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Common Ground Summer School 2022, Manifesta biennial 14

Participants: Nejan Seyhan, Drinor Shabanaj, Alma Hutter, Antzelo Reka, Luca Ritter, Giulia Ficarazzo, Blerta Krasniqi, Rebecca Dathe, Irvi Çela.

In circles of lifes we listen to, write and draw upon overlapping histories that unfolded in the Brickfactory. During the workshop the participants were tracing wounds of  Tulletorja, analyzing its current condition and speculating on its future, hoping to bring light and a clearer vision of the site. Some of the questions we tried to answer during our workshop were: What are the spatial qualities of the Brick Factory? How can we heal spaces of brick factory? How can we imagine its future? How can the space be inclusive and open for new experimentations? What is the role of material and immaterial in and around the site?

After spending the first day with former factory workers, exploring the site through their eyes, walking around each former production unit and social areas, we heard their stories, memories and experiences of the moments in time, when they were the force of keeping the factory alive. Inspired by their memories and their stories, the team explored architectural narratives, collective memories and transformations through 6 themes. Each theme was visualized through one specific story.

Themes: 

1. Walls and Dimensions  : Mapping the space transformations through time.  What does a wall represent in what time? Inspired by the confusion of former workers, when confronted with the current space conditions.

2. Holes and Breakthrough : A place where something is not, on holes, memories and futures. In time, new connecting points were made by demolishing walls and making new holes in between spaces. The holes were filling gaps of an ex factory worker, now able to see the other side , a never seen perspective. Now it could create his own mental map of the brick factory. How does what he now sees through the hole relate to and expand his memory of the past?

3. Traces and Dispassion: Personal landmarks through memory. Mapping an overview of appearance and disappearance of objects through time.

4. Body and the machine: Inspired by a story of an accident that happened during the work in the past, the machine and body switched their roles.  We question the role and distinction of body and machine through time.

5. Empty/full and Movements: Mapping movements of humans and animals in time, due to space use and its transformations. Do we fill together or alone? Do we empty
together or alone? “This place was busy. There were so many people here so much activity. Now it seems empty.”

6. Connection and Portrait: Mapping actors related to Brick factory and social areas.

We ended our workshop by our physical interventions within the site, testing, challenging and questioning the healing ways of Brick Factory. 

A mirror was hanged on a wall in a strategic position of the Brick factory as a moment of reflection! To all temporary present users of Brick Factory and possible future ones! Visitors were asked to write ideas what the Brick Factory want them to be. New holes were made to inspire new connections within the site.