The Monumental Landscape
Project Type: Thesis
Workshop: ARCH 662 Yellow Canary
Date: Winter 2020
The project illustrates an attempt to rejuvenate a slaughterhouse into an animal / human resort in a future era when the differences between virtual reality and reality are indistinguishable, and humans no longer require meat for nutrition intake. The slaughterhouse represents the permanent quality of architecture and how architecture has the ability to withstand time tangibly. Yet, the special characteristics of the time have predetermined that tangibility is not the only form of reality.
Moreover, the rejuvenation process incites the contemplation of whether the built structure with long lifespans is necessary or just another form of imprisonment since the lingering spirit continuously evokes the detrimental association between brutality and death.
Setting in a time when advanced technology allows humans to survive without the need for food consumption, people no longer rely on stock farming and killing animals for protein sources; however, humans have domesticated livestock for almost as long as humanity has existed, they’re no longer equipped the survival skills to search for food out in the wild.
At the same time, the shift toward augmented reality in people’s everyday lives contributes to the descent of new developments in 3-dimensional space. As a result, future developments resort to two methods, either minimal building structure or reiteration of the historical past, to cut down costs.
Accordingly, people are urged to reimagine a humane way to manage the massive population of animal refugees. It forces the emersion of the Monumental Landscape, which is a place that ensures the last generation livestock will not go extinct due to the lack of food sources or a safe place to live.
Because most former slaughterhouse locations have gone out of business, the facilities that once held the animals captivated will be repurposed and used to house the livestock. In addition, it’ll also become an amusement park where people can experience the true 3-dimensional space.
There are three forms of livestock included in the park: The Preservation, The Pet, and The Virtual Realistic. The Preservation is the first-generation livestock living in the park. The Pets are the second generation of farm livestock. These animals are genetically modified to be smaller and better accommodate the normal household’s living conditions. And lastly, The Virtual Realistic are animals people imitate to create active interaction between humans and animals in the park.
The goal of the project is to make aware of the impact of architecture on the overall society. While the industry utilizes the latest technology to expedite the design process and the construction time, it’s crucial to understand that architectural design is more than just a new addition to mother earth. It requires exclusive analysis of the context, time, space, scale, structure, and materials to find the perfect formula representing a comprehensive concept.
