Virtuality (or a digital Vitruvian manifesto)

I belong to the campus life. Typically my classes are one design studio, and one or two theory classes. Most of the time I enjoy experiencing how the students coming up to the studio or classes. They’ve been going through different obstacles; the resistance of the traffic, public transportations, the necessity of breakfasts, the ‘panda-eyes’ due to the traces of sleepless gaming or Korean-drama binging. But sure, I know the truth, they’ve been doing their assignments.

I teach architecture. We usually begin from Vitruvius triads; venustas-utilitas-firmitas. You might have doubts that Vitruvius’ idea of the bases of architecture is a necessary thing to learn in our contemporary lives, but yes, it is necessary. Architecture is about shared ideas and knowledges that comes to the construction of buildings; of forms and spaces. Architecture is about sharing space, as well as sharing time. Architecture is resulted in events and durations. Architecture is ideas constructed in places, where people meet, where people appears to other people. Just like in Vitruvius’ time -even before that- in the classical philosophers’ time, architecture becomes the places for dialogues; of people sharing ideas. My classes are. I wish my classes are not merely consisted as lectures, or seminars, or -nowadays- webinars. I wish my classes were symposiums. Just like the time of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and the gangs.

Anselm Feuerbach, Symposium, 1874

Symposium is not lecture space. Symposium is actually a party; people drinks, people eats, someone gets drunk, many are falling asleep. No censorships of acts and ideas, except the students’ personal will of dignity, curiosity and thirsts of knowledge. This is how I see my ideal classes not a sterile lecture class.

The pandemic, with the externally regulated conduct of self-isolation, is basically anti-social; isolating bodies from contacts and contagion. Classes are conducted in virtual form; virtual space, virtual presence, et al. Is this form of virtual class a perfect symposium for 21st century human ? The process of learning and teaching architecture demands full body contact; bodily presence. Studio and classes are spatial organizations of full bodily coordination; the same air, the same space, the same clouds of interaction and idea.

The present condition reveals the possibilities of future spaces. A future when education and culture will move online. This is a future of capitalism’s sterility and individualism. Is this an ideal world? Of course not, life is cruel, injustice, and full of contagion; physical illnesses or ideological falseness.

Probably it’s time for us to sculpt a new Vitruvius’ triad ? Venustas-utilitas-firmitas becomes digital platform-interaction-network ?? Ha .. I’m a digital zombie.