My final project this semester was Skatepark + Library. Yes, it is quite an unusual combination on a site. This semester overall was all about the unusual – unusual materials, unusual programs, unusual environments. It makes you think outside the box and utilize materials seemingly unsuitable for the job. For example, I attempted building models out of Cheerios, rubber bands, electric wires, sequin fabrics, soap, shower sponges, plaster, and other crazy things. In the end, however, my final choice narrowed down to wood and acrylic to imitate three materials: marble, copper, and wood. Skatepark and library had to coexist. Reaching beyond the requirements, I made them interweave to allow every visitor to experience both worlds. Here is what came as a result of my hard work (I will start with photos and include drawings at the end):
Creation of this residence designed for a couple (which many people called 'a treehouse') was honestly a struggle for me: this entire semester was. Finding the optimal intersection of grids and tubes was especially challenging, but when the idea was bound to become an actual creation – everything seemed to start to work out in a manner I really liked.
Personally, this is one of the projects I've done so far at the School of Architecture which I enjoyed to some other level. Through making and developing my treehouse, I prove to myself again that I could not have chosen a better suiting me major.
As we came back from the winter break and received the studio syllabus, the titles on the front page appeared quite intriguing: Cave.. Tent.. Hut. This spring we had three projects challenging purely our design abilities rather than our architectural, real-life perception. It was all about architecture from some fantastic land: grotto without even a site (is it levitating?), campground filled with artificial elements, or garden of follies (follies, by the way, are buildings with or without a function, just fyi). Confused but excited about this quite dysfunctional beauty, we got to work, and this is what came out..
I think I had stage fright for most of my life, but out of blue it just disappeared.
Even quite the opposite - I felt sudden urge to do performing arts: music, dance, theatre (maybe even minoring in it).
The funniest part of filming this monologue was Fady being my acting coach and teaching me this 'bitch please' attitude while I could not stop laughing. He made me say 'you know nothing' for like a thousand times, until I could finally be serious and truly believe that You, Bitch, know nothing!!
Many many thanks to Ben, Radhika, and Fady. P.S. Screenshots from previous Ben's work where I swam in a fountain while by-passers just starred at me in surprise while hurrying to 8 am classes.
