Course detail

Junk Space

FaVU-JSAcad. year: 2020/2021

It was Rem Koolhaas who introduced the notion of junk space into architectonic discourse at the beginning of this century. The word has been successfully adopted not only in the jargon of architects but also of wider public as it metaphorically denotes places which have lost thier meaning, characteristics, and conceptualization in environments created by people. Koolhaas' notion of junk space is similar to the thinking of Marc Augén who calls this homogenized, ungraspable environment "non-places". He understands non-places as opposite to the tradinional notion of a place; non-place takes up all ills of supermodernity. Airports, supermarkets, highways, or multinational hotel chains are exemplary non-places. They are places of circulation, communication, and consumerism which need no history or identity. They mediate their users the illusion of being a part ofthe big global project.
The popularity of Koolhaas's term is also determined by its pivotal role in the critique of architects' apathy who have renounced the possibility of being active creators of new ideas - on the conctrary - they willingly cooperate on the completion of the big global project. Architecture is being made responsible for not being able to take a stance about the complexity of the world, it is not functional even in solving the practical minutiate of the global projects in the form of airport halls or highway junctions. Hence the question is whether the remedy of the spatial pollution can really arrive from a critical stance on the part of architects. Is not the artistic expression, which can provide non-space with autonomy and the possiblity of tranformation, a more viable means for the renewal ofspatial identity?

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

doc. Mgr. Jan Zálešák, Ph.D.

Department

Department of Art History and Theory (KTDU)

Learning outcomes of the course unit

The practical part of the seminar takes the form of a workshop the outcome of which is a concrete intervention in public space.

Prerequisites

Good knowledge of postwar art and architecture history.

Co-requisites

Not applicable.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

In the initial part of the semester, course is taught through lectures, videoprojections and moderated discussions. In the second part of the semestr, those are replaced with workshops aiming on production of the practical outcome.

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

credit

Course curriculum

The seminar is divided into two parts. The first part consists of lectures, discussions, and projections. The workshop outcomes have been discussed above.

Work placements

Not applicable.

Aims

Students will learn about the theoretical backgrounds of the notion of junk space and particular commissions in public space within a workshop.

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

Attendance is mandatory.

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Not applicable.

Type of course unit

Lecture

13 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Mgr. Jan Zálešák, Ph.D.

Seminar

13 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Mgr. Jan Zálešák, Ph.D.

VUT

Faculties

University Institutes

Parts

Junk Space

Type of course unit