Structures as physical objects embody
manifold possibilities for human interaction, which are unfortunately
overlooked in our building conventions separating architectural and structural
design. Among the mass-produced ordinary buildings, structures are reduced to definite
assemblies solely for load-bearing, the fixity of which contributes to the buildings’
contemporary obsolescence and deterioration. Nevertheless, being an assembly
hints at the possibility of reassemblage. By conceptually (in the case of adaptive
reuse) or actually (in the case of component reuse) fragmenting an already
existing structural whole, the existing structures can be actively engaged in a
new field of material and human activity.
Grounded in the contemporary context of
stock renewal and circular construction, this studio invites students to
rediscover spatial and social potentials for existing structures through
fragmentation and reassemblage. The students will first investigate common
structural typologies in Hong Kong’s building stock, and then experiment with
their agency through the lens of human behaviours, structural principles, and
tectonic details. Using assembled drawings and models, students will explore
how structural fragments can be reassembled for new forms of living.