DS22

At a time of scarcity, economic, political and environmental uncertainty, it is time once again within the context of architecture, that we question and rethink our cities and imagine a better future inclusive for all. This year DS22 envisioned an ‘Oasis’ within the fractured landscape in order to propose new socio-cultural typologies for a collective. While interrogating the notion of Oasis, we reconstructed new architectural narratives to inhabit the city; new resilient means of living that challenge the normalization of capitalist exploitation; new modes of collective that place the community on the front line to combat the commodification of our resources and basic rights. Why Oasis? The word ?Oasis? seems to have originated from the Coptic language, which means according to (Harper, 2011) ?dwelling place?. In some dictionaries it is defined as a ‘heaven in the desert for travellers’. Metaphorically however, the Oasis is seen as ‘a space of refuge in a harsh surrounding’ (Abden & de Wit, 1999) It is associated with order and relief; a prospect of escaping necessity to offer a fertile ground and the opportunity to sustain life. The Oasis challenges the wilderness of the ‘desert’ to offer ‘secure resources’ and create order. It is generally seen as a symbol of protection, comfort and self-sufficiency. Students were encouraged to rethink and interrogate the notion of Oasis and engage with the social and spatial realities of the city of Hanoi as the main site of exploration. Some however, chose their own sites of interest like Beirut, Cape Town, Algiers, Varanasi and the Isle of Wight. Similar to every year, DS22 tries to encourage critical and imaginative thinking. We put a lot of emphasis on nurturing complex drawings and technical competence while adhering a socially driven agenda.



Murray Fraser (Bartlett), Philip Breese (Weston Williamson and partners), Ciaran O’ Brian (Red Deer Architects), Angela Brady + Andrew Carr (Brady Mallalieu Architects), Canny Ash (Ash-Sakula Architects), Denia Groza, Rim Kalsoum (NG Architects), Toby Burgess, Martyna Marciniak, Ina Nuzi, Rana Soliman, Mirna Pedalo, Eman Keaik, Sun Yan Yee, Pejman Savejbilagee