The Bartlett
B-Pro Show 2023

Explore

0 other visitors

Mute Unmute Exit

unit-code

Project sections

1 / 1

City in Reverie

Project details

Programme

Cluster RC11

Year 1

Objects play an important role when being tangible markers to chalk out one's life story. Within them, they possess layers of invaluable associations and meanings, and their presence evokes compelling responses. As one attempts to read the city through objects on the streets, they become story-telling devices and represent a collective repository of shared values and experiences, painting a comprehensive image of it.

Istanbul, a city coloured in the richness of the past with a charm and resilience of the present, engages in a dialogue between the old and new, that allows for an eccentricity contributing to its character and energy. The intent is to design spaces that celebrate the memory and culture of Istanbul by incorporating these objects into the design.

Spaces turn vibrant and dynamic when objects occupying them are allowed to communicate. Often overlooked and underappreciated, these artefacts carry histories, emotions, and associations that shape the city. Their significance lies not in their individual materiality, but in the stories they hold and the memories they evoke. Through them, we can understand nuanced and intricate layers that contribute to the city's identity.

Students

Chang He

Why?

Identity of the City

As people interact with these elements, stories are exchanged, shaping the city’s identity and essence. Actions, emotions, and existence are intertwined, creating a complex web of relationships.

Encounters with Objects

Our encounters with the objects in the city are a way of interacting with the layers of human values instilled in them. They are tangible markers, and their presence evokes compelling responses.

With What?

Objects

The objects on the street contribute to how urban space is perceived and experienced. A list of objects that frequently appeared on the streets of Istanbul is compiled for further exploration.

Custom-Trained Object Detection Model

A custom object detection model is trained based on a pre-trained model (YOLO). The purpose of object detection is to understand the setting of street objects. Object detection is performed on images sourced from Google’s Street View software.

Text

Cities become a text, inviting different interpretations and experiences, turning the urban landscape into a multidimensional book read by pedestrians and residents who construct their own meanings and narratives within it, continuously in time.

Istanbul-Painted objects

Texts obtained from books are in the context of Istanbul and the renders closely reflect iterations of the object that made them Istanbul-specific. This helped generating a collection of Istanbul-painted objects.

How?

Reimagining Spaces with Street Objects

General Asim Gundu Street, the site of exploration, is reconstructed using photogrammetry. The custom-trained object detection model detects objects that exist in the location. These objects are then reimagined, navigating between 2D and 3D spaces.

Istanbul

Objects are reimagined with semantic information along with recognition of their current attributes and associations, thus resonating with the essence of Istanbul and its people.

Objects and their Influence

Objects have their own intrinsic qualities and relations with other objects, influencing and affecting one another without losing their distinct identities.

London

London is used as a city to experiment. Objects of London are reimagined through the text of Istanbul, bringing in the essence of Istanbul in London.

Sharing Stories with Each Other

The objects exist as a collective symphony and paint vibrant worlds for those who look deeper. Objects have the power to change the context around them when they are allowed to communicate their stories.

Design of Objects

When objects begin to communicate, they transcend from the ordinary and become aesthetically enchanting and deeply meaningful to those who engage with them.

Designed Objects

Conclusion

Context

Designed objects, serving as embodiments of descriptions, are then placed back on the street, each carrying the essence of the original text. The goal is to create an integration of historical and contemporary narratives within the urban fabric.

Plan

Uskudar Square, sitting in the midst of historical architecture, waterfront views, and popular local hotspots, serves as the site for experiencing the dialogue among objects.

Wall One

The narratives of the objects are used to design walls that showcase engagement between the objects and the people that encounter them.

Walls

Share on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter

Index of Works