research questions

1. how do landscape and architecture effectively interact together?

2. what is the smallest amount of moves that can create architecture?

3. How can architecture function as an influence to the occupants to participate in my desired programs?

concept statement

Intersection|Cycle|Openness

 My concept is to successfully connect landscape with architecture. It is the same process as how children and elderly are connected, though they are two very drastic age groups, they are both equally human beings. Both a child and the elderly not only appreciate a familiarity in their environment, but also creativity and spontaneity. This is also an idea my program is about: being a familiar place for children and their grandparents to come to, but also introducing new ideas and programs to families. Another example is my program includes a kitchen and community bike shop, two seemingly very different elements, however, both in fact encourage a very healthy lifestyle. It is my goal to integrate what seems to be different elements together as one.

Stacking two of my project2 wood/hybrid constructions gave me ideas for how I would like my building’s circulation and interior to start to form. The different spaces that the wooden constructions created helped me visualize how I would like my building in project3 to take form. Some ideas I will use are how the spaces in between begin to form and dominate, and also how the majority of the circulation is surrounding a space, translating to project3, I see this as more open spaces with perhaps the stairs surrounding the building, spiraling up to the top level.

My building focuses on integrating the path that the landscape is taking, moving upward until it reaches the top floor. The building is separated into three-the middle being the greenhouse. I kept my building minimized area for each floor, choosing to have a taller building rather than one that spread out throughout the site. This was meant so the landscape would have a greater emphasis, seeing as the site itself is already rather crowded with buildings all around “L-shaped” area.

After the comments I have received this week, I realized that my project needs a more direct focus. Looking at what I already have and my original intentions, I realized that though my design ideas have changed a lot, I still would like to keep the theme of how I can successfully connect landscape with architecture. It is the same process as how children and elderly are connected, though they are two very drastic age groups, they are both equally human beings. Another example is my program includes a kitchen and community bike shop, two seemingly very different elements, however, both in fact encourage a very healthy lifestyle. It is my goal to integrate what seems to be different elements together as one.

This weekend I further developed my project statement in attempts to have a clearer vision in my design.

Intersection|Cycle|Openness

My design focuses on imagining a space in the eyes and movement of a child, like a playground. This idea originated from my Project Two Ideas, which included this idea of a “folding movement”,  trying to define the least amount of movements to create a space able to be occupied. The other idea is the spiraling of spaces from a more open to private space. This came from the idea of an ecosystem, a small scale being a terrarium, and then expanded to a larger scale, as a playground for children. A child not only appreciates a familiarity in their environment, but also creativity and spontaneity. This is also an idea my program is about: being a familiar place for children to come to, but also introducing new ideas and programs to families.

Intersection|Cycle|Openness

As I move from Project One to Project Two and finally to Project Three, some of the same design concepts have continued throughout my thought process. In Project One I had a focus on the movement of an eyelash curler in a circular motion. In Project Two I moved to the idea of a “folding movement”, trying to define the least amount of movements to create a space able to be occupied. Both these two concepts are brought into Project Three. Intertwining two different ideas together to create a relationship while emphasizing a cycle between the two elements is the main idea I am using to design. This takes form in several ways, whether it is the relationship between building and landscape, young and old participants, or a bicycle workshop with gardens and kitchens. By intertwining these spaces through minimal moves, I am essentially creating openness in my space. This not only translates in a physical sense, but also what I want my program to represent, an open behavior to an urban change towards a cyclic metabolism. My design focuses on treating the site as an ecosystem, gaining inspiration from a very small scale, a terrarium.