A Non-Mutual Relationship

By Jordan Grant

The topic of parasitic architecture was one of the most interesting to me that we’ve seen in class; to see abstract forms clinging to the sides of buildings or perched on rooftops is surely amazing and interesting. But these forms that are becoming increasingly popular have a name that raises another question- are they truly parasites? If we view the urban jungle like an ecosystem found in nature, perhaps the effects of parasitic architecture might be explored more in depth.

A typical parasite found in nature.

A parasite (loosely described) is a living organism that finds a host and lives off it in a non-mutual relationship. These two organisms are of different species and the host suffers at the expense of the parasite. A parasite is different than a predator because a parasite is usually much smaller than its host, and it’s different from other organisms in the fact that they do not create a symbiotic relationship; the parasite only takes, never gives.

What’s more, parasites in nature can have a drastic effect on their hosts. They most often infect or influence the central nervous system, with the most common effect being a shortened lifespan for the host. So is the name for parasitic architecture just an unfortunate namesake, or could these pieces of architecture be having a detrimental effect on their host buildings or the urban jungle?

The Rucksack House, clinging to a facade.

Based on the lecture, I see a few different types of parasitic architecture evolving; permanent versus temporary and cost-effective versus sustainable (although one is not mutually exclusive of the other, they seem to be often in competition). For example, the Rucksack House is a small room that hangs off of an existing building’s façade and is accessible through a window to add 9 square meters of space to an apartment. Like a parasite found in nature, the Rucksack House leeches to the existing building’s structure and must attach to its central nervous system to at least gain electricity. It’s a temporary structure made of a steel cage and plywood that hangs on steel cables.

Project Orange's parasite.

This project has many similarities to one by Project Orange- but unlike the Rucksack House, Project Orange has created a permanent parasite. It’s still a group of steel blocks that bites through roof of an existing brick building, relying on its structure and stability.

My mind immediately begs the question “Are parasites destroying their hosts? Even more, are they going to cause decay in the urban fabric?” It seems that there is a delicate balance between how much of a structure architectural parasites can inhabit, and if that balance is wrong then the parasite would be doing what it does in nature- shortening the lifespan of the building. Even more, all these “temporary” structures seems to be constructed of low cost, durable materials like steel and concrete. Will the use of these finite materials in temporary structures have a detrimental effect on the environment? It seems to me that temporary structures should utilize recycled/recyclable materials, or at least renewable materials that can be replaced in the same lifespan of the parasitic structure that consumed them.

The Dresden Museum of Military History by Daniel Libeskind.

Perhaps parasitic architecture is just unfortunately named and really does have a helpful, useful role in contemporary architecture. I’m sure that many of my peers will have written about the positive effects that parasitic architecture can have. I have faith that these parasitic structures could become an innovative way to reduce our environmental footprints while improving the quality of life. However, my limited research shows that very little commentary has been made as to the unwanted side effects or risks associated with attaching parasites to our cityscapes and potentially shortening the lifetimes of our buildings. Architects must be aware that we build and inhabit in a very delicate ecosystem here in the urban jungle, and introducing too many parasites that haven’t been well designed could have a detrimental effect.

Sources: http://www.dezeen.com/tag/parasites/