Solitary

2016 | M.Arch Project

The global capitalist hegemony is pushing society in a bleak direction. New residential construction in urban centres is largely high-density, high-rise, and the primary concern of the developers is profit - cramming as many small units into a floor plate as possible, with little concern for the social connectedness of the prospective occupants. The question of today is “How small a space will they buy?” Is this truly the direction we wish to go? The need for constant development, growth, and expansion is usually at the expense of the well-being of individuals.

What is the future of our global urban condition if social isolation continues its rampant progression? Are the small spaces we live in becoming prisons of our own making?

Solitary is a speculative reality that draws attention to this issue by leading it to an inevitable conclusion - a future society of social disconnection that discourages personal interaction, where the only meaningful connections are those of delivery networks and ethernet lines. People, separated by walls and floor slabs, communicate digitally, if at all. Why ever leave the home if there is no need?