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Mark Ayoub Thesis example 20-21 Drawing Architecture

On time, Materiality and Identity

Mark Ayoub

The thesis begins by presenting a recollection of experiences and observations that the student (Marc Ayoub) had when growing up in Lebanon. He was immersed in an environment abundant in architectural ruins, which left in his subconscious the image of buildings clinging onto the remaining fragments that constituted their image. Therefore, the thesis object focuses on untangling the relationship between time materiality and identity that architecture succumbs to by researching and finding graphic ways to do so. One recurring theme throughout the project is the ship of Theseus: the thought experiment of asking if an object that had all its components changed remains fundamentally the same(?). In that regard, the thesis examines the role of architectural prosthetics when they are substituted into architecture to counter the effects of time and decay. After gathering enough findings regarding time materiality and identity, the project proceeds by finding a host to apply the principles. The palace of justice in Brussels fits the description, since it also suffers from its identity. Today, its form is wrapped with scaffolding. It aims to dissect the original sections of the edifice by removing and substituting its interior components perpetually, while keeping the recognizable outline of the palace of justice intact. This act creates an atmosphere in which design decisions test the limits of identity.