Post-Traumatic Architecture - Dissertation Example

?Post-Traumatic Architecture This dissertation is trying to answer the question on whether or not architecture can actually heal traumatized cities/areas or just assent to trauma production. To answer this question, this essay will analyze the architectural response to trauma in cases of disaster and grieving. The outcome construction at the traumatized site becomes the connecting point between pre and post trauma. The architect should treat with sensitivity the damaged area and respect the history, the culture and the identity of the city. This essay is focusing on architectural trauma and its extensions to the social community because there is nothing more fascinating that an architect can contribute to the restoration of buildings than the memories he can recreate in the old site. The end of the whole process is going to be quite tempting to discover if the purpose of healing was achieved or not. Main dissertation body National September 11 Memorial & Museum A World Trade Center Site Memorial Competition was setup in order to welcome designs on how the World Trade Center site could be reconstructed as a memorial to the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack. This competition was won by Michael Arad, an Israeli-American architect of Handel Architects. His design was called “Reflecting Absence” and its main feature included a reflecting pool and a tree-filled plaza which was blended into the city’s landscape (Meehan, 2011). With the collaboration of other architects, including landscape architects, the design was perfected. Families of the victims were also consulted in relation to the placement of the names of about 3000 victims killed that day (Dunlap, 2011). Landscape architects also helped to tweak the design especially in terms of the forest of trees which would surround the reflecting pools. Ten years following the disaster, on September 11, 2011, a dedication ceremony was held at the memorial and following the ceremony, the plaza was opened to the public. The design included two pools with manmade waterfalls cascading over the sides; the pools were placed at the sites where the Twin Towers used to stand. Each pool measures about an acre. Both pools were meant to symbolize the loss of life and the emptiness caused by the terrorist attacks on September 11. The sound of the water falls were also meant to reduce the sound of the city, creating a place which was to be a source of comfort and sanctuary to the visitors. Close to 400 sweet gum and swamp white oak trees took up the other 6 acres left of the memorial plaza. This further gave the area a sense of isolation from the city bustle. The names of the victims were then written into 76 bronze plates and attached to the walls at the edges of the pools (Blais, 2011). The names included the victims of the September 11 attacks from the Twin Towers, as well as the victims from Arlington Virginia, and those from Pennsylvania. The names of the rescuers were also included in the bronze plates along with the six victims from the February 1993 World Trade Center bombing. The arrangement of the names was also very much important to the design as the groupings and adjacencies were based on family relations as well as company or organization affiliations. In effect, the names of families were set alongside each other; the names of first responders were grouped alongside the names of their units; and the names of co-workers were also written alongside each other. The design for the memorial site also included a Survivor Tree. The tree is a callery pear tree which was previously recovered from the rubbles of ground zero World Trade Center site in October of 2001 while retrieval workers were trying to look for survivors. The tree was about 8 feet tall and severely burned, but it had one living branch (Sudol, 2011). It was a tree which has long been at the site for decades before the attack, planted originally in the 1970s. It was later cared for by Arthur Ross from the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. The tree was not expected to survive however in 2002, new growth was seen and soon prompted the caretakers to replant the tree (Reynolds, 2011). The tree became a symbol of rebirth and hope. In 2010, the tree grew to 30 feet and was later returned to the World Trade Center site. Aside from the above features, a museum has also been built underneath the memorial. It is accessible below ground and included a deconstructivist design, allowing a resemblance of the partially collapsed building reflecting the attacks on the 11 of September 2001. The dedication ceremony for the Memorial allowed the victims’ families to have a first glimpse of the area and see the names of their family members and friends memorialized. Accounts from the visitors were mostly positive, their tone sober and reflective. The endless names engraved allowed them to understand the enormity of the terrorist attack and the reflective pool also allowed them to recognize the void left by the disaster (Sutherland and Greene, 2011). The mourners declare that they have found the memorial breathtaking and beautiful. Those who have tragic memories of that day are happy that no structure or building was built over the site, and the reflecting pool is a more appropriate way of honouring the memory of the victims. Most of the mourners felt at peace in the area, and they found the memorial to be a healing balm for the different families who still felt the pain of their loss. The names of the victims engraved in the bronze plaques also prompted the visitors to make rubbings of the names to take home with them (Hall, 2011). It was a physical reminder of the fact that the names engraved were more than just names, they were parents, brothers, sisters, daughters, sons, friends who died in a tragic and senseless display of terrorism. Mayor Bloomberg declares that the trees in the site served various purposes, not just the aesthetic, he declared that “trees are a reminder that life renews itself...for every death, there is birth. Even in tragedy, there can be hope...” (in Sutherland and Greene, 2011). This memorial represents how architecture was able to secure a design which was able to memorialize the tragedy and the disaster which befell the American people; it was also able to establish a design which provided healing for the victims, a place where they could honour their loved ones and still experience a rebirth and recover from the painful memories of the day. The urban life which was very much apparent in the area, including the possibility for renewal is also seen in the voids. The waterfalls cascade and then level out at the bottom and continue to flow until they reach the middle of the pool where the waters then disappear from view. The emotional concepts like loss and hope are not easy concepts or emotions to express in the realm of architecture. The challenge includes the engineering of hydraulic system for the pools, the growing of consistent-sized trees in the plaza, and collaborating a design to match the different agencies. Still, the primary idea for the memorial was to keep things simple. In the end, the designers and builders were able to indeed keep the design simple, allowing for the personal emotions of the viewers to unfold. The lighting design was also crucial to the final architecture design and concept of the memorial. Three luminaire classes were used to light up the plaza, the pool, and the parapets (Hall, 2011). The memorial ended up being lit by fluorescent square light columns which are distributed in different parts of the plaza; these lights also have reflector rings which help decrease glare. Security cameras were also fitted into the lights. As a means of offsetting lower light levels, the designers secured a parameter which allowed the visitors to be able to find a way out no matter where they were in the memorial. Sufficient vertical lighting was also secured in order to allow visitors to recognize faces, promoting a sense of community among the visitors. The soft and quiet lighting design does not overwhelm the fountains with special lighting secured during the nights. White LED lights from below were placed giving the water in the falls to take on a kinetic quality, changing patterns at different moments. Underwater luminaires were also used and designed. Issues with heating were resolved well by the lighting companies involved in the project (Hall, 2011). As a result, every design put into the plaza was based on the maximization of aesthetic as well as commemorative value, allowing for the emotional tangibility of the design to permeate the visitors to the plaza, especially those who are emotionally invested in the memories of 9/11 as a mourner or as a survivor. Hurricane Katrina post reconstruction architecture: Make it Right During Hurricane Katrina, various areas in New Orleans, Louisiana and other affected states experienced significant property damage and losses, mostly caused by flooding and storm damage. The disaster levelled and flooded many homes and neighbourhoods. In the aftermath of the disaster, recovery and reconstruction was slow in coming, causing further trauma and hardships to families which already faced much devastation and loss from the hurricane (Clark and Benson, 2009). Various recovery plans were established by private and government agencies, however, these plans could not secure sustained recovery for communities and families. Make it Right is a foundation initiated by actor and philanthropist Brad Pitt in coordination with other architects and engineers, seeking to build 150 safe, and energy efficient as well as affordable houses for families in the Lower 9th Ward in New Orleans. This area was one of the areas worse hit by the hurricane with all homes being damaged and lost to the hurricane. The houses were based on the designs of prominent architects Frank Gehry, David Adjaye, and Shigeru Ban (Huffington Post, 2009). The neighbourhood covered by the Make it Right is a neighbourhood located at the northern half above North Claiborne Avenue in New Orleans. At the time the disaster struck, a part of the ninth ward included a stable neighbourhood, with mostly African-Americans who have been living in the area for generations (Mukherjee, 2012). The flooding to the area was mostly caused by the Industrial Canal being breached during and following the hurricane. The project was based on a design of architects and other experts seeking to rebuild a part of the area affected by the disaster. The design was initiated based on a design competition started by Global Green, highlighting new and environmentally friendly innovations. The safety, affordability, and high quality design of these homes was also highlighted. Specifically, its mission statement is to be a “catalyst for redevelopment of the Lower 9th Ward, by building a neighbourhood comprised of safe and healthy homes that are inspired by Cradle to Cradle thinking, with an emphasis on a high quality design, while preserving the spirit of the community’s culture. The goal is to accomplish this quickly, so that the first residents can begin returning to their homes as soon as possible” (Make it Right, n.d). The design competition was managed by William McDonough + Partners as well as the Los Angeles firm Graft, highlighting the principle of Cradle to Cradle design (Make it Right, n.d). The architects designed for free, relinquishing their rights to these designs. Barriers to the competition included cost and designs relating to the health and safety of residents, as well as the sustainability of the materials, the durability and the environmentally friendly nature of the designs. The designs chosen presented a modern look which focused on the area vernacular architecture of the homes in New Orleans including the conditions dominant in the coastal southern region. The designs also included elevated foundations, extended roof lines, wide-shaded porches, outdoor galleries, as well as interior features which included tall ceilings as well as cross-ventilation to ensure adequate air movement. The designs also feature shotgun homes, camel backs, and fishing camps seen in the area. Some of the qualities of the homes include elements which are unlike other New Orleans homes, including skewed orientations for the rooflines. These structures allowed for the maximization of solar panel feeds (Dejarnette, 2009). The non-traditional elevated building structures were also uncommon to the area. The overall designs still manifest familiarity typical in New Orleans homes, as sleek, eccentric, and green architecture designs soon emerged. The collaboration with the community was seen from the beginning of the project through town-hall meetings and other related gatherings, mostly discussing suggestions with the members of the community who were eager to return to their homes (Mukherjee, 2012). The meetings included other community groups who were involved in the social and design elements of the project. The houses are then sold to the members of the community in order to ensure that these individuals do have a stake in their neighbourhood. The Make it Right Project is a major success in terms of maximizing fame and celebrity in order to secure awareness and push forward the reconstruction efforts for marginalized communities. The project also took the opportunity to introduce innovative environmentally friendly designs to the community. A year after the area was assessed for reconstruction through the Make it Right project, a dozen houses were soon put up. Discussions with residents in the area indicate that they were generally pleased with the designs of their homes (Dejarnette, 2009). The residents were also pleased with the speed by which the houses were built and acknowledged the energy-efficient nature of the houses as well as the recognizable architectural pictures of the homes which were akin to the traditional New Orleans homes. Through the Make it Right project, the affected area was soon habitable and communities were soon revived. The recovery and reconstruction of the area allowed the people to return to their normal lives and activities post-hurricane Katrina. The designs of the houses were also based on improvements which could be made in order to ensure that any future similar disasters would not anymore impact as significantly to their lives. In other words, the control to their lives, especially their homes is returned to the residents. The designs of communities based on features which would likely make them more resilient to floods and hurricanes are features which make them feel safer in their new homes (Feireiss, 2009). With such security and safety felt, they are also likely to feel better in their communities, to rebuild connections with their neighbours and to plan futures in these communities. The design of their houses in effect makes them feel more confident about their ability to recover and to weather future similar disasters. The designs of the homes include flood-protection elements. Some of the foundations can float, roof patios are integrated including flood relief and recycling installations which represent lower costs in their houses (Mukherjee, 2012). The hurricane provided an opportunity to build a house from the ground up, including features which would represent major improvements on the original houses. The planners and designers work with architects in order to ensure that the houses would be of quality and would be able to work well to their specifications. Architects working with the project were also able to conceive of a modular home which would be able to survive a Category Four hurricane. The home would sport various innovative elements, one primary innovation being the experimental concrete foam foundation which would make the house buoyant, rising with the floodwaters (Clark Construction, 2009). Architect Thomas Mayne was able to coordinate with Clark Construction and their collaboration later led to prefabrication in California for the project. Various volunteers from the construction firm were soon deployed to work on the design and the building of the prefab homes. The collaboration also soon led to the transport of various prefabricated homes for the Make it Right project, with its designs very much in keeping with the vision of the foundation and the residents. Urban Reconstruction post disaster/trauma According to the National Science Foundation based in the US, post-disaster recovery concepts go through similar and predictable developments (Choi, n.d). In general, three out of the four stages indicate a significant role for architecture. Based on the Foundation, the four stages include emergency response, restoration of the restorable, reconstruction of the destroyed and finally, the commemoration, betterment and development of the disaster area (Haas, 1977). The final stage is considered the most effective point of entry for architecture. However following catastrophes, architects may also manifest actions which go beyond the restorative goals. In effect, they may expand outside utilitarian functions and include programs of communication as well as participation. A temporary structure INFO BOX was secured near Potsdamer Platz following the destruction of the Berlin Wall and in the days of the recovery phase (Weitz, 2007). Although the box was founded on corporate development, it also symbolized the urban renewal of the affected area. It was a sustained piece of architecture as it secured redevelopment and assisted the healing of the affected citizens. Following the September 11 attacks, discussions in the US were raised on how and what to rebuild at the site of the World Trade Center. In the same vein, the Pratt Institute Center suggested a Community and Environmental Development, collaborating with architects in order reassess the redevelopment of the Berlin Potsdamer Platz (Shiffman and Taylor, n.d). Issues and challenges in the rebuilding were also faced in the World Trade Center site. Challenges included the emotional scars of the cities affected as the reconstruction involved areas which were very much beloved and emblematic. It was also a fond hope that an evaluation of the Potsdamer Platz would anticipate the possibility of Ground Zero in New York being an area of major economic development, very much like Berlin. Architect Lebbeus Woods discussed that postdisaster reconstruction initiates with the scar formed over the area affected (Woods, 1977). The scar or specifically, the scab represents an initial point of reconstruction, one which protects an apparent interior space and also protects an area while the rebuilding is taking place. For Berlin, the possibility of reconstruction was initiated based on the above conceptualizations and in contrast to Ground Zero, where delayed reconstruction efforts brought about feelings of emptiness, the recovery of Potsdamer Platz was prepared by a physical entity which was the INFO BOX. Other critics have not significantly assessed the relevance of the reconstructive process, a process which presented a physical scab and secured a responsive setting which presented messages of hope. Since Hitler rose to power until the fall of his Nazi Germany, the Potsdamer Platz went through different instances of collapse and then reconstruction. Before the Second World War, it was considered the point where the east-west and north-south paths in Europe crossed. However this site met with major destruction during the war and during the Cold War, the Berlin Wall was built across it, decreasing its relevance as a crossing and as a trading centre (Kinzer, 1996). Within a day, the Berlin Wall was suddenly built amidst the rubbles of the war and divisiveness. For 28 years, it caused division to the once united country (Marling, 1998). Years after it was brought down, the emotional representation of the wall persisted among those affected by its construction. In June of 1995, the INFO BOX was seen and soon represented hope for the reconnections and the healing which could be seen amidst the disaster. The bright red box was a design of architects Schneider + Schneider and was set as a temporary pavilion, seeking to inform the general public of the plans for reconstruction (Choi, n.d)). Not all people shared these views of the box with some of these people viewing the box to be a marketing resource which would only benefit major businesses in the area, including Daimler-Benz and Sony Corporation (Dawson, 1995). However, in this instance, the INFO BOX actually fulfilled a higher purpose, one which transcended commercial goals. It represented the foundation of McLuhan’s statements on the medium being the message as well. The physical representation, alongside the message of hope, steered public views of the site towards dignity and redevelopment. The optimism it represented was further supported by the physical qualities of the INFO BOX. It looked like a scaffold, covered in red cladding, with its corners including glazing; it was set on top of seven-meter columns in Leipzinger Platz. From its top roof terrace, viewers could view the reconstruction efforts at the Potsdamer Platz (Choi, n.d). It covered an area about sixty meters wide, covering an area where a portion of the Wall was once seen. The INFO BOX filled the emptiness which was apparent from the time the Wall was removed, and it also recognized the scar caused by the Wall. It also provided a transcendental place for the visitors, over and above the violence which was common during the days of the wall. The box was one of the original structures put up within the reconstruction area and the architects sought to apply prefabricated aspects in order to speed up its construction and acknowledge the possibility of later dismantling the piece and build it somewhere else. The INFO BOX was later disassembled in 2000, however in the five years it was placed in the area, it was an educational tool for the public and secured an interactive setting for visitors wanting to refurbish the urban landscape. Such changes were secured through the virtual-reality visits in the area (Choi, n.d). However, the simulations could not capture the essence of the experience for the Potsdamer Platz. In going through the INFO BOX, various avenues were considered, allowing visitors could evaluate the progress in and through the box, with a one-on-one relationship between the users as well as the workers. The box secured a general experience of changes within the real-time setting, indicating to the viewer in terms of the changes seen in the site. Such connection ensured that visitors took in the experience of the development site to be a memorable experience. In the meantime, in the actual site of the development, the INFO BOX provided an image for visitors to familiarize themselves with the area being developed. As the image and the area were contextualized in the midst of the reconstruction area, a possible connection between the past and future was ensured. Potsdamer Platz provided a venue for historic memories which covered the glorious and tragic moments in Berlin’s history (von Rauch and Visscher, 2002). The view from the top of the box provided images of the remnants of what once was considered a sophisticated grid for the city. These views are still considered layers underneath the rubbles of the city, however, the BOX allowed the people to see what lay beneath the rubble. It was a model which answered to disasters by promising healing. It also became a symbol of the power of architecture in securing resilient physical space. It provided reviving work as it narrated the stories of the past, and became an agent for the people’s reflection. In other words, it represented rebirth or renewal. Conclusion Based on the cases presented above, architecture has the potential to heal and to help traumatized victims recover from disasters and other traumatic events. Architecture can potentially create designs which can improve on the original structures, the scenes of trauma or disaster, allowing for new and healing memories to be formed. Architecture also allows traumatized individuals to feel safer and more secure in their newly designed homes or communities. The architectural designs seen in the 9/11 Museum and Memorial, as well as the Make it Right project and the reconstruction efforts over the Potsdamer Platz all feature elements which have allowed the traumatized victims to have a better perspective of their experience, move on from it, and build new happy memories. Works Cited Blais, A. (2011). 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