letícia lampert is a brazilian artist, designer and photographer whose work is currently focused on how architectural features affects people’s behaviors and how cities’ growth changes our relation with the landscape. in this series, titled ‘the living archaeology of private life’, she carefully documents the demolishing actions scheduled to happen in large residential areas in chinese cities such as shanghai. 

 

 

拆 [chai] 
video courtesy of letícia lampert

 

 

leticia lampert‘s photographic series reveals ideograms, sprayed unto building walls, announcing that soon nothing will remain. the recurrence and scale of these scenes astonishes the passersby; this is the so-called progress establishing itself with the rush of those who have no time to lose. and amidst those debris, almost as a final breath, signs of private life which are now exposed  to the public invites people to fill those sites with invented memories while one can still witness them.

letícia lampert documents the living archaeology of private life in china
the 拆 [chai] character announces what soon will be demolished

 

 

besides the photographic series,  this project lead to 拆 [chai] —  a self-published photobook in offset print with an edition of 200 copies. the book is organized with a loose binding where the sheets are just bent together allowing the viewer to open it all and recombine the images in different ways.

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ideograms sprayed on building walls reveal that soon, nothing will remain

arqui10
exposing remnants of a private life, turning architecture into memory

letícia lampert documents the living archaeology of private life in china
signs of private life unveiled behind the damaged walls

letícia lampert documents the living archaeology of private life in china
the inside of a former residence

letícia lampert documents the living archaeology of private life in china
private posters exposed

letícia lampert documents the living archaeology of private life in china
details of a house decoration

 letícia lampert documents the living archaeology of private life in china
a house just being demolished

letícia lampert documents the living archaeology of private life in china
the recurrence and scale of the documented graphics astonishes passersby

letícia lampert documents the living archaeology of private life in china
the character 拆 [chāi] sprayed on the walls

letícia lampert documents the living archaeology of private life in china
detais of a house decoration

letícia lampert documents the living archaeology of private life in china
details of a former house decoration covered by a peeled paint

letícia lampert documents the living archaeology of private life in china
拆 [chai], a self-published photobook in offset print with an edition of 200 copies

 

 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: lea zeitoun | designboom