DEEP DECORATION

CABBAGETOWN COTTAGES

NICOLE BRIDGES + RAHUL SUBRAMANIAN CRITIC: JAMES PARK SOPHOMORE STUDIO

The art of Indian Kolam has been around for thousands of years. Passed down from generation to generation, hours are spent crafting one piece, just for it to be erased from the ground and replaced by another the design the next day. This art teaches detachment from material things, things that we have crafted for hours, I believe that we as architects could learn something from this.

This project was completed in 8 phases: Figuring, Configuring, Thickening, Multiplying, Siting and Programming, Fitting/Misfitting, Switching to Production, and Final Production.

After studying this art for weeks, we created our own 2:1 sheets using pieces that we drew from our kolam, which we then thickened with offsets and laser cutting. It was here that we began creating compositions, combining multiple 2:1 sheets with various actions, giving birth to complex relationships between the sheets. From here, we chose one of out four compositions to serve as a precedent to our final building, while also studying site and program. We were tasked with creating a multilevel design and research academy on near the bay in San Francisco. For our academy focus, we chose XR or extended reality, a technology that has recently been making grounds in various areas of research, so that we may foster and nurture that research further. In our final stages, we finished with creating beautiful renderings, floor plans, and sections.