Istanbul's Adhocracy

Joseph Grima (as curator) together with Ethel Baraona Pohl, Elian Stefa and Pelin Tan presented in the Greek Galata School (close to Istanbul Modern) a part of this year's Istanbul design biennial under the title Adhocracy; the show emphasized emblematically, in more than one way, the relationship between architectural practices and ad hoc strategies that prioritize informal, atypical productions of space.

Some different categories of such ad hoc mechanisms are found in the show: the most extended number of examples included DIY-like objects done with recycled material, instruction manuals that could bring them to light, or objects done by following such instructions.


Enzo Mari's furniture were produced by following his instructions booklet produced during the 60s; two chairs a table and a bookshelf were constructed for Adhocracy out of Mari's Do It Yourself manual.

Marjetica Potrč constructed a series of micro air vehicles.

Pedro Reyes presented recycled system of mexican weapons that constituted in their new forms music instruments. A music performance with the instruments took also place.

The Antonas office presented a series of reused inhabited old vehicles that also could form populations while hosting "communities"; the vehicles here are not always understood as mobile, their accumulation does not need intermediary or communal spaces. Archaeologies of found material and management of living (in a society that misses already the common structures of the past) are presented as the same procedure. After their first presentation by Ethel Baraona Pohl on dpr barcelona some important DIY sites reposted the material for their followers, considering the plans and sections as an open call for an idiosyncratic "vehicle bricolage".

- More antonas