feminist factory of subversion
This project imagines a world in which we miss the 1.5C° global warming target. Capitalism's need for endless growth and consumption sustained our use of fossil fuels, leading to worldwide devastation. It is set in a post-climate disaster Tokyo in 2050. The city has been demolished and replaced by the 'Radiant City' - a totalitarian, heartless urban system which centralises power and segregates residents. Privacy no longer exists as the population is controlled by surveillance and intrusive technology. Algorithms decide what people can see, while human experience becomes a resource which is processed and sold as user data.
The issue I am addressing is mass surveillance. This is a feminist issue as it reinforces existing power imbalances, it discriminates against certain groups, creates paranoia / self-censorship and it instils fear and collective conformity.
The Factory of Subversion is an illegal urban occupation, hiding in the shadows of a skyscraper and built out of salvaged materials. It uses an anarchist approach to architecture, based on participation, autonomy and freedom. It’s form and function have been inspired by subversive tactics, such as DIY-shoplifting bags (which use a foil lining to absorb RF signals) allowing anyone under the structure to have brief privacy.
The program consists of ten repurposed tsunami pods, which have a deployable inflated section. These temporary / flexible spaces are a response to the oppression faced in a heavily monitored city: a place to debate, a socialising room, a love hotel, a communication hub for journalists and whistleblowers. They can deflate and submerge, concealing all activity if authorities arrive.
A space which facilitates dissent is crucial in maintaining personal freedom – our ability to oppose the state is already being stripped by tory anti-protest laws. A focus on creating experiences, human interaction and tools for resistance rather than profit.
