on which of the two were more like the first one. The target of the task was similarities in relationships, not that of properties, which makes the square of triangles more similar, and sure enough - test subject from the hot room group were more likely to give that answer.

"In line with earlier work, this study shows that temperature has a direct effect on social relations. It also shows that temperature affects language and the perception of relationships between inanimate objects. The findings support idea that thought processes are grounded in bodily sensations. Specifically, it provides further evidence that interpersonal relationships - which for most of us are critical in everyday life - are strongly grounded in temperature. Furthermore, the interaction between social cognition and temperature is apparently bi-directional: warmer temperatures induce social proximity, while loneliness makes people feel colder. In terms of brain function, there is evidence that a part of the brain called the insula is involved in processing both psychological and physical warmth. "

We think with our entire bodies. What we feel, we think. And if our thermoception has such influence on how we think/feel/relate, just imagine how much the entire cavalry of our sense apparatus picks up from our environment and the spaces we are in. Without us knowing it we are victims to our senses. The brain or what we think with is not a separate entity from our bodies.

Wrapping up I must comment on the stereotype of Skandinavins being cold and people from the Mediterranean are said to be worm. Well, maybe it's actually something in the air. Also I couldn't help but referring to The Balloon Farms hit "A Question of Temperature" in the title of this entry, if anyone remember that one.

Thank you - good morning!

2010-03-07T00:12:00.009+01:00

Sam held up his glass of raspberries and currants juice for me a few mornings back for me to snap a shot of it. I love the play of the foam and the colours in the glass.

Space, perception and awareness (social anthropology text)

2010-03-06T22:00:00.000+01:00

As a point of departure to my text on social anthropology this is the text I delivered to BAS in January about my diploma project:

“With a critical eye I wish to investigate the way we live, going back to basics - how we sleep, eat, wash ourselves... - and why. How we relate to our surroundings. How we interpret them. Winston Churchill said "We shape our buildings, and then they shape us". The same goes for how the systems/cultures that we create. The established paradigm is constantly changing, whichever form, slowly but surely.

We are in-between yesterday and hyper modernity. We let ourselves be seduced by the offerings of technology, but these objects don't awaken such feelings of recognition as the crocked and worn wooden floor of an old apartment.

Since the Renaissance the Western world has moved more away from the mystical of our nature to the logical and rational. The way we live, how our cities are organized is whether we like that idea or not - form that follows function. And if we don't like that idea, only now is the time to do something about it.

We project ourselves on spaces. In spaces that are new to us we project the image of ourselves and our desires in that situation. New situations trigger our imagination. We tend to travel to be inspired.

Starting from a philosophical point of view I point towards a diploma that re-investigates the potential of architecture in relation to art. The project could be refurbishing of existing buildings or refurbishing/integration with new structures/integration of elements that opens our minds instead of seducing them. I am here, so I will work with Bergen”.

Since I wrote this text I have read a much and conversed with friends and fellow students about my ideas, and some frames for my project to arise within are being shaped. I see the architect as a participant in local affairs and one that can be a trigger for good things to happen. The architect has a major responsibility in the development of cities and societies, since her profession is interdisciplinary and a tie between opposing forces and disciplines that drive society.

I have stated that as a starting point I would like to develop my diploma in Bergen. Since I live here it gives me more potential for investigating the architect as a participant. Also it is a part of my personal development in consolidating the place where I live and accepting my responsibility to this place. I have been struggling with the feeling of not belonging in Bergen, even though I have lived here for six years, and several times I have lived abroad and have been attracted to other ways of life.

Diverse suggestions for my diploma have crystallized different elements, amongst the ones mentioned, that are important to me, and I have had great use of my sense of feeling to evaluate each one of them. It has become clear to me that I need to work on something that is wholly positive. Also I want a project that does not paint the end of the road before I start the walk, but one that it can embrace a variety of approaches, thought processes and eventually a concrete proposal.

I have been looking into BIKS (Bergen Internasjonale Kultur Senter), an association initially part of the Bergen municipality. It seeks to offer Bergeners of different ethnic background an arena where multicultural activities can happen and develop. They cooperate with individuals as well as organizations and cultural institutions (BIKS statement on its website).(www.biks-bergen.no) They organize theater, dance shows, festivals and many types of courses and other activities. BIKS is a very important assessment in the cultural life of Bergen, expressing the variety of cultures assembled in this city.

Because of the wide organization and assorted types of events, BIKS has a somewhat nomadic appearance of ephemeral happenings in the city’s otherwise more controlled cultural scene. It has however, since 2007, had its main office in Kong Oscarsgate 15, a building that has a variety of different rooms for different kinds of activities. I have been told that since the building is part of Bergens cultural heritage the association is not allowed to modify it to their needs. This supports the notion I have of BIKS carrying nomad characterizations. It means something that it does not have its own place that it can do whatever it wants with, and I don't think it is entirely a negative thing. I think there is a lot of potential here that is yet to be articulated.

I have yet to contact BIKS to discuss cooperation, but this is where I plan to dive in. In the rest of the text I wish to discuss the more conceptual elements of my interest, in relation to such a project, seeking to integrate it with the initial intentions expressed in my diploma text.

One of the first things that struck me as important when starting on the social anthropology literature was the importance of defining some basic concepts such as culture and the individual. What is culture and what is an individual? What is identity and why is it important? Where does architecture come in?

We communicate ideas with language, and as I write this, I think and articulate my thoughts in words and sentences. For understanding to reach you, the reader, many things must match. Firstly you have to understand the language I am writing in. Secondly we rely on my ability to express my thoughts in a comprehensible manner. Thirdly you need to have a background knowledge that allows you to make sense of what is written, that background knowledge being many things that are not written - concepts.

I have said that I will discuss some concepts, what then is a concept? I think it is essential to start here because understanding how the mind works is the first step of understanding why we see and perceive reality the way we do, and why others perceive it differently. I believe that without this background we can only surf superficially the truth of matter.

Wikipedia states two prevailing theories in contemporary philosophy which attempt to explain the nature of concepts (abstract term: conception). One is the representational theory of mind that proposes that concepts are mental representations, the other being the semantic theory of concepts that hold them for abstract objects.
My understanding is that the concept of concepts is to include that which shares certain characteristics into a specific category, and exclude what does not. We use concepts for abstract as well as for concrete objects, deconstructing reality into fragments and objects. By this discrimination we try to comprehend the whole thing. Plato talked about the pure forms of objects in an ideal world that we perceive only conceptually through the veil of this physical world. I think in this school of thought that concepts are obstacles for seeing what is and at once tools for expanding our consciousness exactly because our minds use them, and without realizing that they are there we cannot reject them either. When we understand concepts we create a distance between ourselves and them. We realize we are not it.

We must not forget that modern science has revealed that all things are made up from the same tiny building blocks. Philosophically this means that if you understand one, you understand it all. Our junkie-for-concepts minds have led science to places only reality has really gone before.

Concepts walk hand and hand with language. Language here comprises not just oral expression, nevertheless all kinds of communication. Language goes into the matter of concepts with the precision of words. Paradoxically language and words are in themselves concepts. I was once told a parable that seeks to explain the complexity of the matter, and it goes as follows; “We have a thorn stuck in our finger, we take another thorn to get it out. Once we get it out, we must through them both away”. The last part of it is of uttermost importance, because it tells us not to cling to the tool, understanding that it can also be an obstacle. In a similar setting I was once in a group of people where the host asked the ones present to explain “silence”. One by one we tried our elaborate theories to give a satisfying answer. Finally the host shook his head and told us all wrong. “It's a just word”, he said. Words are names that try to embrace the idea of objects/concepts. We are still keeping in mind that concepts are ways of categorizing, not the thing in itself.

Culture as a concept is discussed by Roger M. Keesing as, widely spoken, learned, accumulated experience. It is a concept that is always being redefined, and “there is, it turns out, an odd sort of advantage in having a clumsy, composite term for a complex, composite phenomenon: short and easy labels often lead to conceptual sloppiness, to logical fallacy of “misplaces concreteness” or “reification” whereby an abstraction is talked about as if it were a “thing” (Keesing, 1998, p. 16). He refers to culture as an ideational system that in this sense comprises systems of shared ideas, concepts and rules and meanings that underlie and are expressed in the ways humans live. Cultural codes are surely ways of controlling behavior. And most of the time we act and react on a seeming autopilot, culture being in the actual driver’s seat. Not only are we on autopilot, we are also unconscious about it.

However we would all claim to have a little something that is our own, and there is today a common understanding that all individuals are symphonies of biology and environment. Keesing calls this personality. Genetically we have tendencies in temper that in different cultures can be encouraged or suppressed. The codes in a culture makes us able of communicating, but knowing that we are all unique by way of genetics and environment not two people will perceive the same thing. One thing we can be sure of – it is not that to anyone else!

People tend to cling to their own concepts, believing that they are those concepts, believing that reality must be perceived the way they perceive it. Cultural imperialism and religious fanaticism have marked human history in the name of concepts!

Every day, in communication with fellow human beings we are confronted with other peoples realities. This reflection is a good opportunity for us to realize that our own views are not objective and ultimate truths; however there is that clinging, or attachment to our own beliefs. The attachment has motives, because to be we must believe in ourselves, actually in our own existence. The question only remains, like Shakespeare's Hamlet articulated; “To be, or not to be”.

Since we believe in what we believe in, and have attachments to that, we often seek the company of like minded. Those most likely to believe in the same concepts as we do, are members of our own family. They share much of our genetic material and also have much of the same background. However we meet other people when we grow up and we often choose different roads that our siblings. We are then most likely to find friends within our social class, because we share with them understanding of certain concepts. Ultimately the strangest to us, and where we statistically are least likely to find close relations, is with people from a different culture.

Keesing explains ethnocentrism as being when we judge someone’s behavior as bad or wrong, when actually that person is acting out of a different set of cultural codes. He uses the parable of wearing cultural glasses through which we see and judge reality. We can never take off our own cultural glasses to see what they are, because without glasses to see through we do not have the molded categories for discrimination and deconstruction that makes us able to make a comparison. However we can learn about our own glasses observing those of other people. We project ourselves on others, and in their reflection we see ourselves. Should we however come in the situation where we can take our glasses off, what we would see should be something like Plato's ideal world.

In Buddhist philosophy, amongst others, it is claimed that all human beings wish to be free. Freedom is defined as detachment from concepts. In the modern consumers world with people forever chasing the next object it might be hard to swallow that all they really want is freedom from these very objects. Remembering that we project ourselves on the world, and identify with the worldly objects, and remembering the last new object that made us feel complete or whole, it is not so hard to believe after all. However this search is in vane and will not reward us with freedom.

The popular and now deceased Indian guru Osho talked to his followers about the importance of the presence of the master, the reason for this being that consciousness is contagious. And; “sleep, is contagious too”. He also warned that the master is never able to spell out the truth to his students, knowing that words are mere concepts. However the master can create an environment or platform for consciousness more likely to arise from. We are all each other’s masters and teachers if we allow ourselves to see that. We generally like to be around people that possess qualities we admire. Being around these people we learn to recognize these qualities within ourselves.

However there is a lot of fear going on, that prevents people from realizing their innate potential. Most fears I believe arise from the ultimate fear – the fear of death. That of not existing. Therefore we spend a lot of time seeking confirmation from other people that we exist instead of realizing what we already are. This is another chance to explain why people befriend within their own social class or culture. They recognize these ways, and their ways are confirmations of the existence of the self. It is very safe, because it ensures most likely status quo, which is least scary. Change is unpredictable, and often avoided. He who sleeps shall be reborn.

I have in the last sections tried to come closer to understanding what people are. Roughly we have been through the way our mind works, and tried to explain why - elegantly avoiding arguments about reproduction, animalistic instinct and such as simple survival. However this could have been added to the previous section as mere manifestations of the fear of death and the wish to live on forever. We have been dealing with the most important – the existential dilemmas. Agreeing that humans want to be free and learning ways that we try to achieve that, and we have been looking at why they fail. Now what can we do about that? How can we help each other in waking up to freedom?

This is where architecture comes in. It comes in because I am studying architecture and I am searching for reasons to dedicate my life to it, now entering in my last semester of my master degree. Architecture is the science or art of physical spaces. Architects should, resonating what we have been through, create spaces that are safe backgrounds for people to realize themselves in and to do that they must make us ask questions. Places should be for people to meet on equal conditions and situations that celebrate life in all its diversity! To do this we have to understand how spaces affect people in different directions.

Having discussed culture as a concept, I would like to investigate it in relation to a project such as BIKS. Since cultural codes are the shared knowledge that we use to interpret what we experience, it is a very important tool we have for communication. Much of our understanding about relations and space is implicit to us, and we do not regularly question nor awe about it. What happens when people from different cultures mix is that we see the same actual objects, but we attach different meanings to them. Rituals in space are very different - how some people eat, sleep and other things that are about living, is different to that of someone from another culture, and that difference can be observed in the way they relate and act in space. We have an identity to this perception because our culture is perceived as integral, not something that is exterior to us. This is why it is important for a people of a different culture to receive acceptance and understanding about their culture, a rejection of a culture is rejecting the individual. We are still in today’s globalized world victims of our cultural history and tradition, however the increased flow of information and knowledge present us with optional ways of life.

Immigrants in our culture are maybe one of the strongest threats to status quo. I think it is a great potential in this, because it forces us to learn and question our own culture, and what lies behind the choices and meanings.
The Austrian/America architect Raimund Abraham argues the narrative of space not being that of kitchen, bathroom etc, but that of eating, bathing… and sees the potential in architecture to really discuss this. He also relates architecture more to the art of cinema and music than to that of art or sculpture, because he sees it not as a visual art, rather a structural art and as with music the tune changes with just one tone braking the rhythm. The idea of architecture as a narrative for action, telling a story and creating scenarios, I think is very interesting. Architecture will always have a certain degree of flexibility, and first comes alive in its use, but many conscious decisions can be made by the architect in the process of reflecting about the project and its program. Possessing the knowledge of spatial meanings an architectural composition can comment about hierarchies and shuffle them to change the meaning.

This text is an uncompleted mosaic of my intentions and interests and I hope it’s not too hard to read, a good revision and completion was not possible within the time limit. I found it hard to directly link much of the presented literature to my approach, but it has been a mind opener and an inspiration. I have rushed through a lot of complex matters that if I had time would have investigated much more. I see a potential in architecture playing a role in integration and that of creating a background for existential questions to arise, but it is hard for me to really go in depth with it without really going into the project. My discipline is about the many dimensions, and theoretic approach alone becomes a poor language. I believe that social anthropology can give some tools and understandings, but it is ultimately when it fuses together with philosophy and the architectural program that something can be created architecturally. I would really appreciate some suggestions for further reading.

Bibliography

The bibliography reflects literature that has been read in the process and even if not mentioned in my text it has been a part of my total reflection.

Texts from literature selection:
i. Bourdieu_The Kabyle House or the World Reversed
ii. Frake_How to enter a Yakan house
iii. Goffman_The presentation of self in everyday life
iv. Gullestad_Hjemmet som moderne folkekultur
v. Gullestad_Symbolic Fences
vi. Hall_Anomaly in architecture
vii. Hall_The hidden dimension
viii. Helliwell_Good walls make bad neighbours
ix. Thomas_Conspicious construction
x. Turner_Betwixt and between

Books:
i. Keesing, Roger M & Strathern, Andrew J. (1998) Cultural Anthropology. A Contemporary Perspective. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace Collage Publishers.
ii. Keesing, R. 1982. Kwaio religion. New York: Columbia University Press.

Web:
i. BIKS: http://www.biks-bergen.no
ii. Interview with Raimund Abraham: http://bombsite.com/issues/77/articles/2421
iii. Wikipedia about concepts: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concept

Suchness

2010-03-06T20:36:00.005+01:00

"Tathata (Sanskrit, Pali तथाता tathātā; Chinese language 眞如 pr.: zhēnrú /chen-ju; tib. de bzhin nyid; kor. 진여, jinyeo; jap. 真如, shinnyo; viet. chân or chơn như) is variously translated as "thusness" or "suchness". It is a central concept in Buddhism, and is of particular significance in Zen Buddhism.

In Zen stories, Tathata is often best revealed in the seemingly mundane or meaningless, such as noticing the way the wind blows through a field of grass, or watching someone's face light up as they smile. According to Zen hagiography, Shakyamuni Buddha transmitted the awareness of Tathata directly to Mahakasyapa in what has come to be rendered in English as the Flower Sermon. In another story, Shakyamuni asked his disciples "How long is a human life?" As none of them could offer the correct answer he told them "Life is but a breath". Here we can see the Buddha expressing the impermanent nature of the world, where each individual moment is different from the last. As Molloystates, "We know we are experiencing the 'thatness' of reality when we experience something and say to ourselves, 'Yes, that's it; that is the way things are.' In the moment, we recognize that reality is wondrously beautiful but also that its patterns are fragile and passing."

The natural beauty of the world, and the importance of nature that surrounds us is a key theme in Buddhism. When asked what Zen is, many masters have answered in relation to the features surrounding them: "The bamboo forest, blue skies above the high mountain", etc. Such answers are given to indicate to us that while we are seeking some mysterious answers above and beyond our own understanding of the world, the true way is there for us to see at any moment right in front of our eyes. The zen master Thich Nhat Hanh wrote "People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child--our own two eyes. All is a miracle.

A 5th century Chinese Mahayana scripture entitled "Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana" describes the concept more fully: "In its very origin suchness is of itself endowed with sublime attributes. It manifests the highest wisdom which shines throughout the world, it has true knowledge and a mind resting simply in its own being. It is eternal, blissful, its own self-being and the purest simplicity; it is invigorating, immutable, free... Because it possesses all these attributes and is deprived of nothing, it is designated both as the Womb of Tathagata and the Dharma Body of Tathagata."

(wikipedia).

Photo: Drawing by Santiago Ramón y Cajal of celebral neurons.