actively outside

A C T I V E LY

J e s s e M c C l a i n

M a s t e r s A r c h i t e c t u r a l T h e s i s

A C T I V E LYOUTSIDE

C o p y r i g h t J e s s e M c C l a i n 2 0 1 4P r e s s , B l u r bC o l o p h o nD e s i g n e d b y J e s s e M c C l a i n u s i n g A d o b e I n d e s i g n . ®

ABSTRACT 1

LITERATURE REVIEW 3

PROPOSAL 23

METHODOLOGIES 27

PRECEDENTS 29

SITE CONTEXT AND DOCUMENTATION 37

DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPOSAL/RESPONSE 43

MAKING 49

MUNCIE SITE 55

CONCLUSIONS 57

ENDNOTES 67

BIBLIOGRAPHY 69

CONTENTS

A C T I V E L Y A C T I V E L Y1 2

To be outside has many meanings. It can suggest an environment exposed to the elements or a rebellion to the status quo. Being outside indicates a removal from shelter and protection. Scales in size and power create insides and outsides. Operating outside of traditional power structures can create both

vulnerability and liberation. This project has focused on developing a greater understanding of the inside and outside forces in the architectural profession. It has sought to examine how architecture is serving society and how it is truly protecting the public’s “health, safety, and welfare.” It is a critique of the ever expanding growth system in which the profession operates and the human and environmental costs associated with such a structure. Geographical regions of vitality, destruction, and resources have been studied as catalysts for an active response. Sites of field research included Welch, West Virginia and Williston, North Dakota. The strip-mined coal fields of southern West Virginia are creating a barren landscape and toxic environment as we continue to pummel the earth with our insatiable appetite for more wealth and energy. Hours were spent driving through the Appalachian Mountains with longtime Welch resident, Hilda Mitros. She detailed numerous accounts of both personal and environmental violence experienced under the influence of the mining industry. Williston, North Dakota is at the heart of the nation’s oil fracking boom. This modern day gold-rush is creating numerous jobs, stimulating architectural development, and also acting as an incubator for transient violence, toxic fracking fluid dumping, and the destruction of sand dunes in supply states such as Wisconsin. Our obsession with immediate energy addresses our consumptive urges but does not offer a long-term plan to live and work in ways truly in the public’s best interests. Through this research process, the power of the individual has emerged as a force of great strength. The destructive nature of unlimited efficiency and large scale has necessitated an opposing response. Such an endeavor both embraces elements of human inefficiency and encourages a smallness of building. This project is an action of engagement that promotes the wellbeing of the public and does so without asking permission of the powers that be.

ABSTRACT

Figure 1: Tuckerton New Jersey post Hurricane Sandy on Oct. 30th, 2012. Image via boston.com via US Coast Guard via AFP/Getty Images


Chris Hedges writes in his book, Days of Destruction Days of Revolt, about ongoing strip mining practices in Kentucky and southern West Virginia, “That destruction, like the pillaging of natural resources in the ancient Mesopotamian, Roman and Mayan empires, is one of willful if not always

conscious self-annihilation.”1 This is a poignant statement concerning the future of the United States and the costs incurred when profit and greed are prioritized over humanity and decency.Commodification and Spectacle in Architecture is a compilation of essays examining the built environment and how this field is evolving. William S. Saunders writes in his preface to this volume, “The design of the built environment has been increasingly engulfed in and made subservient to the goals of the capitalistic economy, more specifically the luring of consumers for the purpose of gaining their money.”2

Perhaps another excerpt from Commodification and Spectacle is helpful to gain a better understanding of the great reach of the corporation into all aspects of the American economy. Thomas Frank writes in his essay about a Frank Ghery Guggenheim exhibition in which sponsor and former Enron CEO, Jeffrey Skilling, provides the forward to the exhibition’s catalogue, “This is the search Enron embarks on every day, by questioning the conventional to change business paradigms and create new markets that will shape the New Economy It is the shared sense of challenge that we admire most in Frank Ghery, and we hope that this exhibition will bring you as much inspiration as it has brought us.”3 What a cruel irony indeed to be listed as an inspiration for a company embroiled in a financial scandal.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Figure 2: Mountaintop removal. Photo by Chris Dorst.


Michael Hendryx and Melissa Ahern confront the inequality in the coal fields through their paper, Mortality in Appalachian Coal Mining Regions: The Value of Statistical Life Lost. In this analysis, the authors confront the disparity in economics between coal workers and coal companies. The

researchers arrive at the conclusion that the areas of heaviest coal mining have the poorest socioeconomic conditions.4 And therein lies the cruel reality of the situation. The areas where the most money is being made are the same ones which are being sacrificed in the harshest way possible. The profits from these local resources are not returning to the communities, instead the corporations are pocketing the excess while the small town, its people, and resources are relentlessly ravaged.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Figure 3: Black lung. Photo from United Mine Workers of America, Health and Safety on the Job.


Reporting outlet, The Guardian, offers a challenge to big business by investigating the world of alternative investing. Paul Herman is founder of HIP Investor. He has developed a rating system which is designed to take societal, environmental, and human factors into consideration. This is

defined as the “Human Impact plus Profit” rating and translates into the acronym HIP for the company’s name. Herman says investors and donors are negating the impacts of their socially conscious investments because the majority of their other portfolio elements are running counter to these endeavors. He says that “Many donors gave 5% a year to ‘good causes’ and they felt like they were getting a great societal impact for the 5% of their portfolio, but the 95% of their portfolio was creating the problems that these non-profits and social entrepreneurs were solving.”5

LITERATURE REVIEW

Figure 4: Alternative investment options. Image from absoluteinvestor.co.uk, The 2012 Alternative Investments Survey.


Architectural scientist and sociologist, Garry Stevens, published a book in 1998 entitled, “The Favored Circle, The Social Foundations of Architectural Distinction.” Using the work and research of the late French sociologist, Pierre Bourdieu, Stevens begins to dissect the architectural profession and

its members with a sociological scalpel of precision. In the process, he discusses the concept of symbolic power and cultural capital. Through Bourdieu’s theory, Stevens divides this idea of cultural capital into four basic types: institutionalized, objectified, social, and embodied. Institutional capital is acquired by academic achievements and the “knowing” of things. Objectified capital is demarcated as elements of cultural importance such as works of art or symbolic artifacts. Social capital is that asset which is developed through social skills and relationships rather than through technical knowledge or skill. Stevens illustrates this by saying, “Knowing the Queen of England or the President of the United States will not get you a job as a computer programmer in a bank if you cannot program, but it could get you onto the bank’s board if you knew nothing about finance.”6 Embodied capital is the asset which Stevens finds so important in Bourdieu’s work. This is subtle capital that might at first be seen as trivial and irrelevant and revolves around aspects of tastes, attitudes, preferences, and behavior. This is capital that differs from the other three in that it is not a possession but is simply a way of being and living. These forms of cultural capital may, Stevens argues, be exchanged at varying rates for the perhaps more familiar and obvious element of economic capital. The academic world is such an example in that those who possess this cultural capital are eligible for higher paying jobs in the upper economic sectors of society. Similarly, Stevens indicates that this is a turbulent rate of exchange depending upon the dynamism of the cultural climate.

Stevens uses the example of the power of a Beaux-Arts education prior to the 1960s and how this academic experience was successful at propelling graduates into successful economic careers. He then remarks that the exact same Beaux-Arts education took a serious nose dive as time progressed and eventually, the Society of Beaux Arts Architects closed completely.7 This simply illustrates that cultural capital may disappear in the same manner as economic capital but both hold value and have a strong, complicated working relationship.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Figure 5: Perceptions. Cultural or symbolic capital and its power to promote of inhibit social mobility. Photo from the telegraph.co.uk.


Expanding Architecture: Design As Activism is a book of essays, compiled and edited by Bryan Bell and Katie Wakeford. University of Minnesota Dean of the College of Design, Tom Fisher, provides the introduction to this volume. In it, he makes note of an essay by Kathleen Dorgan and Deane Evans.

Evans and Dorgan indicate that subprime mortgage lenders have caused home foreclosures to increase dramatically since 2006 (this book was published in 2008). The specific number offered here is a foreclosure increase of 90% since mid-2006. Fisher cites a “growing hopelessness among a substantial number of Americans” who have been forced to endure flat lined incomes even as inflation has increased. Pulling from a piece written by Roger Lowenstein he writes, “the United States is becoming divided, like many developing countries, into a small number of the super-rich and the majority, whose relatively stagnant incomes place the American dream permanently beyond their reach.8 It might be argued and probably should be as to what exactly the “American Dream” is and to whom it applies but the overall implication is that a larger segment of the population is struggling economically while a smaller portion becomes increasingly and disproportionately wealthy.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Figure 6: Karl Wimer, SS Subprime, accessed December 2013


Bryan Bell writes about the value of design in his essay, Expanding Design Toward Greater Relevance. He says, “It is our job to explain this, to define and communicate the value of architecture. If we do, we will all have enough work for many lifetimes.”9 This statement strikes a seriously off-key note for me. If the

practice of architecture finds itself at a place where it is forced to define and communicate the very value of its service and existence, I would argue the profession has already lost its place in society. The current definition of architecture and what it means to be an architect must be cut out of societal vernacular much as a cancerous growth is removed from a patient. It is not enough when its existence and value must be explained for future viability. It should be self-evident and if it is not, the profession needs to change to make its value apparent.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Figure 7: John Hill, Housing, 2013


Peter Gail Borden offers an essay entitled, Propositions for New Suburbanism. In this article he writes about the condemnation of the current suburban condition as something which is ecologically detrimental, physically inconvenient, and aesthetically unattractive. What is interesting to note is his

follow-up analysis to this observance. He writes, “What we need to remember is that the contemporary built landscape has evolved as a manifestation of our culture. The suburban condition is a pure spatial expression of democracy, capitalism and America’s agrarian geography.”10 The idea of the built landscape as a manifestation of culture is something that I think is particularly poignant. For once we start to talk of culture, we start to talk of ourselves as a whole and then we start or should start to take a long hard look in the mirror and see what and who we are becoming.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Figure 9: From Living the American Dream in Europe blog. Students’ response to the question of “What is American Culture?”


Robert Gutman, the late professor emeritus of sociology at Rutgers University and a lecturer in architecture at Princeton University wrote the introduction to the compilation, Good Deeds, Good Design: Community Service through Architecture. Gutman titles the introduction, Two Questions for

Architecture. He starts off by asking the questions, “What can the architectural community do to increase the supply of housing for low income groups?” and “How can architects enlarge their contribution to housing design and production?” He wastes no time in providing an answer to the first question by stating, “To me, the answer is fairly clear. Architects must adopt an advocacy role – they must step outside their usual activity as architects to engage in political action that will encourage the expansion of government programs that underwrite low income housing construction.”11 This is a very interesting stance. For here we have a voice advocating for more non-traditional societal engagement by architectural practitioners but at the same time the advocacy is still embedded in the framework of a social and economic system that relies upon government financial backing. Perhaps architects should be advocating for larger changes altogether, changes that begin to question why we need affordable housing to begin with. Perhaps we need advocacy for societal changes that do not depend on dollars being doled out to begging recipients.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Figure 10: How do we advocate? Image from Commute Orlando Blog, June 10, 2012


Roberta M. Feldman is codirector of the City Design Center, College of Architecture and the Arts at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She writes an essay entitled, Activism Practice: The Risky Business of Democratic Design. Her analysis begins by addressing the issue of codependency evident between the

architectural profession and the economically and politically powerful members of society. She writes, “Work merging activism and design remains marginalized within the profession of architecture,” and continues with,

“Professional and educational institutions all too often support the economically and politically powerful in our society and the cultural elite.12

LITERATURE REVIEW

Figure 11: Understanding power. Image from the blog, American Hell, March 22, 2008


Feldman’s statement cuts to the quick of what this final project hopes to address. Society and the traditional architectural profession find themselves increasingly at the mercy of the economic markets and particularly the hands of the wealthy within those markets. The commodification of resources

is the order of the day and architecture is not immune. Merriam-Webster defines commodity as “1: an economic good” and “4: a good or service whose wide availability typically leads to smaller profit margins and diminishes the importance of factors (as brand name) other than price.”13 This project is not about addressing issues of profit margin; that is for another researcher and another study. This thesis is focused on the issue mentioned in the latter portion of the definition. The wording might be slightly adjusted to state: “a good or service whose wide availability typically diminishes the importance of factors other than price.” It is with this description that we begin to address a plethora of issues confronting the architectural profession and society at large. When people, resources, and jobs are reduced to a commodity we begin to experience disastrous consequences. We dehumanize our society and culture in the name of profit and greed. If architecture wishes to be more and do more than simply respond to market forces and pocketbooks of the wealthy and powerful, it must begin to challenge the traditional notion of architectural practice. It must begin to push the discipline of architecture outside the drafting room and expand managerial responsibilities beyond coordination of the construction process.

LITERATURE REVIEW

COMMODITIES

Figure 12: Images from the website, Hindu Business Line, September 11, 2008


This project proposes the design and development of an artefact which encourages community cohesiveness and challenges the acceptance of the status quo. The following precedents will begin to explore the vein of action proposed. Community cohesiveness and a challenge to the status quo

are critical to this project because both of these elements begin to confront the practice of commodification and the far reaching power of larger business conglomerates. This project is intended to poke and prod an awareness of our society’s power structure both economically and socially. It is not a solution to the issues that haunt our times; it is a call to us as citizens to value each other, ourselves, and our surroundings as more than commodities, as more than items which can simply be bought and sold in the most economical means possible. It is a knock on the door of architectural practice, asking for more engagement and involvement beyond development of floor plans and meetings with clients. This is an opportunity for us as citizens and people to recognize the power that we possess as understanding and unified human beings. This is not a political party movement but it does have political implications. It is not an agenda to put someone or some ones into positions of power but it is a push to empower human beings to recognize desired change.

PROPOSAL

Figure 13: Image by Margaret Bourke-White, Gandhi and His Spinning Wheel, 1946 from Time and Life Pictures/Getty Images


As Garry Stevens mentioned, architectural practitioners possess cultural capital in our society. If such capital exists then perhaps it can be used to catalyze movement toward a healthier society and also healthier buildings. The reality is that architects struggle even to create a simple healthy building

in our current system. This battle is not due to lack of appropriate design options but rather to myriad other factors outside the scope of traditional architectural practice. Designers are confronted with political, economic, and social issues that frequently end up controlling the final building result more than the good of the inhabitants. All of the great ideas which architects champion will only materialize as pipe dreams until designers become more than traditional practitioners. This is not a push to recognize some egotistical satisfaction of a building scheme but it is a push to promote the building of healthy, happy structures for society. If architects are unable to recognize society’s best interests through traditional practice, something in the system needs to be challenged and changed. Volumes of books that propose great designs are merely wishful thinking if we cannot actually create these buildings due to exterior influences and obstacles.

Architects have opportunities to work with and shape these crucial influences but we must be willing to take the plunge and become something unusual. If architecture and its practitioners are to be more than commodities, then we must re-examine the definition of architectural practice and begin to

spark change. Empowerment is available and it starts by reminding all of us of its existence.

Figure 14: The civil rights sit ins. Image from International Civil Rights Center and Museum, The Sit-In Movement, accessed December 13, 2013

PROPOSAL


The research methods for this project consisted primarily of trips to places of extreme economic impact. Photo collection, literature examination, and documentation of personal conversations were utilized to build the foundation for this project. These methodologies were intended to provide a physical

exposure to conditions which reflect the economic and social environments which currently exist in this country. One of the final material artefacts also incorporates an online poll, Facebook page, and email address. Time limitations, unfortunately, have limited data collection from these sources at the time of this book publication.

Most of the field research took place at these locations of extreme economic impact but I also took a trip to visit an activist minded college professor, David Stairs, at the University of Central Michigan. We spent the afternoon talking about this topic and wrestling with ideas concerning

methods of enacting social and economic change. Stairs talked about the importance of honing writing, and technical communication skills as an important part of advocating for societal change. He mentioned the example of Guy Fawkes and the protests inspired by his actions. The idea of large sweeping change is complex and Stairs talked about how it is a rarity that such massive restructuring happens quickly and smoothly. He discussed how movements often die when they start to get larger attention because a central leader is often quieted and the momentum dies. He maintains that in order for movements be successful many people must be willing to speak up and sacrifice.

Figure 15: Photo taken by Jesse McClain on trip to Welch, West Virginia. One resident’s thoughts on the energy extraction in the area.

Figure 16: What is rebellion? How does change occur and what are the costs? Are corporations also anonymous? Image from Social Network Unionism blog, Anonymous Power by Felix Stalder, posted February 22, 2012

METHODOLOGIES


Michael Reynolds is a great example of an architect who challenged inequality when he advocated for the development of his earth ship community before the New Mexico state legislature. Utility companies were concerned that Reynolds was developing a self-sustaining community off the grid

and they began to challenge the validity of his residential development. Reynolds ended up making multiple trips to the capitol to defend his work. He eventually lost the argument and for a period of time even had his architectural license revoked.14 This sort of mentality and action is exactly what I am hoping can begin to take a larger foothold in the architectural profession. Reynolds’ willingness to fight for his case even when it meant going outside the architectural field and into the legal system is extremely powerful. This is an example for the rest of us who are interested in inspiring change at many different levels. Though Reynolds met with significant adversity, he kept fighting and he kept pushing even in territory very unfamiliar to architectural practice. Imagine if numerous architects carried that same level of far reaching investment in their beliefs and projects. What sort of impact could that begin to have on the profession and societal development?

Figure 17: Architect, Michael Reynolds building rammed earth structure. Image from Renselaer Sustainability Research Network blog, Film and Discussion: “Garbage Warrior” and the Challenge of Green Building by poiril2, posted March 11, 2013

PRECEDENTS


Glenn Bruno is an architect and contractor in Chico, California. He prioritized the achievement of his contractor’s license before taking the exams for architectural licensure. When I interviewed Glenn in the spring of 2013, he talked about the importance of establishing trust and respect within a small

community such as his own. It was crucial to the development of his business and the process of securing commissions. He also indicated that he doesn’t really make much money from the architectural design side of his operation. The contractor portion of the business is primarily how he is able to earn a living. This enables him to work through architectural designs without being overly concerned about making money during this process. What I appreciate most about Glenn and his work is his acknowledgement of the problems within the architectural profession. He realizes that it is difficult to make a living doing only small scale design work so he decided to become a two profession individual by combing a contractor’s license with his architectural knowledge. This is not the norm for most architectural practitioners, but it enabled him to keep working in his small town and build long-term trust with his neighbors. He was able to create a design practice and sense of community that large firms could only dream about. Imagine the power that those sorts of relationships hold and think about the strength of such a town. How can this small example influence how the rest of us start to think about the way we work and connect to one another in all aspects of our life? Is this a way to start to challenge larger, corporate power?

ARCHITECTURE

MORE ____________

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PRECEDENTS


The other precedent I would like to recognize is not the work of an architect but it really starts to illuminate the energy and drive I hope to encourage and foster in myself and others through this project. Andy Didorosi is the 26 year old founder of the Detroit Bus company. In 2012, the city

announced that plans to develop a light rail system were dead. Didorosi decided to take action and figure out a way to help his fellow Detroiters move around the city. He bought an old school bus, had it painted by a graffiti artist and started moving people around the city. In October of the same year, the Skillman Foundation began working with Didorosi to figure out how to move area kids safely around the city to various after-school programs. The foundation provided Didorosi with $100,000 and his company began to develop a software platform that enables after-school program leaders to call buses to specific locations as needed. This means the buses do not operate on a rigid route system but instead travel only to the places when and where they are needed most. This enables the company to save money and serve the most people possible.15 Didorosi did something phenomenal here. He became empowered to make change and in the process he set off a chain of events that pushed his initial purchase of a bus to unforeseen heights. He started to forge new relationships and partnerships and in the process he began to develop a new system of transportation with a much more intimate tie to the community than the traditional city bus system. Imagine the strength of this network of community members. The shared sense of responsibility and power of self-determination must be amazing. I look at this example and the possibilities seem endless.

Figure 18: The Detroit Bus Company is taking matters into the hands of the community. Image from Shinola.com, The Detroit Bus Company Gets it Done, posted May 1, 2013

PRECEDENTS


All three of these precedents are appealing to me because they focus on the strength of a small group of people and they challenge the idea of large traditional power structures and their oft inevitable distance and detachment. When I think about the giant energy companies and the financial

conglomerates that exist in this country I can’t help thinking that instances and examples of community cohesiveness perhaps have the greatest potential to challenge large business dependence and the frequently accompanying abuse and destruction. Perhaps if we begin to support and rely on one another with greater frequency we can begin pull out of participatory practices that are ultimately harmful to the health and future of our society.

Figure 19: Acknowledgement of personal responsibility and power in the desire to see betterment. Image from Orton Family Foundation Blog, Seven Ways to Increase Community Power in Local Decision Mak-ing, March 25, 2013

Figure 20: Images clockwise from top left. Image 1: Community barn raising from blog, Thoughts on Emerging and Future Technol-ogy, Module Three: Communi-ties Rekindle the Past, January 14, 2011. Image 2: Community gardening in Oakland Califor-nia. Image from City of Oakland California Website: Parks and Recreation, Community Garden-ing, accessed December 12, 2013. Image 3: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in protest march. Photo from Where’s Our Money? blog, posted January 15, 2012

PRECEDENTS


Southern West Virginia and Western North Dakota were both visited as part of the research process. These sites were chosen due to their similar connections with the energy industry and also their polar opposites in terms of economic prosperity. Welch, West Virginia is a small town which used to

be called “Little New York” in the early 1900s. It was the city at the hub of the world’s first “billion dollar coalfield” and provided many of the area’s residents with a healthy and even prosperous income. Now it is deteriorating as the powerful strip-mining companies replace humans with machines and blow the tops off nearby mountains. Long-time Welch resident, Hilda Mitros, details accounts of personal and environmental violence experienced under the influence of the coal companies. She talks about gas and water explosions in and near her home as the earth becomes unstable with directional drilling and diverted water flow. Floods and sinkholes are commonplace in an area which is sacrificed for it’s fossil fuels. Hilda also reports that the decline in the economic and environmental health of the region has been accompanied by an influx of drugs and political buy-offs. She offers stories of attempts by community members to stand against the development of a major dumping site for disposal of out of state waste. The community was initially able to rally and protest this intervention but eventually, leaders were swayed through high pressure negotiation and shadowy bribery tactics. Hilda used to run a kitchen and bar and she remembers when the times were good and people prospered in a healthy community. I asked her if anything good was occuring in Welch and she said, “no, there is nothing good happening here.” A place that was once full of vitality and optimism is struggling to see a future that holds a promise of anything other than more destruction and abuse.

SITE CONTEXT AND DOCUMENTATION

Figure 21: Images from top to bottom: Top two images - Anawalt strip mining site in Southern West Virginia. Bottom image: Town of Keystone, West Virginia, near the city of Welch, WV. Photos taken by author, Jesse McClain.


Williston, North Dakota has a history of energy boom and bust cycles. Previous economic windfalls have caused the government to invest heavily in development only to have the jobs disappear. Such situations have left the town holding a giant bill and cautious about future infrastructure

investment. Now, increasing sophistication in hydraulic fracturing (fracking) technology has propelled the town back into the boom phase and development is picking up once again. I had the good fortune of being able to to visit the architecture firm of JLG architects and the guys in the office took me on a tour of the new multimillion dollar community recreation center nearing completion. The building was able to be financed, primarily through a 1 cent sales tax hike in town. This illustrates the tremendous growth which is being experienced in the region. From only 2010 to 2012, the population of the city doubled and it now sits at over 30,000. Nick, one of the employees with JLG talks about the magic population number of 50,000. He says that this is the number the city needs to reach to ensure long-term stability and also to convince large scale retailers, such as Target, to move into the area. The fracking industry, which harvests gas and oil from shale rock, is highly controversial because it creates many ripple effects. The first and certainly most tangible is its offer of many high paying jobs, even for entry-level, unskilled workers. Another is its ability to increase the energy independence of the United States. This certainly has far reaching impacts that begin to involve issues of national security and international diplomacy. The other side of the coin revolves around concerns of environmental degradation, aquifer reduction, and health issues from improperly managed resource extraction or waste disposal. The issue is not a clear cut one of fracking being bad or good, it clearly offers a little of both. There is a deeper issue here, however, and that revolves around our growing need for more and more energy itself. See the next section for more details.

Figure 22: Gas flares lighting up the night sky in the North Dakota Bakken oil field field. Image from NASA/Robert Simon and website, The Telegraph, Fracking Lights up the North Dakota Sky, November 25, 2013




Figure 23: Images clockwise from bottom left to top right: Community recreation center in Williston, North Dakota. Project designed and tour provided by JLG Architects. Bottom right image: residential construction taking place west of town. Photos taken by author, Jesse McClain.

Figure 24: Images clockwise from top left: Images 1 and 2: FEMA trailer in which author slept during visit to Williston, North Dakota. Image 3: Oil pumping station methane flares north of city limits. Image 4: Drilling rig north of city limits. Photos taken by author, Jesse McClain.


This project proposal begins to offer a connection between energy production, social and economic division, and architectural practice. The promotion of unchecked economic growth in our society is driving us down a path with ominous consequences. Tim Jackson, in his book Prosperity without

Growth, talks about our consumptive habits and their ultimately unhealthy effects.16 When we talk about economic growth in our current system, the conversation revolves around the rising and falling levels of GDP or GNP. These values are calculated in strictly monetary terms. A rise in GDP could occur even in the midst of an environmental disaster or the implosion of the social fabric of a community. This can happen because these stuations do not possess an immediate numeric price point and therefore are not able to be valued as indicators of the health of a society. GDP is typically what is used to measure or gain a better understanding of the health of a nation and its human make-up. Such a system hides pressing issues for long-term health and well-being. It demands greater and greater efficiency, illustrated in processes such as strip mining and mountain-top removal. Our industrially developed society cries for more and more energy to produce consumer goods and products. We respond with the implementation of sophisticated technology, such as fracking, to extract this demanded energy. In the process, we perpetuate a lifetyle which our finite planet is struggling, and utlitmately, failing to support. Jackson argues that the scale of our economic growth is currently no match for the scale of reduction in our energy consumption. Such an analysis distills the proposal and response into an action which emphasizes the importance of small scale, the value of inefficiency in labor, and the implementation of positive action without permission from larger power forces. It is intended to serve as a reminder that we as individuals must act to realize changes in our society. Stagnation only reinforces the status quo and sometimes we need to be active outside of traditional boundaries and comfort zones.

WILLISTON

BISMARCK FARGO

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W.V.

WELCH

CHARLESTON

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DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPOSAL/RESPONSE

Figure 25: Exploring responses to the social and economic situations experienced by southern West Virginia and western North Dakota. Artwork created by author, Jesse McClain.


“Michael Maniates and John Meyer describe a common perception of our current catch-22. If individuals in the affluent countries won’t sacrifice by consuming less, then we need either a catastrophe or an expert dictatorship to bring about change. But as we stop thinking in terms of individuals and instead work collectively, social move-ments and collective action provide a viable alternative to the catastrophe/dictator dilemma.” - Ann Thorpe

“it would seem that the most visible protectors of our name and image are our ‘starchitects’ - the heroes who in so many cases act as our de facto ambassadors to the world. Under their flag, the progress of our profession can be decoupled from the work of rank-and-file ar-chitects; from the average, from the everyday......if in the course of erecting that one sky-scraper, a thousand acre slum is grown in a country we’ve never heard of, we can still claim the trappings of success.” - Eric Cesal

“resources are ever more stretched and the con-tingencies necessary for maintaining Gurgaon’s culture and comforts are ever more numerous and extreme. Flashy renderings of new buildings promise a lifestyle that markets won’t support and that builders can’t deliver.”- Nathan Rich

“in the pursuit of rapid growth and profit, and in the service of global interests, entrenched local problems have been summarily cast aside, allow-ing a bloated market to keep growing.” - Nathan Rich

“in pursuit of the good life today, we are system-atically eroding the basis for well-being tomorrow. We are in real danger of losing any prospect of a shared and lasting prosperity.” - Tim Jackson

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“The modern economy is structurally reliant on economic growth for its stability...questioning growth is deemed to be the act of lunatics, ideal-ists and revolutionaries. But question it we must” - Tim Jackson

“students are groomed for conventional market expansion roles through standard port-folio development, final year shows and ‘design manage-ment’ modules.” - Ann Thorpe

“in a culture of easy money and sky-high risk tolerance, many things become pos-sible. The bizarre becomes interesting and the irrational avant-garde. We could onvince a client that it was important or interesting to make a building that disori-ented its visitors or didn’t address its own program.” - Eric Cesal

“...key measure ‘GDP growth’ does not capture many vital aspects of national wealth and well-being, such as changes in the quality of health, the extent of education, and changes in the qual-ity and quantity of natural resources. And yet, GDP growth had become the ‘mantra’ by which governments benchmarked their performance, managed their economies and indeed sought re-election.” - Pavan Sukhdev

“the architect believes (as he was taught at school) that cheap does not necessarily mean bad or ugly, that creativity is his gift to society, and that if he does not take the job, some lesser architect will. Rare is the architect - and then only in the best of economic times - who will politely show the client the door...” - Michael Benedikt

it is just as important that we look to the architect to care about and work against the two-mile road that has placed the Walmart five miles out of town as it is to build that Walmart building itself....if there is a chal-lenge that we have as professionals in this country, it is to neutralize the impact from the corporate structure that creates this kind of monolithic design and monolithic culture.” - Robert Fielden

“the need for economic growth and reducing costs means that most enitities contracting for construction or design work opt for the lowest financial bid rather than the best-value bid - where values include social and environmental consideration.”- Ann Thorpe

“In affluent countries 60 to 70 percent of growth comes directly from consumer demand. But most people can only “consume” because they earn income from jobs. So as long as the population grows, more jobs are needed to ensure steady consumption. Continuous economic growth is now often seen as the only path to providing those new jobs.” - Ann Thorpe

“liberalization has also seen the the rise of branding and other value-adding devices that position intellectual property at the core of the new service-driven economy. The outcome for architects is a new winner-takes-all system where a small number of feted practionioners compete for the jackpot.” - Andrew Ross

iconoclastic

&anathema

frack

ing

frack

ing

strip

-min

ing

prod

uctio

n de

stru

ctio

n

cons

umpt

ion

and

com

mod

ities

“the relentless stripping of the forests, the vast impoundments filled with billions of gallons of toxic coal waste known as slurry, and the steady flight by residents whose nerves and health are shattered, has left Gibson one of the few survivors...his defiance has come with a cost. Coal companies are the only employ-ers left in southern West Virginia, one of the worst pockets of poverty in the nation, and the desperate scramble for the few remaining jobs has allowed the companies to portray rebels such as Gibson as enemies of not only Big Coal but also the jobs it provides. Gibson’s cabin has been burned down. Two of his dogs have been shot and Dog was hung...” - Chris Hedges

“rising production from dense rock has sent natural gas prices tumbling 75 percent since 2008. Because gas is used to heat and cool homes, produce electricity, grow food, power some vehicles, and make plastic, steel, and other products, the American gusher has been a boon to consumers and businesses, many of whom are still suffering from the worst eco-nomic downturn since the great Depression.” - Gregory Zuckerman “The Frackers”

as recently as 2006, business and govern-ment leaders fretted that America was running out of energy. By 2013, however, the United State was producing seven and a half million barrels of crude oil each day, up 5 million from 2005. The country enjoyed its largest produc-tion increase in history in 2012 and could pump more than eleven million barrels a day by 2020, its highest figure ever and more than Saudi Arabia currently produces.” - Gregory Zuckerman “The Frackers”

“our environment has become ever more commodified, ever more the subject of short term investment, income generation, and resale rather than of lifelong dwelling or long-term city making.” - Michael Benedikt

“economic growth favors convert-ing as many goods and services to commodities as possible. For ex-ample, rather than “self-provisioning” - taking care of our own children or cooking our own meals - we use commercial childcare services and buy prepared meals.” - Ann Thorpe

“some of that growth in some form, is still needed - much of the underdeveloping world needs more. But the overdevel-oped world clearly needs less, and not just for environmental reasons. One study after another has shown in recent years that the tie between more stuff and more happiness has broken down - that economic growth is now more likely to yield isolation (those vast suburban cas-tles) and disconnection.” - Bill McKibben

“the Appalachian region provides most of the country’s coal, its production dwarfed only by that of Wyoming’s Powder Basin. We extract one hundred tons of coal from the earth every two seconds in the United States, and about seventy-percent of that coal comes from strip mines and mountaintop removal, which began in 1970.” - Chris Hedges

creativity is probably the single worst idea with which architects could associate themselves - Michael Benedikt

“although efficiencies are improving, they are no-where near offsetting increases in resource use from annual economic growth.” - Ann Thorpe

“the answer to the question ‘can architects be socially responsible?” is, as the profession is presently constituted, no” - Margaret Crawford

proactive or reactive to market and societal forces?

concerning the chance for students to be creative - “no teacher will discourage this goal or disabuse them of this value - or at least replace it with other values, such as the acievement of excellence or knowledge or dignity or power”

“when the project has fallen apart logistically, or pieces are lopped off, or finishes down-graded, or fees not paid be-cause budget is being overshot” the architect blames him/herself for not being “creative” enough

“the gentlemanly ideal of distance from the busi-ness of production - an essentialcomponent of the architectural profession’s self-image - has persisted against all odds...the chief achievement of this book is to establish that the demarcation between design and fabrication is no longer fea-sible.” - Andrew Ross

“the less successfully architecture has competed with these divserse ‘growth industries,’ the less architects have been entrusted with time and money to perform work on a scale and with a quality that could perhaps turn things around” - Michael Benedikt

“paradoxically, subcontractors may provide young [architecture] gradu-ates with better opportunities to build professional profiles that will later make them appealing to architecture firms” - Paolo Tombesi

evolutions


Figure 26: Gathering and organizing relevant quotes and commentary. Layout artwork created by author, Jesse McClain.


identifying and defining problems

- the starting point“...this country needs more than a building right now. it needs hope.”

generate questions and hypotheses

review and summarize the literature

apply appropriate methods

collect dataanalyze and judge evidence

tim jacksonprosperity without growth anathema

what is driving these problems?

how does architecture better serve the public and its professional members?

what are the social, political, and economic environments in which architects operate?

too many architects?

what are critical non-architectural issues currently facing the U.S. and how might architecture interact with such situations? could these be more important than a building?

these problems in architecture are being driven by issues outside of it

hypothesis transformation

bringing initial problem and research together

common thread

critical thought generators

so? what this is not

culture being intellectual achievement which influ-ences:

political

social

economic

current

beyond academia what do we build now?

expectant

the shifting ground beneath our feet

the practitioners??

economy

this is not unique to architecture

robert venturi feels that architects are powerless to change the world and should “narrow their concerns and concentrate on their own job”

the growth economy both nurtures and confounds the profession...

to ignore it is to continue the cycle of struggle to realize design values and dreams within an econom-icsystem built to prioritze money over culture

to challenge it is to challenge our largest client base but also expose us to methods of practice which offer more prosperous results

this is not a call to end capitalism and profit, it is a challenge for us as profes-sionals to bring architectural practice to the forefront of cultural influence not merely reflexive economic survival

challenging the growth economy is not only a challenge to the revenue source of the profession but it is not an architectural act...so could be argued

initial problem is focused on the architectural profession specificallychris hedges

michael benedikt

margaret crawford

tim jackson

e.f. schumacher

wendell berry

robert fielden

ann thorpe

research is focused on evolving or devolving communities, cit-ies, regions

“at the most basic level of human consciousness is the survival instinct. this aspect of our nature both generates and is driven by fear. part of what makes us human is our capacity to evolve beyond this.” - Jan Birchfield, Ph. D.

initial, simple hypothesis

(eric cesal and caela mckeever)

lack of passion and conviction for good design

evey

ham

mon

d fro

m V

for v

ende

tta

fragility of workplace humanity

unemployment

lack of cultural authority even when employed

energy reserves and production

uneven income distribution

power of the corporation

social and environmental destruction

infinite economic growth system in finite resource world

travel and conduct informal interviews

struggling economy booming economy williston needs architecture and development to support growingpopulation’s needs

welch needs hope and op-portunity to support dwindling population’s needs

energy extraction has polluted water, created health problems, damaged environ-ment, raised GDP

energy extraction is creating jobs, encouraging development, and rais-ing the GDP

constant oil well drilling

ranchers becoming rich

need infrastructure to attract families

environmental damage?

political favoritism between east and west in stateexcitement

high-energy

site of New York landfill

site of new federal prison

aging populationenvironmental damage

legal corruption

fear and danger feeling deceived and abused

empty and abandoned downtown

williston, N.D.

williston, N.D.

welch, W.V.welch, W.V.

new construction

paolo tombesi argues that technological innovation and increasing specificity “calls for a redesign of existing labor categories as well as a discussion of the professional status of the architect and its sociotechnical basis”

“the narrowing of architectural practice has been balanced by an expanding architectural avant-garde, who, opposing the corruption of architecture by busi-ness, take on roles closer to that of the artist. avoiding the inevitable ‘contamina-tion’ of the professional world of building, these architects survive through teaching, publication, competitions, and the grow-ing niche in the art market for architec-tural drawings” - margaret crawford

current and conventional wisdom

rise in GDP = rise in society well-being

zero-sum game alternative

what does this mean for architecture?

current architectural practice is heavily vested in the perpetual growth model for viability

economic success in such a system becomes predicated upon the perpetuation of zero-sum game activity

discuss findings

reframe

how does this relate to the initial problems at the start-ing point?

passion and conviction ability to stand by mission

unemployment

cultural authority

discussion toward proposal development

workplace humanity value of individuals vs. maxi-mum profit

economic stability

ability to realize visible impact in helping to create a healthier, more vibrant community and/or world

developed hypothesis: architecturalpractice which depends upon economic growth for sustenance is not in its own or the public’s most prosperous interests and should evolve practice to ensure long-term protection of its own and the public’s health, safety, and welfare

precedentscommon themes making the cut the architecture

our love of novelty that pushes our consumption

to give architectural practitioners a solo or hybrid design business that emphasizes prosperity and empowers the designer to decline counter-prosperous comissions

of awareness and locality

creating consumption of the already consumed

hacking at the brightest spots

avoiding exploitation of public spaces for private gain

pleasurezone

stimulus intensity (newness)

comfort zone

dissatisfaction zone

habi

tuat

ion

plea

sant

ness

unpl

easa

ntne

ss

scitovsky’s wundt curve from architecture and design vs. consumerism

being aware of the “novelty” driver and how to use it without utilizing “new” resources

creating at the small scale when the large scale is not needed or undesirable for the community

criteria

process: a series of actions that produce something or that lead to a particular result

skill: the ability to do something that comes from training, experi-ence, or practice

nudging in an established system toward alternative

ann thorpe references the design philosophy of otto von busch as “not so much meeting people’s needs with objects, but rather meet-ing people’s neeeds through devel-oping their skills and processes

sharing

connecting

community

small scale

social

political

conversation

unity

or

challenging sta-tus quo

relationships

celebrating functional

dinner guest

re-bar

sustain-a-raising

mad housers

wendell berry sleep-in unit 2 collective

mealku

kickstand brooklyn

union kitchen

union kitchen

greyston bakery

maya pedalsmal-scale making

non-conforming

nudges

sustain-a-raising

teddy cruz

craig dykers

snap goods

maya pedal

greyston bakery

craig dykers

teddy cruz

humane society of san antonio

fracking has enabled struggling ranchers to pay off massive debts

this energy extraction process is offering an immediate solution to cries for energy resources

this is a fossil fuel which is a finite resource and damaging to the environment when burned our dependence on these en-

ergy resources is both building and destroying local economies and communities

strip mining reduces need for employment and creates more ef-fciency/higher profit margins

energy extraction in the name of greed and highest profits has perpetuated the deteriorating condition of welch

finite resources and prioritization of economic gain over all other variables = unlimited growth economy in a finite world

“national council of architectural registration boards protects the public health, safety, and welfare by leading the regulation of the practice of architecture through the development and application of standards for licensure and credentialing of architects” - NCARB

economic growth = rise in GDP

propserity - basic needs, physical and mental health, educational and democratic entitlements, trust, security, and a sense of community, relationships, meaningful employment, ability to participate in the life of society

“students are groomed for conventional market expansion roles through standard port-folio development, final year shows and ‘design management’ modules.” - Ann Thorpe

{

humane society of san antionio(alamo architects)


Figure 27: Initial attempt to organize thoughts and process into a coherent stream of process. This graphic technique offered the author an opportunity to analyze information and connections using a quick visual reference.


A bus shelter and a rotating lamp were designed and developed as the architectural response to this research endeavor. The bus shelter was constructed with a few specific goals in mind. One was as a counterbalance to the concept of large-scale influence. It prioritizes space as the domain of

one or a few individuals. It was built using private funds and under the labor of primarily one person. The installation was completed by a group of a few friends and community members. Permission was not asked to build or install the shelter and it was simply placed on a vacant lot for public use. The process of constructing this piece emphasizes the power of the individual to influence his/her environment without going through traditional avenues of power. It may not exist on the site for long because of its guerilla deployment but it created a community galvanizing experience among the installers and it offered an example that a very small group of people can influence a large scale environment.

The lamp was designed to illustrate an even smaller and more intimate scale, the value of inefficiency and the personal connections made through active engagement, exploration, and establishment of new relationships. This lamp would not have been possible without the support and generosity of Hilda Mitros from Welch, West Virginia. Hilda spent many hours talking and driving with me through the mountains of her home state. She had never met me before this project but was willing to spend time explaining the history of the region, the former glory of the city, and the problems of the present. She was kind and gracious in all our interactions, inviting me and my wife into her home, cooking and serving us food, and offering suggestions and guidance. Always quick with a laugh or joke, I consider her a friend and this lamp is a tribute to this strong and courageous woman. It is made using discarded materials from her property and offers a prompt to tell the story that Hilda and many others live each day. The rotating action of the rusted wheel turns the lamp and reinforces the value which can be found in inefficient work. It prioritizes the process of engagement over the completion of a task and encourages application of this philosophy in other aspects of our lives. Please see appendix for a personal account of the region’s history, courtesy of Hilda Mitros.

MAKING

Figure 28: Images left to right: Image 1: Hilda Mitros (L) and Esther Dansby-McClain (R) preparing to load materials from Hilda’s property for transportation to author’s school in Muncie, Indiana. Image 2: Author, Jesse McClain (L) and Hilda Mitros (R) on Hilda’s property.


Figure 29: The process of constructing a lamp/bench from discarded materials provided by Welch resident, Hilda Mitros. Process begins in top left, moves across row, down and left to right again.

MAKING


Figure 30: Documentation of bus shelter construction process.

MAKING


Figure 31: Bus shelter placed at corner of Liberty and Washington Streets. 6 people assembled the shelter in a rapid geurilla deployment operation.

Figure 32: QR code link to poll concerning bus shelter public opinion. Email and Facebook identities constructed for shelter contact.

Figure 33: Four days after installation, a coffee cup was found inside the shelter, indicating someone had used it.

MUNCIE SITE

PLACING BUS SHELTER ON SITE IN DOWNTOWN MUNCIE


This project began by examining some incredibly large and complex issues. Attempting to weave architectural discourse into these topics of political, economic, and social struggle has been a challenging but invigorating experience. The conclusion of this project has not revealed a “magic

bullet” to the problems confronting the architectural profession and society at large. This project was never going to provide a black and white answer or panacea. What it has provided is a simple impetus to be a more active participant in society rather than a passive observer. It has sparked a realization that if change and improvement are to be found, it starts with a building of strong local connections with neighbors and community members. I have been very angry at the corruption and injustices perpetrated by big businesses but a preoccupation with these entities seems to be missing the chance to really do something positive. Part of the problem we are dealing with is an issue of scale and disconnection. The architecture world is familiar with this in the outsourcing of entry level work and the increasing complexities of the construction industry. Furthermore, the more disconnected we are from the energy we use and the products we utilize, the more likely we are to abuse these resources. I think there is potential to realize a better reality if we start to step away from finger pointing and and begin building stronger local communities where we are much more connected with the objects and resources we consume. It is possible that with an emphasis on greater connection and locality we can begin to support one another without relying on larger companies and businesses. Another powerful element which has been revealed is the concept of labor/production inefficiency and the value of human experience over profit. To truly protect the health safety and welfare of the public requires architects to question the foundations on which our economy operates. The concepts of increasing production efficiency and required economic growth deserve significant attention. To truly embrace long term prosperity requires

CONCLUSIONS

an examination of the costs of our lifestyles and how we support living conditions which require us to consume more and more in order to be accepted members of society. Substantial changes will not occur overnight. We have embraced the consumptive lifestyle as the foundation of our economic stability but its unchecked acceptance perpetuates disastrous consequences. As architects, we have the opportunity to operate at the forefront of a movement that challenges high resource use and the infinite economic growth system. Such action begins addressing what Paul Kivel calls the difference between social change and social service.17 An embracement of small scale design work and an elevation of labor inefficiency promotes less consumption and elevates physical and mental health over quantitative production and maximum profit. This requires a recognition and treatment of people as complex individuals and not just seekers of larger paychecks. Such a mentality has the potential to usher in a society of widespread prosperity and well-being for all. It is imperative that architects recognize the designer as someone who cannot simply embrace standard construction/business practices as acceptable professional behavior. We have a responsibility to support systemic change whenever possible and not rely on piecemeal pro-bono efforts to satisfy our quest to protect the public’s health safety and welfare.


APPENDIX AHILDA MITROS LETTER


APPENDIX A - CONTINUED


APPENDIX B QUICK NOTES FROM NORTH DAKOTA

1/11 – 1/15 2014I arrived in Williston, North Dakota on Monday morning a few minutes after 11:00 AM. Drove through downtown and stopped at the architecture offices of JLG. I met Mike, Nick, and Josh (the Williston office crew) and we chatted for a while. Really nice guys, very energetic and welcoming. Mike invited me to be his guest at the weekly rotary club meeting in town. I had lunch with some of the community members and we talked a little about what I was doing in the area. Somebody asked me if I had a crystal ball when I won-dered out loud about the long term ramifications of the oil drilling and its impact on the area. We finished eating and then drove back to the office. Mike had to get to a meeting so Nick and Josh took me over to one of the projects the company is starting to finish. It’s a community recreation center that is being paid for by sales tax dollars within the community. The money could not be used to build the school because of government restrictions. Even though the school is currently housing students in temporary rooms, the money could not go to this need. Nick and Josh talked about how it was a challenge explaining this to the community members who really want to see a new school built with this influx of capital.

We walked through the center and took pictures of the work. The building is just a few months away from completion and it’s look-ing really good. Josh is not actually an architect, his background is construction management. He came up from Colorado last year to work on a few building projects for Halliburton. Halliburton holds several patents on the drilling technology necessary for the frack-ing process and their trucks can be seen all over town. Nick took me out to look at some of the new retail space that is also going in. It’s up on a hill outside of the main town and is constructed in the EIFS strip mall style. He said the town is teetering on the edge of having enough people to attract Target and other big box retailers to the area. The city is sitting around 30,000 some inhabitants but not all of these are permanent residents. There seems to be a magic number of about 50,000 people that is necessary to make the area highly desirable by outside retail and amenity providers. Nick said that the town really needs these things to get families into the region. Without this, the city continues to consist largely of a transient population of single men or men sending money back to their families in other locations.

In the evening, I went to a bar attached to one of the hotels on the north edge of town. I ended up sitting between a guy who owns a company that separates oil, water, and salt when the pumps bring the crude to the surface. This gentleman lives in Houston and flies up to Williston every other week or so to “cut deals” with other individuals or companies in the oil business. He received a phone call while I was sitting with him and I overheard him telling the caller he was going to make a million dollars this year and he could make it with him. We talked for a while and he told me that fracking in North Dakota is a long term venture that is different and much more environmentally safe than fracking in the east such as places in Pennsylvania. He said that the area should keep producing oil for a long time as long as the “damn environmentalists” stay out of the way. The guy on the other side of me is in sales to the companies that operate the oil rigs. He used to work on a crew but then he had the

opportunity to advance and move up out of the physical extraction process. He took it but he also has a great deal of pride in the time he spent working a rig. He speaks fondly of his crew members and says they were a “family.” He actually has a bach-elor’s degree for the University of Texas at Austin. He worked for a few years for HOK in St. Louis and then decided to move on to the oil fields. Architecture was too stressful and exhausting, plus he wasn’t making any money. He spent about fifteen years in the field and now lives in Bismarck with his wife. He said he thinks bust will come sooner than the predicted 20 years and he is planning to get out of it in about four. He’s stashing away his money and will sell his house before long after which he and his wife will move on. He says he has to look out for what is best for him and his family.

We are joined a little later by a younger guy, named Tucker. He’s 24 years old and has been working on a rig for about 1 year. He says he never went to college and is making $28 an hour. It’s obvious that he is proud of this fact but he is not obnoxious or ar-rogant, just pleased to be doing well without secondary education. I ask him if he thinks he will make a career out of this and he says yes. He’ll keep going as long as there is work and if it dries up he’ll look for another opportunity in this oil field or another.The gentleman in sales offers to take me out to one of the rigs in the morning. He says he knows some of the foremen and we should be able to take a look at the operations. He also offers to put in a word for me with his former boss at HOK in case I am interested in a job there. All of these guys were eager to talk with me. They enjoyed explaining what they do and were proud of their accomplishments. The potential darkness or consequences of the oil drilling operation were glossed over with positive interpretations or explanations. These men are supporting themselves and their families with this work. The same goes for the JLG architects. People are employed because we are pumping crude from fractured rock. How do you strongly criticize this when you are benefiting from the process? It’s easy to say this process should stop when you are far away and know no one in the field. It’s easy when you think only about the environmental consequences of fracking and believe only those who say it is bad. I’m not sure if this process is severely damaging or not but I would venture to say it is. Piercing the earth and fracturing stone is a violent endeavor and we are not afraid of violence. It pays the bills for some and makes former ranchers and oil com-panies rich. Not everyone who is involved in this is making a “killing” and not just a living. Some are just making a living. For some people, this industry is a last resort.

I started to pay my bill at the bar and the bartender stopped me. The gentleman from Houston had already left but when he paid his bill he had paid mine as well.


APPENDIX C RESEARCH REFERENCE WALL IN AUTHOR’S STUDIO


ENDNOTES

NOTES

1 Chris Hedges and Joe Sacco, Days of Destruction Days of Revolt (New York, NY: Nation Books, 2012), 130.

2 William S. Saunders, “Preface” in Commodification and Spectacle in Architecture, ed. William S. Saunders (Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 2005), vii.

3 Thomas Frank, “Rocking for the Clampdown: Creativity, Corporations, and the Crazy Curvilinear Cacophony of the Experience Music Project” in Commodification and Spectacle in Architecture, ed. William S. Saunders (Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 2005), 63.

4 Michael Hendryx and Melissa M. Ahern, “Mortality in Appalachian Coal Mining Regions: The Value of Statistical Life Lost,” Public Health Reports 124, no. 4 (2009): 541.

5 Felicity Carus, “Asset Management Firm Challenges Big Business with Alternative Portfolio,” Finance Hub from Guardian Sustainable Business (blog), December 12, 2012 (4:27 EST), http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/blog/asset-management-challenging-business-portfolio

6 Garry Stevens, The Favored Circle, The Social Foundations of Architectural Distinction (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 1998), 62.

7 Ibid., 63-64

8 Thomas Fisher, “Public Interest Architecture: A Needed and Inevitable Change,” in Expanding Architecture: Design as Activism, eds. Bryan Bell and Katie Wakeford (New York: Metropolis Books, 2008), 9.

9 Bryan Bell, “Expanding Design Toward Greater Relevance,” in Expanding Architecture: Design as Activism, eds. Bryan Bell and Katie Wakeford (New York: Metropolis Books, 2008), 15.

10 Gail Peter Borden, “Propositions for a New Suburbanism,” in Expanding Architecture: Design as Activism, eds. Bryan Bell and Katie Wakeford (New York: Metropolis Books, 2008), 229.

11 Robert Gutman,”Two Questions for Architecture,” in Good Deeds, Good Design: Community Service through Architecture, ed. Bryan Bell (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2004), 17.

12 Roberta Feldman, “Activism Practice: The Risky Business of Democratic Design,” in Good Deeds, Good Design: Commu-nity Service through Architecture, ed. Bryan Bell (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2004), 111.

13 “Commodity,” Merriam-Webster. Accessed December 12, 2013. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commodity.

14 Michael Reynolds, Garbage Warrior, directed by Oliver Hodge (2007; Burbank, CA: Morningstar, 2007), DVD.

15 Ashley Woods, “Detroit Bus Company Founder Andy Didorosi’s Experiments Help Detroiters Get Around, ”Huff-ington Post: Good News (blog), September 22, 2013 (1:43 pm), http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/22/detroit-bus-company_n_3791802.html

16 Tim Jackson, Prosperity Without Growth (London: Earthscan, 2009), 4.

17 Paul Kivel, “Social Service or Social Change?” in The Revolution Will Not Be Funded, ed. INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence (Cambridge, MA: South End Press, 2007), 129.


BIBLIOGRAPHY

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ahern, Melissa M. and Michael Hendryx. “Mortality in Appalachian Coal Mining Regions: The Value of Statistical Life Lost,” Public Health Reports 124, no. 4 (2009): 541.

Bell, Bryan. “Expanding Design Toward Greater Relevance.” In Expanding Architecture: Design as Activism, edited Bryan Bell and Katie Wakeford, 15. New York: Metropolis Books, 2008.

Borden, Gail Peter. “Propositions for a New Suburbanism.” In Expanding Architecture: Design as Activism, edited by Bryan Bell and Katie Wakeford, 229. New York: Metropolis Books, 2008.

Carus, Felicity. “Asset Management Firm Challenges Big Business with Alternative Portfolio,” Finance Hub from Guardian Sustainable Business (blog), December 12, 2012 (4:27 EST), http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/blog/asset-management-challenging-business-portfolio

“Commodity,” Merriam-Webster. Accessed December 12, 2013. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commodity.

Feldman, Roberta. “Activism Practice: The Risky Business of Democratic Design.” In Good Deeds, Good Design: Community Service through Architecture, edited by Bryan Bell, 111. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2004.

Fisher, Thomas. “Public Interest Architecture: A Needed and Inevitable Change.” In Expanding Architecture: Design as Activ-ism, edited by Bryan Bell and Katie Wakeford, 9. New York: Metropolis Books, 2008.

Frank, Thomas. “Rocking for the Clampdown: Creativity, Corporations, and the Crazy Curvilinear Cacophony of the Ex-perience Music Project.” In Commodification and Spectacle in Architecture, edited by William S. Saunders, 63. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 2005.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Garbage Warrior. Directed by Oliver Hodge. 2007. Burbank, CA: Morningstar, 2007. DVD.

Gutman, Robert. “Two Questions for Architecture.” In Good Deeds, Good Design: Community Service through Architecture, edited by Bryan Bell, 17. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2004.

Hedges, Chris and Joe Sacco. Days of Destruction Days of Revolt. New York, NY: Nation Books, 2012.

Jackson, Tim. Prosperity Without Growth. London: Earthscan, 2009.

Kivel, Paul. “Social Service or Social Change?” In The Revolution Will Not Be Funded, edited by INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence, 129. Cambridge, MA: South End Press, 2007.

Saunders, Willisam S. “Preface.” In Commodification and Spectacle in Architecture, edited by William S. Saunders, vii. Minneapo-lis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 2005.

Stevens, Garry. The Favored Circle, The Social Foundations of Architectural Distinction. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 1998.

Woods, Ashley. “Detroit Bus Company Founder Andy Didorosi’s Experiments Help Detroiters Get Around, ”Huffington Post: Good News (blog), September 22, 2013 (1:43 pm), http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/22/detroit-bus-company_n_3791802.html

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