Neglect To Object

Materializing marginalized urban landscapes through exploration, research and craft.

This project is now archived and was part of DDW24

This project is part of
Interwoven: LUCA meets LUCA

Collection of objects

Jietse Vanlandschoot

Jietse Vanlandschoot explores marginalized urban spaces where wild ecologies and ruins offer glimpses of the future. He documents the historical, biological, and cultural aspects of these sites and translates them into objects that reflect the essence of these landscapes.

Terrain Vague

Urban landscapes are evolving at a rapid pace. Factories disappear and reappear elsewhere, train tracks fall out of use, and unmanaged verges form the boundary between familiar concrete and wild areas. New nooks and crannies emerge in landscapes developed by and for humans. These in-between spaces, also known as "Terrain Vague," arise from raw architectural interventions between industry and residential areas, bordering transport routes. These marginalized places are dismissed as "economically unproductive" in the urban context because they lack a specific function. Due to this absence of function, these spaces fall outside the strict rules of city life, creating a space of freedom.

Landscape Reading

The project 'Neglect to Object,' explores and documents Terrain Vague as a source of inspiration. In their wild state, the various spontaneous plants, ruins, and forgotten objects scattered throughout the space offer a glimpse into the past, present, and future landscape. By interpreting these landscapes from the perspective of a designer and maker, cultural, biological, and historical elements are translated into material and form studies. Based on these studies, artifacts are designed and developed, where shape, material, and function refer to the Terrain Vague.

Materialization

The first objects are made from Robinia wood, a species native to the terrain vague. This wood is shaped into organic structures that reflect the natural forms of the landscape. Metals also play a key role. For the lantern, cast aluminum is used, capturing the texture and shape of polystyrene foam, echoing the crumbling nature of the landscape. From this, a steel frame emerges, holding treated fragments of broken glass. These objects are not a final result but a stepping stone, a foundation for future objects and projects to evolve from this method.