The Space of Dynamic Informality

Abstract

Today's standard spatial experience of the contemporary city is like one of a continuous sequence of small homogeneous functional enclaves via thresholds and leftover spaces, which can be summarized as the 'margins', where plenty of temporary or long-lasting informal practices take place. Those marginal spaces, as well as informal practices they host, are being mostly ignored, but still, have great potentials. They are under constant change, always reflecting the needs of their occupants and inhabitants. Interested in this hidden layer of urban ecology, my concern is how can we as an architect react to the existing informal practices, not in way of negation and demolishment, but respect and continuation. My proposal does not pretend to be able to govern the current processes within the site I studied, nor does it pretend to offer solutions to straightforward problems, for example, ‘problems’ within those informal communities along Baku's railway I investigated - actually it is controversial to decide if the ‘problems’ need to be solved or if there are really 'problems' exist. Instead, I applied the theories and image study methods from my research to the new practice. In a complex block with potential in Tbilisi, I introduce a set of infrastructure, which offers marginal spaces available for occupation and use. The characteristics I've concluded in research should also reflect in the materialization.