Emmy Bacharach

Proxy architecture operates at the intersection of physical and virtual space. The project explores the potential of virtual space for different forms of social interaction, freedom of expression and communication. It imagines an alternative digital network in Istanbul, a dynamic mesh network that takes shape in existing spaces: cybercafes around the city. The mesh network, which can be formed between individual routers without backbone infrastructure, proposes greater freedom for grassroots communication, while the increasing possibilities of virtual reality open up new spatial and architectural opportunities. Questioning the mono-narrative of the physical city and political climate, the virtual world is a fragmented Istanbul, de-constructing elements of the city and creating moments of conflict, suspension and dissolution. The project suggests the role of architecture in spatialising and giving form to the digital space of social networks.