Artificial Lands: Exploring Desires Through an Ever Changing Garden of Pleasure THE EXTRACT
Extracting from Term1 the idea of a journey throughout the rolling shape of the landscape remains ever present. The interest of a changing topography, a unique experience, evolved and lead the project towards the introduced Site – Devil’s Dyke - and the column, representing a medium between oneselve and the landscape.
THE DEVICE
Site Investigation
The “agricultural” device allows the user to extract a reading of the geography at the site, the poles are then aligned with the topography of the measured line, subsequently the poles reflect the landscape they assess. The column represents the physical interaction between the landscape and the device itself as the two intertwine to become a singular project. Back in the studio this reflection allows the reader to partly attach the device to the drawing table and reproduce an accurate representation of the natural features of the site.
SINKING GROUNDS
The idea of changing landscapes became central to the concept of the device, inspiring an investigation of the intimate relationship between the
device and the terrain. The physical capability of the device to sink into the land in order to alter the geography to provide an unique interpretation of changing landscapes and perceptions
FIELD STUDY I - Devil‘s Dyke
SITE INVESTIGATIONS
FIELD STUDY II - New Haven Forthill
2016 Studio02 Tutor: Charlotte Erckrath, Frederik Petersen
On site investigations were a key step as they examine the changing landscape providing a powerful symbol of a changing world, especially looking into the transition between the stable man made conditions of the surface compared to the rugged terrain of the natural landscape, the evaluation of the conditions below and the projection above.
for logbook and portfolio online see: https://issuu.com/alexandrastefaniagamrot/docs/2015-16_level6_studio02_term2_artif
The construction of the proposed landscape created using the measurements taken from the device and applied to create a representation from a silicone skin.
Artificial Lands: Exploring Desires Through an Ever Changing Garden of Pleasure
ARTIFICIAL LAND
As part of the site construction an artificial landscape will be necessary at Devil’s Dyke, due to the natural ground conditions prooving too stable to allow the sinking in. The artificial landscape consists of a silicon skin cushion, filled with chalk, mud and soil to create optimal conditions, not only for the weights to alter the terrain but crucially to allow vegetation to grow.
The measured landscape of the site using an artificial silicone skin to allow the weights chosen to sink more easily into the ground. Recordings and test results from sites at both Devil’s Dyke and New Haven appear to support this decision.
2016 Studio02 Tutor: Charlotte Erckrath, Frederik Petersen
for logbook and portfolio online see: https://issuu.com/alexandrastefaniagamrot/docs/2015-16_level6_studio02_term2_artif
Artificial Lands: Exploring Desires Through an Ever Changing Garden of Pleasure
The weight as a phantom.
THE WEIGHTS
The sinking weights were developed through a careful process in order to allow the weights to be inhabited, the construction process involved defining negatively constructed space through a silicone mesh wrapped around a wax base, allowing the sphere to widen and creating openings within the weights. All based around a grid that works as a structural support before dipping the design into plaster chalk and melting the wax within to create an inhabitable cavity.
2016 Studio02 Tutor: Charlotte Erckrath, Frederik Petersen
for logbook and portfolio online see: https://issuu.com/alexandrastefaniagamrot/docs/2015-16_level6_studio02_term2_artif
Representation of the tactile and visual conditions within the weight.
Artificial Lands: Exploring Desires Through an Ever Changing Garden of Pleasure
THE CHOREOGRAPHY The device – the architecture would be the primary cause of any alterations found in the landscape as is the purpose of the device to create such substantial shifts through the different poles individual moment, making a unique choreography between the components of the device itself as well as the interaction with the earth itself. The independence of the relationships between each weight and the respective sections of artificial skin is highlighted as thinner parts of the skin may tear as the skin reaches its elastic limits.
THE CUT Focusing on the behaviour of the skin as it approached the limits of its elasticity, the changes that took place to the skin as it experiences greater stress. Particular attention was paid to the changes taking place on the inner layer of skin as this would have a more direct impact on the conditions of the natural environment below, a continuation of this theme persisted with attention regarding the effects of a permanent cut on the skin itself, whether the skins elasticity was maintained throughout.
1. + 5.
Relaxed
2.
Sinking
3.
Sinking
4. Breaking through
The shifting grounds within the artificial land
To provide a greater understanding of the relationships between the skin and the weights an imitation of the interaction was created. The result allowed for far more detailed analysis of the skin’s response to the weights’ sinking and cutting, ergo a more comprehensive knowledge of how the device would behave in a natural environment.
2016 Studio02 Tutor: Charlotte Erckrath, Frederik Petersen
for logbook and portfolio online see: https://issuu.com/alexandrastefaniagamrot/docs/2015-16_level6_studio02_term2_artif
Artificial Lands: Exploring Desires Through an Ever Changing Garden of Pleasure
THE SINKING PLAY Diverse study of the changes within the topography.
Stable - Sinking
Sinking - Stable - Sinking
Stable - Sinking continued
Sinking - Sinking - Sinking
Stable - Breaking through
Stable - Sinking - Sinking
Sinking - Cut
Stable - Sinking - Stable
2016 Studio02 Tutor: Charlotte Erckrath, Frederik Petersen
for logbook and portfolio online see: https://issuu.com/alexandrastefaniagamrot/docs/2015-16_level6_studio02_term2_artif
Artificial Lands: Exploring Desires Through an Ever Changing Garden of Pleasure ENVIROMENTAL CONDITION The constructed weights sinking into the ground can be entered only if they are touching the skin. As they sink deeper into the land the programmatic use is - besides the recreation of a changing landscape experienced through the sinking and adaptation of the supple ground - allowing optimal conditions for life to begin, specifically the growth of a vineyard. To ensure this it is necessary for the site to have a functional drainage system to allow the water to flow to the vineyard as well as interact with the changing landscapes created by the shifting weights. As well as this sunlight must be able to enter the site in order to provide nourishmentv for the horticulture within, this system would be constantly effected by the movement of the weights, controlled from the inside of the cocoon itself.
VENTILATION The stack effect allowing air flow within the phantom.
DRANAGE SYSTEM Tilting ground allow water to be directed to the cut into the layer of the artificial land. The water is drained through the ggrounds, nourishing it and eventually draining into the existent chalk ground. Allowing it to shape into a softer condition which may allow the weights to sink further beyond the diameter of the artificial landscape, leaving permanent imprints at the grounds of Devil‘s Dyke.
Water flow entering the artificial ground.
Water passing through the artificial ground entering and softening the existent land in order to allow the permanent imprint.
2016 Studio02 Tutor: Charlotte Erckrath, Frederik Petersen
for logbook and portfolio online see: https://issuu.com/alexandrastefaniagamrot/docs/2015-16_level6_studio02_term2_artif
Artificial Lands: Exploring Desires Through an Ever Changing Garden of Pleasure
Proposal Section A Scale 1:33
2016 Studio02 Tutor: Charlotte Erckrath, Frederik Petersen
for logbook and portfolio online see: https://issuu.com/alexandrastefaniagamrot/docs/2015-16_level6_studio02_term2_artif
Artificial Lands: Exploring Desires Through an Ever Changing Garden of Pleasure
Proposal Section B Scale 1:33
2016 Studio02 Tutor: Charlotte Erckrath, Frederik Petersen
for logbook and portfolio online see: https://issuu.com/alexandrastefaniagamrot/docs/2015-16_level6_studio02_term2_artif