A “Globalized” Studio Environment: Configuring Reflexive Spatial Agendas

Abstract

De territorialization - a concept of territory where social, economic, and political space are not necessarily geographical has developed from the radical alterations brought about by rapid globalization. For the first time in history, cultural spaces are developing that have no tangible connection to geographical places. Conventional learning structures, teaching methods, and course content make it difficult for these educational institutions to operate effectively in this climate. To prosper, they must make decisions expeditiously and the development of new programs must take place quickly, seamlessly, and continuously. More importantly, with the changes demanded by these processes, the classroom must truly become a global entity. In this paper, an argument is proposed that though the forces of globalization have radically changed our conception and use of space, its material manifestation is as important now more then ever to those training to be architects and designers. However, the old lecture hall and studio configuration must make way for a new type of reflexive space that allows disciplinary boundaries to become blurred and more flexible. If this occurs, universities might again become bastions of critical thought illustrating possible types of alternative spaces and temporalities within our personal and communal lives. By cultivating spaces built on the imperatives of diversity and simultaneity, the monistic onslaught of the global network culture could be translated into a multitude of spaces and temporalities that add richness to the necessary social, political, and cultural aspects of our lives. Within architectural discourse, this call is doubly important because this type of individual will most affect the virtual/material interfaces that are become increasingly common as the effects of economic and technological transformations are felt on a global scale.