Alison Killing: There’s a better way to die, and architecture can help
Alison Killing: Er is een betere manier om dood te gaan, en architectuur kan daaraan bijdragen
An architect and urban designer, Alison Killing uses journalism, filmmaking and exhibitions to help people better understand the built environment. Full bio
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about death and architecture.
over de dood en architectuur.
of infectious diseases like pneumonia,
aan infectieziekten als longontsteking,
would take us away quite quickly.
in ons eigen bed, verzorgd door familie.
in our own beds, looked after by family,
lacked access to medical care.
toegang hadden tot medische zorg.
veranderde er veel.
a lot of things changed.
als penicilline,
konden genezen.
those infectious diseases.
like x-ray machines were invented.
als röntgenapparaten werden uitgevonden.
so big and expensive,
buildings to keep them in,
gebouwen staan.
universal healthcare systems
algemene gezondheidszorg op,
treatment could get it.
from about 45 at the start of the century
van 45 jaar aan het begin van de eeuw,
optimism about what science could offer,
over wat de wetenschap kon bieden,
death was forgotten,
alleen op het leven en niet op de dood,
veranderende aanpak van de dood.
changed dramatically.
I've been looking at these changes
deze veranderingen bekeken
in relatie tot de dood.
related to death and dying.
of cancer and heart disease,
aan kanker of hartaandoeningen.
will have a long period of chronic illness
chronisch ziek zijn
in hospitals and hospices and care homes.
hospices en zorginstellingen doorbrengen.
in een ziekenhuis geweest.
and the endless corridors
en die eindeloze gangen
has earned its bad reputation.
haar slechte reputatie verdiend.
niet altijd zo.
it wasn't always like this.
built in 1419 by Brunelleschi,
gebouwd in 1419 door Brunelleschi,
and influential architects of his time.
invloedrijkste architecten van die tijd.
and then think about hospitals today,
hoe ziekenhuizen er nu uitzien,
this building's ambition.
van dit gebouw.
have daylight and fresh air,
en frisse lucht hebben.
and they have high ceilings,
en hoge plafonds,
more comfortable to be in.
om in te verblijven.
that that's even possible for a hospital.
zoiets ook nog bij een ziekenhuis kan.
for dying, then we have to talk about it,
moeten we erover praten,
of death uncomfortable,
ongemakkelijk vinden,
als samenleving de dood benaderen.
as a society approach death.
most in my research, though,
het meest verbaasd
werd er geprotesteerd in het dorp.
there were protests in the local village.
and 99.8 percent of people got buried.
wordt driekwart gecremeerd.
three quarters of us get cremated.
to changing things
om dingen te veranderen
to talk about them.
about death and architecture
tijdens mijn eerste tentoonstelling,
when I did my first exhibition on it
die "Dood in Venetië" heette.
which was called "Death in Venice."
mee bezig zouden zijn.
literally engage with it.
een interactieve kaart van Londen
which is an interactive map of London
van de gebouwen in de stad
of the real estate in the city
van de gebouwen en begraafplaatsen.
the building or cemetery, is revealed.
was a series of postcards
was een serie ansichtkaarten
and hospitals
of the different spaces
van verschillende ruimtes
on either side of death.
aan beide kanten van de dood.
that where we die
waar we doodgaan
hoe we doodgaan.
that visitors reacted to the exhibition,
van de bezoekers aan de expositie,
and running and jumping
the exhibits in different ways,
op verschillende manieren op te starten,
stopten ze min of meer.
they would kind of stop
an exhibition about death,
bij een expositie waren over de dood.
how you're supposed to act.
anders moesten gedragen.
whether there is one way
of er een manier is
about what you think a good death is,
wat je een goede dood vindt,
that supports a good death might be like,
die een goede dood ondersteunt.
and a little more like this?
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