project K:Home

Fire ecology Pasen Zondag Hindu funeral ceremony Urban intimacy

Intimacy V Disruption

We propose to concurrently explore the idea of intimacy and disruption through the introduction of fire to the site. This intervention will study what effect the introduction of an atypical activity has on users and local inhabitants and how and why fire creates an intimate space.

Fire as a medium can mediate between intimacy and disruption, depending on its scale and intensity. On the scale of the camp fire it can evoke a primeval sense of protection, by emitting heat and in darkness it defines a visible perimeter, a space of intimacy. However out of control and on the scale of a forest fire or building it can be dangerous and disruptive. For our intervention/experiment, the forest fire is a good example. Whilst being ultimately disruptive and destructive, some ecosystems have evolved with fire as a natural and necessary contributor to habitat vitality and renewal.

We will design, construct and examine various fires based on different scales and typologies. The scale can be considered from intimate to disruptive, and the project should define specific instances in which each condition is manifested at each scale.

Process

The aim of this project is to introduce new disruptive activities to the site and explore the possibilities for magnifying the intimate spaces which already exist. In order to achieve this we will design and construct a series of fires.

Each fire will be constructed from the same amount and type of material (Provisionally set at 1m² x 5mm ply). In this way the form of the construction will create the type of fire. Using generative design tools and automated manufacturing processes we can explore a variety of forms and fire typologies. The resulting fires will be recorded and mapped to the characteristics of the formof the structure.

To ensure that the fire does not become out of control and cause any real damage we will construct a fire proof platform on which to burn the structures. We will also need to consider getting in touch with the local authorities.

Prototyping fire

 post-industrial urban fire