Symposium: Lived Interiors: narratives and memories

As Found Network. Thematic Track Narrative.
Host: Trace research group
Dates (29)-30 April 2025
Location: Hasselt, Belgium
Organisers: Nusrat Ritu and Bie Plevoets
Deadline for submissions: February 1st 2025 (more info below)

Scope

Interiors occupy a unique space between permanence and change. They are at once ephemeral — adapting to the needs of their users — and enduring — carrying forward the traces of lives lived within them. Yet, the term “historical interior” in the context of reuse or restoration conjures the image of a still room belonging to a specific period, untouched by time. In contrast, a lived interior embraces the continuous interaction between the past and present, where each historical layer informs and enriches the current space. Lived interiors act as repositories of stories; they link past lives to the present, weaving a fabric of continuity that elevates the space with a sense of belonging. This symposium focuses on this lived aspect of the interior and its translation into reuse practices.

As the layer of architecture that is most intimately experienced by users, the lived interior accumulates and evolves, resulting from the layered authorship of designers and users. These accumulated memories and narratives manifest tangibly in the soft layers of interiors — such as furniture, objects, and materiality (woodwork, carpentry, earthen reliefs, etc.), and intangibly in the embedded practices and social rituals occurring within. Despite being charged with meanings and associations, the fragility of these layers means that they are often challenging to preserve and carry forward in restorative practices, leading to a loss of cultural depth.

Centred around the thematic track of “Narratives,” this symposium explores how (personal and collective) memories embedded in lived interiors are central to understanding their historical and cultural value and how they can be preserved, represented, and activated in contemporary design practices. Three key areas are identified:

Reading and Representation - How do we read and unravel the narratives embedded in the lived interior? What sort of lexicon begins to emerge when unravelling them? What tools or methodologies can represent these narratives - drawings, models, creative writing, sound, etc?
Activating Memory - The traces left by former users—fragments, patinas, oral histories, and written records—offer a way to engage with the memory of interiors. How can these elements be preserved and activated in design to create spaces that connect past and present meaningfully?
Designing with Memory - How do we design spaces and objects that allow us to encapture the memory of the place? How do we, as practitioners, create room for user appropriation, juxtaposition of material traces, and dynamic interrelationships (between users, materials, and context)?

We invite papers, case studies, and creative contributions that explore these themes in relation to the lived interior, especially those that propose new methodologies or innovative ways of thinking about interior reuse and preservation.

Abstract

Submissions must be compiled into a single PDF document and include the following: an abstract of no more than 400 words clearly outlining the topic, objectives, and relevance of your work; up to 3 images labelled and referenced appropriately within the document; the full names of all contributing authors along with their affiliations (institution, department, and location); and a short bio of approximately 100 words for each author. The document should be submitted as a single PDF file, and emailed to asfound.network@uhasselt.be with the subject line ‘Lived Interiors Abstract Submission’ no later than February 1st 2025.