A research on mobile architecture through 20th century utopian megastructure approaches: Yona Friedman's 'the spatial city' as a case study

This thesis investigates the understanding of mobile architecture of 20th-century techno-utopian megastructure pioneers. In this research, firstly, the concepts of mobile and mobility are examined and then concepts such as flexibility, portability, adaptation, and modularity are examined in the context of mobile architecture. In this context, the types, forms, scales, reasons for the emergence and effects of the concept of mobile architecture have been examined and the role of the architect has been questioned throughout the process. The state of being mobile has always been an obligation in evolutionary terms for human survival. The increasing population, migration and developing technology have also increased the mobility of people. The increasing density and decreasing living standards, especially in the cities after the Second World War, led the architects to search for a new understanding of the city. The fixed and rigid rules of the modern movement couldn't be the solution to the problems in the cities. The architects of the period 1950-1970 attempted to bring the city together in spatial sense, which is increasingly dense. In this period, the optimism towards technology has led the architects to design megastructure projects. The megastructure projects designed in this context have remained utopian since they are very radical and provocative. The concept of mobile architecture has been focused on the projects of megastructure pioneers that emerged in this period, and the role of the architect has been questioned in the process. Yona Friedman has adopted the philosophy of user freedoms as the main principle in the context of mobile architecture. Therefore, his approach was different among other megastructure pioneers, Yona Friedman and his megastructure project Spatial City is examined as a case study. To sum up, it can be said that mobile architecture is not just a movement-oriented approach; it can be understood and defined in many ways. However, in the thesis, the focus was on the philosophy of freedom of the users in the context of mobile architecture.