22: Mena- A study in texture
I’ve been living in “Mena” for close to two years. From the first time crossing the doorstep, I was struck by the friendly atmosphere and soul within her walls.
Since then, plans for the demolition of Mena’s walls have been lodged. Despite a refusal for the moment, Mena’s eventual fate is to become rubble.
Many buildings of far more architectural significance have been brought down over time, with a variety of responses. Our lives take place within the walls- yet buildings are not mourned in the way that the loss of human life is. They are given no funeral, just swift reversion from their built form back to materials, and swifter transportation away from the site of demolition.
Knowing Mena’s fate has me looking closely at all of the imperfections, details, and textures. This is a small way of immortalising a building that has given a rich sense of home within the walls, for when her physical lifetime comes to an end.
Rather than “Saying a few words”- as one would for the funeral of a person, here is my eulogy- a study of textures that characterise Mena. Her “wrinkles”, if you will.
