The Third Ruins

ARCH 672 Propositions 51

The Third Ruins
Tao Chou
Lars Gräbner

The purpose of museum collections has shifted, along with museum architecture and meaning.  But when visiting history museums, have you ever wondered why these artifacts are there? Issues like looted art, exclusionary architecture, and colonial-era acquisitions remain neglected. My aim is to critique these issues. Once artifacts are returned and the symbols of colonialism are deconstructed, what will be the future of museums?

I envision the Humboldt Forum as an artifact itself, undergoing a 100-year deconstruction into "The Third Ruins." This process of deconstruction, critique, and the return of historical items will become part of the exhibition and a manifesto.   

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