Intertwined Paths Toward Enlightenment & Wisdom

INTERTWINED PATHS toward

ENLIGHTENMENT

&

WISDOM

ADVANCED ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN STUDIO II SELECTED WORKS of DAVID GOMEZ

I N T E R T W I N E D P A T H S toward WISDOM & ENLIGHTENMENT ADVANCED ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN STUDIO II SELECTED WORKS of DAVID GOMEZ

MAY 2019

CONTENTS

PATH TOWARDS ENLIGHTENMENT: FRAGMENTS OF REFLECTION

Spring 2019 Advanced Architectural Design Studio II Phase 01: Wunderkammer/Ritual Critics: Mark McGlothlin, Bradley Walters

PATH TOWARDS WISDOM: THE URBAN CATALYST Spring 2019 Advanced Architectural Design Studio II Phase 02 & 03: Urban Analysis/Phildalphia Archive & Library Critics: Mark McGlothlin, Bradley Walters

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Fig. 01. Diagrammatic drawing studying the notions of reflection through meditation as perceived within the buddhist rituals.

Spring 2019 Advanced Architectural Design Studio II Phase 01 Wunderkammer / Ritual Critics Mark McGlothlin & Bradley Walters

PATH TOWARDS ENLIGHTENMENT: FRAGMENTS OF REFLECTION

The major essence of rituals relies on acts of reflection; from past lives, ancient practices and beliefs passed down through generations.

The act of reflection has been of vital importance in order to understand, compare, contrast and experience a tradition and its origins as well as how they influence the present and future lives of communities who practice them.

Such is the case of various Buddhist rituals that focus on the path towards the enlightenment of one’s inner self by consciously reflecting on one’s past life in order to be able to successfully transition and leave one’s ordinary life to be born anew. These rituals are usually accompanied with artifacts that heighten the senses of an individual to become equally aware and absent, intensifying the overall experience.

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Path Towards Enlightenment: Fragments of Reflection · David Gomez

The “Path toward Enlightment: Fragments of Reflection” construct, brings these concepts together through spatial fragments that guide the user through a set of spaces that require interaction, reflection and resolve in order to become enlightened.

The initial point of departure suggests a moment of struggle below the ground, generating a sense of compression. This gesture is then guided by a vertical void of light. This glimpse of light would persuade the user to seek ascension towards enlightenment by discovering and exploring the spaces throughout the construct.

The main atrium space incorporates the use of lightweight, translucent materials, providing a sense of spaciousness and purity, where the user would perform the climatic aspect of the ritual accompanied by its main artifact, the incense. Groups within the space would perform the ritual of praying and lighting up the artifact, funnelling the fumes through the delicate set of diamond-shaped structures into the upper space of enlightenment.

Fig. 03. Organizational sketch drawing portraying the various spatial gestures throughout the erected construct.

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Fig. 02. Axonometric sketch on grey chipboard exploring the tectonics of hidden spaces.

Fig. 04. Collection of sketch drawings studying spatial qualities in section.

Phase 01: Wunderkammer / Ritual · Spring 2019

Fig. 05. Sectional drawing depicting the spatial qualities of buddhist rituals through various levels of itinerary and program. A starting point is set underground, working its way through a void of light., signifying ascension and reflection towards enlightenment.

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Path Towards Enlightenment: Fragments of Reflection · David Gomez

Fig. 06. Photograph of the physical model construct made out of basswood and mylar.

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Phase 01: Wunderkammer / Ritual · Spring 2019

A group of hidden and open gallery spaces would accompany the atrium into exhibiting the art of meditation through light and dark spaces, as well as exterior and interior space qualities.

The culmination of the journey towards enlightenment would involve the tension between the delicate source of light and the void that carries it, where the funneled incense has an intensified presence and the combined experience represents the enlightened self.

Fig. 07.

Fragmented space of enlightenment. The culmination of the journey.

Fig. 09. Hidden exterior space below atrium.

Fig. 10. Underground narrow hallway.

Fig. 08. Fragmented atrium space.

Fig. 11.

Underground light void space.

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A collection of inspirational moments taken while touring the city of Philadelphia. Each moment inspired a unique element into the project; from the seamless transitional blend within the urban fabric, to the implementation of the natural landscape.

Fig. 12. The Barnes Foundation interior moment photograph.

Fig. 13. Visitor Center.

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Fig. 14. Skirkanich Hall.

Fig. 15. Buttonwood St.

Fig. 16. Parkway tree edge.

Spring 2019 Advanced Architectural Design Studio II Phase 02 & 03 Urban Analysis / Philadelphia Archive & Library Critics Mark McGlothlin & Bradley Walters

PATH TOWARDS WISDOM: THE URBAN CATALYST

The main concept behind the “Path towards Wisdom: The Urban Catalyst”, focuses on generating a stimulant that harmonizes the urban context within the city of Philadelphia, along with its natural and cultural characteristics. The project consists on developing an extension to the Parkway Central Library in order to provide an architectural home to an endless collection of books that are part of the history of Philadelphia.

Located on the northern lot behind the Free Library of Philadelphia, the project takes advantage of the varied opportunities the site provides; from the landmark adjacencies, such as the Barnes Foundation and the Free Library, to the axis of collision within the historic urban grid witnessed in N 20th St. These elements are vital in informing the main gestures within the project, starting with the importance of orientation.

A series of iterational site study models allowed for the experimentation of carved voids and volumes and the understanding of the underground qualities within the site. Each model tested various approaches of digging within the site,

Fig. 17. Carvings & axial hierarchy.

Fig. 18. Reoriented volumes.

Fig. 19. Concealing and revealing.

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Path Towards Wisdom: The Urban Catalyst · David Gomez

Fig. 20. Group urban analysis mapping of the city of Philadelphia.

Understanding the historical context of Philadelphia granted the team with the opportunity to get to know its origins as a cultural city and how it has influenced the overall evolution of the urban grid throughout the years.

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Phase 02 & 03: Urban Analysis / Philadelphia Archive & Library · Spring 2019

The Parkway axis of Philadelphia, coming from the northwest, implements a wave of nature that breaks the scenery within the city and allows for a moment of pause and reflection. This careful analysis of the city grid along with the design drivers generated two contrasting volumes that compliment and support each other.

The initial driver of the project focused on books as a cultural artifact. Books contain the power of knowledge, giving the user a sense of immersion and enlightenment, and gifting them wisdom after each turn of a page. This idea of holding knowledge in our hands generated a vital starting point within the proposal; conceptualizing the notion of “held knowledge”.

Fig. 21. Site plan diagram.

The two main gestural qualities within the project originate from its main surrounding landmarks.

These landmarks carry over a greater aspect from the urban grid within city., allowing for a sense of cultural and natural connection that incorporaties and small and larger scale elements of the entire city.

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Path Towards Wisdom: The Urban Catalyst · David Gomez

Fig. 22. Exterior perspective showing the approach as seen from the Free Library of Philadelphia on N 20th Street.

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Phase 02 & 03: Urban Analysis / Philadelphia Archive & Library · Spring 2019

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Path Towards Wisdom: The Urban Catalyst · David Gomez

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Phase 02 & 03: Urban Analysis / Philadelphia Archive & Library · Spring 2019

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Path Towards Wisdom: The Urban Catalyst · David Gomez

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Phase 02 & 03: Urban Analysis / Philadelphia Archive & Library · Spring 2019

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Path Towards Wisdom: The Urban Catalyst · David Gomez

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Phase 02 & 03: Urban Analysis / Philadelphia Archive & Library · Spring 2019

The primary volume suggests a representation of knowledge as a pure and translucent form, a delicate cube oriented in relation to the Parkway Axis, in an effort to relieve this collision of grids between the historic and the natural aspects of Philadelphia and provide a seamless transition between them.

Composed of lightweight materials including, ETFE and lightweight steel trusses the delicate cube would be allowed to be held from the ground in order to implement the initial driver behind the intervention, “the held knowledge”.

The supporting volume originates from the Parkway Library, elongating from the southern side of the site and finding its way around the primary volume in order to hold and support the delicate structure. Composed of a heavyweight steel beam system and glass, the volume is wrapped around a porous skin of weathered steel that adjusts to the program within through its varied bold panels.

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Path Towards Wisdom: The Urban Catalyst · David Gomez

With both volumes in place, there is a clear contrast of translucency and opacity regarding the public and private spaces within the building, where the main library spaces would be encapsulated within the primary delicate translucent cube, and the more enclosed and private spaces would be held within the supporting volume.

In addition to these primary spaces, a set of tertiary spaces enclosed within smaller ocular volumes occur in strategic intervals within the building, allowing for spaces within spaces to be discovered; these sets of gestural forms would vary experientially from being natural voids, to providing a set of natural interior gardens, as well as a system of spaces for reflection and calmness within the main library spatial conditions.

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Phase 02 & 03: Urban Analysis / Philadelphia Archive & Library · Spring 2019

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Path Towards Wisdom: The Urban Catalyst · David Gomez

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Phase 02 & 03: Urban Analysis / Philadelphia Archive & Library · Spring 2019

Fig. 25. Wall section detail of proposed ETFE fabric skin.

Fig. 23. Wall & roof section detail of proposed roof garden .

Fig. 24. Wall & floor section detail of proposed weathered steel skin.

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Path Towards Wisdom: The Urban Catalyst · David Gomez

The most densified spaces within the program lie on the underground levels of the construct, where, if coming from the Parkway Library, there is a seamless breakage into a sloped surface that leads the users to a Public Auditorium, a Winter Garden and a multipurpose Exhibit Hall where the levitated translucent cube is celebrated throughout different cultural and artistic events.

Fig. 26. Interior perspective vignette showing the floating delicate cube within the underground multi-purpose space, where a wide variety of artistic and cultural events occur.

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Phase 02 & 03: Urban Analysis / Philadelphia Archive & Library · Spring 2019

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Path Towards Wisdom: The Urban Catalyst · David Gomez

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Phase 02 & 03: Urban Analysis / Philadelphia Archive & Library · Spring 2019

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Path Towards Wisdom: The Urban Catalyst · David Gomez

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Phase 02 & 03: Urban Analysis / Philadelphia Archive & Library · Spring 2019

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Path Towards Wisdom: The Urban Catalyst · David Gomez

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Phase 02 & 03: Urban Analysis / Philadelphia Archive & Library · Spring 2019

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Path Towards Wisdom: The Urban Catalyst · David Gomez

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Phase 02 & 03: Urban Analysis / Philadelphia Archive & Library · Spring 2019

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Path Towards Wisdom: The Urban Catalyst · David Gomez

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Phase 02 & 03: Urban Analysis / Philadelphia Archive & Library · Spring 2019

Fig. 27. Exploded Axonometric showcasing the relationship and hierarchy of systems.

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Path Towards Wisdom: The Urban Catalyst · David Gomez

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Phase 02 & 03: Urban Analysis / Philadelphia Archive & Library · Spring 2019

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Path Towards Wisdom: The Urban Catalyst · David Gomez

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Phase 02 & 03: Urban Analysis / Philadelphia Archive & Library · Spring 2019

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PRODUCTION NOTES Drawings, models, photographs and text depicted herein are the individual work of David Gomez.

Fig. 28. The Barnes Foundation interior moment photograph.

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