Towards A Queer Gothic Utopia

Utopia: Imaginary variations on themes and exigencies defined by the real as understood in the broadest sense, by the problems posed by reality and by the virtualities held within it”  

(Henri Lefebvre ,1961)  

Too often perceived as boisterous experiments for idealistic scenarios, utopias are disregarded as fictitious narratives of the impossible. Yet French philosopher and influential sociologist Henri Lefebvre argued that in order to extend the possible we must first strive for what is impossible (Lefebvre,1976 [1973] p.36). In other words, utopian visions are not merely a construct of fantasy, but they respond to the here and now. Utopias do not necessarily lock down futures but instead they can create better ones (Pinder, 2015 p.30).  

The origin of the word ‘Utopia’ is traced back to the middle ages and based on the Greek ou ‘not’ and topos ‘place’. It was first used in Thomas Moore book ‘Utopia’ in 1517. In his medieval book Thomas Moore envisioned a fictional island with its own unique laws, customs and urban systems. A century prior, Christine de Pizan published ‘The Book of the City of Ladies’ -a tale of a city built by and for women. If Moore’s ‘Utopia’ was a critique of early colonialism and the disproportionate distribution of wealth, Pizan’s book was a powerful critique of ancient patriarchal systems and a rejection of the superiority of the ruling male. What these two literary pieces denote is an adept critique of their respective presents and a representation of an alternative future.  

Thus, in response to London’s declining LGBTQ+ spaces the project proposes a utopian narrative for the city by casting Strawberry Hill as the main protagonist. Alongside a series of temporary events and interventions, Strawberry hill is re-imagined as an incubator of subversive queer space for London, through the aesthetic lens of Horace Walpole. This profound ‘fabrication of queerness’ will then taken back to the city and transplanted elsewhere.

Horace’s adaptation of Gothic extended beyond sheer aesthetic aspirations and presented an opposition towards the status-quo. Therefore, it is appropriate that Horace’s Neo-Gothic style is reclaimed as a spatial protest against heteronormative architecture and the developments that overshadow the LGBTQ+ community. By studying and manipulating key characteristics of the Neo-Gothic this project creates a hybrid architectural style, that better represents the flamboyant community that it serves.[8] 

As the wider narrative unfolds, the proposed architectural interventions at Strawberry hill and beyond establish London as a ‘queer island in its own orbit’, a safe space, where unconventional lifestyles and various identities can flourish. In consequence, the project's narrative challenges traditional city-making practices by offering the LGBTQ+ community a centre stage in the planning agenda.