Human beings, as biological organisms, have been “created” by nature; and as creative subjects, we also, at the same time, are actively shaping and transforming the earth we inhabit. As we progressively shape and transform the earth, pure nature free from human influence is said to no longer exist. In the age of the anthropocene, we are witnessing the DISAPPEARANCE of nature apart from human beings. Human extinction, will eventually come.

Apart from humanity that is fated to go extinct, earth can and will survive just fine without humanity. Nature is defined as that which stands in CONTRAST to humanity. Its like a coin with two sides which lines us up as either for nature or for the human. As they reveal themselves to be deeply interconnected ideas, the root of nature and humanity knits the string of fate.

What seems to be needed to avoid this seperation between nature and humans that knits the string to fate of destruction, is an inclusive conception of nature, one that inhabits both the human and the nonhuman components. Its the concept of recovering an intimate sense of interdependence and connectedness with the lived environment. Only if we remember our connections, only if we REINHABIT the earth, then we can start to heed and take care of earth.

Inhabiting both human and nonhuman components in a life system that is going to benefit eachother can be described as second nature, which means emergence of new habitat for human and nonhuman components that is shaped by HUMAN INFLUENCE, not dominance.

Every being on earth already inevitably takes up space and inhabits the earth. The overall biomass of ants on Earth is more than that of people, although their actions produce no "pollution". So, the problem is not the amount of human consumption and limiting industrial production wouldn’t solve it. The redesign of industrial production as a way of humans reinhabiting the earth to cerate SECOND NATURE, is the solution.

2024

The structural system of the building proposes a NEW SETTLEMENT MODEL, where construction waste filled cube meshes are used as the main load bearing element. This meshes, which can be called gabion cubes are stacked on top of eachother and makes the building stable with its big dimensions & weight. This system does not require any vertical bearing elements like columns, it only needs beams as it works as masonry kind of system.

Elif ARABACI
Instructors: Ebru Yılmaz & Ülkü İnceköse

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Elif Arabacı

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