Project Description

Protest is a voice of democracy- it is exercised globally in digital and physical space now more than ever. This thesis evaluates the role of the built environment within the agency and representation of protests. Focus is taken to witness the built environment transform to the needs of social and political activism within increasingly conflicted societies. For this inquiry, a variety of representations: visual data, cartographic, and graphic illustrations analyze the social and physical changes exhibited in architecture and urban infrastructure during social unrest. Case studies of past, and present protests exemplify urban reorganizations, summarizing instances of reclaimed public boundaries, in-situ adhoc constructions, and reconditioned architectural spaces. How does the city and its buildings adapt to enable people to politicize space? Simultaneously, how are law and order implemented within these spaces during ephemeral political challenges? Ultimately, the thesis postulates design as an influential physical factor in powering political activism.