Describing Architecture

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Work In Progress / Susan Leen

2013

Paper

These pieces are part of an ongoing exploration into urban space and built environments. Concentrating on interior space I wish to explore emotions contained in and invested in inhabiting space. The house becomes a shell bound by the events which take place within and constantly reflects the intimacy at its centre. Maps represent a space between an area and it’s representation, between the real and the ever evolving reality in place. The memory of an area, reveals it’s complexity, promoting it’s riches and many potentials, social and cultural. The act of inhabiting a space and the emotions involved in this inspire me to explore the emotional cartography of places, questioning if an area can retain or evoke emotions. By using cut out, eliminating and extracting areas, what remains are the areas of life, of community and human experience. Therefore evoking a variety of possibilities representing society, intimate space and imaginary space.

I have focussed on Belleville in the east of Paris, a vibrant working class neighbourhood in the city. These pieces are a result of workshops and interviews with local inhabitants in association with Quantier du Monde and Points des Rassemblemants.