Museum of Anthropocene: A Space to exhibit alternative histories of Life on Earth
Disciplines
Architecture
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Many scientists have agreed that we’re living in an epoch where human activity has profoundly transformed earth processes. They argue that we are no longer a biological entity among others but rather geological forces. Human-induced stresses have altered the chemistry of our atmosphere. The environment can sometimes reach a climax where the Earth, as a recipient of these human actions, changes at a rate that can only end badly for humans. As Alan Weissman ironically asks “If humans were to vanish from the Earth, would the Earth even miss us? Architecture can serve as a medium to induce these radical changes necessary. Whether Germania by Adolf Hitler’s head architect Albert Speer or Washington D.C Capitol by William Thornton, Architecture can serve as a medium for public opinion, propaganda, or positive societal change. The idea of the Museum of Anthropocene is to grapple with the entangled histories of humans and geology, while offering a dialogue about the human temporality with the Earth. The Museum of Anthropocene seeks to answer the questions of How can architecture function as a public conscious means in altering the effects of human activity on a planetary scale? How can a museum of history of human ecological intervention on earth processes raise consciousness about the negative effects of our collective lifestyles? This Thesis seeks to educate the audience; while showing the worst of the actions we have done throughout history that leads to our deterioration and the best of our actions that ultimately lead to a prolonged future. The proposed site of Washington D.C. bears significant weight positioning the museum at the intersection of power, culture, and public accountability. Truly a site in the face of power would show that this is a pressing matter not to be ignored.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
CACM - Architecture
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Ehsan Sheikholharam
Museum of Anthropocene: A Space to exhibit alternative histories of Life on Earth
Many scientists have agreed that we’re living in an epoch where human activity has profoundly transformed earth processes. They argue that we are no longer a biological entity among others but rather geological forces. Human-induced stresses have altered the chemistry of our atmosphere. The environment can sometimes reach a climax where the Earth, as a recipient of these human actions, changes at a rate that can only end badly for humans. As Alan Weissman ironically asks “If humans were to vanish from the Earth, would the Earth even miss us? Architecture can serve as a medium to induce these radical changes necessary. Whether Germania by Adolf Hitler’s head architect Albert Speer or Washington D.C Capitol by William Thornton, Architecture can serve as a medium for public opinion, propaganda, or positive societal change. The idea of the Museum of Anthropocene is to grapple with the entangled histories of humans and geology, while offering a dialogue about the human temporality with the Earth. The Museum of Anthropocene seeks to answer the questions of How can architecture function as a public conscious means in altering the effects of human activity on a planetary scale? How can a museum of history of human ecological intervention on earth processes raise consciousness about the negative effects of our collective lifestyles? This Thesis seeks to educate the audience; while showing the worst of the actions we have done throughout history that leads to our deterioration and the best of our actions that ultimately lead to a prolonged future. The proposed site of Washington D.C. bears significant weight positioning the museum at the intersection of power, culture, and public accountability. Truly a site in the face of power would show that this is a pressing matter not to be ignored.