To what extent does public space accommodate the contrasting themes of social solidarity and collective memory?

Significant tension lies between the preservation of historical monuments and reclaiming public space for solidarity in the current political context. What can be done in response to this? The project creates a new public underground museum and archive of statues, removed from their pedestals across London and other UK postcolonial cities, and redesigns the surface of Trafalgar Square as a representation of Modern Britain. The proposal questions and explores the possibilities of a new function for the Square in the near future. This not only has the potential to provoke public discussion but can be used for educational purposes to engage public exploration. The proposal acknowledges the tension between the need to reclaim space for solidarity and the demand for recognition of existing sculptures.

The project was deveoped at the Royal College of Art by Janice Tai in collaboration with Andrea Zanderigo, Douglas Murphy & Selina Ahmann.

KOOZ What prompted the project?

JT Throughout the academic year, my studio cohort ADS1 has been exploring the theme “Pomp and Circumstance”, focusing on how we could learn from the past with visions of the future. My proposal acknowledges our history and at the same time acknowledges the diverse opinions of the current generation.

Since the BLM and WOKE movement, statues and monuments at public space have been toppled down not just in the UK but also around the world. This sparks and enhances the awareness of racial, decolonisation, and gender identity globally and also became a pressing issue in our generation. I wonder, how we can respond to this architecturally?

Coincidentally, The National Gallery will be celebrating its 200th birthday in 2024 and at the same time, Trafalgar Square will be turning 180. Taking this celebratory opportunity, hijacking it like a thought experiment, I wonder if it might be an occasion to reflect and explore the possibilities of a new function for the Square in the near future, that is to say, in 20 years time.

KOOZ What questions does the project raise and which does it address?

JT My research question is "To what extent does public space accommodate the contrasting themes of social solidarity and collective memory?" This leads me to explore the potential of reimagining Trafalgar Square: to ask the question whether, in a time where history is being fought over in public, can architectural proposals foster solidarity and stimulate understanding?

This provokes public discussion and can be used for educational purposes and to engage public exploration. The statues are used as a teaching tool of British history. I aim to recontextualise them. And if I ask you now, are you able to identify who occupies the other plinths? It is probably safe to say that most people, if asked, would find it difficult to name the figures of these statues, sparking debates on the toppling of such. Some would argue that by erecting a statue, history will be remembered, but it turns out that it is not an effective way to do so.

The lower ground space acknowledges the irony between the taking down of statues, and the necessity of having them as storytelling. Themes of the display can be included: why are so many of these statues of military background? Why only men? Why are the statues of a similar class and race? What did they do to have themselves memorialised? Why are there so many statues of the same period? How do we feel when we look at them?

KOOZ How does the project approach the cultural and historic weight attributed to these statues? The project proposes the redesign of Trafalgar Square as a "representation of Modern Britain", could you expand on this further?

JT I see the statues as symbolic relics from the Era of the British Empire, for example, Nelson’s column is like a metonym of the empire. The proposal of housing statues in Trafalgar Square is also justified by its geographic location and its symbolic meaning being the heart of the British Empire. Most of the statues represented the social value of that particular time period. This precise location is therefore appropriate to house the collection of artifacts from British history and institutions of the past, including the relics produced.

The proposal is open and flexible in terms of hosting monuments toppled down in the UK and around the world. I believe the ‘WOKE’ movement enhances the awareness of racial, decolonisation, and gender identity globally and is also a pressing issue in our generation. I think now is the best time to provide a place/ platform to discuss and tackle these systematic issues.

The proposal may stretch further and allow other UK postcolonial cities to display statues erected after the colonisation of the British Empire as a political act or as a motif of freeing yourself from coloniality. This could provoke discussions on colonisation and act as an educational platform for the public regarding its relationship with countries around the world, e.g. India, Hong Kong, Aboriginals in Australia. The understanding of multiculturalism and diversity is the way forward for Modern Britain.

KOOZ What are the implications of the removal of these artefacts throughout Britain and the placing of them within an underground museum?

JT I realised most of these artefacts are situated in a public square with an open space. By removing these artefacts, the space will be like a clean slate. It will be free of constructions in which the statues and fountains are removed to allow for openness and flexibility to accommodate future events. The removal of statues is not an act to erase history. History is not set in stone. It is a living discipline, and a statue is a form of symbolism.

The empty space focuses on the people itself. The blankness of space emphasises that history is their own. When there are no statues, the only figures are people, and they are the history of the space. Having a space open therefore creates the possibility for allowing the manifestations of social solidarity. This form of openness is a form of engaging the public.

The two contradictory characteristics of the single square are split apart. It provides a space for an official memorial, and at the same time also provides a space for popular expressions. A contrast of a pure space of openness versus a total memorial space is created. At certain moments, the living people above, mirror the statue and representation of people from the past.

KOOZ What are the opportunities and limitations of the project?

JT My project could have an impact on the architecture industry by raising the issue of spatial inequality in public square, the impact of the British Empire and reimagining how designers can facilitate a more welcoming and provide a public realm to today’s function.

The most challenging point of the project was the balance between getting detailed and overcomplicating the elements. There were lots of symbols and statues in the public square and it was challenging to decide which stays and which should be relocated. The most difficult element for me was to work out the circulation, which took significant time to finalise. It was between having a structured route or having it moving freely. It was particularly restricted in a way that galleries traditionally have a structured route. Whereas I wanted to create a sense of equalness in my project, people are encouraged to move around and experience what they would like to see.

KOOZ What is for you the power of the architectural imaginary?

JT The power of architectural imagination helps me to narrate and visualise my vision. It is about the ability to foresee and imagine what is possible, testing out radical ideas and to push the discussion beyond the conventional and its limitations. Perhaps this is not something that can happen now, but it may in the future- there is always a possibility. My project/image is not about giving a final answer for the current situation, but it definitely can be something to work on, like a journey.

Bio

Janice is an architectural graduate from the Royal College of Art with a Masters in Architecture, and is currently based in London. Growing up in Hong Kong, a dense, fast-paced, utilitarian city, whose architecture and construction are dominated by the unspoken rule that ‘form followsprofit’. Witnessing how, in international cities such as Hong Kong, democratic space has somehow become a luxury, triggered Janice to reflect on types of spaces essential for public interaction. During her studies in ADS 1: Pomp & Circumstance with Douglas Murphy, Andrea Zanderigo, and Selina Ahmann, she aimed to address and respond critically to the socio-political crises using radical spatial strategies. One of which was to investigate the ideas through the medium of the architectural projects by Richard Rogers and Edward Lutyens, two architects from two critical moments in the UK, using these to speculate what it could be like in the foreseeable future.