Sketches of war: the graveyards of historical memory

Jonathan Charley

Sketches of war: the graveyards of historical memory

Jonathan Charley

Architecture

Research output: Contribution to conference › Speech

Abstract

Our extraordinary ability to destroy buildings and cities, the industrialisation and mass production of armaments and building components, the impact of the 'culture of fear' on urban and architectural design, the ubiquitous presence of military technology in the civilian world, and the 'soft' militarisation of everyday life in advanced capitalist societies. These are just some of the themes that inevitably arise in any discussion about the relationship between war and architecture. Sketches of War reflects upon these issues and is narrated in the form of a journey to the 'graveyards of historical memory'. As such it visits places as diverse as the military remains of the cold war along the coastlines of Scotland, slave forts in Brasil, the headquarters of the secret police in Moscow, a bombed maternity hospital in Belgrade, and the Oradour memorial village in France. It tries to grapple and answer one burning question in particular; is it possible in any meaningful sense to objectify the memory of war and tragedy?

Original language	English
Publication status	Unpublished - Sept 2010
Event	Ordnance: War, Architecture and Space - An interdisciplinary conference - Cork, Ireland Duration: 12 Oct 2010 → …

Conference

Conference	Ordnance: War, Architecture and Space - An interdisciplinary conference
Country/Territory	Ireland
City	Cork
Period	12/10/10 → …

Keywords

architecture
war
memory
sketches of war
graveyards
historical memory

Cite this

@conference{fd9c84adde2b435183bf167ae8473d46,

title = "Sketches of war: the graveyards of historical memory",

abstract = "Our extraordinary ability to destroy buildings and cities, the industrialisation and mass production of armaments and building components, the impact of the 'culture of fear' on urban and architectural design, the ubiquitous presence of military technology in the civilian world, and the 'soft' militarisation of everyday life in advanced capitalist societies. These are just some of the themes that inevitably arise in any discussion about the relationship between war and architecture. Sketches of War reflects upon these issues and is narrated in the form of a journey to the 'graveyards of historical memory'. As such it visits places as diverse as the military remains of the cold war along the coastlines of Scotland, slave forts in Brasil, the headquarters of the secret police in Moscow, a bombed maternity hospital in Belgrade, and the Oradour memorial village in France. It tries to grapple and answer one burning question in particular; is it possible in any meaningful sense to objectify the memory of war and tragedy?",

keywords = "architecture, war, memory, sketches of war, graveyards, historical memory",

author = "Jonathan Charley",

year = "2010",

month = sep,

language = "English",

note = "Ordnance: War, Architecture and Space - An interdisciplinary conference ; Conference date: 12-10-2010",

}

TY - CONF

T1 - Sketches of war

T2 - Ordnance: War, Architecture and Space - An interdisciplinary conference

AU - Charley, Jonathan

PY - 2010/9

Y1 - 2010/9

N2 - Our extraordinary ability to destroy buildings and cities, the industrialisation and mass production of armaments and building components, the impact of the 'culture of fear' on urban and architectural design, the ubiquitous presence of military technology in the civilian world, and the 'soft' militarisation of everyday life in advanced capitalist societies. These are just some of the themes that inevitably arise in any discussion about the relationship between war and architecture. Sketches of War reflects upon these issues and is narrated in the form of a journey to the 'graveyards of historical memory'. As such it visits places as diverse as the military remains of the cold war along the coastlines of Scotland, slave forts in Brasil, the headquarters of the secret police in Moscow, a bombed maternity hospital in Belgrade, and the Oradour memorial village in France. It tries to grapple and answer one burning question in particular; is it possible in any meaningful sense to objectify the memory of war and tragedy?

AB - Our extraordinary ability to destroy buildings and cities, the industrialisation and mass production of armaments and building components, the impact of the 'culture of fear' on urban and architectural design, the ubiquitous presence of military technology in the civilian world, and the 'soft' militarisation of everyday life in advanced capitalist societies. These are just some of the themes that inevitably arise in any discussion about the relationship between war and architecture. Sketches of War reflects upon these issues and is narrated in the form of a journey to the 'graveyards of historical memory'. As such it visits places as diverse as the military remains of the cold war along the coastlines of Scotland, slave forts in Brasil, the headquarters of the secret police in Moscow, a bombed maternity hospital in Belgrade, and the Oradour memorial village in France. It tries to grapple and answer one burning question in particular; is it possible in any meaningful sense to objectify the memory of war and tragedy?

KW - architecture

KW - war

KW - memory

KW - sketches of war

KW - graveyards

KW - historical memory

UR - http://www.ahra-architecture.org/events/details/ordnance_war_architecture_and_space/

M3 - Speech

Y2 - 12 October 2010

ER -

Sketches of war: the graveyards of historical memory

Abstract

Conference

Keywords

Other files and links

Fingerprint