Temporal Permanence
Permanence, by definition, is the intention to last or remain “unchanged” indefinitely. However, even concrete eventually cracks. Even stone for that matter, is in a constant metabolic flux, changing its perception and meaning over time. So if physical permanence is so temporary in nature, maybe it is imperative to look at it from a different lens, to undo its previous understandings.
The design is an attempt at redefining these very notions of permanence and therewith its physical connotations. It highlights that in reality, permanence is cyclical, and its temporal nature leans into the ideas of cultural rootedness instead to dismiss its physical claims.
The project addresses “Wattle and Daub,” a historical technique that presents a unique precedent, because unlike most contemporary architecture, it is quite human and intuitive in its making. This system that was used for thousands of years across most continents, saw a rapid decline in “modern” buildings because of its “temporal nature.” The constant need to be redone and maintained in shorter time spans compared to its alternatives in steel and concrete led to its eventual replacement
The design questions this temporal notion of wattle and daub by focusing on permanence beyond physicality, and into the realms of permanence within the human cultural roots. It attempts to reexamine the traditional notions of natural architecture, questioning its uses, its production, as well as its form.
Overall, by redefining common vernacular architectural practices along the lines of latest technological advancements, the design renegotiates the meaning of permanence and undoes its traditional understanding. Fast-tracking maintenance creates flexibility in the interrelation between temporality and permanence. The constant flux in permanence of the objects, based on their interactions with their context, means it is always changing, and hence constantly temporal, creating space for the idea of temporal permanence.
