Survivalism

In talking to others about the various disasters, I stumbled across what I think is a really strange gut reflex. These people, who weren't directly affected by the disaster, said that not only did they feel sorry for the people in disaster zones, but they felt remorse that they were fine whilst others were in torment, trauma and struggle.

Snap out of it. If you're one of those people, there is no reason to feel that way, when you are basically empowered to help those in the midst of tragedy. They are random events, freak moments of nature and everyone has to do their best with the circumstance that is presented at their doorstep.

Yuka Murai recently wrote an article about the fashion scene in Tokyo. In Japan, a custom called jishuku after a disaster entails that a solemn practice of common empathy is observed - those who did not undergo the trauma should suffer with the people affected. The fashion industry, a rather flamboyant discipline, was naturally expected to tone down during this period of shared mourning, however, there were certain creatives that believed in the rejuvenating power of creativity and continued practice after such catastrophic events. Yasutoshi Ezumi (pictured design), Fernanda Yamamoto and Van Hongo all stepped up against tradition to keep the dialogue of fashion alive in the strange stagnancy that threatens shocked societies.

This goes to show architecture is not the only creative practice worth endeavouring in the recovery phase - people crave normalcy and an effort to work and help those in worse off situations is infinitely more effective than shutting down completely. Creative vibe can also boost the morale of those having to live through post-disaster recovery such as grassroots movements like Gapfiller. Forging a new spatial identity instead of lingering on the lost, the gaps and the perished enables the right way forward to reveal itself - it is recovery, there is potential, but everyone has to strive forward to achieve it.