ABSTRACT
The title “Unmasking Urban Traces” refers to a mode of operation on the city where everyday signs of life, culture, and tradition are unmasked in meaningful ways. The urban environment is largely being designed through incremental patterns of use and adaptation. “Unmasking” or exposing is a kind of urban archeology where latent mysteries of the city are unearthed. While architectural discourse has been developing its own language and concerns within the discipline, the built environment has been largely shaped by the decisions of people who are not architects. Methods should be forged so those trained in the art of designing spaces can be empowered to address the mundane problems facing our cities today. We need to see advocacy and education as an equal part of our architectural mission, parallel to the development of methods for using new materials and form generation.
