2099 No Competition, No Architecture

Competition: BLANK SPACE l Fairy Tales 2020

“Mikiko, I dont think it is working. I wanted someone who could work more efficiently and accurately. I am sorry, but can you start searching for a new job?”

Chapter 1_ Friday 13th December

I came home and lay down to my bed. Did I get fired?I had been thinking about quitting anyway. Everyone works so fast and skilled. Was I too weak and useless at the office? What is a useful architect? I asked myself many questions. At school, we were taught to be unique and creative. Architects are not only problem solvers, but we need to be artistic. However, we always need to win the competition to get it built because there are clients and their budget, and they need to select the best work. I like designing architecture, but I do not like competition. I do not want to compete with others. What is the Utopian world for architects? I just want to make something exciting and pretty. I want everyone to be the winner of the competition. I do not want to compete!

Chapter 2_ Life in Utopia

“Good morning, Mikiko.”

I woke up to someone’s voice. Did I fall asleep? I did not remember setting the Google home alarm. 

“Ok, Google, stop alarm!”

“Mikiko, I am not Google home. Allow me to complete my task. Today, 2099, December 13th, your heart rate and body temperature is moderate. You first plan today is Design meeting in your office at 9am, then visiting Phillip Johnson’s home at 10am, Project meeting with Kenzo Tange in Tokyo at noon, lunch with your family in San Francisco, teach at Tokyo University at 2pm, lecture at the Royal Danish Academy at 7pm, dinner with your parents in your hometown, sleep at 11pm. Have a good day.”

Wow. It is such a nice dream. I wish I could fly everywhere anytime and see my family and work abroad everyday like this. I am a huge fan of Phillip Johnson and Kenzo Tange, but they are dead in the 20th century. Probably many popular architects are dead by 2099. Am I getting too crazy by the shock of unemployment? 

I look around my room. It is my room, but smells good and the temperature is great today. I went to the bathroom to look at myself. My skin and hair look better than usual. 

“Hey, someone, I don’t know how to call your name, but what do you mean today is 2099?”

“Hi Mikiko. I do not have a name, but you usually call me Emma since it is your favorite name. It is 7:15am December 13th, 2099. You are 111 years old, but your body condition is 30 years old. Your job is an architect and professor, and your parents live in Japan. Do you have any questions?”

Okay, I am still in my dream. I often have those moments. I tried to escape from reality and created this dream. Well then, let me enjoy this time.

I get ready to leave. I go to the entrance of my home, but there is no door… What’s wrong with this house?

“Hey Emma, how do I get out of my home?”

“Mikiko, I am sorry for your memory loss. Please do not think you have dementia. It is not good for your brain. I will fix your memory in seconds.”

Chapter 3_ No Competition, No Physical Construction

I blink once. I am embarrassed. I was living in a memory from 80 years ago. I often go back to 2019 since it was an unforgettable year. Thanks to modern technology, I can still work as an architect even when I am 111 years old. 

Allow me to explain about the architecture world in 2099:

In terms of considering human rights and equality, the government banned any architectural competitions. People noticed that the importance is about the expression of one’s own thoughts but not about winning or losing. It is a crime to decide or say who is the “best”. There is still “Competition Event” where multiple people propose building designs based on the same conditions, but all candidates and ideas are able to have them built. However, it is all built in a digital world.  By around 2030, the world's population increased too much and lack of housing in the city. Then, the government divided habitable spaces on the earth equally by the population. The only physical space one can be is inside housing. You can go to any public buildings through the digital world. You can touch the space, you can smell, and you can meet with others in digital spaces. Another surprise is that there are no new babies. By increasing life expectancy and decreasing fertility of humans, people decided to be eco-friendly and sustainable. People who were born in the 20th and 21st centuries are the only people to live in the physical world. 

You can travel anywhere any time period. Thanks to artificial intelligence, we created many buildings designed by dead architects. Now we propose any ideas alongside any architects among all different time periods and all countries.

The current project being worked on is designing Glass House by Phillip Johnson. I mean, worked on by me. After the government decided to demolish all the buildings except housing, there was a trend to remake historical buildings. At that time, there was a political and budget problem, so only Phillip Johnson could build his house at the site. Now, we can build Glass House on the site without a budget. You can design any shape and can use any materials. Of course, you can visit the original Glass House, but you also have options to visit Glass House designed by others.

Chapter 4_ Visiting Glass House Designed by 4 Architects

“Hi Mikiko, it is time to go meet with Phillip Johnson. Which design of the house do you want to go today?”

I am meeting Phillip, but I can choose a design designed by 1,000 architects. Too many choices, but they are popular buildings. I choose “Glass House _094”,  and close my eyes.

“Good morning, Mikiko. How are you doing?”

Phillip was waiting in his living room. I mean, he is dead, but I am in the digital world now, so I am able to talk to him as an AI. I started asking for advice for my current projects.

“Umm, I do not feel comfortable to stay in this house designed by Zaha. Can we choose other design?”

He chose “Glass House _027”

He seems happy about this color.

“I wish I could use those materials and colors in 1948. There were no options at that time.”

“What do you think about curvy glass house? Do you think it is good?”

“I can’t say if it is good or not. All buildings are special and different.”

I was wondering. I wanted to design Glass House of my own, but what is the value of his design? If everyone’s design has value, is there still value in his original work?

We switched to his original house after one hour.

He said, “I do not say which one is the best quality, but I like this house the best.”

Like? Best? I think this is the most valuable design. It is a crime to say which one is the best, but I do want to say this is the best.

“Phillip, I am so sleepy today. Do you mind if I take a nap on your sofa?”

“Sure, help yourself. Those are my favorite chairs. It is perfect for napping.”

He smiled and offered that I sit on the sofa.

Chapter 5_ Living with Conflict

I was woken up by my bed shaking. Earthquake? I looked at my phone. -14th December 2019-

I got out of my bed and went to the entrance of my house. I opened the door, and saw people walking outside. I went down down by stepping down the stairs. Is it real? Does is matter if it is real or not? I was standing and looking at the supermarket in front of my house. 

“Hey ma’am, can you make space for me? You are in the middle of the street! You don’t give a shit to others!?”

A homeless person yelled at me.

Somehow, I was happy to feel this way.