TEDGlobal 2014
Alison Killing: There’s a better way to die, and architecture can help
Alison Killing: Existe una mejor forma de morir y la arquitectura puede ayudar
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En esta breve y provocativa charla, la arquitecta Alison Killing mira edificios donde ocurre la muerte; cementerios, hospitales, hogares. La forma como morimos está cambiando y la forma en que construimos para morir... bueno, tal vez deba cambiar también. Es una mirada sorprendente y fascinante a un aspecto oculto de nuestras ciudades y de nuestras vidas.
Alison Killing - Architect
An architect and urban designer, Alison Killing uses journalism, filmmaking and exhibitions to help people better understand the built environment. Full bio
An architect and urban designer, Alison Killing uses journalism, filmmaking and exhibitions to help people better understand the built environment. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
I'd like to tell you a story
about death and architecture.
about death and architecture.
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Quisiera contarles una historia
sobre muerte y arquitectura.
sobre muerte y arquitectura.
00:16
A hundred years ago, we tended to die
of infectious diseases like pneumonia,
of infectious diseases like pneumonia,
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Hace cien años, la tendencia era a morir
de enfermedades como neumonía,
de enfermedades como neumonía,
que, si progresaban,
acababan con nosotros muy rápido.
acababan con nosotros muy rápido.
00:21
that, if they took hold,
would take us away quite quickly.
would take us away quite quickly.
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Lo frecuente era morir en casa,
en la cama, cuidados por la familia,
en la cama, cuidados por la familia,
00:24
We tended to die at home,
in our own beds, looked after by family,
in our own beds, looked after by family,
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00:28
although that was the default option
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que era la opción común
ya que muchos no tenían acceso
a servicios de salud.
a servicios de salud.
00:30
because a lot of people
lacked access to medical care.
lacked access to medical care.
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Luego, en el siglo XX,
cambiaron muchas cosas.
cambiaron muchas cosas.
00:33
And then in the 20th century
a lot of things changed.
a lot of things changed.
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Se desarrollaron nuevas drogas
como la penicilina
como la penicilina
00:36
We developed new medicines like penicillin
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00:38
so we could treat
those infectious diseases.
those infectious diseases.
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y se pudo tratar esas
enfermedades infecciosas.
enfermedades infecciosas.
Se inventaron nuevas tecnologías
como los rayos X.
como los rayos X.
00:40
New medical technologies
like x-ray machines were invented.
like x-ray machines were invented.
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Y como las máquinas eran
tan grandes y costosas,
tan grandes y costosas,
00:44
And because they were
so big and expensive,
so big and expensive,
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00:46
we needed large, centralized
buildings to keep them in,
buildings to keep them in,
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se necesitaban grandes edificios
centralizados
centralizados
que se convirtieron
en los hospitales modernos.
en los hospitales modernos.
00:49
and they became our modern hospitals.
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Después de la Segunda Guerra Mundial
00:51
After the Second World War,
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muchos países montaron
sistemas universales de salud
sistemas universales de salud
00:53
a lot of countries set up
universal healthcare systems
universal healthcare systems
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para que todos pudieran obtener
los tratamientos necesarios.
los tratamientos necesarios.
00:55
so that everyone who needed
treatment could get it.
treatment could get it.
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Como resultado de aquello,
00:58
The result was that lifespans extended
from about 45 at the start of the century
from about 45 at the start of the century
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la esperanza de vida pasó
de unos 45 años a comienzos de siglo,
de unos 45 años a comienzos de siglo,
01:02
to almost double that today.
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a casi el doble hoy en día.
01:04
The 20th century was this time of huge
optimism about what science could offer,
optimism about what science could offer,
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El siglo XX fue de gran optimismo
por lo que la ciencia podía ofrecer,
por lo que la ciencia podía ofrecer,
01:09
but with all of the focus on life,
death was forgotten,
death was forgotten,
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pero con toda la atención en la vida,
nos olvidamos de la muerte,
y hasta la forma de percibirla
cambió dramáticamente.
cambió dramáticamente.
01:12
even as our approach to death
changed dramatically.
changed dramatically.
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01:15
Now, I'm an architect,
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Soy arquitecta,
y he estado observando estos cambios
el último año y medio.
el último año y medio.
01:16
and for the past year and a half
I've been looking at these changes
I've been looking at these changes
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pensando en lo que significan
para la arquitectura
para la arquitectura
01:20
and at what they mean for architecture
related to death and dying.
related to death and dying.
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y su relación con la muerte.
01:23
We now tend to die
of cancer and heart disease,
of cancer and heart disease,
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La tendencia actual es a morir
de cáncer y de enfermedades del corazón,
de cáncer y de enfermedades del corazón,
01:26
and what that means is that many of us
will have a long period of chronic illness
will have a long period of chronic illness
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y eso significa que muchos
padeceremos largas enfermedades
crónicas hacia el final de la vida.
crónicas hacia el final de la vida.
01:30
at the end of our lives.
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Seguramente pasaremos mucho tiempo
en hospitales y clínicas en ese tiempo.
en hospitales y clínicas en ese tiempo.
01:32
During that period,
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01:33
we'll likely spend a lot of time
in hospitals and hospices and care homes.
in hospitals and hospices and care homes.
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Todos hemos estado
en hospitales modernos.
en hospitales modernos.
01:38
Now, we've all been in a modern hospital.
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Conocemos esas luces fluorescentes,
esos corredores interminables
esos corredores interminables
01:40
You know those fluorescent lights
and the endless corridors
and the endless corridors
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01:44
and those rows of uncomfortable chairs.
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y esas filas de sillas incomodas.
La arquitectura hospitalaria
tiene bien ganada su mala reputación.
tiene bien ganada su mala reputación.
01:47
Hospital architecture
has earned its bad reputation.
has earned its bad reputation.
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01:50
But the surprising thing is,
it wasn't always like this.
it wasn't always like this.
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Lo sorprendente es que no siempre fue así.
01:54
This is L'Ospedale degli Innocenti,
built in 1419 by Brunelleschi,
built in 1419 by Brunelleschi,
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Este es el L'Ospedale degli Innocenti,
construido en 1419 por Brunelleschi,
construido en 1419 por Brunelleschi,
01:58
who was one of the most famous
and influential architects of his time.
and influential architects of his time.
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uno de los arquitectos más famosos
e influyentes de su tiempo.
e influyentes de su tiempo.
Cuando miro este edificio
y pienso en los hospitales actuales,
y pienso en los hospitales actuales,
02:02
And when I look at this building
and then think about hospitals today,
and then think about hospitals today,
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02:05
what amazes me is
this building's ambition.
this building's ambition.
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me sorprende su ambición.
Es una edificación realmente grandiosa.
02:08
It's just a really great building.
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Tiene estos patios en el centro
02:10
It has these courtyards in the middle
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02:12
so that all of the rooms
have daylight and fresh air,
have daylight and fresh air,
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para que todos los cuartos
tengan luz de día y aire fresco,
tengan luz de día y aire fresco,
02:14
and the rooms are big
and they have high ceilings,
and they have high ceilings,
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grandes, con cielorrasos altos
02:17
so they just feel
more comfortable to be in.
more comfortable to be in.
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para que resulten más confortables
a sus ocupantes.
a sus ocupantes.
Y es también hermoso.
02:19
And it's also beautiful.
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De alguna forma, hemos olvidado que
esto es posible incluso para un hospital.
esto es posible incluso para un hospital.
02:21
Somehow, we've forgotten
that that's even possible for a hospital.
that that's even possible for a hospital.
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Pero, si queremos mejores lugares
para morir, tenemos que hablar sobre ello,
para morir, tenemos que hablar sobre ello,
02:25
Now, if we want better buildings
for dying, then we have to talk about it,
for dying, then we have to talk about it,
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y como la muerte es un tema incómodo
02:29
but because we find the subject
of death uncomfortable,
of death uncomfortable,
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no hablamos de ella
02:31
we don't talk about it,
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y no cuestionamos la forma
como la sociedad lo trata.
como la sociedad lo trata.
02:33
and we don't question how we
as a society approach death.
as a society approach death.
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Una de las cosas que más me sorprendió
en mi investigación, sin embargo,
en mi investigación, sin embargo,
02:36
One of the things that surprised me
most in my research, though,
most in my research, though,
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es cuán susceptibles al cambio
son nuestras actitudes.
son nuestras actitudes.
02:39
is how changeable attitudes actually are.
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Este es el primer crematorio
del Reino Unido,
del Reino Unido,
02:42
This is the first crematorium in the U.K.,
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construido en Woking hacia 1870.
02:44
which was built in Woking in the 1870s.
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Cuando se construyó
hubo protestas en la población.
hubo protestas en la población.
02:47
And when this was first built,
there were protests in the local village.
there were protests in the local village.
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La cremación no era socialmente aceptada;
Se enterraba al 99,8 % de las personas.
Se enterraba al 99,8 % de las personas.
02:50
Cremation wasn't socially acceptable,
and 99.8 percent of people got buried.
and 99.8 percent of people got buried.
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Hoy, a solo cien años de aquello,
el 75 % de la gente es cremada.
el 75 % de la gente es cremada.
02:55
And yet, only a hundred years later,
three quarters of us get cremated.
three quarters of us get cremated.
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02:59
People are actually really open
to changing things
to changing things
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La gente está realmente abierta al cambio
si se los deja hablar de ello.
si se los deja hablar de ello.
03:02
if they're given the chance
to talk about them.
to talk about them.
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Esta conversación
sobre muerte y arquitectura
sobre muerte y arquitectura
03:04
So this conversation
about death and architecture
about death and architecture
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era la que yo quería empezar
03:07
was what I wanted to start
when I did my first exhibition on it
when I did my first exhibition on it
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cuando hice mi primera exhibición
sobre ello en Venecia en junio,
sobre ello en Venecia en junio,
03:10
in Venice in June,
which was called "Death in Venice."
which was called "Death in Venice."
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que se llamó "Muerte en Venecia".
03:14
It was designed to be quite playful
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Se diseñó para que fuera divertida
y la gente, literalmente,
se entretuviera con ella.
se entretuviera con ella.
03:17
so that people would
literally engage with it.
literally engage with it.
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03:19
This is one of our exhibits,
which is an interactive map of London
which is an interactive map of London
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Este es una de los objetos;
un mapa interactivo de Londres
un mapa interactivo de Londres
que muestra cuánto de la propiedad raíz
de la ciudad se dedica a la muerte,
de la ciudad se dedica a la muerte,
03:22
that shows just how much
of the real estate in the city
of the real estate in the city
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03:25
is given over to death and dying,
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y cuando uno pasa la mano por el mapa,
03:27
and as you wave your hand across the map,
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aparece el nombre de la propiedad,
el edificio o el cementerio.
el edificio o el cementerio.
03:29
the name of that piece of real estate,
the building or cemetery, is revealed.
the building or cemetery, is revealed.
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Otra parte de la exposición
fue una serie de tarjetas postales
fue una serie de tarjetas postales
03:34
Another of our exhibits
was a series of postcards
was a series of postcards
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03:37
that people could take away with them.
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que la gente podía llevarse.
Mostraban hogares, hospitales,
cementerios y morgues,
cementerios y morgues,
03:39
And they showed people's homes
and hospitals
and hospitals
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03:41
and cemeteries and mortuaries,
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y contaban la historia
de los distintos espacios
de los distintos espacios
03:44
and they tell the story
of the different spaces
of the different spaces
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por los que pasamos cuando estamos
a uno u otro lado de la muerte.
a uno u otro lado de la muerte.
03:46
that we pass through
on either side of death.
on either side of death.
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03:49
We wanted to show
that where we die
that where we die
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Queríamos demostrar
que el lugar donde morimos
que el lugar donde morimos
03:51
is a key part of how we die.
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es importante para la forma
cómo vamos a morir.
cómo vamos a morir.
03:54
Now, the strangest thing was the way
that visitors reacted to the exhibition,
that visitors reacted to the exhibition,
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Lo más extraño fue la reacción
de los visitantes ante la exhibición,
de los visitantes ante la exhibición,
especialmente ante la parte audiovisual.
03:59
especially the audio-visual works.
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04:02
We had people dancing
and running and jumping
and running and jumping
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Había gente que bailaba, corría y saltaba
mientras intentaba activar las obras
de diferente forma,
de diferente forma,
04:05
as they tried to activate
the exhibits in different ways,
the exhibits in different ways,
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y en un momento dado,
como que se paraban y recordaban
como que se paraban y recordaban
04:08
and at a certain point
they would kind of stop
they would kind of stop
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04:11
and remember that they were in
an exhibition about death,
an exhibition about death,
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que estaban en una exposición
sobre la muerte
sobre la muerte
y que, tal vez, no era así
como se esperaba que actuaran.
como se esperaba que actuaran.
04:13
and that maybe that's not
how you're supposed to act.
how you're supposed to act.
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04:16
But actually, I would question
whether there is one way
whether there is one way
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Yo, en realidad, me preguntaría
si hay una forma
si hay una forma
como se supone que actuemos
frente a la muerte,
frente a la muerte,
04:19
that you're supposed to act around death,
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y si no, les pediría que pensaran
en lo que es una buena muerte para Uds.,
en lo que es una buena muerte para Uds.,
04:21
and if there's not, I'd ask you to think
about what you think a good death is,
about what you think a good death is,
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y en lo que podría ser la arquitectura
que sirviera de apoyo a esa buena muerte,
que sirviera de apoyo a esa buena muerte,
04:26
and what you think that architecture
that supports a good death might be like,
that supports a good death might be like,
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04:29
and mightn't it be a little less like this
and a little more like this?
and a little more like this?
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y si debería ser un poco menos de esto
o un poco más de aquello.
o un poco más de aquello.
04:34
Thank you.
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Gracias.
(Aplausos)
04:36
(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Alison Killing - ArchitectAn architect and urban designer, Alison Killing uses journalism, filmmaking and exhibitions to help people better understand the built environment.
Why you should listen
Alison Killing is an architect and urban designer working to engage people with their built environment, via design of buildings and urban strategies, film making, exhibitions and events. She explores the relationship between death and modern architecture, looking at how cities are rebuilt after disaster.
Recent projects include Death in the City (and its first iteration, Death in Venice, which was shown as an independent event during the opening week of the Venice Architecture Biennale), a touring exhibition about death and modern architecture; work with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies on better rebuilding after disaster and how to integrate relevant urban design tools into humanitarian response; and a study of financial models for arts and community projects temporarily using vacant buildings to help these projects become self-sustaining.
Alison Killing | Speaker | TED.com