Flirting with Disaster
What defines city living for an up-market, but paranoid generation bombarded by iconic images of disaster? Inspired by American studies where, post 9/11, 80% of adults said that they “had an increased appreciation for their families” while others suddenly had the urge for intimate contact leading to “Terror Sex“, a new form of speculative housing emerges in Westminster to cater for our everyday fears.
“Disaster Ready” housing offers a number of “better safe than sorry” precautionary measures and cost effective architectural placebos to reassure and empower safety conscious residents. A “Holy” protective mesh surrounds clusters of luxury and key worker apartments. Staged re-enactments help prepare for statistically unlikely disasters, lucky escapes or heroic failures. Whilst a landscape of antibacterial gardens fortifies an immune system in fear of dirty bombs.
