Yara Kamali & Andrew Synacek Traverse
T
he main focus of this studio was on concrete. It was funded by TPAC, a precast concrete company located in Phoenix, Arizona. We were able to visit the local job site to learn about the process of making pre-cast concrete elements such as panels, beams, and platforms. We dove into learning about precast concrete technologies and experimented with the material itself by casting concrete blocks. Afterwards, we moved into applying the knowledge that challenged us to only use pre-cast elements in design. For this project, the task in hand was to design a pre-cast concrete research and innovation center. Along with concrete mixing, casting, and experimentation spaces, the program of the project was to contain metal cutting soldering spaces, a 3D printing lab, a laser cutting lab with CNC routers, fabric cutting/ sewing spaces, and multi-purpose studio spaces. Located on ASU’s Tempe campus, the site is home to a warehouse that houses wood, textile, jewelry, and metal fabrication spaces. Shared by both the art and design school, the site sits conveniently accessible to both - just west of the design school and northwest of the art building. The existing u-shaped warehouse contains a shared courtyard in its center, full of valuable space for outdoor operation and activities. Given that the type of project regarded innovation and research, we chose to challenge ourselves by pushing the boundaries of what could be designed with concrete. Traverse Design Lab aims to bring together multiple design disciplines into one program. By challenging the normality of the architecture of educational spaces, the design originated from ridding of the walls that seclude students from the outside and vice versa. The forest-like columns aid in achieving the effect of a semiprivate space, protecting the glass boxes from sunlight, and supporting a portion of the structure. The platforms in the design are continuously elevating at slight shifts, drawing students with different craftsmanship into the spaces where connectivity may intersect.
