Abstracts Category : Other

Finance & architecture : a tragic lovestory; Finance and architecture : a tragic lovestory; Tragic love story

by Jessica N Pace

Our markets are volatile. Our economy is unstable.Our future is unknown. This thesis investigates the architecture offinancial institutions within in the current context of completefailure and abstraction. Historically, the building of banks wasundertaken in order to produce a sense of public trust in theinstitution. It was the task of the architects of great financialestablishments to maintain an image of lofty seclusion, of power,and of stability. They were constructed of stone, were monumentalin scale and they referenced the Greek orders. Their architecturewas wrought with symbolism and representation. They were built tolast. However, the nature of our financial institutions havechanged. The crash of 2008 represents a distinct shift in ourrelationship with our financial institutions. The masses began toquestion the interests of their government and the corruption oftheir financial institutions. With each new headline of scandal andfraud, public trust is no longer an option. In the face of thisfailure, my thesis is in search of an architecture for failure. Canarchitecture challenge these traditions of seclusion, power,stability and separation? Can it undermine the perception ofstrength that no longer defines our financial institutions? Can itacknowledge uncertainty? This thesis re-imagines the stock exchangeas a machine for trading, a data center. Anticipating the totalobsolescence of the trading floor, the new exchange boasts floorsof servers to run the complex algorithms that will soon take over.Constantly whirring with fans and mechanical systems, the machineputs off heat which is used to inflate a network of public spacesthat wind through the building. These give access and allow for newoccupations of the Exchange. The new face of Wall Street is nolonger solid, or stable. It is temporary, claustrophobic,flickering, buzzing and slightly saggy.Advisors/Committee Members: Ana Miljaki (advisor).