Week Nine : Thoughts on Architecture as a Device

Architecture as a device was this week an emphasised notion. Several ideas for its application included; architecture as a platform; architecture as an instigator; architecture as a media and architecture for the people. Interestingly, I feel that all of these manifestations have relevance in their own way to my architectural proposition, as I have illustrated in the below diagram.

Exploring the notion further however I wish to share a project which I feel embody quintessential notions of architecture as a device. The Movement Cafe is a pop-up cafe designed to activate the corner of a vacant industrial lot in Greenwich, London. Shipping containers serve as the basis of the cafe, while reusable scaffolding and shade structures erected around them create an enticing atmosphere. A poem by Lemn Sissay about Greenwich adorns the exterior wall while words atop the cafe are from one of his morning tweets. Brightly coloured geometric designs were painted on the wall and the cafe to attract passersby, while a local artist created custom furniture and cushions for the seating area using water-resistant material recycled from kites. The Movement Café is run by the local non-profit organization Greenwich Co-Operative Development Agency and serves organic, fair-trade, locally-sourced foods and drinks to customers; with profits going to help disadvantaged communities across London.
Image Source: Inhabitat

I would suggest that as a device such a project emphasises how creativity can be delineated through the built environment. Not only does its media suggest new opportunities for expression but the adornments are an emergent take on a traditional billboard advertisement. Likewise community engagement means that is serves as a platform for both local groups and organisation while its fundamental purpose is to provide respite for the passerby in an otherwise chaotic landscape. Although the intervention is physically compact I believe it speaks to how far architecture can reach if it is made for engagement.