Formatting Architecture II

‘Reality Mediators in Es Jonquet (Tourism, Gentrification, and Urban Mobility’

“Pre-Formatting” is a multi-disciplinary and open collective focused on research in contemporary architecture from the vantage point of social, urban, and cultural city development. Their activities consist in approaching contemporary architecture’s capacity to transform the reality of spaces where its reading, representation, and social utility take place.

Our so-called“reality”is an artificial construct.Therefore, when working from the standpoint of architecture, it doesn’t make sense to approach it with the will to certify, but, rather, to do so with a narrative intent. Since there is no single reality, the devices or agents entitled as its narrators are, in fact, its designers.

In July 2016, a group of students and recent graduates in disciplines related to design and construction (Architecture, Interior Design, Construction Engineering), will work by reflecting on possible and desirable futures for the quarter of Es Jonquet in Palma, in the context of the second edition of the “Formatting Architecture” workshop.

To get stated on this task, we propose a discussion table among different agents related to the future of the neighbourhood; a conversation that can both help launch the workshop, and act as a site for the construction of those complementary and co-existing states in Es Jonquet: that of the tourist, that of the speculator, that of the protectionist, that of the neighbour…

During the discussion, we will also screen the presentations prepared by the architectural studios elii (Madrid) and MAIO (Barcelona), experts in the transformation of places through reformatting.

T.A.Z (Temporary Autonomous Zone) is the name of the programme to use The Tower, the external Arabic Tower annexed to the walls of Es Baluard as a device open to projects based on the research in practices of reflection, citizen and community action, in a world where it is increasingly important to implement spaces that facilitate experiences, processes, formulae of knowledge and recognition of our heritage, creative and environmental ecosystem. The term T.A.Z. is a clear reference to the legendary essay by Hakim Bey, and indicates that this is a temporarily autonomous space, oriented towards process, towards sharing experiences and networking from the standpoint of independence.