Decoding the Nearby: Reframing the Nearby Part 1 Project 2023 Shucen Liu Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University | China The 21st-century digital revolution, driven by technology and capital, has reshaped our perception of reality, weaving us into digital ’circles‘ governed by algorithms and instant gratification. This shift has led to a decline in traditional community values, fostering isolation and individualism, and eroding societal solidarity. At the heart of this issue lies the 'Society of Spectacle,' a concept by philosopher Guy Debord, where the consumption of images and messages dominates, disconnecting us from our true desires and the tangible world.The site on Shi Quan Street, Gu Su District, Suzhou, is marked by diverse local residents and young, trendy shop-goers. Despite shared spaces, the 'spectacle' drives a wedge between these users. By challenging the 'spectacle', architecture can foster inclusivity and community life, nurture human and ecological links, counteracting the widespread disconnection of the ’spectacle'. Architecture, as an interface, can initiate genuine connections between humans, as well as natural and material environments.This project has been developed in two phases on the same site. In the first phase, a situationist ‘drift’ (dérive) strategy is adopted. Following the idea of ‘détournement,’ shifts in perception are initiated. The second phase adopts the strategy of assemblage to return meaning to existing spaces and opportunities for the creation of meaning to the inhabitants of Shi Quan Street. Shucen Liu Tutor(s) Claudia Westermann