DIGITAL PORCH CONVERSATION ︎︎︎ Mitesh Dixit and Maxwell Mutanda with Lawrence Chua, Julie Mehretu, and Paul Pfeiffer
The heart of this conversation between Denniston HIll’s co-founders, Lawrence Chua, Julie Mehretu and Paul Pfeiffer, and architects Mitish Dixon and Maxwell Matunda, is an inquiry about built environments — defined as human-made structures created with specific intentions like living and working. The focus on built environments speaks to an accountability that people who create these environments might have towards issues of architectural shape, scale, material, and perhaps most importantly, towards the people who inhabit them.
This conversation flowed through many kinds of built environments, including the simultaneously ephemeral and very real online space we call social media.
Paul began with his interest in architecture as a shared psychic space, and Julie reflected that her study of architecture gave her tools to create structure and scale in her paintings, to understand her paintings as a place to put things such as “space" and “time.”
Lawrence offered that architecture is the cohesive study of cosmology, astrology, carpentry, and masonry.
Maxwell Matunda reminded us that building shapes, and even door sizes, are all products of extended political policies.
Matish Dixon agreed with Maxwell, confirming that “things have bias.” He suggested we might design using terms that offer a relationship, or an action, over a pre-determined thing. For example, instead of a “window,” we might strive for design elements that offer “opacity" or “porosity” to the building. He thought in this way we could “eliminate the experts or the dominant gaze,” and instead consider a more infinite way to understand the things that makeup buildings.
The group wondered together: was a decolonized architecture possible?
Towards the end of the conversation, Julie warned that we are currently experiencing a “shit storm of bad architecture.” She was speaking about a specific building in New York City (you’ll have to listen in to know which one!), but we might take heed from her observation that this particular storm is the result of historical and economic policies shaping the environments in which we live, work, and create. We might then ask of ourselves: in what ways are we the accountable builders?
This conversation flowed through many kinds of built environments, including the simultaneously ephemeral and very real online space we call social media.
Paul began with his interest in architecture as a shared psychic space, and Julie reflected that her study of architecture gave her tools to create structure and scale in her paintings, to understand her paintings as a place to put things such as “space" and “time.”
Lawrence offered that architecture is the cohesive study of cosmology, astrology, carpentry, and masonry.
Maxwell Matunda reminded us that building shapes, and even door sizes, are all products of extended political policies.
Matish Dixon agreed with Maxwell, confirming that “things have bias.” He suggested we might design using terms that offer a relationship, or an action, over a pre-determined thing. For example, instead of a “window,” we might strive for design elements that offer “opacity" or “porosity” to the building. He thought in this way we could “eliminate the experts or the dominant gaze,” and instead consider a more infinite way to understand the things that makeup buildings.
The group wondered together: was a decolonized architecture possible?
Towards the end of the conversation, Julie warned that we are currently experiencing a “shit storm of bad architecture.” She was speaking about a specific building in New York City (you’ll have to listen in to know which one!), but we might take heed from her observation that this particular storm is the result of historical and economic policies shaping the environments in which we live, work, and create. We might then ask of ourselves: in what ways are we the accountable builders?
ABOUT OUR GUEST: Mitesh Dixit
Mitesh Dixit is an Assistant Professor in the School of Architecture, and holds an affiliate position with Department of Geography, Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs at Syracuse University in New York. Dixit’s work has focused on the intersection of design with government policy, society, and culture. His research has explored the processes of region- and border-making in the Balkans and along the US-Mexico border, tracing the effects of ideology in the transformations of the built environment. Previously, Mitesh Dixit was on the faculty of TU Delft in the Netherlands as a visiting professor of architecture and urbanism. There, he also served as editor for the Chair of Complex Projects and helped to develop curriculum. Throughout 2016, Dixit lectured internationally, conducted workshops, and seminars on behalf of the US Department of State.
After completing undergraduate and graduate work in politics and philosophy, Dixit completed the master of architecture from the Washington University in St. Louis and then began his career at the San Francisco office of Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill. Prior to DOMAIN, Dixit worked with Rem Koolhaas’ Office for Metropolitan Architecture as a project leader. While at OMA, Dixit led multiple international projects, such as the MahaNaKhon Tower in Bangkok, Holland Green in London, East Block 30 in Cairo, and the Kuala Lumpur Financial District in Malaysia.
@miteshdixit
@dad.polito
@domain_office @institute_for_architecture_ @material_contours
@skopje_project
ABOUT OUR GUEST: Maxwell Mutanda
Maxwell Mutanda is a Lecturer in Environmental and Spatial Equity and Co-Director of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London. His work investigates the role of globalisation, climate and technology within the built environment.
His achievements include the 2018 AFRICA’SOUT! Artist-in-Residence at Denniston Hill, New York; 2020 Rapid Response for a Better Digital Future Fellow at Eyebeam; 2020 Graham Foundation Grant to Individuals; 2020 Cultural and Artistic Responses to Environmental Change grant from the Prince Claus Fund; as well as fellowships from The New Museum’s IdeasCity New Orleans; Akademie Schloss Solitude, Stuttgart (2020); and DocLab: Liminal Reality, and IDFA DocLab Competition for Digital Storytelling film festival screenings (2021). Maxwell studied Architecture at the Bartlett, University College London and is the 2020 MSc in Sustainable Urban Development Sheehan Scholar at the University of Oxford.
His work has been featured at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen; Arc en Rêve Centre d'Architecture, Bordeaux; the 2014 and 2016 Venice Architecture Biennales; the 2015 Chicago Architecture Biennial; and the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. Maxwell has been an editorial contributor for The Architectural Review as well as an advisor for the Prince Claus Fund's Building Beyond Mentorship programme. He is currently a Trustee on the board of Mediale, an international media arts charity and arts festival based in York, and the Arts Council England (ACE) National Portfolio Funded Organisation (NPO) Eclipse Theatre Company, a leading Black-led touring company based in Leeds.
Maxwell Mutanda was a resident at Denniston Hill in 2018.
@maxwellmutanda
@studiodtale
@bartlettarchucl
@bartlettmahue
@clubzero_co
Mitesh Dixit is an Assistant Professor in the School of Architecture, and holds an affiliate position with Department of Geography, Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs at Syracuse University in New York. Dixit’s work has focused on the intersection of design with government policy, society, and culture. His research has explored the processes of region- and border-making in the Balkans and along the US-Mexico border, tracing the effects of ideology in the transformations of the built environment. Previously, Mitesh Dixit was on the faculty of TU Delft in the Netherlands as a visiting professor of architecture and urbanism. There, he also served as editor for the Chair of Complex Projects and helped to develop curriculum. Throughout 2016, Dixit lectured internationally, conducted workshops, and seminars on behalf of the US Department of State.
After completing undergraduate and graduate work in politics and philosophy, Dixit completed the master of architecture from the Washington University in St. Louis and then began his career at the San Francisco office of Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill. Prior to DOMAIN, Dixit worked with Rem Koolhaas’ Office for Metropolitan Architecture as a project leader. While at OMA, Dixit led multiple international projects, such as the MahaNaKhon Tower in Bangkok, Holland Green in London, East Block 30 in Cairo, and the Kuala Lumpur Financial District in Malaysia.
@miteshdixit
@dad.polito
@domain_office @institute_for_architecture_ @material_contours
@skopje_project
ABOUT OUR GUEST: Maxwell Mutanda
Maxwell Mutanda is a Lecturer in Environmental and Spatial Equity and Co-Director of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London. His work investigates the role of globalisation, climate and technology within the built environment.
His achievements include the 2018 AFRICA’SOUT! Artist-in-Residence at Denniston Hill, New York; 2020 Rapid Response for a Better Digital Future Fellow at Eyebeam; 2020 Graham Foundation Grant to Individuals; 2020 Cultural and Artistic Responses to Environmental Change grant from the Prince Claus Fund; as well as fellowships from The New Museum’s IdeasCity New Orleans; Akademie Schloss Solitude, Stuttgart (2020); and DocLab: Liminal Reality, and IDFA DocLab Competition for Digital Storytelling film festival screenings (2021). Maxwell studied Architecture at the Bartlett, University College London and is the 2020 MSc in Sustainable Urban Development Sheehan Scholar at the University of Oxford.
His work has been featured at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen; Arc en Rêve Centre d'Architecture, Bordeaux; the 2014 and 2016 Venice Architecture Biennales; the 2015 Chicago Architecture Biennial; and the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. Maxwell has been an editorial contributor for The Architectural Review as well as an advisor for the Prince Claus Fund's Building Beyond Mentorship programme. He is currently a Trustee on the board of Mediale, an international media arts charity and arts festival based in York, and the Arts Council England (ACE) National Portfolio Funded Organisation (NPO) Eclipse Theatre Company, a leading Black-led touring company based in Leeds.
Maxwell Mutanda was a resident at Denniston Hill in 2018.
@maxwellmutanda
@studiodtale
@bartlettarchucl
@bartlettmahue
@clubzero_co