Castelvecchio, Carlo Scarpa, Verona Italy
When first given this project, we were paired into groups of two and the main goal was to study Carlo Scarpa and how we worked with adding to the Castelvecchio. His abilities for small details either with the use of different materials, the transition between outside and inside, the placement of sculptures and artwork, and the spaces between the new and the old is what really connected the project as one and transitioned through the different spaces as smoothly as possible. Throughout this project, I learned the importance of how small details can not only connect new from old, but create this seamless transition between spaces that Carlo Scarpa did well within all of his project.
Displaced Spectacle, University of Virginia
When first given this project, we were given a choice of stories written by Edgar Allen Poe. I choose the Balloon Hoax, and the basic essence behind this story was Poe describing an air balloon, how it worked, what material it was made out of, and how to fly it. Two men bravely took on the journey of flying over the Atlantic to the United States, and within the story described their feelings and problems the overcame, but in the end, as a typical Poe story, we found out that this story was a lie.
From there I began to imagine myself within this hot air balloon, and was specifically interested in the rise and the fall that the hot air balloon would take and the views that one would see, and I was interested in the aspect of the spoken word and how it travels. To study this, I made a video documenting through different materials how the vibrations of someones voice will react to it. To emulate the idea of travel in the hot air balloon, I made paper cut outs and took photos of different vantage points and how light pours through them.
Our site was using the location of the range, where Poe's room is held, and the program was to hold the president of the Raven Club with a bedroom, bathroom, salon, archive, and a library for more public use of study.
With the previous studies, I wanted to implement the use of water to distort light and sound from the public to private spaces. I added a reflecting pool that spanned the length of the range connecting my building to the poe room. I wanted to carve into the earth to represent the idea of decent from the hot air balloon, and almost entering into the realm of poe-esque mentalities. When you walk down the stairs you enter into an open courtyard that leads you into a reading room. This is the most public form opened to the public. You are led by the light distortions of the water to more private spaces like the salon and ending with the scholars room.
Makers Grand Stand, University of Virginia
With this project, we were standing on the base of Madison Bowl and given the name which is Makers Grand Stand. With that I immediately thought of the idea of spectatorship and how movements, regardless of the sport, is specifically choreographed. The most specific to movement, that I could think of, is ballet and the strategic movements they take not only in performance but with the simple action of breaking in their shoes.
With this video, I realized the underlying tone of angst that the ballerina has with her shoes, but it is done in order to get the beautiful forms of seamless ribbon, a beautifully arched foot, and the capability to grip the floor she is on. From that point I made a series of energy studies, both in model and sketches, showing the energy movements from the site, and also implementing energy taken from the ballerina.
From this point, it was time to create a form out of these many lines, with the goal to make it organic and free but also keep that angst. The program given to us was creating makers spaces, which is a place where people can come to learn a new skill, a library, a cafe, a conference room, and material storage space. With that notion, I created a series of free standing walls with the idea that on one side one could be cobbling ones shoe, while on the other someone could be on point, and continuing down this linear path you see different forms of movement and preforms making you a common spectator, also creating this idea that the architecture is activated by the maker. As you walk down the stairs you enter into more generic spaces like the library and cafe, but there are also openings to polished concrete courtyards where one can practice outside during a nice day or sit and watch, once again as a spectator.
