CHANGING CONTEXTS AND REINTEGRATING SPACES

SSAC 2021 Conference

The Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada (SSAC)’s Call for Papers for their 46th Annual Conference is now available. Giaimo’s Creative Director Stephanie Mah will be chairing the session Changing Contexts and Reintegrating Spaces at the upcoming SSAC Conference. If your work or research explores abandoned spaces, aging architecture, or approaches to revitalization in Canadian architecture submit your presentation abstract for this session by April 18. The conference will take place virtually May 27-31 2021. See canada-architecture.org for more details.

The relationship between a building and the surrounding environment is a critical factor in the prosperity of the place. Throughout history, architects have designed buildings with the intent of responding to the local context, integrating into the urban fabric, and addressing socio-economic needs. However, as environments evolve over time, this relationship can either grow stronger or become disjointed. As the context changes, the original design of a building may no longer be functional, appropriate, or fitting, resulting in forgotten, abandoned, or underutilized buildings and spaces. 

This session will analyse causes of abandonment and the need for the revitalization of aging architecture. What value do these neglected spaces still hold, if not programmatically then architecturally, historically, or culturally, and how can this value be conserved while reintegrating the space into the new context? Given our climate crisis, how do we better leverage our existing infrastructure that may be considered inadequate? From exploring disuse and regeneration through the narrative of changing contexts, can we employ frameworks that prevent instances where valuable architecture is demolished due to neglect? Both historic and contemporary revitalization case studies of architecture and landscape architecture across Canada are welcome.

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