Marco Casagrande_TEXT

Marco Casagrande Interview

2012-01-29T23:25:00.000-08:00

The interview is realized in New Delhi, India, 2011 for Archi Design magazine kindly sponsored by UPM Kymmene and ANIKA.

1. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO STUDY AND PRACTICE ARCHITECTURE? WHERE DO YOU DRAW YOUR INSPIRATION FROM?

Creativity is highly encouraged in my family and I grew up inside of a serious mix of storytelling, circus and fantasies. My childhood in Lapland was busy wintertime digging snow cave systems and summertime building tree houses. Basically as an architect I have just extended my childhood.

I am inspired by nature - including human nature. Child-me is also interesting.

2. PLEASE DESCRIBE AN EVOLUTION IN YOUR WORK, FROM YOUR FIRST PROJECTS TO THE PRESENT DAY.

Actually at first I was concentrated on purely commercial architecture, but this changed very fast and I became somehow my own client building narrative architecture commenting on ecological and social questions. Very fast the works seized to have any style anymore, but started to look more inside towards the core of architecture. My first real work is the Land(e)scape in Savonlinna, Finland 1999. I am mirroring all the rest of the works with this, how close to the core of architecture and art am I still able to enter. Evolution is not necessary, but it is important constantly to feel this core and negotiate with it.

3. WHICH OF YOUR PROJECTS HAS BEEN THE MOST FAVORITE AND WHY?

Land(e)scape

- Architectural Review’s Emerging Architecture prize.

- First real project with its own character and quality.

- First project mixing architecture with other disciplines of art and science.

60 Minute Man

- First time in Venice Biennale.

- First time to co-operate with students, the start of academic work.

- First international work.

Floating Sauna

- World Architecture Community Award 2010.

- Floating, weak and naked work.

- Some archaic beauty being exposed to the deep elements of nature.

Potemkin

- Intense co-operation with the Local Knowledge of the Kuramata village people.

- Big international workshop for our friends from all around the world.

- A constructive dialog between the industrial hardness and the organic growth...a ruin and an organic machine.

Treasure Hill

- Socially most straight forward work legitimizing an illegal settlement of urban farmers.

- Deep communication with Local Knowledge and the start of the thinking of Urban Acupuncture.

- Resulting in the professorship in Tamkang University and line or works in Taiwan.

Chen House

- A designed ruin with normal architectural function.

- Weak architecture with bioclimatic conscious.

- A fine, soft and organic design-build process. Happy clients with happy nature in a happy house.

Ruin Academy

- Independent multidisciplinary research centre moving freely in-between architecture, social sciences, environmental sciences and art.

- Development on the theory of the Third Generation City.

- A pulsating and free nucleolus to think on the future Taipei and the ruining process of the industrial city.

4. CAN YOU GIVE A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF YOUR ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE?

Dictatorship of sensitivity. We support each other. Who Cares Wins.

5. COULD YOU ALSO TALK ABOUT THE INCREASING ROLE OF RESEARCH IN DESIGN? DO YOU ALSO RESEARCH BEFORE IMPLEMENTING A DESIGN?

Architecture is the dream of research and the research is started all over again with each project since the site is different. Research is the understanding of the site specific conditions. One must be present to understand the Local Knowledge. Communication with the site is knowledge building.

6. DO YOU THINK THAT ARCHITECTURE TENDS TO BE TRENDY TODAY?

True architectural quality is outside any trends. Normal people can do great things, trendy architects are design clowns. Design should not replace reality. What is real is valuable. Nature is the only reality.

7. HOW DO YOU THINK THE ROLE OF THE ARCHITECT WILL CHANGE OVER THE NEXT TWENTY-FIVE YEARS?

Nothing much will change. Architects will always follow money and compete with each others. In the future and even today real architecture will be designed by somebody else than architects, maybe children and insects. If we learn to be children and insects – even industrial insects, a new step will be taken, and this step is not necessarily forward.

8. WHAT ARE THE KEY INFLUENCES IN YOUR WORK TODAY?

Re-calibrating the industrial city with nature. Bringing more focus into Local Knowledge and real community reactions. Natural river restoration in urban conditions. Beauty.

9. PROJECT “60 MINUTE MAN” IS ONE OF YOUR BEST PROJECTS. PLEASE TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

It is an oak forest inside an abandoned barge planted on top of 60 minutes worth of human waste produced by the city of Venice. It is a temporary collage and meeting point of organic and industrial streams produced by a modern city. The director of the Venice Biennale Architect Massimilliano Fuksas nominated the work for the Golden Lion of the Biennale, but the rest of the jury insisted to give the prize to Jean Nouvel. At that time I was rather disappointed.

We worked 7 weeks with our mobile working crew in the port of Chioggia, some 50 km south of Venice making the boat ready and then sailed with our forest to Venice. All the process was lovely and very rewarding. Achieving something like this gives power for the rest of your career. You will clearly experience that architecture is much bigger than you and that the work itself will take over and that you are just a servant and some sort of a security guy to bodyguard the spirit.

10. TELL US ABOUT YOUR THEORY OF THIRD GENERATION CITY.

The Third Generation City is the organic ruin of the industrial city. A machine ruined by nature including human nature – an organic machine. The roots of the 3G city is the Local Knowledge penetrating through the hard industrial layers of the modern urbanism and reaching the original ground. The Local Knowledge penetrations are a form of Urban Acupuncture tuning the urban Qi towards the organic.

Our urban case study isTaipei City and there the seeds of the Third Generation Taipei are:

Anarchist Gardener

- Grandmother dominated community gardens and urban farms overtaking the sleeping capitalism spots of Taipei – Organic Anarchy.

- Flexible movement to change location according to the development cycles of the city. Breaking the surface of the city and reaching the original ground.

- At some points continuing ancient farm rights and land owning inside the city.

- Often spontaneous activation of idle urban areas such as the river flood banks or land-fill areas.

- The Anarchist Gardener element has been researched in co-operation with the National Taiwan University Department of Sociology.

Urban Nomad / Instant Taipei

- The urban nomads are using the official city as a stage or a landscape to launch independent and un-official activities for business, recreational or even religious activities.

- Unofficial night-markets, street vendors, under-bridge activities, karaoke spots, gambling, abandoned gods refugee centres, beetle-nut booths, Taiwanese opera, puppet theatre, tai-chi etc.

- Harvesting the city and being faster to move than the official control.

- Instant Taipei will pop up in different locations of the city in different times and is related to the energy flows of the collective mind of Taipei. People are very sensitive to feel the impulses on the shared conscious. "There is this thing going on…" a whole city can be designed by rumours.

Urban Acupuncture

- Sensitivity to understand the energy flows of the collective "chi" beneath the visual city and reacting on the hot-spots of this chi. People feel where the city is hot, or where things are going on – what is the feeling of the city.

- Architecture is in the position to produce the acupuncture needles for the urban chi.

- On a commercial level Urban Acu¬puncture is practiced in Taipei by for example the highest level of 7-Eleven convenient stores in the world..

Compost

- Taipei is constantly being composted. On official circles the composting is done by developers, who are the true urban editors and on un-official level by illegal communities and the above mentioned anarchist grandmothers.

- In some level the hard to talk areas such as the sneak street, the red light districts and temple dominated areas are also urban compost, but somehow on the darker gangster/religious dominated side while as the collective gardens and the spontaneous independent communities are presenting a higher level of constructive anarchy in the city.

River Urbanism

- There is a 10 high reinforced concrete flood-wall separating the Taipei human built environment from the river. This wall needs to go.

- Ruin Academy will redesign Taipei based on free flooding and straight connection between the modern man and nature. The urban river will be naturally restored and the city ecologically rehabilitated.

- The River Urbanism is developed together with the Aalto University's SGT Sustainable Global Technologies centre.

Local Knowledge is theme pushing through all the elements of the 3G City and tying the citizens to the 3G development.

Each of the elements is studied through a workshop, being presents in the situation and trying to interpret the findings. These fragments are then treated as the design seeds for the 3G Taipei itself.

11. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PRESENT SCENE IN INDIAN ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN?

India is always interesting – present, past and future. It appears that you have at least two very distant circles of architecture – the developer dominated and the one linked with Local Knowledge. There is a lot of some deep power soaked into the grounds of India. I would LOVE to work with this ground. Maybe I should move into a slum; they seem to be full of life and pollution. I would like to deal with the pollution. It would also be nice to design a mix of a shopping centre and jungle.

I have the privilege to have been working closely with two young and talented Indian architects Miss Shreya Nagratha and Mr. Arijit Sen from Mumbai. They survived the extremely cold and dark winter in Finland and managed to maintain high creativity and good humour. These guys never have to prove their courage in any other way.

Louis Kahn is an architectural sage and his spirit had a dialogue with India and the results are sparkling with eternity. I guess India can do that to you. The Indian young architects should shock the world – not by some modern tricks, but by reflecting the essence of your sub-continent of mysteries.

12. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST PROJECT? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF IT TODAY?

Land(e)scape (Casagrande & Rintala, 1999) was my first true projects as an architect. When I look back to that, I do have to respect the work a lot. It was a result of a big personal sacrifice and a huge process of learning. One has to die a bit to be reborn.

13. WHAT DO YOU SEE ARE THE BARRIERS TO ACHIEVE TRULY SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS?

One has to be weak and exposed to the elements of nature. Industrial strength is death’s companion. Bio-climatic architecture is nothing new. Big answers are to be found from Local Knowledge, we are not the first people surviving on this site. Maybe first ones with air-conditioning, yes, and therapy.

Architectural control must give up in order to let nature to step in. At some point the modern box must be broken. Industrial man is too lazy to be sustainable, same goes for the city which is mostly just a fictive mix of an amusement park and therapy. Some new combinations of a modern city mixed with urban farming and uncontrolled nature could be a good step towards the organic machine. Anyhow: Local Knowledge has the answers. It is time for architects to start communicating and get out of the office. Forced labour on an urban farm.

14. WHAT ASPECT OF ARCHITECTURE DO YOU FIND MOST IMPORTANT? WHAT IS FUNDAMENTAL TO YOUR PRACTICE AND YOUR DESIGN PROCESS?

It is fundamental to be real.

15. WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ULTIMATE DESIGN PROJECT?

I don’t know that yet. The works are leading to the next works. This is some sort of a path that I am walking. I have to stay focused enough to stay on that path. Maybe the path is the ultimate? Anyhow, I find mysterious things, but so do children.

I would really like to design some nice works in India – houses for Indian families, wooden apartment buildings in the cities and I would like to work with the slums.

16. WHAT OTHER INTERESTS DO YOU HAVE? WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TIME OF THE DAY AND WHY?

I like to watch movies with my wife, who is also a great inspiration for me, and I am proud to be able to read. On the other hand I am very shy to dance and sing publicly, although I sing very beautifully alone in the car.

All day is good.

HOUSE OF WIND AND WATER

2011-12-02T06:17:00.000-08:00

CHEN HOUSE
Casagrande Laboratory
Sanjhih, Taipei, Taiwan
62,5 m2 (667 sq ft)

The tilted roof terrace feels like a landing strip on an aircraft carrier, sending people off to the jungle.

“With this house”, says Finnish architect Marco Casagrande, “we were looking forward to designing a ruin.” The statement isn’t meant to prophecy the destruction of the building, but to play with definitions, to provoke an understanding of the project as an unobstructive part of the landscape. When Casagrande further explains his belief that “ruin is when manmade has become part of nature”, it becomes clear that the word has taken on a more positive meaning. It is this more holistic view of man in nature that has inspired the design of a minimal hut set within the grounds of a Japanese cherry farm in the Datun Mountains of northern Taiwan.

But the idea that the structure is wholly subservient to its surroundings belies the sheer elegance and thoughtfulness of the scheme. “It is designed as a vessel to react on the demanding wind, flooding and heat conditions of the site”, says Casagrande, and to this end a number of practical steps have been employed. The spaced wood cladding and large openings permit the strongest wind to sweep through the house, rather than butt against it. Gentler breezes ventilate the rooms on hot days, picking up refreshing moisture from the nearby freshwater reservoir pond that sits between the site of the house and the neighboring farmlands. The structure is raised off the ground, sitting on short sections of concrete pipe in order to allow water to run underneath during periods of flooding.

The structure was designed to withstand typhoons, with a raised floor that allows for occasional flooding. This "bioclimatic architecture" is also designed to catch the breeze from the Datun River and a nearby reservoir on hot days. The living area includes a fireplace, also used for cooking. A small bathroom with a sauna is set off to one side.

The basic and very open design makes the building seem more like a rough shelter than a permanent house, but still there is refinement here. The strong horizontality of the house, with its extended outdoor deck, stretches almost to a vanishing point towards the mountains. Its low form makes it less wind resistant, but also an elegant shape on the flat land. The arrangement allows for flexible movement between the indoor and outdoor spaces, while the small bathroom and kitchen section act as ballast, stabilizing the wood structure during the frequent typhoons. There are located in a volume that protrudes from the eastern elevation, an anchoring arrangement that includes a sauna off of the bathroom.

Casagrande explains that the impact of nature is not just a poetic conceit. “There are typhoons, seven to ten each year, and earthquakes”, he says. And then there is the “dragon wind”, which” shoots straight from the cold mountaintop to a hot spot down below. It happened during the construction period, when the ground was not yet cultivated. The wind took down our scaffoldings, even bending the steel tubes.” Mrs. Lee, a local octogenarian, advised the builders to cultivate the land, and so cool the ground before building. “We started gardening immediately”, Casagrande says, and it did seem to help. Mrs. Lee offered further advise: “She told us to get geese to keep the snakes out.”

There is a brickwork fireplace for use during the winter months set in the middle of the open living space (rather than against an external wall) to provide maximum heat through the house. A roof terrace is accessed by a stair of the same wood. It slants upward, with high walls at one end and no barrier at the other, only a clear view of the jungle. The chimney, which pierces the roof, is low, so that it can be used for smoking an grilling food.

Built mainly of mahogany, the house has a very elemental quality, especially as the hue has an affinity with the reddish soil that predominates in the immediate area, where vegetation is sparse. But the architect argues that “the house is not strong or heavy – it is weak and flexible.”

While designed to give the farmers some necessary shelter, Casagrande points out, “it is not about closing out the environment.” Such a permeable design never could close out much of the world, but its virtue lies in the fact that, rather than defying the natural elements, it seems almost to welcome them, while offering robust protection with a lightness of touch.

Phyllis Richardson
Photos: AdDa
NANO HOUSE
Thames & Hudson
ISBN 978-0-500-34273-2

CASAGRANDE

2011-11-08T21:49:00.000-08:00

Kuka: Marco Casagrande

Syntynyt: 7.5.1971 Turussa

Ammatti: Arkkitehti

Mitä: Palvellut palkkasotilaana Balkanilla 90-luvulla

Kirjoittanut kokemuksistaan kirjan Mostarin tien liftarit (WSOY 1997) nimellä Luca Moconesi

Muuta: Luennoinut Maanpuolustuskorkeakoululla johtamisen ja strategian opintojaksoilla vuodesta 2006

KUN VUORI EI TULLUT MUHAMMEDIN LUO...

Kun kadetin viikko-ohjelmassa lukee kahtena vuotena peräkkäin sama nimi luennoitsijaksi ja luennot molemmilla kerroilla peruuntuvat, johtuen hänen pakottavista työtehtävistään ulkomailla, herättää se mielenkiintoa. Kun tämä mies on entinen palkkasotilas, nykyinen maailman kansalainen, omistaa eksoottisen nimen ja on kirjoittanut yhden sodan jälkeisen Suomen kiistanalaisimmista sotateoksista, on kadettien huomio taattu. Tämän kiinnostuksen siivittämänä tapasi Kalpa-lehden toimitus Marco Casagranden sateisena lokakuun päivänä turkulaisessa ravintolassa jazzin soidessa taustalla.

...OLI MUHAMMEDIN MENTÄVÄ VUOREN LUO

Nuori suomalainen mies suorittaa varusmiespalveluksensa rannikkojääkärinä, käy RUK:n Sissikomppanian tiedustelulinjan, kotiutuu. Hylkää paikan Kadettikoulussa ja jatkaa arkkitehtiopintoja Teknillisessä Korkeakoulussa, mutta keskeyttää osallistuakseen sotaan Balkanilla vapaaehtoisena. Miksi?

Ensimmäisenä haastateltavamme kertoo sen kumpuavan jo lapsuudesta. Kyseessä ei ollut niinkään haave, vaan selkeä tavoite, lupaus itselle, elämänvaihe, joka oli elettävä läpi.

Ennen varusmiespalvelustaan hän tutustui Itä-Euroopassa kroaattipakolaistyttöön, jonka kautta päätyi matkustelemaan Balkanilla, aistien ilmassa kytevän jännitteen ja sodan odotuksen.

Asevelvollisuus kutsui, mutta mielessä kyti palo taisteluista Kroatian riveissä ja hän kokikin varusmiespalveluksensa kautta harjoittavansa itseään tulevia koitoksia varten.

Vuonna 1993 vei lomamatka tyttöystävän kanssa Etelä-Dalmatiaan, jonka hotelleja oli valjastettu kuntoutuskeskuksiksi. Tuona aikana Casagrande tapasi haavoittuneita ulkomaalaisia vapaaehtoisia, joilta pyrki kalastamaan kaiken mahdollisen tiedon.

Tämän jälkeen käynti Suomessa oli nopea, tarkoituksena hyvästellä perhe ja palata Balkanille, mutta nyt kyseessä ei olisi lomamatka.

Zagrebissa nuorimies ilmoittautui sotaministeriöön vapaaehtoiseksi. Alueella toimi kaksi ulkomaalaisyksikköä, joiden pakeille hänet ohjattiin ja joiden hyväksynnän myötä hän oli kroaattiarmeijan palkkalistoilla. Heräsi tunne, että lapsena itselle annettu lupaus oli täyttymässä.

KARAISEMISEN MERKITYS?

Kysyttäessä vastasiko todellisuus ennakkokäsityksiä, tuo Casagrande ilmi kuinka Balkanin tilanne oli tuohon aikaan hyvin paljon tapetilla myös Suomessa. Ennakkokuvaa vahvisti miehen vierailu alueella ennen sodan puhkeamista, mutta todellisuus oli silti karkeampi ja totaalisempi. Ei ollut viranomaisia tai poliiseja, vain aseistettuja miehiä. Aseet olivat kaikkialla; kaupoissa, kahviloissa, kaljabaareissa. Asiat tuntuivat kontrolloimattomilta ja tilanne saattoi eskaloitua koska tahansa missä tahansa. Tulikasteeseen ei voinut valmistautua.

Casagrande kertoo sotilasaineksen jakaantuneen ylemmän johdon silmissä kahtia. Oli kotilaaksojaan puolustavia eräänlaisia kodinturvajoukkoja, joiden ammattitaito ei välttämättä ollut aina niin korkealla ja ammattitaitoisempia, taistelujen karaisemia yksiköitä, jotka olivat toimineet pitempään yhdessä. Ulkomaalaisten vapaaehtoisten yksiköt luettiin jälkimmäisiin.

Eri yksiköt myös elivät ja toimivat hyvin pitkälti omillaan ja eristäytyneinä muista. Vallatussa kaupungissa korttelit jakaantuivat enemminkin reviireiksi, kuin vastuualueiksi. Joidenkin yksiköiden kanssa oli olemassa konfliktiriski. Eräs tällainen yksikkö oli myös Kupres-pataljoona, jonka miehet olivat menettäneet kaiken ja joiden silmissä oli lasittunut katse. Polttoaineenaan tällaisilla miehillä oli viha.

Balkanin alue on tunnettu pitkittyneestä vihastaan, mutta kansainvälisen yksikön miehet pysyivät tästä yllättävän hyvin erillään. Toki vihollista mystifioitiin, mutta sitä ei nähty luonnottomana demonina. "Saman vihollisen olisi voinut muodostaa, vaikka vastassa olisi ollut Ankkalinna."

Yllättäen Casagrande kertoo, että kokemus ei aina ollut toimintaa tehostavaa ja karaiseminen toimii vain tiettyyn pisteeseen saakka, kunnes terä alkaa tylsyä. Pitkään yhdessä toimineet yksiköt ja heidän johtajansa olivat kehittyneet liian hyviksi pitämään itsensä hengissä. Tällaiset yksilöt ja joukkojen johtajat miettivät niin monta askelta eteenpäin, ettei johtajalle jäänyt tilaa johtaa.

SISSIKOMPPANIAN OPEILLA

On herättänyt keskustelua kuinka nuori suomalainen nousee varusmies- ja RU-koulutus pohjalta monikansallisen palkkasotilasryhmän johtoon.

Casagranden johtajatehtävät alkoivat tiedustelupartioista, joiden johtamiseen hänelle oli varusmiespalveluksen aikana annettu koulutus, jonka hän myös koki soveltuvaksi tuohonkin toimintaympäristöön. Joukon sisällä ei monellakaan vastaavaa johtajakoulutusta ollut.

Henkilökohtaisina ominaisuuksina Casagrande näkee vahvan kyvyn visualisoida näkemäänsä ja kokemaansa, jolloin hänellä oli vahvat eväät omien sanojensa mukaan myydä tulevatoiminta ja suunnitelmansa muulle joukolle. Tapoihinsa myös kuului piirtää tiedusteluretken pohjalta kartta, jossa hän pyrki kolmiulotteisuuteen.

Tämä on helppo kuvitella, sillä pöydän toisella puolella istuu arvostettu arkkitehti, joka koko haastattelun ajan Casagrande puhuu hyvin vahvasti käsillään ja piirtää sormillaan pöydän pintaan kuvaten maastonmuotoja ja joukkojen liikkeitä.

Iskuosastona käytetty kansainvälinen yksikkö suunnitteli operaationsa yhdessä pöydän ääressä kaikkien osallistuessa suunnitteluun. Suunnitelma piti myydä muulle joukolle, jolloin visualisointi ja perustelu tuotteen toimivuudesta oli tärkeässä roolissa. Omien sanojensa mukaan olivat suunnitelmat toisinaan turhan korkealentoisia, jolloin joukko toppuutteli ja suunnitelmaa mietittiin uudestaan, mutta jonkin asteinen provosointi myös siivitti keskustelua. Sama toimintamalli eli participatory planning on tänäpäivänäkin läsnä miehen työssä, mutta nykyään kartalla mietitään joukon liikkeiden sijaan rakennusten sijoittelua.

Toinen tärkeä ominaisuus johtajaksi valinnalle oli nuoren suomalaisen neutraali asema joukon sisällä. Hänellä ei ollut kitkaa muiden ryhmäläisten kanssa ja uskoo että muut myös aistivat kuinka hän rehellisesti viihtyi joukon parissa.

MITÄ MIES TOISI MUKAAN SUOMALAISEEN KOULUTUKSEEN?

Casagrande ei lähtisi välttämättä varsinaisesti muuttamaan mitään. Traditioiden säilymisestä on pidettävä huoli, sillä oikea tieto on jo olemassa eikä sitä tarvitse tyhjästä keksiä. Tätä tietoa ei saa päästää muuttumaan fiktioksi.

Casagrande puhuu myös talkoohengen ja kollektiivisen tekemisen merkityksestä. Kaupungissa elävälle nuorisolle nämä saattavat olla hyvin vieraita asioita ja armeijalla tulisi olla tärkeä rooli näiden vaalimisessa ja kasvattamisessa. Tämän ei tarvitse olla mikään sotilaallinen tehtävä, vaan pitäisi pyrkiä joukon itseohjaavuuteen ja omaan luovuuteen, jolloin johtajat antaisivat joukolle tilaa toimia ja kyteä, esimerkiksi rakentamalla jotain yleishyödyllistä.

Hän haluaa korostaa luovuutta ja sen merkitystä joukossa toimimisessa. Ranskan Muukalaislegioonasta tulleita Casagrande kuvailee ihailtavan hyvin toimiviksi konemaisiksi suorittajiksi, mutta joiden luonnollinen ohjautuvuus ja luovuus on kitketty pois. Molempia ominaisuuksia, luovuutta ja kurinalaisuutta tarvitaan, mutta niiden välillä vallitsee paradoksi.

Kun tulitaistelu käynnistyy kutistuu atmosfääri ja metsä ympärillä 30x30m alueeksi johon yksilön havainnointi rajoittuu. Ryhmän muut jäsenet kasvattavat tätä havainnointialuetta muodostaen verkoston, jolla on kollektiivinen psyyke. Joukon jäsenet kohdistavat omaa aistimistaan johtajaan, seuraten tämän esimerkkiä. Johtajalla on kyky parhaiten ymmärtää ja sitä kautta kanavoida tätä voimavaraa. Tämän tuntemuksen kehittyminen joukon sisällä ei välttämättä vaadi pitkää yhdessäoloa, sillä se voi muodostua silmän räpäyksessäkin.

TOIPUMINEN

"Paras tapa purkaa sisäisiä paineita ja jälkistressiä on mennä ryhmän kanssa sotasairaalaan tapaamaan haavoittuneita kavereita."

Sotasairaala itsessään on jo shokki ja edellyttää prosessointia. Tämän lisäksi sinne mentäessä on tehtävänä piristää siellä olevia kavereita, jolloin omaa pahaa oloaan joutuu prosessoimaan aktiivisesti.

Casagrande näkee nykyään suoritettavat de-briefing-keskustelut toimivina ja tarpeellisina.

Pitkään yhdessä toimineelle joukolle muodostuu rituaaleja ja rutiineja, joita suoritetaan tehtävää ennen ja sen jälkeen. Nämä itsessään ovat jo tietynlaista terapiaa. Prikaatin rutiinina oli suurten operaatioiden jälkeen järjestää joukoille päivällinen, tarkoituksena kiittää hyvin tehdystä työstä. Samalla tuotiin myös ilmi mitä operaation aikana oli kokonaisuudessaan tapahtunut. Tällöin oma, toisinaan merkityksettömältäkin tuntunut tehtävä, sai tarkoituksen osana prikaatin suunnitelmaa, pitäen toiminna mielekkäänä.

Bosnian kokemuksista kokonaisuudessaan toipuminen vei kolme vuotta, mutta Casagrande tuumii onko toipuminen edes oikea termi. Pikemminkin hän näkee kyseessä olleen saman energian valjastus muuhun tarkoitukseen, joka hänen kohdallaan on arkkitehtuuri. Sen saralla hänen projektinsa ovat normaalien talojen lisäksi hyvin epäkonventionaalisia ja niitä varten hän kokoaa ryhmän eripuolilta maailmaa. Tuo joukko sitten kokoontuu pöydän ääreen ja rupeaa myymään ideoita toisilleen. Tavoitteet asetetaan korkealle ja tehtävistä tehdään vaikeita. Ei esitetä kysymyksiä voiko jotain tehdä, vaan miten se voidaan tehdä. Mieli palaa samaan prosessiin kuin sodan aikana.

Kysyttäessä Casagrandelta kaipaako hän takaisin, vastaa mies empimättä kyllä ja myöntää katsovansa valokuvia lähes päivittäin. Joukon kanssa pidentään yhteyttä, etenkin niihin jotka ovat saaneet pahemmin siipeensä ja asuvat invalidisoituneina sotaveteraaneina Kroatiassa. Joukko kokoontuu vuosittain, vierailee sankarihaudoilla ja muistelee menneitä. Nykypäivän sosiaaliset mediat ovat tehneet yhteydenpidosta vaivattomampaa.

SODAN MORAALI

Mostarin tien liftarit aiheutti ilmestyttyään kovan kohun. Kirjasta tuli tutkintapyyntö ja asiaa on ehditty kahteenkin eri otteeseen käsitellä viranomaisten puolesta, mikä ei kuitenkaan ole johtanut minkäänlaisiin toimenpiteisiin.

Casagrande itse tuomisee sotarikokset suoralta kädeltä. Varsinaisia sotatoimia suorittavan joukon taustalla toimi Bosniassa joukkoja, jotka taisteluiden puutteessa hakivat raavauden tunnetta törkeyksien kautta. Hän näkee näiden suorittaneen alemmuudentuntoisina rötöstelyllään julmaa terapiaa omia traumojaan kohtaan. "Nuo joukot tietävät tekevänsä väärin ja sen ilmeneminen on kollektiivisuuden ja talkoohengen negaatio. Kuka tahansa tajuaa, ettei ole millään mittarilla sotilaallisesti tehokasta mennä potkimaan ovia mummolaan."

"Sotarikoksiin puuttuminen on ottanut valtavia askeleita eteenpäin. Se on mahtavaa."

Casagrande mukaan se ilmenee jo pelkästään sillä, että aivan Afrikan kolkista, kuten Ruandasta, saadaan haettua ihmisiä kansainvälisen oikeuden eteen vastaamaan teoistaan. Se on hänen mielestään yksi ihmiskunnan suurimpia edistysaskeleita. "Kun sotarikollisia aletaan hakea Haagiin Amerikasta, aletaan olla jo todella pitkällä."

Artikkeli on julkaistu 8.11.2011 Maanpuolustuskorkeakoulun KALPA lehden numerossa 3/2011

Teksti: kadetit Ville-Tuomas Anttalainen ja Miikka Vasaramäki
Kuvat: Nikita Wu

URBAN ECOPUNCTURE

2011-10-08T03:30:00.000-07:00

TAIPEI RIVER URBANISM
Marco Casagrande for La Vie -magazine, October 2011

Taipei exists because of the river. The first generation Taipei lived in straight connection with the river nature and it developed its local knowledge, how to harvest the rich resources of river systems, how to survive with the floods and even how to make artificial man-made floods as the basics of rice farming. The second generation Taipei is the industrial manifesto of a city as a machine and independent from the nature. In case of Taipei the river nature was shut off from the urban narrative more radically than perhaps anywhere else in the word: the industrial city built its own city wall, a 12 meters high reinforced concrete wall to block the river entirely from the city. This wall has proven to be very effective to cut nature out of urban life. Now the citizens are children of the machine, not nature.

Taipei city wall: 12 meters of reinforced concrete separating the city from the river nature.

The modern machine turned the river into an industrial sewage. The smaller rivers and channels all across the city were covered with concrete and asphalt decks and were as well turned into sewages. “Not even the dogs eat the fish of the river today.” Says Missis Chen, the leader of the Treasure Hill original community. She has lived all her life by the Xindian River, washed her children in the river, drank the clean river water and ate the fishes, crabs, snails etc. from it. The urban farms of the Treasure Hill community were on the flood banks next to the river. The river was flooding, which was considered normal, the architecture had been adjusted to this.

Missis Chen of Treasure Hill has lived all her life with the Xindian River and has wittnessed its pollution from a clean and drinkable stream into an industrial sewage.

Missis Chen is not alone with her memory of the clean river. This local knowledge is still remembered by a large section of the elder generations throughout the Taipei citizens in all classes. The best testimony for the changes of the Taipei rivers comes from the Jiantai fishermen, who have physically witnessed the disappearing of one species after another from the river and in the end leaving also the remaining species polluted and not eatable any longer. For them the starting point of the pollution and the city’s change of attitude towards its natural environment is clear: the dictator’s wall.

The elderly Jiantai fishermen still remember how the river used to be a treasure chest of seafood and how the annual floods were a normal part of life.

“One day Chiang Kai-Shek’s home got flooded and the dictator got mad to the nature. He ordered the city to build a wall to the river. After the wall got there, the river got polluted.” The fishermen explain to us that before the wall the flooding was not a serious problem because the water had plenty of space to spread out. The water rose up to a knee height and this was normal.

The strength of the ecological restoration of the urbanized Taipei basin lies in these older generation experts of local knowledge. For them the built human environment in straight connection with the river nature is not a fiction, it is a reality that they have been living.

TAIPEI RIVER URBANISM

Taipei needs therapy. The collective subconscious of the city is very organic. This gets manifested through the networks of illegal urban farms, community gardens and illegal architecture all over the city. This is also in the nomadic character of the citizens getting together in the night markets, tai-chi trainings, under-bridge karaoke and even in the parades of the local “land gods”. The official city is not organic at all though. It is a manifest of hard line industrialism and with a totalitarian attitude towards the nature, including human nature. The ecological restoration of Taipei City is a process of letting the collective subconscious surface in the city, letting the local knowledge to become the new official. River is in the focus of all this. The heath of the river is the reflection of the health of the city. The wall must go. The city and the river must re-unite.

Taipei must find a new way of co-existing with the river nature - a some sort of mangrove urbanism which would allow the free flooding of the river and return the city closer to the natural pulses of the surrounding environment.

When the wall goes…

* Flood gets into the city.
* City gets into the river.
* Covered rivers, channels and streams will be opened up.
* Urban farming along the flood banks gets extended.
* Bio-mass production for bio-energy gets introduced in the flood banks and on floating farms.
* Waste waters get 100% purified before getting back to nature.
* Sludge will be treated by PACS technology and used for agriculture and bio-energy.
* Off the grid areas will be introduced with localized water purification installations.

Flood waters get collected into community scale underground containers.
Underground storm water is used for acclimatising buildings and for irrigation.
Sediment pollution in the rivers will be treated by PACS technology.
Architecture has to adapt for occasional flooding conditions.

Storm waters could be harvested into underground reservoirs benefiting to the city's cooling, irrigation and storm water readiness. Casagrande Laboratory, 2011.

Free flooding suggests the city some new infrastructure. Taipei could render the Tokyo experience of capturing the storm waters into centralized underground container installation but in a de-centralized way by building the underground water reservoirs in community scale. These reservoirs can then be used for cooling the above buildings and for irrigation. (see Aalto SGT Taipei River Urbanism, 2011)

River urbanism needs participatory planning from all the share-holders of the urban river: Taipei City, Taipei New City, Taiwan Central Government, local communities, NGOs, universities, developers, illegal urban farmers, environmental technology providers, international experts and possibly even United Nations. UN-HABITAT would appreciate an urban river restoration project in this scale that could act later on as an example for cities around the world with similar challenges.

“Pollution comes from up-stream.” Says Missis Chen of Treasure Hill. With this she probably means that up on the mountains are still a good bunch of illegal factories and communities that are releasing their waste untreated straight into the rivers. The sources of pollution should be controlled from the whole drainage area of the Taipei Basin. Modern environmental technology can provide waste treatment solutions even for factories of the grid. The new biological treatment systems, such as the PACS technology can treat the waste on the spot and are easily scalable to factory and community scales.

URBAN ECOPUNCTURE

Building up the concrete wall was easy, but demolishing it seems to be a big challenge. The city inside the wall has been built in not much consideration for the natural environment. Actually nature is seen as something hostile for this fragile man-made machinery. With River Urbanism our challenge is to tune this machine into an organic machine. We already have the great hydrological machine of the pulsating river nature inside us. Somehow the city needs to find a way how to pulsate together with it.

I propose two possible ways how to start the development towards the Taipei River City. The first one introduces a methodology how to punctually clean the city from inside and how to open up the city towards the rivers from inside. We call this Urban Ecopuncture. The other example is the possible case of Guandu as an example of a river city.

Opened up Leo-Gong channel acting as an ecological corridor stretching from the Xindian River to the Keelong River. Sustainable urban acupuncture for mechanical Taipei. Sketch Marco Casagrande.

Opening up the covered rivers, streams and channels will give a possibility for Urban Ecopuncture, cleaning the city from inside. The opened up water ways could act a biological filters purifying the water originated from the polluted rivers. The communities around these Urban Ecopuncture areas would receive, treat and recycle the waste from the surrounding city acting as eco-valleys within the urban fabric. The eco-valleys would contain the needed environmental technology to take care of its share of the surrounding city. The eco-valley areas would also have the first underground storm-water reservoirs and act as flood relief for the surrounding city as a sponge.

Leo-Kong Channel / Urban Ecopuncture. Sketch Marco Casagrande.

The design methodology of Urban Ecopuncture is developed in co-operation with Finnish EPEC taking the eco-city principles of Professor Eero Paloheimo into the hearts of existing cities with ecological challenges.

Leo-Gong channel was constructed in 1760 and it made possible the effective farming of the fertile Taipei Basin. Now the channel runs under the city as a sewage.

The Leo-Gong channel could be the first one of the Taipei eco-valleys. Through its length we would biologically purify the Xindian River originated water and use the clean water as the centre of the new ecological environment. We could have a beach inside the city. New housing would exist together with the old communities and facilitate the needed environmental technology solutions for the waste treatment and energy production for the surrounding city.

The opened up Leo-gong channel would act as an urban sponge taking care of the surrounding city's storm waters.

Under the Leo-Gong Eco-Valley would be the underground storm water reservoirs acting as the urban sponge. Biomass production and urban farming would exist around the channel benefitting to the city’s micro climate. The development of the Leo-Gong Eco-Valley should be done in a participatory planning with local knowledge.

River City Guandu powered by a man-made river that would purigy the polluted waters from the Keelong River as a biological filter. SGT / Aalto University.

Another possibility for the first approach toward the river urbanism would be in the possible case of developing the Guandu flood plain area, in which case we would talk more of a newly developed River City rather that urban restoration through the eco-valleys. In our previous research through design –process we examined the possibilities of inhabiting a 150.000 residents eco-city in Guandu. The basic character of this solution was to move the dividing highway into a tunnel in order to unite the now divided ecological area and to build a man-made river taking most of its current from the Keelong River. This 7.2 kilometres new river would act as the biological filter purifying the water for the infrastructure use of the new Guandu River City.

High water scenario at the Guandu River City. Part of the housing is floating, partly standing on stilts and partly constructed on artificial islands allowing the free flooding of the surrounding rivers. SGT / Aalto University.

The whole urban design is based on free flooding. The digging of the highway tunnel and the new river would provide enough soil for sculpturing island-platforms for the new architecture that would survive also in the high water conditions. Some architecture would be floating and some stand on stilts. The fertile flood plain would be used for bio-mass production as a resource for bio-energy. This bio-energy agriculture could then spread larger into the Danshui and Keelong Rivers flood plains. Besides bio-mass production the Gaundu River City would encourage urban farming and community gardening in all scales and also being integrated into the buildings. All in all Guandu would be an eco-city living on the principles of free flooding, producing energy and food and treating its own waste. The green area would still keep its positive impact to the Taipei micro climate.

REAL REALITY

Will this be really happening? Will the river be really back to the city? Really back, a real river – not just amusement or decoration?

No. The river will go nowhere. The city must go back to river. The river is already there; it has always been there and will always be there. The city is the question. The city cannot become an obstacle on the way of the life providing system that is referred to as nature. Nature is the only reality. If the citizen’s wanted to be real, they need to be in connection with nature. Same goes for the whole city: the Real Taipei is a river city.

Casagrande Laboratory for Urban Ecopuncture: Marco Casagrande, Nikita Wu, Yu-Chen Chiu, Frank Chen, Wei-Chen Weng, Vivi Fang.

Ruin Academy research is kindly supported by JUT Foundation for Art & Architecture.

Aalto University SGT Sustainable Global Technologies multidisciplinary urban design researchers:
Lasse Granroth (TAIK, applied arts and future studies)
Hanna-Sisko Hovila (Aalto, architecture)
Francesco Mandrilli (Italy, water engineering)
Teemu Nurmi (Aalto, water engineering)
Iina Valkeisenmäki (Aalto, architecture)
Anreas Svarvar (Aalto, Civil and Environmental Engineering)
Boris Fargeot (France, Civil Engineering )
Emmi Jääskeläinen (Aalto, architecture)
Ha Hoang (Aalto, Energy Engineering and Environmental Protection)
Lauri Ahopelto (Aalto, Civil and Environmental Engineering)

LINKS:
Aalto University SGT Sustainable Global Technologies
Ruin Academy
C-LAB
EPEC
PACS
Suomen Ympäristöteollisuus

VAELLUSKALAT TAKAISIN

2011-10-04T04:06:00.000-07:00

TAIDEOPISKELIJAT MUSTIONJOEN MONIMUOTOISUUDEN PUOLESTAPUHUJINA

Billnäsin vesivoimalaitoksen padolta kuuluu itkua. Joesta törröttävillä kivillä itkee valkoiseen yöpaitaan pukeutunut nuori nainen. Itku yltyy välillä suoranaiseksi ulvomiseksi. Lokit katselevat vierestä kun parkuva nainen kahlaa rantakivikossa. Hän haluaa itkullaan murtaa Billnäsin padon.

Emmä Fält Billnäsin padon tuntumassa.

Itkijä on Emmä Fält, yksi Aalto Yliopiston Taideteollisen Korkeakoulun ympäristötaiteen opiskelijoista, jotka ovat pesiytyneet Mustionjoen tuntumaan tekemään ympäristötaideteoksia. Kansainvälinen opiskelijaryhmä tulee Unkarista, Slovakiasta, Kiinasta ja kotimaasta. Heitä kaikkia yhdistää huoli Mustionjoen monimuotoisuuden säilymisestä ja he pyrkivät töillään kantamaan kortensa kekoon tukeakseen Fortumia päätöksen teossa luonnonmukaisten kalateiden rakentamisesta joen neljän vesivoimalaitoksen yhteyteen. Ilman näitä kalateitä eivät vaelluskalat lohi, meritaimen, vaellussiika ja ankerias pääse nousemaan jokeen ja tämä aiheuttaa joen ekosysteemissä kielteisen ketjureaktion – mm. lohikaloja lisääntyäkseen tarvitsevat simpukat katoaisivat joesta. Nyt ne ovat odottaneet lohien paluuta jo yli 50 vuotta.

Vanhaa Billnäsin teollisuusmiljöötä ja itkijänainen yöpaidassaan.

”Hieno esitys”, kommentoi itkijänaista rantakivikossa katseleva Martti Leskelä. Hän on yksi opiskelijaryhmän billnäsiläisistä tukijoista ja seurannut kameroineen joen tilaa jo vuosia. Rantapenkereeltä löytyvät myös Pro Billnäs yhdistyksen Timo Oksanen ja Billnäsin vanhat teollisuuskiinteistöt omistava Olli Muurainen Mimi mäyräkoiransa kanssa. Joki yhdistää näitäkin joskus hieman eripuraisia tahoja.

Joen kanssa silmästä silmään.

Mimi katselee rantakaislikon tuntumassa kelluvia silmiä. Niitä löytyy toinen parvi Billnäsin sillan alta. Taiteilija Kristina Sedlerova haluaa ihmisten katsovan jokea silmästä silmään. Silmät näyttävät lohilta, jotka odottelevat padon takana pääsyään yläjuoksulle.

Joki lukkojen takana.

”Haluatko kiinnittää lukon siltaan?” Kysyy keltaiseen sadetakkiin sonnustautunut Katariina Kapi pyöräilijältä, joka haluaa ylittää Folkhögskolanin viereisen kävelysillan. ”En”, tämä vastaa. ”No, sitten sun täytyy vähän odottaa; silta ei ole vielä auki”. Pian Katariina kuitenkin avaa Toivon sillan. Seremoniaan kuuluu siltaa sulkevien kultakäätyjen poistaminen ja munalukkojen kiinnittäminen sillan kaiteeseen. Kaiteessa roikkuu jo valmiiksi parikymmentä Rakennusapteekista lainattua vanhaa lukkoa. Lukkoja kiinnittävät ihmiset pistävät avaimet taskuunsa odottamaan sitä hetkeä, kun lohi jälleen pääseen nousemaan jokeen ja joki vapautuu lukoistaan. Silloin kävelysillan symboliset lukot saa käydä noutamassa pois. Katariina kehoittaa jokilaakson ihmisiä kiinnittämään lukkoja siltaan hiljaisena protestina jokiluonnon elpymisen puolesta. Yhdessä lukossa lukee Åminneforsin kalastusseura. He varmasti haluavat lohen takaisin.

Slovakialainen Diana Garafova katselee mietteissään Billnäsin voimalaitospatoaja ja kysyy sitten Pekingistä Billnäsiin tulleelta Wensi Zhailta: ”Miksei kalateitä ole jo rakennettu? En näe siihen mitään syytä. Minä luulin Suomen olevan ekologisessa valveutuneisuudessaan maailman johtava maa.” Diana viittoilee kädellään Billnäsin Myllyn viereistä hiekkatietä, johon kalatie on suunniteltu yhtenä vaihtoehtona.

Kiinalaisopiskelija Wensi Zhai kaivamassa kalatietä Billnäsiin.

”Siihen tarvitaan rahaa ja yhteistä tahtoa”, vastaa keskustelua vierestä seuraava Martti Leskelä. Wensi ei kuitenkaan jaksa odottaa virallisen päätösen syntymistä, vaan hakee Myllystä vanhan lapion ja alkaa kaivaa. Hän kaivaa suunnitellun kalatien kohdalle kovaan maahan suuria kalan kuvia. Muutaman päivän kaivamisen jälkeen ovat kädet rakoilla ja trangiassa keitetty tee tuo laihaa lohtua sateisessa ja kylmässä ilmassa. Siro kiinalaistyttö Wensi ei kuitenkaan luovuta, vaan jatkaa päättäväisesti kaivamista. Onko tämä positiivista terrorismia? Toisaalta, täytyykö jonkun tulla Pekingistä asti ottamaan lapio käteen, että kalatieasia edistyisi? Eikö lapio kuuluisi pikemminkin länsi-uusimaalaisten yhteiseen käteen?

Åminneforsin kalastusseuran majoja Diana Garafovan miniatyyrimallissa.

Slovakialainen Diana viettää suurimman osan viikosta yksinäisillä retkillään joen tuntumassa. Sitten hän sulkeutuu Myllyn vintille ja tekee vahasta pikkuruisen ukon tai majan.

Lohen kalastajia vapaana virtaavan joen rannalla.

Pikku-ukkojen esikuvina ovat joen ympäriltä tavatut ihmiset ja mökeistä löytyy mm. Åminneforsin padon alapuoliset kalastajamajat. Diana värittää pienet miehet ja pistää sitten niille onkivavat käteen. Viikon kuluessa Myllyn vintille kertyy sekalainen seurakunta kalastajaukkoja.

Diana Garafovan soutumies.

Lopulta Diana vie pienet miehensä ja mökkinsä takaisin luontoon, jossa hän valokuvaa ne pienten lätäköiden ja sammalmättäiden siimeksessä. Lopputuloksena on unenomainen, mutta positiivinen kuva vireästä jokilaaksosta, jossa kala käy pyydykseen. Unessa on paljon tuttua, mutta myös paljon, joka on jo unohtunut. Kireät siimat lohijoessa ovat korkeintaan ruusuista unelmaa voimalaitospatojen johdosta. Pian tosin kukaan ei ehkä osaa edes unelmoida.

Peter Berken kalastussiimasta tehty riippusilta rantakoivikossa.

Jonnekin unien maailmaan sijoittuu myös unkarilaisen Peter Berken kalansiimasta tehty silta kahden rantakoivun välissä. Kolmen metrin korkeudessa keikkuvan sillan läpikuultaviin lankkuihin on piirretty pieniä mustia kalojen silhuetteja. Tuntuu siltä kuin ihminen ja kala olisivat vaihtaneet paikkaa: täältä alhaalta minä katselen voimattomana, kun nuo kalat ylittävät joen vaivattomasti kummallisia rakenteitaan pitkin.

Isoin kala löytyy kuitenkin Karjaan Kirkkojärven kupeesta Dönsbyn pelloilta, jonne Jessica Mayer on talikolla kaivanut ehkä 40 metriä pitkän vonkaleen tuijottamaan jokea. ”Minä olen täällä vielä”, on teoksen nimi. Työ on tehty paikallisten maanviljelijöiden tuella ja kylvetty täyteen auringonkukan siemeniä. Kohta pelloilla siis kukkii kirkkaankeltainen lohi.

Lohi kynnettynä Dönsbyn peltoon.

”Tosi upea kala ja sisukas tyttö tekemään töitä.” Toteaa herra Dönsbyn kyläyhteisöstä. ”Jos lohi tulisi takaisin jokeen, niin se olisi jotain.”

Kurssilaiset haluavat kiittää tuesta Pro Billnäs yhdistystä, Billnäsin Ruukkia, joka antoi kurssin työtilaksi Myllyn, Dönsby Bed & Breakfastia, jolta saatiin tukikohdaksi pieni punainen saunamökki ja Martti Leskelää kyydityksistä, valokuvista ja huolenpidosta.

Marco Casagrande / Aalto-Yliopiston Taideteollisen Korkeakoulun Ympäristötaiteen laitos.

TURKU BEING A TARGET OF POSITIVE TERRORISM

2011-10-02T00:27:00.000-07:00

ART STUDENTS FROM CHINA AND GERMANY PARTICIPATING IN THE COLLECTIVE EFFORT OF SAVING THE CATHEDRAL SQUARE

Anni Teppo / Turun Sanomat 1.10.2011

On should not call the emergency number immediately, when seeing a lady drilling holes into the Uudenmaankatu-street or a man lighting up lumberjacks candles around the Turku Cathedral. The acts as part of environmental art works by two students from the Aalto University (Deparment of Environmental Art), and the students are operating with a legal permission – at least almost.

Chinese Shuchin Shen and German Ronny Korn want to wake up the citizens to realize the value of their home city’s and especially of its heart, the old Cathedral Square and its surroundings.

“We are treating Turku with urban acupuncture. Our art works are acupuncture needles and will hopefully generate positive reactions.” Shen and Kord are explaining.

Aalto University Environmental Art students Shuchin Shen, middle and Ronny Korn, explaining their methods of performing urban acupuncture to Turku.

Their individual means of acupuncture are very different. During the night Shen has been drilling holes into the Uudenmaankatu-street and into the holes she has been planting dandelions, which will root deep into the “old Turku”, she hopes.

Korn was burning during Friday 15 lumberjacks candles (jätkänkynttilä, a traditional Finnish self-standing one log fire) around the Cathedral and the Cathedral Square.

”I wonder, if I could in a way burn Turku again and return the city to its form before the traffic disturbances”, Korn is smiling.

ARCHITECT FROM TURKU AS THE INSPIRER

But how have the young students from China and Germany ended up saving Turku? Behind the action is operating Aalto University educator Marco Casagrande, an architect from Turku who has been concerned a longer time of the Cathedral Square situation and how the traffic problem of the Uudenmaankatu-street could be solved.

In architect Marco Casagrande's opinion the surroundings of the Turku Cathedral and the Cathedral Square should be respect in a way that would lead into a car-free environment.

“The realization of the Vähätori Square (opposite side of the Aura River form the Cathedral Square) to its present form was a wonderful success. The Cathedral Square is a harder challenge though.”

Shuchin Shen: Urban Acupuncture - dandelion holes drilled through the Uudenmaakatu Street hoping to roof deep into the old Turku.

But how can the Turku city allow drilling holes to its streets?

“Well it can’t and actually the police did stop Missis Shen during the night and wondered what she was doing. Shen has been practising positive terrorism, so to say, and actually been operating without a legal permission, but on the other hand the drilling of the holes is giving a suggestion for a possible solution what could be done on this site in a bigger scale. Lowering the road into a tunnel going under the Aura River would free the heart of Turku from cars for good. And Turku is worth it. “ Casagrande says.

The sudents are realizing their action in co-operation with the Turku Touring and the Park Department, among others. Casagrande says that he is surprised by the positive support that they have been receiving from many sources form inside the city.

Anne-Marget Niemi, the chief of Turku tourism was thrilled about the project immediately.

“We have been talking with Marco a longer time about the situation of the Cathedral Square and everything exiting like this is welcome.”

One of Ronny Korn's lumberjacks candles on the Turku Cathedral Square.

The jätkänkynttilä-fires will burn off probably by Saturday, but the effects of Shuchin Shen’s dandelion acupuncture might start working with a longer perspective.

The Aalto University Environmental Art workshop is kindly supported by Turku, European Cultural Capital 2011.

SET OF PHOTOS @ FACEBOOK

SET OF PHOTOS @ FLICKR

TURKUUN KOHDISTETAAN POSITIIVISTA TERRORISMIA

2011-10-01T03:17:00.000-07:00

TAIDEOPISKELIJAT KIINASTA JA SAKSASTA OSALLISTUVAT VANHAN SUURTORIN PELASTUSTALKOISIIN

Anni Teppo / Turun Sanomat 1.10.2011

Arkkitehti Marco Casagranden mielestä Suurtorin ja Tuomiokirkon ympäristöä tulisi kunnioittaa niin, että se muutettaisiin kokonaan autottomaksi ympäristöksi.

Ei kannata heti soittaa hätänumeroon, jos näkee naisen yöllä poraamassa reikiä Uudenmaankatuun tai miehen sytyttelemässä jätkänkynttilöitä Tuomiokirkon ympärille. Kyse on kahden Aalto-yliopiston opiskelijan ympäristötaideprojektista, ja nuoret ovat ihan laillisella asialla - ainakin melkein.

Kiinalainen Shuchin Shen ja saksalainen Ronny Korn haluavat herättää kaupunkilaiset tajuamaan kotikaupunkinsa ja etenkin sen sydämen eli Vanhan Suurtorin ympäristön arvon.

"Annamme Turulle kaupunkiakupunktiota. Taideteoksemme toimivat neuloina ja aiheuttavat toivottavasti positiivisia reaktioita, Shen ja Korn kertovat."

Heidän akupunktiokeinonsa ovat hyvin erilaiset. Shen on porannut yöllä pieniä reikiä Uudenmaankatuun ja reikiin hän istuttaa voikukkia, joiden hän toivoo juurtuvan syvälle "vanhaan Turkuun".

Korn puolestaan pystytti perjantaina 15 jätkänkynttilää palamaan Tuomiokirkon ja Suurtorin ympärille.

"Mietin, voisiko Turun tavallaan polttaa uudelleen ja palauttaa vanhaan kaavaansa ennen liikennesumppuja", Korn hymyilee.

TURKULAISARKKITEHTI INNOITTAJANA

Miten ihmeessä nuoret Kiinasta ja Saksasta sitten päätyivät Turkua pelastamaan? Tempauksen taustalla ja opiskelijoiden ohjaajana toimii Aalto-yliopistossa opettava turkulainen arkkitehti Marco Casagrande, joka on jo kauan ollut huolissaan Vanhan Suurtorin tilanteesta ja siitä, miten Uudenmaankadun liikennesuma tullaan ratkaisemaan.

"Vähätorin saaminen nykyiseen muotoonsa oli mahtava juttu. Suurtori on kuitenkin vielä kovempi kysymys."

Mutta miten Turun kaupunki voi antaa luvan porata omia katujaan?

"Ei se voikaan ja kyllähän poliisit pysäyttivätkin Shenin yöllä ja kyselivät mitä hän oikein on tekemässä. Shen on harjoittanut ikään kuin positiivista terrorismia ja toiminut ehkä samalla laittomasti, mutta reikien poraaminen antaa mielestäni viitteen siitä, mitä tälle paikalle suuremmassa mittakaavassa voitaisiin tehdä. Joen alta kulkeva tie rauhoittaisi kaupungin vanhan sydämen kokonaan autoilta. Ja Turku olisi sen arvoinen." Casagrande toteaa.

Opiskelijat tekevät tempauksensa yhteistyössä muun muassa Turku Touringin ja kaupungin viheryksikön kanssa. Casagrande sanoo olevansa yllättynyt siitä, miten monelta taholta Turun kaupungin sisällä he saivat positiivista vastakaikua.

Matkailujohtaja Anne-Marget Niemi innostui projektista oitis.

"Me olemme puhuneet Marcon kanssa jo pitkään Suurtorin tilanteesta, joten kaikki tällainen jännä on tervetullutta."

Jätkänkynttilät katoavat paikoiltaan ehkä jo lauantain aikana, mutta Shuchin Shenin voikukka-amputaation seurauksia voinemme odotella pitempään.

Vasemmalla: Turun kaupungin viheryksikkö auttoi Ronny Kornia saamaan viisitoista suurta jätkänkynttilää projektiaan varten.
Oikealla: Jätkänkynttilöiden tarkoitus on herättää ihmisiä ajattelemaan, mitä tapahtuisi, jos Turku palaisi uudestaan. Sanra Hofmann auttoi tempauksessa.

->

Mikkola häätäisi autot Porthaninpuiston ja Brahenpuiston välistä. Turun Sanomat 20.10.2011

FORGET THE FORGETTING

2011-09-07T08:44:00.000-07:00

WORKSHOP
AALTO UNIVERSITY ENVIRONMENTAL ART

The aim of the course is to study and determine the hidden energy flows and the collective memory of the Turku Old Town and react on them by means of urban acupuncture as a method of individual environmental art works in public space.

The course will turn over the urban compost of the Turku Old Town, which is now drifting away from the urban narrative of the city. By turning over this compost we will present the most fruitful top-soil to the city, a cultural rehabilitation and reconnecting the old town to Turku.

The students will work on site for two weeks and are provided accommodation in a boat S/S BORE and occasional food. The students will take care of their own material costs.

Each student is required to produce 1:1 scale individual environmental art intervention on public space around the Turku Cathedral - University - River -area.

The course is kindly supported by Turku, European Cultural Capital 2011.

Max 15 students

Keywords: urban acupuncture, collective memory, urban subconscious, cultural restoration, compost, environmental graffiti, anarchist gardener

Casagrande’s Ruin Academy Explores Taipei

2011-08-22T03:07:00.000-07:00

Finnish Architect and Professor of Architecture Marco Casagrande has launched a private multi-disciplinary research centre and Local Knowledge HQ “Ruin Academy” in Taipei, Taiwan. Located in an abandoned 5-story old apartment building in the Ximen area the Academy aims to create a multi-disciplinary public sphere focused in the knowledge building of the future Taipei - the so-called Third Generation City.

“3G City is the ruin of the industrial city.” The architect explains. “Taipei is full of ruins and the city is being composted constantly. We are interested in these ruining processes that seem to keep the mechanical city alive. Taipei is a big garden and a battle-field between the man-made and the organic. We are interested in the third condition – when the man-made has become part of nature.”

The Ruin Academy launches a series of workshops with Taiwanese and international universities and individuals .The following themes are being worked with: Urban Acupuncture, Urban Compost, Ultra-Ruin, Anarchist Gardener and River Urbanism. “Everything that we do is connected to the Local Knowledge of Taipei.” Casagrande clarifies. “Grandmothers and insects are our true professors – I just run the show.”

VINCENT SCHIPPER vs. MARCO CASAGRANDE

1. We’re still uncertain what the ‘Third Generation City’ is. Please
explain.

Third Generation City is the industrial city being part of nature – an organic machine. This is the Roadside Picnic gained through dictatorship of sensitivity. We will treat the city as a collective urban farm reacting to the life providing systems of nature, like water flows. We need to be lazy and give up the industrial control in order to let the nature to step in. When we give up and let nature to ruin the city the Third Generation is born. We can also try to straight design this 3G condition, but it needs a high level of sensitivity and presence. Presence is the key of all art. Third Generation City cannot be designed from an air-conditioned office.

A good indicator for the ecological level of the urban presence in nature is how the water goes through the city. If clean water ends up polluted after meeting the city, the city should be broken and let re-grow based on natural accident rather than on industrial control.

The 3G City is dominated by grandmothers taking the built human environment towards the organic. Industrialism is masculine and destructive, a pubertanic rendering of the Enlightment.

Look at Taipei. The Third Generation Taipei is based on free flooding. River will be clean and the fishes, clamps and crabs have come back. The river is in straight connection with the surrounding mountains and jungle, with the city in-between. The city surface is penetrated by collective gardens and urban farms. The houses within the flood zone are on 10 m high legs with farms and buffaloes graze under them. The urban wetlands are producing fast growing biomass fertilized with human waste. There will be some elevated highways as today and metro in the waterproof tunnel. The city blocks are bio-climatic and not closed boxes. People live and work pretty much like today, but let the nature dominate the city. This is not an artificial eco-city; you just let the nature come in and make way.

The 3G City is more demanding in the sense that you will be more physically present in the environment. You will start sweating again and understand nature through physical labor, weather it is farming, turning off the air-conditioning or driving a bicycle. No gym anymore.

2. The jungle taking over is a classic Hollywood concept. Your ruin city is manmade, you’re intervening. With what idea/ideal?

Drama. Design follows drama. We enjoy the process of penetrating the city and see how the jungle starts reading the man-made. Plenty of room will be left for the man to share space. Ideal is Tarkovsky’s Stalker with the Frankfurt School and grandmothers on the road towards the organic anarchism. We are not really here. The Third Generation City is based on being present with nature.

How much do we have to strip the city so that the collective drama can start happening?

Time will change. The artificial time will be changed to natural time and the city will become more like a public attic, with all the object connected to stories and collective subconscious. People will become mediators between the environment and the built human environment.

3. If you say that TGC is dominated by nature, including human nature, what do you mean with human nature?

Human nature is the level of our being that connects us with the rest of nature. This is often called sensitivity and it is the engine where all art, kindness and survival are born. This organic heart of man makes us able to sense and communicate with nature. Children are a good example of human nature. It is no accident that grandmothers, cats and children hang out together.

4. What this strongly reminds me of is the idea of a palimpsest, which could be directly related to a process of aging of a city. This also immediately reminds me of the city Megiddo. So it is from this topsoil that the city continues on?

Palimpsest and Megiddo…very nice. It is astonishing to feel the impact of human energy and mind in masonry, gardening, illegal settlements and all built human environment that is knitted together with nature. Industrialism and official urban development are banalizing our stories and our creativity. City becomes a therapy for people not being able to connect with their creativity and connect with the great drama of nature. All the memories of single hands in the ruins of the city are constantly pushing the urbanism towards the real human narrative. The palimpsest is in the wrinkles of the urban farmers and fishermen on the polluted river. Children have enough time and presence to read these wrinkles and connect to the stories of the nature. The third generation city process is pretty much trying to get the industrial city to get these wrinkles. The many layers of the urban palimpsest, including the industrial layer on the surface, will need new kind of reading. Not horizontal or linear as just on the surface of the city, but penetration. I guess this is where the collective farms are coming from. The topsoil is just under the asphalt.

5. Local Knowledge: the way you refer to this, capitalized, gives it an almost metaphysical quality. What is ‘Local Knowledge’ within this ‘site specific’ context? We’re discussing an empty, late modern industrial complex, that is temporarily reused, right?

I was rebuilding the roof of a Fujian style red brick house in Sanjhih, North-Taiwan. I collected old roof tiles from the surrounding ruins and started to copy the system of laying them. It was very hot and people were observing how I can tolerate the sun. After a couple of days some old men came to the site and started to argue with my students, who translated to me that I am doing something wrong. I was told, that my roof is “too strong”; it would break when an earthquake would come. I should mix some dried seaweed with the cement in order to make it flexible. This was local knowledge. I started to mix the seaweed into my cement and observed when a Phimenes Sp. wasp came frequently and stole some cement from my bucket. I was wondering insect was able to eat cement. After some months I found its cocoon downstairs of our loft. The wasp had mixed my cement with mud and had made a fantastic dome structure for its offspring out of this strong and flexible mix. This was local knowledge.

6. In relation to implicit knowledge or intelligence that is embedded in the existing fabric, what does palimpsest mean to you? This ruin academy, is that an experiment, a test, the start of a new phase in society? Is it preparing for ‘a new ice age’ (post industrial), criticizing current urban reality, making use of ‘gaps in the system’? Also: has the TGC already started and in development or do we have to help it grow?

Ruin Academy is a hole through the city. This is a vacume where you can read and interpret the different layers of the palimpsest; archeological site of dreams and of local knowledge and a base camp for positive terrorism. A vacume that is sucking in curious and sensitive people for collective knowledge building on the way towards the 3G City. A hole where people can see other people and things growing - a public sphere.

The Third Generation City has already started. The anarchist grandmothers have started it and also the floating urban acupunks on night markets, under bridge ac-hoc communal activities, on raves and other illegal spontaneous urban drama faster than police, including architect. The slow, insensitive and numb modern city in its constant fight for power and against nature is ignored by normal people, who feel its offices hostile and the brutality of the official machine turning the river into a chemical sewage. These people have always been here and they could farm the valley. They would communicate and make their rituals. They would celebrate the mysteries of the organic.

I don’t think you can help it grow, but you should stop not letting it grow.

7. It would almost seem like you are merging the archaic with the ultra modern, removing the dichotomous relation between past and future. What does that say about aging and the associations we have with it?

Ultra-modern archaic, the contemporary cave-man style. http://posturbanist.blogspot.com/
I have a problem with aging. Some things feel old, as they would have always been. City is old, but so is nature. Modern man feels rather young, almost ridiculous. Hunter in the forest is old, so is fisherman with sea. Man with air-conditioning feels rather transparent, almost no man. Polluted river feels temporary but still huge disgrace for the modern man, unforgivable for our age. With this we will not go old. I think a punishment is coming – not because our impact on the nature, but because of the insult for ourselves. Grannies will kick our asses.

C-LAB: CHEN HOUSE

2011-08-12T07:41:00.000-07:00

Kuca je napravljena na staroj japanskoj farmi tresanja na Datun planinama u Severnom Tajvanu.
Edit: Vladimir Lovrice, Eko Kuca, 01 / 2011

Arhitektonski biro C-Laboratory dizajnirao je kucu na principu broda, tako da odoleva jakim vatrovima, poplavama i izuzetno toploj klimi. Kuca je izdignuta od tla, da bi u slucaju poplave, voda prosla ispod nje. Razliciti prostori su povezani u celinu po osi, od funkcija koje se obavljaju napolju, do unutrasnjih aktivnosti. Mala jedinica, koja sadrzi kupatilo i kuhinju, sluzi kao jezgro drvene strukture, stabilisuci je za vreme cestih tajfuna i zemljotresa.

< Bio-klimatitska arhitektura projektovana je tako da dobija svez povetarac sa reke Datun za vreme vrelih dana i omogucava cirkulaciju vazduha na lokaciji, izmedu rezervoara sveze vode i farme. Kamin se koristi u zimskom periodu za grejanje i kuvanje caja. Kupatilo je povezano sa malom saunom.

Kuca nije jaka i teska, vec lagana i fleksibilna. Ne razlikuje se od okruzenja, nego farmerima pruza nuzno skloniste.

Kaze se da kuca propada kada, u stvari, ono sto je covek napravio, ponovo postaje deo prirode. U ovom slucaju, arhitekti su pokusali da vec na pocetku projektuju ruinu, koja je od samog pocetka deo priorode.

Autor: Marco Casagrande
Objektar: Porodicna kuca - Chen House
Mesto: Sanjhih, Taipei County, Taiwan
Godina: 2004

Mies ja moottoripyörä on orgaaninen kone

2011-06-13T04:40:00.000-07:00

Marco Casagrande ajaa lempiendurollaan Turun metsissä

Hannu Pöppönen
HELSINGIN SANOMAT, 13.6.2011

Marco Casagrande hankki nykyisen enduropyöränsä vuonna 2008. Edellisellä pyörällään hän ajoi Kiinaan. Kuva: Bo Stranden

Vuonna 2004 arkkitehti Marco Casagrande valittiin ekologisen kaupunkisuunnittelun professoriksi taiwanilaiseen yliopistoon. Hän päätti, että työmatka Suomesta Kiinaan on tehtävä enduropyörällä.

"Kaikki ne paikat – Kazakstan, Gobin autiomaa – tuntuivat tosi kiinnostavilta, ja kyllä se olikin totta", Casagrande kertoo.

Pari vuotta sitten Casagrande palasi Suomeen. Pyöräkin oli tallella.

Hän ei ollut raaskinut hankkiutua siitä eroon, vaikkei sillä liiemmin ajellutkaan.

Suomessa Casagrande kiinnostui uudestaan ja vakavammin enduroajosta ja hankki nykyisen KTM-pyöränsä, jossa on 300 kuutiota ja kaksitahtimoottori. Sillä on ollut yksi omistaja aiemmin.

Casagrande ajaa pyörällään Turun metsissä.

"Ja soilla ja kivikoissa ja kallioilla. Minne vaan pääsee."

Casagrandea kiehtoo pyörän suunnittelussa se, miten kaikki ylimääräinen on karsittu.

"En keksi, miten sitä voi saada paremmaksi. Muotoilu vastaa esimerkiksi sellaisiin asioihin, miten moottorin voima jakautuu pyörään niin, että se on hyvin hallittavissa ja että se on mahdollisimman pieni ja samalla tukeva."

Enduropyörän muotoilun erinomaisuuden huomaa parhaiten tietysti silloin, kun sillä ajaa.

Casagrande sanoo, että hänen pyörällään on persoonallisuus ja henki, toisin kuin esimerkiksi autoilla. Endurolla ajaminen vaatii tarkempaa keskittymistä, taitoa ja fysiikkaa kuin autoajelu.

"Kun ajetaan tuolla metsässä, oman fysiikan ja ajatuksen on pakko yhtyä myös pyörän henkeen, jotta syntyy se orgaaninen kone, jossa ukko on yksi osa", Casagrande maalailee.

"Aika usein porukat puhuvat, että saa rytmin päälle. Luulen, että se tarkoittaa juuri sitä, että ukon ja pyörän henki on yhdistynyt, ja se lähtee menemään oliona siellä metsässä."

Mutta mies ja moottoripyörä ei ole vielä täysi kokonaisuus. Casagrande suojaa itsensä ajaessaan kaulasuojaa myöten.

"Kopisen niihin puihin paljon enemmän kuin varttuneemmat kuskit."

2011-05-17T02:45:00.000-07:00

ANIKA & ARCHI DESIGN

Cordially Invite you to an UpDate Session with Internationally Renowned Finnish architect designer

Ar. Marco Casagrande
Three times selected to the Venice Architecture Biennale (2000, 2004 and 2006) & who will talk about his concepts, design philosophies & showcase his projects

Mr. Antti Ratia
Head of Communications, UPM Timber

&

Mr. Anil Vig
Managing Director, Anika International

will formally announce their India operations on Wednesday, 18th may 2011 at 7.30 pm onwards at Silver Oak, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi

Followed by Cocktails & Dinner

TAIDEOPISKELIJAT MUSTIONJOEN MONIMUOTOISUUDEN PUOLESTAPUHUJINA

2011-05-14T00:04:00.000-07:00

Peter Berke

Emma Fält

Diana Garafova

Katariina Kapi

Jessica Meyer

Kristina Sedlerova

Wensi Zhai

Ohjaajana: Marco Casagrande

Taideopiskelijat Mustionjoen monimuotoisuuden puolestapuhujina

Ultimate river – Positive Terrorism

Billnäs, länsisuomi

Kerran lohi ja simpukka saivat elää symbioosissa, joki antoi kalaa ja ihmiset asuivat monimuotoisuuden ympäröimänä, toimien vesistön ehdoilla. Villi lohi lähti tavalliseen tapaansa matkalle kohti merta, mutta ei koskaan palannut jokeen takaisin. Tämä kaikki tapahtui viisikymmentä vuotta sitten ja nyt pysähtyneen joen pohjalla Raakku odottaa edelleen kantajaansa.

Mustionjoki virtaa etelä Suomessa Lohjan järvestä Pohjanpitäjän lahteen. Joki on 25 kilometriä pitkä ja nykyisin sen sulkee 4 Fortumin vesivoimalaa. Karjaanjoki on ollut yksi tärkeimmistä lohijoista viisikymmentälukuun asti, jolloin Åminneforsin pato sulki sen lopullisesti. Joen alkuperäisiin vaelluskaloihin kuuluvat villin lohen lisäksi siika, taimen, sekä ankerias, mutta patoamisen seurauksena useiden lajien elämä on vaikeutunut tai estynyt kokonaan jokialueella.

Suomen ympäristökeskuksen mukaan Mustionjoki on edelleen yksi tärkeimmistä jokihelmisimpukan elinalueista Suomessa. Simpukka tarvitsee lohikalan lisääntyäkseen, joen ekosysteemi tarvitsee simpukkaa ja ihminen jokea. Nyt odotus on ollut jo liian pitkä, katseet tulee suunnata takaisin jokeen, jotta sen monimuotoisuus voisi palautua ja alueen rikas kulttuuri säilyä.

Tiistaina 10.5. kansainvälinen taideopiskelijajoukko saapui tutustumaan alueen ympäristöön ja asukkaisiin. Kyseessä on Aalto yliopiston Taideteollisen korkeakoulun projekti, jonka tarkoituksena on pohtia taiteen mahdollisuuksia vaikuttaa ympäristöajatteluun. Viikon aikana opiskelijat asuvat joen läheisyydessä ja tekevät seitsemän ympäristötaideteosta, jotka ohjaavat ihmisten huomion jokeen, uhanalaiseen ekosysteemiin ja mahdollisuuteen toimia jälleen vuorovaikutuksessa sen kanssa.

Sunnuntaina 15.5. klo 14 ryhmä avaa taidenäyttelyn. Teokset sijoittuvat Karjaan kirkon ja Pohjan pitäjän lahden väliselle alueelle, joen läheisyyteen. Haluamme kutsua kaikki alueen asukkaat ja asiasta kiinnostuneet paikalle luonnosta ja taiteesta.

Ultimate River - Positive Terrorism

2011-05-02T06:08:00.001-07:00

Aalto University Department of Environmental Art

Mustionjoki Natural River Restoration - Cultural River Restoration

Mustionjoki River runs in South-Finland from Lake Lohja to Pohjanpitäjänlahti Fjord in the Baltic Sea. It is 25 km long and today the river is closed by 4 hydroelectric power plants. In history the river used to be the most important salmon fishing river in South-Finland until 1950s when the river was finally closed by the Åminnefors dam, close to the river-mouth.

Mustionjoki River is running from the Lake Lohja to the Pohjanpitäjänlahti Fjord in the Baltic Sea. Illustration Aalto SGT 2010.

Besides salmon also whitefish, trout and eel belong to the original migrating species of the river. According to the Finnish Environmental Agency Mustionjoki is still the most important mussel river in Finland, but the mussels need salmon related fishes to reproduce. They have been waiting for more than 50 years now.

The original culture of the Mustionjoki River valley was build around the river. It powered the pre-industrial iron mills in Mustio and Billnäs and it gave fish. In those days mechanical power existed together with the natural river ecosystem – the so-called “Kings Channel” was reserved for the fishes to run, the river was never completely closed. After building up the Åminnefors dam and closing the river the migrating fishes seized to exist and the river lost its value in the heart of the culture of the river valley. People forgot the river.

Today is no more post-war 50s. Now it is time to forget the forgetting. The river must be back. Salmon must be back. Mussels must have sex.

Power Company FORTUM, who owns the hydroelectric power plants, is now studying the possibilities of building natural fish ways to pass its 4 dam areas. To make this happen we need to focus people’s minds on the river. This is where YOU come into picture.

We need positive terrorism. The cause is clear: natural river restoration and so: cultural river restoration. Environmental art works detonating the chain reaction for the river to come back in its full entity.

The course will offer the students basic accommodation and a rowing boat.

Mädäntynyt Kuha, George Lovett, 2002. "Kuulin mie mereltä itkun, Poikki joen juorotuksen."

Envionmental art MA -students

The course is located in Billnäs, south west of Finland

Teacher
Marco Casagrande
marco@clab.fi

Project Secretary
Inka Finell
inka.finell@taik.fi

ANATOMY

Time: 10.-15.5.2011
- The workshop will start at the Karjaa railway station 10.5.2011 at around 10 am after the train from Helsinki arrives.

Place: Mustionjoki River valley / Billnäs

The students are required a capacity for independent environmental art work 1:1 scale in public space.

The students will be responsible in maintaining a high physical and mental condition during the intensive six day 24/7 workshop.

The historical Billnäs iron mill early industrial area by the Mustionjoki River. The workhsop will use Billnäs as the base camp. Illustration: Aalto SGT 2010

The Billnäs community will provide the students a place to sleep.

Be prepared:
• Warm clothes for outdoor working, rubber boots, rain gear
• Warm sleeping bag and sleeping madras
• Personal documentation material
• Paper, pens, paints…
• Favorite tools
• Food

TASK

We will be working in the river area between the Karjaa Church and the River Mouth. In-between will be the Billnäs historical industrial area and village, Åminnefors dam and Karjaa.

The students will react on the present day river reality and express their individual reactions through a 1:1 scale environmental art work. The students will take care of the materials used.

The works are due be ready by Sunday 15.5.2011.

Pay extra care for nature. No rubbish, no cutting of living branches. The artworks must be removed from nature by 20.00 on Sunday 15.5.

違章建築 ILLEGAL ARCHITECTURE

2011-04-22T00:36:00.000-07:00

Marco Casagrande
Translation by Nikita Wu

「朗讀違章」一展延續王澍、謝英俊兩位建築師的一貫信仰，將焦點轉到台灣城市的空間秩序，共同以裝置作品來闡述違章建築下的多面省思，同時試圖引發思考―在既定的體制裡，「由下而上」重新定義城市建築與權力間關係的種種可能。

原本寶藏巖違章社區現已變成「美化」後的台北國際藝術村。

首次受到委託在台北執業，是為要挽救寶藏巖社區裡的違章建築，同時我和謝英俊與阮慶岳也有了頭回聚合營造建築的機會。我們的工作分配如往後的幾次經驗，謝和我負責勞力流汗的部分，阮則負責其他不需勞動的部分。我們三人之前曾參加由季鐵男在奧地利林茨 (Linz) 主辦的「都市閃光」(Urban Flashes)，阮是我和謝對談的主持人兼口譯，所以很自然地「注意到」彼此的存在。當我在寶藏巖工作的時候，與謝和居民們並沒有共通的語言，所以只好自發性蠻著頭幹苦力活，從實際流汗經驗中作工程。謝選擇自寶藏巖的山坡上開始營建，我則從山坡下蓋，一邊溝通同時即興創作，彼此感知對方的建構行動即時反應，在某處某時聚合成作品，此間所為可謂「開放形態」(Open Form) (註) 建築的操作手法。

台北本身就是「開放形態」的都市，市民們有機地規劃設計城市樣態，如叢林裡無章簇生的植物主宰無人之地。謝英俊說他自來叢林，能接收大自然給他的指令。像台灣人蓋違建這建築如寄生蟲般，利用「官方」規劃的都市作為生存平台與能量來源，那兒漏了點自來水或能偷接電，就往那邊蓋。台灣文化城市景觀根生蒂固，眼見所及，游擊佔領空地的菜園，逃稅小販叢集夜市自發性的聚合，違章建築星羅棋佈官方界定都市之上，自成另一道平行的都市紋理，化為一個瞬間既成的即時台北 (Instant Taipei)。

蘭花建築 ORCHID ARCHITECTURE

謝英俊的裝置作品「後巷桃花源」。

違章建築就是弱建築，非常精準適當懶惰，試圖用最小的氣力發揮最大的效益。違章極具個性和自然界的天性，消逝和花開繁榮皆可時刻並存。官辦官樣的台北僵硬枯燥無味，但由居民非法破壞、面目模糊的工業城市，推展如蘭花生衍的建築行為，則讓城市充滿生氣。

違章建築在台灣垂直和平行擴展，以各種型式蔓生於公寓住宅、非法搭建的透天厝、違建社區。比如新店溪畔的寶藏巖和阿美族落腳的溪洲部落、養鴿籠舍、檳榔攤、土地公小廟，布袋戲歌仔戲的戲班舞台、夜市的小販這些可自由移動的建築當可一併算上。

在官方界定架構的城市景觀中，相對於非法自蓋自造的違章，張顯了文化的多樣性。能屈能伸富含彈性空間，可移動可依需求調整的軟性建築，長存在於遊牧民族的傳統住房結構。現代「官方」都市則才是晚近才有的概念。人類自有通過建築這種藝術形式表達自己的本性，不須要任何建築師，人人都是建築師，但城市公民行使天賦權利時，確被貼上了非法建築的新標籤。違建靈巧創意佳，比起「官方」認可的建築師們被收買淪陷於大學教學、營建業與法規，還要富含建築策略。

官方認可的都市，意望擺脫來自人性不受控制的一切，這意味著不可以自力造「非法」建築和自種生產食物的「非法」菜園。工業化的要義在於規範人類生活，都市是座機器。違章建築和大自然最為接近也和人的本性相依，不受任何控制。

謝英俊說他要作「人民的建築」，這意味著不但要在鄉村更要在工業化的都市裡將人民蓋房子的權利還給人民，也讓人民有機會自決治理公民的社會。他要人民再次學著讓居住環境服膺自然環境，聯結各別身處的在地知識 (Local Knowledge) 經由實際的勞動，體會在地的建築景觀，擺脫僵化的官方合法限制。在工業化和現代主義發生之前，這都是正常發生的事。但如今，官方界定的都市載明的官樣資料文件上，人民的建築是人為的錯誤，有礙觀瞻街道必須進一步地「美化」。

WEAK!

2009 WEAK! 深圳香港建築雙年展作品「繭」(The Bug Dome)。

謝英俊、阮慶岳及我合作成立關係自由鬆散的建築團隊，我們起名為「弱」(WEAK！)。2009年我們在深圳為從鄉村來到都市掙錢的農民工，蓋了一座非正式不官方的社交俱「繭」(The Bug Dome) 展間主要是由兩位心思敏感來自廣西壯族，熟習竹子作為建材的大師一起搭蓋。

快速發展的城市，概無法接受認可在地知識，在中國成千上億，有著千百年累積在地智慧的手，自鄉村移動到城市後便被遺忘。如果能重新省視在地知識的價值將其植入都市場域，定能創造出屬於在地華人圈可持續性發展的綠新都。

中國建築師王澍是隻建築昆蟲，在新一代的城市建築工人間，他敏感地關注到在地知識的重要性，並將其內化為建築作品的精華元素。王澍在「完全控制」和「允許意外」的剃刀邊緣間小心取得平衡，推動建築文化銜接滿足普羅百姓的需求。和謝英俊同個光景，就像電影導演柯波拉 (Francis Ford Coppola) 在《現代啟示錄》(Apocalypse Now) 所描寫道：「連爬帶滾，尚存一息」(Crawling, slithering and still surviving…)

阮慶岳要王澍、謝英俊和我一同合作，他覺得組成「弱」(WEAK!) 建築團隊最好的方法就是邀請有志之士「弱」成一塊兒 (weak together)。王在台北城中藝術街區 UrbanCore Café 頂樓設計繭狀建築「亦方亦圓」，謝以廢墟建築學院為背景壤土如附生藤蔓蓋「後巷桃花源」。王像隻昆蟲，理解貫通立體三度空間的張力奧義，作品沒用上一根釘子，僅取木條圈圍即成。謝則從建築學院的異質空間中爆開能量，在二、三樓的窗邊與後門於老舊公寓的後巷風景攀爬，如蘭在山中開，添得許多香。

兩人留白營造空間多於組織建構方盒，作品皆能與當代都市人吟哦對話，和廢墟建築學院相同細緻地感受透視大地交匯的地平線。

即時台北 INSTANT TAIPEI

王澍的裝置作品「亦方亦圓」。

台北應小心面對走向更為「美化」更新的都市未來願景。若官方界定美麗的都市景觀意味著：極端控制自發自給自足的社區；剷除都市菜園和花園；禁止人民自力營造屋頂上的鴿籠與其他違章建築；禁止人民在水裡游泳；烤肉；遛狗；踐踏草皮；嚼檳榔；放風箏；擺攤；唱卡拉OK；禁止攀爬；採花；戶外野營；野餐…，請問還能做啥？美化後的都市剩餘價值的現況是河流依然飽受污染，依然髒臭。

王澍和謝英俊的作品昭然若揭，構成即時台北的元素，是讓空氣能自由流動，空間能自如貫穿。視台北是一個整體空間，讓居民如蟻般不斷地建構解構有機編修。讓官方界定的台北和非法的「即時台北」都正視彼此的魅力之處。順應著大自然的律法，都市窳陋之處必也發酵成為新都市樣貌的沃土，請承認違章建築是台灣建築無法忽視的真勢力。

Preface
被所謂的「官方」冠上違法、破壞市容之名的違章建築，其實如同自然界的生衍，在台北這個「開放型態」的都市中萌發，展現居民自力造屋的天賦與權力，打破工業化所帶來的機械性，展現地方多樣性的思維，而仿違建而搭蓋的展覽裝置作品，也透過「非法」的表現來引發反思。

Information
▌譯者｜Nikita Wu

▌註

「開放形態」(Open Form) 的建築學是由挪威建築先行者 Team 10 成員之一的Oskar Hansen 所提出來，對早期現代主義建築「Close Form」的批判和修正，建築作品注重業主的參與及其個性需求的滿足與體現，而非建築師個人意願的主觀呈現。

Commedia Dell'Architettura - Design Follows Drama

2011-04-14T21:16:00.000-07:00

Hochschule München Fakultät für Architektur SS 2011 Audimax, Karlstrasse 6 Um 18.00 Vorträge in der Karlstrasse

Architektur zwischen Landart und Konzeptkunst

18.5.2011 Architect and artist Marco Casagrande (Turku / Taipei)

Marco Casagrande is a Finnish Architect born in 1971 in Turku, Finland. He graduated from the Helsinki University of Technology Department of Architecture in 2001. From the early stages of his career Casagrande started to mix architecture with other disciplines of art and science landing with a series of ecologically conscious architectural installations around the world. The widely published works have been exhibited three times in the Venice Architecture Biennale (2000, 2004 and 2006) and in Havana Biennale 2000, Firenze Biennial 2001, Yokohama Triennial2001, Montreal Biennial 2002, Puerto Rico Biennial 2002, Demeter Hokkaido 2002, Alaska Design Forum 2003, Echigo-Tsumari Triennial 2003, Taipei on the Move 2004, London Architecture Biennial 2004, Sensoria Melbourne 2004, Taiwan Design Expo 2005, Urban Flashes Mumbai 2006, 7-ELEVEN City 2007, World Architecture Festival 2009, Hong Kong & Shenzhen Bi-City Biennial 2009 and Victoria & Albert Museum 2010 among others.

The works have been awarded in the Architectural Review's Emerging Architecture 1999, Borromini Award 2000, Mies Van Der Rohe Award 2001, Lorenzo Il Magnifico Award 2001, La Nuit Du Livre Award 2006, World Architecture Community Awards 2009, World Architecture Festival Award 2009, Architectural Review House Award 2010 and World Architecture Community Awards 2010 competitions.

Casagrande’s works and teaching are moving freely in-between architecture, urban and environmental design and science, environmental art and circus adding up into cross-over architectural thinking of «commedia dell'architettura», a broad vision of built human environment tied into social drama and environmental awareness. «There is no other reality than nature». He views architects as design shamans merely interpreting what the bigger nature of the shared mind is transmitting.

Casagrande has been teaching in a numerous universities since year 2000 including the Tokyo University Tadao Ando Laboratory, Aalto University, Helsinki University of Art and Design and Bergen School of Architecture. He was a visiting professor at the Taiwanese Tamkang University 2004-2008 and currently runs an independent cross-disciplinary research centre Ruin Academy in Taipei in cooperation with the Aalto University's SGT Sustainable Global Technologies Centre. Casagrande's theory of the Third Generation City views the future urban development as the ruin of the industrial city, an organic machine ruined by nature including human nature.

Marco Casagrande is the Principal of the Casagrande Laboratory (2003-), a Finland based internationally operating cross-over architectural studio and a former co-owner of the Architect Office Casagrande & Rintala (1999-2003).

Commedia dell’architettura - Design Follows Drama

Cross-over architecture moving free in-between art and science. First one has to have something to say; then find the ways how to say it. Design should not replace reality. Nature is the only reality. Nature including human nature. Architecture ruining modern architecture and ruining the industrial city. Ruin is when man-made has become part of nature. One has to die a bit to be reborn. Without his ruins man is just a common ape.

ILLEGAL ARCHITECTURE

2011-03-29T05:39:00.000-07:00

My first assignment in Taipei was to work with illegal architecture trying to save the Treasure Hill community. This was also the first time that we worked together with Hsieh Ying-Chun and Roan Ching-Yueh for construction. Actually with Hsieh for construction and Roan arranging everything, as usual.

Treasure Hill formally illegal community in Taipei, now officially "beautified" into an artist village.

We had met earlier at the Urban Flashes in Linz, where Roan moderated our talks, so we were “aware” of each other. In Treasure Hill I didn’t have any other common language to talk with Hsieh or the original community than physical labour – architecture through spontaneous construction. Hsieh started to build up on the hill and I started from the bottom. We sensed each other’s actions and could make instant reactions of them, communicate and improvise. At some point we met. This is Open Form.

Hsieh Ying-Chun's illegal architecture at the Urban Core area of Taipei.

Taipei is Open Form. Citizen design reactions communicating with each other and trying to dominate the no-man’s land like different plants in the jungle. Hsieh takes his commands from the jungle. So does the Taiwanese citizen built illegal architecture. This architecture uses the “official” city as a growing platform and energy source, where to attach itself like a parasite and from where to leach the electricity and water. The layer of illegal architecture combined with other citizen activated spontaneous community reactions such as the illegal urban farms or night markets is so widespread and deep rooted in the Taiwanese culture and cityscape that we could almost speak of another city on top of the “official” Taipei, a parallel city – or a para-city: Instant Taipei.

The ground floor of the Ruin Academy in Taipei.

ORCHID ARCHITECTURE

Illegal architecture is Weak Architecture. One tries to achieve the maximum effect with minimal effort. This architecture is as sharp as it is lazy. This architecture has personality and nature and it can disappear as fast as it has blossomed – like an orchid. The official, stiff, hard and boring Taipei is blossoming with Orchid Architecture. The illegal citizen activities are keeping the city alive, they are ruining the faceless industrial city and pushing in the organic.

The urban farms and community gardens performing organic acupuncture on the industrial Taipei.

Illegal architecture comes in many forms. You have the horizontal and vertical illegal extensions of the apartment buildings, illegal houses and illegal communities such as Treasure Hill or the Amis urban village by the Xindian River, pigeon houses, beetle-nut booths, temples and even moving architecture like the Taiwanese street-style operas or night-market booths. The point is that this fruitful culture of self-made architecture has only been illegal as long as the “official” city has been in the picture. These flexible, moving, adjustable and pliant forms of urban nomad structures have always been. Official city is the newcomer. Illegal architecture is a new name for the citizen’s right to express himself through architecture. These guys don’t need architects, they are the architects themselves. They are more resourceful and creative that the “official” architects corrupted by the university teaching, building industry and laws and codes of construction.

Treasure Hill in 2003.

Official city wants to get rid of anything spontaneous coming straight from the human nature. This means “illegal” architecture and “illegal” gardens in the urban stage instead of self-made home and growing of food. Industrial city is a machine designed to regulate human life. Illegal architecture is closer to nature including human nature and so against any kind of control.

Hsieh getting a bit romantic.

Hsieh calls his style People’s Architecture. Basically this means giving power back to people to build their homes and to self arrange their communities. This is needed in the countryside but also especially in the industrial city. Hsieh wants people learn again to tune their built human environment to the natural conditions, hook up to the site-specific Local Knowledge and experience the architectural landscape through physical labour.

Dominate the no-man's land.

Hsieh wants people to regulate their own built human environment out of official control. Before industrialism and before modernism this has been normal. Now the official city wants to “beatify” the streets from humane architecture, which has become a human error in the official data.

Bug Dome at the Shenzhen & Hong Kong Bi-City Biennale of Architecture & Urbanism, 2009. WEAK!

WEAK!

Hsieh, Roan and me form a loose co-operative and we call ourselves the WEAK! In Shenzhen 2009 we build an un-official social club for illegal workers coming from the Chinese countryside to the city. This small pavilion was constructed mainly by some very sensitive guys from rural Guangxi, true masters of bamboo. The Bug Dome is insect architecture merely reorganizing natural materials into a nest or cocoon. The contrast to the surrounding skyscrapers of modern Shenzen is shocking.

Wang-Shu's illegal architecture on the roof of the Urban Core cafe in Taipei.

None of the Local Knowledge is accepted in the fast growing city. All the natural wisdom that the hundreds of millions of hands moving now from the Chinese countryside to cities is ignored. If this volume of Local Knowledge that is now pouring into the Chinese cities would be recognized, the new Chinese urbanism would have a change to create something seriously new and environmentally sustainable.

Wang-Shu: wooden architecture without nails.

Wang-Shu is an architectural insect. He has recognized the element of Local Knowledge in the new urban construction workers and he is using this sensitivity as the essence of his architecture. Wang-Su is balancing on the razors edge in-between control and accident and he is pushing the architectural articulation to meet the common man, like Hsieh. Crawling, slithering and still surviving... (Coppola: Apocalypse NOW!) In the Ningbo Historic Museum Wang-Shu is building archaeology. The new building is impregnated with memories, subconscious moves and aura that only human presence can transform into a house. Wang-Shu has required the construction workers to improvise within the bigger voice of architectural landscape – a bit the same way as Hsieh with the Sichuan tribes. The outcome is a fruitful mixture of simultaneous architectural control and the breaking of it. The great element of accident is present and this time it is harmoniously talking with the architectural control. Wang-Shu’s museum is a constructed ruin, an ultra-ruin breaking far away from the modernist clichés and the shiny steel and glass surfaces of the new Chinese cities.

Hsieh Ying-Chun, left and Wang-Shu, illegal architects.

Roan wanted to hook up Wang-Shu with Hsieh and me. He says this is the way how the WEAK! works – we invite people to be weak together. Wang-Su has now built a cocoon on the roof of the Urban Core cafe and Hsieh has grown his architectural creeper structures into the narrow back alleys rooting in the Ruin Academy. Wang-Su has made his cocoon out of wooden sticks, but he hasn’t used any nails. His understanding of three dimensional tension is on the level of the insects.

Wang-Su's cocoon observing the industrial Taipei.

Hsieh has found the fruitful top-soil of the Ruin Academy and he has exploded through the windows and bathrooms to blossom in the space up in the air in-between the buildings. Both Wang-Shu and Hsieh have more air in their buildings than structure. Their works are mediators between the modern urban man and something else, that they know exists on the horizon. What comes to Ruin Academy, we can feel that horizon too.

Ruin Academy, left and Hsieh Ying-Chun's orchid architecture on top of the alley.

INSTANT TAIPEI

Taipei should be careful with its steps towards a “beautified” future. If the official beauty means killing the self regulated urban communities, destroying the urban farms and community gardens, cleaning the roof-tops out of pigeon houses and illegal architecture and forbidding people to: swim, barbeque, walk a dog, step on grass, chewing of beetle-nuts, fly kites, fish, street vending, karaoke, gambling, picking flowers, sleeping and picnics ... what is left? Beautified official boredom with a polluted river.

No human error. Ruin Academy researchers redifining the "no".

Instant Taipei happens when there is air to move, like in Wang-Shu’s and Hsieh’s architecture. Space for Instant Taipei is the whole city; space where human nature can endlessly construct and deconstruct like ants in human scale. The official city can happen simultaneously together with the Instant Taipei and the official city should accept this as something really beautiful. Let the city rotten, ferment and compost itself. Recognize the illegal architecture as the true force of Taiwanese architecture.

Ruin Academy: academic squatting.

LINK

Illegal Architecture @ Urban Core
Curated by Roan Ching-Yueh
The exhibition opens on March 11th 2011, and closes on April 17th 2011, at the Urbancore gallery (12.30 pm - 8.30pm) Taipei City, Zhonghua Road 1st Section, No. 89-4, First floor. FREE ENTRY

URBAN COMPOST / TURNING OVER TAIPEI

2011-03-28T20:10:00.000-07:00

Ruin Academy on the way towards the Third Generation Taipei

Marco Casagrande / Public Lecture at the National Taiwan University Department of Sociology 17.3.2011.

1. RUIN ACADEMY

The Ruin Academy is a kind of an open source school/research centre to re-think the industrial city and the relationship between the modern urban man and nature.

"Dave" chairs at the Ruin Academy.

Ruin is when man-made has become part of nature. We want this to happen to the industrial city and we want this to happen for the modern man. Taipei is currently presenting the most advanced industrial co-existence of a modern city and uncontrollable organic anarchy, nature including human nature pushing through the industrial surface and tuning the whole city towards the organic. To understand this force the academic disciplines are much for no use, also the politics will provide no tools. Communication needs to find another way.

Urban Bonsai on the Ruin Academy wall.

Ruin Academy has focused its research to the un-official life providing systems within the official city. These are the systems that are constantly ruining the official Taipei, systems that are composting the city. From the organic top-soil produced by these composts will emerge the Third Generation City, the organic ruin of the industrial city, an organic machine.

Hsieh Ying-Chun's illegal architecture on the back alley of the Ruin Academy.

There are no disciplines of art or science in the Ruin Academy. Renaissance means compost – rebirth. One has to die a bit to be reborn. The smelliest parts of Taipei are containing the highest level of life still in connection with nature, while as the official industrialism aims into a sterile condition. These are the corners that will provide us the local knowledge to establish the Third Generation City.

Cross-disciplinary work is essential for the knowledge building on the way towards the 3G city. Discipline means restriction, an obstacle on your way. Disciplined people can die in masses and be numb in masses. Ruin Academy is pliant and weak as the opposite of strength and hardness. Through weakness it will challenge industrialism, modernism, science and society. The Ruin Academy is a basic shelter stripped down from industrial and academic nonsense.

Taro on a pile of dirt. Ruin Academy 1st Floor.

So far our Taiwanese and international operators have come from the following backgrounds: architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, horticulture, journalism, construction work, art management, fine arts, sociology, journalism, river engineering, energy technology and civil and environmental engineering. Most important is the connection to the Local Knowledge, the site-specific wisdom of sustainable surviving in the Taipei Basin. This knowledge seems to be in straight connection with the First Generation City, when the built human environment was dependent on nature and dominated by nature. The Local Knowledge is a driving force for the organic penetrations through the industrial layer of the Taipei Basin today. Local Knowledge is tuning the city towards the organic.

Hsieh on the right & Ruin Academy.

Communication brings another level to our work. We are producing our own newspaper Anarchist Gardener as a means to articulate our thinking and findings. There is also a group of young Taiwanese journalists that are reporting on our work. Our communication centre is the public sauna on the 5th floor of the Academy building.

ZERO CITY

What are the processes that are ruining the industrial Taipei? What are the systems that are bringing life to the modern machine? (Actually Taipei looks like an old machine; not like some other Asian sophisticated centres that look like urban dildos.) What is the essence that keeps the city alive? So: where are the seeds of the Third Generation City?

The elements of the Third Generation Taipei are:

Map of the urban farms and community garderns of Taipei. C-LAB

1. Anarchist Gardener
- Grandmother dominated community gardens and urban farms overtaking the sleeping capitalism spots of Taipei – Organic Anarchy.
- Flexible movement to change location according to the development cycles of the city. Breaking the surface of the city and reaching the original ground.
- At some points continuing ancient farm rights and land owning inside the city.
- Often spontaneous activation of idle urban areas such as the river flood banks or land-fill areas.
- The networks of community gardens and urban farms perform organic acupuncture on the industrial tissue of the official city tuning the city towards the organic.
- The Anarchist Gardener element has been researched in co-operation with the National Taiwan University Department of Sociology.

2. Instant Taipei
- The urban nomads are using the official city as a stage or a landscape to launch independent and un-official activities for business, recreational or even religious activities.
- Citizens present spontaneous reactions through illegal architecture to customise, reorganize and dominate the built human environment. The official city is seen as a landscape to attach the illegal extensions.
- The illegal architecture can grow into illegal communities such as Treasure Hill.
- Unofficial night-markets, street vendors, under-bridge activities, karaoke spots, gambling, abandoned gods refugee centres, beetle-nut booths, Taiwanese opera, puppet theatre, tai-chi etc.
- Harvesting the city and being faster to move than the official control.
- Instant Taipei will pop up in different locations of the city in different times and is related to the energy flows of the collective mind of Taipei. People are very sensitive to feel the impulses on the shared conscious. “There is this thing going on…” a whole city can be designed by rumours.
- Roan’s Illegal Architecture exhibition is focusing on the elements of the Instant Taipei.

Urban Acupuncture map on the wall of the Ruin Academy.

3. Urban Acupuncture
- Sensitivity to understand the energy flows of the collective “chi” beneath the visual city and reacting on the hot-spots of this chi. People feel where the city is hot, or where things are going on – what is the feeling of the city.
- Architecture is in the position to produce the acupuncture needles for the urban chi.
- On a commercial level Urban Acupuncture is practiced in Taipei by for example the highest level of 7-Eleven convenient stores in the world.

Ruin Academy's ground floor.

4. Compost
- Taipei is constantly being composted. On official circles the composting is done by developers, who are the true urban editors and on un-official level by illegal communities and the above mentioned anarchist gardeners and illegal architects.
- In some level the hard to talk areas such as the sneak street, the red light districts and temple dominated areas are also urban compost, but somehow on the darker gangster/religious dominated side while as the collective gardens and the spontaneous independent communities are presenting a higher level of constructive anarchy in the city.
- The official Taipei has a parallel city existing on top of it and penetrating through it in order to touch the original ground. This touch-down is breaking, composting and fermenting the official city through every possible crack on the industrial surface, which tries to control and suffocate the uncontrollable organic growth. The urban compost is working against the industrial insensitivity forces the city to meet the life providing systems of the organic environment.

Mangrove trees near Guandu enjoying the salt water tidal pulse in the Danshui River.

5. River Urbanism
- At the moment there is a 10 meters high reinforced concrete flood-wall separating the Taipei human built environment from the river. This wall needs to go.
- Ruin Academy will redesign Taipei based on free flooding and straight connection between the modern man and nature. The urban river will be naturally restored.
- The River Urbanism is developed together with the Aalto University’s SGT Sustainable Global Technologies centre and Tamkang University Department of Architecture.

Ruin Academy, section.

Local Knowledge is theme pushing through all the elements of the 3G City, a connection between the modern man and nature.

Each of the elements are studied through a workshop, being presents in the situation and trying to interpret the findings. These fragments are then treated as the design seeds for the 3G Taipei itself.

The only problem with the current urban reality is that it is not real. Nature is the only reality.

ACADEMIC SQUATTING

I feel the universities have gone weaker the same time that the different scientific and artistic disciplines have gone stronger. Architecture stands in the crossroads of many humanistic, artistic and scientific lines. Now architecture looks like a traumatized traffic police hiding inside a concrete drum. Architects are able to communicate only with other architects. This is boring, completely unnecessary and close to nonsense. Architecture should be the one preparing on open table and public sphere for collective knowledge building, communication.

Ruin Academy, model photo.

Ruin Academy wants to build up this table in a small scale. Ruin Academy is a meant to be a public sphere, like a pub. The academy is based on academic freedom like a circus rather than a university.

We want to rethink the industrial city and the modern man in a box. The Academy is a hole in the industrial volume; a tunnel travelling through the different layers of Taipei. People feel this tunnel and they are stepping in.

4th floor: lounge.

There are no windows in the Ruin Academy, just holes in the walls. Also the floors are penetrated with 6 inch holes in order to let rain inside. People are working and sleeping in the dry corners or where ever on a good weather. This is academic squatting. The researchers are talking around open fire places.

We are growing bamboo on the window holes trying to keep the traffic noise outside. Bamboo and taro also gives privacy in the shower room of the sauna. There are various vegetable gardens and composts inside the building.

2. TAIPEI ORGANIC ACUPUNCTURE

Acupuncture is the procedure of inserting and manipulating needles into various points on the body to relieve pain or for therapeutic purposes.

Urban planning integrates land use planning and transportation planning to improve the built, economic and social environments of communities.

Urban design concerns the arrangement, appearance and functionality of towns and cities, and in particular the shaping and uses of urban public space.

Environmental art is art dealing with ecological issues and possibly in political, historical or social context.

Sociology is a science of human social activity.

Anarchy is acting without waiting for instructions or official permission. The root of anarchism is the single impulse to do it yourself: everything else follows from this.

Urban compost: community garden in Gongguan Taipei.

The community gardens and urban farms of Taipei are astonishing. They pop up like mushrooms on the degenerated, neglected or sleeping areas of the city, which could be referred to as urban composts.

These areas are operating outside the official urban control or the economic standard mechanisms. They are voids in the urban structure that suck in ad-hoc community actions and present a platform for anarchy through gardening.

The punctual community gardens and urban farms of Taipei. C-LAB

For the vitality of Taipei, the networks of the anarchist gardens seem to provide a positive social disorder; positive terrorism. They are tuning the industrial city towards the organic, towards accident and in this sense they are ruining the modern urbanism. They are punctual organic revolutions and the seeds of the Third Generation City, the organic ruin of the industrial city.

Corners are windy

Claude Lévi-Strauss believes in the beauty of the human nature as part of nature. Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno lost all the hope for the industrial development and said it has failed the promise of the Enlightment - it had corrupted humanity. Andrei Tarkovsky’s Stalker (Mosfilm, 1979) is taking sophisticated people into the Zone, where their deepest wishes may come true. The Zone which is the organic ruin mirroring the surrounding mechanical reality. For the Strugatsky brothers (Arkady & Boris) the Zone was a Roadside Picnic.

Missis Lee in the Gongguan community garden.

The community gardens of Taipei are Roadside Picnic. Grandmothers can take us there, like Stalker. The honorable Lévi-Strauss could be happy to start new ethnographical research between the parallel realities of the cultures of the urban compost gardens and the surrounding city – the reversed modernization and focusing in Local Knowledge. Horkheimers & Adorno’s graves should be moved in one of these urban acupuncture spots of Taipei. Here even they would find hope, surrounded by the valueless modernity and hard industrialism. Prof. Jaakko Hämeen-Anttila has said: “The valueless void of the society of today will be filled with ethics: the corners are windy.” With the recognition of the urban farms and community gardens Taipei has found its corners.

101 community garden in-between Taipei 101 and World Trade Center. Photo: Isis Kang.

What is the ethics then pushing through these corners into the city? It could be called Local Knowledge, site-specific reactions building a bridge between the modern man and nature. The gardens of Taipei, these acupuncture points, are penetrating through the industrial surface of the city and reaching the original ground. The self organized community gardens are the urban acupuncture needles of Taipei. Local Knowledge is in connection with the first generation city, when the built human environment was dependent on nature and regulated by nature. Now the anarchist gardeners are regulating the industrial city.

Dominate the no-man’s land

The community gardens are taking over abandoned construction sites and ruined housing areas, empty city-blocks waiting for development, flood banks of the rivers and even grave-yards out of fashion. In many cases the gardens are flourishing on spots of land where the land-owner issues are unsettle or complicated. Sometimes the garden will stay in the spot for only a couple of years, as in the cases of soon to be developed areas and sometimes the urban farming has decades long traditions as with the river flood plains or on the island in-between Zhongxiao and Zhongshing bridges. The smaller urban farms are flexible and eager to overtake the empty spots of the city, eager to dominate the no-man’s land.

Treasure Hill in 2003. Photo: Stephen Wilde.

One of the more famous urban farming communities of Taipei was the Treasure Hill settlement, originally an illegal community of KMT veterans. During its legitimating process Treasure Hill became so famous that eventually the original community was kicked away by the city government and the houses were taken over by artists and art related organizations. All the farms were destroyed on the process. Sounds like urban warfare against urban acupuncture. Treasure Hill was powerful and self-sustained when it was illegal. The community built its own houses and its own farms and it made its own rules. The official city wanted to eliminate this unofficial organic rival. NGOs found the issue sexy and stepped in to protect and legitimize the settlement. In the end the NGOs and artists took over the now-famous community and hooked up with the city government. The original urban farmers didn’t fit the picture anymore and had to leave. Now you can listen gansta-rap in a yellow plastic tent where the gardens used to be. Local knowledge died.

Missis Chen, the leader of the Treasure Hill urban farming community.

But Treasure Hill is not alone. Urban farming happens through different social classes and through out the city. The socially disordered citizens are ready to occupy land and start the community farms over and over again. Some acupuncture spots get hot and benefit the surrounding urban tissue while others fade away. The industrial surface of the city keeps constantly being broken up and herbs and vegetables are planted into the cracks. People are ruining the industrial city. Ruin is when man-made has become part of nature.

Urban Editors

Compared to Western cities Taipei plays in quite different rules. The aesthetics of the city is dominated by the functionality of a big collective machine and the urban mechanism is constantly being edited and rendered as with changing the micro-chips or other parts of a super-computer into more powerful ones. The urban data is people and this is what the machine needs to process. Mostly it goes smoothly, but also people get viruses – they get together to spontaneous demonstrations, they do tai-chi in improvised city-corners, they launch ad-hoc night markets or under-bridge sales on temporarily occupied streets or city corners. And they do farms – they are squeezing organic material into the machine like a creeper crawling into an air-conditioning box. Why they do this? Why does the nature want to break the machine?

Hyena Man. Photo: Pieter Hugo

Developers are the true urban editors. They are linked with the city authorities and necessary political powers and they make the urban editing. Architects are in a secondary role – something like the hyenas after the lions have made the kill. Money is a good consultant and the generating force of the developer run urban editing process. This is not urban acupuncture though; it is more like a western style medical practice – operations on the body removing, changing or maintaining parts – or even plastic surgery. (Oh, Shanghai has bigger tits than Taipei.) The body is not necessarily seen as one big organism.

In this rough editing process the anarchist gardeners seem to act as micro-editors, parasites benefiting of the slow circles of the big-scale development. They occupy the not so sexy areas of the city and they jump in the more sleepy parts of the development cycle. For example – the developer buys a whole city block with originally many land-owners. The process is slow because he has to negotiate with all of them. While the process is dragging behind the urban farmers step in and start farming the area. The developer doesn’t want to cause any more fuss and let it happen. It takes 3-5 years before the developer has got all the area to his possession and those same years the site acts as the community garden. When the actual construction starts the gardeners have already occupied a next vacant spot in the city.

Third Generation City

First generation city was the human settlement in straight connection with nature and dependent on nature. The fertile and rich Taipei basing provided a fruitful environment for such a settlement. The rivers were full of fish and good for transportation and the mountains protected the farmed plains from the straightest hits of the frequent typhoons.

Taipei Basin - a river valley surrounded by mountains on three sides and opening up to the Pacific Ocean.

The second generation city is the industrial city. Industrialism claimed the citizens independence from nature – a mechanical environment could provide human everything needed. Nature was seen as something un-necessary or as something hostile – it was walled away from the mechanical reality.

3. ILLEGAL ARCHITECTURE

My first assignment in Taipei was to work with illegal architecture trying to save the Treasure Hill community. This was also the first time that we worked together with Hsieh Ying-Chun and Roan Ching-Yueh for construction. Actually with Hsieh for construction and Roan arranging everything, as usual. We had met earlier at the Urban Flashes in Linz, where Roan moderated our talks, so we were “aware” of each other. In Treasure Hill I didn’t have any other common language to talk with Hsieh or the original community than physical labour – architecture through spontaneous construction. Hsieh started to build up on the hill and I started from the bottom. We sensed each other’s actions and could make instant reactions of them, communicate and improvise. At some point we met. This is Open Form.

Hsieh Ying-Chun's illegal architecture rising up on a back alley of the Urban Core (JUT) area of Taipei.

Taipei is Open Form. Citizen design reactions communicating with each other and trying to dominate the no-man’s land like different plants in the jungle. Hsieh takes his commands from the jungle. So does the Taiwanese citizen built illegal architecture. This architecture uses the “official” city as a growing platform and energy source, where to attach itself like a parasite and from where to leach the electricity and water. The layer of illegal architecture combined with other citizen activated spontaneous community reactions such as the illegal urban farms or night markets is so widespread and deep rooted in the Taiwanese culture and cityscape that we could almost speak of another city on top of the “official” Taipei, a parallel city – or a para-city: Instant Taipei.

Wang-Su's illegal architecture on the roof of the Urban Core cafe.

ORCHID ARCHITECTURE

Illegal architecture is Weak Architecture. One tries to achieve the maximum effect with minimal effort. This architecture is as sharp as it is lazy. This architecture has personality and nature and it can disappear as fast as it has blossomed – like an orchid. The official, stiff, hard and boring Taipei is blossoming with Orchid Architecture. The illegal citizen activities are keeping the city alive, they are ruining the faceless industrial city and pushing in the organic.

Hsieh getting a bit romantic.

Illegal architecture comes in many forms. You have the horizontal and vertical illegal extensions of the apartment buildings, illegal houses and illegal communities such as Treasure Hill or the Amis urban village by the Xindian River, pigeon houses, beetle-nut booths, temples and even moving architecture like the Taiwanese street-style operas or night-market booths. The point is that this fruitful culture of self-made architecture has only been illegal as long as the “official” city has been in the picture. These flexible, moving, adjustable and pliant forms of urban nomad structures have always been. Official city is the newcomer. Illegal architecture is a new name for the citizen’s right to express himself through architecture. These guys don’t need architects, they are the architects themselves. They are more resourceful and creative that the “official” architects corrupted by the university teaching, building industry and laws and codes of construction.

Power installation at Treasure Hill.

Official city wants to get rid of anything spontaneous coming straight from the human nature. This means “illegal” architecture and “illegal” gardens in the urban stage instead of self-made home and growing of food. Industrial city is a machine designed to regulate human life. Illegal architecture is closer to nature including human nature and so against any kind of control.

Hsieh calls his style People’s Architecture. Basically this means giving power back to people to build their homes and to self arrange their communities. This is needed in the countryside but also especially in the industrial city. Hsieh wants people learn again to tune their built human environment to the natural conditions, hook up to the site-specific Local Knowledge and experience the architectural landscape through physical labour. Hsieh wants people to regulate their own built human environment out of official control. Before industrialism and before modernism this has been normal. Now the official city wants to “beatify” the streets from humane architecture, which has become a human error in the official data.

Bug Dome at the Shenzhen - Hong Kong Biennale 2009. WEAK!

WEAK!

Hsieh, Roan and me form a loose co-operative and we call ourselves the WEAK! In Shenzhen 2009 we build an un-official social club for illegal workers coming from the Chinese countryside to the city. This small pavilion was constructed mainly by some very sensitive guys from rural Guangxi, true masters of bamboo. The Bug Dome is insect architecture merely reorganizing natural materials into a nest or cocoon. The contrast to the surrounding skyscrapers of modern Shenzen is shocking. None of the Local Knowledge is accepted in the fast growing city. All the natural wisdom that the hundreds of millions of hands moving now from the Chinese countryside to cities is ignored. If this volume of Local Knowledge that is now pouring into the Chinese cities would be recognized, the new Chinese urbanism would have a change to create something seriously new and environmentally sustainable.

Hsieh Ying-Chun, left and Wang-Su - illegal architects.

Wang-Su is an architectural insect. He has recognized the element of Local Knowledge in the new urban construction workers and he is using this sensitivity as the essence of his architecture. Wang-Su is balancing on the razors edge in-between control and accident and he is pushing the architectural articulation to meet the common man, like Hsieh. Crawling, slithering and still surviving... (Coppola: Apocalypse NOW!) In the Ningbo Historic Museum Wang-Su is building archaeology. The new building is impregnated with memories, subconscious moves and aura that only human presence can transform into a house. Wang-Su has required the construction workers to improvise within the bigger voice of architectural landscape – a bit the same way as Hsieh with the Sichuan tribes. The outcome is a fruitful mixture of simultaneous architectural control and the breaking of it. The great element of accident is present and this time it is harmoniously talking with the architectural control. Wang-Su’s museum is a constructed ruin, an ultra-ruin breaking far away from the modernist clichés and the shiny steel and glass surfaces of the new Chinese cities.

Wang-Su's cocoon seen from the C-LAB balcony.

Roan wanted to hook up Wang-Su with Hsieh and me. He says this is the way how the WEAK! works – we invite people to be weak together. Wang-Su has now built a cocoon on the roof of the Urban Core cafe and Hsieh has grown his architectural creeper structures into the narrow back alleys rooting in the Ruin Academy. Wang-Su has made his cocoon out of wooden sticks, but he hasn’t used any nails. His understanding of three dimensional tension is on the level of the insects. Hsieh has found the fruitful top-soil of the Ruin Academy and he has exploded through the windows and bathrooms to blossom in the space up in the air in-between the buildings. Both Wang-Su and Hsieh have more air in their buildings than structure. Their works are mediators between the modern urban man and something else, that they know exists on the horizon. What comes to Ruin Academy, we can feel that horizon too.

Wooden architecture without nails.

INSTANT TAIPEI

Taipei should be careful with its steps towards a “beautified” future. If the official beauty means killing the self regulated urban communities, destroying the urban farms and community gardens, cleaning the roof-tops out of pigeon houses and illegal architecture and forbidding people to: swim, barbeque, walk a dog, step on grass, chewing of beetle-nuts, fly kites, fish, street vending, karaoke, gambling, picking flowers, sleeping and picnics ... what is left? Beautified official boredom with a polluted river.

No human error.

Instant Taipei happens when there is air to move, like in Wang-Su’s and Hsieh’s architecture. Space for Instant Taipei is the whole city; space where human nature can endlessly construct and deconstruct like ants in human scale. The official city can happen simultaneously together with the Instant Taipei and the official city should accept this as something really beautiful. Let the city rotten, ferment and compost itself. Recognize the illegal architecture as the true force of Taiwanese architecture.

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The NTU Sociology Department's public lecture and the cross-disciplinary compost city thinking is developed in a dialogue with Professor Yen-Fen Tseng, to whom I express my sincere appriciation.

The Ruin Academy research is kindly supported by the JUT Foundation for Arts & Architecture.

TAIPEI FROM THE RIVER

2011-03-26T20:58:00.000-07:00

Marco Casagrande / Ruin Academy / 26.3.2011

Taipei is here because of the river. The clear, drinkable water of the Keelong, Danshui and Xindian Rivers is still in the living memory of the communities along the rivers. For these people and for Taipei the rivers have been the everyday source of life. This is time before the flood walls and time before the city was separated from its natural environment. Taipei still carries the river in its collective memory and so the city has not yet become a total industrial fiction. But new memories need to be made and fast. The rivers must become again the lifeline and nerve system of the urbanized Taipei Basin. A new kind of urbanism must be created living in straight dialog with the river nature; landscape urbanism from the viewpoint of the river: Taipei River Urbanism.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

The Jiantai fishermen have been operating on the Keelong and Danshui Rivers for generations fishing, crabbing and transporting cargo and people on the rivers. They used to carry their Local God with his temple to higher grounds when the river was flooding. The river was so clean that they could drink the water. Flood came every year, the boat building master told us, but it was not so bad since there was no flood walls: the water have plenty of space to spread around. He showed the level below his knee where the water used to rise during the typhoon.

Local Knowlege of the Taipei rivers: Jiantai fishermen.

Then one time the dictator’s home was flooded. He tells us referring to Chiang Kai-Shek. The dictator got mad to the nature and build the walls. The Jiantai fishermen remained with their shrinking settlement close to the river, while as the mad dictator with his city was walled up from the river. Still today the fishermen don’t find a reason why to build the walls.

The dictator's wall separating the city from the rivers.

“The Japanese had better ideas for the rivers. They for example thought of digging the Keelong River deeper. When KMT came the river got polluted and then came the wall.”

Missis Chen, the 86-years old leader of the Treasure Hill original community.

Missis Chen has been living together with the Xindian River all her life. She and her husband used to work for a construction company that harvested sand from the river bottom. Missis Chen participated in the work and she also cooked tea for the working men. These working men founded the Treasure Hill community together with the KMT veterans from Mainland China.

Treasure Hill community by the Xindian River in Taipei.

The illegal community by the river built their own houses and farmed all the flood plain from Treasure Hill to the river. The water was so clear that on low water they could walk to the other side of the river because they could see all the time the bottom and where to step. Children used to cross the river on top of buffaloes. All the families also had to have a boat according to Missis Chen, to visit their relatives and to go on markets to sell their vegetables. “Sometimes an uncle was so drunk that we didn’t know how to send him home in the dark to the other side of the river with his little boat.”

Because of the flood the Treasure Hill settlers did not build valuable properties to the flood area down the hill, but used that for secondary buildings such as pig houses and storages, but even then the government wanted to “protect” them and bulldozed the houses away and in the end forbid them from farming.

"Even the dogs don't eat the fish today."

The pollution comes from the up-stream, Missis Chen says. Suddenly the river got so dirty that they could not eat the fish anymore. Even the dogs don’t eat the fish today. Before the pollution they drank the river water, washed their clothes and vegetables in the river and ate the fish and crabs. River was their everyday life.

The Amis spokesman in his organic urban village.

The Amis spokesman of the Xi Zhou village is a representative of a very brave riverside community. The descendants of the original three families from Taidong Amis the community have been fighting for their rights to live along the river. First the government destroyed their riverside farms and build a bicycle track instead. Same pattern as with Treasure Hill.

Amis ladies preparing food for the community.

Then the officials tried to kick the Amis from their homes and “resettle” them, as they did with the Treasure Hill’s original community. The Amis refused and have been fighting ever since. Now they are in a dialog with the government, who has proposed to move the village a bit further from the river and build to them new homes. The Amis think that the government houses will be nothing compared to their self build houses that form a unique organic community that is as much a garden as it is architecture. The Amis prefer to build their new homes by themselves too in the same organic way as the community is built now and keeping the same dialog with the neighbors and collective spaces.

River + community farms at the up-stream of the Xindian River.

The Spokesman is 37 years old and tells us that he spent all his childhood with the river, who provided the community its everyday food. The collective farming along the river was as essential to the community sense as the river itself and those two cannot be separated in the Spokesman’s childhood memory. Then: the river got polluted.

OFFICIAL MISTAKE

The Official aims in coming in-between human and nature; also in-between human and human nature. The official city is modern and inhumane. It wants to clean up the back-alleys of Taipei and beautify them.

Beautify.

It prevents people from farming on the river banks. In fact it forbids any kind of plantations on the river banks, because they belong to the flood protection area. Missis Chen has been farming all her life on the Xindian River flood plains. So have the Amis settlers. For them the flood is natural and they kept on farming until the government came to “protect” them, as the school head-master came to protect naughty Alex “from himself”. (Stanley Kubrick: A Clockwork Orange) In official point of view when human gets close to nature including human nature, he approaches danger. He can get out of control.

Mangrove trees near Guandu in Danshui River.

River can get out of control - at least out of human control. It is almost as if it supposed not to be controlled by human. Industrial city is an ultimate manifest of human control, a machinery to regulate human life. This machine and the hydraulics of nature seem to be in some sort of conflict trying to fit together in the same Taipei Basin.

The river is flooding, which is something that the city doesn’t want and the city is polluting which is something that the river doesn’t want. An easy, almost fast-food solution was to build a wall between the city and the river. The flood and the rest of the water is supposed to stay on the other, “organic” side of the city-river coexistence and the wall also keeps the stinky and polluted water out of sight. Out of sight, out of mind.

The flood wall in the middle separating the industrial machine from the organic machine.

The wall has been up already a couple of generations. For the young Taipei citizens the river hardly exists, nature has become a fiction. Now the city government has admitted that building the wall and polluting the river has been kind of an “official mistake” and tries to find strategies to make this up for the citizens. They build bicycle ways to the river banks and paint official graffiti on the wall. Riverside parks are being created and citizens are encouraged to cherish the “blue highway”. Same time citizens are not allowed to create spontaneous community farms along the rivers and the wall has not moved anywhere. River is allowed to exist only under the official control as the citizens are only allowed to be with the river under the same official control.

Existence Maximum.

Taiwanese nature, as any nature is against any kind of control. The only rule of nature is existence maximum, to produce maximal life in the given conditions. This goes for the jungle and this goes for the communities in the Taipei Basin. Organic human settlements can find a way how to coexist with the rest of the nature. This has been the reality also in Taipei before the hyper-industrialism.

Jiantai fishermen taking the Aalto University's SGT researchers to a see the city from the viewpoint of the river.

With the industrial-economic growth the co-existence with nature has been forgotten and the people and communities living along the environment are seen as garbage. Now that the environmental consciousness has become an “international trend” also Taipei has become to realize, that it is actually a river city.

An illegal vegetable garden hiding in the bushes by the Danshui River. Photo: Wayne Gretton.

Now the big question with this urban ecological awakening is whether urban nature (river, mountains, jungle, wetlands…) is continued to be seen as an almost virtual ecological amusement park, or can the official Taipei accept nature to be real? Can the river be real and are the citizens allowed to do real things with real nature? Is a grandmother allowed to establish a vegetable garden along the river and take clean water from the stream?

PARTICIPATORY PLANNING

A lot of water needs to go through a city in order to keep it alive. In Taipei it goes like this:

A dam by the Wulai fresh water reservoir that provides drinking water to 5 million people in the Taipei Basin.

1. Fresh water from the mountains is collected to the sweet-water reservoirs of Wulai and Taoyuen from where it is directed to the purification plants in a couple of points around the city. From these water centers the drinking water is the directed to the households and other water consumer units.

The manager of the Dihua sewage treatment facility proudly presenting his tools.

2. After the consumption dirty water including sewage and grey waters are collected to the Dihua, Neihu and Bali sewage treatment plants from where the clean water is again released either to the rivers or into the Taiwan Strait.

Officially 37% sick.

Officially 63 % of the Taipei Basin is connected to the sewage treatment system. The rest 37 % is still released straight into the rivers and these are “official numbers”. The un-official real volume of river pollution is higher. According to the Dihua sewage treatment plant “there is a lot of small factories in the mountains who release their pollution to the rivers at nights.”

Taipei City Government Department of Hydraulics representatives with the SGT researchers and JUT foundation operators.

The natural river restoration in Taipei’s urban conditions requires knew kind of socio-ecological knowledge building and decision making. The different river related departments of the city government (river, hydraulic, environmental protection, urban development, urban design, public works etc.) admit that they are lacking cross-disciplinary co-operation and that they don’t see any participatory planning around the urban river restoration issue, but that they want this. They want to get out from their corners and also give space for the other department to come to their territories. They want to co-operate, but the problem is: every corner has a king.

Every corner has a king.

These kings lay down the disciplines and official power hierarchies that cannot tolerate any changes and that feel every spontaneous move as a threat. These kings make sure their officials protect their territories against the other department. “No, you cannot plant here anything: the river banks belong to the river department.” And to make things even more complicated around the river is not only all the Taipei City departments but also the Taipei County and the Central Government fighting for their rights to control. Meanwhile: nothing happens.

The Taipei Basin participatory planning facility mounted on a bio-ship on the Danshui River.

In the middle of the Danshui River should be set up a boat. A new Noah’s Ark where the representatives of the shareholders of the river would gather for participatory planning. Besides the different city, county and central government officials there would be scholars, scientists, NGO’s and the representatives of the Local Knowledge. Missis Chen would be there, the Jiantai fishermen and the Amis.

Miss Emmi, SGT: "A passion for exploring the intersections of culture, space and place."

This participatory planning would lead into decision making concerning the river restoration and the relationship between the city and the river. Maybe the participatory planning would be chaired by United Nations? The UN-HABITAT is looking for an urban river case that could be used as an example for other similar kind of cases around the world. Taipei could lead the way. Cleaning the river and creating sustainable River Urbanism is not a technological question, it is a question of communication and participatory planning.

FIVE ELEMENTS

The Taipei River Urbanism will be cooked up with five elements: Local Knowledge, Collective Ownership, Environmental Technology, Natural River Restoration and Architecture.

Local Knowledge anchors the future Taipei sustainable development to the real memories and site-specific knowledge of living together with the river nature.

Scooter-farmer, the anarchist gardener of Taipei.

Urban farming and community gardens have always existed together with the river. This Taiwanese phenomenon should be encouraged as a vital part of the River Urbanism. The gardens can be connected to more complex systems of citizen initiated constructions and even alternative communities along the rivers following the examples of the Amis and the Treasure Hill.

Ocean fishing boats at the river mouth of the Danshui River on Bali side.

Fishing, crabbing and aquaculture will restart automatically after the water quality reaches an acceptable level as will boating, swimming and other physical activities with the rivers.

SGT researchers exploring the tidal banks of the Danshui River.

Collective Ownership binds the citizens to the restoration process by taking them into the development as shareholders. The ownership sense is critical to the reunion of the city and the river. In case the citizens do not feel as the shareholders of the future river nature the city will remain behind the wall and the river as drive-in amusement park.

The Beitou incinerator.

Environmental Technology will provide solutions for various sectors of the River Urbanism with sustainable energy production, pollution control and treatment and flood management.

The fertile river banks along the Taipei rivers offer a big potential for biomass production for bio-energy and natural river restoration.

Different sustainable energy solutions will be examined in the river corridors. Small scale wind energy can power local installations such as community gardens and alternative communities. Tidal energy can be an alternative in the river mouth area where the tidal pulse effects the river all the way to Zhuwei-Guandu. Fast growing bio-mass can be grown on the river banks and harvested from boats to fuel bio-energy plants in selected locations. The Taipei climate and the fertile river banks are optimal for bio-mass cultivation. The biomass and tidal energy must be tuned together with the free flooding plan. Too fast steps may increase the flood level while the flood-walls still exist. Solar energy can be produced also on floating installations.

Environmental technology will increase the effectiveness of the existing sewage treatment plants and help to take care of the remaining sources of pollution. Local purification installations and dry toilet systems can be offered to the areas still out of the sewage grid.

Mangrove trees enjoying the tidal sea water pulse in the Guandu-Zhuwei are of the Danshui River.

Natural River Restoration will apply the existing knowledge of river restoration but in urban conditions. The River Restoration is based on free flooding which will eventually mean the removal of the flood walls after the community scale flood control infrastructure is completed in Taipei.

The reinforced concrete flood walls of Taipei rise up to 12 meters effectively cutting the city of from the river nature.

The sedimentation pollution will be removed from the river bottoms and treated. The river bank soil will be either removed and treated or the pollutants will be tied into vegetation as for example part of the biomass production. Wetland areas will be introduced together with riverbank vegetation and eventually connected to the mountain jungles as green corridors in order to increase bio diversity and to treat the water and soil.

High water scenario at the free flooding river city. SGT Guandu, 2009.

Probably the most challenging part of the natural river restoration will be the element of free flooding. Community scale underground storm water reservoirs will be built in the flood areas of the Taipei Basin rendering the Tokyo underground typhoon reservoir mega-structures but as a de-centralized system. After the underground storm water capacity is in function the flood-walls will be removed; city and the river will be reunited.

An Amis house made of doors.

Architecture will still define the human built environment of the Taipei River Urbanism, but in closer connection with the organic growth and the water movement. The Local Knowledge will give solutions into more organic construction and community sense.

Organic self constructed mangrove architecture. SGT Guandu, 2009.

The free flooding will present new challenges for housing and infrastructure where also the static and industrially built architecture has to give up in order to let nature to step in. The urban environmental conditions will not be aimed to be fixed and controlled, but flexible and Open Form.

Treasure Hill. Photo: Stephen Wilde.

Taipei and Taiwan has a high standard of illegal citizen built architecture. This spontaneous culture or gardening buildings should be encouraged and supported. The River Urbanism will step back from the developer or official initiated construction and make more room for citizen architecture. The DIY architecture can start in small scale on the river banks as part of the community gardens and it can also start building mediating areas over the flood wall connecting the city to the organic side.

TAIWANESE SOLUTION

The natural river restoration and taking the city back to the river is not a mystery. This is in the minds of the Taipei City Government and in the Central Government. There is the will and the technology exists. Normal people feel a bit lost though. For them how the city goes and what has happened to the rivers seems to be out touch. They have not been part of this process before and they find it hard to develop tools to negotiate with the official side of the community. Participatory planning will offer the tool for the Local Knowledge to be part of the decision making and the Knowledge Building of the Taipei River Urbanism.

Aalto University SGT + Tamkang Architecture + NTU Sociology = Taipei River Urbanism.

The ecological restoration of the urbanized Taipei Basin must be a Taiwanese solution, not a copy from Tokyo or Europe. The river city Taipei must keep looking unique and local. Probably the urban solution will be a bit messier than Tokyo, but so is the jungle. The big ecological restauration process will be broken up into networks of local community scale solutions, such as the underground storm water tanks.

Partners for environmental technology and participatory planning are easy to be found from Finland or elsewhere in Europe, maybe Japan can play a role too. Working with UN-HABITAT is something certainly worth thinking and through UN the solution and knowledge that are developed with the case of Taipei can be easierly used for similar cities around the world. Taipei should lead the way.

SGT + JUT operators with the Jiantai fisheman guid at Danshui River.

The presentation at the Ruin Academy, Taipei 26.3.2011 is a result of a research and workshop conducted in co-operation between the Aalto University SGT Sustainable Global Technologies, Finland + Tamkang University Department of Architecture, Taiwan + National Taiwan University Department of Sociology.

The Taipei River Urbanism workshop team at the Ruin Academy 26.3.2011.

Sincere thanks to all the researchers, students and professors – especially Professor Chen Cheng-Chen from Tamkang and Professor Tseng Yen-Fen from NTU.

The Taipei River Urbanism workshop and research is kindly supported by the JUT Foundation for Arts and Architecture.

TAIPEI RIVER URBANISM

2011-03-14T11:17:00.001-07:00

The third workshop of the Ruin Academy is approaching. This time in the focus will be the relationship of the City and the River. The workshop will be a field study providing us data for the future Visionary Plan of the Taipei River Urbanism, when the industrial city will meet the river again.

A cross-disciplinary research group from Aalto University Sustainable Global Technologies – center will operate with the Ruin Academy 18. – 27.3. and then continue their work in Finland. The SGT would appreciate all possible assistance from Taipei Basin citizens (city + county) with their memories, wishes, dreams and fears about water and the river nature.

Tamkang University Department of Architecture master students with Professor Chen Cheng-Chen will join the Aalto University students to combine a larger task force for the River Urbanism research and design.

The workshop will be open for Ruin Academy operators and others who feel the cause of the River + City to be worth a personal contribution. This can mean many things: photographs, interviews, poetry, sociological insights, an introduction of a wise grandmother or a dip in the river Mao style.

Data collected during the workshop and afterwards will be edited as a part of the next issue of the Anarchist Gardener, the Ruin Academy’s independent newspaper.

The workshop and research is backed up by the Taipei City Government Department of Urban Development and JUT Foundation for Arts & Architecture. The Aalto University’s SGT Centre is connected with the United Nations UN-HABITAT for which the Ruin Academy research and visionary plan will report as a case-study of Urban River Restoration and River Urbanism.

SGT Operators:

Andreas Svarvar / Civil and Environmental Engineering

Boris Fargeot / Civil Engineering

Emmi Jääskeläinen / Architecture and Urban Design

Ha Hoang / Energy Technology

Lauri Ahopelto / Civil and Environmental Engineering

Frank Chen / Architecture

Yu-Chen Chiu / Architecture

Yi-Ling Hung / Curator - JUT Foundation

Nikita Wu / Gardener - Ruin Academy

Marco Casagrande / Principal - Ruin Academy

廢墟建築學院第三回工作營TAIPEI RIVER URBANISM 台北都市河流學

很榮幸和大伙兒宣佈廢墟建築學院第三回工作營即將展開！本次工作營定焦城市與河流間的關係。藉由田野調查和一手資料的匯集，廢墟建築學院將在工作營告一段落後，整合眾人的智慧和意見，為已工業化的台北城擘劃出都市與自然河川之間再度和諧共生共存的未來都市願景。

芬蘭阿爾托大學（Aalto University）全球可持續性能源科技中心（Sustainable Global Technologies – center， SGT ）跨領域及學科的專家們，於3月18日至27日間進駐廢墟建築學院，並將把資料帶回芬蘭繼續進一步分析專研。SGT的成員將深入調研台北盆地居民們對河流和水岸自然的記憶、期望、夢想與憂懼。

淡江大學建築系碩士班學生在陳珍誠老師的指導與鼓勵下，亦將和來自阿爾托大學的學生密切合作，以台北都市河流學為題，作更具遠觀的城市肌理研究及都市藍圖規劃。

誠摯歡迎先前曾經參加前兩次工作營的各位園丁，與關心台北河流與都市發展的有心人們以攝影、訪談、詩歌、社會學研究角度或幫我們介紹一位充滿在地智慧的阿媽，甚至借鏡毛澤東先後13次橫渡長江的氣魄，親身試探淡水河的水溫...等各樣方式一道兒參與我們的行動！

你／妳回望河水山色的片刻想望，將收錄於廢墟建築學院出版之《安那其建築園丁》獨立報中。

本工作營忠泰建築藝術文化基金會共同策劃，北市府都發局資料協力。阿爾托大學（Aalto University）全球可持續性能源科技中心（Sustainable Global Technologies – center， SGT ）及聯合國人居署（ United Nations UN-HABITAT）和廢墟建築學院協同合作以城市河道復育整治（Urban River Restoration）與都市河流學（ River Urbanism）之專案研究計劃。

SGT 成員:

Andreas Svarvar / Civil and Environmental Engineering

Boris Fargeot / Civil Engineering

Emmi Jääskeläinen / Architecture and Urban Design

Ha Hoang / Energy Technology

Lauri Ahopelto / Civil and Environmental Engineering

陳右昇 Architecture

邱郁晨 Architecture

洪宜玲策展統籌｜忠泰建築文化藝術基金會

巫祈麟廢墟建築學院園丁

Marco Casagrande 廢墟建築學院主持

"Vanhakaupunki" Turunkin vetonaulaksi

2011-01-05T08:26:00.000-08:00

Anne-Marget Niemi

Kaikkein viehättävimmissä Euroopan kaupungeissa on ns. vanhakaupunki, kaupunginosa kapeine kujineen, pikku kahviloineen ja erikoisliikkeineen. Tosin Tukholman ”Gamla Stanin” liikkeet ovat viime vuosina tasoltaan laskeneet roimasti. Siellä on kuitenkin vielä Mode Rosa, hattukauppa, jonka modisti Rosa Langer perusti 1940 ja piti sitä itse 68 vuotta. Monet meistä asiakkaista muistavat Rosan kirjoittamat laput ikkunaan, kuten muistutuksia siitä, että ”hatut ovat taas muodissa” ja kuvia kuningasperheestä Mode Rosasta ostettuine hattuineen. Muutama vuosi sitten Rosa oli jättänyt lapun ovelle, jossa hän pahoitteli sitä, että hänen myyjänsä oli kuollut 80-vuotiaana ja kun hän nyt hoitaa yksin putiikkia, hän joutuu välillä käymään asioilla ja sulkemaan kaupan siksi aikaa. Vuonna 2008 Rosa luovutti putiikkinsa jälkipolvilleen ja tänään Mode Rosa on tyylikäs liike, jolla on omat nettisivut, mutta jotain ainutlaatuista lähti Rosan mukana.

Turun Sanomissa (30.12.10) Marco Casagrande ehdotti Suurtorin yhdistämistä ja Tuomiokirkon ympäristön rauhoittamista yksityiseltä liikenteeltä. Varsin mielenkiintoisessa visiossa liikuttaisiin raitiovaunulla satamasta yliopistolle Kauppatorin ja Suurtorin kautta. Tällä idealla saisimme Turkuun ”vanhankaupungin”. Tukholman 1200-luvulta peräisin oleva vanha kaupunki rakennettiin linnoituksen ympärille ja on se ydin, jonka ympärille kaupunki levisi. Turunkin keskiaikaisella torilla olisi mukava istua kahvikupposen kanssa ja ihailla kirkkoa, kuten monien eurooppalaisten vanhojen kirkkojen edessä olevilla aukioilla tehdään.

Sporalla Turun Vanhalle Suurtorille. Casagrande Laboratorio 2010

Tunnelmalliseksi vanhat kaupunginosat tekevät puutalot ja kapeat kujat, pienet ravintolat ja kahvilat, jotka usein ovat perheyrityksiä. Saisimme tuollaisen kaupunginosan Tuomiokirkon ympärille, mikäli Casagranden ehdotus toteutuisi ja liikenteelliset ongelmat pystyttäisiin ratkaisemaan. Tuomiokirkon kummallekin puolelle pitäisi silloin saada vetovoimaisia kohteita. Nyt siellä on Sibelius-museo ja sen lähellä hurmaava Mansikkapaikka-kahvila ja toisella puolen kirkkoaukiota Suurtorin tuntumassa Brinkkalan sisäpihan designliikkeet ja Kirjakahvila ja Taidelainaamo. Kaikki siellä nyt olevat kohteet ovat todellisia helmiä, joita tulee arvokkaasti täydentämään kohta valmistuva Pinella.

*Kirjoittaja on Turku Touringin matkailujohtaja
* Artikkeli on julkaistu Turun Sanomissa 5.1.2011

Birth of a Photon

2011-01-05T06:23:00.000-08:00

We artists and scientists are very close to each other by sharing the same total level of passion and individual creativity. The public artwork Birth of a Photon celebrates this connection through an artistic rendering of the scientific mind, the universe where the mysteries of nature are revealed.

The Birth of a Photon is connected to Albert Einstein’s initial discovery of the lichtquant, or photon - the basic unit of light and all other forms of electromagnetic radiation. This is the starting point of the scientific tradition that also the National Research Centre is continuing today.

I am inspired by following a scientific forum “The creation of EM waves” resulting to the following graphic showing the photon formation of relative speed at the free space:

In this reality the photon is just a wave pocket.

The public artwork Birth of a Photon is a three dimensional artistic rendering describing the birth of the lichtquant, homage Albert Einstein. The sculpture is 14, 5 meters long and 2,2 meters high and wide and made out of shiny chrome steel.

The Birth of a Photon is resting on a laminated glass podium that stands on a black-board platform. In this black-board we invite the scientist of the NSRRC to write down their favourite scientific formulae or hypothesis with chalk in a collective action. These hand-writings will then be preserved by multiple layers of shiny lacquer and will become a permanent element of the public art work.

WIRE FRAMES

C-LAB for Photon:

Marco Casagrande
Nikita Wu
Arijit Sen
Shreya Nagrath
Frank Chen
Yu-Chen Chiu

Sporalla Turun Vanhalle Suurtorille

2010-12-30T21:57:00.000-08:00

Kirjoittaja haluaisi palauttaa rauhan Tuomiokirkon ympärille, yksi keino vähentää yleistä liikennettä olisi yhdistämää vanhat raitiotielinjat 1 ja 2 kulkemaan Turun satamasta yliopistolle Kauppatorin ja Suurtorin kautta.

Isäni keräsi lapsena taskurahaa laulamalla Turun sporassa. Kuulin vanhemmiltani keltaisista sähköllä liikkuvista vaunuista pikkupoikana 1970-luvun Lapissa ja muodostin oman käsitykseni suuresta eteläisestä Turun kaupungista pitkälti raitiovaunujen ympärille – keltaisten kolisevien vaunujen, joissa pikkupojat saivat rahaa laulamalla.

Pettymyksekseni en saanut nähdä Turun raitiovaunuja, jotka oli poistettu modernisaation tieltä vuonna 1972. Toinen pettymys oli Tuomiokirkko, joka tuntui seisovan likaisen liikenneympyrän keskellä. Äitini kertoi kirkkoa ympäröivästä Vanhasta Suurtorista, jonka totesin parkkipaikaksi.

Aurajoki oli Torniojoen varrella kasvaneelle pienelle lappilaiselle kuvottava ilmestys – julkinen viemäri, joen irvikuva. Myös kraanavesi maistui pahalle.

Kaiken kaikkiaan en saanut Turusta kovinkaan hyvää kuvaa. Ylitornioon verrattuna kaupunki tuntui olevan mielisairas. Ainoa merkillepantava etu kotikylääni verrattuna oli ukkini tarjoamat katkaravut, joita hän haki käsitykseni mukaan Wiklundilta.

Joki, raitiovaunut ja Tuomiokirkko ovat määräävä osa Turun kollektiivista alitajuntaa ja yhteistä muistia. Joki on kunnostettu ja olen itsekin nähnyt siinä hyppivän taimenia ravintolalaivojen kupeessa. Tuomiokirkko seisoo vieläkin liikennejakajan takana ja sporat odottavat kolisemistaan. Ns. Suurtori lienee Suomen karkeimmin kastroitu kaupunkitila, jossa ihmiset odottavat viisikaistaisen Uudenmaankadun molemmin puolin liikennevalojen vaihtumista päästäkseen torin toiselta puolelta toiselle. Näky on hävettävä. Kaupungin sydän on halkaistu ja alistettu 1970-lukulaiselle liikennemekanismille. Pääsiäisenä Jeesus meinasi jäädä auton alle kantaessaan pajupuista ristiään kohti kirkon rappusia kaiketi osana passioharjoituksia.

Soitin Suurtoriasiassa eläkepäiviään viettävälle arkkitehtuurin historian professori Wilhelm Helanderille ja kysyin, eikö jaetun kaupunkitilan puoliskot pitäisi yhdistää ja Uudenmaankatu poistaa? Helander toppuutteli intoani ja sanoi, että julkisen liikenteen pitää jäädä; sitä pitäisi jopa tehostaa. Yksityiset autot saisivat toki kiertää jostain muualta kuin keskeltä keskiaikaista toria.

Kun tori on yhdistetty ja jalankulkijat saaneet vallan, sopii tuleva Pennisiltakin yhdistämään Suurtorin historiallisen kaupunkitilan kirjaston torin kautta kauppatorille. Nykyisellään Tuomiokirkon edusta on kulttuuripääkaupungin negaatio.

Professori Helanderin mainitsema julkisen liikenteen tehostaminen tarkoittaa raitiovaunuja takaisin. Otin asian puheeksi Haroman arkkitehtitoimiston Raul Kallion kanssa, joka havainnoi Turkua tarkemmin kuin ehkä kukaan muu. Kallio ratkaisi liikennetrauman yhdistämällä vanhat raitiotielinjat 1 ja 2 kulkemaan Turun satamasta yliopistolle Kauppatorin ja Suurtorin kautta.

Kun joki, raitiovaunut ja Suurtori ovat restauroitu, voin vanhana ylitorniolaisena todeta kaupungin parantuneen mielisairaudestaan. Kraanavesihän on jo hyvinkin kelvollista.

Marco Casagrande

C-LAB for Spora:
Marco Casagrande
Shreya Nagrath
Arijit Sen

Artikkeli on julkaistu Turun Sanomissa 30.12.2010

Taipei Organic Acupuncture

2010-11-06T21:54:00.000-07:00

Paper presented at the Ruin Academy 6.11.2010

Taipei Organic Acupuncture
Marco Casagrande / Ruin Academy

The punctual community gardens and urban farms of Taipei. C-LAB

Missis Lee in the Gongguan community garden.

101 community garden in-between Taipei 101 and World Trade Center. Photo: Isis Kang.

Treasure Hill in 2003. Photo: Stephen Wilde.

Hyena Man. Photo: Pieter Hugo

Taipei Basin - a river valley surrounded by mountains on three sides and opening up to the Pacific Ocean.

Third Generation City is the organic ruin of the industrial city. The community gardens of Taipei are fragments of the third generation urbanism when they exist together with the industrial surroundings. Local Knowledge is present in the city and this is where Ruin Academy focuses its research. Among the urban gardeners are the local knowledge professors of Taipei. Third Generation City is true when the city recognizes its local knowledge and allows itself to be part of nature.

---
The paper is based on independent Ruin Academy research (2010) in co-operation with the National Taiwan University Department of Sociology. Special thanks to Professors Yen-Fen Tseng and Chia-Ling Wu, to RA researchers Frank Chen and Yu-Chen Chiu, to Project Manager Nikita Wu and for Roan Ching-Yueh and Hsieh Ying-Chun to keep the talk up.

The Ruin Academy research is kindly supported by the JUT Foundation for Arts & Architecture.

Ruin Academy : Reading List 1

2010-10-07T23:41:00.000-07:00

Ruin Academy

These books must be read before Sunday:

1. Roadside Picknic / Arkady & Boris Strugatsky, 1972
2. Heart of Darkness / Joseph Conrad, 1902
3. Tristes Tropiques Claude / Claude Lévi-Strauss, 1955
4. Dialectic of Enlightment / Otto Adorno & Max Horkheimer, 1944
5. God and the State / Mikhail Bakunin, 1871
6. Master and Man / Leo Tolstoy, 1895
7. Towards a Poor Theatre / Jerzy Grotowski, 1968
8. Go Rin No Sho / Miyamoto Musashi, 1645
9. The Organic Machine / Richard White, 2005
10. Anti-Oedipus / Gilles Deleuze & Félix Guattari, 1972

Ruin Academy

2010-10-07T22:17:00.000-07:00

Ruin Academy (Taipei, Taiwán 2010 -) es una plataforma educativa independiente de arquitectura situada en el núcleo urbano de la zona de Taipei, Taiwán. La Academia se de desarrolla en cooperación entre el Laboratorio finlandes Casagrande y la taiwanesa fundación JUT para el Arte y la Arquitectura.

Ruin Academy se propone repensar la ciudad industrial y el encajonamiento del hombre moderno. Organiza talleres y cursos para diversas universidades taiwanesas e internacionales, incluyendo National Taiwan University Department of Sociology, Tamkang University Department of Architecture, Aalto University Sustainable Global Technologies Centre and Helsinki University of Arts and Design Department of Environmental Art.. Las tareas de investigación y diseño se mueven libremente entre la arquitectura, el diseño urbano, el arte ambiental y otras disciplinas del arte y la ciencia dentro del marco general del medio ambiente humano construido.

La Ruin Academy ocupa un edificio de apartamentos abandonados de 5 pisos en el centro de Taipei. Todas las paredes interiores del edificio y todas las ventanas han sido eliminadas con el fin de crezca el bambú y las hortalizas en el interior de la casa. Los profesores y alumnos duermen y trabajar en dormitorios ad-hoc hechos de caoba cuentan con una sauna pública en la 5 ª planta. Todo el edificio está perforado con agujeros de 6 pulgadas con el fin de permitir "la lluvia en el interior". La Academia es vista como un ejemplo o un fragmento de la Ciudad de tercera generación, la ruina orgánica de la ciudad industrial.

Sin sus ruinas el hombre es un mono común.

Ficha técnica
Arquitecto: Marco Casagrande
Gerente de Proyecto: Nikita Wu y Fundación JUT
Coordinadores: Lea Yi-Chen Lin, Hung Yi-Ling
Fotos AdDa
Contacto: info@ruinacademy.com

Ruin Academy Sketches

2010-10-02T07:27:00.001-07:00

Ruin Academy_Drawings

2010-09-27T07:38:00.000-07:00

Site Plan

Ruin Academy / Jong-Hua Road "Urban Core" Block (JUT Foundation), Taipei, Taiwan

1st Floor - "Archive"

Blown off basement with olive trees, pile of top-soil with taro, fire-place, 6 inch holes through wall, public walkway, archive.

2nd Floor - "Dormitory"

Sleeping - Working units for 4 students, kitchen, vegetable garden, bamboo, 6 inch holes through ceiling and floor.

3rd Floor - "Professor's Deck"

- Bed on wheels, kitchen, bamboo, 6 inch holes through ceiling and floor

4th Floor - "Lounge"

- Fire-place, stage, bamboo, 6 inch holes through floor.

5th Floor - "Sauna"

- Public sauna, chill-out room, showers with taro+bamboo, white gravel, wild tree, 6 inch hole in the floor.

Section

Cross-section

Drawings Marco Casagrande

Ruin Academy: Cello

2010-09-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

About this ruin. WE made the ruin. It did not happen due to some escape, giving up or forgetting. Or did it? Maybe we forgot the forgetting. Maybe we gave up “architectonic control” and let nature in. Maybe we ruined the house in order to escape to the jungle.

Ruin Academy:
- Is it a He or a She?
- What kind of animal?
- What instrument?

A. Not sure about the sex yet, but the ruin is sexy. Sexier than a house.
B. More like some mind than an animal. Or if an animal and a vegetable could make babies, so maybe one of those.
C. Cello

It feels like we are writing new memories to the city - new stories. Ruin Academy is an architectonic sketch-book already impregnated by subconscious sweat of the surrounding Taipei. This is more a void than a volume. An open corner in the city…and the corners are windy.

How to escape academic control? How to get over disciplines? How to find the Local Knowledge Professors? How to high-light the hidden orders of the city…the urban acupuncture? How to determine the energies that the composting processes of Taipei are producing; and how to use these energies? How to make the city and the river meet?

The anarchist grandmothers, the anarchist gardeners who are cultivating the forgotten corners of the city: they are holding some keys. We have a sauna in the Ruin Academy. Soon we are ready to start operating with the granny-power - sauna fresh.

---
Ruin Academy: Casagrande Laboratory with JUT Foundation for Arts and Architecture
Cello: Emily Chang 張立青
Photos: AdDa

Ruin Academy

2010-08-14T20:17:00.000-07:00

The Ruin Academy is an experimental platform for knowledge building on the way towards the Third Generation City – the ruin of the industrial city. The Academy offers a public sphere for cross-disciplinary communication within the general field of built human environment, city. We don’t focus in the different disciplines of art and science. We focus on local knowledge, people and stories.

The Academy is more like a Pub than a University – or like a public sauna in Finland, where everybody is stripped naked from the President to the Police.

We must build a public sauna to the Ruin Academy.

The Ruin Academy sends an open call to think on the urban environment – the city, the people and the nature. We want to understand the ruining processes in Taipei. Ruin is when man-made has become part of nature. People are ruining the industrial city; this is connected with the local knowledge. Who are the professors of the Local Knowledge in Taipei? They should be the bar-tenders of the Ruin Academy.

The Ruin Academy is an independent and free platform where the different student groups and other players can meet. The Academy is about knowledge building. It is a simultaneous construction site and a ruin. We don’t know what we will find but the first step is to break the box, ruin the city. What comes to the academic control, we will give up in order to let nature step into our ruin. There is no other discipline than nature. There is our Pub.

LINK

CASA CHEN

2010-07-01T07:10:00.000-07:00

La casa está construida sobre una vieja plantación de cerezos en Datun - montanas de Taiwán del Norte. Está disenada como una casa que reaccione a las condiciones de vientos insistentes, enuandaciones y calores del sitio.

La casa es un poste que se eleva sobre la tierra para permitir que las aguas de la inundación corran por debajo de ella. Los diferentes espacios están conectados con un movimiento flexible dentro del eje de funciones interiores y exteriores. El bano más pequeno y la cocina actúan como contrapeso estabilizando la estructura de madera durante los frecuentes tifones y terremotos.

La arquitectura bioclimática está disenada para atrapar la brisa fresca del Río Datun durante los días cálidos y para que entren los pequenos vientos que circulan en el predio entre la reserva de agua dulce de la laguna y las tierras de cultivo. Un hogar es utilizado durante el invierno para calefección y para preparar el té. Conectado al bano se encuentra un pequeno sauna.

La casa no es fuerte ni robusta - es débil y flexible. A la vez no deja afuera al entorno sino que está disenada para ofrecerle a los granjeros un refugio necesario.

Una ruina surge cuando la fabricado por el hombre se transforma en parte de la naturaleza. Con esta casa deseábamos disenar una ruina.

En un sueno anoche presencié una gran tormenta. Arrancó los andaminos, tiró al suelo las piezas de hierro. Pero lo que estaba fabricado de madera, se balanceó y permaneció.
- Bertolt Brecht

ARQUITECTOS:
C-LABORATORY

MARCO CASAGRANDE, ARQUITECTO PRINCIPAL
+
FRANK CHEN, ARQUITECTO

COLLABORADORES:
SHI-DING CHEN, NIKITA WU, SHU-GI BAI, MISSIS LEE

CONSTRUCTOR:
C-LAB

FOTOGRAFIAS:
AdDa

UBICACION:
DATUN MONTANAS

AREA DEL TERRENO:
3.890 m2

AREA DEL PROYECTO:
138 m2

Casas Internacional. ISBN 978-957-584-276-2. Kliczkowski. Argentina. 2010

The maker of Stalker shares a vision of Russia

2010-06-24T04:56:00.000-07:00

BORIS STRUGATSKY GIVES LITTLE HOPE FOR FUTURE

In Andrei Tarkovsky's movie that is based on Boris and Arkady Strugatsky's novel Roadside Picnic, Stalker (Aleksandr Kaidanovski) is taking people to the forbidden Zone.

RUSSIA WILL SPIRAL FROM A REVOLUTION INTO ENERGY CRISIS IN THE NEXT TWENTY YEARS.

Everything starts promising.

A growing population of Russians refuse to digest the ever spreading corruption, the domination of the petty-bureaucracy and the limitations of the freedom of speech.

The tandem-leadership of President Dimitri Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will collapse. Medvedev’s mantra of the Russian modernisation has proved to be nonsense – the target of the modernisation has been solely the economy, not the political system.

“After five or ten years starts a new Perestroika, revolution”, says St. Petersburg based fantasy- and science fiction novelist Boris Strugatsky.

“A new Gorbachev will appear or a new Yeltsin, the winds or change are blowing, a new Perestroika will take form – only this time stopping power will not be the communist party, but the dictatorial bureaucracy.”

Helsingin Sanomat (Finland’s leading newspaper) asked the novelist to take a time journey into the future of Russia. Sturgatsky said yes, but only agrees to communicate via e-mails. He won’t appear in photographs.

“I hate being photographed”, he writes.

DURING THE SOVIET ERA Boris Strugatsky together with his brother Arkady (1925-1991) created utopian worlds, into where the duo also smuggled in some social critiques. Their most know novel is the Roadside Picnic, which was filmed by Andrei Tarkovsky in Stalker.

Today Boris Strugatsky, 76, is an active critic of the political powers. Novels he publishes no longer. Last year he had on open letter exchange, published in the Novaja Gazeta, about visions of future with Mikhail Hodorkovsky, the ex-leader of the Russian oil giant Jukos who now sits in jail.

In these letters, as in this time journey, Strugatsky gives little hope for future.

A TIME OF DICTATORSHIP AND RATIONING CARDS WILL BEGIN. GOOD BUY DEMOCRACY.

HOW does the revolution take place?

Strugatsky believes that people will in the end realize that the current system is a dead-end street.

First thousands will rise into opposition and take to the streets. Hundreds of thousands get interested in the politics.

”And of course nobody continues to work anymore.”

He won’t give the new Yeltsin or Gorbachev a name.

”Just recently they were nobodies, and nobody knew them, but then something happened…one week goes, perhaps two…and hundreds of thousands will shout their names on the town squares."

STRUGATSKY has perspective to talk. He remembers how it was to live through the hardest years of the Soviet censorship.

Even if Russia today is not perfect what comes to the freedom of speech, the current situation can not be compared to Stalin’s ice-hell, Strugatsky writes.

"There exists fully liberal newspapers, radio stations and even TV-channels."

BUT WHAT will follow after then years, when the people has risen up and the Russian political system is being reformed according to the principles of Democracy?

The freedom of the political liberation will last for one decade.

“Then energy-crises will begin. The world (the whole world, not only Russia) will travel a couple of hundred years back”, Strugatsky illustrates.

TIME OF DICTATORSHIP and rationing cards will begin. Good-bye democracy.

It is not the end of humankind, but only the end of the over-wealthiest part of the population.

”Humankind is only reducing some speed.”

P R O F I L E

The father of Stalker went to opposition

Arkady and Boris Strugatsky

Boris Strugatsky, 76, is one of the most popular and most translated Russian writers. Together with his brother Arkady Strugatsky he created a broad selection of novels including the Roadside Picnic, One Billion Years Before the End of the World and the criticism of communist system Hard to be God.

The most famous of the novels is the Roadside Picnic, on which Adrei Tarkovsky’s film Stalker is based on. Although the film is not strictly following the book, the dangerous and appealing Zone left behind by aliens is in the focus of Tarkovsky too.

The Strugatskys’ Stalker is an alcohol drinking working class man Redrick Shoehart, who makes profitable looting to the heavily guarded Zone.

When Tarkovsky describes a journey in the twilight of dream and awake into the subconscious of man, Strugatskys’ Zone that operates beyond the laws of nature is very concrete with its effect on the human beings that visit the area. Shoehart’s daughter Monkey is a mutant, who has an animal’s face, palms and fur.

After the death of his brother in 1991 Boris Strugatsky continued to write two more novels, after which he quit to produce fine literature. He is active in criticizing the politics and society and usually publishes his criticism in the newspapers of the democratic opposition.

He is educated as an astronomic.

Strugatskys’ novels are still being filmed. The last one is Fjodor Bondartsuk’s Inhabited Island (Obitajemyj ostrov), which has received mixed reactions from the audience.

Strugatsky himself views Stalker as the most successful filming.

Anneli Ahonen in Helsingin Sanomat 27.4.2010

Stalkerin tekijä visioi Venäjää

2010-06-14T06:31:00.000-07:00

Boris Strugatskin kuva tulevaisuudesta tarjoaa vain vähän toivoa

Boris ja Akadin Strugatskin romaaniin perustuvassa, Andrei Tarkovskin ohjaamassa elokuvassa Stalker (Aleksandr Kaidanovski) johdattaa ihmisiä kielletylle Vyöhykkeelle.

Venäjä syöksyy vallankumouksesta energiakriisiin kahdessakymmenessä vuodessa.

Kaikki alkaa lupaavasti.

Yhä suurempi osa venäläisistä on kieltäytynyt sulattamasta kaikkialle levittäytyvää korruptiota, loputonta pikkuvirkamiesten harjoittamaa kyykytystä ja sananvapauden rajoittamista.

Presidentti Dimitri Medvedevin ja pääministeri Vladimir Putinin tandemjohto hajoaa. Medvedevin hokema mantra Venäjän modernisaatiosta on osoittautunut tyhjäksi puheeksi, koska uudistusten kohteeksi on voinut päästä vain talous, ei poliittinen järjestelmä.

"Viiden tai kymmenen vuoden päästä alkaa seuraava perestroika, vallankumous", uskoo pietarilainen fantasia- ja tieteiskirjailija Boris Strugatski.

"Ilmestyy uus Gorbatsov tai Jeltsin, muutoksen tuulet puhaltavat, uusi perestroika puhkeaa - tällä kerta tien tukkeena ei vain enää makaa kommunistinen puolue, vaan kaikkivoipa byrokratia."

Helsingin Sanomat pyysi kirjailijaa tekemään aikaharppauksen Venäjän tulevaisuuteen. Strugatski suostui, mutta antaa haastatteluja ainoastaan sähköpostitse. Valokuvaan hän ei halua.

"Vihaan kuvaamista", hän kirjoittaa.

NEUVOSTOAIKANA Boris Strugatski loi yhdessä veljensä Arkadin (1925-1991) kanssa utopistisia maailmoja, joihin parivaljakko ujutti myös yhteiskuntakritiikkiä. Heidän kuuluisin teoksensa on suomennettu nimellä Stalker, huviretki tienpientareelle, joka tunnetaan Andrei Tarkovskin elokuvaohjauksesta.

Nykyisin Boris Strugatski, 76, on aktiivinen vallanpitäjien kritisoija. Kaunokirjallisuutta hän ei enää julkaise. Viime vuonna hän kävi oppositiolehti Novaja Gazetassa öljy-yhtiö Jukosin entisen johtajan ja vankilassa istuvan Mihail Hodorkovskin kanssa kirjeenvaihtoa tulevaisuudenvisioistaan.

Niissä, kuten tällä aikamatkallakin, on toiveikkuutta vain ripaus.

ALKAA ITSEVALTIUDEN JA SÄÄNNÖSTELYKORTTIEN AIKAKAUSI. DEMOKRATIALLE JÄTETÄÄN HYVÄSTIT.

KUINKA vallankumoukseen sitten päädytään?

Strugatskin milelestä ihmiset lopulta ymmärtävät, että nykyjärjestelmä johtaa umpikujaan.

Ensin tuhannet nousevat vastarintaan ja lähtevät kaduille. Sadattuhannet kiinnostuvat politiikasta.

"Ja tietenkin kaikki lakkaavat tekemästä töitä."

Uutta Jeltsiniä tai Gorbasovia hän ei halua nimetä.

"Vielä äsken he olivat mitättömyyksiä, eikä heitä tuntenut kukaan, mutta sitten jotain tapahtuu...kuluu viikko tai kaksi...ja sadattuhannet huutavat heidän nimeään aukioilla."

STRUGATSKILLA on perspektiiviä puhua. Hän muistaa myös, millaista oli elää läpi neuvostoajan tiukimpien sensuurin vuosien.

Vaikka sananvapauden suhteen Venäjällä asiat eivät olekaan täydellisesti, ei tilannetta voi edes verrata Stalinin "jäähelvettiin", Strugatski kirjoittaa.

"On täysin liberaaleja oppositiolehtiä, radiokanavia, jopa tv-kanavia."

MUTTA MITÄ tapahtuu, kun kymmenen vuoden päästä kansa on noussut vastarintaan ja Venäjän poliittista järjestelmää muotoillaan uudelleen demokraattisten perusteiden mukaiseksi?

Poliittisten vapauksien aikakautta kestää kymmenen vuoden ajan.

"Sitten alkaa energiakriisi. Maailma (koko maailma, ei vain Venäjä) heittäytyy pari sataa vuotta ajassa taaksepäin", Strugatski kuvaa.

ALKAA itsevaltiuden ja säännöstelykorttien aikakausi. Demokratialle jätetään hyvästit.

Se ei kuitenkaan ole ihmiskunnan tuho, vaan ainoastaan yltäkylläisesti eläneen väestönosan loppu.

"Ihmiskunta vain jarruttaa vauhtiaan."

PROFIILI

Arkadi ja Boris Strugatski

Stalkerin isä lähti oppositioon

BORIS STRUGATSKI, 77, on suosituimpia ja käännetyimpiä neuvostoajan tieteiskirjailijoita. Yhdessä veljensä Arkadi Strugatskin kanssa hän loi laajan kaunokirjallisen tuotannon, josta on suomennettu muun muassa Stalker - huviretki tienpientareelle, Miljardi vuotta ennen maailmanloppua ja kommunistista järjestelmää pilkkaava Hankalaa olla jumala.

Näistä tunnetuin on Stalker, jota elokuvaohjaaja Andrei Tarkovski käytti perustana samannimiselle elokuvalleen. Se ei ole tiukan uskollinen kirjan tarinalle. Avaruudesta saapuneiden vieraiden jälkeensä jättämä, vaarallinen mutta puoleensavetävä Vyöhyke on kuitenkin Tarkovskillakin pääosassa.

Strugatskien Stalker on viinaanmenevä kansanmies Redrick Shoehart, joka tekee rahakkaita ryöstöretkiä tiukasti vartioidulle Vyöhykkeelle.

Jos Tarkovski kuvaa unen ja valveen rajamailla liikkuvaa matkaa ihmisen alitajuntaan, Strugatskeilla luonnonlakeja vääristävän Vyöhykkeen vaikutus siellä käyviin ihmisiin on varsin konkreettinen. Shoehartin tytär Marakatti on mutantti, jolla on eläimen kuono, käpälät ja turkki.

Veljensä kuoltua 1991 Boris Strugatski kirjoitti kaksi romaania, mutta lopetti sen jälkeen kaunokirjallisuuden kirjoittamisen. Hän ottaa aktiivisesti kantaa politiikkaan ja yhteiskunnallisiin aiheisiin ja arvostelee nykyhallintoa ahkerasti lähinnä demokraattisen opposition lehdissä.

Koulutukseltaan hän on astronomi.

Strugatskien kirjoista tehdään edelleen elokuvia. Viimeisin on Fjodor Bondartsukin ohjaama, ristiriitaisen vastaanoton saanut Asuttu saari (Obitajemyj ostrov).

Strugatski itse pitää Stalkerin filmatisointia onnistuneimpana.

Anneli Ahonen Helsingin Sanomissa 27.4.2010

Opiskelijat piirsivät kalatien Billnäsin Ison Pajan Läpi

2010-05-31T10:57:00.000-07:00

Lohi halutaan nousuun Mustionjoella

RAASEPORI / Mustionjoen ympärillä tapahtuu nyt paljon.

Tuoreimmat esitykset joen luonnonlohikantojen elvyttämiseksi sekä uhanalaisen jokihelmisimpukkakantojen pelastamiseksi on tehnyt kansainvälinen opiskelijaryhmä Aalto-yliopistosta.

Neljän opiskelijan työryhmää on ohjannut karjaalaislähtöinen arkkitehti Marco Casagrande.

Uskalias ehdotus. Opiskelijoiden ehdotuksessa kalatie kulkee Billnäsin ruukin vanhojen teollisuusrakennusten keskellä. -Ajattelimme käyttää opiskelijan oikeuksia ja tehdä vähän vaihtoehtoisemman näkökulman, kertoo Mika Turunen.

Opiskelijoiden työssä on suunniteltu kaloille ohitusväylät voimalaitosten ohi Åminneforsin ja Billnäsin kohdalla.

Ympäristö- ja vesitekniikan opiskelija Mika Turunen kertoo, että sopivat kalateiden paikat selvitettiin aiempien suunnitelmien perusteella.

- Toivomme, että saamme työllämme paikallisten ihmisten mielenkiinnon heräämään.

Opiskelijat ovat kysyneet paikallisilta asukkailta mielipiteitä kalateiden rakentamisesta.

Turusen mukaan ekologisesta tilanteesta ollaan paikkakunnalla hyvin tietoisia ja jokihelmisimpukan uhanalaisuus tunnetaan hyvin.

Ehdotus kalatieksi. Neljän opiskelijan ryhmä on tehnyt vaihtoehtoisen esityksen kalatieksi Billnäisiin. Suunnitelmassa lohet pääsevät ohittamaan voimalaitoksen vanhan teollisuusalueeen kautta.

Ympäristökeskuksen esittämässä vaihtoehdossa kalaportaat kulkisivat Billnäsin kohdalla Mustionjoen pohjoispuolella.

- Me ajattelimme esittää vaihtoehtoista näkökulmaa. Teimme uskaliaamman suunnitelman joen eteläpuolelle.

Yksi ohitusuoma on arkkitehtiopiskelijoiden kuvissa tehty vanhojen teollisuusrakennusten keskelle.

Väylä kulkee Ison Pajan läpi.

- Siinä voisi olla ainutlaatuinen nähtävyys ja vetovoimaa turismille, perustelee Turunen.

Turismin edistämiseksi joen rantaan on suunniteltu puinen kävelyreitti ja tiilistä tehtyjä tasanteita.

Kuvallisia esityksiä kalateiden vaihtoehdoista ei ole vielä aiemmin esitelty.

Turusen mukaan lohien ja taimenten lisääntymiseen riittäisi Åminneforsin ja Billnäsin patojen ohitus.

Meneillään on myös Fortumin ja Suomen luonnonsuojeluliiton yhteistyö, jossa mietitään ekologisempia vaihtoehtoja vesivoiman tuottamisessa.

- Toivomme, että tämä saisi aikaan lisävauhtia suunnitelmiin.

Työryhmässä on ollut mukana yksi suomalainen, yksi japanilainen ja kaksi ranskalaista opiskelijaa.

Suunnitelmaa esiteltiin paikallisille asukkaille torstai-iltana Billnäsissä.

Meneillään olevassa Fortumin ja Suomen luonnonsuojeluliiton Mustionjoki-hankkeessa pyritään löytämään parhaat tavat raakun, lohen ja taimenen elinkierron parantamiseksi.

Virtavesien hoitoyhdistys Virho on jo tänä keväänä istuttanut Mustionjokeen parisenkymmentä litraa lohenmätiä.

Parhaimmillaan Mustionjokeen voi ilmaantua jopa toistasataatuhatta lohenpoikasta.

Lisäksi Åminneforsin kalastusseura on istuttanut mereen vaeltavaa taimenta kymmenen mätirasiallista, joista pitäisi kuoriutua 7800 kappaletta meritaimenenpoikasia.

Selvitysten mukaan Mustionjoessa ja sen sivupuroissa on jäljellä huomattava määrä kasvualueita arvokaloille.

Sekä lohi että taimen nousisivat lisäksi Lohjanjäveen ja siitä ylävirtaan muille Karjaanjoen vesistön alueille, mikäli patojen ohitusväylät saataisiin kuntoon.

Elina Laiho
Länsi-Uusimaa 30.4.2010

Lisää kuvia opiskelijoiden suunnitelmasta.

Mustionjoki -ryhmä
Aalto-yliopisto Sustainable Global Technologies:
Meiko Yamada
Mika Turunen
Léa Crouzet
Caroline Moinel
-
Marco Casagrande

Mustionjoki Restoration Team kaipaa paikallisten apua

2010-04-19T11:15:00.000-07:00

Etelän Uutiset 11.4.2010

(Raasepori) Neljä Aalto-yliopiston teknillisen korkeakoulun opiskelijaa tarvitsee länsiuusmaalaisten apua Mustionjoen kunnostukseen liittyvässä projektissaan. Ryhmässä on kaksi arkkitehtiopiskelijaa sekä vesitekniikan ja rakennustekniikan opiskelija. Kestävän kehityksen kurssikokonaisuuteen liittyvää työtä ohjaa karjaalaislähtöinen arkkitehti Marco Casagrande.

-Projektimme pohjautuu paikallisten ihmisten mielipiteille. Loimme internet-sivuston, jossa keräämme paikallisten ihmisten mielipiteitä joen ekologiaan, virkistyskäyttöön ja kulttuuriin liittyen, ryhmän jäsen Mika Turunen selvittää.

Opiskelijaryhmä toivoo paikallisväestön auttavan selvityksen tekemisessä vastaamalla kyselyyn internetissä osoitteessa http://mustionjokiriverrestoration.jimdo.com.

Projektin tarkoituksena on laatia suunnitelma, raportti ja artikkeli Mustionjoen patoihin liittyen.

-Pyrimme kartoittamaan paikallisten ihmisten mielipiteitä, tuomaan niitä esille ja herättämään asiasta keskustelua. Työmme pohjana on paikallisten ihmisten mielipiteet, Turunen painottaa. Ryhmä on jo kerännyt mielipiteitä seudun yhdistyksiltä.

MUSTIONJOKI RIVER RESTORATION

SVARTÅN BEHÖVER FISKVÄGAR

2010-04-18T21:57:00.000-07:00

HÖGSKOLEPROJECT GER KONKRETA RESTAURERINGSFÖRSLAG
Johan Kvarnström, Västra Nyland, 16.4.2010

Den grupp studerande vid Aalto-universitetet som arbetar med ett projekt om Svarån bjuder på visioner som omfattar bland annat två fiskvägar, en vid Åminnefors och en som skulle gå rakt genom Billnäs bruk. Grundtanken är att vandringsfiskens återkomst skulle rädda biodiversiteten i ån.
Mika Turunen, som studerar vatten- och miljöteknik, säger att gruppen utarbetar två planer för var sida om kraftverket vid Åminnefors. Enligt en modell skulle en fiskväg gå på södra sidan under den befintliga vägen, medan den enlight en annan modell skulle gå på norrsidan om krafverket.

- Vid Åminnefors är det egentligen bara på grund av vägen som fiskarna inte slipper uppåt, säger Turunen som är övertygad om att fiskvägar är nödvändiga ur ekologisk synvinkel och en förutsättning för en restaurering av ån.

- Det fanns för ett antal år sedan ett förslag om en fiskväg, men den blev aldrig av.

Aalto-universitetets Svartå grupp, från vänster: Meiko Yamada, Mika Turunen, Léa Crouzet och Caroline Moinel.

Gruppen, som omfattar även arkitektstuderanden och en studerande i byggteknik, är enig om att det förutom vid Åminnefors behövs ytterligare en fiskväg vid Billnäs bruk för att vandringsfisk ska trivas och kunna repproducera sig i ån. Riktigt ända fram till Lojo sjö skulle fiskarna ändå inte nå på grund av två östligaste dammar.

Man är övertygad om att biodiversiteten är allvarligt hotad så länge som fiskar inte kan cirkulera i ån, och undersöker också om Svartåns rekreationsvärde skulle öka genom ökande möjligheter till fiske.

- Det behövs endast två fiskvägar för att påverka ett stort område positivt, säger Léa Crouzet som studerar arkitektur.

HÖG VATTENKVALITET

Som mentor fungerar arkitekt Marco Casagrande. Han hoppas att gruppens förslag tas på allvar i offentligheten och skapar debatt.

- Dylika projekt har lett till att ett stort antal åar i landet har restaurerats. Här är det givetvis extra knepigt i och med att det finns bebyggelse så tätt inpå.

Han säger att de sakkunniga som har hörts har givit klara svar om att Svartån än så länge har tillräcklight hög vattenkvalitet för att fiskarna skall trivas.

Vilka fiskar skulle det främst röra sig om?

- Lax, öring, sik och också en ökad förekomst av ål. Ål förekommer lite nu, men den slipper sällan ut. Området skulle piggas upp om fiskarna skulle kunna röra sig båda vägarna.

Casagrande har full förståelse för att en fiskväg genom brukets hjärta kräver en del fantasi.

- En person frågade om laxarna inte skulle störas om de simmar förbi till exempel Tangomarknaden på Muurainens gård i framtiden, säger Casagrande, skrattar glatt och tillägger att det ju efterlyses mer aktivitet i området.

- Föreningen Pro Billnäs stöder oss redan. Nus ska vi diskutera med staden och visa vad vi har planerat.

Casagrande hoppas att de förslag som projektet resulterar i tas på allvar. Syftet år framför allt att skapa debatt mellan invånarna och energibolaget Fortum i frågor som berör Svartån. Han är övertygad om att det ganska långt är Fortum som avgör om fiskvägarna kan förverkligas.

- Fortum håller i alla nycklar och måste ta ställning för att det ska kunna förverkligas. En fiskväg skulle påverka deras verksamhet på det viset att de måste ge oss en kubikmeter vatten per sekund, säger Casagrande som uppskattar att Fortums elproduktion vid Åminnefors skulle minska med ungefär fem procent om planer på en fiskväg förverkligas.

Fortum har tillsammans med samarbetspartners inlett ett projekt där man funderar över den framtida användningen av betongdammarna i Svartån och utreder bland annat just hur elproduktionen skulle påverkas av fiskvägar.

- Det är nog folket, invånarna, som borde vilja det här, inte bara Fortum eller Aalto-universitetet. För om alla här verkligen vill så blir det nog av, säger Casagrande.

Projektets slutresultat ska vara helt klart inom tre veckor.

PROJEKT OM SVARTÅN

Fiskväg är ett gemensamt begrepp för olika typer av konstruktioner avsedda att ge fisk fri passage förbi ett vandringshinder. I det aktuella projektet fokuserer man på två typer av fiskvägar, nämligen omlöp som konstrueras som en bäck som löper runt vandringshindret, och en typ av fisktrappor som byggs av sten och trä.

Svartå föreslagna fiskvägar och vandringsfiskens möjliga reproduktionsplatser. Grafik: Susan Stenström, Västra Nyland.

Projektet strävar bland annat efter att kartlägga och föra fram lokalbefolkningens åsikter i frågan genom en enkätundersökning på projektets webbsida. http://www.mustionjokiriverrestauration.jimbo.com/

LINKAR:

Pro-Billnäs

Åminnefors fiskeförening

Virho

Billnäs Bruk (Muurainen)

Laurits Elkjær - Marco Casagrande: Urban Acupuncture

2010-04-16T08:47:00.000-07:00

Laurits Elkjær / The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts - School of Architecture in Copenhagen interviewing Marco Casagrande.

I am currently working on a large paper dealing with urban acupuncture. I understand that urban acupuncture is a strategy You have developed and would in this context ask You a few questions. If You have the opportunity to answer these, I will be both happy and grateful.

1: How do you as an architect define urban acupuncture?

Urban Acupuncture is cross-over architectural manipulation of the collective sensuous intellect of a city. City is viewed as multi-dimensional sensitive energy-organism, a living environment. Urban acupuncture aims into a touch with this nature.

2: How do you use urban acupuncture to create architecture?

First you have to determine the sensitive flows of the built human environment. Based on those you have to determine the acupuncture points. The last is to determine what is the needle: architectural reaction. The key to understand this is to be present. To be truly present one has to give up, one has to be weak. To be present is the key of all art.

3: What are the benefits of using urban acupuncture?

Weakness and flexibility can communicate with the collective mind. Environmental sensitivity generates knowledge building, which will reflect on design as design shamanism.

Every grass penetrating the concrete or asphalt pavement of an industrial city is urban acupuncture.

4: What requirements should an area meet if Urban acupuncture is to be used as a strategy?

Urban Acupuncture can be applied collectively as networks to deal with a whole city or it can be used puctually in close quarters. If a city is undergoing some sort of an active process or transformation, Urban Acupuncture is a good strategy to tune the direction. Acupuncture is good for hardness and industrial insensitivity. Hardness and strenght are death's companions. What has become hard will never survive. -Stalker

Urban Accupuncture can suggest the Dictatorship of Sensitivity.

5: What is your experience with the use of urban acupuncture? In what context? What were/are the expectations and what was the outcome?

A good case is the transformation process of the Treasure Hill settlement from an illegal urban farming community into a model example of ecologically sustainable urban living in Taipei. See: http://www.e-architect.co.uk/taiwan/treasure_hill_taipei.htm

The process locally was Urban Acupuncture tunning the direction of the collective Qi from destruction into construction and afterwards the whole legalized settlement acting as an acupuncture needle for the modern Taipei. I have been referring this process to the turning over of a compost - something that is considered to be the smelly and repulsive corner of the city suddenly becomes the most fertile top-soil and source of life.

Link: UA

Radio Favela Interview

2010-03-15T23:01:00.000-07:00

ar2com >>> Radio Favela
architecture to communication >>> The Sound of Rio

Youla Qim interviewing Marco Casagrande:

an anarchitect and an archetist have a talk

Casagrande Laboratory

2010-02-17T06:03:00.000-08:00

Casagrande Laboratory 2010

Marco Casagrande

Frank Chen

Antti Antinoja

Yu-Chen Chiu

Wei-Chen Weng

Oliver Salminen

Nathalie Pozzi

Jia-kuan Wei

Jing-Ke Wei

Nikita Wu

Jan Luksík

J-P Heikkinen

Marty Ross

Urho Kekkonen

C what there is to C