Architectural Association School of Architecture

Tijn van de Wijdeven

Don't Drop the Soap
Where physical boundaries divide inside from outside, the threshold introduces an element of contact. This project explores architecture through definitions of territoriality and control. The iconic rebrief draws a cyclical scenario of inhabitation of the Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang. The design of a prison is an architectural response to a sequence of incarceration and social rehabilitation.

ArrivalClick image to view at full-size

As his plane descends over Pyongyang, Gerard looks out over the city. Framed in the condensed edges of his window, the centre of the city has been choreographed as a large star-shaped grid. He recognises the silhouette of a giant, horrifying pyramid piercing in the centre of it all.

EntranceClick image to view at full-size

The elevator takes him to the 47th floor showing a series of endless corridors with countless doors. It takes him only a day to realise the pretended comfort of the hotel in fact is the containment of a pressure cooker.

ImplosionClick image to view at full-size

After three months of living in his studio, floors above and below are turning into ghettos where inhabitants started to mark their territories. While situation inside gets out of control, the glazed facade outside reflects merely clouds and blue sky.

ConvalescenceClick image to view at full-size

Social chaos has resulted into structural and spatial implosion. All that remains is the exterior shell of the hotel. Piles of debris show traces of Communist architecture on which inhabitants start to regroup.

ResurrectionClick image to view at full-size

Intensive labour resulted in the completion of the renewed hotel interior. Within the existing shell of the hotel, the interior reveals a modern, spacious atrium. It reminds him of hotels in LA and Atlanta, the hotel has transformed to a space of Western standards.

ArrivalClick image to view at full-size

Approaching La Defense, prisoners find their first point of physical contact to be a helipad on the rooftop. From here, the sentence of each individual starts as they move down into the building.

OrganisationClick image to view at full-size

Incarceration and rehabilitation are juxtaposed vertically along tapering towers. Cells are enclosed inside the towers, programme of rehabilitation is positioned within its negative. Stacked layers facilitate a vertical sequence of six stages for incarceration and rehabilitation. Starting with highly isolated imprisonment at the top, each sequence downwards introduces a step further into the collective realm.

CleanseClick image to view at full-size

The entrance level acts as a hub of connectivity. All towers are physically connected and facilitate a process of identification, intake of personal belongings, examination and installation into the first stage of incarceration.

ConfessClick image to view at full-size

The church is the next stage of rehabilitation. Masses within this communal space allow for spiritual and mental balance, point of reflection and perspective.

ConvalesceClick image to view at full-size

At this stage, each tower consists of four individual cells which are visually connected through frames with glass. The cell contains all minimal elements for inhabitation.