different way of seeing
»Maybe Modern Ruins Are Just the Kind of Failure We Need«
Mark Minkjan
The modern ruin evokes this different way of seeing. It is an unintentional artwork that elicits subversive thoughts and actions, alternative use of space and unconventional design. In an age in which more and more places are destined for passive consumption, architecture that no longer meets functional and financial demands might be one of the last resorts for actual productivity as it allows people to dream of something different. A vulnerable architecture that is far from the stylized imagery we are served in the media and the successful cities we visit and live in.
Could we also imagine having such places outside of unloved and abandoned areas? Young ruins right in the centre of popular cities? Do we have the courage to change the polished, effective and profitable image of architecture into one that has more respect for time, nature and contemplation? Aimless structures could just be the kind of humbling spaces we need.