ephemeral permanence

The relative permanence of architecture is on constant display throughout the city: the ruins of vernacular homes sit forlorn in the shadow of cranes and concrete. Maintenance gives way to certainty, to progress, but for how long? What defines 'end of life' in the built environment?

Looking backward to move forward is not sufficient in reconciling the legacies of architecture. Current practices reinforce the production of environmental, cultural, and community waste, a tangible and intangible product. How much is lost when the built environment is erased and replaced? How much is gained?

A reflection on architecture's role in society, Ephemeral Permanence takes a critical look at the tangible and intangible legacies of the built environment. In an effort to reconcile these legacies, the project presents a series of objects in installation, proposing alternative narratives of reuse and regeneration in architecture, reinforcing its role in society, and instigating reconsideration. Incapable of being self-referential, the objects hold different meanings to each passerby, inviting a variety of perceptions and interactions; the objects are co-author with the individual in the experience of the installation. These varied experiences mirror our daily lives, making explicit the impact and legacy of the built environment on our collective being.

The project is designed, planned, and constructed by students in the School of Architecture.

Image by Manuel Moncayo-Adams, M.Arch Candidate 2023