Oakland Metamorphosis delves into the socio-spatial consequences of gentrification and alienation in Oakland, a city divided by sprawling highways and expressways. Inspired by Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, the project uses the metaphor of transformation to explore the disintegration of the urban fabric, highlighting how industrialization, media, and urbanization foster alienation. The project is structured into four chapters, each representing a stage of social interaction:

Dwelling – The Sisyphean act of finding and maintaining a home, reflecting the endless struggle and displacement caused by gentrification.

Socializing – The performance of identity, where social labels become masks that conceal the true self, influenced by the pressures of media and societal expectations.

Working – The alienation inherent in modern work, where the value of labor is separated from the worker’s identity, and career advancement is governed by external forces.

Social Production – Society as both producer and consumer of values, where societal issues are commodified, and social concerns are packaged for public consumption.

Through these chapters, the project critiques how urbanization and industrialization shape human identity, pushing for greater awareness of the societal issues embedded in urban spaces like Oakland.