In Adaptation
2016
In Adaptation aims to explore techniques and practice methods of creative knowledge-sourcing and critical analysis. When designing, it is commonplace for emphasis to be excessively focused on a singular concept as the be-all, end-all solution to mainfold problems. In this module however, the act of designing is more so an act of problem-solving, one that therefore requires the ability to generate multiple ideas of substance rapidly. This module is to introduce the process of reading, translating and adapting disparate creative mediums such as film, art, and most importantly, literature in relation to architecture.
This exercise is in preparation in the lead-up to the Final Project of adapting the literature Invisible Cities to the local conditions of the Greater KL. This exercise needs us to read and analyze the story of Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino and examine its translation and adaptation into art representation. Literature is a medium in which stories are told, some of them original but most are tales from across the centuries adapted to a contemporary or different context, or to a modified theme to enhance the storyline.
In a group of 3, we first need to select a chapter from Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino, then read and describe the story and the ideas extracted from the story using mind-mapping to creatively adapt the story by way of painting the graphical/visual representation.
We selected Chapter 3 which is to portray the selfishness of human through their behavior in relatives cities. City of Zobeide (Cities and Desire 5) is a city that created by the desire of the people in the city. The city is built with their imagination to chase the lady in their dreams, despite to tear down others buildings to create their own. The City of Hypatia (Cities and Signs 4) is a paradox city where what you think will not be the way it will be. City of Armilla (Thin Cities 3) is a city that is abandoned and fulled of pipes without walls. It remained in the possession of Nymphs and Naiads, because of the selfishness of people polluted the river. City of Chloe (Trading Cities 2) is a great city that people don't willing to have any connection but whenever it rains they will seduct, orgies are consummated among them without a word exchanged, they just don't care each other but their desires needs. The last city, city of Valdrada (Cities and Eyes 1), a mirror city where people can see the reflective of themselves, so people who feels guilty of their own actions, but actually only themselves will know what they are doing.
The purpose of this exercise is to have a deeper understanding of the city in which we inhabit but do not necessarily seek to understand, Kuala Lumpur, and her greater surroundings but that of an objective standpoint in comparison to personal subjectivity. In this exercise of objectivity and subjectivity, you will select an artiste/philosopher/”idol” of choice whose methodology you prescribe to or can identify with, and observe a selected area in or around the city of your choice in the eyes of him/her.
We have to observe the city and the people then document the findings. We have to identify how the cities grow/ move from one to another in the chapter that selected from previous exercise (from Invincible Cities by Italo Calvino). Then, identify an area within KL or Greater KL to study, examine and observe how the area grows relating to Italo’s description in the chapter. Highlight the main physical characters of the city within the select nine strong images of the site to describe. We divided into 3 main categories to discuss the issues deeper, which are architecture, people and environment.
We are required to translate and adapt the essence of Invisible Cities into the context of Greater KL. Based on Exercises 1 and 2, identify the issue that contributes to the significant characteristic of the city as narrated by Calvino. Then, structure a storyboard proposal of how the city changes through time if the issue is unresolved. Make a projection timeline of predicted situation in 25 years, 50 years and 100 years from now. Identify the projected timeline to be visualized as a dystopia or utopia city. Produce the creative adaptation to visualize the proposal. At last, produce a 250-word post-production text explaining the elements translated in the poster and why it is appropriate/relevant with accurate references and citations.
From what I observed from the site given, there are many different level and architecture in different period located at this area. Based on the Kuala Lumpur Structural Plan 2020, the pre-war building in the site have to be maintain in order to preserve the historical value in this city. However, we are ablt to see there are still construction going on in this narrow street despite of the safety purpose. This shows the initial stage of the selfishness of the contractor that willing to deconstruct the old building to build more international, metropolis, iconical buildings. Therefore, by the times flies, the contradiction between the two social community will get worse. In 25 years, we can see the number of the homeless people increasing, because of the growth of economy, the poors couldn't afford the rental. The historical buildings there some already very rust but nobody care to give a concern but the iconic international style buildings increasing rapidly. The poors become poorer and the rich becomes richer. Then, in the 50 years, the fast evolution of technology, many jobs can be replaced by robots. The rich ones can just sitting in their high top floors using robots to control the city. Then, the bads come, the rich community was sick of the poors that always dirty, hiding, sneaking in the middle of dark alley. They think the poors are useless and they want to control and power, so decided to chase them out from the city which also means to diminish them from the earth. Thus, the war happened without any preparations, many of them died, but also some braves and strongs survive and hide to the underground. After 50 years, those 'survivors' think of come up and fight back, they want to get back their prides, rights, and powers. The richs was too enjoy their life and live too well in the comfort zone, they couldn't defeat the poors, although they only left minor military weapons and their desires. In the end, it was a draw, but no ones was survive. The selfishness of themselves toward the powers already coverred their mind, and kill, destroy their own homes, with their owns hands.
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