Narratives in Architecture

The increasingly complex and dynamic social, political and ecological constructs of the world offer opportunities to explore new meanings in public architecture. This act of reimagining our public spaces, can possibly be derived through a focus on experience using the structure of a fictional narrative. Storytelling has, historically, been a powerful tool to communicate and disseminate meanings and values. Art forms like theatre, cinema and now installations use storytelling as a central device in their process. Architecture has always claimed to communicate meaning and yet, the idea of narratives in architecture remains limited to select theoretical expressions. The aim of this studio is to engage with the idea of narrative and seek interpretations for a new imagination of public spaces exploring new typologies and hybrid programs within the expressions of the built form. Students are expected to seek out issues of concern and define their project in terms of program, site and brief. Interpretations of intimate connections to the site, integrated with core concerns and issues are presented as storyboards, drawings, narrative arcs and models.