Brian Scott - 119921638
Interim Thesis Statement
February 2, 2003
DRM – Design, Research, & Methodology
McGill University School of Architecture
Thesis Statement
Architectural Subcultures
Punk culture as we know it originated in the 1960s as a counterpoint to the prevailing
culture of corporatism- corporatism, in the sense of relying on hegemonic, hierarchical,
and consensual standards. The punk ethic is essentially creative, because it offers a model
to those who would have no opportunities for expression within traditional academic,
economic, or aesthetic communities. This expression has typically taken place within
media like ‘zines, fashion, graffiti writing, more recently the web, and, most visibly,
music, always typified by a strong DIY (do-it-yourself) work ethic and a defiant refusal
of the corporate mainstream (hence the term for crossovers, “sellout”). While punk
expression does surface in architecture (early Frank Gehry, Hundertwasser, Christiania),
the nature of contemporary real estate is generally hostile towards local variation.
Finance, building codes, the development industry, and so on create a restrictive
atmosphere not easily penetrated by what tend to be primarily young individuals and
small groups with little capital. Therefore, the challenge is just that: to use the punk ethic
to subvert the standard building process and try to find a model that places some of the
creative power in the hands of the individual, to re-assert the importance of personal
growth for the builder, to develop more sustainable modes of habitation, and to challenge
prevailing attitudes about what a building really is: commodity, habitat, political
statement, or work of art.
http://brian.theplacemat.com
Reference:
Precedents
Christiania, Denmark. An anarchist commune on a deserted naval base.
(http://www.christiania.org/)
Shaker Architecture - New England religious movement started by Ann Lee in 18th
Century, with distinct material culture.
Frank Gehry: his early work in Venice Beach, including his own house. The use of
materials, the defiant individualism of the design, and the reaction of his neighbours all
connect with punk rock. Other connections to rock culture include the Experience Music
Project in Seattle.
Street City & Strachan House (Toronto) - communal housing for the homeless. Rae
Bridgman, "Open House International", p12, V23, N1, 1998.
Bibliography
Michael Azzerad. Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes From the American Indie
Underground. 1981-1991. Back Bay Books, Boston, 2001.
Clinton Heylin, From the Velvets to the Voidoids : A Pre-Punk History for a Post-Punk
World. Penguin USA, 1993.
Ian Mackaye. Interview. Stephen Thompson, the AV Club, 1999.
- singer of Fugazi & Minor Threat, and founder of Dischord Records, a DC-based
record label that broke new ground for the independent music industry.
Legs McNeil, Gillian McCain (Editors), Please Kill Me : The Uncensored Oral History of
Punk. Penguin USA, 1997.
Eric Tamm, Brian Eno : His Music and the Vertical Color of Sound. Da Copo Press,
1995.
Thee Official Nardwuar the Human Serviette Webpage. http://www.nardwuar.com/
- huge collection of audio, video, and written interviews with just about everybody
in the music industry. Nardwuar a thesis in himself.
Bryan Ray Turcotte, E Bryan R. Turcott (Editors). Fucked Up + Photocopied: instant art
of the punk rock movement. Gingko Press, 1999.
V.Vale. Real Conversations: Henry Rollins, Jello Biafra, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Billy
Childish. RE/search pubs. inc., San Francisco, 2001.
V. Vale (Editor). Search & Destroy : An Authoritative Guide to Punk History. RE/Search
pubs. inc., San Francisco, 1996.
A.S. van Dorston. A History of Punk . www.fastnbulbous.com/punk.htm, 1990.
Films:
Cecil B. Demented. Dir. John Waters. 2000
- film about a no-budget guerrilla film crew who kidnap a leading Hollywood
actress to star in their film.
Instrument. Dir. Jem Cohen, 1998
- documentary about punk band, Fugazi.
Other Leads
Key bands: the Fugs/Virgin Fugs; Velvet Underground (also Warhol's Exploding Plastic
Inevitable); The Stooges, MC5, The Modern Lovers, The New York Dolls, Roxy Music
(w/Brian Eno), Television, Patti Smith, David Bowie, The Voivods, The Dictators, The
Ramones, The Damned, Motorhead, Minor Threat, Bad Brains, Black Flag, Talking
Heads (ex-students of the Rhode Island School of Design), the Replacements, Sonic
Youth, Big Black, Husker Du, Fugazi, Dead Kennedys, Dinosaur Jr.
Canadian Bands: DOA, NoMeansNo, Nardwuar/the Evaporators, the Planet Smashers.
Zines (Punk publications): "Punk", "Creem" (esp. May '71), "Rock Scene" (all New York
City in the 1970s).
Names of Movements: Lettrist International, Situationist International, Skinheads,
Duotones, Ska, Rude Boys, Baldies & Boneheads, Straight-edge, Hardcore, Indy.
DOA's Joe Keighley (Joey Shithead). Vancouver community activist and Green Party
Candidate.
Mortgage – mort Fr.: “death” + gage Teutonic (*wadj): “pact” = “death pact”