Of
the
thesis
entitled: TALES
OF
THE
MAUNSELL
SEA
FORTS
| A
Philosophy
of
Making
in
the
Anthropocene
Abstract:
The
Age
of
the
Anthropocene
is
marked
by
a shift
in
power
between
the
relationship
of
nature
and
man.
For
the
first
time in
human
history
we
are
actively
shaping
the
environmental
systems
around
us
on a
planetary
scale,
causing
repercussions
beyond
our
scope
of understanding.
As such
the
implications
for
how
we
as
a
species
should
live
in
this
paradoxical age
of
scarcity
and
abundance
are
undefined.
Although
mention
of
the Anthropocene
has
pervaded
into
popular
culture
in
recent
years
the
study
of this
geological
era
is
still
in its
infancy.
Elsewhere,
in
the
Thames
Estuary
twelve miles
off
the
nearest
coast,
a
collection
of
peculiar
structures
can
be
found. They
are
the
Maunsell
Sea
Forts;
a
series
of
abandoned
military
installations created
during
World
War
II.
Primarily
constructed
out
of
steel
and
concrete the
towers
seemingly
appear
out
of
the
water.
These
outposts
had
a
successful career
defending
the
United
Kingdom
against
German
air-raids
throughout
the war,
until
they
were
later
decommissioned,
stripped
of
their
armaments,
and left
to
the
elements.
Since
then
the towers
have
been
sporadically
appropriated for
a
variety
of
different
purposes
while
steadily
falling
into
ruination.
With an
aesthetic
almost
as
fantastic
as
their
history
the
Maunsell
Sea
Forts
have
a unique
ability
to
capture
the
imagination.
Utilizing
the
Anthropocene
as
the
backdrop,
the
Maunsell
Sea
Forts
as
the protagonist,
and
fictional
tales
as
the
vehicle,
this
thesis
investigates
what it
means
to
be
a
designer
and
builder
in
the
current
global
context.
It explores
concepts
surrounding
transformative
use, material
realities,
and productive
ruination
in
order
to
develop
a
philosophy
of
making
founded
on
an acceptance
of
impermanence.
Told
through
a
mixture
of
essays,
stories,
and illustrations,
this
thesis
creates
a
platform
to
speculate
at
the
role
of
the architect
for
the modern
age.
The examining committee is as follows:
Supervisor:
Andrew Levitt, University of Waterloo
Committee Members:
Rick Andrighetti, University of Waterloo
Jane Hutton, University of Waterloo
External Reader:
Fred Thompson
The
committee
has
been
approved
as
authorized
by
the
Graduate
Studies
Committee.
The
Defence
Examination
will
take
place:
Monday
June 5,
2017
6:00
PM
BRIDGE
Centre
for
Architecture
+
Design
A
copy
of
the
thesis
is
available
for
perusal
in
ARC
2106A.