DIGITIZING THE FORGOTTEN

DIGITIZING THE FORGOTTEN KEVIN CENDEJAS ABSTRACT Public space is an essential piece of architecture in society. It can be thought of as a void within a highly privatized environment that allows a society to decompress, a social space where political, educational, cultural and recreational events unfold. Architectural monuments and public space in the 21st century have become disrupted by technology. We no longer enjoy the breath taking moments in architectural icons nor the social events that unfold in public space. Instead we navigate through these spaces head down synchronized into our devices, consuming digital media, while simultaneously receiving an abundance of stimulation. This raises the question, how do you make people re-engage in the physical environment? Furthermore, how do you blend the physical with the digital? My proposal takes Philip Johnson’s New York State Pavilion as an existing piece of infrastructure and transforms it into an apparatus that is plugged into a digital network of public spaces worldwide through led technology, ultimately bridging public and digital space and blurring the boundaries between physical and digital.

Mother Beijing, China

Daughter Queens, N.Y.

Political: Global Climate Protest

Soccer fanatics Queens, N.Y. 1964: Visitors congregate and enjoy social events

Longitudinal cross section

Transverse cross section

Macro: Digital public space network

Micro: Digital public space nodes

World Cup Dubai

Environmental Movement Paris, France

Recreational: FIFA World Cup

Environmental Movement Queens, N.Y.

Cycle Instructor Los Angeles, CA.

2016: Visitor seperation and isolation due to devices and digital media

Cycle Students Queens, N.Y.

Cultural: Chinese New Year