The Casino

The 'House' of Value

Nadia Laubscher

BArch Hons 2021

Supervisors:
Unit Leader: Thireshen Govender
Unit Leader: Jiaxin Gong
Unit Tutor: Sarah Harding

UNIT 14^︎︎︎
Rogue Economies - Trade Roots: HOME

As human beings we find value and appreciation in objects that we find admirable and appealing. These values are unique to each individual as they are influenced by our personal exposures and experiences in life. The Auction House acts as medium to determine the value of objects but can also act as a deceitful space; with a strong sense of appreciation towards an object the instinct and desire to protect, authenticate and secure arises. Certain architectural elements have made us vulnerable to deceit such as the modern casino. The word ‘Casino’ in Italian directly translates to ‘House’ and originated and evolved from the domestic lounge space. Many cities have turned to gambling casinos as a way to jumpstart economic growth and development. Similar leisure and entertainment typologies have become essential for a city to remain attractive for large scale private investments. Shopping malls symbolise lavish lifestyles. Theatres and art galleries symbolise sophistication. But what makes casinos stand out is how they embody all of these hyper consumer spaces and typologies for profit. This project seeks to uncover the elements and layers of deceit and ‘set design’ that makes up the architecture of these exclusive spaces.

Keywords:
Value, Deceit, Profit, Desire

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