Holly Dale

Methods and Analysis: Positions in Practice

The Intimate City

An approach which can be seen in recent urban developments around the globe has been to impose a single ‘closed’ overarching narrative on a city, encouraging uniformity rather than supporting diversity. This research challenges this phenomenon and proposes an alternative ‘open’ architectural approach that encourages intimate personal narratives to flourish. Through the organisation of an international design competition, with collective workshops, the research has explored ‘open’ architecture in both the design process and final intervention. The collective research investigates moving habits into a wider context; encouraging inhabitation and the sharing of social and cultural knowledge. Through a dialogue between people and their environment, a design brief for Skopje was created to integrate domestic rituals part into the city’s urban fabric. Utilising collaborative knowledge the research is underpinned by a broad and deep set of values, strong enough to support the city’s multitude of everyday intimate narratives.

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