Standardized Propaganda of Spatial Bias

Project idea

I have always been interested in modular systems, but I’m also aware that they are not universal. While system-theory proponents like Christopher Alexander see modularity as a solution to many problems, critics such as Peter Eisenman argue that architecture is inherently complex and cannot be resolved by system theory alone. This is where my thesis offers a new approach: instead of, like modern methods, starting from an empty site, let us imagine our existing social structure—with all its complexities—as a module. Within that module, we design a solution that can then be expanded to the urban scale.

Project description

To choose a problem to address, I conducted a literature review and identified class difference as a central issue. Although architecture on its own rarely “solves” social problems, my study—drawing on Bernard Khoury’s B018—demonstrates how a building program can engage with such complex social issues. This program complements my modular theory while critically illustrating class disparities.

Technical information

The idea of theatre then occurred to me—not by chance, but through my study of Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed. From Greek and medieval times onward, theatre has been used to manipulate narratives in favor of rulers. In the early 20th century, however, German playwright Bertolt Brecht introduced the Verfremdungseffekt (distancing effect), encouraging audiences to observe and analyze rather than simply empathize. His plays did not resolve conflicts but exposed ongoing class struggles.

I therefore titled my concept Standardized Propaganda of Spatial Bias: a deliberate scheme to reveal class deviation to the middle class, not only by showing it but by enabling analysis and participation in this form of theatre. My approach merges:

The Living Theatre → Actors engage the audience while retaining narrative control.

Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed → The audience takes control and alters the performance.

In my model, actors engage the audience and maintain narrative structure plus the audience can intervene and reshape the performance. In three-dimensional space—beyond mere imagination—this becomes a fully immersive new form of performing art. To support it, we need a building designed to complement the performance while challenging the “passive spectator” assumption, simultaneously testing my theory by integrating system theory with its critiques.