Rylan Lucyk

A Lost Sense of Identity

Current residential architecture has developed into built environments that lack a sense of identity. This lost sense of identity is the result of the current perceived value of residential architecture, mass market production, and post-modern replication of obsolete architectural details. There is a dissociation between individuals and their residential spaces as current modern low-income residential architecture has developed into mass-market production. These modern developments consist of an abundant amount of plans which are replicated to minimize construction capital and maximize ease of construction. 

Prior to modernism, many architectural styles featured architectural details which were specifically designed for a purpose within the architectural system as well as provide ornament. These ornamental and functional details provided identity within previous architecture styles. However, the advancements in building techniques and strategies that transitioned throughout modernism rendered many of these details to become unnecessary. As the rain screen system and modern structural materials began being utilized within residential architecture. Therefore, modern architecture was able to strip the ornament from architecture. Which produced a lost sense of identity within residential architecture.

Therefore, the transition into post-modern architecture consisted of a revival of many styles as an attempt to bring back the identity which was lost during modernism in the form of revitalization. However, current post-modern architecture is utilizing these prior details which are obsolete because of modern techniques and just provide ornament. 
Therefore, the thesis is proposing an alternative solution to post-modernism. By investigating how alternative modern building solutions could be utilized to provide a functional space that also provides identity within the inhabitant. The project's intention is to explore how these alternative post-modernist solutions could be applied to a multi-family residence to reinstate identity within residential architecture. To achieve individualized identity within the residence, the project is exploring the essence of inhabitant's memories to dictate the spaces within the built environment. The project will explore the possibilities of alternative construction techniques that could achieve a range of identities for each inhabitant of the multifamily residence.