Microcosms for Immersion: The Childhood Factory
A parasitic response to a critique of consumerism
MArch Thesis Project
The Childhood Factory is a glitch in the space of consumption; reconfiguring the components of commercial architecture and service ducts, it is a labyrinth of different spaces camouflaged amongst the rooftop chillers. The Childhood Factory’s “Microcosms for Immersion” is a journey of self-discovery, re-establishing meaningful object attachments through evoking memories and sharing stories.
The creeping privatisation of the public realm in the UK’s urban centres degrades civic life and social spaces, reducing towns and cities to an infrastructure purely facilitating consumption. Our lives are cluttered with the short-term ‘fix’ of materialism and moments not lived but viewed at the end of a selfie-stick; we begin to lose the ability to make meaningful memories and to define values. The Childhood Factory seeks to redress this. Infiltrating the newly redeveloped Eldon Square Grey’s Quarter and occupying its roof-scape, The Childhood Factory sits above the former site of the Newcastle Fine Arts Academy. In the 19th Century, the Academy was the battleground for the hearts and souls of Novocastrians. The self-styled Intelligentsia group, with the backing of the local press, eventually won out over commercial interests, pioneering social arts practices with “Uncle Toby’s Toy Exhibition” that linked the Academy to surrounding buildings with temporary bridges. However, now the city has turned full circle, favouring commercialisation.
This thesis explores disconnect in society with a critique of consumerism in order to propose a parasitic response, providing an opportunity to address the underlying mental health issues which avert us from meaningful social encounters. The centre of many UK cities now favour commercialisation, a new universal need that motivates the human desires and behaviour. When one or more of our core needs go unmet, a state of psychological discomfort and insecurity ensues. In contemporary society a common route to reduce this psychological angst is to assuage our insecurities through material objects. However as social media projects the lives of ‘public figures’ into ours, this angst may never be reduced. Conspicuous consumption therefore takes effect, as we are encouraged to buy more, to experience the short-term fix of commercialisation. Meanwhile as our lives are being filled with meaningless objects we begin to lose the ability to extract meaning and memories implanted within the things that truly mean something and define who we are and not who we are trying to be.
_Introduction
The Childhood Factory is inclusive of everyone. The introduction is layered within a place of heightened consumerism, hidden in a space of ‘Ace of Spades’ champagne and forceful advertisement. A moment of intrigue is presented, encouraging the Investigator to explore. This moment determines the individuals who enter The Childhood Factory. There is no signage, promotion or clues as to what lies beyond. Those who are more commercially conditioned may capture glimpses in the background as they upload pictures of their ‘Mighty Extravaganza Warrior Cheeseburger Deluxe’ onto Instagram, whilst others less conditioned may be intrigued by its juxtaposing nature in normality or the mysterious disappearance of balloons.
_Deduction & Sensory Engagement
Deduction begins through the entanglement of light and geometry. A vertical pathway of deteriorating hyper-realism weaving around fake M&E services and the balloon extractor; the stair is an experiential space whereby the anaesthetised environments of the shopping mall
erode away providing the necessary deduction to experience a type of space we haven’t experienced before. The main function of deduction is to intrigue, disorientate and depart us through our childhood instinct to explore. As we ascend The Childhood Factory reveals itself, its channelling narrowing queues of rust submerge us into a vast collection of 429 teddy bears. The collection point provides an initial sense of remembrance whereby the act of giving begins to trigger mutual aid, stemming from The Uncle Toby’s Toy exhibition - located here almost two hundred years ago.
_Emotional Response & Speculation
The observance of this collection stimulates psychological attachment as we begin to re-imagine childhood memories. We begin our journey of self-diagnosis within a place we have never seen before, one that is hidden, a machine that powers the shopping mall below. A number of interactive self-diagnosis boards encourage the investigator to evaluate the extents of conspicuous consumption through cultural
probes and comparisons to Kanye West. We separate from the object, as we are encouraged to discover an appreciation to its qualities and capacity. A number of spaces allow us to pause in thoughts prior to conspicuous consumption. An antidote is sought as we sit amongst golden pineapple balustrades and deteriorating glitch coffered panels, both sold as iconic consumer motifs.
_Connectivity
The short-term hit of happiness and self-worth as we consume fills us with false pretences, we become anxious, lonely and depressed.
Through connectivity with in The Repository and The Story Rooms, The Childhood Factory provides the realisation of conspicuous
consumption. We are encouraged to reconnect with our pasts within one of the six booths with a mental health counsellor in an attempt to
learn more about ourselves and evaluate the consequences of materialism and its effects within society. The counselling booths provide an opportunity to share and discuss our realisation and to encourage a positive relationship with objects. Upon leaving, the bridge connects us with a vast repository of teddy bears where we begin to imagine memories and stories of others who have donated their childhood objects.
_Infiltration through Microcosm
As we continue across The Bridge and into The Story Rooms, we enter an in-between space prior to re-entry in to the shopping mall below.
The Story Rooms are booths and spaces that encourage the sharing of stories with other investigators, forming an appreciation and
understanding of those around us. Before re-entry to the commercial world below through a disused retail unit, we can share our memories anonymously through the interchange tower, whilst the balloon extractor finally expels its captured balloons across Newcastle upon Tyne as a symbol of inclusive public life.
_Re-entry
Microcosms for Immersions will re-establish meaningful association of objects through evoking the realisation that the world around each childhood memory is individual to each person, however they mean something to us and others around us. We create memories and stories for each object, which is surprisingly commonly shared, this encourages the sharing of storytelling. “When others act more freely,
we learn about them, and thus about ourselves. The pleasure of an urban space freely used is the spectacle of those peculiar ways, and the chance of an interesting encounter.” (Lynch & Carr ,1979). The intent is not to completely cure conspicuous consumption, but to
begin to bridge social relationships and understanding of others around us through a mutual aid of shared memories.
_Reveal Degree Show
