CAFx - LIGHTS by Nikola Salacz

LIGHTS

Nikola Salacz

Denmark

Women are, indisputably, affected by feeling unsafe in public spaces after dark. They change the way they act, move and live. Concrete-heavy, badly illuminated spaces, like bridges or tunnels create a nightmare scenery and exclude women, as well queer, trans and non-binary people from safely walking through them. The film LIGHTS immerse us into women's discriminatory reality, their vulnerabilities and desperate reactions in the dark. And investigates what can architects or urban planners do to help inclusive transformation of public spaces? How can designers ease omnipresent fear of experiencing sexual violence?

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The red triangle. One of the oldest industrial enterprises of the city of St. Petersburg.The first rubber factory in Russia.Since the beginning of the 2000s, the factory buildings have been in a deplorable state. Most of the plant's premises are abandoned. The windows are broken. And the territory of the plant itself no longer belongs to its original owners and is attractive for lovers of the aesthetics of abandoned buildings. Several shoe companies operate in separate buildings of the industrial zone, but the volume of production of rubber shoes is very small.Sevkabel Port is a favorite place for residents of St. Petersburg in the Harbor of Vasilievsky Island. A recently closed industrial area, today it is one of the most welcoming and hospitable spaces of the city. All the monuments of industrial architecture that are on the territory are carefully restored, endowed with new modern functions. And the architectural concept of the project delicately emphasizes the historical memory of the place. There are various functional zones on the territory of the Port where you can create projects, work, spend free time, engage in creativity and sports. There are bureaus, workshops and offices, exhibition, concert and sports halls, children's studios, shops and showrooms, restaurants, cafes and bars.Today, the share of the so-called "gray belt" in the central part of the city is almost 40%. The appearance of the "gray belt" is a feature of more than one St. Petersburg. Many cities in Europe, and indeed all over the world, have faced this problem to varying degrees. Based on convincing examples of renovation of depressive zones, we are able to adapt former industrial buildings to new functions!

The film is about the city and the citizens leaving the service workers behind. Many people tend to trash the buildings and neighborhoods they live in irresponsibly. In return, there is a big need for service workers and helpers to clean around the mess. Usually, public spaces and most of the buildings are cleaned regularly. It makes the sight seem beautiful and ensures general cleanliness, however, the workers go through really big challenges and bear the load of the hard labor. The worst part is about the payment they get and the public attitude towards the cleaning people and the film addresses these struggles.

Kuramba The Dream

Kuramba The Dream, is a film adaptation by Anita Szentesi, of the oral narrative that Sechaba Maape recounted, of the dream that he had about a living land character, the water snake, who destroyed his hometown. Sechaba Maape arranges to visit Mmakgabo Sibidi to seek advice about the dream, taking the artworks he has created of the dream with him. In the film, the artwork of the water snake comes to life as an animated dream sequence. Sechaba Maape’s face transitions into the face of Mmakgabo Sibidi, showing his intention to visit her. After greeting one another, Sechaba Maape unrolls his artworks, and a discussion ensues about the dream and the subsequent creation of the five buildings artwork. During the discussion, the five buildings rise above, hover, float and vibrate, whilst witnessing and listening to the discussions. At the end of the film, the five buildings descend into the ground, forming the foundations for the conceptualisation of an appropriate contextual architectural approach.