Future Histories

Abstract

This thesis began with a study of Harbor Island, to gain a better understanding of place, both as a spatial, as well as a temporal entity. Expanding our comprehension of time beyond the Anthropocene, has revealed the shortsighted nature of our contemporary constructs. Today, our lust for speed perpetuates this narrow mindset and restrains the imagination. As an alternative, slowness provides the space necessary to let the mind wander. Challenging the permanence of our constructs, decay reveals the passage of time and sparks our imagination about potential futures. This juxtaposition is a lens to critically view our built environment. Rather than providing a solution for how to build in the future, this thesis initiates a paradigm shift in our perception of time and its influence on the way we build.