Yiran Zhang: Architecture Undergraduate Porfolio

Y I R A N Z H A N G Ar c h i t e c t u r e Un d e r g r a d u a t e P o r t f o l i o

Contents

Curriculum Vitae

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Personal

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Pilgrimage Landscape

Restless

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Ti m e In s t i t u t e

Unbounded

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Mo s a i c R a i n s t o r m P a r k

Obscure

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Breathing Laborator y

Disconnected

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Glitch Greenhouse

Negative

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Chapel of Cacophony

Art Practices

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B o o k i s h n e s s Ar c h i v e

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Librar y Oubliette Look, what have they built

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Education 2 0 1 3 - 2 0 1 7 Wa s h i n g t o n Un i v e r s i t y i n S t . L o u i s Bachelor of Science in Architecture Minor in Art 2 0 1 0 - 2 0 1 3 B e i j i n g N o. 8 0 H i g h S c h o o l

Recognition

Yiran Zhang yiran.zhang@wustl.edu

2 0 1 5 - 2 0 1 6 F i t z g i b b o n C h a r r e t t e H o n o r a b l e Me n t i o n of Sam Fox S chool (with $450 prize) 2 0 1 4 - 2 0 1 6 Th e D e a n’s L i s t o f Wa s h i n g t o n Un i v e r s i t y in St.Louis 2015 ICCA (International Championship of C ollege A C a p p e l l a ) M i d w e s t Q u a r t e r fi n a l C h a m p i o n

Wo r k i n g E x p e r i e n c e 2016

China Architecture Design & Research G r o u p, U D A r c h i t e c t s , I n t e r n 2016 ARCH 211 (WUSTL Sophomore Studio), Te a c h i n g A s s i s t a n t 2014-2016 S ensasians (WUSTL A cappella group), PR chair 2 0 1 4 - 2 0 1 5 We c h a t M a g a z i n e S e l f - o r i g i n a l , Vi s u a l Editor 2 0 1 4 - 2 0 1 5 We c h a t M a g a z i n e A l l t h i n g s B r i g h t a n d B e a u t i f u l , Wr i t e r

S o ft w a r e P r o fi c i e n c y i n R h i n o c e r o s , M a x w e l l , P h o t o s h o p, Illustrator and InDesign K n o w l e d g e o f Au t o C A D, G I S a n d S k e t c h - u p

Language Fluency in English and Chinese D a i l y - c o n v e r s a t i o n l e v e l i n Ja p a n e s e , K o r e a n a n d French

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Pilgrimage Nest S a c r e d S p a c e i n Tr a i n S t a t i o n | F l o r e n c e , I TA LY, 2 0 1 5 | I g o r M a r j a n o v i c

Th e s a c r e d s p a c e i s i n s p i r e d b y t h e c h a r a c t e r Yo n g a s a n o s t a l g i c a n d personal nest during his pilgrimage.

Yo n g , a m i d d l e - a g e d C h i n e s e m a n , immigrated to Prato a decade ago and c u r r e n t l y w o r k s i n a f a b r i c f a c t o r y. “ P i l g r i m a g e� p e r h a p s b e s t d e s c r i b e s Yo n g ' s e n d e a v o r o f i m m i g r a t i o n and his hope of transformation.

I n t h e s p a c e o f t h e F i r e n z e Tr a i n S t a t i o n , w h e r e fl o w s c o n v e r g e a n d d i s p e r s e r a p i d l y, t h e c o n t e x t o f s u c h a p i l g r i m a g e i s n o w c o n d e n s e d . It i s c o n d e n s e d i n t o a n e t o f fl o w s suggested by the most visited spots a n d t r a c e s o f p a s s e n g e r s’ m o v e s - a n d pauses.

As knots are tied in this inter weaving net, clouds of spaces are generated w h e r e a g g r e g a t i o n a n d i n t e n s i fi c a t i o n o c c u r s . Wi t h i n t h e s e f r a g m e n t e d , irrational geometries, multiple private c a v i t i e s a r e f o r m e d . Ac c e s s t o t h e m crawls and spreads all over the hall.

Tr a n s l u c e n t g l a s s p a n e l s f r a m e d b y branching structures allow dim light into those spaces, resembling the quality of broken eggs or wombs.

E v o k i n g r e fl e c t i o n o n f r a c t u r e d m e m o r y, t h e n e s t p r o v i d e s a p i e c e o f personal landscape, a temporal home.

Yo n g s t a n d s f o r m i l l i o n s o f o t h e r pilgrims, and the nest is a miniature of all familiar landscapes.

h a n d d r a w i n g s , g r a p h i t e a n d p r i n t s o n m y l a r, 24 " x 3 6 "

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In t h e s p a c e o f t h e F i r e n z e Tr a i n S t a t i o n , w h e r e fl o w s c o nv e r g e a n d d i s p e r s e r a p i d l y, the context of such a pilgr image is now c o n d e n s e d . It i s c o n d e n s e d i n t o a n e t o f fl o w s s u g g e s t e d b y t h e m o s t v i s i t e d s p o t s a n d t r a c e s o f p a s s e n g e r s’ m o v e s - a n d - p a u s e s .

Single drawing above: collaborative work with Jewel Pei 6

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It ’s d i m , m u t e d a n d s a f e . . . t h e n e s t o ff e r s a c h a n c e o f n o s t a l g i a w h e r e Yo n g c a n b e temporally rooted in a personal landscape...

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Memories of site in prints

Yo n g ’s s t o r y Yo n g c o m e s t o t h i s “p i l g r i m a g e n e s t ” as a retreat from his daily routines, fi l l e d w i t h t h e n o i s e s o f m a c h i n e s a n d m e c h a n i c a l w o r k . He c u r l s u p i n o n e o f those womb-like enclosed spaces.

It ’s d i m , m u t e d a n d s a f e . He f e e l s l i k e a n u n b o r n . Yo n g s o m e t i m e s w o u l d even spend hours merely watching the trains and travelers come and go: it is l i k e o b s e r v i n g t h e fl o w o f t i m e f r o m a heavenly perspective.

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It f e e l s l i k e h o m e , h e t h o u g h t t o himself, whether that is home g e o g r a p h i c a l l y o r b i o l o g i c a l l y.

10 years, 5644 miles away f rom h o m e l a n d , Yo n g fi n d s h i m s e l f fl o a t i n g : his identity and memor y torn between t w o d i s t a n t p i e c e s o f l a n d . Th e n e s t o ff e r s a c h a n c e o f n o s t a l g i a w h e r e Yo n g c a n b e t e m p o r a l l y r o o t e d i n a personal landscape. Either to evoke memor y or to settle tranquility is a c h o i c e g i v e n . Na t i v e o r u n i v e r s a l , i t i s a landscape of his own.

Time Institute Hybrid Station on Quarry | MO, US, 2016 | Gia Daskalakis

Th e i n s t i t u t e o f t i m e i s a “fl u i d�, adaptable and documentar y station focusing on curating connections and sequences.

Th e i n s t i t u t e h o p e s t o c u r a t e connections and sequences established by human occupation and existing site conditions. Equipped with light mechanism, the institute also adapts to changes including occupation, seismic forces and light, as well as d o c u m e n t s t h e i r t r a j e c t o r y.

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S er ving potentially a meteorologist, historian and artist, the station is a h y b r i d o f i n s t r u m e n t a t i o n s t u d i o, planetarium, residential unit, galler y s p a c e a n d l i b r a r y. Th e p r o g r a m diagram illustrates how this hy brid of programs is manipulated in time and space.

Th e s p a t i a l a r r a n g e m e n t p o s s e s s e s biological references to cardial tissues, which informs the connection e x p e r i e n t i a l l y.

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â—€ Abstraction of site snapshots tracing across recent century Th e g e o l o g i c a l r e a l i t y o f E l e p h a n t Ro cks State Park can b e dated from the Proterozoic Eon. Situated o n a n d a r o u n d t h e n o r t h q u a r r y, this project investigates tracing those eons to the recent histor y of quarr ying and to a projection o f n e a r f u t u r e . Th e s i t e i s h e n c e viewed as restless, a series of e v e n t s a t d i ff e r e n t t i m e s c o p e , both in human occupation at hourly inter vals and in geological events at centur y inter vals.

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Mapping studying aggregation of people, information and light 15

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The restless landscape: quarry memory cloud

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â—€ Early conceptual sketch: kinetic system featuring movable pods on tracks

Proposal plan and section

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M o s a i c R a i n s t o r m Pa r k Community Park in underserved neighborhood | St. Louis, US, 2016 | Jacqueline Margetts

Th i s l a n d s c a p e p r o j e c t i n t e n d s t o evoke poetics and vitality through m a n i p u l a t i o n o f t h e t e r r a i n . Ta k i n g “u r b a n a c u p u n c t u r e” a s a c r u c i a l a n a l o g y, t h e p r o j e c t s e e k s t o t r e a t a larger area by inserting meaningful activation and intense moments at this important intersection.

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R a i n s t o r m Mo s a i c P a r k i s s i t e d i n H a r l e m Wa t e r s h e d , N o r t h S t .

L o u i s . Th i s u n d e r s e r v e d a r e a f a l l s perfectly under the categor y of “t e r r a i n v a g u e ( t h e e d g e c o n d i t i o n of urban area)": it is characterized by endemic property vacancy and abandonment, by high rates of poverty and economic disinvestment, and by high need for storm and sanitar y s e w e r i n f r a s t r u c t u r e i n v e s t m e n t . Th e existing situation of this underser ved area is expected to be fully assembled in order to improve its environmental, economic and social health.

Th e p a r k e m p l o y s a s e r i e s o f r e t e n t i o n a n d d e t e n t i o n p o n d s a t d i ff e r e n t scales, that aims at mitigating t h e fl o o d , c a p i t a l i z i n g r a i n w a t e r, and intensif ying intersections of ecological corridors and social p a t h w a y s . It p e r f o r m s a t t h i s s e l e c t e d terrain where various vitality patterns o v e r l a p a n d i n t e n s i f y. Ye t o n e o f the central beliefs here is that the site in inherently unbounded in its economical, ecological and social e n e r g y.

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◀ A set of models showing potential water levels and plants distribution conditions 18

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Early conceptual model studying interconnected system

Th e e a r l y c o n c e p t u a l m o d e l s t u d i e s interconnected systems: when a simple disturbance is introduced, i t i s r e fl e c t e d o r a m p l i fi e d a t d i ff e r e n t s c a l e s a n d t i m e s c o p e i n the system. If the urban fabric is to be perceived as an interconnected organism, this idea can be reframed a s “u r b a n a c u p u n c t u r e” : i n s t e a d of manipulating the large urban c o n t e x t , l o c a t i n g a n “a c u p u n c t u r e p o i n t” a n d i n t e r v e n i n g a t a s m a l l scale will catalyze revitalization for the larger urban environment.

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Th e c o n c e p t u a l d r a w i n g d e s c r i b e s water at multiple scales by exploring s t o r m fl o w p a t t e r n s , b u i l d i n g drainage and water-gathering d e v i c e s . Th e p o e t i c s o f w a t e r a s a fl u i d , m a l l e a b l e , r e fl e c t i v e m a t e r i a l i s a l s o p r e s e n t i n d i ff e r e n t l a y e r s o f context.

Learning from the model and t h e d r a w i n g , a n i d e a o f “u r b a n a c u p u n c t u r e” t r e a t m e n t w h e r e w a t e r performs as the needle has been roughly formed.

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Conceptual Drawing, g r a p h i t e a n d p r i n t s o n m y l a r, 24 " x 3 6 " 23

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Sectional Vignettes Th e s e r i e s o f p o n d s i n t r o d u c e d a r e t h e n e e d l e s i n t h i s e c o l o g i c a l a c u p u n c t u r e t r e a t m e n t . Th e “fi r s t p o n d s” c o l l e c t m o s t r a i n w a t e r f r o m r o o f s a n d n e a r b y s t r e e t s t h r o u g h r a i n g a r d e n d e v i c e s a n d b i o s w a l e s , p e r f o r m a fi r s t r o u n d o f s e d i m e n t a t i o n a n d fi l t r a t i o n , a n d t h e o v e r fl o w g o e s o n t o t h e “s e c o n d p o n d s”, a n d t h e y e v e n t u a l l y c o l l e c t i n t h e d e e p e s t , l a r g e s t , “fi n a l p o n d”.

S e veral techniques are us ed to fully capitalize rainwater : a meandering passage moderates its speed, canopy sheds cool it down, and micro-waterfalls help oxygenate it.

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Connectivity Map

To f u r t h e r i n t e n s i f y i n t e r s e c t i o n s of ecological corridors and social pathways, pathways are arranged to connect nearby commercial sites and r e s i d e n t i a l a r e a s a l o n g p o p u l a r fl o w o f t r a ffi c . R i g i d p a t h w a y s c o n s i s t o f limestone bridges with minimalistic g e o m e t r y, a n d “s o ft� p a t h w a y s a r e c r u s h e d a s h v a u l t f r o m S h r e v e Av e n u e , where cut soil from the ponds will be reset on. A mixture of Missouri wetland species are introduced to aid animals travel around nearby green lands.

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Th e v i g n e t t e s s e r i e s p r o v i d e p e r s p e c t i v a l e n v i s i o n s o f intense engaging moments, looking at diur nal and seasonal d i ff e r e n c e s , a s w e l l a s l o n g - t e r m d e v e l o p m e n t s .

Breathing Observatory O b s e r v a t o r y o n b r i d g e | M i s s i s s i p p i R i v e r, U S , 2 0 1 5 | J o n a t h a n S t i t e l m a n

Th e b r e a t h i n g o b s e r v a t o r y p e r f o r m s as a sensing device of tidal variations, while accommodating a hy brid of dwelling, lab orator y a n d o b s e r v a t o r y p r o g r a m s . Th r o u g h layers of obs cure enveloping, the obser vator y challenges the traditional divisions between interior and exterior spaces, between sun and rain, between enclosure and exposure.

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By transferring the tidal variations to itself, the obser vator y emphasizes extreme attention on the environmental changes around us.

Th e o b s e r v a t o r y i s s i t u a t e d o n the Chain of Rocks Bridge on M i s s i s s i p p i R i v e r. Ac c o r d i n g t o s i t e research, Mississippi River presents dramatic gage height variations in annual patterns, ranging from 0 feet (reference height) to 40 f e e t . Th r o u g h a s o p h i s t i c a t e d c a b l e system, the obser vator y responds to this condition as well as registers it: the skin moves along tidal rise-andf a l l s , a ff e c t i n g t h e t h r e s h o l d b e t w e e n interior and exterior spaces. Instead of resisting time and weathering, this device-like project seeks to adapt to dynamic environmental changes.

Collumn and pullney

Drapery skin

Living Sectors

Adaptable furnitures

Floor plates

Beams and joists

Floating agents

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Floor Plan

Roof Plan▶

{obscure space} between inter ior and exter ior between sun and rain between enclosure and exposure

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Th e b u b b l e d e v i c e c o n t r o l s p r e c i s e l y t h e a m o u n t o f a i r i n fl o w a n d b u b b l e o u t p u t b y f e a t u r i n g a s e a l e d e n v e l o p e o f r e s e r v o i r. â–¶

Bubble Device: Reservoir

A s fl o o d s a n d d r o u g h t s b e h a v e a s t h e most predominant natural event on this site, the skin of this laborator y is de velop ed to physically react to it: w h e n w a t e r l e v e l d r o p s , t h e fl o a t i n g agents descend with it, pulling the exterior cable downward and interior cable upward, releasing the membrane c a n o p y. A ft e r t h e s k i n d e s c e n d b e y o n d a certain level, the ring structures will prevent it from falling into essential living sectors, while the surrounding exterior is covered thus enclosing those sectors.

Th e o b s e r v a t o r y a c c o m m o d a t e s activities of ever yday life by also featuring moving furniture sectors.

C ouches and tables are rotatable in response to the moving draper y skin.

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Envisioned overview The f loor plates, the ring system and the breathing skin system per form as l a y e r s o f o b s c u r e e nv e l o p i n g .

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Glitch Greenhouse Ve r t i c a l g a r d e n a d j a c a n t t o h i g h w a y | S t . L o u i s , U S , 2 0 1 4 | E l i s a K i m

I n s p i r e d b y t h e i d e a o f “g l i t c h�, t h i s vertical greenhouse is designed to be disconnected from the urban fabric in terms of wireless network and radio waves, but reconnect the residents to its community and to the larger ecological context.

Th e b u i l d i n g ’s b o x y e n v e l o p e i s t o r n into two sectors, connected with numerous staircases that render the network of circulation and movements within. By enabling p e o p l e t o w a l k a r o u n d e n d l e s s l y, the greenhouse discusses new p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f s t a i r c a s e s . Th i s staircase forest also embodies the twisting labyrinthine streets of urban f a b r i c i n a m e t a p h o r i c a l m a n n e r.

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â–ś

Green circulation diagram

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"Circuit map", connectivity research on surrounding residents and vegetation

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Te r r a r i u m â–ś

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As a tectonic and research base of the green house, the miniature ter rar ium features a self-drainage siphon system w ith rotatable ar matures that emerges as a limited input of life suppor t.

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Greenhouse Floor plan

S i t u a t e d o n a l e ft o v e r s i t e s q u e e z e d by highways and neighb orho o d, the project was initiated with studies of connectivity (from the terrain to nearby greener y and residential houses) As environmental p erformance becomes a vehicle for architectural inter vention, it results in this proposal that challenges traditional divisions between interior and exterior spaces, between habitation and transportation, and between the weather and the building.

Early interation â–ś

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Chapel of Cacophony Urban Chapel on green field | St.Louis, US, 2014 | Cassandra Cook

Th i s p r o j e c t i n v e s t i g a t e s t h e s e n s u a l experience of light and sound, evoking spiritual tranquility among spatial c a c o p h o n y. S i t u a t e d i n t h e D e Mu n neighborhood in suburban Clayton, the chapel is a spiritual space for individual prayer of all faiths, as well as gathering of cultural, religious, and philosophical exchange.

“A s t h e r e i s n o t h i n g f r o m t h e fi r s t , where does the dust itself collect? ” by Z e n B u d d h i s m Hu i N e n g , p r o v i d e s a p h i l o s o p h i c a l b a s e f o r t h i s p r o j e c t’s t h e s i s . Th e t r a n q u i l i t y o f m i n d i s p u r e even when situated in the perplexity of material world.

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Among the cascading roof of rings, abundant spiky monoliths put t o g e t h e r a n e n s e m b l e o f c a c o p h o n y.

Th e y p r e s e n t t h e m s e l v e s a s h e a v y, disturbing and dangerous volumes as visitors walk among or underneath them.

It i s a f o r e s t o f u n c o m f o r t i n g cacophony ab ove our heads-its numb er r e p r e s e n t s “t h e t h o u s a n d a s i n fi n i t y ” i n B u d d h i s t b e l i e f s . Tr a d i t i o n a l object – void relationship is hereby subverted, providing an unusual visiting experience and projecting q u e s t i o n s o f p u r i t y a n d i n fi n i t y.

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Floor Plan

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Roof Plan

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Am o n g t h e c a s c a d i n g r o o f o f r i n g s , abundant spiky monoliths put together a n e n s e m b l e o f c a c o p h o n y.

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Study of Light, sectional drawing

â—€ Chapel Prototype: Study of light

Th e c h a p e l i s d e v e l o p e d f r o m a s e r i e s o f s t u d y o f l i g h t . Mo d e l s a n d d r a w i n g s h e l p d e v e l o p t h e d e s i g n e r ’s understanding light as texture, material and special construct. A prototype of the spiky monoliths w a s fi r s t g e n e r a t e d a s a p h y s i c a l extrusion of shadows between the ring modules.

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Study of Light, diagram drawing (partial) â–ś

Study of light, early iterations

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Art Practices Rethinking Modernity through drawing, sculpture and other media

Ink sketches

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Zen Monsters, Ink sketches

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B o o k i s h n e s s Ar c h i v e Installation | 2016

Bookishness archive discusses the duration and preser vation of language i n s p a c e . Vu l n e r a b l e a n t i q u e b o o k pages are preser ved in plastic reser voirs, yet becoming more obscure and illegible due to the attempt to preser ve. Each reser voir bag is marked with page number in Chinese characters, hanging in space counter clock wise. Faded paper on the ground i n d i c a t e s a z o n e o f s i g n i fi c a n c e f o r the installation.

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Librar y Oubliette Visionary proposal, with contract as artist statement | 2016

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Look, what have they built.

Installation | 2016 | Buzz Spector

Look, what have they built discusses intense relationship between architecture and time i n a m i n i a t u r e a s s e m b l a g e . Th e viewers, provided with both the artist statement and the papers with folding patterns, engage in fi g u r i n g o u t h o w t o c o n s t r u c t paper architecture without a manual.

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Graphite drawings

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Stacey, 5mm Black and White Film Photography Prints

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Dystopia, Marker and Ink on paper

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Oil on canvas

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