"Architecture of Narrative" by Yinem Day

Architecture Senior Theses

Title

Architecture of Narrative

Author(s)/Creator(s)

Yinem Day

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

B. ARCH

Date

Spring 2020

Keywords

structure, typology, environment, office

Language

English

Disciplines

Architecture

Description/Abstract

A historic building should be adapted to the existing context and its character should be encouraged to evolve and transform. The addition and intervention to existing building is an inventive and creative process which provides great opportunities to transform an obsolete building into a propelling agent through particular ways, although at the same time restricted by numerous limitations. Architecture should become a tool of highlighting the relationship between the old and new and a bridge that connects the past, present, and future, becoming a point in the timeline of a place and culture. Also, visual storytelling displays a history of the past, an identity for the present, and an expectation for the future for people to compare and think of. Architecture is an ever-present form of experiential storytelling. The built environment has the potential to become more than just a space for daily life and activities, beyond the pure materiality. The space itself can carry stories, memories and imaginations. The narrative is not only about images or words, but about three-dimensional spaces. This thesis seeks to explore how to engage with the history of a site, respects existing conditions of a place, relates to present needs, and provides the potential for future use and adaptation, and how to utilize architecture spatial and material strategies in order to propel narrative and create an immersive experience for visitors, using the renowned Chinese novel The True Story of Ah Q as the primary vehicle for exploration. The thesis will explore the narrative and architectural typologies and focus on study “defamilization” as a main strategy in different scales to create connections between visitors and the story, and also enhance visitors’ sense of being part of the story, prompting them to think about the past, present and future. Through this examination, the thesis will attempt to incorporate a sequence of archetypal experiences and rituals corresponding to crucial scenarios in the story.