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Metropolitan Disguises: A Wedge in Circumstance

Objective Urban sites present us with a record of human history. They reflect the values and aspiration of mankind. In this studio we will endeavor to reveal the various disguises of the Metropolis (their hidden agendas). We will uncover the dense, and at times subversive, 'tapestry' of the subject cities. We will respond by creating an artificial (spatial and territorial) vacuum walled on all sides, a 'Wedge in Circumstances'. This becomes the site of our urban landscape intervention.

We propose the following themes as a technique for exploratory intervention within the urban fabric.

To unearth the order of cities (archeology) Rome
To design a place of sanctuary (wall) Berlin
To assert a modern vision for the city (monument) Paris
To discuss reality vs. fiction (facade) New York

Site Old Forum, Rome, Italy

Concept A wedge possesses a dialectical function: it connects the splits concurrently separates the joint. A wedge stands in any critical locale between the old and new, the ancient and future. The Old forum of Rome, no doubts, has also to be examined from its dual role. When the Twentieth Century of Western civilization is going to end up as an epitaph of the Earth, the redesign of the forum has to be extremely sensitive towards the nature—the forgotten nature, which had been disenchanted.

I employ a “forest” in my design, in hoping in acting both as symbolic metaphor revitalized urban life and an actualization of the wildness. In so doing, I fuse my faith to the Modern man, who could possibly re-enter the continuum of the history, searching the passageway of pilgrimage in daily life.

Strategy By employing 4 different planting schemes to symbolize the urban, administrative, sacred and interactive spaces that the Old forum used to possessed.

By employing 3 different layers of vegetations, Stone pine, Holly, and Italian Cypress to symbolize:

  1. Metaphoric space of Old forum of Rome;
  2. future remnants of green space; and
  3. Transcendental passages.

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All the images and contents of this web page, including all background images, are created by Joseph Lo. Copyright (c) 1996-2001. All rights reserved. You must obtain written permission from Joseph Lo before using any images on this site, in any published media including printed press, electronic transmission, and websites.