GEN OVA
Da ni e l C e n t e r f or Bu ildin g R esear ch and Urban St udi es
Spring 2016
INSIDE
I. Corhort 2 II. Small Interventions 10 III. The Nec essary Library 32 IV. Field Studies 44
Table of Contents
T HE TEA M
Interdisciplinary•Vertical•International L eft to r ight, top to bottom: Cri sti na L agomarsi no • Arch. Sa ve r i o Fe r a, Pr ofe s s or • L uc i a R uggi e r o • Arch. L uca Rocco, Prof essor • A r c h. N i c ol a D e l l e donne , Pr ofe s s or • B rad V an Rassel • Hunt er Harw e l l • J onat han Pi t t s • Mas on Bl ac k w e l l • Mat t hew Kri der • Chri sti an W hi t e he ad • Pat r i c k D anahy • Br ayt on Gregory • Harri son Pol k • Madi s on S m i t h • Em i l y S ande r s • Madi s on Hope • Kati e Kow al ski • Gw en dol yn Pe t r as k o •C handl e r Bl ac k w e l l • Si l vi a Si bol di C arrol l , Di rector • D r . Ge or ge J . S c hafe r , Pr ofe s s or i n- resi dence • Tony Tal l ent, Spo us e • A r c h. Gi udi t a Pol e t t i , Pr ofe s s or
Cohort
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This experience in Italy had been nothing short of life changing. I don’t think I will realize the full amount of change it has brought about in me until months after I am removed from the experience. The semester has flown by and its tough to even process it all as it comes. But I had come into this semester with an open heart and an open mind. This was an opportunity to expose myself to something completely different. I was subjected to a new culture, and new country, and new living style, basically a new everything. With the comfort and support of home almost 5000 miles away, it was sink or swim. But I loved that feeling. I have always been one to be different, to take chances and to experience life. I did a similar thing when choosing to go to Clemson to further my education. I got a new state, a new set of friends, and a new lifestyle, and its grown me as a person immensely. This semester has done the same, on a larger scale. I took the same mentality into this semester as I try to take into everything, be open to everything, try to understand and learn from the world around me and don’t take life too seriously. I personally believe this is the only way to go through life, have fun with it, don’t take it to heart, and never work too hard, because it’ll all go by in a flash. You have to take a moment and watch life go by.
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My name is Brayton Gregory and I am from Greenville, South Carolina. I grew up wanting to be an architect so this journey has been amazing and something I’ve dreamed of. This semester abroad has been the experience of a life time. It has taken me places that I never would of dreamed of going to. Over the past four months I have seen some of the most famous pieces of art, architecture, and places around the world. I have learned to captivate the things that I see around me while abroad and incorporated them into my undergraduate studies of architecture. This experience has been like no other. From seeing the ancient ruins of Pompeii to modern architecture at the Vitra Campus, we have seen a variety of things.
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My name is Chandler Blackwell, and I have become addicted to traveling and gelato. I thought I was prepared for all of the experiences and opportunities that I would gain while studying abroad, but they, of course, exceeded all my wildest expectations and I couldn’t be more thankful for all the memories created here. It was my intention to never take these four months for granted and to see as much of Europe as I possibly could, and I believe I have done just that. Somehow, I have had the opportunity to visit and explore 37 cities and 10 countries (and counting) on field studies trips and independent travels. The experiences and knowledge I have gained during the past four months are unachievable through sitting in a classroom and reading a book Being able to immerse yourself in so many different cultures and actually see each city and its urban design and architecture creates a learning opportunity like no other. Through the field studies course where we visited an Italian city once a week and took two separate 10 day trips to cities inside and outside of Italy, I have learned so much more about not just architecture, but also myself. I have become much more independent, and I’m not scared to try new things (fruit and other normal foods). It’s so incredibly hard to believe that we only have two weeks left in Genova, but luckily I have my memories, sketches, and over 17,000 photographs to bring home with me.
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My name is Christian Whitehead and I am currently in my third year of Landscape Architecture at Clemson University. I am from Lexington, SC and this is my first time leaving the U.S. I was both excited and nervous for this semester and didn’t really know what to expect coming in. It has ended up being the time of my life. I have met so many new friends and have seen so many incredible things that have opened up my eyes. I came into this semester trying to discover and refine my design style. Traveling and exploring to different cities and countries has been breathtaking and nothing short of life-changing. From Cervinia, Italy to St. Andrews, Scotland I have not only discovered myself, but also discovered the true differences between American culture and European culture. I have been able to progress and grow my understanding of landscape architecture along with some architecture. The culture is drastically different over here and made me adapt parts of my lifestyle from eating to how I dress on certain occasions. Without this experience I wouldn’t be the same person and when I get home my family is definitely going to recognize a new man.
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My name is Emily Sanders and I am a third year architecture major from Louisville, Kentucky. I initially began studying architecture because I felt that it was the best avenue to combine my skills in math and logic as well as my passion for art and design. However, after six semesters of architecture classes, I have found that my love for architecture is much more than some math problems and a few sketches. Architecture is the study of history and current events, the study of people and cultures from all over the world, the study of systems and learning how things work. Spending four months studying in Genova has only reinforced the complexity of architecture and strengthened the passion I have for the field. This program has allowed me to travel to nearly a dozen countries and countless cities, seeing a variety of architecture from antiquities like the Roman Colosseum to the current works of influential architects such as Renzo Piano and Zaha Hadid. The field studies trips allowed us to gain so much more insight into the architecture and history of each city than any of us would have gained on our own. I also greatly appreciated the timeline of architectural knowledge I now have because I understand the relationships architectural styles have with each other. This experience is unparalleled and has given me an opportunity I could not have received staying in Clemson.
1 Brad Van Rassel
Undergraduate Architecture
2 Brayton Gregory
Undergraduate Architecture
3 Chandler Blackwell
Undergraduate Architecture
4 Christian Whitehead
Undergraduate Landscape Architecture
5 Emily Sanders
Undergraduate Architecture
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Hi, I am Gwen Petrasko a current graduate student working on my Masters of Architecture with one year left in the program! I have always been an explorer. My drive to explore and experience new places has taken me all over the states through internships and travel. This is my second time to study abroad in Italy. During my undergraduate studies for interior design I spent four months in Florence, Italy. That exposure just added fuel to the fire of my desire to study abroad again while in graduate school. This ability to study was a main draw to Clemson’s program. Field Studies class with Giuditta was the perfect way to see and explore the cities and towns in Italy and beyond! Giuditta’s explanations and wealth of knowledge left all my questions answered - even ones I didn’t know I had. This, by far, has been the most rewarding study experience with exposure to a myriad of architecture, cities, and landscapes. The act of experiencing space is incredibly important for young architects. Making the connection between the drawings to the actual space is invaluable. With this exposure to more sites and spaces I have increased my knowledge of how what I draw can impact the user. The more I experience spaces the better I understand them. I have started to understand and see the difference between “great” architecture and the not so great stuff. Seeing the attention to details in real life makes an incredible difference.
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My name is Harrison Polk and I am a third year Architecture student at Clemson University. I was born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina and I have always been a Clemson fan. Growing up I knew I wanted to attend Clemson and fortunately for me, Clemson was the only University in South Carolina that offered Architecture; I guess it was just meant to be. Now that I have been at Clemson, having the opportunity to study Architecture in Italy was just something I could not pass up. The Field Studies Course has been one of the best courses I have ever had the opportunity of taking. We have had the chance to go around to multiple different cities in multiple countries to study the Architecture and to see how the culture of these European societies has affected the design of this Architecture. This course has helped broaden my knowledge in the field of Architecture and has also helped me realize how to properly design with the surrounding environment and the needs of the community in mind. This course has always helped improve my sketching ability. At the beginning of the semester my sketches were not very good but with this course having sketching as a major element of the curriculum, it has helped me improve my sketching ability. Overall, this course has changed me in many ways and every one of them is for the better.
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My name is Hunter Harwell or as the Italians say “Unter” because they cannot pronounce the “H.” I am from Eastover, a small town in South Carolina. I am an undergraduate architecture student at Clemson University and since I was young I have dreamed of traveling to Europe and exploring all it has to offer. As seen in my profile I have always wanted to go to Rome and see the Colosseum in person. Clemson University’s architecture study abroad program made my dream possible. Field Studies is a large portion of the study abroad program, where we go to several Italian cites, and a few in Switzerland, France, and Germany to visit and learn about the architecture in the area. My experience with the field studies portion of the program has been amazing. I have enjoyed having low stress days of exploring new cities and learning about the architecture and culture. On this journey I have seen all types of ancient, contemporary, modern architecture and many famous art pieces. I have learned new techniques from the ancient Roman vaults and arches to the more contemporary works of Renzo Piano and Zaha Hadid. This class has changed me in ways that I would have never imagined. I have developed a taste for frizzy water, knowledge of many different architectures, a respect for several new cultures, and famous and contemporary art pieces. On my independent travel I learned the importance of safety, knowing the itinerary, and the importance of keeping track of everything you have or you will lose it. I have enjoyed having Giuditta has our guide and I thank Clemson University for making this all possible. Go Tigers!
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My name is Jonathan Pitts and I am currently finishing my third year as a Clemson University Landscape Architecture undergraduate. I was born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina. My passion for landscape architecture comes from my love for the outdoors. Growing up I spent a lot of time outdoors and this is why I love landscape architecture so much. I want to design a space that allows others to have the same connection with nature as I did growing up. When I heard about the program in Genoa, Italy, I just knew I had to go. It was a once in a lifetime chance to explore the world and the different cultures in it. Along with the new perspective on different cultures, it gave me a chance to look at landscape architecture and architecture in a way I never would have been able to otherwise. The projects we were faced with allowed us to design for certain client needs within an urban setting. This is much different than anything I had done in Clemson. On top of being an urban setting, we had to take local factors into consideration when designing. Overall the experience has been life changing and something I will never forget.
My name is Katie Kowalski and I am from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Architecture has been my career goal since the seventh grade and I could not be happier at Clemson. One of the reasons I chose the architecture program at Clemson was due to the study abroad options offered and I have not been disappointed. One of the most amazing parts of my study abroad experience was the level of growth that I reached through all of the traveling. I learned about buildings and places that I had no idea existed. However, on a personal level, my entire mindset of the world and of architecture has completely changed. The world seems a little bit smaller now that I have traveled outside of my comfort zone. I am also a little less fearful of adapting to new situations and places. My semester in Genova has opened my mind in only positive ways.
6 Gwendolyn Petrasko Graduate Architecture
7 Harrison Polk
Undergraduate Architecture
8 Hunter Harwell
Undergraduate Architecture
9 Jonathan Pitts
Undergraduate Landscape Architecture
10 Katie Kowalski
Undergraduate Architecture
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My name is Madison Hope. I am currently a third year undergraduate architecture student at Clemson University. I consider myself blessed to have been given the opportunity to study abroad in Genoa, Italy, this semester. This experience has caused me to mature personally, and as designer. I have spent my semesters at Clemson studying about all of the amazing historical and contemporary architecture around the world, but it has been a truly meaningful experience to be able to physically visit some of them for myself. Through the sketching component of the field studies course, I learned to be analytical, thinking simultaneously about the plan, sections, and perspectives of a space. I learned that sketches should not merely recreate the spaces I see, like a camera does when it takes a photograph, but rather capture information about the space the architecture is creating. Sometimes this might be diagrams, other times it might be details, or maybe even the way light interacts in the space. All of these kinds of sketches are important for me to make as an architecture student because they help me understand different kinds of spaces. Many of my photographs from the class are of details that I found unique to each place I visited. Some are structural, others ornamental, and some are things that only a designer would truly appreciate. These photographs remind me that I must think about designing down to every last detail. Both my photographs and sketches from the course are very special to me because they are reminders of my travels abroad and also serve as snapshots of the places visited and memories made during this experience.
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My name is Madison Smith and I’m a junior architecture student at Clemson University. When I was applying to colleges, one of the things I gave the most consideration was each school’s study abroad program. Before I even began college, I was excited about the possibility of studying abroad in Italy. Each year since has built up the anticipation that began such a long time ago. Italy has not disappointed me. I had heard lots about Genova and the Villa but nothing compares to the real- life experience of living here and experiencing everything on a personal level. I remember arriving to the Villa on January 6th and all my expectations being immediately exceeded. My favorite part of the study abroad experience has been traveling Europe. It has been so cool to get to travel to dozens of countries and see things I never thought I’d have the chance to see. My appreciation for travel has been renewed, thanks to the Genova program and thanks to Giuditta’s field studies class. Not only have we seen most everything Genova has to offer, but with Giuditta, we’ve traveled all around Italy and even to France, Germany and Switzerland. It’s all been incredible. The history that we learn mixed with the architecture we see adds up to an experience like no other. I’m excited about my plans to revisit the places we’ve traveled and I’m excited to keep exploring the world. I have been to more places this semester than many people have been in their entire lives and I am extremely grateful for this study abroad experience.
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My name is Mason Blackwell. I am 21 years old and a junior undergrad Clemson architecture major. I am from the small town of Iva, South Carolina. I chose the Genova study abroad program based on all that I had heard about the experience to visit new countries and about the “Villa” experience. And I have to say, it has been a great one. Being able to live where I work has been different for me especially since I live with other ARCH and LARCH students as well as my professor. The field studies program here has been wonderful in helping me to get a better understanding on architectural spaces in many ways such as the relation to the human scale, the fit within the urban fabric, and urban analysis through sketching. Being able to experience a wide variety of individual buildings and complexes of different times has helped to expand my knowledge of both architectural history and architectonics. Overall, my time spent here has been a blast. Several wonderful memories have been made here that I hope to never forget: memories of friends, or hard work, and of exploring new places. Hopefully next time that I come back to the Villa, I hope to bring my wife along with me and take her through the amazing time that I have had here.
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My name is Matthew Krider and I am from Clemson, South Carolina. I went to Daniel High School and came to Clemson to study engineering but changed to architecture after starting a minor and falling in love with it. In my free time, I enjoy wakeboarding and snowboarding and playing basketball. I recently got engaged over Christmas break and will be getting married this summer. My time in Genoa has been fantastic and traveling to different cities in field studies has definitely been a highlight of my time here. I feel like it has truly changed me as a person because I have had to get out of my comfort zone and really work to apply myself in situations when I didn’t know the language or the city that we were in. When you are out of your comfort zone, you really find out a lot of things about yourself. I learned this semester to never turn down an opportunity to go see something or do something, even if it was the end of the day and I was exhausted because time is short and I might not get the opportunity to ever do it again. At the beginning, the different currency, different language, and the big cities were intimidating. But now, I feel confident about traveling anywhere because in the end you realize that all places share a lot of similarities despite their surficial differences.
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My name is Patrick Danahy. As a junior in Architecture at Clemson University, I have worked to discover myself, my style, and my design theory. Architecture school is a unique learning environment, in which you must seek out the opportunities to advance in the field. With each new city, new questions arose that evoked thought and furthered the development of my own architectural theories. We must respectfully become independent and search out the moments and memories that will further our own thoughts. Hidden moments lie in every city that can leave a lasting impact in your memory. In this same way, my architecture has adapted to impact users through spatial dynamism and visualization of poetic theories. Through this experience I have been given a new vocabulary, from which I can produce my own architectural theories and language.
11 Madison Hope
Undergraduate Architecture
12 Madison Smith
Undergraduate Architecture
13 Mason Blackwell
Undergraduate Architecture
14 Matthew Krider
Undergraduate Architecture
15 Patrick Danahy
Undergraduate Architecture
Cohort
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THE WORK
S m a ll Ur b a n I nt e r v e nt ions: U ser-Cent ered Design
R es ear ch Ques tions : W hat i s em pathi c d esi gn? • How c an de s i gne r s b e t t e r unde r s t and t he need s of t he i nd i vi d ual s w ho i nhabit t he s p ac e s w e c re at e ? • How c an d esi gners l everage a d eep know l ed ge of our c l i e nt s t ow ard e nvi ronm e nt s that honor t hem w i th d i gni ty? • How c an t he de s i gn of s m al l i nt e r ve nt i ons ref l ect our und erst and i ng of the urban c ondi t i ons t hat de fi ne G e nova? Pr oject B r ief: Desi gn a gard en pavi l i on f or tw o d i f fe re nt s i t e s i n G e nova for a s p e c i fi c user or “cl i ent .”
Clie n t n arrat iv e s w rit t e n by To n y Tallent.
Small Interventions
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CLOSER TO HOME The walk from the market had become longer. Beatrice was taking the same route she’d known for decades, using the short-cuts she’d figured out over the years. Still, somehow, each rampa felt like a monumental climb and not the simple upward stretch that would get her closer to home. Perhaps the clunky comfort shoes she now wore were slowing her down. Che schifo, she had mumbled at first seeing the shoes on her feet, their thick soles and wide strings laced through the metal eyelets were like tortured, foreign creatures clinging to her. This was comfort? She kicked the ugly shoes into the corner and scrambled to find the simplest pair she owned— the black flats with only a whisper of a heel. There was a small pang of acknowledgement that her feet could barely fit into them at all now. She placed the flats under the bed with the other shoes that would never be worn again. There on the floor, looking under the bed, Beatrice remembered that as a child she preferred to go barefoot through the house, its narrow stairway and, on warm days, onto the street outside—her mother calling her back, warning of stubbed toes and sooty soles that would never come clean. She could spend whole afternoons on the pebbled seashores running with the cousins who took the train to meet them there, her heels and toes molding into the smooth, gray stones. Beside the bed, pulling herself up from the floor, there were three tiny whacks of knowledge that crossed her: she was no longer that little barefoot girl, she would never run on the shore again and, most bluntly, her feet hurt. Beatrice left the other shoes under the bed and accepted the ugly comfort shoes. She told herself that her feet had experienced a second growth spurt and that shoemakers were idiots. It was Thursday and Beatrice leaned against a stone wall and let the strap of the canvas shopping bag ease from her grasp. She would loosen the straps of the shoes for some relief, but there were too many people around her. The steady flow of foot traffic carried with it pieces of conversations floating from person to person or into the the phones they held so closely to their faces. There was the nudge of a man who passed close to her before gentling by and moving on in a soft sort of limp; a silent stare from a child standing on the opposite side of the street next to scrawny tree; and then, the foot of another young man toppling her shopping bag onto its side as he continuing his pace beyond her. Scusi? Beatrice mouthed the word. Another oversized boy, she thought. They look nowhere and hear nothing. His white headphones reminded her of the earmuffs her mother made her wear in winter when she was a child. With a small gasp, she steadied herself and grasped the strap of the bag, not loosening her fingers until the door of the apartment closed behind her. When the bag was emptied Beatrice stood by a dining room chair before kicking the clunk of shoes from her feet. She walked across the cool terrazzo floor. Tomorrow she would return to the market to buy what she could not carry today. She would leave earlier, she thought. Somehow she felt this could balance out the time it took to travel the lengthening way home.
Bea t ric e Cl i e nt Cha ra c te ri s ti c s : • S e ni or adul t • I nde p e nde nt • Mob i l i t y i s s ue s • L ove s t he oc e an Cl i e nt N e e d s : • C om for t • Accessibility • Ut i l i t y
Small Interventions
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SITE PLAN
FLOOR PLAN
Mason Blackwell
Piazza Lavagna Pavilion Beatrice feels nostalgic about the sea. She keeps to herself and often experiences discomfort because of her feet. The garden pavilion in Piazza Lavagna aims to support her primary needs and desires. The entire pavilion is a “garden” space that provides comfort to Beatrice through a ritual procession. The pavilion is comprised of three main spaces. The first is a public area of relaxation for Beatrice where she can escape the uncomfortable ramps and hard surfaces in the city. The second is a semi-private space where she can work on her ceramics alongside a cobbler. Her companion creates comfortable shoes for Beatrice. The third space is private. Beatrice sits with her feet in the water, reflecting on her experiences by the sea while looking skyward. She looks inward while looking outward.
SECTION
The garden and pavilion elements are intertwined to create a comfortable experience for Beatrice. Soft landscape floors and fabric walls comprise the material palate of the pavilion. Within the piazza site, the pavilion serves to transport Beatrice away from Genova’s hard surfaces and steep terrain to a place where sky meets sea.
Matthew Krider
Via Roma Pavilion - The “Urban Wave” The form of the pavilion is inspired by my client’s love for the sea. The pavilion, sitting on Via Roma, addresses the functions needed which include a storage/locker space, comfortable, ergonomic indoor-outdoor bus stop seating, and a garden space by using the form to facilitate the spaces. The storage space was developed to ease the burden of carrying heavy grocery bags or similar things around the city. Items could be left for a period of time and retrieved later if multiple errands were necessary. Comfortable seating was carved into the “barrel” of the “wave” to replace hard metal bench seating of the bus stop that previously existed on site. The garden that sits on the southeast side of the pavilion incorporates water and sand elements because of Beatrice’s love for the sea. It also utilizes above and sub-surface seating for resting and doubles as a communal space. The structure uses organic material such as wood and sand in order to reintroduce natural materials into a mainly concrete city. SITE PLAN
FLOOR PLAN
ROOF PLAN
Small Interventions
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THIS IS NOT THE PLACE There was something he needed to do. He knew it was important and needed to be done soon. The problem was that he didn’t know what it was. Two months earlier Franco had turned sixteen and this thought had grown larger as if his birthday had fertilized it, a shapeless tree pressing for air. Inside his small room, he could hear his mother scraping plates or correcting his younger sister. He pulled the white headphones from around his neck and placed them on his head, cushioning his ears from the sound of the voices on the other side of the wall and the clamber of noises from the street outside the window. He turned the music louder. Franco thought that maybe he’d find out what to do if he listened to the lyrics more closely. The music was so good. It had to be telling him something, something good if only he listened close enough. He would search the Web to find the lyrics he couldn’t quite understand. Quietly, he’d sing them to himself. The music pushed him, as if a little more space was being made in him. He would have moments when he knew the world was larger than this room. There is a place for everything to happen, though this is not the place, he thought. This is not the place. He kept the headphones on his head as he walked from his room, through the kitchen and out the door. His mother’s voice could not break through the headphones, still he closed his eyes so there was only the music and the steps he made that would take him farther away from the small room. When he made it outside he looked up and kept his stride, noticing no one. His gaze was on the upper stories of the buildings as he moved from sidewalk to curb. He walked with an urgency that made him look as if he had to be somewhere, to do something, to meet someone, as if he was headed toward it. Fra nc o Cl i e nt Cha ra c te ri s ti c s : • Te e nage r • S e arc hi ng • I nt rove r t e d • Artistic Cl i e nt N e e d s : • Es c ap e • Pr i vac y • S p ac e for e x p re s s i on
Small Interventions
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SITE PLAN
Brayton Gregory
Piazza Del Carmine Pavilion
SECTION
Franco, the client of this pavilion design is an introverted young Italian boy around the age of 16. He has a problem with the suppression of his feelings and emotions that he cannot escape. Franco is a struggling adolescent who finds escape and happiness through the creation of street art. He also seeks privacy in order to escape physical problems within today’s society. The design of this pavilion addresses Franco’s issues by providing a space for him to express himself through graffiti. This is achieved by its location [underground - for privacy, the ability to display his work to the public [operable canvas walls within the studio space that can elevate into the piazza], and a sense of hidden identity [an entrance into this space that is separate and juxtaposed compared to the operable walls].
Chandler Blackwell
Belvedere Castelletto Pavilion Franco needs a space of his own where he can escape to listen freely to music; he needs to be liberated from his bulky headphones. He needs a space that generates inspiration and creativity for writing his own lyrics, but that is also quiet and private. He needs a space that will invite others to create [interaction + community]. The garden pavilion for this site is situated on a rooftop in front of the Belvedere of Castelletto with a panoramic view of Genova. The structure encompasses a studio space with a framed view of the city [inspiration for writing] and a more private acoustic/ music room [liberation from headphones]. The openness of the geometric wooden shape carved out by an organic form is inviting to all that pass by. The connection from the Belvedere to the pavilion is not obvious, sparking more intrigue in people to venture down and enjoy the spaces created [interaction + community].
ROOF PLAN
FLOOR PLAN
SECTION
Small Interventions
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SON OF AMERICA Robert decided he knew very little about the world. He came to this conclusion five thousand miles and seven months away from home. There’d been few calls to the States from either direction since he’d arrived in Italy. Is this the way things happen when you are far away? Was this too far away? Another question. And then another. Each day he spent hours wading through the questions that only grew deeper. There were moments when he surfaced from the mire of questions. Most of these moments came when he emerged from the apartment he treated much like a dormitory room, a container of things: bed, closet, toilet, shower, desk, window, door. It occurred to him that perhaps outside was the place where he’d find answers to the questions he slogged through, but more likely it would throw more questions at him. He still had the small orientation booklet he’d been given as a student before the job offer, before he knew questions could become so large. A Guide with Helpful Phrases and Cultural Notes had followed him from his student desk to this one he’d assembled himself. One night Robert pulled the booklet from the desk drawer. There was nothing else to read in the apartment, and any words were better than none. Come ti chiami? “Mi chiamo Bobby,” he had written under the question. There was no one who called him Bobby anymore. He laughed and filled his wine glass. Come stai? “Molto bene.” Sono inglese? “No, sono Americano.” He held the booklet closer. “Son…o…American...o,” he slurred. “Son…o… America. Son of America. Sì, that’s me. Son of America.” He held the booklet closer to his eyes and then let it rest, tented on his face. The empty glass slipped from his hand and rolled almost silently from his outstretched fingers. The following morning, he managed to pick the fine pieces of broken glass from his foot. He crafted a bandage from a threadbare T-shirt and two paperclips he’d scavenged from the folder that held copies of his visa documents. There were surely band-aids out there somewhere. He added it to his list. Food, wine, band-aids. The list was growing. Robert knew enough about the area to move from street to street without second-guessing himself. He’d find the quiet restaurant he frequented, the one with the menu he’d memorized. The sting of the cuts distracted him as he moved between intermittent clusters of people. Along the way he stammered into a woman who was leaning against a wall as he tried to make out the words on a poster. He steadied himself and placed his hand on her shoulder, catching a glimpse of her face before she looked down at her shopping bag resting on the sidewalk. Her face seemed familiar, so familiar. Robert moved on toward the restaurant. Who was it the woman looked like? It didn’t matter. I couldn’t matter. The moment was too quick and the world was too large for anything as familiar as a face this far away.
Ro b ert Cl i e nt Cha ra c te ri s ti c s : • Young A m e r i c an • A p at he t i c • L anguage b ar r i e r • L os t Cl i e nt N e e d s : • S p ac e of re fl e c t i on • S oc i al i nt e r ac t i on • S e ns e of b e l ongi ng
Small Interventions
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Jonathan Pitts
Corso Carbonara Pavilion The Corso Carbonara site sits between two residential buildings. The adjacent structures tower over the site. The back of the site is bounded by a retaining wall that is roughly eleven meters tall. The pavilion features a wall with seemingly random holes intended to mimic the surrounding structures. Its height mirrors the existing conditions of the city as well as provides a method for pedestrians to move from the level at the top of the retaining wall to Corso Carbonara at the bottom. The enclosed room for Robert is located on one side of the wall hovering just above the water at the lower level. The pavilion looks like it is floating above the water, making it seem off-limits and isolated. A secondary path defined by small pavers leads Robert to his secluded pavilion. The materials used in the construction are intended to make him feel secure while allowing him to see the rest of the world. Two-way mirrors can be used in certain locations so Robert can see out and view the world around him while being protected. This will address his need to fit into society without being overwhelmed. The room can be used for personal reflection while he sees the world and comes to the realization that he is not so different from everyone else.
Patrick Danahy Piazza Banchi Pavilion
The challenges Robert faces involve his stubbornness and his need for independence. Feeling free enough to travel to Italy, but realizing that he is alone and lost upon arrival, has created a sense of failure in him; however, his drive for independence creates a refusal to accept support and comfort. This comfort, then, must be a created one that can evoke safety and a sense of place. It is necessary to create a stopping place along a pedestrian’s travels. This time of pause and reflection can allow for dialogue, not only with oneself, but also with others. This unique environment facilitates serenity and absence to turn the dialogue inward, and facilitates intrigue to focus the dialogue outward.
FLOOR PLAN
SECTION
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A MILLION OTHER DAYS FROM NOW If it is raining, then you love the rain. If the sun is out, you must love it. What the world gives, show joy for it and always smile. You must always smile. Even if you believe the rain will drown us all or the sun will parch the very skin on your bones, you must smile through it. Remember, your smile will be the ship that takes you where you want to go and your frown will sink you into the deepest sea. You decide, but know that you are not deciding for only yourself. Once you know this, any senseless loneliness for the home you once knew will float away. This is the land you now stand on. This is all there is. Words fill up this world like the weeds that choke good plants. You must know the ones that matter and let the others go. Listen. Listen closely and hold the words until you can string them together like a garden to be proud of. This is a garden that can feed your whole family, so listen. You say you wonder where to go when it’s raining and your smile isn’t enough to keep you dry? Then you will be wet. You will be wet and alive. Consider the tree you’re resting next to as if it were your own until someone comes near who may know the name of the tree. When that happens, the tree must mean nothing to you. You move on and know that there are a million other trees and a million other days from now. You will be lucky to see a small portion of either of them. There will come a time when papers are needed and your name must be spoken aloud. You will have your picture taken and proof will have to be given. That day is not now, and so, the proof does not exist. It is being created in your stillness, in this time when your name means nothing to most, in the memories we are all releasing. For now, we stand here and smile as long as it takes.
St ra nger Cl i e nt Cha ra c te ri s ti c s : • Hom e l e s s i m m i gr ant • L anguage b ar r i e r • L one l y and s c are d • L ongi ng for hom e Cl i e nt N e e d s : • S he l t e r • S afe t y • C om for t • Be l ongi ng
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SOLID/VOID MODEL
SITE PLAN
Madison Hope
Piazza Bianchi Pavilion Blake Holbrooke is a 20 year old male American and he is new to the city of Genova. He dropped out of the university he was attending in the U.S and is now living and studying photography in Genova. Blake is “homeless” in the sense that he does not feel like he has a place he can call home and feel comfortable in. Blake is fascinated by portrait photography, so his pavilion has public exhibition space so that he can display his work. There is a studio space for him to work and study in. Finally, there is a private garden containing a lone tree [a memory from his favorite place back home]. The three main spaces of the Piazza Banchi pavilion are seperated by a continuious wall. This wall serves as the barrier between public and private space. The public exhibition space underneath the cantilever, created by the second floor studio space, is open to the piazza. The private garden/sanctuary is directly across from the cathedral, creating an interesting dialogue for the client’s experience in his space. The studio space is on the second level with views out into the piazza and into the private garden. The pavilion is an extension of an existing building in the piazza; the circulation space is located in the intersection between new and old.
Hunter Harwell
Piazza San Matteo Pavilion Nicolai Panacenko is a Russian man who moved to Genova to seek a better business opportunity away from his hometown. After several months of working, his wood-crafting business collapsed. He is now experiencing homelessness and seeking refuge beneath a nearby tree where he feels safe. So Nicolai needs a place where he can feel safe that has a tree he can truly call his own. He would like to learn Italian and resume his wood-crafting business. The pavilion nestles into the piazza’s stairs, which pulls Nicolai’s clients into the space. It is offset to the north to avoid blocking the view of the San Matteo cathedral. The tree forms the structure for the roof. This allowed for water to go from the roof through the trunk of the tree which provides water for Nicolai’s sink and helps aid to his livelihood.
TRANSVERSE SECTION
LONGITUDINAL SECTION
SITE PLAN
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STONES AND CUPS Chiara barely knew her aunt Beatrice, truthfully. There were birthday greetings each year, but that was all she recalled from the past decade. When Chiara was young she visited a few times and remembered a collection of sea stones and small painted cups in her aunt’s apartment, all carefully displayed on the shelves above the coiled radiators. It was the stones and cups she first imagined when she received the call from her aunt. Were the delicate little collections still there? As she drove toward the city, she wondered why Beatrice had called her. Chiara had moved from the city years ago to find space to work on her painting - where she could paint trees that were growing around her and not from photos she’d taken. She’d moved to be away from the confines and obligations that came with the city. Weren’t there other relatives or friends there? This thought was tamped down when she recalled the urgency in her aunt’s voice. She put personal logic aside, made arrangements at home and scurried to find an old birthday card she had saved to remind herself of her aunt’s address. The drive into the city seemed longer than she remembered. When she finally arrived, she retraced the steps to the apartment by faint memory that awakened when she was out of the car. She patted her aunt’s hand and she listened to the cadence of her voice, softer than she remembered. Beatrice told her about the pain she had in her feet, the pain she thought would go away, the pain—that after weeks— held her almost motionless on some days. “You are family,” she said to Chiara, and then, “I didn’t have anyone else I could call.” At the hospital, Chiara waited with her, patting her hand, still, until the doctor came. There would be a medical test and then likely more. This was all that could be done in the immediate. The drive home was quiet. Conversation should be happening. They should be talking about necessary things, but she didn’t know where to start. She held Beatrice’s hand as they sat in the dim light of the living room and explained what she could recall of the doctor’s instructions. Chiara gazed around the room, looking for the shelves that held the stones and cups, when she saw the telephone on the wall beside the kitchen doorway. It was the only phone in the apartment, she remembered. It was the same phone she had used years before to call home when she wanted the visit to be over.
Chia ra Cl i e nt Cha ra c te ri s ti c s : • R e l uc t ant c are t ak e r • Artistic • D i s l i k e s t he c i t y • I nde p e nde nt Cl i e nt N e e d s : • Es c ap e from t he c i t y • S t udi o s p ac e • Pr i vac y
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SECTION
SITE PLAN
Gwen Petrasko
Piazza Bianchi Pavilion Piazza Banchi is a very busy site located by the old port creating a connection between the waterfront and the heart of the historic district. For this specific location the need to create a filtered view was necessary for Chiara’s need to be sheltered. Giving Chiara her studio which is raised to create privacy, also letting in light from the sky, a constant source of nature no matter where you are located would forge a feeling of familiarity and comfort. The “Veil” is a mechanism to create striations to generate a filtered view of the city. The veil lightly touches the ground, opening to the city for Beatrice, Chiara’s aunt, and becomes full for Chiara’s elevated studio in order to create a protection from the city. The garden element allows for a space of connection between the Beatrice and Chiara and provides a natural surface for Beatrice’s comfort.
Madison Smith
Corso Carbonara Pavilion The pavilion at 18 Corso Carbonara is an initial design proposal for the client, Chiara’s, art studio. Chiara is an artist who values privacy and natural lighting. It sits on top of a wall in between two buildings, separating itself from the actual site, which is representative of Chiara’s physical and mental separation from the world. Since the pavilion is more privatized by site, it is more open in its design. The pavilion wraps in a tessellated pattern, which was derived from a previous study on folded plate tessellations. The pavilion wraps around in a semicircle and then opens up, giving Chiara a view of the city while simultaneously keeping her in isolation. This pavilion is a tensile membrane structure, which allows natural lighting to flow through each panel - appropriate for a small art studio.
FLOOR PLAN
SECTION
SHADOW GRADIENT
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THE WORK
T he N e c e s s a r y L ib r a r y: A P u b lic Lib ra ry fo r Geno v a
R es ear ch Ques tions : W hat i s t he condi ti on of the cont em p or ar y p ub l i c l i b r ar y and how c an i t more deepl y ad dress the need s of t he c om m uni t y i t s e r ve s ? • How c an a l ar ge publ i c i nsti t ut i on serve as a ca t al ys t for re vi t al i zi ng an unde r s e r ve d urban d i st ri ct i n Genova? W hat i s t he nat ure of p ub l i c s p ac e i n G e nova and how can t he publ i c l i brary be an e x t e ns i on of t he p ub l i c re al m ? Pr oject B r ief: Desi gn a publ i c l i brary i n the L egacc i o di s t r i c t of Ge nova. R e i m agi ne t he si te surround i ng an exi sti ng barracks bui l di ng t o c re at e a ne w p ub l i c s p ac e f or the l i brary t hat ref l ects t he needs of t he c om m uni t y.
The Necessary Library 32
R E F LE CTIO N S K atie Kowal sk i • B ray t on Gre g or y
R e fl e ctio n : [ 1 . T he th r owin g ba ck by a body or s u rf a ce o f lig h t , h eat, or sou n d without abosrbi ng i t. 2. S er io u s t h o ug h t or con sider a tion.] W i thi n this l i b r a r y p r o p osa l, th e con cep t was to create an urb a n d e sig n th a t in teg r a ted the si te and s tru ct ur e t h r o u g h r eflection . T h e concept behi nd this d e sign st a r t ed fr om th e idea of t ranqui l i ty of wat e r a n d t h e ex istin g r iv er u n der neat h t he si t e. Thi s l e d t o f u r t h er ex plor ation an d a di scovery of arche s, sim ila r t o a q u edu cts, embed ded i n t he reta i n i n g w a ll e a st of th e site. T h is strengthened the i d ea o f r e f lection a n d cr ea ted a vi sual si te co nne c t io n . T h e con v er g en ce of these i d eas s ee ks t o c r e a t e a n eleg a n t a n d sel f - ref l ect i ve l i b ra ry.
INSPIRATIONS
LIBRARY CIRCULATION
SITE PLAN
Reading Nooks
Fluid Spaces
Transparency
C.O.R.E RENDERING
NORTH SECTION
C.O.R.E. DIAGRAM
EAST SECTION
FLOOR PLANS
The Necessary Library 34
ESP LORAVARI Ma d i so n Sm i th • Ch an d le r B la c k we ll ES PL O RA V A RI is: C ollis io n - a n e nv ir on men t th a t fu s es ri ght brai n and l e f t b r a in t h in kin g , su p p or tin g a synthesi zed ap p ro a c h t o le a r n in g . P ro d u c t i o n - a spa ce th a t r ecog n izes t hat t he pro ce ss o f le a r nin g is a s imp or tan t as t he resul t . Le a rn in g t hr o ug h Pl a y - a n in ter a ct i ve envi ronment that p ro m o t e s activ e lea r n in g th r ough seei ng and d o i n g.
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
SITE PLAN
PROGRAM DIAGRAM
FLOOR PLANS
SECTION
The Necessary Library 36
BIBLIOTERRA E m ily Sa nde rs • J o n at ha n P it t s
BIB LI O T E RRA a ims to blen d in ter n al and e xt e r n a l e lemen ts, la n dsca p e and archi t e c t u r e , t o cr ea te a h y br id, interact i ve envi ro n m e n t f o r th e Leg a ccio distri ct. Shi f t i ng forms te r r a c e t he site, pr ov idin g opportuni t i es for u s e r - c e n t e r e d spa ces a n d lib r ary pro gra m s. T h is h y br id con cept lev erages the nat ura l h a b it a t an d site con dition s to create a un i q ue so c ia l le ar n in g ex p er ien ce.
SITE PLAN
PROGRAM DIAGRAMS
FLOOR PLANS
SECTIONS
PARTI DIAGRAM
The Necessary Library 38
H E A R T OF A COM M U NI TY H ar r i s o n Pol k • M adi so n H op e The Le g a c c io c ommu n ity is in n eed of a pub l i c sp a c e f o r social in ter a ction and acce s s t o p u b lic ser v ices. T h is p r oj ect pro p o se s a n e w u r b a n str a teg y for the si t e, crea t i n g a c c e ssib ility b etween r es i d ent s o f t he c o m m u n ity an d th e site. T h e l i brary co m p o n e n t a c t s a s a con n ector pi ece acro s s t h e v a lle y a n d is th e th r esh ol d i nt o t he sit e . I n a ddition , a mobile pi ece al l o ws t h e lib r a r y to b e ex pa n ded i nt o the co m m u n it y .
MOBILE PRECEDENTS
SITE PARTI
SITE PLAN
PROGRAM DIAGRAM
CIRCULATION DIAGRAM
FLOOR PLANS
BUILDING SECTIONS
The Necessary Library 40
L O S T IN D I S COV E RY Ma tt hew Kri de r • Pat ri c k D a na hy The con c e p t o f con n ectiv ity a n d t raversi ng the s i te ha s b e e n a ccomplish ed th r ou gh the i dea o f ge t t in g “ lo st i n discov er y .” T h is concept has crea t e d m o m e nts th r ou g h ou t th e st ructure and s i te t ha t a llo w u ser s to become im mersed i n the p ro gr a m a n d fall deeper in to the l i brary. Ex p l o rat io n a n d a ctiv e lear n in g ar e prom oted thr o u gh c ir c u la tion a n d for ma l g es tures t hat ca p t ure a n d in du ce in tr ig u e.
SITE PLAN
SITE PARTI DIAGRAM
SHELL / FORM DIAGRAM
CIRCULATION DIAGRAM
FLOOR PLANS
SECTIONS
The Necessary Library 42
T R AV E L
Genov a • M ilano • Venez ia • V i cen za • Vero n a • B asel • Pavi a • V igevano • M od ena • M ara n el l o • Par m a • To ri n o • Pi sa • Carrara • Como • Firenz e • Na po l i • Ro m a
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FI ND I N G M Y S T Y L E B radl e y Van R a s s e l
I h av e n ev er sketched so much i n m y l i f e. In the f i rst f i v e s e m e s t e r s of m y colleg e car eer I went t hrough t w o sket chbooks. In thi s s e m e s t e r al one I ’ v e g on e th r ou g h an enti re (much t hi cker) sket chbook. O nc e I r e al i ze d tr u ly h ow mu ch I w oul d be sket chi ng t hi s sem est er I star t e d t o us e i t as an opp or tu n ity to devel op my st yl e and l earn di f f erent dra w i ng p r i nc i p l e s . I star ted to tr y to di spl ay t he w hol e i mage, i n a t i m e sens i t i ve m anor . Bein g th a t most of our sket chi ng opport uni t i es are on l oc at i on and don’ t la st all th a t lon g I had t o trai n mysel f to get t he bi g i d e as out q ui c k l y. I stop p ed wor r y in g so much about t he detai l s and j ust l e t m y hand fr e e . My sketch es sta r ted to take a scri bbl y and messy qual i ty that I ac t ual l y fi nd qu ite attr a ctiv e. T hi s qual i t y al so f reed my m i nd of the fe ar of m e s s i ng up an d r u in in g th e sket ch and w hen you stop bei ng af rai d of s om e t hi ng, i t ten ds to h a p p en less. As t he age ol d sayi ng goes, conf i de nc e i s k e y, and th r ou g h ou t th is sem est er I have bui l t m ore and more co nfi de nc e i n m y ab ilities. N ow, in an i nstance w here previ ousl y I m ay have s k i p p e d out on sketch in g beca u se i t seem ed to d i f f i cul t, I w i l l qui ckl y gr ab a p e n and l e t my h an d g o with out t hi nki ng about i t , and I usual l y get s om e t hi ng p r e t t y cool a t th e en d of i t . Pl us I l earn somethi ng new i n ever y s k e t c h, w he t he r it is a b ou t th e su bj ect or about m y ow n t echni que; eac h s k e t c h gr ow s m y br ea dth of kn owledge.
L EGEN D 1. Threshold Detail / Milan 2. St. Peter’s / Rome 3. Certosa di Pavia / Pavia 4. Chiesa di San Spirito/ Florence 5. The Leaning Tower/ Pisa 6. David / Florence
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D E TA IL , L IGH T, S H ADOW M ad is on S m it h
I ’ m most i nt erest ed i n sket chi ng t he detai l on b ui l di ngs and s t udyi ng t he effect s creat ed by l i ght and shad ow . In a major i t y of m y s k e t c he s , I us e b lack w atercol or to study t he l i ght cast on t he s t r uc t ur e s . I t hi nk t hat lig h t shoul d be t he natural el ement m ost co ns i de r e d i n ar c hi t e c t ur al desig n and I f i nd i t i nt erest i ng to study i t s e ffe c t on e x i s t i ng ar c hi t e c t ur e . I th in k that i t s someti m es m ore i nterest i ng to b as e a s t udy s k e t c h on a sin g l e el em ent such as l i ght t han try to re p r e s e nt t oo m any t hi ngs a t on ce. For t he same reason, I l i ke to conc e nt r at e on t he de t ai l of a b u ilding. I st rongl y bel i eve t hat t he m ost be aut i ful b ui l di ngs ar e t he one s compri sed of a seri es of d et ai l s that com pl e t e t he fac ade as op p os e d t o b u ildings w here the f acade i s si mpl e, sl eek and a s i ngl e de t ai l i n i t s e l f. T h is sem est er, I l earned the val ue of qui ck s k e t c he s . I have ne ve r l i k e d t o sketch- I l i ke to take m y ti m e and draw . B u t , I now unde r s t and t hat fi ve min u te sket ches can have j ust as much value as dr aw i ngs t hat t ak e hour s . I t’ s all about w hat’s bei ng represent ed.
L EG EN D 1. Church of S. Spirito / Florence, Italy 2. Certosa di Pavia Courtyard / Pavia, Italy 3. Villa in Genoa / Genoa, Italy 4. Florence / Florence, Italy 5. San Matteo Interior / Genoa, Italy 6. Fondazione Prada Curtain / Milan, Italy 7. Pisa Residence / Pisa, Italy 8. Herzog + De Mueron Actelion Courtyard / Allschwil, Switzerland
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PR E S E N C E Pat ri c k D a na hy
T h e concept of di sti l l ati on i s rooted i n the c ap t ur i ng of an e s s e nc e . I n a r ch ite cture, i n parti cul ar, spaces can crea t e an e t he r e al p r e s e nc e , wh ile provi d i ng mom ent s of di scovery and re ve l at i on. T hi s p r e s e nc e often e vokes emot i on or t hought and can b e di s t i l l e d dow n t o t he moment s of t hi s evocat i on. The heavi ness o f a s t r uc t ur e or a s t r uc t ur e ’ s n atu r e to i mpose i t sel f on a si te can be i de nt i fi e d t hr ough s k e t c hi ng. T h ese sketches have the abi l i ty to d i st i l l , f ro m t he i m age , t he ne c e s s ar y component s t hat creat e t hi s presence. A bui l di ng c an b e s e e n fl oat i ng a b ov e a t ree canopy, st and i ng proudl y i n i t s m as s i ve ne s s , or c r e at i ng a n in tense processi onal axi s. These characte r i s t i c s c an b e s e e n and fe l t mor e c l earl y t hrough t he act of di sti l l ati on. T he y s p ar k t he b e gi nni ng of a n an al ysi s of t he space, opposed to a si m p l e doc um e nt at i on of r e al i t y.
Parco della Musica Rome, Italia
L EGEND 1. Certosa di Pavia / Pavia, Italia 2. Duomo Dove / Milano, Italia 3.Duomo di Milano / Milano, Italia 4. Lateran Universita Bibliothek / Roma, Italia 5. Palazzo della Civilta / Roma, Italia
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H IGHL I G HT / S H A D O W Ch a ndl er Bl ac k w e l l
As muc h a s I lo ve p h otog r a p h y , I tri ed as hard as I coul d to not w al k aro und E u r o p e with my ey es g lu ed to my cam era l ens. Phot ographs and s ket che s o f f e r t w o in cr edibly different m et hod s of seei ng the w orl d . B eing ab l e t o c a p t u r e an imag e in a n in s tant i s a f eat t hat st i l l amazes me. Whe n I a m b e h in d my ca mer a len s, I t ry to see my surround i ngs d i f f erent l y than I d o w h ile sketch in g . I focu s m ore on t he detai l s, more on the l i ght and s h a d o w s. C on tr a st play s a n imperat i ve rol e i n t hi s seri es of bl ack and wh i t e p h o t o g r a ph s. I wa n ted to capture t he hi ghl i ght s and shad ow s and qua l i t i es o f a t h i n g th at ar e mor e di f f i cul t f or m e t o express t hrough a s ket ch.
L’acqua Venice, Italy L EG EN D 1. Monete/Florence, Italy 2. Museo/Basel, Switzerland 3. Parigi/Paris, France 4. Biblioteca/Bergamo, Italy 5. Prada/Milan, Italy 6. Luce/Como, Italy 7. Scacchiere/Rome, Italy 8. Eiffel/Paris, France
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L EGEND 1. Antinori Chianti Classico Winery/ Florence, Italy 2. Mosaic Path/ Pompeii, Italy 3. Prada Foundation Railing/ Milan, Italy 4. Stone Crosswalk/ Pompeii, Italy 5. Brick Cladding/ Vitra Campus 6. Medateca Bookshelf/ Meda, Italy
Brion Cemetery Mosaic Vicenza, Italy
D ES I G N I N TH E D E TA IL S Ma d i so n Ho pe
De s i gn is in t h e deta ils. I th in k th at a great desi gner m ust be abl e to thi nk at a va r ie t y o f sca les. A n ar ch itect shoul d d esi gn thi nki ng about t he bi g pi ct u re , b u t wit h ou t for g ettin g th e seem i ngl y m ost i nsi gni f i cant detai l s. It i s t h e c a r e f u lly desig n ed deta ils that set t he great archi t ecture apart fr o m t h e m e d io cr e a r ch itectu r e; a good archi t ect desi gns an i nterest i ng bui l d i n g , b u t a g r ea t ar ch itect des i gns t he doorknobs that w i l l go i nsi de . Thi s colle c t io n of ph otog r a p h s fr om my t ravel s exhi bi ts di f f erent t ypes o f d e t a i l s t h a t I t h ou g h t wer e in ter esti ng. Some of the photographs show d e t a i l s t h a t a r e decor a tiv e, p r ov idi ng d ept h or texture t o archi tecture, wh i l e ot h e r s sh ow deta ils th a t ar e more ut i l i t ari an. I f ound t he l att er t o be the m o st in t e r e stin g , beca u se th es e detai l s w ere of ten si m pl e, provi di ng un i t y b e t we e n beau ty a n d fu n ctional i t y. To m y surpri se, som e of t he m os t i nt e re st in g d e t ails wer e n ot fou n d i n t he cont em porary archi tecture t hat we vi s i te d , b u t r a th er in p laces su c h as Pompei i and the Renai ssance l i b ra ri e s. .
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FR A ME D MO MENTS M at the w K r id e r
F or my seri es of pi ct ures f or t he sem est er, I tr i e d t o c ap t ur e m om e nt s of b u ildin gs by composi ng a pi cture t hat f ram e d a s m al l e r e s s e nc e of t he i r g r ea ter desi gn. Instead of capt uri ng a pi ctur e of t he e nt i r e b ui l di ng or a n en tire el em ent , I tri ed to f rame a pi cture t hat m ade t he e ye foc us i n on somethi ng that i t m i ght not normal l y see t he w ay m y p i c t ur e s ought t o sh ow it. Or i n other i nst ances, f ocus i n on de t ai l s t hat m ak e up t he w hol e b u ildin g but m i ght be overl ooked unl ess i t w as fr am e d i nt o a p i c t ur e t hat didn ’ t tel l t he w hol e story. I tri ed to catch mom e nt s t hat c ap t ur e d t he essen ce of t he bui l di ng, t he t ensi on d i f f erent e l e m e nt s c r e at e d or t he ju x ta p osi ti on of textures exi sti ng besi d e eac h ot he r . I n s om e i ns t anc e s , I also sought t o create pi ctures t hat coul d e x i s t on t he i r ow n, m e ani ng th ey focused more on the t exture t hey show e d, or t he or gani c s hap e th ey displ ayed rat her t han how t hey i nterac t e d w i t h t he b ui l di ng ar ound th em. B y doi ng thi s, I started to trai n my eye t o fi nd m om e nt s l i k e t he s e ev er y w here w e w ent, l ooki ng f or el em ent s i n b ui l di ngs t hat s p ok e t o t he lan g u age of the bui l di ng t hey w ere apart of b ut al s o b e gan t o t ak e a l i fe of th eir ow n.
Occulus Basel Convention Center, Basel Switzerland
L EGEN D 1. The Shed / Milano Centrale 2. Dual Ceiling / Palazzo Del Congressi 3. Corner Detail / Rue Mallet-Stevens, Paris 4. Aging Triangles / Antinori Winery 5. Ribbon Ramp / Vatican Museo 6. Spiral Staircase, Looking Up / Chiesa di San Carlo, Roma 7. Coffers / Pantheon 8. Wine Barrels / Antinori Winery
Field Studies
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Cover Art courtesy of Arch. Luca Rocca