Allegory [Architectural Thesis]

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.