Assemblage and Anticommunication: Strategies for Systemic Approaches to Spatial Design

In ‘The Expulsion of the Other’ (2018) Byung-Chul Han observes that a shift in the societal dynamics has taken place over the past century, and he argues that the once-mysterious ‘other’ has seen uniqueness and diversity eclipsed by an overwhelming trend of homogenisation, the collective pursuit of positivity, and the viral spread of sameness altering the fabric of contemporary societies. This phenomenon is particularly noticeable in the transformation of the ancient fishing village of Wolong in Kunming, Yunnan. What was once a vibrant and historically significant community has now become a tourist attraction catering to the aesthetics of social media. In the public art project ‘The Order of Things, Rivers and Mountains’, an attempt is made to revitalise the true spirit of the village in the face of the challenge of homogenization, reconnecting visitors with the village’s rich but fading heritage.

Systemic approaches to design provide insights into understanding the intertwined nature of activities, objects and environments, accentuating a shift in conceptualising design from dealing with objects to dealing with dynamic relations (Jones, 2014). The systemic design approach discussed in this study offers a non-linear perspective that aims at addressing the complex relations in design. Drawing upon the philosophies of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari, as well as insights from the cyberneticians Herbert Brün and Larry Richards, this paper explores the concepts of assemblage and anticommunication as a basis for systemic design and provides insights into the use of these concepts for the design of a public art installation.

Deleuze and Guattari’s concept of assemblage, described in ‘A Thousand Plateaus’ (1987), disrupts traditional hierarchical models, advocating for a dynamic, non-linear, and interconnected systemic approach. The integration of Brün’s and Richards’ cybernetic principles with Deleuze and Guattari’s theories offers a deeper understanding of systemic design’s potential to navigate and articulate the complex, dynamic interrelations within systems. In particular, this paper examines how cybernetics’ focus on feedback loops and adaptive systems intersects with Deleuze and Guattari’s concepts of deterritorialization and reterritorialization, enriching the discussion on anticommunication and its role in fostering innovative, adaptive interventions. Assemblage translates from the French ‘agencement’, which is rooted in Foucault’s notion of the ‘apparatus’ (dispositif). Apparatus emphasises a complex ‘whole’, stressing heterogeneity, dynamism and responsiveness, influenced by power relations (Foucault, 1980). Unlike apparatus, which tends to emphasise instrumentality and control in fixed structures, assemblage focuses on fluidity, change and the multiple connections and interactions between elements (Dovey, 2013). Acknowledging the complexity and evolutionary nature of social constructs, this approach provides a broader, less deterministic perspective on how systems work and interact with individual desires and social forces. The relationship between materiality and formal expression described in the first axis (on the horizontal axis) of the four-dimensional structure of assemblage as described by Deleuze and Guattari (1987, emphasising the interconnection and differentiation between the flow and interaction of objects and things in space, and the expression of meaning through language and expressive means. Flow is crucial. However, as noted by Phillips (2006), the term ‘assemblage’ in English does not fully capture the nuances of the French ‘agencement’, The dimension of agency, in terms of the facilitation of flow, gets lost.

In Deleuze and Guattari’s conception of the assemblage, the so-called second or vertical axis plays a crucial role (Deleuze and Guattari, 1987). This axis explores the dynamic relationship between deterritorialization and reterritorialization. While deterritorialization refers to the disruption of established social structures and spatial configurations, reterritorialization is the re-establishment of order and meaning in a new context. This process reflects the assemblage’s emphasis on fluidity, change, and multiple connections and interactions between different elements, which is complementary to the interconnections and distinctions between material and formal expressions emphasised in the first axis (the horizontal axis).

Within this framework, the concept of anticommunication proposed by Herbert Brün (1972) provides an important complement to assemblage. Anticommunication, as explained by Larry Richards, is the act of ‘composing asynchrony’ (2010), a process that emphasises the friction and conflicts of elements in systems that are not in sync with each other, thereby challenging the stability of the system, and facilitating new, multidimensional interactions and conversation within the system. Although Larry Richards and Herbert Brün have not discussed assemblage, nor have they used the terms deterritorialization and reterritorialization, their concepts offer valuable insights that can enrich the understanding of assemblage. The introduction of anticommunication could facilitate the integration of the processes of deterritorialization and reterritorialization by providing alternative ways of thinking and organising, which can be more effective in facilitating the flow between elements to deal with complex, non-linear systems compared to traditional assemblage approaches. Moreover, it offers a more dynamic and multidimensional framework for understanding assemblages that extends beyond the interactions of materiality and form to include the system’s interactions with individual desires and social forces. This is achieved by recognizing the non-linear dynamics and the potential for unexpected connections and outcomes within an assemblage. The observer, as proposed by Richards (2010), plays a crucial role in this process. Rather than being an external entity observing the system, the observer is conceived as an integral part of the system, actively participating in and influencing the dynamics of the system. This understanding is crucial in linking the domains of relation and dynamics to activate the vitality, complexity, and diversity of the system and fully realise the potential of assemblage. The integrative perspective is in line with Guattari’s eco-philosophical thinking (ecosophy), which emphasises the role of human subjectivity in reconceptualizing the relationship between humans and the environment (Shaw, 2015). Anticommunication can thus be seen as a concept that could serve to emphasise ‘agency’ in the system, but also stimulate its inherent dynamism and diversity.

Following the government’s restoration program in 2019, Wolong witnessed a profound transformation, symbolized by the deterritorialization of culture influenced by changes that resemble those described by Guy Debord in The Society of the Spectacle (1967). The village, nestled beneath Qixing Mountain and next to Dian Lake, has been transformed from a community carrying local memories and pastoral visions into a re-envisioned fishing village catering to the homogenized aesthetics of tourists and social media. This dramatic shift requires a reframing of the connections within the site to counter the capital-driven homogenization trends and to re-establish the relationships between visitors, man-made structures, culture, history, and the environment.

As we delve deeper, our project’s particular site within the village reveals a nuanced dialogue between the stillness of the present and the echoes of an active past. The quiet yet busy corner (see Fig. 1) presents a striking contrast between the tranquillity of the present and the vibrancy of the past. Here, we find old objects such as fading talismans, spider threads on the window, stained locks, gaps in rammed earth housing wasps, and the presence of ferns and moss recall a time of bustling activity. The old man-made things, intertwined with nature, create a poetic tableau that is rich in history and memory. This setting highlights the need for a design approach that enhances, preserves, and interacts with the rich memories, culture, and environmental elements. The role of the intervention here is to transform the visitor’s role from a mere observer to an active participant, fostering a deeper connection with the village and its evolving narrative.

‘The Order of Things, Rivers and Mountains’ project transcends traditional design narratives, embodying the essence of assemblage and anticommunication in an approach that challenges conventional forms of communication and interaction. This approach is not just an application of theory, but also a response to socio-political and environmental changes that echo the turbulent environments critiqued by Deleuze and Guattari, as well as Brün and Larry. The interventions mediate the village’s past, present, and potential futures, intertwining with the visitors’ experiences in a dialogue that transcends words.

As visitors navigate the space, they encounter the fishing net installation—a physical manifestation of assemblage and anticommunication – a fusion of diverse elements creating a new whole. This installation, while drawing from the traditional aesthetics of blue-green Chinese landscape painting, subverts expected forms of visual communication. From a large scale, the project adopts the approach of scenery construction, drawing from traditional Chinese aesthetics to relate to the scenery of Dian Lake and the nostalgic ‘Fishing Port Star Lights’ of Wolong Village (see Fig. 2). Utilising rammed earth walls as a canvas, blue-green fishing nets are draped to create brushstroke-like impressions, symbolically leading us to the shores of Dian Lake. The scenery, reminiscent of the lush greenery and reflective waters, mirrors the artistic essence of Wang Ximeng’s ‘A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains,’ (see Fig. 3) where distant mountains linger in ink-like hues, whispering to every inch of the land. In this context, the assemblage happened in the interplay of various elements – fishing nets, earth walls, ponds, vegetation, and man-made structures – collaboratively forming a vivid landscape painting. This is also where the theory of anticommunication becomes palpable—challenging visitors to engage with the installation beyond the surface level, to question and to wonder, engendering individual impressions from their interactions.

The design strategies implemented across the site are layered, each element placed to disrupt and stimulate interactions between existing elements and to construct a new order or territory. This non-linear approach continues into the construction phase, allowing for the interaction of different elements to energise the design and counteract the determinism typical of a linear design approach. We utilise the conflict and friction generated by anticommunication to create an installation that exceeds determinate purposes to spark visitors’ curiosity, encouraging them to stay and engage in dialogue with their surroundings, thus fostering a conversation between the observer and the site. Small interventions, such as artificial webs inspired by local spiders or the melodious sounds emerging from strategically hung objects, are not random but carefully thought-out manifestations (see Fig. 4). Moreover, by integrating objects with deep local resonance—talismans, tea sets, cookware, and fishing gear—into the installation (see Fig. 5), the project actively engages with the village’s socio-political and environmental contexts. These elements, remnants of the village’s evolving narrative, serve not just as decorative pieces but as catalysts to an unknown communication. They break conventional communicative norms and expectations (anticommunication), disrupting established patterns (deterritorialization). Their unexpected presence challenges visitors to explore, to connect, and to participate in the ongoing story of Wolong. It is in this interaction, that the distinction between observer and participant blurs, as each visitor becomes an integral component of the assemblage, contributing to its continual redefinition. The reterritorialization aspect can be explored in the way these installations invite visitors to form new meanings and connections with the site, redefining their relationship with the environment.

The same strategy is applied to the shaping and presents of the fishing net (see Fig. 6). It aims to attract engagement through unique and unexpected forms. As visitors approach, they discover scattered objects within the nets and poetic verses hidden on the leaves. The aim is to transform visitors into active participants, offering a moment to step back from the spectacle and deeply engage with something that appears strange - an ‘other’. Outsiders become insiders. The integration of visitors into a ‘within’ is crucial in linking the domains of relation and dynamics to activate the vitality, complexity, and diversity of the system and fully realise the potential of assemblage.

The project embodies a dynamic interaction between the physical environment and its inhabitants, where the principles of assemblage foster connections among diverse elements, creating a cohesive whole. Meanwhile, anticommunication strategies challenge conventional engagement, inviting visitors to explore deeper meanings and engage in multidimensional dialogues. Together, these approaches ensure Wolong’s heritage is dynamically preserved and made accessible for future generations, illustrating the project’s foundational theories in action.