The Nieuwe Meer Arena

The Nieuwe Meer Arena: Pacification through Games

Frankin, Christiaan (TU Delft Architecture and the Built Environment)

Smidihen, H. (mentor)
Mulder, K.B. (mentor)
Konstantinou, T. (mentor)

Delft University of Technology

Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences | Complex Projects

2018-07-11

The coming years will see automation and demographic shifts cause a dramatic change in the economics and society of the Netherlands. A Universal Basic Income will be unavoidable. This will result in a large segment of the population existing without a sense of competition to provide fulfilment in people’s life.
The provision of arbitrary conflicts through games will be an important
strategy to pacify the masses. This is a principal that can be seen throughout
history, and is epitomised in Rome’s coloseum as a principal mediator
for leisure for the masses and the casino’s of Las Vegas today.
As Amsterdam continues to grow, and Schiphol and the Zuidas will
further densify and intensify, the Nieuwe Meer and its surroundings,
too will be used more intensively. Particularly the north shore of the lake
will be developed heavily and feature a number of leisure and entertainment
facilities. Here, thoroughly captivatingentertainment is made available to
the masses through the hosting of spectacles showing primal, visceral,
and real experiences. The inclusion of the spectator as a participant in
the spectacle further contributes to the creation of arbitrary conflicts
that provide fulfilment to people’s lives. Consequently, potential unrest
is pacified and order is maintained, without any use of force, censorship,
or the restriction of any freedoms imposed on society.

Arena
Pacification
Social Control
Stadium

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:46c9e113-2b5e-404c-8115-84da132a04d5

52.20, 4.49

Student theses

master thesis

© 2018 Christiaan Frankin