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- Project : 現代時代建築ダンボールワークショップ (Architecture in the contemporary era: A cardboard workshop) :
Description :
As the economy in Japan and in the world generally is going array, an increasing number of homeless people are to be found in every place where society permits them to take a rest.
In Tokyo, these people gather in many places, particularly in parks, where they build villages of blue plastic and cardboard around the public toilets.
Immersed in tragedy, these people face the raw truth of survival : building a roof to their fatigue.
I won't insist enough on the fact that this fundamental reality is lacking in many artists` works today; and moreover, that I think every act which ignores this truthfulness becomes pointless as an act of art.
In contrast with the Japanese society in which, at the edge of consumption, wastefulness is to be found everywhere, these "new villagers" rediscover the reality of what a building material (metaphor of an object) is supposed to be like : practical and meaningful.
Cardboard is an example; a good isolator. It can be burned for energy and can be found in the form of boxes in every wasteful place (including department stores) : and what is closer to human dwellings than a box (especially in modern Japanese society)?
These boxes can be opened to build a bed or a room, then used to carry life`s necessities when moving to find food.
As a voluminous entity and hence meaningful concept (useful to carry things, easy to store/pile, easy to compact after use, recyclable,...), cardboard boxes resemble fundamental principles of architecture and sculpture: really practical and/or really meaningful.
The purpose of this project is to realise a workshop on the pedestrian "in-air plaza" in front of the South Exit of the 上野(Ueno) Station in urban Tokyo.
This place seems appropriate as it is located next to the 上野公園(Ueno park) where there are to be found many of these "blue-villages", and nearby to one of the main museum and art exhibition zones in the Tokyo area.
Those from the "blue villages" as I call them (they cannot be called "homeless" as they have a home...) which accept this role will become for the occasion members of the Workshop "staff" and their role will be to guide visitors, helped by student volunteers from neighboring art universities.
The aim is to propose to all participants that they "train" themselves (in prevision of hardship) in the craft of building a residence using cardboard as a material, taking full advantage of its numerous properties.
The final objective is to find out what would be the "best" cardboard house (practicle, few materials, easy to carry, etc...), and to determined how many cardboard boxes of wich sort would be needed for it's construction. Then, finding a sponsor as a department store to give out boxes labelled with it's logo that would be used to build a "cardboard kit" : several boxes gathered within a clean trash bag with a notice of how to build the house that was conveived during the workshop.
This kit would then be freely available to homeless people in train stations.
Conversations with the workshop staff can be regarded as another objective of the project.
Art gallery support, as well as that of art universities are anticipated.
Don't hesitate to contact me for any propositions or contact/interest you may have for participating in this upcoming project.
People involved in this project at this time :
川島千晶 （Kawashima Chiaki), Architect : the catalyst of human, time and space.
(Japanese use the same Chinese character for the words which mean human, time and space. I think the architect creates the relationship of those elements, not merely a product)
Born in Tokyo.
Spent good time in Hibiya high school.
Entered The Univ.of Tokyo, Architecture course.
I was absorbed in the cinema; both watching & making.
Specialized in the history of city "to feel time" while in the master course.
I've just finished the remodel of a flat in "Sakuradai court village", which is the work of Shozo Uchii from about 30 years ago. (He suddenly died when I was doing the remodel.)
The house of Yamanakako -the 15tubo-house for 15people- is now in motion. (tubo is traditional unit of floor space.15tubo is about 50 square meters.)
Eric Van Hove (1975-!), Poet, Nomad, Sculptor
Belgian born in Africa, he is a graduate of the Brussels College of Contemporary Art(St-Luc).
Monbusho Research Associate in Art (Calligraphy), his work has been displayed in several Tokyo/European galleries.
Words from his hand echo the reluctance of Melville's Barthelby : "I would prefer not to".
UENO STATION MAP (Proposed location for the workshop is number 8) :
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