Forest of Conscience: A Civic Device for Hyper-Social Media
aRCH 430 |Studio 5: Towards a New Monumentality | Fall 2021 | Prof. Gerard Smulevich| Partner: Isis Orduno| WSOA
Through the use of graffiti and social media, a functioning sculpture emulating a forest of communications envisions a future where there is an unprogrammed, non-hierarchical space that balances individuality and collective power. Social media expands the exploration of how graffiti can unapologetically be brought to the forefront of public discourse. From painting messages on walls to creating a built-in spatial system of LED screens where the ideas and opinions of many
millions are projected as an ongoing, three-dimensional mass of information. The monument serves symbolically as a forest of communication for the residents who are unknown in name, but recognizable in number. The screens projecting outward are the means by which the people share their thoughts with the surrounding government buildings.
Graffiti: Art? Vandalism? or opinion?
Social Media: The graffiti of the 21st century
graffiti is defined as creative content shared in a neighborhood.
social media is a network that enable users to shre content with others.
Conceptualizing the essence of graffiti and social media.
From walls of paint to clouds of light.
The city of Los Angeles is home to many famous landmarks, but it lacks a formal civic space for protest and celebration. In Grand Park, surrounded by government building is a strong fit to honor the 1st Amendment rights of the people.
The trunk of a tree is the elongated vertical that supports its branches. Forests are dominated by the vertical growth of trees, and their foliage becomes densely packed.
The tree of knowledges repeats itself at different scales to become a screen foliage in an urban environment.
Local residents are able to share their content through an online platform to be displayed in the screen of their choice.
The Screens project outwards while the clearing projects within. Social media and graffiti are constantly criticizing politics and the forest will specifically target each civic entities to let them know what the citizens opinions are. A fundamental part of the forest is to project outwards to target the surrounding and to project inwards to invite them in the forest.
North Elevation
The forest acts as a space for the digital content to be inhabitable and celebrated among the public
t,he forest, a conversation between citizens.
The Clearing, interacting with the outer world.
The Cloud of Light, reaching out through hyper-social media content.
The clearing offers an opportunity for citizens and civic entities to work together using the space for a variety of purposes.
A section showing the projection of the content that relates not only to politics but also to celebrations shared among the citizen
Mayor’s office.
Entering the forest as the first layer of screens display individuals’ expressions.
