Unseen World
Unseen World
Unseen World School of the Unseen World in Richmond, Virginia Undergraduate Thesis: 2008-2009 Anna Gribanova Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University School of Architecture + Design Bachelor of Architecture Blacksburg, Virginia USA
School of the Unseen World Undergraduate Thesis
Anna Gribanova
This thesis could not have been written without Markus Breitschmid, who not only served as my advisor but also encouraged and challenged me throughout the academic program. He and my secondary advisor, Michael Ermann, guided me through the entire thesis process, never accepting less than my best effort. I thank them both. I am also greatly indebted to a number of people: my parents, Olga and Andrei Gribanov, my sister Tonya Gribanova, who always give me encouragement and support; my grandma, Raisa Vedischeva for inspiring me without even knowing it; my studio: Jeremy Keagy, Andrew Montgomery, Jessica Prostko, Zachary Secor, Steven Townsend, Meredith Williams and Sophia Zelov; all the wonderful people I have met while studying at Virginia Tech and especially: my roommate Nemma Awol, Maria Josefina Barreix, Joanna Beilman, my coffee buddy Jon Gaines, amazing ‘rockite pourers’ Allyn Hughes and Jessie Gemmer, Sue Lee, Ryan Patterson, Erik Stange, Jessica Turrin, and many more; Yann Tiersen for enthralling music; Juhani Pallasmaa for wise words; and the triplets from Columbia Lighthouse: Nicholas, Leonardo and Esteban. Words alone cannot express what I owe for your encouragement, patience and love, which enabled me to complete this thesis.
Contents
Inspiration School of the Unseen World Dreamworld Reflection Works Consulted
The ultimate meaning of any building is beyond architecture; it directs our consciousness back to the world and towards our own sense of self and being. Juhani Pallasmaa
Inspiration
07.07.08 Esteban is 9 years old. He is one of the triplets. His brothers, Leonardo and Nicholas, are blind too. He likes ‘the sound game’, loud recognizable noises, music, and playing piano. He enjoys the tingling feeling cold metal leaves on his hand. He says that one day he will build a house out of metal. He perceives dark. Remembers the texture of the door that once was instead of the existing one. He likes the coldness of a coke can. His favorite subject in school is Physical Education. He especially likes running. He knows Braille and types the fastest out of his brothers. He likes swimming but scared of water. He likes the sound of a water fountain and the ice-cold water on his tongue. He is fascinated by motors and believes that the soap dispenser has an eye. He is scared of the sound the paper towel dispenser makes and doesn’t like the fact that you have to waive to it. He enjoys the vibration a piano makes. He remembers everything. His brothers call him Esti. 07.08.08 While playing the ‘sound game’, Esti puts it close to his left eye as to see the flashing red light that flickers when he wins. We ran back from the cafeteria through the parking lot. Esti wanted to be the first one back into the room to play with ‘the sound game’. 07.09.08 Esti likes clear cups. He puts them close to his eyes and says, “I like it, because I can see through it”. He asked me how I could see so far. 07.10.08 We went for a walk around campus. Strolling hand in hand, he asked me to describe everything I see. As he listened, he was looking up imagining. We passed construction workers that were fixing up the road. Esti liked the sound the big machine made. He trusted me enough not to use his cane. Any sign that I saw on the road I had to read, describe and guess the material it was made out of. He wanted to feel every metal we confronted. 07.11.08 And we played sounds. But they were not just sounds, we were drawing with them. I drew a thunder and it started raining. Esteban saw it and agreed. He asked me to show raindrops again. The reverberations of these simple notes transformed the piano into a canvas. We were dreaming together. Dreaming of a perfect rain, perfect raindrop and perfect sound. notes from Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind Summer Camp 2008
Allegory of the Five Senses GĂŠrard de Lairesse (1668; Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum) sight is the reclining boy with a convex mirror hearing is represented by the boy with a triangle smell is represented by the girl with flowers taste is represented by the woman with the fruit touch is represented by the woman holding the bird
During the Renaissance, the five senses were understood to form a hierarchical system from the highest sense of vision down to touch. The Reinassance system of the senses was related with the image of the cosmic body; vision was correlated to fire and light, hearing to air; smell to vapour; taste to water; and touch to earth.3 Today vision is considered to be a privileged sociable sense. Usually ignored by the code of culture, other senses such as hearing, touch and smell are considered to be archaic and private. This separation of the senses could be seen in architecture where a space becomes a series of isolated images. The building becomes an object. An exterior image and overall form are more important than the description of the space inside. Architecture, as any art, questions human existence in space and time, it expresses and relates human body to the world. ‘Architecture is our primary instrument in relating us with space and time, and giving these dimensions a human measure.’3 The inner understanding of a space comes from ears measuring a large voluminous space versus a private comfort of a bedroom. We perceive space by touch. Brushing a hand against a concrete wall we feel the coldness and smoothness of the material. We perceive the geometry of space through horizontality, verticality, materiality, gravity and weight of the material. This thesis studies the spaces that includes all these senses. A comprehensible system is introduced that will guide a visitor through, creating a mental map of senses and memories of the building. This building does not become didactic instead subtly reminding of the senses we tend to forget.
CathĂŠdrale Notre Dame de Paris Paris, France
Even though one might not notice, but we measure buildings with our ears. Closing our eyes we perceive a voluminous space of a cathedral. Its acoustical quality is very different from that of a long corridor. Walking in a narrow corridor, it is not just our eyes that guide us, but our ears hear the sound of our footsteps bouncing off the adjacent walls. The sound and reverberations tell how small or spacious a space is and the material it encloses. The space traced by the ear in the darkness becomes a cavity sculpted directly in the interior of the mind. Since there are no earlids, when we go to sleep, our perception of sound is the last door to close and it is also the first to open when we awaken.
K+N House Valerio Olgiati Wollerau, Switzerland
We also perceive a space by touch. As you enter Valerio Olgiati’s K+N House’s narrow hallway your hand simultaneously touches the concrete and does not want to leave it. The smoothness is pleasant not just to the eye but to the fingertips. In such tight spaces the sense of touch is apparent. The smoothness or roughness of the material can tell the visitor of the building.
Untitled Richard Serra New York, New York
We perceive the geometry of space through horizontality, verticality, materiality, gravity and weight of the material. The wall that surrounds us can have an effect on our body even without touching. The walls could push us out, pull us in, put us in a corner or guide us through. In a building the only surface we are constantly touching is the surface of the floor. Its materiality and slope explains the space and navigates the visitor.
Thermal Baths Peter Zumthor Vals, Switzerland
Although in most cases forgotten, the sense of smell is important in a building too. It can tell the visitor of the time and history of the building. It records moments and brings up memories. It can guide the person through and set an enchanting ambience.
Architecture should not be perceived as series of pictures, but in its entirety. Sight should not be the judge and should yield to other, often forgotten, senses. Architecture should inspire its visitors. It should hear, listen, taste, smell and feel.
School of the Unseen World Richmond, VA
Process drawing defining form and system
Study models of interior space
To understand or describe a material, we look into its properties. In order to understand architecture I examined its properties. Defining what each element of architecture is and what it could be I designed a comprehensible system. This system constructs a mental map of senses and memories of the building. It is set up in such a manner as to hear the space before seeing it, to understand the space before confronting it, and to feel the space before touching it. Comprehensible system elements: single continuous element leading through //auditory perception //tactile understanding transitional space: intensified direction //contrast in material topographic floor surface: transition becomes memorable //decline to a threshold //incline to a barrier //exaggerated corner slant to a side materiality of the floor changes based on location //classrooms = wood //silences the noise //hallways = concrete //intensify //transitional elements = metal //exaggerate topographic ceiling //lower ceiling: space for concentration: classrooms //taller ceiling: loud space: hallways direct light = an identifiable object diffused light is used for lighting up the space //iron perforated screen creates a pattern with light view of landscape = view of soundscape framing of the sound = making the sound visible //under the cantilever outside space for interaction //courtyard follows the same system sense of smell serves as a guide to cafeteria
The system strongly focuses on the floor surface since there is a constant connection between the visitor and the floor. The floor slopes up to a wall and slopes down to an entrance. The visitor understands the barriers and remembers the thresholds. The change of materiality tells the visitor of the space he is about to encounter.
Topographic floor diagram
Throughout the building direct light is used for directionality; it becomes an identifiable object. Diffused light is used for brighten up the space. The light becomes another tool for navigation and interaction.
Light diagram
A single continuous element that begins on the exterior of the building guides the visitor not only by tactile understanding of it, but also an auditory perception of the element. The corten wall leads the person inside and guides him within the transitional space. Stairs are highlighted with the contrast of the surrounded material. The system does not stop inside the building but is also felt outside in the topographic landscape.
Transitional element diagram
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Underground Level
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Entrance Floor Plan
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Second Floor Plan
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Third Floor Plan
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Longitudinal Section
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South Elevation
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North Elevation
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With every project comes a photomontage or a rendering. It shows how a particular point of the intended building is viewed. Although digitally-textured, detailed and printed large scale it seldom depicts the future space or provide a source for imagination and intuition that comes when visiting a built project. Many renderings do evoke feelings. Observing a well-done rendering our hands involuntarily reach for the texture of a concrete wall only to feel a warm surface of paper. So in place of renderings I have created these abstract models. They do not show an exact point in the building but rather depict the intent. To understand them the viewer should interact with them. Listen to the acoustics occur in the metal stair or touch the surface of the concrete floor. Brushing your hand against it you understand the change of slope and figure out the system. The viewer would not necessarily see a perspective of the building rather he would understand how the building would feel.
Abstract model: concrete floor
Abstract model: metal stair
Dreamworld The story you are about to read is how I imagine a day in Esteban’s life is in this school. I hope my words serve as renderings and you imagine how I imagine this school is.
Maybe a corten wall led Esteban inside, maybe stepping onto the metal platform he listened to his steps, and the sharp sound led him in. It might take some time for a new visitor to comprehend all the details of this school but he knows them all.
He hangs his jacket on a hook of a concrete wall and walks towards the smell of breakfast. In the cafeteria he is greeted with the morning sun pushing through the perforations of the corten wall outside. The sun leaves recognizable pattern on the floor. This pattern guides him to the table where his friends are.
After breakfast he walks up the corten stair. Listening to the sharp sounds, he makes a rhythm with his feet. He touches the metal, enjoying the coldness it leaves on his fingertips. It is almost class time. In the concrete hallway everything seems louder
Turning right, he discerns a strong light. He knows that it is just another hallway with a window at the end. He turns another right following the concrete wall. He is now at the entrance to his classroom. He knows that by the smell of the wooden wall in front of him.
The floor slopes down, he passes a relatively thick doorway, makes another step. The floor slopes up and he walks up into the classroom. This signifies the transition. The mind makes a notice of it and remembers. In the classroom large windowsills create spaces to sit and enjoy the warmth of the sun, or the fresh smell of rain. In the classroom he finds his table and sits down.
The geometry of this classroom, as the whole building, is irregular but Esti knows the rules of it. This school helps him get where he needs to be. The materials and scales of the rooms tell him of the space. The classrooms are wooden silencing the noise; the hallways are concrete to intensify it. Following the system he walks down the slope into a wooden auditorium, following the sloping of the floor he turns the corner and enters the gym.
Esteban’s favorite class is Physical Education. He likes to run. This school allows him to. The sloping of the floor in the gym creates a mental map with his feet. Here he feels free. When the wooden doors slide away as an accordion Esti likes to play outside.
The cantilever of the school catches the sound of the river on the other side of the floodwall. He sits and listens to the water. This building not only helps him through but it helps him be, live and imagine. It silences all the external noise and focuses attention on person’s existence, making him aware of his solitude.
Soundsculpture inspired by Harry Bertoia’s Monotypes and Sound Sculptures oak, threaded steel rods, aluminum, copper, brass
Reflection
Can architecture be heard? Most people would probably say that as architecture does not produce sound, it cannot be heard. But neither does it radiate light and yet it can be seen. We see the light, it reflects and thereby gain an impression of form and material. In the same way we hear the sounds it reflects and they, too, give us an impression of form and material. Differently shaped rooms and different materials reverberate differently. Steen Eiler Rasmussen Soundspace: Architecture for Sound and Vision
Throughout the entire thesis process I tried to stay away from strong images, which only give the eyes a pleasurable experience. My intent was to inspire the viewer through words and models. I did not want the eyes to be the judge and thus tried to design a space rather than an object. I questioned myself, my intent and architecture. I wondered how important an image is in architecture and if it is in any case possible to design sound, texture or smell, focusing on other often forgotten senses. In process I saw drawings as construction documents that clearly depict the construction process, models and writings as renderings, describing the intent. I believe that models can substitute images. I noticed that people talking to me about my project touched the concrete floor and played with the soundsculpture. In a way, my project explained itself through these models. I believe words can substitute renderings. After reading the story about Esteban the listener understood the littlest details that cannot be seen in renderings. Words are powerful. A close description can tell much more than an image. I hoped the viewer would not judge a particular shape of the building, would not focus on a construction detail or look at the organization of the building. I hoped the viewer would see the
intent, would understand the building before it is constructed and would be inspired. However successful these explorations of models and words were, image still is important in architecture. After documenting my thesis I understood that while there are different types of communication between architect and client/visitor, image is the quickest. Image can sell the project. It can also depict the intent. However, it is important not to focus all our attention on just images but to incorporate sound, texture, temperature, geometry, and feelings in the space. Many architects design buildings through formal explorations. Making models of folding planes, addition or subtraction, they play with shapes and sizes. I believe more things should be considered in a building. In the School of the Unseen World the spaces were sculpted and designed following the laws of senses. Although formal explorations result in beautiful objects, architecture should not be focused on creating objects, rather creating spaces.
Bibliography 1
Blesser, Barry and Salter, Linda-Ruth. Spaces Speak, Are You Listening? Experiencing Aural Architecture. Cambridge, MA: The M.I.T. Press, 2007
2
Frascari, Marco, Hale, Jonathan, and Starkey, Bradley, eds. From Models to Drawings: Imagination and Representation in Architecture. New York, NY: Routledge, 2007.
3
Pallasmaa, Juhani. The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses. West Sussex, England: John Wiley & Sons Ltd., 2005.
4
Pérez-Gómez, Alberto. Built Upon Love: Architectural Longing after Ethics and Aesthetics. Cambridge, MA: The M.I.T. Press, 2006.
5
Rasmussen, Steen Eiler. Experiencing Architecture. Cambridge, MA: The M.I.T. Press, 1964.
6
Zumthor, Peter. Atmospheres. Basel, Switzerland: Birkhäuser, 2006.
7
Zumthor, Peter. Thinking Architecture. Basel, Switzerland: Birkhäuser, 2006.
Vita
Anna Gribanova [Anya] was born in Volgograd, Russia. In May 2009 she completed her Bachelors of Architecture from Virginia Tech. She plans to attend Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation for Master of Science in Advanced Architectural Design starting summer 2009. Her work has been published in 15 Student Projects, Hedy Nerito – Fotomodella and Town Hall & Mortuary at Iragna Raffaele Cavadini.