Allegory [Architectural Thesis]

ARCHITECTURAL
THESIS
ALLEGORY
R A H E E M
G I L L I G A N

Inspired by the negative portrayal of Modernist
Estates in Seine-Saint-Denis, we follow Plato’s
CONTROLLING IMAGE
[con-trol-ing im-age]
Similar to stereotyping; images used to
incorrectly represent a place or people -
based on negative ulterior motives.
ALLEGORY of the Cave
Exploring how the controlling image of film can
alter our perceptions of architecture and those
within. The thesis uses the Allegory’s narrative
to deconstruct the controlling image and tell a
story on the impact of negative imagery.

ACT1 ACT2 ACT3
ALLEGORY
o f t h e C a v e
A group of prisoners sit in a cave and see shadows
on a wall. Casted by puppet masters behind
them. Phantoms of real-world entities. Until one
prisoner escapes.
He leaves the cave and goes to the outside world.
Instead of seeing phantoms of a tree, he sees a
real tree as its leaves blew in the wind. He realises
that the shadows are false and heads back inside
to tell his companions.
As he heads inside, he stumbles as he became
used to the outside world. Seeing this and
hearing his shocking revelation - they reject and
kill him. Afraid to face the truth within the lies.
IMPRISONMENT
DEPARTURE
R E T U R N

ACT 1 IMPRISONMENT
Like the shadows cast on the wall of the cave,
TV, media and film offer us phantoms of
modernist estates. Glorifying violence, drugs
and crime. But is that the truth?
Like the prisoner escaped in the first act
and saw the shadows controlled by puppet
masters, this led to interrogating a controlling
image. Focusing on a film from video artists
NT titled ‘FOX’. A film shot provocatively as it
follows a young black boy traversing a South
London estate. Shots encourage viewers to
see the boy as an antagonist even though this
may not be the case.

THE UNDERPASS
Scene composition sets the tone for spatial arrangement.
Positioning the FOX against the camera casts him as an
imposing figure within the space.
Imposition Through Three-Part Composition

THE PHARMACY
The use of the canopy creates a stereotypical situation for
the FOX. Within the space he is seen as a hooded black kid
on the corner of a modernist block.
Stereotyping Through Fibonacci’s Rectangular

THE ESTATE
The external street showing housing and a distant tower. An
element of familiarity from the FOX's position on the wall.
Yet distance to the tower block demonstrates anxiety.
Familiarity and Distance Through a Stretched Three-Part Composition

Let me take you on a journey since you’re looking at me
I’ve got my back to you, so it’s only right you follow
And I know, that you might not want to go
But, if you never go, then I promise you’ll never know
You’ll just stay stuck, believing the things they show
On the screens of your pocket devices and in your homes
They say what they show is the truth, but they lied
Because to know the whole truth
YOU HAVE TO KNOW BOTH SIDES
So take a walk with me, I’m on my way home
About to hit the underpass that joins the main road
And I can tell from their portrayal of the space, that you picture me
Telling you to empty your pockets, committing villainy
But let me tell you what the reality is
That tunnel with the entry full of concrete and stone
Is scary to me too but it’s the best lit route home
So tell me, what do you see
AFTER WHAT YOU’VE BEEN TOLD
Now we’re at the pharmacy
Where Me, Mum, My Sister and My Auntie meet
But I can tell from the way it’s been shown
That I’m looking like a runner that’s trying to make dough
That ain’t the case so let me tell you the truth
Sis forgot we were meeting, so I’m anxious of stuff
Choosing to stay low because of the building above
So, tell me, what do you see
AFTER HEARING THAT STUFF?
Inspired by the narration of the film 'Tower XYZ' by Ayo Akinbade, a poetic
narrative was incorporated to counter any stereotypical prejudice.

Come with me to my estate
See me sitting on the wall because my family’s late
And I can tell from the way that the shots not straight
That I’m look menacing, trying to hide my face
But let me tell you that its not that case
I’m sitting on the wall because it’s where I feel safe
I can’t get to my balcony, my familiar space
So tell me, what do you see
AFTER YOU’RE TOLD THOSE TRAITS?
I’m not walking further down the block
I’m just going to sit and wait until my family’s home
Even if I’m looking menacing to your eyes
I can’t see no eyes, from the tower block that’s down the road
And it’s sad to think, but it’s reality
Not knowing if a neighbour will try and challenge me
I can feel scared too, just like you
So tell me, what do you see
WHEN I SOUND JUST LIKE YOU?
Let me turn around, so you can look at me
I wonder if you’re looking at me the same
I took you on a journey, explained the whole story
I wonder if you’re seeing their version the same
I’m just saying don’t believe everything you get shown
Because they think they know a path, without walking the road
But I hope I helped tell you what you might’ve not known
So tell me, what do you see
FROM ALL THAT YOU’VE BEEN SHOWN?
The idea was to inform viewers of the boy’s perspective through the estate.
Engaging the audience with a relatable narrative and challenging perceptions.

By creating a deconstructed plan shows the films spatial
sequence. Massing each space also evidences the choice of
buildings in the film. Clearly indicating an imposition onto
the viewer and onto the protagonist.
Abstract Masterplan and Two-Point Perspective of Film Spaces

Looking at the three main spaces: the underpass, pharmacy
and the tower block - we see the agenda. Highlighting
openings in each of their facades shows how thresholds are
used for cinematic imposition.
Elevations of the Underpass (Left) Pharmacy (Middle) and Tower (Right)

3D printed moulds create a negative plaster cast - capturing intangible
film space. Creating a physical form breaks disconnection. This cast
captures the estate facade and wall where the FOX may feel safe.
Casting Mould Isometric | Extracting the Safety Cast

In contrast, this cast captures the entry to the tower block. Playing on
ideas of paranoia from the poem - evidenced through distance in the film.
Casting Mould Isometric | Extracting the Paranoia Cast

ACT 2
DEPARTURE
After the prisoner saw the shadows where
controlled, he left the cave and seen the
outside world greatly differing to his. Instead
of seeing the menacing shadow of a tree, he
saw its true nature.
Like the prisoner, after interrogating NT's
shadows, this led to visiting a modernist
estate to see its reality. The estate in question
was Central Hill in Lambeth (South London).
Currently under threat of demolition due to
pressures from the Lambeth Council.

Central Hill Estate is home to Drill artist K-Trap. His music is
controvertial yet despite being involved in the Save Central
Hill campaign, his videos are targeted. A lot of them are shot
on the estate which media outlets demonise.
WARM REMIX Collage in the Courtyard (Left) | FEEL IT Collage in the Hills (Right)

When visiting the estate, the goal was to understand it's
reality. This led to an interview with a 'Save Central Hill'
activist. A discussion during a tour which touched on
positive estate memories but also the damming effect on
housing and key traversal spaces.
Extrusions of Key Spaces | The Hills (Left) | The Walkway (Center) | The Staircase (Right)

THE
STAIRCASE
Redefining key areas in a short film 'The Unspoken'.
Challenging the negative perceptions against positive
memories (full breakdown in the IKON pamphlet).
Mapping of The Unspoken | In the Staircase

THE
WALKWAY
Mapping of The Unspoken
In the Walkway

THE
HILLS
Mapping of The Unspoken
On the Hills

ACT 3
RETURN
After interrogating the controlling image and
seeing reality - this led to the thesis proposal.
Just like the prisoner who returned to the cave
to free his companions, telling the story was
the important aspect. In the original Allegory,
he was killed because they where afraid
to blindly follow his claims. In this proposal
however, the approach of writing a poetic
story (written from the perspective of the FOX)
sheds light on the negative controlling image.
Whilst still resonating to viewer emotions.

LEWISHAM ARTHOUSE
ENTRANCE
SIDE
EXIT
Lewisham Arthouse. The original venue for NT's showcase of FOX (for the 2018
Deptford X festival). The concept was to use the Arthouse as a catalyst for the
Basement Floor Plan (Left) | Ground Floor Plan (Right)
spreading of negative controlling imagery (like shadows cast in the cave).

CENTRAL HILL ESTATE
LEFT
HOUSING
ENTRY
RIGHT
HOUSING
ENTRY
In contrast is Central Hill (used to symbolise loss from the controlling image). Developed from casting
works, the concept was to excavate the current site and invert the modular housing plan. Linking each
Lower Floor Plan (Left) | Ground Floor Plan (Center) | Upper Floor Plan (Right)
inverted 'GHOST' within the three main traversal areas explored in The Unspoken and the Interview.

Inspired by the Modular City of Barcelona and it's direct pathways, the idea
was to take the two sites and connect them through an ethereal line. A
path not bound by time or context but constructed of concrete and steel
I-Beams. Inspirations which came from Tadao Ando.
Central Hill Estate (Left) and Lewisham Arthouse (Right)

PROPOSAL
After enlightenment for reality and seeing
false shadows, the prisoner heads back to
inform the others. The final proposal does
the same, taking findings from the first two
acts and embedding them into a story. One
focusing on the journey of the FOX through
Lewisham Art House, the Ethereal Line and
Central Hill. All of which have been damaged
by the effects of negative controlling imagery.
The story is delivered through a spoken word
performance accompanied by visuals and an
ambient instrumental soundscape (right).

AWAKENING ACT 1
Act 1 opens the Allegory and introduces
The Ethereal Line cutting straight through
Lewisham Arthouse. The narrative for this act
follows the idea of the cave - representing
physical spaces from the NT film as shadows.
Making the Arthouse a voided and empty shell
with a cave below. This works to symbolise the
unseen nature of the controlling image.

Opening my eyes, I confess I was surprised
I’ve been in and out the Art House one too many times
Today it was different, crazy in design
Had me feeling hypnotised in each one of my eyes
I couldn’t believe what them things cast
Looking up to see shadows of a kid’s back
Passing through spaces that I passed myself
Made me realise I was watching me and no one else
From the side leading up to it - it looked fine
Things took a turn when I walked onto the side
The entrance was replaced with a new way inside
A BRIGHT RED LINE standing stories in the skies
Shadows of a journey that I took alone
Through the underpass and pharmacy
Towards my home
But the portrayal wasn’t accurate to say the least
Had me looking like a beast
Even though it stood tall it was interesting
Out there starving on the streets
Because there was only a little entrance in
A tunnel, smaller in size
Way smaller than the line how it appeared outside
Paranoia from the shadows
How they made me seem
I quickly gathered my composure
My shoulders hit the sides passing through the confines
I emerged into a space so deceiving to my eyes
The ground floor studio scarcely designed
Then I left the scene
Walking up the stairs to a different plane
A carcass of the Art House with no remains
Excavated to the basement
Where the darkness would reside
Looking to my left I see the line again
As it spans a distance
As I walked down the stairs, I felt a harsh heat
Coming from behind a wall that had a marked seat
As I sat down in the pitch black
I noticed rays of light cutting through its thin cracks
Further than my sight could send
Behind me - hearing shadows try and call me friend
I stepped forward
Apprehensive of what’s at the end

00:00 00:22 01:21
02:08
02:19
The first soundscape contextualises the Arthouse and
the intersecting line. Using sound samples of an external
streetscape to show the protagonist's entry. Followed by a
bonfire and voices from the shadows it casts.
External Street Scape
Flickering Flame
Shadow Whispers

Line Intersection Through Lewisham Arthouse - Scale : 1:500
Ground Plan (Left) and Basement Plan (Right)

50mm x 435mm Steel Bolt
300mm x 300mm Timber Beam
100mm x 2500mm
Concrete Cladding Slab
265mm x 300mm Steel Beam
Connection Plate
200mm x 14000mm
Right Side of Steel I-Beam
200mm x 14000mm
Left Side of Steel I-Beam
300mm x 14000mm
Centre of Steel I-Beam
30mm x 300mm
Steel I-Beam Bracing
Sequence | 1
Install Pile Foundations
Sequence | 2
Insert Steel I-Beam
Sequence | 3
Concrete Cladding Install
Existing 300mm Concrete Floor Slab
Exposed 300mm Concrete Floor Slab
Screed Layer
1100mm x 1500mm Foundation Cap
35mm Steel Foundation Rebar
Line Intersection Wall Detail - Scale : 1:50
700mm x 4500mm Concrete Pile

ESCAPISM ACT 2
Act 2 plays on the protagonist battling his
emotions after leaving Lewisham Arthouse.
This journey along on The Line reinterprets
key spaces from NT as a forced environment
(resembling the controlled nature of film
on the protagonist's mind). Ultimatley he
overcomes his paranoia - which symbolises
him leaving behind the controlling image.

I was walking down the line for what felt like hours
Looking at the sun and occasional rain showers
A glass ceiling allowed light inside
As a break from the red overpowering my eyes
It’s amazing
How the line captured a place so brazen
The pitch-black windows gave me paranoia
So don’t wonder why I used the canopy for cover
At that point I looked down and noticed a high rise
A wall so large that it was the same size
As the line itself, with no way around
So, I ran straight through, but I didn’t hear a sound
Circling low to distance from the upper
Separation from uncertainty to help recover
But what’s healing in a place like this?
As surroundings change again
I stumbled in the abyss
As I broke through - it disappeared like it was never there
Staring back was the underpass and I was scared
Monochrome colourway but the form was there
Pitch black at the end, I had to stay aware
Opening my eyes, I see my home estate
Minimal and monumental how it was portrayed
Walking past the wall where I used to sit and play
A ghost of its former self with nothing I could change
Feeling uneasy I walked to the end
Not knowing what was waiting for me round the bend
But once I turned
I looked back and seen a mile of line
Only to turn back and see the pharmacy this time
Looking at the tower was a scary scene
Dark voids staring at me through the void between
Same as the shadows and everything I’d seen
I had to KICK IT DOWN just to try and intervene

02:19 02:53 02:58 03:15
03:35 03:42
04:00 04:12 04:23 04:30
Overhead Rainfall
The second soundscape seeks to capture the essence of
NT's estate. Using contextual samples which match the
individual areas of the Underpass, Pharmacy and Estate.
The use of these samples is to position the listener in the
position of the protagonist as he passes through The Line.
Underpass Traintracks
People Conversing
Estate Children Playing
Line Destruction

The Underpass Plan (Left) - Scale : 1:250
The Underpass Isometric (Right) - Scale : 1:500

The Pharmacy Plan (Left) - Scale : 1:250
The Pharmacy Isometric (Right) - Scale : 1:500

The Estate Plan (Left) - Scale : 1:250
The Estate Isometric (Right) - Scale : 1:500

200mm x 14000mm
Left Side of Steel I-Beam
1
1
Sequence | 1
Align Vertical and Horizontal I-Beams
300mm x 14000mm
Centre of Steel I-Beam
200mm x 14000mm
Left Side of Steel I-Beam
200mm x 14000mm
Right Side of Steel I-Beam
200mm x 14000mm
Right Side of Steel I-Beam
Sequence | 2
Weld I-Beam Connection Points
300mm x 14000mm
Centre of Steel I-Beam
30mm x 300mm
Steel I-Beam Bracing
Sequence | 3
30mm x 300mm
Steel I-Beam Bracing
Reinforce Connection with Bolted Connection Plate
100mm x 2500mm
Concrete Cladding Slab
Sequence | 4
100mm x 2500mm
Concrete Cladding Slab
Insert Concrete Floor Slab onto I-Beam Frame
Repeat Both Sides of the Line
3
3
4
50mm x 335mm
Steel Bolt
50mm x 335mm
Steel Bolt
50mm x 435mm
Steel Bolt
50mm x 435mm
Steel Bolt
4
Steel I-Beam
Welding Seam
Steel I-Beam
Welding Seam
50mm x 1800mm x 1100mm
Steel Connection Plate
50mm x 335mm
Steel Bolt
300mm
Concrete Floor Slab
50mm x 1800mm x 1100mm
Steel Connection Plate
50mm x 335mm
Steel Bolt
300mm
Concrete Floor Slab
2
1
2
1
Line I-Beam Connection Detail - Scale : 1:10

REALITY ACT 3
Act 3 demonstrates to the protagonist how
other communities weren't so lucky to
overcome the controlling image. Introducing
Central Hill as a ruined estate with no
community left. Seeing the visual impact on
the houses as inverted ghosts of their former
selves. The further he traverses the more
deteriorated these ghosts become.

As the tower fell and hit the ground
My surroundings were looking like a battleground
No life to be seen nor a single sound
Just graves exposed without a single mound
Had me thinking that the old buildings must have drowned
Swallowed by the earth without a remanence found
Looking down thinking there’d be skeletons round
But it was pile foundations sticking out of the ground
Thinking to myself who did this?
Then I looked to see something in the distance
It was a building alone in existence
Powerful in contrast a symbol of resistance
Walking over getting close to the facade
Only to see a mask that covering up the scars
Of a ghost left behind, a form so refined
Showing the inverse of a home lost in time
I just walked through to a staircase in between
Reached the top and saw something making me intrigued
A platform leading to a way inside
A tunnel cutting through connecting either side
With no idea how to feel at all
I just stood on the platform looking at them all
Every grave that was visible across the site
Up until another ghost appeared in my sight
As I walked into the next space
Something about the place made me feel fresh faced
Contrasting like a day and night
The only rest-bite was coming through the rays of light
Then I walked out and seen the other side
Where the pile foundations had an odd design
Imprints embedded in the concrete form
Were words from the people who were living before
Reading “Save Central Hill” but I couldn’t be sure
Until I heard it scream at me and I fell to the floor
Taken back I had to take a seat
Overwhelmed but for them I couldn’t take defeat
Incomplete but still I persevered with hope
Till I seen the final ghost sitting in its slope
Walking to the hills I was getting close
But you see this ghost - I think it lost the most
A plain mass with no indents to be seen at all
Apart from a single opening within its walls
Walking through to get a peek inside
If you see what I seen, you probably would have cried
An empty living room below a mezzanine
STRIPPED OF ALL LIFE before my very eyes
The kind of thing that you can’t disbelieve
Deceit being forced on these communities
I made my way to the courtyard so I could leave
Just to see the line white and calling out for me
Feeling eerie as I stepped into the walkways
Seeing openings to the tunnels in its doorways

04:30 04:50 07:04 07:24
The third soundscape aims to embody abandonment and
loss. Due to the somber nature of the instrumental, and the
idea of loss expressed in the narrative - the idea was to use
overhead bird sounds. Looping this sample helps to capture
the empty estate in its unfortunate situation.
Melancoly Bird Chirping

The Staircase Ghost Plan (Right) - Scale : 1:250
The Staircase Ghost Isometric (Left) - Scale : 1:500

The Walkway Ghost Plan (Right) - Scale : 1:500
The Walkway Ghost Isometric (Left) - Scale : 1:250

The Hills Ghost Plan (Right) - Scale : 1:150
The Hills Ghost Isometric (Left) - Scale : 1:250

6000mm (2 Storey)
Concrete Housing Cast
Ground Line
35mm Steel
Foundation Rebar
500mm Concrete
Support Beam
1100mm x 1500mm
Foundation Cap
35mm Steel
Foundation Rebar
3
600mm x 2000mm
Concrete Pile
2
1
Sequence | 1
Insert Pile Foundations
Sequence | 2
Add Support Beams
Sequence | 3
Place Inverted Cast Ontop Inverted Form Foundation Detail - Scale : 1:20

RETURN ACT 4
Act 4 deals with appreciating what was
lost. The protagonist travels back along the
line, determined to write the wrongs of the
controlling image. Yet as he travels back he
comes into contact with perfect forms of
Central Hill. Perfect upon first glance but soon
realising the real perfection came from the
community's imperfections. Every moment
he appreicates, he turns to sees himself. A
visual reminder of where he used to be.

After walking in it for a time
I encounter something strange sitting in the line
A form unique to break the linear
But there was something about it that looked familiar
Because the other side of them was overly worn
Still, it gave something that was totally pure
Balancing both through harmony
Just to look left and see me standing at the pharmacy
As I got close, I saw the sloped hills
Perfect and monochrome it gave me cold chills
Thinking this is just a form of ideals
Without consideration for how that side feels
Standing underneath the canopy
I couldn’t help but look over and be mad at me
Because I was playing into how they wanted me
Scared of my surroundings and paranoid constantly
It wasn’t till I took a step I realised
The path had been walked on a hundred times
Getting to the top I finally look behind
Thinking this is how we’re seeing things in real lives
Yet as I banged on the wall
Trying to get my own attention I was feeling unsure
And sure enough it affected my sight
As windows became bright and left me totally blind
ONLY TO LOOK LEFT and be in disbelief
Nothing prepared me for what I could have seen
A one-way mirror I was seeing me
About to kick down a tower block to set me free
I see another place as I opened my eyes
Central Hill’s staircase but I wasn’t surprised
Just like the others it was cleanly designed
Without an imperfection to a step on its rise
Banging on the wall I couldn’t hear me scream
Trying to get my own attention just to make me see
Everything that I was doing only helped the cause
Of those trying to rip the block apart with no remorse
But the footers of the staircase where broken and frayed
So, I sat at their peak and just admired their ways
Looking up towards the sky and just admiring the rays
Till a darkness on my left overpowered my gaze
As the tower fell - I shut my eyes
Opening them wide to see the rest of the line
Just to turn around and see the walkways
But it was clear that I wasn’t in Central Hill this time
It was darkness from the underpass that I could see
Overwhelming every source of light surrounding me
But over in the distance I could see myself
Navigating through a space where I was overwhelmed
Walking down the path made in perfect form
Felt crazy like something I was seeing before
From indentations to the slope in the floor
Till I got to the end and then I weren’t so sure
Knowing what was coming I just tried to help
Breaking down the wall so light could flood it out
But as I took my first swing to breaking down the glass
Everything around me started to collapse

07:24 08:10 - 15 09:07 09:18
09:53 10:26 10:33
The fourth soundscape focuses on the journey back up the
line for the protagonist. Embedded into the instrumental
are soundbites of concrete rubbings. This is to contextualise
the materiality of the imperfect surfaces he encounters -
only to end in demolition.
Rough Concrete Rubbing
Rough Concrete Footsteps
Rough Concrete Scraping
Line Destruction

The Hills Plan (Left)
Scale : 1:250
The Hills Isometric (Right)
Scale : 1:250

The Walkway Plan (Left)
Scale : 1:250
The Walkway Isometric (Right)
Scale : 1:250

The Staircase Plan (Left)
Scale : 1:250
The Staircase Isometric (Right)
Scale : 1:250

1
200mm x 14000mm
Right Side of Steel I-Beam
200mm x 14000mm
Left Side of Steel I-Beam
1
50mm x 435mm
Steel Bolt
2
4
300mm x 14000mm
Centre of Steel I-Beam
3
30mm x 2500mm
Double Glazed Panel
1
30mm x 300mm
Steel I-Beam Bracing
Sequence | 1
Sequence | 2
Sequence | 3
Sequence | 4
Align Steel
Weld I-Beam
Bolt Knife Plate
Place Concrete Floor
I-Beams
Connections
into I-Beams
Slabs onto I-Beams
300mm Concrete Floor Slab
Steel I-Beam
Welding Seam
1000mm x 2900mm
Steel Knife Plate
Dual Sided Line Connection Detail - Scale : 1:20

DAMAGES ACT 5
Act 5 revisits Lewisham Arthouse. Yet he
returns to see a ruin - torn apart from the
controlling image beneath. Walking around,
he sees no way out and a flame engulfing
the Arthouse. This represents the rage the
controlling image causes on communities -
now taking full effect on it's source. Ready to
accept his fate and be at one with the flame
- he awakes. Realising a paranoid subconcious
created his own demise.

As my surroundings caved in
I shut my eyes to open to a strange thing
It was the Art House but it was exposed
Structures visible no longer enclosed
Seconds later I seen it reignite
Then all the structures around me started to set alight
Looking at the line for a way to leave
A ruin of a building it was stripped raw
But there was no clear exit that I could have seen
Had me thinking why did I go on this trip for?
Broken windows and collapsed walls
The columns in the middle couldn’t stand tall
Seeing my reality - I was stuck inside
I embraced the flames around me and I closed my eyes
But right before I fell, like the blocks that I’d seen
Leaning on the line trying to get support
My eyes opened wide, like waking from a dream
Connection points were looking like a last resort
Looking like they didn’t want to stand no more
Broken beams in the rafters spanned above them all
I snapped back and I was sitting down
In the Art House studios with people round
Sitting contemplating all the things I’d seen
I walked in the centre of the exposed space
Then I looked to see Central Hill up on the screen
Seeing columns transform and leave a burnt trace
Almost like they’d been lit with a large flame
That engulfed the building when it was untamed
Watching people walk away and patronise
Falling victim to the imagery before their eyes
I had to stop and tell them they were seeing lies
As I looked into the centre I couldn’t believe
Had me questioning my eyes and what I perceived
There was a bonfire as real as can be
I told them
OPEN UP YOUR EYES AND YOU'LL BE SURPRISED
And if it did this then was it trying to achieve?

10:33 10:57 11:08 11:43
11:55 12:18
12:28 13:05
The final soundscape captures the Arthouse in ruin. Exposed
and destroyed from the flames of the controlling image. The
soundscape uses samples highlighted in the first act of the
external streetscape and the bonfire. The difference here is
that the fire erupts into gallery chatter.
External Streetscape
Bonfire Flame Flickering
Bonfire Eruption
Gallery Conversations

The Ruin of Lewisham Arthouse - Scale : 1:500

50mm x 435mm Steel Bolt
100mm x 2500mm Concrete Slab
w / 200mm Corbel
300mm Existing
Timber Arthouse Beam
Existing Timber Beam to Corbel Cladding Detail - Scale : 1:20
Sequence | 1 Sequence | 2
Sequence | 3 Sequence | 4
Sequence | 1
Sequence | 2
30mm x 300mm
Steel I-Beam Bracing
300mm Existing
Timber Arthouse Beam
Insert Corbel Slab
Input Rest Plate
700mm x 14000mm
Steel I-Beam
Sequence | 3
Place Timber Beam
Sequence | 4
Insert Timber Beam
into Column Joint

At the end of ‘The Republic’ Plato speaks of how the prisoner should have dealt with
informing the other inmates. Suggesting the Socratic Method to expose an element
of the truth to a populous - then allowing them to make their own judgement.
Rather than imposing that their perception is wrong, it offers a chance for them
to realise themselves. This is a much more powerful way of conveying a message
and creating open discourse within society. It is within this same vein that Allegory:
An Architectural Tragedy grounds its thesis. Instead of making bold claims that
everything we see about the modernist block is warped, it provides the opportunity
for the viewer to gain enlightenment through empathising with another perspective.
The spaces in the final proposal directly follow the Allegory of the Cave in their
rationale. Beginning in Lewisham Arthouse, Allegory uses it as a representation for
the cave’s shadows. The conceptual line then works to represent the prisoner leaving
the cave and stepping away from the shadows. In Allegory, the protagonist battles his
prior emotions as he traverses through the estate within NT - ultimately overcoming
them and defeating their imposition. Like the departure from the cave, Central
Hill is where we have a glimpse at a predetermined reality. An estate broken and
abandoned due to demolition and displacement. A bleak future but an important
aspect for the protagonist to see the effects of the controlling image on communities.
Like the prisoner of the cave travelled back in to save his companions, Allegory
The study of the modernist block raised some interesting points on how perception
can be controlled. Whether through light or darkness, imposition of architecture,
positioning of people within a frame or even locations chosen by film makers. All
of which can be easily countered and seen to be exaggerated when visiting the
blocks shown on screen. Yet all of these have a direct impact on people and the
deteriorating architecture.
utilises the other side of the line to take the protagonist back to the Arthouse to face
those responsible for Central Hill. Yet along the way he is able to see the beauty in
imperfection and see himself battling the anxieties he had overcome. Much like the
prisoner struggled to return the cave after embracing reality. The final act resembles
the return to the cave and how the others killed the prisoner. Lewisham Arthouse is
a ruin, caused by the controlling image and becomes engulfed in flame. Yet where
the protagonist should die, he wakes in the studio space - given the opportunity to
This raised the idea of creating a story to bridge the gap between perception, reality
and the controlling image. Accompanied with a series of spaces (visually represented
within a human experience) viewers are able to see the effects of the controlling
inform the others.
SO TO NOT BE FROM THE PEOPLE OF THE CAVE
image on the modernist block instead of blindly following views shown to us through
film and media. The aim is that those who empathise with the story will find nuances
in its duality and put themselves in the shoes of the protagonist. This will ultimately
allow viewers to make their own assumptions of how they perceive those spaces.
Especially after seeing the effect, it has on modernist architecture and those within.