DESIGN AS A COUNTER-SUBJECTIVITY [RE-SUBJECTIVITY] PRACTICE

Öz

Design is understood as a productive activity related to space and objects as the subjects of architecture and as the process of engaging in this activity. Therefore, design practice is discussed as problematizations of objects. However, the spatial construction of cities as the milieu of modern people is created not as an external intervention, but by the individual or social practices of subjects. Therefore, questions about the object cause questions about the subject, so it is necessary to evaluate the relationship between the subject and the city. The problematic of this article, which is an attempt to determine the possibility/impossibility of the production of a “new” experience is related to the subject in modern urban conditions. How can individuals who can have very different attitudes depending on value systems reproduce a spatial set of tendencies repeatedly? In this context, the aim of the article is to approach creative design as a critical practice by focusing on subject and object/urban relationality in opposition to practices acting as norm[al]. The article is based on Michel Foucault's theory of modern subjectification related to the question “how?” Design, approached as an experience within the context of subjectification, is associated with the production of a special kind of existence along with “critical attitude” defined as a practice for historical boundaries by Foucault. In this framework, design is considered as the practice in which this critique becomes reality. This critical practice is conceptualized as “counter-subjectivity”.

In this article, “counter-subjectivity” meets a critical practice related to historical normative boundaries. In order to demonstrate the possibility of feasibility of this practice, it is initially necessary to develop ideas about the production of historical normative boundaries. In this framework, modernity is considered a paradox^[1] in which it is at the center of the subject that the article has progressed gradually through two axes of “subjectification” theory: subjectification (the production of boundaries) and subjectivity (the criticism of boundaries).

First, the determination of subjective experience historically includes the production of normative boundaries and their penetration into human life and value systems, which is related to Foucault's analysis of “governmentality” and “power relations.” In the article, the concept of power is a totality of relationships, including the correlative relationship between people and object/space. In this context, the urban milieu is revealed as the space of manipulation for subjectification, and the relation between the modern subject and the city is evaluated to approach the answer to the question “how?” In his theory of subjectification, Foucault reveals the relationship between “self-practices,” namely, between our forms of being and behaving, and historical determination systems of power and knowledge, but at the same time, he analyzes the fact that individuals create themselves as the subject of experience in the practices of recognition and rejection. In other words, historical establishment of the experience reveals that objectivization and subjectification occur in some practices in urban milieu. On the other hand, it also reveals that historical normative boundaries are not ultimate. In the article, the possibility of the production of a “new” experience arises in this context. At the point where it eliminates the categorical distinction between the subject and the urban and reveals that historical fact is contingent, this analysis is not an end, but is evaluated as the possibility of other forms of relations we have established with ourselves.

In the second stage, “subjectivity” is approached in relation to “the practices of self.” In the framework of Foucault’s historical criticism conceptualized as “critical attitude”, this article focuses on his late texts about the production of different subjectivity such as “the care of the self” (epimeleia heautou), “the aesthetics of existence,” “the art of living” (tekhnê tou biou),  “counter-conduct” (contre-conduite). Using the framework of these texts, in this article, subjectivity is used to emphasize special characteristics of the acting person. Therefore, the subject is related to its position and only reveals itself in the production of a practice. Design is dealt with as a concrete practice in which subjectivity can be seen with the naked eye. This context requires an effective subject that produces design practice as a responsibility to subjects.

This article attempts to evaluate the spatial practices of the construction of cities in the context of the production of the subject has shaped the basic approach and studies the design process in order to establish both the object, the city, and the intervening subject simultaneously and relationally. Along with this approach, the analysis of the question “how (?)” is related to types of doing that are considered normal and is transformed into the possibility of existence of other practices. At the same time, this is the possibility of the production of design practice, which is evaluated within the field of architecture. In this manner, architecture, as a modern field of knowledge and practice, is a force in the process of historically determining the normative boundaries of subjectification and subjective experience, but at the same time, architecture is evaluated as the field of creation that enables “critical attitude” and “counter-subjectification.” In this context, Michael Hays's “late avant-garde” discourse, the end of the twentieth century is discussed as a special historical moment when the criticism of boundaries emerges in the discipline of architecture. Subjective architectural approaches, evaluated as the results of this historical moment, and the conception and practice of design by Herzog & de Meuron and Tadao Ando specific to the article are treated as the concrete consequences of the attempt to shape and structure their lives and practices by making this the responsibility and effort of the object, which is presented as a “counter-subjectification” practice.

As a reverse reading of the text, particular design practices are a way of transforming our behaviors first and later on, the city and the boundaries of experience, once the relationality of subject and the city is considered. In the context of this establishing relationship, it is necessary to rethink the approach to and tools of the subject’s urban space. The possibilities and tools of the probability of design as historical critical practice are the tension and interaction between subjectivity and conditions of milieu. In this approach, a kind of becoming introverted or making the self a target means the simultaneous production of a constant subject position, and therefore, excluding conditions and probabilities. Yet, when urban conditions are considered not only spatial, but also temporal, autism or being mobile means withdrawal and becoming distant from both the milieu and subjectivity.

It is possible to practice “counter-subjectification,” which is separated from the normative structure imposed indirectly by “governmental” mechanisms, not by creating a new set of norms, but by a critical attitude. It can be argued that contemporary architecture is composed of the effects of performance and practices. Every quest that does not claim to be ideal architectural practice through the "how" question is a turning point in this sense. From this perspective, architecture is considered ontologically beyond the production of objects for need.

---

^[1] This paradox is understood in relation with Foucault's reading of the Enlightenment (Foucault, 2011a), Althusser's thesis of “relative autonomy” (Young, 2000, 109), Matei Calinescu's thought on modernity (Calinescu, 2010, 55) and S. Kwinter (Kwinter, 2002, 34), who aims to “see as modernity as a philosophical problem.”

Anahtar Kelimeler

• subjectification,subjectivity,criticism,milieu,design

Bir Karşı-Özneleşme [Yeniden-Özneleşme] Pratiği Olarak Tasarım

Öz

Modern kentsel koşullarda “yeni” bir deneyim üretiminin imkân[sızlığ]ını ortaya koymaya yönelik motivasyon, tasarım pratiğinin eyleyeni olarak özneye ilişkin temel bir soruya neden olmuştur: Nasıl oluyor da insan, mekâna ilişkin bir takım pratikleri yeniden ve yeniden üretebiliyor; “insan kimi deneyimlerin öznesi pozisyonuna nasıl geçiyor (?)” sorusu bu makalenin etrafında geliştiği sorunsaldır. Bu sorunsal bağlamında makalenin amacı tasarımı, özne ve nesne/kent ilişkiselliğine odaklanarak tarihsel eleştirel bir pratik biçiminde ele almaktır. Bu doğrultuda makalede Foucault’nun modern özneleştirme teorisi temel alınır: Özneleş[tir]me olarak ele alınan perspektif aracılığıyla bir taraftan özne ve nesne konumlarını belirlemeye yönelen tarihsel normatif sınırların üretimi, ama aynı zamanda bu sınırlara yönelik eleştirel bir pratiğin olabilirliğinin imkânı ortaya konulur. Foucault’nun “sınır-tutum” olarak kavramsallaştırdığı bu eleştirel tutum aracılığıyla tasarım pratiği, bir öznelliğin üretimiyle ilişkilendirilir ve “karşı-özneleşme” biçiminde karakterize edilir. Bu bağlamda bir tür deneyim olarak ele alınan tasarım öznelere düşen bir sorumluluk olarak ortaya çıkar. Makalede özel tasarım stratejileri bu sorumluluğa yönelik çabayı etik bir meseleye dönüştüren öznel varoluş biçimlerinin sonuçları olarak ele alınır. “Nasıl” sorusu aracılığıyla mimarlık pratikleri üzerine ideal olma amacı taşımayan her arayış, bu anlamda bir dönüş noktasıdır. Bu perspektifte mimarlık, gereksinime yönelik nesne üretiminin ötesinde, ontolojik olarak değerlendirilir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Özneleştirme,öznellik,eleştiri,ortam (milieu),tasarım

Kaynakça

1. Ando, T. (1996a). Spatial Composition and Nature. (R. Levene, & F. M. Cecilia, Dü) El Croquis, 44+58 (Tadao Ando 1983 - 1993), 348-349.
2. Ando, T. (1996b). Thinking in Ma, Opening Ma. (R. Levene, & F. M. Cecilia, Dü) El Croquis , 44+58 (Tadao Ando 1983-1993), 10-11.
3. Ando, T. (2002). Tadao Ando speaks for the RECORD. (R. Ivy, Röportajı Yapan) Academic Search Complete Veri Tabanı, 07.07.2017 tarihinde 09.00’da alınmıştır.
4. Baird, G. (2004). Criticality’ and its Discontents - Rising Ambitions, Expanding Terrain, Realism and Utopianism. Harvard Design Magazine , 21.
5. Calinescu, M. (2010). Modernliğin Beş yüzü; Modernizm, Avangard, Dekadans, Kitsch, Postmodernizm. (S. Gürses, Çev.) (1964, ‘Faces of Modernity: Avant-Garde, Decadence, Kitsch’) İstanbul: Küre Yayınları.
6. Canguilhem, G. (2001). The Living and Its Milieu (1946-47’de Paris Collige philosophique dersleri), (J. Savage, Çev.) (1952, ‘Le Vivant et son milieu’) Grey Room, 3, 6-31. Temmuz 07, 2014 tarihinde http://www.jstor.org: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1262564 adresinden alındı.
7. Deleuze, G. (2013). Müzakereler 1972-1990. (İ. Uysal, Çev.) (1990, ‘Pourparlers’) İstanbul: Norgunk Yayıncılık.
8. Deleuze, G., & Parnet, C. (1990). Diyaloglar . (A. Akay, Çev.) Ankara : Bağlam Yayınları.

9. Fixsen, A. (2014). Lessons from Tadao Ando. 07.07.2017, tarihinde Architectural Record:http://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/3188-lessons-from-tadao-ando#305;k&industry=INDUSTRY ACCESS: response: 0 &sites=SITES: response: 0 &epubid=&appid= adresinden alındı.
10. Foucault, M. (1988). Cinselliğin Tarihi - 2. Cilt . (H. Tufan, Çev.) (1984, ‘Histoire de la Sexualite : L’usage des plaisirs’) İstanbul: Afa Yayınları.
11. Foucault, M. (2008). The Birth of Biopolitics, Lectures At The Collège De France, 1978–79. (M. Senellart, Dü., & G. Burchell, Çev.) New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
12. Foucault, M. (2011a). Aydınlanma Nedir? Özne ve İktidar - Michel Foucault-Seçme Yazılar 2 (O. Akınhay, Çev.). içinde (1984, ‘What is Enlightenment?’, ‘Qu’est-ce que les Lumières?’) İstanbul: Ayrıntı Yayınları, s. 173-192.
13. Foucault, M. (2011b). Bir Özgürlük Pratiği Olarak Kendilik Kaygısı Etiği. Özne ve İktidar - Michel Foucault-Seçme Yazılar 2 (O. Akınhay, Çev.). içinde (1984, ‘L’éthique du souci de soi comme pratique de la liberté’) İstanbul: Ayrıntı Yayınları, s. 221-247.
14. Foucault, M. (2011c). Etiğin Soybilimi üzerine: Sürmekte olan çalışmaya ilişkin bir değerlendirme. Özne ve İktidar - Michel Foucault-Seçme Yazılar 2 (O. Akınhay, Çev.). içinde (1983, ‘On the Genealogy of Ethics: An Overview of Work in Progress’, ‘A propos de la généalogie de l’éthique: un aperçu du travail en cours’) İstanbul: Ayrıntı Yayınları, s. 193-220.
15. Foucault, M. (2011d). Foucault. Felsefe Sahnesi- Michel Foucault-Seçme yazılar 5 (I. Ergüden, Çev.). içinde (1984, ‘Foucault’) İstanbul: Ayrıntı Yayınları, s. 349-354.
16. Foucault, M. (2011e). Hakikat Kaygısı. Özne ve İktidar - Michel Foucault-Seçme Yazılar 2 (O. Akınhay, Çev.). içinde (1984, ‘Le souci de la vérité’) İstanbul: Ayrıntı Yayınları, s. 83-97.
17. Foucault, M. (2011f). Michel Foucault’nun Oyunu. Entelektüelin Siyasi İşlevi - Michel Foucault-Seçme Yazılar 1 (O. Akınhay, Çev.). içinde (1977, ‘Le jeu Michel Foucault’) İstanbul: Ayrıntı Yayınları, s. 117-155.
18. Foucault, M. (2011g). Nietzsche, Soybilim, Tarih. Felsefe Sahnesi - Michel Foucault (Seçme Yazılar 5) (I. Ergüden, Çev.). içinde (1971, ‘Nietzsche, la genealogie, l’histoire’) İstanbul: Ayrıntı Yayınları, s. 230-253.
19. Foucault, M. (2011h). “Ommes et Singulatim”: Siyasi Aklın Eleştirisine Doğru. Özne ve iktidar - Michel Foucault-Seçme Yazılar 2 (O. Akınhay, Çev.). içinde (1979, “‘Ommes et Singulatim’: Towards a Criticism of Political Reason”) İstanbul: Ayıntı Yayınları, s. 25-56.
20. Foucault, M. (2011i). Özne ve İktidar. Özne ve iktidar - Michel Foucault-Seçme Yazılar 2 (O. Akınhay, Çev.). içinde (1982, ‘The Subject and Power’) İstanbul: Ayrıntı Yayınları, s. 57-82.
21. Foucault, M. (2013). Güvenlik, Toprak, Nüfus, Collège De France Dersleri (1977-1978), (F. Taylan, Çev.) (2004, ‘Sécurité, Territoire, Population, Cours au Collège de France (1977-1978)’) İstanbul: İstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi Yayınları / Sosyoloji Dizisi.
22. Frampton, K. (1995). Essay: Tadao Ando (Thoughts on Tadao Ando). Agust 19, 2017 tarihinde, 09:00’da The Pritzker Architecture Prize: http://www.pritzkerprize.com/1995/essay adresinden alındı.
23. Hays, M. K. (2015). Mimarlığın Arzusu: Geç Avangardı Okumak. (V. Atmaca, & B. Demirhan, Çev.) (2010, ‘Architecture’s Desire: Reading the Late Avant-Garde’) İstanbul: YEM.
24. Herzog, J. (1989). La Geometria oculta de la Naturalesa. The Hidden Geometry of Nature. (J. L. Mateo, Dü.) Quaderns d'Arquitectura i Urbanisme. Geogafies. Geographies , 181/182, 96-109. 14.07.2017 tarihinde Herzog & de Meuron:https://www.herzogdemeuron.com/index.html adresinden alındı.
25. Herzog, J., & de Meuron, P. (1994.). Poesis-Production, Spain. 1993. New York. (C. C. Davidson, Dü.) Barselona Anyway. Symp. Proceedings , 3, 84-89.
26. Herzog, J., & de Meuron, P. (2005). Die Stadt und ihr Aggregatzustand. The City and its State of Aggregation. (G. Mack, Dü.) Das Gesamtwerk , 2 (Herzog & de Meuron 1989-1991), 180-181.
27. Herzog , J., & de Meuron, P. (2015). Passionate Infidelity. (G. Mack, Dü.) Das Gesamtwerk , 2 (Herzog & de Meuron 1989-1991), 182.
28. Herzog, J., & de Meuron, P. (2016). 327 Feltrinelli Porta Volta . 14.07.2017 tarihinde Herzog & de Meuron: https://www.herzogdemeuron.com/index/projects/complete-works/326-350/327-porta-volta-fondazione-feltrinelli.html adresinden alındı.
29. Keskin, F. (2002). Problematization and Games of Truth: Michel Foucault’s analytics of Constitution of the Subject in Political Modernity. PhD, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Yayınlanmamış Doktora Tezi) . New York: Department of Philosophy, Columbia University.
30. Keskin, F. (2011). Özne ve İktidar. Özne ve İktidar - Michel Foucault-Seçme Yazılar 2 içinde İstanbul: Ayrıntı Yayınları, s. 11-24.
31. Kwinter, S. (2002). Architecture of Time, Toward a Theory of the Event in Modernist Culture. London: MIT Press.
32. Lorenzini, D. (2016). From Counter-Conduct to Critical Attitude: Michel Foucault and the Art of Not Being Governed Quite So Much, Foucault Studies, No. 21, pp. 7-21, June.
33. Lorey, I. (2006). Isabell Lorey: Yönetimsellik ve Kendini Güvencesizleştirme Kültür Üreticilerinin Normalleştirilmesi Üzerine (Ö. Çelik, Çev.), 2 Kasım 2017 tarihinde EIPCP - European Institute for Progressive Cultural Policies: http://eipcp.net/transversal/1106/lorey/tu adresinden alındı.
34. Megill, A. (2008). Aşırılığın Peygamberleri: Nietzsche, Heidegger, Foucault, Derrida (Cilt 02). (T. Birkan, Çev.) (1985, ‘Prophets of Extremity’) İstanbul: Ayraç Kitabevi.
35. Michel Foucault’s Collège De France Lectures: 13 Years at the Collège; 13 Seminars at Columbia, 2015-2016. http://blogs.law.columbia.edu/foucault1313/ (Son erişim: 09.12.2017 saat 09:00).
36. Rossi, A. (2006). Şehrin Mimarlığı. (N. Gürbilek, Çev.) İstanbul: Kanat Yayınları.
37. Schreiner (2013). Tadao Ando: Conversations with Students, Review. Pacific Asia Inquiry, Sayı 4, No:1, Fall 2013.
38. Senellart, M. (2013). Derslerin Bağlamı. Güvenlik, Toprak, Nüfus, Collège De France Dersleri (1977-1978) (F. Taylan, Çev. s. 323-349). içinde (2004, ‘Sécurité, Territoire, Population, Cours au Collège de France 1977-1978’) İstanbul: İstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi Yayınları - Kavramlar ve Pratikler 5.
39. Taylan, F. (2013). Önsöz; Strateji-Norm Ve Yönetim: 1978 Dersi İçin Bir Güzergah. Güvenlik, Toprak, Nüfus, Collège De France Dersleri (1977-1978) (Cilt 451, s. XI-XXVII). içinde İstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi Yayınları / Sosyoloji Dizisi.
40. Tschumi, B. (1976). Theory: Architecture and Transgression, Oppositions , winter; 7, 55-63.
41. Vidler, A. (1976). "Theory: Architecture and Transgression” için Giriş. Oppositions , winter; 7, 55.
42. Young, R. (2000). Beyaz Mitolojiler. (Yıldız C. Çev.) (1990, ‘White Mythologies – Writing History and the West’) Ankara: Bağlam Yayınları.