All Maps Under Heaven

July 2019

Residency at CFCCA, Manchester

Maps have been used to define boundaries, of ownership and to map desires and ideas. Maps are interesting since the usefulness hinges on their perceived truthfulness and objectivity in the representation of reality. During the residency at CFCCA, I aim to explore notions of mapscaping around ideas of environmentalism, Debord’s psychogeography, and a personal critique of Postmodernism. Manchester was an industrial hub and to this day forms one of the largest metropolitan areas in the UK. With the current discourse of Universal Basic Income, my proposal explores how we may utilize the surplus from capitalism and how that could eventually remodel how we sustain our cities.

TEST SITE

I decided to use the square behind CFCCA, Market Buildings, to test the first node/device. This space formed the old fish market built in the mid 19th Century. The old fish market sets a symbolic site for Arahan as the word fish in Chinese ‘Yu-戴’ can translate to the word abundance/surplus ‘淘’. This residency allowed me to develop the beginnings of a theoretical project looking into how we may utilize the surplus from capitalism to rethink our cities. To find alternative infrastructure that provides the basic necessities for human life.

All we need is: Food / Water / Shelter / Knowledge / Energy

Once you have these in place then hopefully less time will be spent working to provide these basic necessities, thus allowing for the self to learn and spend time pursuing their own interests. This act of ‘Being’ and food for the self may lead to new ideas to further humanity and culture.

BUILDING THE SITE

To work with the scale of the site, I first began to build the space in 3D. A basic massing to distribute the composition of Arahan.

ARAHAN

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

Original Sketch | Pen on Velum | Donald | 2019.

ARAHAN’S MIND

The ‘Mind’s’ will formulate the code to replicate further ‘Architects’ to help rebuild the city. These robot structures would begin to help build the other nodes within specific locations throughout the city.

Arahan’s Mind is formed of a mountainous landscape, the pillar to heaven, the home of the immortals and for us mere mortals, paradise.

Reference:

Penglai (蓬萊仙島) / Fangzhang (方丈) / Yingzhou (瀛州) / Daiyu (岱輿) / Yuanjiao (員嬌)

The mountain forms provide a miniature environment that condenses any moisture within the air that is heated above the solar sails. This water is captured and recycled to create a closed loop system within Arahan.

RHO AIAS

Solar sails extract abundant energy from the sun to replicate nature. The use of renewable energy as an alternative power source. The facade facing High Street creates the nursery for the solar sails to grow as they store more energy before attaching to the main bodies of Arahan.

ANCIENT OF DAYS

Arahan’s tools are constructed of reinforced recycled material to utilize the waste product of the city. The ‘Architects’ will help rebuild the city as well as constructing the alternative nodes throughout the city.

THE WHEELS OF DHARMA

The turning of the wheel signifies a great and revolutionary change with universal consequences. Theravada exegete Buddhaghosa* explains that this ‘wheel’ which the Buddha turned is primarily to be understood as wisdom, knowledge, and insight. This wisdom has two aspects, the wisdom of self-realization of the Truth and, the wisdom of proclamation of the Truth.

* A 5th Century Indian Theravada Buddhist commentator, translator and philosopher.

THE SOULS OF THE LAST ARHARTS

The disciples of Arahan. They scan the city to map the space before construction of the nodes can begin to ensure no clashes with existing structures and determine the spatial configuration of each site. Their jobs will expand as each of the nodes grow throughout the city.

AVA’S ROCK

The stem of Arahan is made from the same minerals found near Mount Potalaka, the perfected land where Avalokiteshvara presides.

Avalokiteshvara is the embodiment of the virtue of compassion. Avalokiteshvara is a bodhisattva, enlightened beings who are destined to become buddhas but postpone that final state in order to help humanity. The name Avalokiteshvara means “Lord who looks down with compassion.”

ARAHAN

A fully formed Arahan. A self-sufficient device to assist in rebuilding the city. To utilize the surplus from capitalism to build spaces that provide the basic necessities for human existence.

Mixed Media | Graphite on Velum | Digital Sculptures | Donald Shek | 2019

BLUEPRINT OF ARAHAN

The site for Arahan sits within the old fish market within the larger complex of Smithfield Market that was built around the mid 19th Century. At its peak in 1897, the market place covered 4.5 acres in Manchester City Centre. The blueprint sets the marker for the viewers to peer into the base site for Arahan.

ALL MAPS UNDER HEAVEN APP

2019

Developer : Donald Shek

To view the spaces I created an app to accompany the work. Two scenes were created - one sits internally within the studio using the buleprint of Arahan as a marker. The second sits with GPS co-ordiantes to the rear of the building at the center of the square.

PHOTOS OF ARAHAN

Arahan on Site 2019.