Models
9/10/19 - 11/5/19
Project Mist is a series of distinct lodges designed for a yoga retreat. The site is located near a riparian area that contains a high amount of vegetation. Each lodge is unique, with diverse elements and unorthodox designs meant to accentuate the experience of the residents. The spaces are designed to allow residents to meditate as well as practice the material they learn in classes throughout the day.
About
Lodge 01 includes a 5-foot spacial element meant for the residents to take showers in a semi-enclosed environment surrounded by nature. The large windows on opposite ends of the enclosed space build a relationship between confinement and openness. Meditation can take place inside or outside of the building.
Hand drawing depicting a midnight scene.
The spacial element is intended to direct the user’s experience. The idea of having a compact space creates a design challenge to balance storage needs, sleeping space, and claustrophobia for residents. The storage compartments are placed in the connection between the two linear elements. The goal of the yoga retreat informs the small size of the compartments. The removal of the outside world allows one to focus on what items are necessary and disregard ones that are a distraction, so it is expected that residents entering the experience would already be carrying few possessions.
The sleeping arrangement was inspired by Japanese tatami and futon. Tatami is a flooring used in traditional Japanese-style rooms. A futon is a Japanese style of bedding consisting of a mattress, quilt, and pillow. These design inspirations allow for a flexible interior space. One can practice yoga elements learned in class and then unroll the futon to sleep.
Claustrophobia was combated with a floor to ceiling window. The window is doubly important to introduce transparency in an otherwise solid space.The overall space is intended to be unconventional and allow for the occupant to experience different spaces. The idea is that a normal hotel room would create a disconnect from the retreat and not allow for complete immersion in yoga.
The extruding form on the right side allows ground level residents to sit and appreciate the surrounding area. From a design perspective, this evens out the form to create a balanced look. This feature also helps support the load of the walkway and interior space.
Building 01 aerial view.
The entrance to the building shares a staircase with the walkway that allows for circulation throughout the lodge. The weight of the stairs is cantilevered off the stringer. This allows for a floating staircase. A stairway awning allows for protection from the elements and the capture of fallen leaves above. Creating a living picture.
The use of different textures in the building creates visual interest.
Mist 02
9/10/19 - 11/5/19
Lodge 02’s significance is the use of sunlight and shadows. The structural elements involved are meant to cast interesting shadows throughout the space and allow residents to elect positions in either shade or sunlight. The only limit to the provoked experience is the resident’s imagination.
The extruding wall that jolts out is composed into 2 parts. The cladded facade is meant to block out the incoming sunlight during the evening, but has window hatches to allow for sunlight penetration. The cladded facade is meant to block out incoming sunlight during the evening, with window hatches to allow residents to allow for sunlight penetration or increased ventilation.
The facade has a slight curvature near the base to allow for a backrest but extends out for the placement of a yoga mat. The old car garage has a curve in the opposite direction to offer a sense of enclosure.
Lodge 02’s inspiration came from a satellite dish, which proved to be an interesting design source. Rather than pulling information from built projects, trying to revision unrelated objects allowed inadvertent ideas.
The tension wires holding the tree up and the wires around the lodging’s interior space are meant to be open for natural growth. Within the interior space, the vegetation will act as a filter for light and allow interesting shadows to move. It also provides shade for the interior space. The majority of the interior should be made out of glass to allow view of the vegetation.
The suspension of the tree is intended to be unorthodox. Instead of placing trees around the building, I wanted to allow the building to be placed around the tree. This influences the perspective of the tree and allows the trunk to be observed at odd angles. For practical purposes, the tree’s base has a built-in irrigation system.
The materiality of the building is meant to change over time. The use of welded steel, old car garages, and tension wires allows for the elements to tell a story as they oxidize and rust over time. Additionally, this disintegration creates a synergy between the natural landscape and hard-edged building as both succumb to natural forces over time.
Mist 03
9/10/19 - 11/5/19
Lodge 03 was inspired by the angular aspects within wild-style graffiti. This style of artwork correlates to Lebbeus Woods’s or Zaha Hadid’s hand renderings. Lebbeus Woods has been a big inspiration with how I design and attempt to think in terms of an imaginative world. I try to expand my outlook on what architecture is vs what it could be. I create study models and sketches for quick design iterations that allow me to free form and work with my hands. This study model was crafted after gathering inspiration from various forms including surrounding objects, various drawing details, and textures that I felt might work. When analyzing these models, I tended to find myself looking eye level with the model. I tried to imagine the overall form from a human’s perspective instead of relying solely on a plan or section view.
The most prominent feature is the paneling on the side and on top of the building. This device is intended to open and close during certain times of the day and year. This allows for natural lighting and ventilation to play a huge role. The side paneling allows for a diamond shape pattern to be displayed on the floor and travel up the opposing wall.
The contrast of the building and its surrounding context allows for it to seem alienated. To help create a natural transition, the entrance of the building is composed of a deconstructing shell. As the length progresses, the height and texture begin to decrease.
The interior space is tilted off center to allow for an interrupted view and create a more visually compelling building. This did present complications with surrounding functions. The shifting of the building did not allow for adequate head space to the stairs. The cut out of the lodge allowed for the needed room and an interesting bedding area. Another complication was the door swing in such close quarters. Thus, the door was designed to move in a vertical motion.
Process
Mist 04
9/10/19 - 11/5/19
Lodge 04 is centralized around elevation to intrigue the resident with a different perspective of the surrounding environment. The elevated space allows for significant spacial qualities. The building is located on a gentle sloping hill to allow a height advantage when looking out. The two spaces, the living quarters and meditation space, allow for different perspectives. The lower level floor is in the canopy line which allows for glimpses of the forest floor, while the top space is above the tree line to allow for a panoramic view. This permits both sunrise and sunset yoga experiences.
The circulation of the building is based off external stairs. This transitional space allows for continuous circulation and zero interruptions within the surrounding space.
The banding around the floor plates has a texture that casts interesting shadows during the day. By contrast, at night it serves as recessed lighting to illuminate the surrounding areas.
The structural members that carry the floor load follow the topography and allow for a more expressive feel.
Mist 05
9/10/19 - 11/5/19
Lodge 05 is located inside of a gyroscope. The sphere’s spacial qualities are meant to invoke an interesting feeling in the resident. Within the lodge there is only one viewport. The gyroscope rotates throughout the day capturing sunlight and framing key elements. The lodge is set on the rivers bank, shrouded in the shadows of the trees. This allows the building to blend in and allow nature to be undisturbed. The foundation design was inspired by a drainage system. During the different seasons, the water level rises and lowers and allows for organic elements to fall and get caught. The constant moisture creates the perfect climate for moss and other vegetation to grow within the system. This helps clean up the river while providing an additional visual effect as the concrete is stained with a variety of colors. An individual walkway is included to offer an option to meditate indoors or outdoors while having an overhead view of the gutter. The supporting cables are meant to seem hidden within the tree foliage and gather vines overtime.
Concrete Fog
10/2/18 - 11/20/18
Concrete Fog represents a minimalistic approach to an equestrian farrier and horseshoeing facility. The project specified a forging area, stalls for horses, and a separate medical center. Concrete Fog is composed of curvilinear forms. The external skin is inspired by Tadao Ando’s concrete. The simplicity of the form and material is intended to draw attention toward other key elements of the project.
The site shrouds the building with trees allowing for the differentiation between natural and artificial. The orientation of the building is placed from east to west. Concrete Fog is facing south to allow scenic views toward the open range of the horses’ pasture area.
The horse stalls are located in the bending curve which allow for the horses to have views. Placing rectangles on a curve made for odd geometry. The extra space that was created would be used to store hay and other supplies for the horses. The stalls are not connected to the curving wall instead there is a 1 foot gap and the roof is set back 2 feet. This allows the horses to be next to one another and socialize without being confined. The stalls have 3 windows that allow light to pass through during the morning, mid-day, and afternoon. The front facade of the stalls is monochromatic in color and material. The doors that allow passage are designed to be the same size as the concrete rectangles. The seam-line of the door is hidden in the break of the pattern. There is a roller track system to accommodate for the width of the door, the horses near the door, and allow for smooth movement. The roof is designed to support small plant overgrowth into the interior space.
Specifically, the building adopts different personas according to the seasons. The minimalist materials work with the natural color cycles of the seasons to highlight the seasonal colors. Different seasonal elements - greenery, fallen ochre leaves, the bare of winter - contrast with the concrete to instill a deeper understanding of nature.
The trees are placed in a grid pattern. The bottom of the trees canopy is meant to be 20-25 feet. This allows for ground level views to be clear of the concrete wall and the trunk of the tree. The ground is lush with weeping love-grass, as the wind and light begin to pass through it creates movement of warmth and nostalgia.
The entrance of the medical center is made up of a large intersecting wall that is met with a large door cutout. This is to help to visitors understand the entrance of the building. I wanted to create a sense of hierarchy that was understood yet simple. The transition space that separates the medical center from the curved concrete facade allows for passage that is open air and has natural daylight. As you walk into the building you are met at the lobby space that outlooks the pasture and frames the view. The lobby space was a consideration of clientele. I wanted to create a branding image from the exterior of the building, but also the interior as well. After doing research I learned that all horses, by nature, are claustrophobic to some degree they have evolved over time to be free roaming beings. This information lead to the inclusion of floor to ceiling windows. The interior spaces have large pocket sized doors that allow horses to be transferred to other rooms with ease.
The large intersecting wall has a staircase that leads to the rooftop. This area allows for an aerial view of the overall project. The tops is meant to hold grass this allows for a public space without the addition of chairs and tables, which would ruin the aesthetic. The grass is meant to supply a soft cushion.
While touring horse facilities I noticed the qualities of gravel paths. As I walked, the feeling through my boots created a satisfaction that was inexpressible. Covering the dirt roads with gravel allowed for the paths to keep their undeveloped nature but made them clean cut while refraining from degrading the overall building.
The forge area is open air that allows for natural ventilation. The separate spaces are divided by a low concrete wall that allows for horses to be tied up too. During inadequate weather the installment of side mount shading devices cover the workstations.
