A TALE OF DUAL CITY

TO CONCEAL IS NORMAL

2017 Fall

Instructor: Jimenez Lai

Partner: Siman Huang

Barrow, AK

There are always two sides for each city: The side that is exposed to its inhabitants and tourists; And the hidden side that is only accessible to certain groups, for example, cults, underground groups, secret agencies, etc.

Barrow, Alaska, is a petroleum town which more than 50% of its population is indigenous Inuit. It appears to protect local cultures and reform local tribes, but the unspoken side is the oil company that constructs corporate capitalism and colonialism. This project is a city in one building that translates this duality. 

The dual city contains the solid city (hidden city) and the void city. Two levels of voids in between three levels of solids. The solid city is composed of 9 vertical towers and 48 flat buildings connected to the towers. Each flat building has one main function that serves the hidden city, such as commercial, church, etc. Towers are the oil company offices plus vertical transportation. The void city is nomadic with small enclosed spaces.