Archive

Coming out is a process of self-unveiling in sexual orientation or gender identity, shifting from the private to the public realm. This ongoing transformation is also central to Laerte-se, a documentary about the Brazilian comic artist Laerte. Her journey from cross-dressing to fully embracing her identity as a woman highlights the continuous negotiation of body and self. This transformation also extends to her relationship with her home, where she repeatedly alters small aspects of her environment, illustrating the intertwined evolution of identity and space.

This concept of transformation resonates with the Escher-Wyss Quarter, where the built environment reflects a perpetual state of change. Once an industrial area, it now serves as a workplace with scattered residential elements. Remnants of the past, such as the traces of former interim uses on the Pfingstweidparkhaus and the out-of-place door on its façade, reveal the area's evolving nature. Nearby, the Zentralwäscherei exemplifies temporal overlap, with its historical function as a city laundry blending with its current use as a cultural space awaiting future redevelopment.

On a micro level, the dynamic interplay of personal narratives is inscribed on the area through graffiti and street art, representing the fluidity of space and identity. The Pfingstweidhouse project aims to build on this by creating an inclusive urban environment for trans individuals, particularly within elder care. It combines communal living spaces with specialized medical facilities and an educational center, ensuring safety and support for residents who may have faced discrimination throughout their lives.

The project also incorporates an archival library exhibition, embedding the history of the trans community into the broader narrative of the Escher-Wyss Quarter. Publicly accessible and participatory, this archive engages residents beyond their private spaces. The living units are flexible, offering both privacy and communal interaction through adaptable spaces, fostering a sense of belonging while continuing the narrative of transformation and visibility.

Master Thesis Spring 2024

Project by: Anouk Fischer

Teaching team: Anna Puigjaner, Dafni Retzepi, Pol Esteve Castelló, He Shen