Speculative inconstancy: Exploring the architectural potential of porosity

Abstract

The design project Speculative Inconstancy situates itself in a seasonally submerged ravine site in the San Miguelito Favela along the Rio Abajo, proposing a community centre that responds to these seasonal shifts by offering variable spatial configurations. The project constructs a blurry boundary between inhabitation and nature, encouraging residents to engage cooperatively with natural elements like rain, wind, and flood.

This project aims to challenge the anthropocentric idea, which typically regards inconstancy as negative. It discusses the potential of inconstancy and the possibility of humans living with territories affected by climate shocks. Specifically, the project investigates how a porous and loose-fitting architectural language can act as a permeable agency between human and non-human objects on inconstant sites. The notion of porosity is explored as an architectural methodology to respond to changeable ground conditions.