Omotoke Folashade Joseph Portfolio

OMOTOKE

JOSEPH

PORTFOLIO

+CV

OMOTOKE JOSEPH

Education

02/2018-06/2022

Bachelor of Architecture

University of Nicosia,Nicosia,Cyprus

Date of Birth:

17/11/1999

Gender:

Female

Contact

Location

Nicosia,Cyprus

Telephone

+357 96645124

Email

toksyjo@gmail.com

Languages`

English (Native)

As an architecture student I am

very passionate about learning

new skillls and ideas to help push

forward my design development

and thought process.

Experience

07/2019-08/2019

Architecture Internship

AEK Design Services ,Lagos, Nigeria

.Analysis and observation of active construction site

.Simple spatial sketching

.2D Drafting

06/2021-08/2021

Architecture Internship

Yiorgos Hadjichristou,Nicosia,Cyprus

.Analysis and observation of active construction site

.Concept development

.2D Drafting

Accomplishments

.JA Cyprus Startup Programme 2021

. Academic Honour roll 2019-2021

Skills

.Autocad (2D Drafting)

.Rhino(3D Modelling)

.Photoshop

.Indesign

.Hand model making

.Photography

.Conceptual sketching

01

Academic Work

Bachelor Project “Transitional Shelter”

Type:Mixed use

Location:Nicosia,Cyprus

Status: In progress

CONTENTS

02

03

04

01

Evolving Vertical Metropolis “Homemade

24/7”

Type:Mixed use


Status: Completed

February-June 2021

Regenerating Stavrou

Type:Urban


Status: Completed

September-December 2020

Library as a social hub

Type:Civic


Status: Completed

February-June 2020

Workshops &Exhibitions

Masters of Bahaus Workshop

Type: Workshop and Exhibition

Location: Nicosia,Cyprus

November 2021

Material Experimentation

Type: Personal work

Location: Nicosia,Cyprus

March 2019

Greenhouse Restaurant

Type: Competition


Status:Concept

Professional

Articles & Publications

Re-Sustain Magazine Issue 3

Publication date: Januray 2022

01

BACHELOR PROJECT

TRANSITIONAL SHELTER

“The Possible effects of Architecture on Disenfranchised/Displaced

individuals”

Proposal statement:

The project aims to explore how architecture can be used to positively

affect the lives of people who are currently displaced either

physically as it relates to homelessness and socially in terms of

work or just general social integration. Taking on themes of self-sufficiency,

cultural integration, and urban nomadism and how they

can be employed to support the user groups which include refugees/asylum

seekers, elderly individuals without a support system

and homeless individuals. Located in the walled city of Nicosia center,

the site and its proximity to the buffer zone reflects the divide

between the user group and the community, the project aims to

provide an opportunity to generate a phenomenon of social support

for these individuals through a complex including a variety of

spaces. In terms of programs the spaces will be categorized under

themes of food growing/making, manufacturing, housing and

workspaces which will support the possibility of self-sufficient loop

as well as providing new skills to the users and allowing for the

possibility of economic stability. Spaces will not be defined by their

boundaries but instead by their duality and interconnections.

Using the old city as Nicosia as a base ground for a new prototype

by testing varoius sites throughout the old city as a means of intervention

Key words: Displaced, Social integration, Generate, Self-sufficient, Duality

of spaces

KEY INFO

Final Year Project

INSTITUTION: UNIVERSITY OF NICOSIA

COURSE CODE : ARCH 401 & 402

STATUS: IN PROGRESS

SEMESTER:FALL 2021 & SPRING 2022

INSTRUCTORS:PETROS LAPITHIS, ELENORE ZIPPELUS

MASTERPLAN

PHASE 1

PHASE 2

PHASE 3

The project aims to generate a phenomenom of social support

with the old city of Nicosia as a sort of testing base for

possible iterations of the program in various urban situation

and conditions, therefore it considers posiible future and existing

connections in terms of network and supporting programs

relevant to the projects aims.

PROGRAM AND USERS

Furniture making

Weaving workshop

SKILLS CULTIVA-

TION

Co-working space

Automobile workshop

Permanent units

LIVING

USERS

PROGRAM

Cyclical units

Communal spaces

Relaxation

Market

SOCIAL/-

CULTURAL

INTERAC-

TION

GREEN SPACES

Assistance centre

Growing

GREEN SPACES

• Gardens which do not

require much space to

poduce yield i.e herbs

(herbs from different

user groups can be

grown)

SKILLS ACTIVATION

• Textile making

• Automobile workshop

• Shared workspace

HOUSING

• Permanent units

• Temporary units (Space

can be transformed or

dismantled)

SOCIAL/CULTURAL INTER-

ACTION

• Income producing space

• Shared spaces(Kitchen)

ASSUMED TIMELINE OF USERS

-Displaced refugees

-Homeless families and

individuals

-Elderly individuals without

support

-Current infrastructure lacks proper

planning and services

-Provides no means/services for

the future such as skills or jobs

Design intervention

providing a transitional

phase

Reintegration into the

society

The programs will be optimised by following these principles/

strategies:

• The complex acts as a base, using technologies, material

strategies and guidelines which assist in developing local,

social , cultural and environmental conditions

• Allows for possibilty of flexibility in which residents

can adjust according to their requirements both spatially and

functionally. Also a structural system which may allow for future

development according to the users may be utilised

• Decentralizing of service systems, Rainwater harvesting

and solar electricity generating technologies, sewage

and septic tank systems, and passive cooling principles can

be adopted avoiding an expensive centralized ‘big pipe’, approach

to infrastructure provision.

• Take into consideration possible fluncuating patterns

of users.

Due to the nature of the program, it is iportant to consider the possible ‘stay’

timeline of the users acknowledging the possibilties of users who will not be able

to transition but require support continually.

PHASE 1 - MASTERPLAN , INITIAL INTERVENTION

Existing building converted

to workshops

Assistance centre

Secondary entrances

Vehicular access

Vehicular movement

Existing building converted

to workshops

Primary entrances

Pedestrian/Foot

movement & Access

Controlled vehicular movement

CONCEPTS & INITIAL IDEAS

Continuation of public flow

Entry courtyards used as buffer between

programs

Program

Understanding permeability

Green Space as Transition

Street becomes a shared street controlling vehicular access

Pedestrian/Foot movement

& Access

Visual or physical

permeability

Vehicular access

8

6

4

7

12

1

3

10

11

5

2

9

GROUND FLOOR PLAN FIRST FLOOR PLAN SECOND FLOOR PLAN

1-Outddor market

2-Automobile workshop

3-Furniture workshop

4-Social assisatnce center

5-Communal area

6-Permanent residences

7-Cyclical Residences

8-Child daycare center

9-Textile weaving workshops

10-Co-working space

11-Indoor gardens

12-Outdoor gardens

The workshops act as a means of skills activation with the

hopes of generating income promoting transition out of the

shelter and re-integration into society.

SECTION AA

A

A

PHYSICAL 3D MODEL

SECTION BB

B

B

Cyclical unit

Communal

Gardens

Permanent unit

Primary entrance

Secondary entrance

First floor

Workshops

Outdoor market

Assistance center

Entrance courtyards

Ground floor

Gardens in relation to living

units

Living units

Assistance centre and entrance

Cyclical living unit

Panels used to control vehicular access

to shared street

EVOLVING VERTCAL METROPOLIS

‘HOME-MADE 24/7’

Located in the city centre of old town Nicosia , the project proposes

a highrise living complex which allows the extension of the activity

and atmospheric conditions from the city to create a new habitation

experience. The very specific program which includes elements such

as growing and making allows for interaction either spatially or programatically,

this combined with the users creates an almost symbiotic

relationship between it’s users and its functionality. Exploring

themes of self-sufficiency in terms of production, waste an commerce

the buildings hopes toquestion the current state of highrise

living in relation to its particular region

Following the theme of exploring self-sufficiency the program is very

particular with varying spatial requirements from space to access to

sunlight as well as varying relationships with the users.Arrangement

of spaces are based either on a sense of hierachy and/or symbioticity

which are intially understood by forming elemntary connections.

As well as self-sufficiency the projects reduces the scale of elements

such as food production by bring it closer to the consumer in both

proximity and production.The programs are all interconnected with

one function being based on the products from another space such

as fruits and vegetables in relation to preserves making which can

be sold in the retail, in this way the building creates a sort local

economy .

KEY INFO


COURSE CODE : ARCH 302, BUILDING TECHNOLOGY

SEMESTER:SPRING 2021

INSTRUCTORS: MARKELLA MENIKOU (menikou.m@unic.ac.cy) & ADONIS KLEANTHOUS(kleanthous.adonis@unic.ac.cy)

*All work included is individual

The city of Nicosia remains the last divided capital in the world, the old

city centre amplifies this divide as it houses the official border crossing.

Even through politocal turmoil the old city centre has remained a hub

for commercial activity a sort of meeting point of all the cultures residing

in Cyprus creating a unique identiy

The plot itself includes old brickwork ruins, walking through the street

provides a sense of contrast in relation to abandoned and rejuvanated

buildings. In relation to the more commercial streets the sites immediate

surrounding lack activity, this in turn helps narrow down the design

goals

PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT

Fruits and Vegetables

Plant which can be grown in vertcal

trellis

Small animals

USERS

Building Inhabitants

Workers as it relates to the growing

Type A

Type B

Fruits&Veg

Home cooked

Retail

Preserve and smoking workshops

Type C

Small animals Preserves and smoking

Eating

Living units Workspaces Public spaces

Grapes

Cherry tomatoes

Type A

Type B

Fruits&Veg

Home cooked

Retail


Algae which can be used to provide

nitrates for planting

Snails for composting

Preserve workshops

Lets dish

Type C


Eating


Workers as it relates to the home-cooked programs

Type A

Type B

Fruits&Veg

Home cooked

Retail


Community kitchen

Composting

Type C


Eating


Residents

Building visitors

Fruits&Veg

Home cooked

Retail


Small animals

Preserves and smoking

Eating

Living units

Type A

Type B&C

Taking the idea of flexibility to a more concrete concept by adapting the idea of

openable living using elemnts such as panel which can be used to control the level of

privacy depending on the time of day and the activities taking place.

DESIGN CONCEPTS

The overall concept treats living as

a secondary element to the overall

functioning the building, the

means of living is determined by the

relationship with the surrounding

spacea and programs

Separation of particular programs

into a set of atriums which are connected

either through function or

relationships with movement either

through the artriums which offshoot

unto the floors or movement

from the floors into the atriums.

Various atriums for programs

Primary programs

Secondary programs

Continuation of public flow

Adaption of facade in relation

to function

Food growing and composting

Eating

Reatail and food manipulation/processing

Vertical arrangement of primary

programs

Vertical arrangement of primary

programs in relation to

sun path

DESIGN ELEMENTS

PROGRAM MASSING STRUCTURAL SYSTEM FLOW

In relation with the concept, the programmatic

massing model is constructed using

the idea of programmatic towers, therefore

programs included in each core are

vertically stacked from ground floor up

Retail

Small animals

Baking

Drinking

The structural system system consists of

three stell trussed cores supported by

a rigid frame as well as perimeter shear

wall where additional vertical support is

needed.

The structural steel cores relate to the

vertical arrangement of the programs

which each core housing a different primary

program. In this way the cores become

are sort of hub of activity supported by

living which will occur with the rigid frame

support.

Flow in the case of the structure not only

refers to circulation but to elemnts such

movement of air,waste and water as they

relate to particular programs. In terms

of circulation, the primary staircase and

elevator are located together providing

access to all floors, they are supported by

seconday movement methods relative to

activty located throughout such as elevators

which move through fruits and vegetable

gardens as well as food corridors

which promote transportation of goods

produced in the building to the retail area

Lets dish

Fruits and vegetables

Smoked meats

Community Kitchen

Slow cooked

Type C

Type A

Fast cooked

Dried fruits

Home cooked

Private residential

Herb garden

Preserves

Type B

Experiential flow through food making

Primary staircase

Air flow

Transporting food to other programs

Fruits and vegetables

Water flow

Indicative Public flow

Landing between primary and vertical circulation

Indicative private residential flow

Compost flow

Retail and food processing

Structural footprint

+

Housing typologies

Structural trussed cores

Algae is stored in tankes producing

Nitrate rich water produced directed

to planting bed of fruits and

vegetables

Food waste in dropped off at

assigned spots and then sorted,

chosen and transferred to the snail

tanks where it is composted over

time and moves down to the underground

compost station which in

turn allocated the compost i.e to soil

to aid in planting

Shear walls

Air from the food making program is

moved through an extractor system

taken out allow for the re-introduction

of fresh air back in and also

directed to other spaces

Secondary system, columns and beams

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5

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15

16

1

11

Ground floor Plan

Sixth floor Plan

1. Home served community meals

2. Fast food restaurant

3. Informal community market

4. Produce store

5. Continous path

6. Toilets

7. Private residents elevator

8. Primary staircase

9. Public elevator

10.Elevator

11. Type A one bedroom with flexible opening

12. Type B two bedroom which acts as host for home cooked service

13. Type B two bedroom

14. Home cooked service

15. Fruit drying space

16. Grape garden

Home-served sitting area

SECTION AA

SECTION BB

Approaching C:\Users\toksy\OneDrive\Documents\perspectives the building

b.dwg, 5/20/2021 6

Moving through corridor to retail area

From retail area to other programs

through food corridor

Looking through a living unit onto grape

garden

Walking from home-cooked towards algae

storing tanks

C:\Users\toksy\OneDrive\Documents\plan studio.dwg, 5/20/2021 12:02:55 PM, AutoCAD PDF (High Quality Print).pc3

A

B

B

A

YSIZE XSIZE

DETAILS

ELEVATION

SECTION

M

K

A

E

G

J

I

C

L

B

H

D

G

F

A-Floor finishing

Moisture barrier

Sill for soil

Concrete slab

B-Suspended ceiling for hanging fruits

for sorting and/or drying

C-Hollow core concrete slab

-Floor finishing

D-Interior wall panel

Thermal Insulation

Cavity wall

Brick masonary facade

E-Double skin facade

-Interior wall panel

-Pipes embedded in wall for heating and cooling

-Brick masonary facade

-Supported on a steel L channel

F-Operable facade system for drying fruits

G-Double glazed glass

H-Flexible folding wall panels

I-Vertical steel rods to support grape

trellis

J-Algae stored in glass panels

K-Cantilevering beam bolted unto structural

core

L-Diagonal member bolted unto plate

M-Horizontal plate to provide cover for

double skin facade

C:\Users\toksy\OneDrive\Documents\plan studio_recover001.dwg, 5/20/2021 11:49:26 PM, AutoCAD PDF (High Quality Print).pc3

PLAN

Study Model and Sketch

AXONOMETRIC

-Seventh to Eight floors

C:\Users\toksy\OneDrive\Documents\axonometric.dwg, 5/20/2021 11:40:25 AM, AutoCAD PDF

C:\Users\toksy\OneDrive\Documents\axonometric.dwg, 5/20/2021 11:40:25 AM, AutoCAD PDF (High Quality Print).pc3

Home-growing




C:\Users\toksy\OneDrive\Docum


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Residential



Home-cooked




Primary circulation



04

LIBRARY AS A SOCIAL

HUB

The library currently as an institution is associated with a

purely academic excange of knowlwedge.This project aims

to explore the library as a magnet of social and communal

interaction including users of the general community such as

elderly individuals promoting cultural contrast between the

academic context aand social programs

Located on the main campus of the University of Nicosia,

Cyprus the library aims to act as a generator of social activity

alongside its typical program.Taking into consideration factors

such as pedestria pathways as well access to the campus,

the plot was chosen as a means to promote directed

pedestrian movement through the library plot promoting

both visual and physical interaction.

KEY INFO


COURSE CODE : ARCH 201

SEMESTER:SPRING 2020

INSTRUCTORS: MARKELLA MENIKOU (menikou.m@unic.ac.cy) &

MARIA HADJISOTERIOU(hadjisoteriou.m@unic.ac.cy)

All work included is individual

CONCEPT

INITIAL IDEAS

INITIAL IDEAS

Taking the idea of floating volumes and

Taking the idea creating of floating a specific program volumes within and each

creating a specific one . Arrangement program of within volumes each aims to

one . Arrangement create a circulation of volumes with eas aims as well to as

create a circulation progrssion with in activity eas . as Also well taking as the

progrssion in the activity voids to create . Also in-between taking the spaces .

the voids to create in-between spaces .

SPATIAL CONCEPTS

MOVEMENT

PUBLIC

PRIVATE

LIGHTING

progrssion progrssion in activity in activity . Also . Also taking taking the the

the the voids voids to create to create in-between in-between spaces spaces . .

Taking the idea of floating volumes and

creating a specific program within each

one . Arrangement of volumes aims to

create a circulation with eas as well as

progrssion in activity . Also taking the

the voids to create in-between spaces .

SPACE

VOID VOID

SPACE

VOID

INVESTIGATION INTO POSSIBLE PROGRAMATIC ARRANGMENT

INVESTIGATION INTO POSSIBLE PROGRAMATIC ARRANGMENT

Using the style of Peter Zumthor to

reprsnt possible programmatic arrangement

Using the style

with

of

emphasis

Peter Zumthor

on the

to

reprsnt

flow between

possible

programs

programmatic arrangement

with emphasis on the

flow between programs

VIEW SPACE

SPACE VOID

VOID

Void

Mass

LIGHTING

Lighting

MOVEMENT

MOVEMENT

Movement

MOVEMENT

PUBLIC

PUBLIC

PRIVATE

PRIVATE

PUBLIC

Public

PRIVATE Private

LIGHT

LIGHT

LIGHTING

Reading areas

Offices

Books

Recption

Cafe

Technology centre

Workshops

VIEW

VIEW

MOVEMENT

MOVEMENT

PUBLIC

PRIVATE

PUBLIC

PRIVATE

Addition of greenery

LIGHTING

LIGHTING

LIGHTING

LIGHTING

Directing pedestrian flow

VIEW

VIEW

VIEW

Entry point to library

LIGHTING

LIGHTING

LIGHTING

Volume raised above ground level to

allow free pedestrian movement

Working from the basis of a solid volume and subtracting from

this volume to create a mass and voild relationship creating

almost a sense of floating within the solids. Arrangement of

the volumees aims to create an ease of circulation through

programs and activities with the voids becoming in-between

spaces where various programs from within the volumes can

permeate

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CIRCULATION

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PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION


Fourth floor

Entrance Tower

Third floor

Connecting platforms

Public Reading space

Conference

Elderly training centre

Computer room

Cafe

Circulation/Reception




Second floor

Multi-use workshop

Virtual learning

Individual Reading

Staff area

Reference room

Ground floor


First floor


First floor

Toilets

Procedure room


Storage


Book repair room

Outdoor event space

Ground floor




Second floor

Third floor

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SECTION AA

SECTION BB


A

A

Walking through reading areas

Entrance


B

B

MASTER OF BAUHAUS WORKSHOP

&EXHIBITION

Group work

Workshop Brief:

The Bauhaus Masters and Teachers Revisited workshop consists of both theoretical

and practicalcomponents. It aims to introduce students to some of the most important

figures of the Bauhaus school and to encourage the process of artistic creation,

inspired by key concepts used by some of itsteaching staff.

The school and its ideas have influenced all fields of artistic creation, design and architecture,

to thisday. The main aim was to create a Gesamtkunstwerk (total work

of art) beased on a art work from a chosen Bahaus Master

2D Gesamtkunstwerk

INITIAL TESTING

The 2D work takes into consideration Moholys geomtric shapes

and colurs combining these elements with ‘light painting’ found

in Moholy’s experimental works, the play of light and shadow

create depth on the 2d work

3D Gesamtkunstwerk

PERSONAL MATERIAL STUDY AND EXPEPERIMENTATION

To develop better understanding of materials for model making , the material study

uses a series of materials testing their means for manipulation. The aim of this experimentatio

was to to inform future model making material decisions

Fabric and gypsum with the fabric as a type of flexible formwork

Paper testing by folding and crumpling as a way to create mass

Creating shapes and voids in gypsum using strings and wire

01

PROFESSIONAL

GREENHOUSE RESTAURANT

“A volcanic island covered in snow and ice”, Iceland is a

stunningly beautiful country, but not the easiest place to

find easily grown food, the competition aims to provide

a restaurant which addresses this issue directly. The site

located right next to the milky blue Myvatn nature baths

providing scenic views to the Hverfjall volcano and Myvatn

lakes which project aims to also to utilize as part as the

overall program

KEY INFO

OFFICE:YIORGOS HADJICHRISTOU ARCHITECTS

JULY 2021

Work included was done in a group

Primary contribution : Concept and from development

The generation of the form is based on the

exiting lakes and creating spatial forms which

seem to evolve the landscape creating a distinction

in the horizon

Plan

1

2

5

4

3

WINTER

MONTH:JANUARY

SUMMER

MONTH:JUNE

Comfort zone

1-Parking

2-Multipurpose hall

3-Kitchen

4-Restaurant

5-Greenhouse/planting area

ARTICLES AND PUBLICATION

DISAPPEARING CITIES

Folashade Omotoke Joseph

Impermanence as a concept in architecture is a discussion

which has evolved throughout the years, , Edward Ford in

"The Theory and Practice of impermanence" 1997 highlights

impermanence as more than just improvisation and convenience

but also relates it to concepts such as ephemerality and durability

in architecture. Intersecting with various movements such as

modernism and High-tech, impermanence advocates for a

view of architecture past the linear but instead begins to see

architecture as a cycle as it relates to human life, needs and

wants (Mcdonough,2002). Architecture should begin to transcend

beyond the monument, accepting temporality as part of the

physical manifestation of architecture.

As we go forward, we need to begin to ask ourselves, in this ever-changing

social, political and physical world, is permanence still

logical? Or instead, should we begin to look to impermanence to

create a new kind of architecture which embraces flexibility and

acknowledges the need for change.

Festivals as a sustainable tool of urban ephemerality

“The city should become tactile, perceptive responding to the

endless performative human, non-human, material body mind

forces” (Ploger,2018) a singular space cannot achieve this, Richard

Sennet in “The Uses of Disorder” 1970 proposes the idea of

a surface space which can promote an open system allowing for

constant evolution, the urban environment moves beyond just

inhabitation but becomes an experience as well in which urban

space is ephemeral and unfinished.

Currently festivals follow this concept of surface space as the

space allowing for the possibilities of evolution, so the question is

can the future urban landscape be adapted as a series of festivals

providing differing societal functions in which nothing is fixed, and

programs occur spontaneously almost similar to architecture of

nomadic cultures.

“Can the future urban

landscape be adapted as a

series of festivals?”

Ephemerality and temporarily in the urban landscape.

The city as we know it is based on a rigid structure with urban

planning currently based on previously assumed aspects and

needs of human life with permanence becoming the default condition,

instead a sort of ephemerality should begin to be considered.

An ephemeral city should work on symbiotic not parasitic

relationships (Kotkin,2005) becoming fluid in terms of identity,

atmospheres deviating away from given assumptions on value

and collective identities but instead promoting a form of dialogue

between the users and their environment leading to form of agency

and control of the individual and the community.

Festivals initially served as symbols of counterculture but are

currently utilized as forms of mainstream entertainment (Tyagi,

Digital Environment magazine). What if the festivals return as a

symbol of counterculture as it relates to the concept of permanence

in architecture with the concept of festivals being adapted

to become tools of spatial –temporal phenomenon in which temporary

structures begin to provide both shelter and social stimuli.

(Mehrota.R., Vera.F., 2015)

“Is Permanence still logical?”

Figure 1: Burning man Festival Figure 2: Coachella Festival Figure 3: Woodstock

Felipe Vera and Rahul Mehrotra in their book “Temporary flows

and Ephemeral cities” 2015 look to festivals as possible base model

for a spatial construction which is both temporary and cyclical

and designed to frame the human experience, festivals as an

urban prototype can begin to accept change with a design process

that allows for production of flexible, elastic structures which aims

to provides a sustainable economic, social, and physical environment.

The festival leaves behind no trace physically but instead lives on

in collective memory with the monument no longer being a massive

physical element of permanence but instead a societal shared

experience with material and social landscapes beginning to be

organized dynamically. “With Impermanence land is no longer a

resource continually consumed but instead a base of community

with humans as an integral element” Kisho Kurokawa, the human

element is brought back to the forefront of architecture.

Kumbh Mela: A case study in the festival as an urban tool

“Does Permanence Matter” Rahul Mehrotra, Kumbh Mela in India

is a Hindu mega fair which occurs for 55 days at the confluence of

the Ganga and Yamuna rivers once every 12 years and is considered

one of the largest gatherings worldwide. The festival becomes

a sort of pop-up city existing based on the current religious

and social needs of the users.

“The Kumbh Mela is a temporary city

whose population fluctuates between 3

million inhabitants on regular days and 30

million inhabitants on the festival’s most

holy days. Shanghai, the world’s largest

permanent city, has a population of about

24 million”

Figures 5: Showing the site before exposed

Figures 6 : The site is exposed

The grid as is utilized in the Kumbh Mela moves beyond the

basics of planning, but instead also becomes the grounded territory

meaning the geometry of the grid may change due to the

morphology of the festival. Moving beyond conformity, the city

manages to provide a medley of individual expression through

autonomously conceived areas by the users therefore providing

a sense of community and allowing for independence through

spatial singularity.

In terms of sustainability, the city employs the concept of reversibility

of a festival constructed and disassembled purely based

on the programmatic and spatial needs. Due to its temporality,

it might be assumed that it is constructed in parts and differing

moments but the Kumbh Mela is built unitary at once.

The elements which come together to make the physical structures

of the city are materials which are easily economically

available , the materials once on site can be adapted to create

a variety of typologies constructed throughout the city. At the

festivals end the materials are re-absorbed into the system, given

to small towns and counties for construction such as bridges or

maybe shelter accepting the temporality of the physical

(Mehrota.R., Vera.F., Khanna.T,. Eck.D. 2015)

Figure 4: Temporary Bridges at the Kumbh Mela

The site itself is temporary as it occurs only because of the natural

seasonal cycle only being exposed when the water levels receded

within a floodplain, the festival cities relationship with the land

is not intrusive but instead carefully ensures not to permanently

alter the landscape but still managing to take advantages of its

natural resources allowing the Kumbh Mela to become a sort of

category of eco- architecture.

Urbanism in the festival of Kumbh Mela becomes an elastic condition,

elastic not only in its physicality but also in its social realtionship

with the program and users.

Using the Kumbh Mela as an example we can begin to re-examine

what the cities and the urban environment could look like, maybe

the city can evolve to become a sort of pilgrimage not in relation

to religious or cultural contexts but just gatherings of people to

contribute to a network within a life cycle in relation to activity

and program.

The idea of disappearing cities is not necessarily a new concept

such as Archigrams walking city which was conceived as a mobile

metropolis, but the use of festivals as a possible means of sustainable

consideration both socially and environmentally calls for us

to reconsider not eradicate our urban inhabitance. What if like a

festival the city was experienced not just occupied but continually

evolving as it moves and exchanges functions and users.

References:

Vera, F., & Mehrotra, R. (2015). Temporary Flows & Ephemeral Cities.

Room One Thousand, 3. Retrieved from https://escholarship.org/uc/

item/18f9p6np

Ploger,J.(2018). The Ephemeral City:The Difference betweem Rode

Plads and Gillet Square.Experimental Cities. https://experimentalcities.

com/the-ephemeral-city/

Sennett, R. (1970) The Uses of Disorder. Personal Identity and City Life,

New York, A Vintage Book.

Kotkin,J.(2005). The Rise of the Ephemeral City.Metropolis. https://metropolismag.com/programs/the-rise-of-the-ephemeral-city/

Mcdonough,W., Braungart ,M.(2002) .Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the

Way We Make Things. North Point Press.

Ford,E. (1997). The Theory and Practice of impermanence. Harvard

Design Magazine. Retrieved from: http://www.scribd.com/

doc/39568720/The-Theory-and-Practice-of-Impermanence

Mehrota.R., Vera.F., Khanna.T,. Eck.D.(2015). Kumbh Mela: Mapping the

Ephemeral Mega City. Hatje Cantz

Omotoke Folashade Joseph Portfolio

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