The term junk-space is increasingly being used in the modern architectural world especially after Rem Koolhaas won the Pritkter prize. What is junk space and what is its implication in the modern architecture? The term Junk space refers to the residue materials that human beings leave on the earth. According to Koolhaas, people think that the product of modernization is architecture but they are usually wrong because the product of the said modernization is actually junk space (Koolhaas, 2008). In his explanation, he says that junk space is the material that remains after modernization has taken place. It is the material that coagulates in the process of modernization because modernization occurs in a rationalized program that serves the universal blessings of science (Koolhaas, 2002). It is a form of an apotheosis or a meltdown and its integral parts are brilliantly invented by human beings, planned in a very lucid manner and packaged through meticulous computation.
If modernization is an achievement, the junk space is the sum total of architectural underachievement. The current generation has seen the evolution of architectural designs and there have been more buildings in the contemporary world, than in any other time in the history of human existence. However, there is more junk space under construction in this century than all what survived in the previous centuries.
The term junk space was popularized by Rem Koolhaas who is one of the best architects in the Netherlands and Europe. He has designed mega structures in Europe and Asia using very audacious plans and that is why he was picked for 2009 Pritker prize regardless of the fact that he is the most ruthless critic in the architectural world.
One of his most influential criticisms was contained in his lecture on junk space. Expounding on Junk space, Koolhaas talked about the unpleasant building practices in the modern world that have made the profession a laughing stock. To make his argument vivid, he used a photo of a town called Shenzhen in China which is littered with contemporary towers akin to what he is referring as junk space. All these towers were built in the 21st century. The urban population in Shenzhen is projected to grow by 200 percent within the next one decade. More than 40 towers are designed on Mackintoshes in China every week and this hyperactivity in the building industry is shying away from the conventional architectural standards like aesthetics and balance.
These houses are quite different form the houses that Rem koolhaas has himself designed in his illustrious career. His houses also have pediments which are classical. This is one of the outstanding points in these houses and the fashion that has been used in this pediment is mannerist because it represents a composition that is both classical and conventional. The use of the dado molding in the houses especially on the outer interface makes the houses to look a bit more functional and this makes references to classical promotions. The superimposition of the wide opening at the entrance is another outrageous feature of this house that adds to its contradictory complexities especially because it has been put above normal sized doors. The arches that are used in his house are not in any way structural and this is a complete departure from Junk space architecture. In the houses, there are Lunettes that have been used to emphasize the scale the houses. The symmetry in the house is a rare exception that adds to the functionality of the house.
The traditional architectural requirements and values cannot keep up with the high demand for housing facilities not only in China but allover the world (Koolhaas, 2003). There is overemphasis on number of buildings rather than quality because of the population explosion especially in the urban areas. Architectural values have become irrelevant in the modern setting and the buildings that are coming up in most cities especially in china are insults to architecture and design. Due to the speed at which buildings are coming up especially in western cities, architecture has actually lost its meaning because most of the building are not even planned neither are they built using the laid down architectural regulations and design codes.
These buildings are the junk spaces. They are buildings that symbolize greed of mankind and frailties of modernization. Tall buildings have filled up the space, occupying every room and are built without any observance of the laid out codes of architecture. Apart from residential and prime urban areas, the development of junk space has affected even international airports, according to Koolhaas.
One of the most severely constrained airports is Schipol in Amsterdam. Apart from Amsterdam, London’s Heathrow airport is also severely constrained and the airport has been struggling to build a new terminal for the last ten years without registering any success. Most airports in Western Europe and even in the USA do not have enough room due to the junk that has filled every available space.
One of the solutions that Koolhaas gave is the decongestion of existing cities through construction of more cities. Instead of putting more and more buildings into limited space, the best option would be to create more cities and build architecturally fit buildings in these cities. These cities would be able to accommodate new airports and new business hubs instead of constraining the existing cities by putting a lot of junk into the limited space. Koolhaas and many like minded architects view the junk space phenomenon as a punishment to mankind who has neglected architectural ideals in favor of quantity (Koolhaas, 2004). The beauty that is supposed to be seen in constructions is no longer there. Junk space has brought more confusion into the architectural world and though the development of structures uncontrollably on every other available space was seen as a solution to the problem of urbanization, the mushrooming of these architecturally unfit buildings has come to haunt mankind (Koolhaas, 2002). The richness that was once created by the proliferation of structures now appears hollow. Hollow and shallow structures have replaced the architectural masterpieces of the past. The planned estates and avenues that used to be the hallmark of urban aesthetics are no longer there. The view is blurred by towering junks in the air. Residential estates are sprouting up next to international airports. Some high rise buildings are actually built along the path of the low-lying airplanes and this presents a very major aviation and life risk.
There is a serious problem with urban planning round the world. Gone are the days when the cities used to have aesthetic buildings called the ducks. A duck is an ornamental building (Venturi & Brown, 2004). The decorations are part of the building and they are put in the original design. There is no detachment of the spatial, structural and program in the architectural set up of a duck. All the aforementioned aspects are merged and distorted into a form that has symbolic implication. It has a duck shaped drive in and that is where it derives its name. This building is more of a sculpture than a functional set up. The aesthetic elements of a duck are usually embedded within its structural framework and as opposed to the Junks space which do not have even a tinge of aesthetics or ornamentation in them. Functionality does not matter in a duck. It is the formal aspects that are more noticeable and the functional ones take backseat. In short, a duck is a building where form overrides function (Koolhaas, 2003). The key aesthetic details are usually concealed within the architectural program meaning that is hard to detach the aesthetics from the main frame. The best illustration of a duck is the building in New York that is called the long island duckling which he referred to as sculptural buildings. The ducks use objects. The mode in which a duck is represented is two fold. This is because a duck has a shape that is a bit overt and it activates the reaction of the public towards the image of the duck. The association of the image with the meaning in ducks is the one that narrows the meaning down (Venturi & Brown, 1972: pg 115). This means that a duck is symbolized by the reciprocal association between the sign and content which is one of the most acknowledged features of a duck. The shape of a duck applies a sort of iconography that is not intentional and this has no relationship in any way with the manner in which the building is constructed. The iconography of a duck has been said to be more of a double agenda because the reciprocity of a structure is not in tandem with the representations or the program of the structure.
He says that this is the best form of a duck and looking at its picture, what meets ones eyes is ornamentation and it is very hard to tell the function of that building. Without any additional details, it is very hard for an outsider to tell the function the building serves. This is one factor that downplays functionalism in a duck because the image overrides the importance of the structure. However, these traditional hallmarks of architectural experience are on their death bed thanks to the development of the junk space. Design and ornamentation have been whitewashed by the ugliness that has become the face of modern cities due to the relegation architectural principles to the sidelines.
The development of junk space is a security threat especially in the building industry, according to Koolhaas. Recent security developments have shifted focus to susceptibility of the critical infrastructure to hazardous happenings and events terrorism this means that there must be measures taken to improve the safety of the transportation systems in the country. One of the major security risks that are facing the architectural world is the threat of terrorism and gang crime. When there are attacks from terrorist attacks and criminal gangs, the are various forms of security responses that come from the different security agencies to help in the management of the security crisis.Some of the security management operations include rescue, traffic control, transportation of the victims , evacuation, media communication and restoration of service. These security responses have been recent times been hindered by the development of junk space.
To manage the security in the public transportation systems in the country there needs to be a process of vision building especially drawn from the lessons of previous occurrences to be able to prepare for newer threats. This means that there needs a lot of preparedness in the management of security operations in architecture, through the identification of the security challenges and development of tailor made systems that easily address the diverse operations and the security provided to local of public transportation. This includes the monitoring of buildings that are coming up to ensure that they do not compromise the security of the people. Junk space development is a fertile ground for breeding of terrorism.
The establishment of a security and emergency preparedness programs can help in giving guidance on how architectural systems can be utilized to improve other levels of internal security, management of security disasters and external plans for coordination with the local law enforcement programs while enhancing systems of disaster response management. Terrorism remains the major threat to buildings and the people they house and there are fundamental principles that should be invoked so as to counter terror activities the building industry. One of the fundamental principles is the capability evaluation support to enhance the efforts of building codes that are geared towards assessment of the existing security levels and the systems disaster preparedness program. This will assist in the mitigation of terrorism and related threats in the buildings plus the susceptibility of the industry to disasters.
The most effective way of approaching this is by carrying out a threat and vulnerability assessment that will highlight the methods that help the recommendations that are integral to the requirements of every system. This can help in the mitigation of threats in a new area of architecture like prevention of risks posed by bombs and managing the problems created by the development of Junkspace.It can also mitigate chemical attacks and the dissemination of the emergency data to the public. The other important aspect being addressed in this proposal is the provision of training and supervisory programs that can be easily updated or reviewed. This can be approached through the integration of these public transportation systems to community in form of full scale exercises and drills. Design strategies can be instituted so as to improve security in the cities and neighborhoods for normal and emergency situations (Koolhaas, 2004). While creating security measures, it is important to ask questions whose answers will greatly create a response mechanism in the public transport system. The procedures for training and reinforcement should be provided to all the stakeholders involved especially the employees so as to ensure that they comprehend what an unusual event is like and how they should respond to one like that. The managers should show commitment to the development of internal procedures that can help in addressing the above questions and for handling the reports of activities that are unusual, strange objects and should therefore encourage the enforcement of the procedures. These procedures can be integrated into the day to day operations and may have additional benefits like the improvement of the overall internal security mechanisms.
The events of the September eleventh put emphasis on the responsibility of the industry to keep the communities of the nation in safety. The buildings are naturally exposed to open environments. They should be designed to move people quickly through an area in the urban set up and therefore should provide uninhibited and easy access to the users of the system. However, the development of junk space is inhibiting this access. Over the past number of years there are gains that have been made but they have required tremendous input and management initiative, financial investment and coordination between vicarious agencies. In many agencies, however, there has been shortage of operational upgrades especially due to delays in resources and personnel provision and this has really affected the requirements for preparedness. The industry should be willing to experiment and share information in order to get ideas of alternatives that can be used to improve the dire situation.
The governments and other local partners should be willing to support the homeland security that is vital for the building because it promotes security advancement and programs for preparedness. The other factor is the readiness for managers to make decisions that border on the trade offs that are inherent in the cost, mobility and security by the use of the existing sophisticated processes of risk assessment (Shepherd, 1998). Something that is not new to architecture is the defense against terrorism and the work to address credible threats from terrorism started in the late eighties. Even before the September eleven, al Qaeda attacks in the United States of America, the bombings of the buidings in urban areas of the Middle East, India, Europe and Latin America had already shown the vulnerability of the architecural infrastructure to a wide range of activities of terrorism. These experiences should continue to inform plans, exercises and trainings that will sustain the industry preparedness in the future years.
To respond to the new threats that are emerging in building industry, stakeholders should launch a multipart initiative for security where there should be security and architectural assessments by the teams deployed by relevant bodies. These teams should include experts, and anti terrorism personnel. All in all, the country preparedness mechanisms may be standard but there need to be vigilant mechanisms to deal with every possible threat to the security of the building industry because the country is still vulnerable to security issues. Koolhaas is right; the world is tethering on the brink of an architectural holocaust. There is an architectural disaster looming large and the effects of this disaster will have very grave consequences. The problem started with the collapse of urban planning practices that used to ensure that the architectural codes are followed (Koolhaas, 2002). The only salvation for the human beings can only be found in the architectural basic and values which the modern builders have already ignored. The junk space phenomenon is the punishment that the mankind has to undergo for ignoring Just like Koolhaas argued; it is a problem that can be easily solved through sound urban planning practices that ensure that more cities are created instead of filling every space in the existing ones with junks.
Reference List
Koolhaas, R. The Harvard Design School Guide to Shopping. Harvard Design School Project on the City 2 New York: Taschen, 2002
Koolhaas, R. The Great Leap Forward. Harvard Design School Project on the City, New York: Taschen, 2002
Koolhaas, R. Content. New York: Taschen, 2003
Koolhaas, R. M,L XL, New York: Mornacelli Press, 2004
Koolhaas, R. Junk space.London: MIT press, 2008.
Venturi, R. Brown, D. Architecture as Signs and Systems: for a Mannerist Time, Berkeley: Harvard University Press, 2004.