Architecture students who are graduating from ETH Zürich have the opportunity to work on a free, self-​chosen topic under the supervision of the Master Professor during two semesters. In the year of 2020 Oliver Burch, Jakob Junghanss and Lukas Ryffel teamed up and worked on the Siedlung Wydäckerring, a residential complex in Zürich-Wiedikon. Built between in 1971 and 1976, and consisting of 303 prefabricated living units, the complex is currently being demolished to make space for a so called “Ersatzneubau”. They documented their exploration of the past, present and future of this place in a short film, which you can watch here:

In the words of the students: “Siedlung Wydäckerring is a child of its time: a prefabricated housing project with washed concrete elements, yellow Eternit panels, and a variety of everyday components typically to the 1970-ies. The staggered building volume defines a courtyard – a terraced landscape with a diverse vegetation, resting on a two story underground garage. If you happen to go for a stroll around Triemlifussweg you will see that today it is fenced with a bright orange wall, waiting for its demolition and soon to be replaced by an ‘Ersatzneubau’. Working on different scales, modes and strategies simultaneously, our project deals with the complexity triggered by the current urban redevelopment of Zürich.”

[Students] Jakob Junghanss, Lukas Ryffel, Oliver Xaver Burch

 (Amy Perkins, Boris Gusic, Tom Emerson), co-supervised by NEWROPE (Lukas Fink, Seppe De Blust, Freek Persyn)



More info about “Siedlung Wydäckerring” 

Master Theses

Agency of Transformation

Body Statistics is a playful exercise where participants position themselves regarding to specific questions or themes and in relation to each other. These exercises relate to the concept of Sociometry by Jakob L. Moreno (1889-1974). Relating to the latin terms of, 

 meaning measure, Moreno defined sociometry as "the inquiry into the evolution and organization of groups and the position of individuals within them."

Description

The only thing one needs for this is enough space, a group of people and someone instructing the group. Some (colorful) tape to make markings on the floor is also useful. Based on the questions asked, everyone positions along the respective axis in space. For example: “How old are you? Position yourself between 0 and 100.” Or: “At what scale do you like to work? Position yourself between a global scale and a door handle.” Or create a spatial reference point and exercise orientation. “If the center of the space is the building we are in, where did you grow up relative to it” Position yourself in the room, geographically relating to the celestial points (north-south-west-east from there) and to each other.” Focus on details in the way you ask questions: “How many semester did you study already?” or “How many semesters did you study architecture already” The questions vary according to the topic the group is engaged in.

Body Statistics help to analyze the individual position(s) and by that support self-awareness of the participants and clarify their potential role within a group. The format enables a light way of exchange and helps to create an informal atmosphere, leading towards a collective and expanded understanding of the group composition. It may happen that every individual stands out from the group once, even if for completely different reasons. The individual thus remains visible in the group and differences become the complementary strength of the collective.

How to Use

We use Body Statistics often to lay the foundations for our collaboration with and between students by getting to know each other better. Similarly, it can serve as an “active break” by moving through space collectively. It can help to form groups or to approach someone regarding a specific topic at the very beginning of a course. By repeatedly re-positioning oneself in physical proximity to others one inevitably ends up next to someone new, stimulating social bonds beyond purely “professional” relations. The exercises activate both body and brain and the simplicity of the task helps to overcome potential initial uncertainties. Body Statistics can  increase the  awareness regarding the size of the space and the orientatien skills in relation to the location one is in.   

Context

[Studio  Team] Michiel van Iersel, Lukas Fink, Freek Persyn, Charlotte Schaeben and Ben Pohl         

[LUS Lecture] Perspectives on Lanscape and Urban Transformation, Michiel van Iersel, Lukas Fink, Freek Persyn, Charlotte Schaeben

[Place] Design in Dialogue Lab & Fokushalle, ONA

Credits

Urban Practice

Formats

Body Statistics

The 1:20 scale model shows the Design in Dialogue Lab in the ONA building in Zurich Oerlikon. As a versatile work and dialogue setting, the Design in Dialogue Lab offers a variety of configurations that allow us to come together, test new ideas and practices and to reflect, share and relax. Combining theatrical elements with tools for coproduction, the Lab offers the conditions for a variety of work sessions, informal gatherings, small presentations and public events. The miniature version of our own Lab is situated within the space itself and enables us to constantly jump between scales and thus shift perspective.

An important element of our studios is the design of moments of dialogue, in architectural education generally referred to as “crits” (see 

 the article “Designing Moments of Dialogue”). For students the conceptualization and planning of those moments is an equal part, next to the work on an “project” or an intervention. The 1:20 model helps to test and negotiate different configurations and settings and becomes a tool for co-production.

[Place] The Design in Dialogue Lab, ONA, ETH

The Design in Dialogue Lab Model

Description

How to Use

Credits

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