PALACE OF GOVERNANCE, THE OXFORD STREET COMMUNE.

Capitalism has been a fixture of our societal structure for centuries and is entirely engrained in our culture. Uprisings have been attempted, however been unsuccessful. My project hypothesises an uprising that has had success, taking place at the home of UK consumerism, Oxford Street, London. With an uprising depicted as a weeklong deadly conflict occurring in the year 2032, the architecture of Oxford Street has found itself a new set of functions. The Architecture becomes a form of protest, the high street flagships are juxtaposed into flagships of the communism based revolution, monumental façades exploded and covered in bullet holes. After the 7 day period of conflict, the risers have been given license to form a new community in the Oxford Street region, giving new purpose to the site. The Commune remind members of the conflict, retaining the destroyed buildings to allow daily visual reminders. By 2040, the society thrives. A Palace of Governance is formed inside the least monumental urban block on site. The series of individual terraced structures are now a new political space in the heart of the community. The rubble from the site is processed into a public square which supports the Palace during debates.