BUILDING, DWELLING, THINKING

The Genealogy of Swiss Architecture from the vernacular to the present.

Exhibition Location: New York, New York
Status: Awarded 05/2020 - Travel Research 08/2020 - Exhibited 01/2020
2019 Benjamin Menschel Fellowship

Research Partner: Shuqing Zhan

This research explores the trajectory of Swiss tradition in the context of its architecture. Through interviews with locally practicing architects in different regions of the country provided insight into the historical, political, and cultural impact of neighboring countries on the creation of high-standard, pristine buildings in Switzerland.

The project was inspired by the work of the philosopher Martin Heidegger, and his landmark 1951 essay “ Building, Dwelling, Thinking” also supplies our title.
Building
The making of buildings, as well as their literal built space, cultivates within the landscape a dynamic relationship between logical order and a poetic element.
Dwelling
We define the vernacular as buildings that were made using primitive materials in service of their use as a shelter to protect the dweller or to demarcate a boundary. They provide an objective space to contemplate, to think, and to feel ourselves.

ThinkingThis photo exhibition aims to produce a similar state of mind, by elevating the audience’s awareness of architecture and encouraging them to reflect on their attitude toward the surrounding built environment of our contmporary culture. It offers a conceptual “dwelling” for the audience to understand the space they are in and the type of space they desire to be in.


Prints and are available upon request.

All work copyright Jeremy Son
2015-2022
except when noted.