Date of Submission
Spring 5-4-2017
Degree Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Architecture
Department
Architecture
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Arief Setiawan
Secondary Advisor
Christopher Welty
Abstract
Can you change someone’s life with a pair of scissors and a plastic bottle? This thesis takes inspiration from the existing resilient use of material in the slums and explores the material properties of the most abundantly found and discarded material, the plastic bottle. By experimenting with the capabilities of the plastic bottle, the goal of this thesis is to create a surface tectonic that enhances the experience for the currently oppressed women, while also arguing the notion that the right to the city is a collective privilege—everyone, regardless of gender, has the right to space. According to Farshid Moussavi’s writings on Function of Form, the overall feeling and atmosphere of a space is derived from the materiality of the surfaces; Building upon this notion, the thesis inquires: how can we utilize the simple material of the plastic bottle to create liberating spaces for the women? How can we use the atmospheric quality of space & material utilization for the empowerment of women?