PhD defence: Sofie Stilling

Sofie Stilling defends her thesis at IGN

Enabling the In-Between
Conceiving and conveying relational character of existing urban landscapes with characterisation tools and film in the early stages of architectural project development in quest of strengthened care and regenerative practice.

Supervisors:
Professor Ellen Braae, KU, IGN (DK)
Director Josephine Michau, Copenhagen Architecture Festival (DK)

Assessment committee:
Professor Martin Prominski, University of Hannover (DE)
Professor Janike Kampevold Larsen, Arkitekthøgskolen Oslo (NO)
Professor Bettina Lamm, KU, IGN (DK) (chair)

Summary
With the aim of strengthening a regenerative practice in architecture, this Ph.D. thesis examines how relational character is registered and communicated in tools for heritage charaterisation and how film can contribute to strengthen relational character of the existing urban landscapes in the early stages of architectural project development. In this project, relational character is defined as contextual, praxeological and phenomenological, meaning the characteristics embedded in-between architecture and its situated environment, people and place, and in the more than visual sensory and atmospheric aspects. Global warming calls for reduction of carbon emissions from all sectors of society. Since the building and construction sector accounts for 40% of global emissions, an increased efficiency in use of resources through reuse and refurbishment is needed. This calls for a change of practice in the attribution of value to the existing, enabling a more inclusive and regenerative approach in the early stages of architectural project development, where characterisation is typically conducted. Heritage characterisation tools currently constitute an explicit point of departure in the investigation of how preservation value is determined. Therefore, recommendations from international heritage institutions, research in heritage characterisation, national and regional tools and sub tools for heritage characterisation have been examined. The study finds that the tools identified do not sufficiently comply with international recommendations on relational character, whereby relational character remain undesignated. In the examination of film capacity to convey relational character the study deploys ‘research through design’ as method. Using three case studies film’s capacity to register and communicate relational character is examined theoretically and practically, and the studies conclude that film-making and film-viewing enable registration and communication of relational character, as well as a hermeneutic approach to convey atmospheric and sensory dimensions as something quasi-objective. Film proved to be a valuable supplement to architectural competition briefs and site visits, which are not intended to replace them, but enable a richer description of relational site character that allows for aesthetic thinking amongst the architectural team members. Finally, the thesis further develops a characterisation tool for urban landscapes that includes film in addressing both robustness and relational character.

A digital version of the PhD thesis can be obtained from the PhD secretary at phd@ign.ku.dk