Bart Simpson in detention correcting the grammar of Pink Floyd’s ‘Another Brick in the Wall’ song . The song is a protest song that criticises British rigid and controlling schooling system in the 50s.
Living in uncertainty
The rise of digital technology has fundamentally changed the way we live, work and communicate. The “tidal wave” of Artificial intelligence, robotics, 3D printers, augmented and virtual reality is now the reality that is making the major transformations in a workplace sector. Not to mention globalisation: fast transportation allows us to live and work in different countries; digital communication helps us to engage with our partners and colleagues across the globe. In the meantime, while the Web and technology are changing many important functions of modern society, education remains modelled on an approach developed hundreds of years ago. It has been slow as we have been reluctant to transform the critical task of educating the next generation of citizens and leaders. According to World Economy Forum Study 85 % of jobs that we will have in 10 years do not exist yet. So how do we prepare ourselves and future generations for the ‘uncertain’?
Our urban explorations at la fabrica - 70s found disused cement factory -now the house and studio of the architect ricardo bofill, and walden 7 -his social housing project. a bit terrifying at first but very friendly, open and poetic inside. We were lucky to have the resident walking and talking with us about the everyday life there and how architects vision and philosophy of the building feedback to their lifes. Its clearly not a machine for living, its a beautiful space for community, social interactions and events. every 'street' in the building is named under philosopher or writer as well as its full of aspects of sun moon earth and water
In 1963, the famous Dutch architect Constant Nieuwenhuys wrote: ‘’The future homo ludens (playing man) will probably be a normal man. His main activities will be focused on the construction of reality, whilst freely creating the world without the hardships or struggle for existence. It should give rise to the revolution of public behaviour. If man becomes independent of work, he will not be attached to one place, he will not have to settle down. He will be able to move freely, to change surroundings and to expand his territories. His relationship with space will be as free as that with his time’’ (daniel Herman, Constant’s new Babilon, Artbyte, March-April, 2000
While watching the world going mental, I remembered one weekend last year that made me think that despite all political hassles the future is brighter than ever. It was that one weekend in Venice exploring Architecture Biennale.
.’.. Municiple playgrounds are often as bleak as barrack squares and just as boring. You are not allowed to build a fire, you would head straight for juvenile court if you started to dig up the expensive tarmac to make a cave, there are no bricks or planks to build a house, no workshops for carpentry, mechanical work, painting or modelling and of course, no trees to climb...’ – Lady Allen critics on playgrounds design .
We have started placing playgrounds in a contemporary art galleries. I wonder how long it is going take for the museum to be built so we could bring our children to see what childhood was about. We often complain that todays’ children are growing up and getting mature faster, but who to blame if they are spending more and more of their time surrounded by adults.
